Author Archives: Anu M

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About Anu M

A potted history of Indian clothing and fashion.

The Shawl Post

The blue shawl first, a canopy of blue, The Face, Conrad Aiken New Kangra Painting and Girl with Blue Shawl by Wink Willett.

Posted in 21st century, Accessories, Asia, Contemporary, Contemporary Style, Costume, Culture, fashion, Girls, historical art, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Paintings, Photography, Sets, winterwear, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The 1940s Film Post

இது, இது, இது எல்லாம் ஜப்பான். எல்லாம் செத்து ஒரு ரூபாய் கூட இருக்காது! This, this, this, it’s all from Japan. And all together not more than 1 Rupee! 1940s movies can be a bit amateurish to the modern eye but they can … Continue reading

Posted in 1940s, 20th century, Accessories, Actor, Cinema, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Film Costuming, Flowers, Hair, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Japan, Movies, regional styles, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Sets, South India, South Indian Cinema, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, Tamil Nadu, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage jewellery, vintage sari, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

2015

Everyone should read Banalata Sen, whether in the original Bengali or translated. As I mentioned the sari history posts were very time and energy consuming this year.  I might revisit some of the earlier decades as the information on them … Continue reading

Posted in 1930s, Bengal, Early 20th Century, Indian Literature, Literature, Personal, Poetry, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Indian Clothing

The people of Pataliputra* dressed well in flowered muslins embroidered with jewels, and an umbrella was carried by an attendant behind the head of a noble when he went into the road. Kleitarchus, however, found that in other, poorer parts … Continue reading

Posted in 21st century, 3rd century BCE, Ancient India, Asia, Contemporary, Contemporary Style, Costume, Culture, fashion, gems, Girls, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, History, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Vintage, vintage costume, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Christmas Post

Merry Christmas to everyone and happy holidays! Watercolour by Manishi Dey.

Posted in 1960s, 20th century, Art, Asia, Bengal, Costume, Culture, ghaghra, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Paintings, regional styles, vintage art, Vintage Dress, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Winter Post

Like śiśira, there is an abundance of snow, the sun shines weakly – resembling the moon – and those who can stay indoors, preferably with their lovers*. It is the season to stay home, curl up alone or with family … Continue reading

Posted in 1800s, 19th century, Art, Asia, Costume, Culture, dupatta, Early 19th century, fashion, ghaghra, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Illustrators, Love, miniature paintings, Paintings, regional styles, Royalty, vintage art, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Flower Post

Mimi, on your birthday, tell me what should I buy? A red sari, a silken blouse, a purple petticoat, and a shiuli‘s shade, its flowers dropping, when the night draws to a close. Selected Poems of Buddhadeva Bose Getting up … Continue reading

Posted in Art, dye, Flowers, harsingar, natural dye, parijat, Sari, Sari Blouse, shiuli, Vintage, Vintage Dress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Khada Dupatta of the Deccan

The six-yard khada dupatta required a whole nine yards of the heaviest gold borders to include both elaborate edges or pallows, with a particular order of gota masala stitched just so. The gala, the baghli, the aasteen, borders around neck, … Continue reading

Posted in 1910s, dupatta, Indian fashion, regional styles, Salwar Kameez, vintage fashion, vintage style | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Bengal Sari

The stripes and greens of a Bengal sari. All prints by Lalu Prasad Shaw.

Posted in Art, Bengal, Contemporary, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Prints, Sari, Sari Blouse | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Navaratna

The navaratna (nine gems) consists of the marakata (emerald), vajra (diamond), mukta (pearl), pushyaraga (topaz), manika (ruby), vidruma (coral), vaidurya (cat’s eye), nila (sapphire), and gomedaka (garnet),  Generally this is set in order in a grid as in pic 1 … Continue reading

Posted in 18th century, 19th century, antique, gems, Indian fashion, Jewellery, vintage jewellery | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment