Category Archives: 1880s

The clean ease and civility of Tagore

Meanwhile the days are heating up after the spell of winter; the sun is getting hot, even as a cool breeze is blowing through the boat window and caressing my back. Today there is no special concession for winter or … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 19th century, Bengal, Bengali, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Early 20th Century, Hair, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Authors, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian men, indian style, Islamic style, Late 19th century, Vintage, vintage costume, Vintage Dress, Vintage Men, vintage style | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Mantilla Post

In the pics: The late 19th/early 20 century practice of wearing a mantilla with the sari. Often made of lace. Probably a result of the popularity of the mantilla in nineteenth century Europe and more or less confined to Bengal. … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1910s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Bengal, Colonial, Dress Reform, Early 19th century, fashion, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Costume, Indian Women, Photography, Royalty, Sari, sari history, Studio Portraits, Vintage, vintage costume, vintage photography, vintage sari, vintage style | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Period Drama Post

A look at a few contemporary period dramas in regional cinema, almost all are set in the 20th century. मी वेगळी आहे विन्या (I am different, Vinya).  The staging of a play in Ravi Jadhav’s short, Mitraa, during which Sumitra realises … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 20th century, Actor, Bengal, Bengali cinema, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, fictional detectives, Film Costuming, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Late 19th century, Lesbianism, Literature, Love, Malayalam Cinema, Marathi cinema, Novels, Period Drama, Regional cinema, Regional period drama, regional styles, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, South India, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage costume, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Indian Royals – 2

The daughters of the Diwan of Travancore in 1868. They appear to be Bala, Neena, Sundara, Sati?. The Diwan was a Maharashtrian from Thanjavur, the sari and ornaments are similar to that seen in Maharashtra and South India in the … Continue reading

Posted in 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1900s, 1910s, 1930s, Costume, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, historical dress, historical fashions, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian royalty, Indian Women, Late 19th century, Maharashtra, regional styles, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Sets, Studio Portraits, Vintage Blouse, vintage costume, vintage fashion, vintage sari, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Buddhism Post

I had done this set of posts starting on Buddha Purnima on tumblr but it’s taken me till now to collate it on WP.  In some ways posts are more coherent on WP so despite the delay here it is.  … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1900s, 1940s, 1990s, Ancient India, Art, art recreation, Asia, Buddhism, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Early 20th Century, East Asia, historical art, historical costume, historical dress, History, Illustration, India, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Japan, Late 19th century, Paintings, Philosophy, Religion, Sanskrit Literature, Sari, Sri Lanka, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The evolution of the modern sari

It’s been difficult for me to update this blog along with tumblr as I am a little hard pressed for time. The only significant thing that I need to update here are a series of posts I am doing on … Continue reading

Posted in 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 19th century, 20th century, Bengal, British Raj, Colonial, Early 20th Century, Flapper, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian Women, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Diaspora Post

The heavy silver jewellery and skirts of Indian communities from Central and Western India are reflected in early photographs of immigrants to the West Indies. Early immigrants were often indentured labour from the then United Provinces and Eastern India. [X] … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 19th century, British Raj, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Diaspora, fashion, History, Immigration, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Late 19th century, Vintage, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Ayah Post-3

A look at how past fashions influence modern fashions: Detail from Warren Hastings with his wife and Indian maid, painted sometime between 1784-87. Floor length “anarkalis” (no doubt known by a different name) can be spotted in 18th century/19th century … Continue reading

Posted in 1780s, 1880s, 18th century, 19th century, British Raj, Colonial, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Late 19th century, Paintings, Photography, Sari, Sari Blouse, servind maid, Vintage, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, Women, Working Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Nautch Post

Ongoing posts on Indian dance, particularly in the 19th/early 20th century. This painting is Edwin Lord Weeks’  Nautch Girls emerging from the Taj Mahal. Weeks’  paintings of India have a number of quotidian details and I particularly like this one.

Posted in 1880s, 19th century, British Raj, Colonial, Costume, Courtesan, Dance, Dancer, Early 20th Century, Paintings, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The School Uniform Post

14 November:  Mr Nehru’s birth anniversary and Children’s Day in India. The older pupils of this girls school in 1880s India are all in Parsi style saris and long blouses.  Source: columbia.edu

Posted in 1880s, India, Sari Blouse, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment