Category Archives: Contemporary

On Indian Clothing

Posted on 01/01/2015 by Anu M

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 Bengal Sari

Posted on 12/12/2014 by Anu M

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

The Red Ribbon Post

Posted on 12/12/2014 by Anu M

I have written a bit on how ribbons went from being youthful fashion to something worn at best by village school girls-though a lot more can be said on the subject. Indian readers of a certain age will no doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in Accessories, Art, Contemporary, Girls, Hair, indian art, Indian fashion | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Kebaya Post

Posted on 24/11/2014 by Anu M

Now and then I like to look at fashions east of India. Especially the kain-kebaya which you can still spot in everyday use. I spotted an Indonesian book of fashion illustrations (Cantik Elegan dengan Kebaya XL aka  Beautiful and Elegant … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemporary, Contemporary Style, Indonesia, Islamic style, kain kebaya, Kebaya, Plus Size, South East Asia | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bali

Posted on 23/10/2014 by Anu M

I spent some time in Ubud, Bali and despite being overrun with tourists it seemed to suffer little from the usual soulless nature of such places. It helped that I wasn’t in Ubud “proper” though I missed out on a … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st century, Asia, Contemporary, Costume, Culture, Flowers, Girls, Hinduism, South East Asia, Travel, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lootera Deconstructed

Posted on 17/07/2014 by Anu M

There is nothing as much of its time as the period film – see successive Jane Austen adaptations for e.g.  I am therefore not terribly fussed about authenticity in period films, though it is always pleasurable if filmmakers do their homework … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 20th century, 21st century, Actor, Bengal, Bollywood, Cinema, Contemporary, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hair, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Movies, Old Bollywood, Period Drama, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, Tumblr, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

The Spring Post

Posted on 07/03/2014 by Anu M

पुष्पिताग्रांश्च पश्येमान्कर्णिकारान्समन्ततः। हाटकप्रतिसंचन्नान्नरान्पीताम्बरानिव॥ And look at these flower-tipped karnikāras everywhere – they look like men robed in yellow and laden with golden jewellery. [X] Spring (Vasanta) in India is generally in the months of Phalguna and Chaitra (roughly March and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Contemporary, Culture, Flowers, Hinduism, History, Indian Dress, Indian men, Late 19th century, Literature, Paintings, Sanskrit Drama | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Notes

Posted on 06/03/2014 by Anu M

I haven’t updated this site in a long time meanwhile the tumblr keeps getting refreshed. Partly this is because I have just been doing simple posts and there is no grand theme: Newish movies; Recurring patterns in Hindi cinema [X, … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Actor, Colonial, Contemporary, Costume, Culture, Early 19th century, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hair, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Personal, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Salwar/Churidar/Kameez Post – 1

Posted on 26/01/2014 by Anu M

A SHORT AND INCOMPLETE HISTORY OF THE CHUDIDAR, SALWAR, KAMEEZ ETC. India’s links with West Asia date back to antiquity.  It’s significant influence on attire, particularly in North West India, is probably best documented during Mughal rule, especially from the … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th century, 1940s, 1960s, 1980s, 19th century, churidar kameez, Contemporary, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Girls, historical costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Islamic Dress, Late 19th century, Mughal, Paintings, Pakistani Artists, Salwar Kameez, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Puff Sleeve

Posted on 13/12/2013 by Anu M

The puff sleeve blouse. Always popular in almost every decade of the 20th century, particularly for young women. Judging from photographs I have seen, the simpler version (unlike the exaggerated sleeves of previous decades) was kind of de rigeur in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 20th century, 21st century, Actor, Colonial, Contemporary, Early 20th Century, fashion, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments