Category Archives: Film Costuming

The Polka Dot Post

Posted on 21/09/2020 by Anu M

Today let’s look at Rekha’s commitment to the polka dot – with a side serving of leheria (diagonal stripes or literally waves)! As with Vijeta, the look is very consistent, bar a “dream sequence” and a wedding. The movie: 1982’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 20th century, Accessories, Actor, Cinema, clothing, colour, costume design, Costumes in Cinema, fashion, film costumes, Film Costuming, Hindi cinema, Indian Actors, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian fashion, indian style, Indian Women, late 20th century, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Working Women | Tagged 1980s, 1980s cinema, high necked blouse, Hindi cinema, Indian fashion, jeevan dhaara, leheria, piping, polka dots, Rekha, retro, saree style, stripes, vintage, vintage blouse, vintage saree | Leave a comment

The Film Post (1980s)

Posted on 29/07/2020 by Anu M

Everything 1980s can be found in one Rekha movie or the other. From indie style to gharelu chic to plain old Bollywood glamour, she showcased it all in her 1980s films. Each movie often had a signature look with the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 20th century, Actor, bindi, Bollywood, Cinema, Costumes in Cinema, film costumes, Film Costuming, handlooms, Indian Actors, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, indian style, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Movies, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage sari | Tagged 1980s, 1982, film costumes, ilkal, indian actor, indian cinema, jennifer kendal, puneri saree, Rekha, saree, vijeta | 1 Comment

Sparsh (1980) deconstructed

Posted on 22/10/2017 by Anu M

Just 4 years separate Kadambari and Sparsh but the former is firmly rooted in 70s styles while Sparsh gives a glimpse of the styles of the early 80s with barely a hint of the 70s. So let’s look at what … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 2017 posts, Actor, arthouse, Cinema, Costumes in Cinema, fashion, film costumes, Film Costuming, Hairstyles, handlooms, Indian Actors, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian fashion, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, late 20th century, Men, retro cinema, retro fashion, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Sets, Vintage, vintage cinema, vintage costume, vintage sari, vintage style, winterwear, Working Women | Tagged 1980s, 1980s cinema, 1980s india, bengal cottons, film costumes, Hindi cinema, indian cinema, indian handlooms, indian silks, naseeruddin shah, odisha sarees, Shabana Azmi, south cottons, sparsh, vintage sari | 4 Comments

80s/90s Redux 1

Posted on 19/06/2017 by Anu M

Mostly Rekha’s specracktular headgear. I feel like in the 80s/90s she ordered up all the headgear she could lay her hands on, luckily this has been documented for posterity. About 50% of the headgear seems to be Russian Czarina meets … Continue reading →

Posted in 1990s, 2017 posts, Cinema, Costumes in Cinema, fashion, Film Costuming, headgear, Indian Actors, Indian Women, late 20th century, Movies, retro | Tagged 80s-90s, Bollywood, early 90s, hats, headgear, Indian Actress, late 80s, Rekha, turbans | Leave a comment

The Art of Dressing

Posted on 18/05/2017 by Anu M

Screencaps from the colourised version of Piya Aiso Jiya Mein. Ostensibly about the piya but really an ode to the art of dressing up. Alternatively Meena is Queen of Everything. And has a few helpers. Another similar song – from … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s, 20th century, Actor, Bengal, bindi, Cinema, Costume, costume design, Costumes in Cinema, fashion, film costumes, Film Costuming, Hairstyles, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Costume, Indian fashion, indian style, Indian Women, Old Bollywood, Period Drama, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, vintage costume, vintage hair | Tagged bindi, dressing up, hair ornaments, Meena Kumari, Old Bollywood, Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam, sari, sola singar, vintage actress, vintage hair | Leave a comment

Bindi Queens

Posted on 20/04/2017 by Anu M

Not every decade has distinctive bindis. And when a decade does its usually easily seen as a trend on an actress. Here’s how the 50s, 70s and 90s looked! Shyama, the bindi queen of the 1950s. Decorative bindis were quite … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 1970s, 1990s, Accessories, bindi, Bollywood, Culture, Film Costuming, Indian Aesthetics, Indian fashion, indian style, Indian Women, Old Bollywood, retro, retro cinema, retro fashion, Vintage, vintage fashion, vintage style | Tagged Accessories, bindi, bindis, Indian fashion, indian style, Madhuri Dixit, Mumtaz, retro fashion, retro style, Shyama | Leave a comment

Parasakthi style in brief

Posted on 13/01/2017 by Anu M

Besides, love between siblings, particularly between the elder brother and younger sister, has become a specific marker of Tamil culture, mainly due to the impact of canonical Tamil films like En Thangai (My Sister, dir. M.K.R. Nambiar and Ch. Narayanamurthy, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, Actor, Cinema, costume design, film costumes, Film Costuming, Girls, Indian Cinema, Indian fashion, Indian Women, mid century, Movies, Regional cinema, regional styles, retro cinema, retro fashion, South Indian Cinema, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, vintage cinema, vintage costume | Tagged 1950s, 1950s style, actress, cinema costumes, davani, Half saree, kamala laxman, pandari bai, Parasakthi, sriranjani, subbulakshmi, Tamil Cinema, tamil style | Leave a comment

The 80s cinema post

Posted on 26/12/2016 by Anu M

Trikon ka Chautha Kon aka The Fourth Angle of a Triangle (1986) is kind of quasi arthouse 80s cinema and more than a little regressive when it comes to it’s women protagonists who dominate much of the film. The film … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 20th century, Actor, bindi, Bollywood, Children, churidar kameez, churidar kurta, Cinema, Costumes in Cinema, dupatta, fashion, Feminism, film costumes, Film Costuming, Hair, Hairstyles, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, late 20th century, Movies, retro cinema, retro fashion, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Vintage Blouse, vintage cinema, vintage fashion, vintage sari | Tagged 1980s, 1980s cinema, 1980s style, Bollywood, Hindi cinema, indian cinema, priyardarshinee, swaroop sampat, trikon ka chautha kon, vijayendra ghatge, vintage cinema, vintage style | Leave a comment

The costumes of Bazaar (1982)

Posted on 08/12/2016 by Anu M

80s arthouse aesthetic in Bazaar (1982). The movie deals with the poorer Muslim communities of Hyderabad and the financial compulsions that lay behind many an unequal and unwanted marriage contract. Some parts of the costuming reflect the milieu. With Shabnam … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 20th century, Actor, churidar kameez, churidar kurta, Cinema, Costumes in Cinema, film costumes, Film Costuming, Flowers, Hair, Hairstyles, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Women, Islamic style, late 20th century, retro cinema, retro fashion, retro hair, Salwar Kameez, South India, Vintage, vintage cinema, vintage costume, vintage style | Tagged alternative cinema, arthouse, bazaar, farooque shaikh, Hindi cinema, indian cinema, neesha singh, rita rani kaul, sagar sarhadi, Smita Patil, Supriya Pathak | 2 Comments

Ashadh ka ek din

Posted on 25/07/2016 by Anu M

आषाढस्य प्रथमदिवसे मेघमाश्लिष्टसानुं वप्रक्रीडापरिणतगजप्रेक्षणीयं ददर्श॥१.२॥ Ashar has come, filling the southern sky with A cloud, frolicksome as an elephant About to charge, he seems to lower his tusks. (translation of lines from the Meghadoot from here). The month of Ashadh … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 4th century AD, Ancient India, costume design, Costumes in Cinema, Culture, film costumes, Film Costuming, Hairstyles, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, historical hairstyles, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Literature, Indian men, Indian Theatre, Indian Women, Romance, Sanskrit Drama, Sanskrit Literature, sari drape, Theatre | Tagged 1950s play, 1970s cinema, arun khopkar, ashadh, Ashadh ka ek din, film costumes, indian costumes, Indian Theatre, Kalidasa, mani kaul, mohan rakesh, monsoon, rekha sabnis, theatre costumes | 2 Comments