Category Archives: Old Bollywood

The Art of Dressing

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bindi Queens

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A short list of Indian period dramas

While doing posts on contemporary regional Indian period movies, I made a rough list of Indian period films. These are listed below. Some are historicals but the bulk fall into the 19th and 20th century.  The list is fairly rough … Continue reading

Posted in Actor, Ancient India, Bengali cinema, Bollywood, British Raj, Colonial, Costume, fashion, Film Costuming, historical costume, History, Independence, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian fashion, Islamic Dress, Medieval India, Movies, Mughal India, Old Bollywood, Regional cinema, Regional period drama, regional styles, retro, Sari, Sari Blouse, South Indian Cinema, Vintage, vintage cinema, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2016

A bit late but Happy New Year everyone! Lux calendar for 1954 with Suraiya featured for January/February. A Painting from a Barahmasa series – The month of Magha (January/ February), Garhwal, 1780-90. Source.

Posted in 18th century, 1950s, 2016 posts, Actor, Cinema, costumes in art, Culture, fashion, historical art, historical costume, historical fashions, indian art, Indian fashion, Indian Singers, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, mid century, miniature paintings, Movies, Old Bollywood, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage photography, women in art | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

All About Hair

I had a bit of a meandering look at the history of hairstyles in India on tumblr and as always this post collates it on wordpress. curnakuntala (Sanskrit): locks or ringlets hair style. alaka-avali (Sanskrit): hair arrangement in spiral locks … Continue reading

Posted in 1600s, 16th Century, 1700s, 17th century, 1800s, 18th century, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Ancient India, Art, Asia, Bengal, Bollywood, Colonial, Contemporary Style, Culture, Dance, Dancer, fashion, Flowers, Hair, historical fashions, historical hairstyles, History, indian art, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Jewellery, Medieval India, miniature paintings, Old Bollywood, Paintings, regional styles, retro, retro hair, Sanskrit Literature, Sculpture, Sets, Tamil, Tumblr, Vintage, vintage hair, vintage jewellery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 1930s Post

She wore an exquisite pink sari and the delicate gold thread embroidery on it added to the charm of both.  The vermilion mark and the tiny decorative dots of colour on her forehead and the collyrium-touched eyes added much grace … Continue reading

Posted in 1930s, Accessories, Actor, Bollywood, Colonial, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hair, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Old Bollywood, Postcards, retro, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage hair, vintage jewellery, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bits n Bobs

Gharara/Sharara…still confused by the many definitions. Raghu adds a few more explanations to 1950s hairstyles. Bengal’s laterite soil makes for Japanese dye. Please admire Waheeda – X and X.

Posted in 17th century, 1950s, 1960s, 19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Asia, Bengal, Bollywood, Cinema, Costume, Culture, East Asia, Edo, fashion, Hair, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Japanese, natural dye, Old Bollywood, retro, retro fashion, Tumblr, Vintage, vintage costume, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage hair, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dilip Kumar & Madhubala & Tarana

Dilip Kumar is 92 today (11/Dec/2014). Watch Dilip and Madhubala being very adorable in Nain mile baawre and giving off some old-fashioned heat in Beiman Tore Nainwa in 1951’s Tarana. This was pretty much part of the soundtrack of my … Continue reading

Posted in 1950s, Actor, Indian Cinema, Old Bollywood, Vintage Music | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 1960s in Film – Love in Tokyo (1966)

Love in Tokyo (1966) hardly needs any introduction. It’s the kind of frothy romance set in an exotic foreign locale (or at the very least Kashmir) that the 1960s specialised in. Naturally the leads are in their 60s best. With … Continue reading

Posted in 1960s, Actor, Asia, Bollywood, churidar kameez, Cinema, East Asia, Film Costuming, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Japan, Movies, Old Bollywood, Romance, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 1960s Post

  Sleeveless blouses and kameez, the just got up and squeezed into my sari/kameez look, mile high hair and dramatic eyes.  A bit of a 50s hangover until the decade is it’s own self. Documenting the 60s on tumblr! Don’t … Continue reading

Posted in 1960s, 20th century, Actor, Bollywood, churidar kameez, fashion, Girls, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Old Bollywood, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, South Indian Cinema, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments