Category Archives: Tamil

The 1940s Film Post

Posted on 07/01/2015 by

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

The Autumn Post

Posted on 23/09/2014 by

We are kind of heading towards autumn in India. Less marked by weather and more by festivals these days. So a little bit about the kuṟiñci, an autumnal flower, that bloomed in some parts of the South this year. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Flora, Flowers, il nadu, oetry, Paintings, rinji, Seasons, South India, Tamil, Tribal | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The 1960s in Film – Kadhalikka Neramillai (1964)

Posted on 25/08/2014 by

Kadhalikka Neramillai (is a 1964 Tamil film. Given that it’s heroines are a pair of wealthy young girls you get plenty of 1960s fashions with a dash of the 1950s. Saris, salwars, slacks and half-saris all make an appearance. The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s, 20th century, Actor, Cinema, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Movies, salwar, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Sets, South India, South Indian Cinema, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Group Photo Post

Posted on 07/03/2014 by

Group photographs are great because they give an actual sense of what people wore back in the day. The first pic for example is probably Madras in the 1930s. All the women are in the then modern six-yard sari.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, churidar kameez, Colonial, Costume, Early 19th century, Education, fashion, Girls, History, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Photography, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, Tamil, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hairstyles: 1951: Tamil Nadu

Posted on 01/01/2014 by

Hairstyles of the 1950s. 1951 to be precise, this is from a Diwali Special edition of Ananda Vikatan. Almost all styles you will note use flowers or jewels for ornamentation. Click to view full size. The translations of the captions … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, fashion, Flowers, Hair, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Magazine, Tamil, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kumbakonam

Posted on 20/11/2013 by

My grandparents came from the villages around Kumbakonam but lived most of their adult lives in Maharashtra and Bihar.  My great grandparents had a house in Tiruvidaimarudur, they moved here in the 1950s from Mumbai. Given their long lives, we … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th century, Contemporary, Culture, fashion, Flowers, Girls, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, Tamil, Village, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Tamil Historical Post

Posted on 25/10/2013 by

The illustrations for Tamil periodicals have a long history and some illustrators are nearly as well known as the writers. A number of serialised stories are historical romances (think Chola empire, Pallavas) and the drawings are fairly vivid in recreating an era, albeit … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th century, Ancient India, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hair, History, Illustration, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Jewellery, Love, Novels, Period Drama, Romance, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments