This gallery contains 4 photos.
Though Rashid Jahan and Attia Hosain were from Uttar Pradesh, as Pran Nevile’sbook on life in pre-partition Lahore indicates, the upper classes in the North of India (given this was the 1930s I guess Nevile is referring to Lahoris as … Continue reading
I mentioned Rokeya Begum in an earlier post as wearing a Brahmika saree. As these excerpts from Sonia Amin’s book indicate, both Hindu and Muslim women in Bengal moving from the private sphere into the public sphere were evolving a new kind of attire. … Continue reading
Brooch 2: I have seen a few 40s Indian movies where the brooch was used to fasten the saree at the waist. However, this photograph is the only one I have found with said brooch. Also rare to find a … Continue reading
Brooch 1: An unusual placement of the brooch on the saree blouse. The blouse itself seems to be the square neck kind of style of the 40s. The photograph is of HH Maharani Krishna Kumar (the basis for Rekha’s character in Zubeidaa). [X]
Princess Shashi Raje of Dewas in an embroidered ghaghra-choli looking poised and a little enigmatic in a studio photo. The choli is almost completely hidden by jewellery and yet it doesn’t feel excessive. Arm bracelets seem to have been very popular in the … Continue reading
A pretty cap sleeve blouse which allows for arm bracelets (bazuband). Pic taken in the 1930s. Source: people.howstuffworks.com
Amrita Sher-Gil’s “Child Wife”
And those pieces of asymetrically aligned hair jewellery.
And some of the discarded influences – like jaunty caps – need to come back.
A saree break. The previous modifier of dress – especially in North India – was of course Islamic rule. There is a great deal of variation within this from fitted tunics to serious trouser flares. These styles live on … Continue reading
Vintage Indian Clothing 