Category Archives: vintage costume

Sparsh (1980) deconstructed

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

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

The clean ease and civility of Tagore

Meanwhile the days are heating up after the spell of winter; the sun is getting hot, even as a cool breeze is blowing through the boat window and caressing my back. Today there is no special concession for winter or … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 19th century, Bengal, Bengali, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Early 20th Century, Hair, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Authors, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian men, indian style, Islamic style, Late 19th century, Vintage, vintage costume, Vintage Dress, Vintage Men, vintage style | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Internet Sleuthing – Mary Bhor

Mary Bhor (1865?-1913) Daughter of Rao Saheb Ramji Gangaji Bhor and a second generation Christian, she took advantage of her English education and fairly liberal background provided by her parents. She had obtained a teacher’s training certificate from London and … Continue reading

Posted in 1900s, Christianity, Colonial, Costume, Early 20th Century, Feminism, Indian Costume, Indian Women, Maharashtra, regional styles, Sari, Sari Blouse, Victorian, vintage costume, vintage sari, women writers, Working Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Parasakthi style in brief

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

The costumes of Bazaar (1982)

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 , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Mantilla Post

In the pics: The late 19th/early 20 century practice of wearing a mantilla with the sari. Often made of lace. Probably a result of the popularity of the mantilla in nineteenth century Europe and more or less confined to Bengal. … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1910s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Bengal, Colonial, Dress Reform, Early 19th century, fashion, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Costume, Indian Women, Photography, Royalty, Sari, sari history, Studio Portraits, Vintage, vintage costume, vintage photography, vintage sari, vintage style | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Art and Fashion

I came across Uma Damle’s interpretation of Hemen Majumdar paintings the other day. Her site also has her take on Raja Ravi Varma’s works. That got me into doing a few posts of spot the artwork in today’s fashion and … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 19th century, 20th century, Art, art recreation, Bengal, bindi, contemporary fashion, Contemporary Style, costumes in art, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Late 19th century, Paintings, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, vintage art, Vintage Blouse, vintage costume, vintage fashion, vintage sari, women in art | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The costumes of Devdas (1936)

Devdas may well be summarised by these three screen captures:) Saratchandra was 17 when he wrote Devdas, it is likely the author himself thought the novel an immature work in later age.  Despite it being a “youth novel” and  despite the … Continue reading

Posted in 1910s, 1930s, 20th century, Accessories, Actor, Bengal, Bengali cinema, Cinema, Colonial, Costume, costume design, Courtesan, Culture, Dancer, Early 20th Century, fashion, film costumes, Film Costuming, Hairstyles, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, regional styles, Romance, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Vintage, vintage costume | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Period Drama Post

A look at a few contemporary period dramas in regional cinema, almost all are set in the 20th century. मी वेगळी आहे विन्या (I am different, Vinya).  The staging of a play in Ravi Jadhav’s short, Mitraa, during which Sumitra realises … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 20th century, Actor, Bengal, Bengali cinema, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, fictional detectives, Film Costuming, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Late 19th century, Lesbianism, Literature, Love, Malayalam Cinema, Marathi cinema, Novels, Period Drama, Regional cinema, Regional period drama, regional styles, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, South India, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage costume, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments