Category Archives: Vintage Dress

Knits in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

I must confess I was a little lukewarm towards DBB when it released but meant to do a review of its vintage vibe all the same. A second viewing awhile ago made me appreciate the film, its attention to detail … Continue reading

Posted in 1940s, Actor, Bengal, Bengali, Bollywood, Cinema, costume design, Costumes in Cinema, film costumes, Film Costuming, Indian Actors, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian men, indian style, Indian Women, Period Drama, retro fashion, Sari, Vintage, Vintage Dress, winterwear | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

1980s Indian wear for men

Though Indian attire has not been common for men, especially the middle and upper classes, post Independence, it is pretty much de rigeur for male politicians.  Usually this is varying permutations and combinations of the kurta/achkan/jacket/dhoti with regional variants (e.g. … Continue reading

Posted in 1980s, 20th century, clothing, Culture, fashion, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian men, indian style, late 20th century, Photography, Politicians, Politics, shawls, Vintage Dress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Teachers’ Day, 2017

Today is Teachers’ Day in India. A piece on one of our first women educationists. The pics: Girls School at Jaipur :- The Primary Class (1950). An interesting mix of frocks, uniforms and sarees for the young students. Students of … Continue reading

Posted in 1950s, 2017 posts, 20th century, Children, Education, Girls, India, Indian Dress, Indian Women, mid century, photodivision, Photography, retro, Sari, Vintage, Vintage Dress, vintage photography, Women, women doctors, Working Women | 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

The Love Post

Madanotsav or Kamotsav was probably today. The Gujarati inscription on top of the painting: જનમ જનમ કે હમ સાથી (Janam Janam ke hum saathi aka lovers/partners forever). Pic Source: Jyoti Bhatt, 1967.

Posted in 1960s, 20th century, fashion, Illustration, in Colour, Indian Aesthetics, indian art, Indian Dress, indian festivals, Indian Illustrators, Indian men, Indian Women, Love, Paintings, retro, retro fashion, Romance, vintage art, Vintage Dress, Vintage Illustration, vintage illustrations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

East+West

There are plenty of examples of clothes from the West that make use of Indian textiles, at least from the Regency period onwards. Examples include muslin, paisley shawls, 1950s dresses and cotton gauze dresses of the 70s and 80s. There … Continue reading

Posted in 19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Colonial, Contemporary, contemporary fashion, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, India, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Late 19th century, late 20th century, salwar, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, Sari Dress, sari history, Vintage, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi, 19.11.1917-31.10.1984. When I was a schoolgirl in Delhi, our school was called upon to be part of the welcome for the visiting Soviet leader – we are probably part of some long lost Films Division footage of bright … Continue reading

Posted in 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 20th century, fashion, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Politicians, Politics, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Vintage, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, Women Rulers, Working Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Videshi/Swadeshi

Sumair [a relative] wanted to present me with a divine sari of pure gold that was her wedding present and she doesn’t want to wear for she claims to wear only French materials. Poor Indian women of queer tastes, they … Continue reading

Posted in 1930s, Art, costumes in art, Culture, Early 20th Century, Indian Aesthetics, indian art, Indian fashion, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Paintings, retro, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, vintage art, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage sari, women in art | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In the 1960s

I had a query awhile ago on styles for students and young women in the 1960s. While I answered that privately I thought a few points from it might be interesting to some of you. For comparison screencaps (top) are … Continue reading

Posted in 1960s, Actor, Bollywood, churidar kurta, Costumes in Cinema, fashion, film costumes, Films Division, Hairstyles, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, retro, retro cinema, retro fashion, retro hair, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Vintage Blouse, vintage cinema, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage hair, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 70s in a single pic

I chanced upon this pic on ebay and in it are all the glorious 70s trends! First up its prints, prints, prints. The maxis* – at least I think they are maxis, the construction of the lower part is interesting. … Continue reading

Posted in 1970s, fashion, Girls, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, late 20th century, Photography, retro, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage photography, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments