Category Archives: Women

The Tilaka Post

Posted on 28/03/2013 by Anu M

On the tilaka/bindi/the red dot. I wish I had proper referencing for this but it is a bit difficult since there are stray lines here and there in texts which discuss costume on the whole or the odd artwork and nothing substantive. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient India, Culture, Hinduism, India, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The South Africa Post

Posted on 15/03/2013 by Anu M

  As with many diasporas, the clothing of South African Indians harks back to India and also takes in local influences.  A few pictures here.  In the photographs here there is a distinct Gujarati influence (some of Stern‘s paintings in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s, Diaspora, South Africa, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Regional Dress in the 1920s

Posted on 13/03/2013 by Anu M

From MV Dhurandhar’s set of watercolours from the 1920s. It pretty much covers the diverse costumes of communities at the time and you can see a number of regional variations at play. This set largely has attire worn in Bombay and Gujarat … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, Art, Colonial, Early 20th Century, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

International Women’s Day

Posted on 08/03/2013 by Anu M

  Russia appears to have an International Women’s Day that is also Mother’s Day.  On the other hand of late Mother’s day seems to fall in  November there. This is a 1986 postcard commemorating the day (they seem to have had a number … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, Postcards, Vintage, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Tribal Sari

Posted on 04/03/2013 by Anu M

Post on the tribal sari.  Doing this post was an exercise in paring. The tribes in India (I am going with the nomenclature of tribes here though that itself makes one curious) are extremely varied, their dress changes with region as does their socio-economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Tribal, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Marilyn Silverstone post

Posted on 28/02/2013 by Anu M

Marilyn Silverstone‘s 1959 photograph of Waheeda Rehman. More on her here.

Posted in 1950s, Actor, Old Bollywood, Photography, Sari, Sari Blouse, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Tamil Cinema Poster Post

Posted on 14/02/2013 by Anu M

I love that so many old Tamil film posters have just the actresses on them and you get to see different kinds of attire. The first film is Madanamala, where the heroine is a dancer. The second,Devamanohari, features a princess. The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, 1950s, 20th century, Cinema, Courtesan, Dancer, Indian Cinema, Sari, Sari Blouse, Tamil Cinema, Women | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Princess Post

Posted on 13/02/2013 by Anu M

Vijayaraje Scindia in the 1940s in a gold bordered sari.  A style so popular in the 30s/early 40s. Also Durru-Shehvar though admittedly my attention was diverted by the splendid Diana Vreeland.

Posted in 1940s, 20th century, fashion, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Tehran University Post

Posted on 05/02/2013 by Anu M

  I did a couple of posts on tumblr on minorities in India, including the Jews and Armenians. Gauhar Jaan An Armenian Lady Jewish Dress And while doing the Armenian post, I came across this  at the Iranica site, a photograph of the first … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, Dress Reform, Education, Vintage Blouse, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Lotus Post

Posted on 31/01/2013 by Anu M

There are plenty of representations of the lotus in Indian art, more often than not religious iconography. Here is a (non religious) selection. Additional posts on the choli and nihonga paintings of Indian women can also be sampled on tumblr.

Posted in Flowers, Indian Cinema, Paintings, Photography, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments