Category Archives: Women

Bali

Posted on 23/10/2014 by Anu M

I spent some time in Ubud, Bali and despite being overrun with tourists it seemed to suffer little from the usual soulless nature of such places. It helped that I wasn’t in Ubud “proper” though I missed out on a … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st century, Asia, Contemporary, Costume, Culture, Flowers, Girls, Hinduism, South East Asia, Travel, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 1970s Recap

Posted on 23/09/2014 by Anu M

Wrapped up the 1970s on tumblr: 1970s, sari history, fashion history. And a very random round up of the decade it was: Indira Gandhi was elected Prime Minister with a decisive majority in 1971. The same year the Indo-Pakistan war … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s, 20th century, Actor, Bengal, Bollywood, Culture, Feminism, History, India, Indian Cinema, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Politics, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Tumblr, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Plucky Girl

Posted on 23/09/2014 by Anu M

Sanskrit poetry is so often full of lovelorn ladies unable to bear separation from the hero (Virahotkanthita Nayika). And this recurs often in those Radha-Krishna paintings. And of course Hindi cinema is full of “viraha” songs.  But none of that … Continue reading →

Posted in 7th century, 8th century, Ancient India, Feminism, Girls, Indian Women, Literature, Love, Poetry, Romance, Sanskrit, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 1960s in Film – Love in Tokyo (1966)

Posted on 26/08/2014 by Anu M

Love in Tokyo (1966) hardly needs any introduction. It’s the kind of frothy romance set in an exotic foreign locale (or at the very least Kashmir) that the 1960s specialised in. Naturally the leads are in their 60s best. With … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s, Actor, Asia, Bollywood, churidar kameez, Cinema, East Asia, Film Costuming, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Japan, Movies, Old Bollywood, Romance, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari history, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 1960s in Film – Kadhalikka Neramillai (1964)

Posted on 25/08/2014 by Anu M

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

On Clothes

Posted on 06/08/2014 by Anu M

Now and then i think of the underlying philosophy of clothes and how markedly this differs from country to country but haven’t sat down to pen a deeper piece.  So I have kind of relied on extracts as preliminary thoughts. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1850s, 18th century, 1900s, 1990s, 19th century, 20th century, Costume, Culture, fashion, historical costume, History, Philosophy, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The SE Asia/East Asia Post

Posted on 01/08/2014 by Anu M

South-East Asia/East Asia 1. Thailand (1905) 2. Cambodia (1928) 3. Laos (1930) 4. Bali (1935) 5. Malaysia (Peranakan) 1930s 6. Indonesia (1940) 7. Vietnam (1930) 8. China (1930s) 9. Korea 10. Japan (1930s). I have spent a fair bit of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Asia, China, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Dress Reform, Early 19th century, East Asia, fashion, Girls, historical costume, History, Photography, Postcards, South East Asia, Studio Portraits, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The 1950s in India

Posted on 26/07/2014 by Anu M

The 1950s was the first decade of India as an independent, sovereign country.  After the excitement of the 30s and 40s, it is a decade in which the excitement lies in nation-building.  This was a decade of nationalisation in which … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 20th century, History, Independence, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Lootera Deconstructed

Posted on 17/07/2014 by Anu M

There is nothing as much of its time as the period film – see successive Jane Austen adaptations for e.g.  I am therefore not terribly fussed about authenticity in period films, though it is always pleasurable if filmmakers do their homework … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 20th century, 21st century, Actor, Bengal, Bollywood, Cinema, Contemporary, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hair, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Movies, Old Bollywood, Period Drama, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, Tumblr, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

The 1930s post

Posted on 14/05/2014 by Anu M

The Sari: 1931-1940 Almost every decade has a signature sari. In the 1920s it was the chiffon with a zari border (pics 1 and 2 are from 1924 and 1931). The borders were generally small and stitched onto French chiffons. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, British Raj, Colonial, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian Women, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, Studio Portraits, Tumblr, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments