Category Archives: Women

Weekend

Posted on 12/10/2013 by Anu M

I do not know what you think of me, but I think you are the most wonderful man on earth. Shakuntala*, Amar Chitra Katha. Its the weekend. Wear your best kanchuki (bodice). Shower some love on the pet deer. And write a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient India, Comics, Costume, Illustration, Indian Dress, Mythology, Romance, Sanskrit Drama, Sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Circus!

Posted on 05/10/2013 by Anu M

Shavanaas Begum with Her Three-year-old Daughter, Parveen, Great Gemini Circus, Perintalmanna, India, 1989. Mary Ellen Mark I guess you could call her a strong role model! Have a good weekend! [X]  

Posted in 1980s, Circus, India, ircus, Strong Lady, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Stunt Queens of the 1930s

Posted on 05/10/2013 by Anu M

Next evening we too saw her as she sat in front of the Well of Death, looking bored, chain smoking Scissors cigarettes.  She wore a “birjis”* of shining blue satin, and her heavily painted face looked weirdly blue in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, Actor, Cinema, Early 20th Century, Feminism, Indian Cinema, Indian Women, Old Bollywood, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Maharani Post

Posted on 26/09/2013 by Anu M

A liberal spirit, she was an ardent nationalist and one of the founders of the women’s movement in India. She certainly imbibed some of her non-conformist attitude from her husband Sayajirao Gaekwad. Under him, Baroda became the first princely state … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s, Asia, British Raj, Colonial, Costume, Early 20th Century, Feminism, India, Indian Women, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, Uncategorized, Vintage Dress, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The 80s Post

Posted on 17/09/2013 by Anu M

In the 80s: “Contrast piping” blouse which picked up the sari colours (pic 1 on Rekha). Matching blouse pieces based on the sari (pic 2 on Shabana) or the border (Pic 3 Courtesans of Bombay)-these pieces were often separate and not … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, Actor, Bollywood, Cinema, fashion, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 1930s post

Posted on 17/09/2013 by Anu M

In the 1930s (and perhaps a little bit on either side of this decade) it is very common to see a) the sequinned sari and b) plain sarees with gold borders. In some cases these are fine silks and cottons … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, Actor, Bollywood, Colonial, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vintage Illustration

Posted on 17/09/2013 by Anu M

Gaganendranath Tagore‘s “Respecting Women?” illustration of 1916. (via sotheby’s). Things haven’t changed vastly in a 100 odd years.

Posted in 1910s, Bengal, Early 20th Century, Feminism, Illustration, India, Indian men, Indian Women, Sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 1920s Paintings Post

Posted on 30/08/2013 by Anu M

Mazumdar tended to hint at nudity by draping his models in semi-transparent or wet saris, a technique that was later adopted by Indian cinema. Hemendranath Mazumdar‘s naturalistic oils of partially clothed, vaguely erotic looking women were unsurprisingly popular in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, Art, Bengal, Culture, Early 20th Century, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Jewellery, Paintings, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, vintage art, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The colours of Telengana

Posted on 30/08/2013 by Anu M

The vivid colours of Telengana – including turmeric and kumkum on the forehead – in Thota Vaikuntam‘s paintings. Shyam Benegal makes use of the same colour palette in films like Ankur and Nishant. Also [X] [X]

Posted in Art, Culture, Hinduism, Indian Women, Paintings, Rural, Sari, Sari Blouse, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The “Sari Wrap” Post

Posted on 23/08/2013 by Anu M

Judging by portraits in the decade, a sari style like a warp was quite popular in the 1930s. It appears to be wound once so the sari border crosses or falls around the knee and then wound again to drape … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1960s, Indian Cinema, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sari Dress, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment