Keen spotting on the part of the blogger of the Shanghai girl in a qipao in India (see the photograph/calendar)! The actress is Shanta Hublikar playing a prostitute in Manoos – hence perhaps the simple sari and mismatched blouse. Wonder what’s up with all the … Continue reading
In China, the process of modernisation resulted in women adopting the male “scholar gown”, which eventually became the fitted qipao/cheongsam. Among the magazines aimed at the new woman of the time was Ling Long magazine – there are plenty of posts on it on … Continue reading
Also from the 1930s Miss Johra (likely she was a Miss Zohra). The umbrella as an accessory was perhaps Burmese in origin (the country was then a part of British India). A brief write up on the modern girl of the 30s here.
A previous post of mine mentioned the movie Miss 1933, its modern heroine Miss Gohar and its trendsetting fashions (sunglasses!, driving a car! umbrellas!). I couldn’t find any images though and suddenly there it was, thanks to Sparrow Online. They really loved sleeveless blouses and … Continue reading
Attia Hosain’s wedding trousseau also appeared to include sarees if this picture is any indication. The practice of covering the head in the early decades of the 20th century makes it difficult to spot the kind of blouse but that … Continue reading
If Rokeya wrote in a humorous vein, Rashid Jahan was a writer who was part of the Progressive Writers Movement, a fiery feminist, a doctor and a contributor toAngarey. The photographs are from an article on her husband, Rashid Jahan is the woman on the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 4 photos.
Though Rashid Jahan and Attia Hosain were from Uttar Pradesh, as Pran Nevile’sbook on life in pre-partition Lahore indicates, the upper classes in the North of India (given this was the 1930s I guess Nevile is referring to Lahoris as … Continue reading
A pretty cap sleeve blouse which allows for arm bracelets (bazuband). Pic taken in the 1930s. Source: people.howstuffworks.com
Amrita Sher-Gil’s “Child Wife”
Rehana Mogul’s very demure blouse with the puff sleeves common for young women and girlish plaits contrasted with a hitched up sari (was it a sari or just draped cloth?). The pic source site has interesting bits on the modern girl in … Continue reading
Vintage Indian Clothing 