Tag Archives: Tamil

वसन्त ऋतु – Spring

It’s spring in India. And while the illustration above* is all mildness and white (and indeed the kunda finds mention in a lot of Sanskrit spring poetry) the flowers of spring that are emblematic of the season are quite red … Continue reading

Posted in Ancient India, Art, Asia, Contemporary, Costume, Culture, Flora, Flowers, historical art, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, History, Illustration, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian Illustrators, miniature paintings, Paintings, Poetry, Sanskrit, Sculpture, South India, Vintage, vintage art, Vintage Blouse | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Republic Day

“The concept of this procession and exhibition and everything else should be to demonstrate both the unity and great variety and diversity of India…..Each State should represent some distinctive feature of it’s own in the tableaux or in the exhibition … Continue reading

Posted in 1950s, Asia, Central India, Costume, Culture, Dance, Folk, Folk Dance, India, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Photography, Politicians, regional styles, Tamil, Tribal, Vintage, vintage costume, vintage photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 1940s Film Post

இது, இது, இது எல்லாம் ஜப்பான். எல்லாம் செத்து ஒரு ரூபாய் கூட இருக்காது! This, this, this, it’s all from Japan. And all together not more than 1 Rupee! 1940s movies can be a bit amateurish to the modern eye but they can … Continue reading

Posted in 1940s, 20th century, Accessories, Actor, Cinema, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Film Costuming, Flowers, Hair, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Japan, Movies, regional styles, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Sets, South India, South Indian Cinema, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, Tamil Nadu, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage jewellery, vintage sari, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

A Birthday

My grandmother died not too long back, she would have been 88 today.  The studio pic is of her as a wee thing in about 1930-she was the eldest child so this must have been a special trip. She looks … Continue reading

Posted in 1930s, Girls, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Personal, Photography, Tamil Nadu, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The 1960s in Film – Kadhalikka Neramillai (1964)

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

Bang, bang, bang, Its the 1950s!

WordPress has been frustrating – I can’t seem to access it more often than not. Apologies for being away so long. On tumblr as always you can follow sari history and the decade which kind of defined Indian style for … Continue reading

Posted in 1950s, Actor, Cinema, Culture, fashion, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Movies, Sari, Sari Blouse, South Indian Cinema, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage fashion, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Tamil Historical Post

The illustrations for Tamil periodicals have a long history and some illustrators are nearly as well known as the writers. A number of serialised stories are historical romances (think Chola empire, Pallavas) and the drawings are fairly vivid in recreating an era, albeit … Continue reading

Posted in 20th century, Ancient India, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hair, History, Illustration, India, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Jewellery, Love, Novels, Period Drama, Romance, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Down South

A brief photoessay on the fashions prevalent in the south of India. And a bit on the practice of kolam/rangoli.

Posted in 1950s, 1960s, 19th century, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, Vintage, Vintage Blouse | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Ceylon Post

I must confess that all I knew of the Sri Lankan sari was that it was “a variant of the Indian sari”.  It turns out that this is not entirely true. Sri Lanka has a rich and varied sartorial history … Continue reading

Posted in 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 19th century, Photography, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment