Journalism of Courage
There's no denying that Bollywood has a larger than life presence in India and when it comes to fashion, the industry has been most influential. Today, even with so much exposure, most Indians take inspiration from B-town celebs. Imagine, how different things would have been when the only source was the silver screen. Back in the 1960s, there was a frenzied craze and so popular were the signature styles of a few divas that they continued to rule for decades. If truth be told, stylists still look up to these beauties of Hindi cinema. With the festive season already here, maybe you can take a few cues from these evergreen style icons of the '60s. (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
Saira Banu's stunning eye make-up and glamorous hairdos Saira Banu was the ultimate style queen of Bollywood. In fact, she is considered as the one responsible for introducing eye make-up and glamorous hairdos to the industry. Even in the '60s, the actress wasn't shy of experimenting with metallic eyeshadows and trying out unusual combinations like pairing a sari with embroidered capes. Elaborate updos and chokers were her thing too. There's not even one thing that you can't try out from her style diary. You just need to play it right. (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
Sadhana's famous fringe and figure-hugging suit The 'Sadhana Cut' became a fashion cult in India. The actress who was spotted with fringes in her debut film Love in Shimla in the '60s become a style icon overnight. She inspired a lot of young girls around that era and suddenly everybody was spotted wearing bangs. But there was something else that made her a favourite with the fashionistas - the body-hugging suits that she first wore in Yash Chopra's Waqt in 1965. It was so popular that even superstars like Vyjanthimala and Asha Parekh donned the same style in films like Jewel Thief and Love in Tokyo. Fringe is still in and depending on your hair texture, you can get one too. (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
Sharmila Tagore's beehive hairdo and winged eyeliner Sharmila Tagore's name became synonymous with the winged eyeliner even though there were other celebs who sported it around the same time too. Maybe, it was just the perfect way in which she defined her eyes that earned her the title of 'the queen of dramatic eye make-up'. But it was just not this make-up technique alone she excelled in. The beehive hairdo too became a craze among women and continued to rule the fashion charts till the late '80s. At present, it might look a little over-the-top but you can just tone it down a little according to your preference. (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
Mumtaz's dewy glow and draped sari style The way Mumtaz draped the sari in the 1965 movie Ram Aur Shyam is iconic. Now, you might not want to follow the same style since it's overdone, but you can make your own variation. Maybe, you can keep it flared at the bottom and drape it a little tighter around your knees and waist to add some oomph to your look. Also, instead of caking up your face with layers of foundation, you can opt for a more natural look. Try the strobing technique this season. It will give you an au naturale look while allowing your skin to breathe. (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
Hema Malini and her love of polka dots We still remember Hema Malini in funky polka dot blouses, and even though the cuts are not particularly in fashion, the trend still is. You can add some dots to your wardrobe by pairing up a polka dot blouse with a high-waist pencil skirt or vice versa. Just make sure to opt for smaller prints. Bigger prints will only make you look weird and honestly, they look best on stage shows. (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
Nanda's tea dresses and crop tops with fitted pencil skirt Nanda was one classy and her appearance in Suraj Prakash's Jab Jab Phool Khile is a testimony to that. Effortlessly chic, the actress epitomised tea dresses and gowns and it's worth taking some inspiration from. There are scenes from the movie, where the actress was seen adding brooches to her tea dresses, for a glamorous effect. That's smart dressing. Also, we spotted her embracing crop tops even in that era and she only did justice to it. She showed us how one can rock outfits even if one is curvaceous. Just fabulous! (Text: Deekshita Baruah)
