Recreating Classic Bollywood Looks from the 1950s and 1960s

Introduction

Has it happened to you while you are watching a 90’s movie and your mom excitedly tells you how she had made herself a similar outfit to that of the actress of the movie channeling Bollywood retro style and you wouldn't be shocked if they were fashion icons like Sri Devi or Rekha. In this blog we are going to do the same, talk about all things timeless fashion and beauty!

Iconic Bollywood Stars and Their Fashion Influence

Bollywood continues to be a remarkable source of style and fashion even now and has contributed a significant amount of fashion sense to take notes from. Here are some of the iconic Bollywood stars and their fashion influence:

1. Rekha: From bringing Kanjeevaram sarees to heavy jewelry to the limelight, Rekha also started the trend of bold makeup including the infamous red lip.
   
   
2. Amitabh Bachan: Do you even live in India if you don’t know who started the trend of bell-bottoms? The fashion icon Amitabh Bachan is all things class and style. The flared pants are inspired by the bell-bottom pants introduced and popularized by him.
   
   
3. Sri Devi: A symbol of flamboyance and exuberance, also the flagbearer to spark the trend of chiffon sarees. And, as seen in Rocky and Rani ki Prem Kahani, these sarees are here to stay. Always.
   
   
   
4. Ranveer Singh: The boldly dressed actor ever in the history of Bollywood whose dress sense has had a huge impact on people, inspiring them to wear what they love irrespective of whether people like it or not.
   
   
   
5. Katrina Kaif: One of the first actresses who hasn’t been accredited properly for the leisure trend that she started way back. She has always preferred comfort over style.
   
   
   
6. Sonam Kapoor: Crowned as a “Fashion Queen” of Bollywood, she has greatly influenced people to experiment with fashion and style and also how to pull it off like a pro.
   
   
   
   

   Classic Bollywood Hairstyles
   
   
   

   When talking about classic Bollywood hairstyles, the credit apart from the actresses making it popular goes also to the hairdressers for styling the hair to such perfection that it becomes a one-of-a-kind thing. Here are some classic Bollywood hairstyles:
   

   1. The Sadhna Cut: It is no new word for even today’s generation, if not the haircut but we have definitely heard someone talk about it. Named after the actress Sadhna Shivdasani, it became one of the most popular hairstyles in 1960.
   2. Puffed hair: Gracefully pulled off by actresses like Helen and Mumtaz, this stunning hairstyle was initially called the Beehive look, and with growing popularity in Bollywood it was later renamed to Puffed hair in 1960. Back in the day, they would make a puff either with a high bun or a low one or at times just loose hair. It was cherished by fashion designers as well and became their go-to hairstyle.
   3. Step-Cut: This hairstyle is still in and is mostly similar to what we call a layer cut nowadays. It was popularized by the dhak dhak girl, Madhuri Dixit who when asked to experiment with a different haircut, stuck to it and made it a huge thing.
   4. Permed Hair: When it comes to this hairstyle, the only actress we can think of is Raveena Tandon, who made it look gorgeous and inspired other actresses like Pooja Bhat to style her hair in a similar manner. This hairstyle has made a mark in Bollywood and is still opted for by many New-age actresses like Kangana Ranaut, Tapsee Pannu, and Preity Zinta.
   5. Back-Combed Bun: Securing the status of the most sought-after hairstyle, this look has been admired and approved by various actresses making it the most desired one. From Mumtaz and Reena Roy to Deepika Padukone,Kareena Kapoor, and Aishwarya Rai, this look has been adorned elegantly and is still the most celebrated one.

    

   Timeless Evergreen Fits

Following is a list of the outfits that will probably never run out of fashion, give a refreshed look, and are also the most preferred ones:

• Sun and Stripes: The stripes thing are as old as the hills, and never seemed to bid goodbye. Undoubtedly a fashion wardrobe staple that you just can’t do without. And, the colour yellow never fails to enhance the charm of the outfit.
  
  
• Bells and Minis: We still can’t wrap our head around the fact that this dress design was thought of many moons ago. It perfectly fits into this fun and fearless era.
  
  
• Co-ords: As odd as it may sound, Co-ords are actually a thing of the past and had disappeared for quite some time but have bounced back like anything and are everyone’s favorite go-to outfit
  
  
• Wide and Flared: You can never go wrong with Flared or wide pants, NEVER! Pair up with any solid top and you get the effortless chic look without doing much.
  
  
• Tie-Up Details and Body Hugs: The glamourous bodycon dresses, anyone’s first choice to dress to kill.
  
  

Vintage Western Fashion

There are some styles that become the source of inspiration to curate other styles and such are some of the vintage western fashion trends that exist and how. Here are some:

1. Flared pants
2. Bodycon dresses
3. Corsets
4. Oxford pants
5. Hats & Ankle length boots
6. High-waisted Buttoned skirts
7. Puff sleeved shirts
8. Knee-length frocks
9. Denim on Denim
10. Mid-Length Maxi Dresses
    
    
    

Makeup and Beauty Looks 

Apart from the timeless outfits, there are some makeup and beauty looks that people swear by and can be opted for if you want to look for Bollywood retro look ideas:

1. Winged eyeliner
2. Bold red lip
3. Smokey eyes
4. Thick eyebrows
5. Voluminous blow-dry look
6. Dewy look
7. Red blushed cheeks
   
   Embracing Classic Bollywood Fashion Today
   
   From ruffled to fringed details, Bollywood does not shy away from keeping alive the trend of the past and why not, when it's so cool and unique? Another few examples include sequin dresses, and statement jewelry, adding some flair to timeless styles like draping a saree in a contemporary manner or layering a saree with a blazer on top, Classic Bollywood fashion has been embraced with a tinge of modern elements.
   
   

   Conclusion

   Be it the 1960s or the new era, Bollywood has never failed to amaze us with everything it has to offer. From outfits to makeup, one can easily derive inspiration from it. Things that must have otherwise been termed as uncool turn out to be the coolest when introduced by Bollywood. One such example would be Ranveer Singh's style where he goes all out on experimenting with different outfits, colours, and designs without paying heed to any critics.