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10 Jul, 1904

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10 Jul, 1921

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10 Jul, 1950

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Movie Stars-Leaders of Fashion

16 Jun, 2026 | Archival Reproductions by Cinemaazi

On the days she is away from the studios, Shyama relaxes in a lounging ensemble made in sunny colours.

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Our movie stars are young, pretty, have beautiful figures and hold the public imagination. They have few rivals in the business of setting new trends.

At work or at play, a star is always in the public eye. Her clothes come in for constant scrutiny. And, because of this, she must appear at her best at all times.

It is just not sufficient for her to be as well dressed as the next woman. A star's clothes and appearance must have a special touch to set her apart-as apart in looks as she is in destiny, for the public have idolised her and set her above others as representing their dreams.

It is fortunate that such a position, with its implied leadership, entitles a star to be different. It gives her scope for delightful experimentation.

With skill and the use of imagination she can always be unusually dressed, often initiating new trends.

There are few public figures who can establish a new style so well as a film star can. A star's collective poise, beauty and grace can carry off an unusual design and make it acceptable.

In creating a fashion, a star must adapt a design to her type of figure and her personality. Fortunately, many stars have studied themselves and have discovered a number of basic designs which suit them perfectly, using these throughout many years of changing fashions.

It is a mistake to wear a style which does not suit one, however attractive it may seem. It is also a mistake to be led by new styles into an almost constant change of one's entire fashion pattern.

The secret of elegant dressing is taste and simplicity. Some women are born with fashion sense and a flair for wearing clothes. But where nature has failed to endow one with innate good taste, this can be developed by constant observation and study of what constitutes good dressing.

*Beautiful Shyama models the exquisite ensembles designed by fashion consultant Nargis Irani*

The first canon of good dressing is elegance. Elegance can be defined as simplicity and taste-knowing what to wear when, and how. It can transform every budget-conscious typist into a lady of fashion.

The effect of elegance depends not on gorgeous materials and extravagant design, but on line. Well-cut clothes, scrupulous cleanliness, good grooming and wearing simple things with a flair are the secret of elegance.

It is better to err on the side of simplicity than to over-dress.

Developing a flair for clothes-in other words taste-is a matter of care and practice. In this the movie stars can be of the greatest help.

Regarded as the final authority in all matters pertaining to fashion-the poor people's arbiter of elegance-a star can educate the public in the tradition of good dressing.

In following the stars, a lot of women overlook the fact that a star uses considerable judgement in choosing her clothes.

One reason why she looks so good in what she wears is because she is careful to wear styles which always flatter her.

There are several types of figures, and basic styles to suit every type. Every woman should study her figure-type and discover the basic styles which suit her. She will then be able to modify the changing fashions to suit her particular type of figure and personality.

Personality, too, plays a large part in the making of a well-dressed woman.

Understanding and identifying oneself will help a woman to clothe the outer body in harmony with the personality she radiates.

Apart from the everyday clothes of the film stars, costumes that are worn by them in costume pictures should suit their figures while being in keeping with the characters they portray.

Great care should be taken to adjust the authenticity of the costume to the requirements of the stars' figure and personality.

This can be done by careful selection of the correct fabrics, attractive colour combinations, suitable jewellery and, above all, beautiful hair-styles.

Whenever necessary, some liberty may be taken to set off a good figure or enhance the personality of an artist.

In mythological pictures, outlandish styles are often worn which tend to look more like Greek or Roman costumes than ancient Indian ones.

A star should guard against this, for the Indian moviegoer has always been a strict traditionalist, and unnecessary tampering with time-honoured styles of dress is likely to reflect unfavourably on the makers of the film.

In pictures that are fantasies, it does not matter if certain liberties are taken with the costumes, but in mythologicals this would be unforgivable.

In contemporary costumes for pictures, the same care should be taken in selecting materials and designs to suit the star. One is quite accustomed to see on the screen striped blouses worn with printed saris, or a printed blouse worn with a sari which does not match it.

Such errors are infrequent in real life, and it is surprising that a star should allow herself to be the instrument of perpetrating such gaucherie on the screen.

Wherever possible in glamorous and exotic roles, novelty in dress design, hair-styles and jewellery may be utilised, as far as the decor of the picture permits, to set off a star in a very attractive light.

In social pictures, involving everyday wear of simple designs, extreme care should be taken with the costume, jewellery and hair-styles.

*Nargis Irani, Fashion Designer, AAS (USA)*

It should be seen that they conform to the accepted styles of dressing of the general public, and yet, in subtle ways, create a distinctive effect on the star and suit her personality.

By careful choice of the texture of the material used, the combination of colours, and a cleverly-adapted design, much glamour can be achieved without in any · way detracting from the naturalness and suitability of the costume worn for the requirements of the role.

It is said that as long as mirrors exist, there will always be fashions. It would be even more correct to say that, as long as a single pair of male eyes exist and admire the fair sex, and a single pair of female eyes are there to envy, fashion will live.

This article was published in 'Filmfare' magazine's 27 March 1959 edition written by Nargis Irani.
The images and captions are from the original article.

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On This Day

Cinemaazi remembers Timir Baran on his birth anniversary

Cinemaazi remembers Asad Bhopali on his birth anniversary

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