BOLLYWOOD ISHTYLE: Vidya's in Glamorous Green in 'Ishqiya'

I saw this recently and thought it was pretty, it is meant to be a traditional nikah (although dream sequence) scene in Bollywood film Ishiqiya, which is also different because her character wears saris mostly through the movie, and I though this would be good as inspiration for those brides (or even non-brides!) looking for a more traditional look.

I like this not just because of the rich green outfit, but more because of how well balanced the accessories are, and the fact that Vidya has light, flattering make-up which I thought looked great on her. This also seemed a bit 50s-ish to me, it seemed like a modern take on the sort of things our mums used to wear in their youths, the nose-ring and the embroidered dupatta particularly reminds me of this!

I also thought this was something which reminded me of some of the jewels in high street store Bees' collection (like this or this), which I thought would help in replicating this look - I think it would be perfect for a mehndi night, or even a simple bridal look where the focus would be on accessories with a simpler outfit.

Images taken from Ishiqiya

 

Bollywood Stars at the 66th Cannes Film Festival, 2013: Vidya Balan

The Cannes Film Festival is still ongoing (with Aishwariya Rai apparently on-route to the red carpet, which I'm looking forward to seeing!). Another Bollywood star who has been catching everyone's eye is the lovely Vidya Balan, who has opted for a much more traditional look than the one Sonam Kapoor has been going for, especially as Vidya has remained faithful to one of her favourite designers Sabyasachi, whose designs she has worn a lot in the past.

First is this Sabyasachi lengha in black and nude pink, which looked quite dressy and well accessorised with a chunky, long necklace (it reminded me slightly of this outfit slightly, although Vidya's version looks more delicate and traditional). While I love the skirt with this, I think the plain black blouse looks too plain, and could have been embellished or slightly patterned to make it look more dressy. Although the necklace did jazz it up, I wasn't as keen on the top as I was on the skirt.

Next is this really pretty, deep red and creamy gold sari, also by Sabyasachi which looked quite traditional, although I did love the splash of blue in the mix, not to mention how everyone has been commenting on Vidya's nose-ring. Although I thought her hair was too plain and simple, it gave a very respectable look and her make-up was done simply but quite prettily.

I think my favourite ensemble worn by Vidya so far is this pretty, deep red lengha, which has Sabyasachi's signature style to it, and the almost-Spanish overtones which look pretty with the very traditional jewellery. I think Vidya should have perhaps worn a red rose in her hair, or otherwise a pretty necklace to go with her simple top, (or perhaps a splash of red lipstick!), as it looked too similar to the previous outfits.

And lastly is this sari, which looked quite smart to me, because of the beautiful embellishment on the shoulders and the beaded necklace, which I think went very well with this sari. While this is again, a typical Sabyasachi palette (gold, black, nudes, creams), it works well together and looks classic, my only complaint is again, that Vidya's hair looks too simple and could have been jazzed up, or she could even have tried some red lipstick to make a dramatic look. But having said that, this look was well put together, Vidya looks like a rich aristocrat and wears the sari very gracefully.

Images from here and here

Vidya Balan Marries Siddharth Roy Kapur

Here's a something to start the week off, pictures of Bollywood's Vidya Balan's wedding to Siddarth Roy Kapur, which looked like an intimate event that was quite low key. My sisters and I have a theory that since Bollywood actresses have to dress up and play out wedding scenes a lot in films, they probably want something less OTT and extravagant in real life when they actually DO get married, rather than looking like tinsel-decorated dolls!

This is the couple's sangeet which took place days before the wedding - a lot of people have said that Vidya's sari isn't very flattering but I'm sure Vidya has heard comments like this before (and hasn't cared), and to be honest, her glowy smile is all that matters, right? The sari looks a quite bright and colourful (reminds me of a rainbow scarf I have), which is nice for a sangeet and makes a change from a lot of done-up dresses I've seen in the past.

And this is on Vidya's mehndi, wearing a yellow sari I quite liked. I'm a fan of jamawar motif prints on outfits (like this print on one of my kameezes) and I think it looks great on mehndis. I also love how Vidya kept it all simple and traditional with what looks like flowers in her hair, and simple mehndi on her hands, and I do think it looks quite elegant together.

Lastly is the wedding day itself. I have to admit, I was surprised that the couple dressed quite simply, although I think it is a reflection of how the couple wanted to keep things simple and humble. I like that she wore a rich red banarsi sari, and accessorised in a traditional gold jewellery look - making her look like a true wife!

I do like how Vidya continued her style of wearing saris on all three of her main events, it's something she looks comfortable in, and it's nice to see how happy the couple are!

Image sources here and here

BOLLYWOOD ISHTYLE: Vidya's 60's Simplicity in Parineeta

Parineeta was Vidya Balan's debut into the Bollywood World, in a colourful 60s style which mainly consists of fitted kameezes and colourful saris. There's not many heavy or overdone outfits in this film, instead it focuses on soft and pretty colours, and simple styles which reflect the time period. There are a few outfits and colours which caught my eye though, especially as Vidya has a very innocent look for this film.

The first suit I liked was this rich purple outfit, with embellishment on the sleeves and a bright green dupatta. I like the fact that this is something we can imagine the older generation wearing, it's something a lot of us have seen before in the past and the colours are flattering without being too bright. I also liked the long plait!

This next sari is a dressy red one which Vidya wears, along with some of the more heavier jewellery which she wears in this film, as we as a rose in her hair which instantly brings to mind the classic (and almost cliched!) style of the 60s. I like the fact that the focus is on the bright red of the sari, and the fact that her make-up and the flower in her hair is aligned with her outfit.

This is more of a romantic pink sari from one of the scenes in the film which is meant to give a dreamy style to the whole look. I like the fact that again, the style is kept very simple, the make-up and hair is kept very minimal and it's something which is very easy to imagine being worn in the 60s.

This is another red sari worn by the actress, again, focusing on the red fabric and the rich banarsi-style fabric of the blouse. Although it's not very dramatic or heavily embellished, it's more realistic in terms of putting together a style which would be easier for the ordinary consumer.

There's a lot of pretty hair accessories also worn by the heroine, which I noticed, which appealed to me most about the look of the outfits and the style of this film. I remember my mum telling me about similar earrings and hair pieces she used to wear when she was younger, and I can certainly see the appeal of wearing pretty hair pieces where you might want to jazz up an outfit!

Throughout the film, Vidya's outfits are pretty yet also quite simple, with the focus being on slightly fitted kameezes and feminine colours which are easy to imagine being worn back in the 60s. I think for Vidya's first film this was quite a successful look for her, it's quite modest and realistic, as well as very understated which allows her character to emphasise herself further.

Similarly, the make-up and and other accessories such as bangles and earrings are kept very simple and minimalistic, with the emphasis being on natural colours and traditional jewellery. I love these two images below, as they give such a lovely example of the style of the film and the amount of work put into the film to make it seem more authentic. Again, these are very achievable looks which are well-put together and give more of a subtle look.

And of course, a cameo number from Rekha in a deep-red numberm which is emphasised by the red rose in her hair and her deep red lips. Not sure how authentic this is for being a 60's style outfit, but I did think it made an interesting addition to the 60s look in terms of the evening-club-dancer look, and the fact that the directors chose an older woman like Rekha rather than a young actress to do an 'item' style number.

All images belong to directors/producers of Parineeta

Some lovely, simple outfits here - although this film may not be the first to come to mind when you think of 60s glamour, it gives a good interpretation of it, and I like the fact that a lot of these looks are very achievable. I also think that this film has some very pretty saris which are worn well by the women in this film, and also accessorised well to emphasise the freshness of the actresses' faces rather than over-crowding it with too much.