Rekha was unarguably a trendsetter of the 1980s. More than a few of her movies maintain a certain consistent “look” throughout for her character. For Vijeta (1982) , where her character is Maharashtrian, throughout the film she wears Puneri/ Ilkal type saris with a matching blouse. Some screenshots from the film.

One of my favourite photographs capturing women at work and also the casual saree aesthetic of the early70s (this pic from 1968 but I kind of think it hit its peak in the early 70s)

The post is very long and only for people who are seriously into that kind of comparison :) Also it’s taken me several hours to do the post so please credit if you use material. And thanks to K-indie, especially 10cm , an unlikely music accompaniment that eased the drudgey bits of making the post.

What are some differences between Pakistani and Indian fashion? How did the Partition affect clothing? Asked by Anonymous

Hi there, sorry for the delayed reply. And the reply is going to be a long one:)



Indian fashion as a term is something I struggle with given the numerous states and regions within the country, each with its indigenous style. Nevertheless for the purposes of the reply I will take into account the three largely visible pan-Indian styles i.e. the saree, the ghagra and the salwar/churidar/trouser + kurta.

Rather than seeing it as Pakistan/India, broadly I think the northwestern part of the subcontinent is a “trouser” culture while elsewhere the wrap/skirt is predominant (apologies for using the English terms, I use it just as a means of classification and I am sure most readers can relate it to local terms like salwar, ghaghra, lehenga etc.).

While cultures like Awadh, Bhopal, Hyderabad represent a fusion of several styles and favour trousers, I think it can be said that the north of India (present day and pre Independence) is where the contemporary styles we wear originate. As an example that I always give, Khazanchi made in 1941 was one of the first Lahore productions that found a large Indian audience. That film made the salwar kameez popular and not for no reason is it often referred to as a Punjabi suit in many parts of India. The newly popular palazzo and pant styles in many parts of India also I am sure owe much to contemporary Pakistani/North Indian fashions.

But of course there are variations in this basic template - for e.g. my Delhi friends find Mumbai versions of the kameez and trousers unwearable:) In the South it took a long time to overcome the taboo on divided clothing like the salwar and though that taboo is no longer there garments like the maxi and long skirts are also popular. Furthermore I think the choice of fabric makes a difference - some Indian handlooms for e.g. are intended to give a “saree” feel given borders, fitted blouse like area for the kurta etc.Styles I rarely see in Pakistani fashion.



So on the whole due to various reasons (including the cinema) I would say that Indian fashion draws on Northern Indian trends (which in turn I think are not dissimilar to Pakistani styles) and mixes it with a whole lot of other Indian styles like the saree and lehenga. However, I think post partition the states that had a common culture with Pakistan (e.g. Punjab) have also evolved differently. Not wholly but to some extent. The gharara/sharara for e.g. appear to be more popular in Pakistan than in Northern India - for the former it appears linked to identity whereas in Northern India it probably has a revival now and then.



Re Pakistan post partition, I rely mostly on visual material so its not a “lived” experience of fashion unlike my take on India. Nevertheless it does appear to me that it is a mix of prevalent local styles as well as a conscious attempt at creating styles that represent Pakistani identity for e.g. the adoption of the gharara as a national dress Furthermore I am sure regional influences within Pakistan as well as the influence of countries to its West (Iran, Turkey) also play a role in creating differences in the way style evolves on either side of the border.

As for styles over the decades, I think - like the saree - the Pakistani dress silhouette often reflects international trends (like the sleek styles of the 60s or the more boxy styles of the 80s) but stays faithful to the basic trouser/kameez template. With this template - in my opinion - it is far more adventurous and creative in creating a whole lot of variations. At least that is the impression I get when I see Pakistani suit materials in the middle east that provide a pattern for the suit - there seem to be endless variations possible for the trouser. As well as the kameez which artfully combines a lot of fabric pieces. Plus Pakistanis also seem to be more partial to the dupatta and seem to have a lot more drape styles.



On the whole to me the major innovations in India for the most part happen with the saree and lehenga. While Pakistan seems to experiment with and produce far more variations with the trouser/tunic combo.