The Bollywood look: Indian-inspired fashion for everyday wear

Thanks to the popularity of Bollywood movies, India has yet another cultural export — fashion! Here’s how to get the look.

What minimalism? When it comes to vibrant colors and intricate embellishments, India is at the top of the game. And with growing international interest in Bollywood movies and celebrities like Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and Freida Pinto, Indian fashion is basking in the spotlight, as well.

"Indian fashion takes a lot of influence from nature like flowers and birds," Sujata Mukhi, a Filipino-born Indian, told GMA News TV’s “Fashbook”. "Bright colors are also reflective of the seasons and the festivals.”

In a recent episode celebrating Indian clothing, “Fashbook” host Solenn Heussaff also shared her favorite fashion finds from India. Here are five iconic items of clothing from India, and tips on how you can work the look for everyday wear.

These are the most recognizable items of Indian clothing as seen in Bollywood films. How many can you recognize?

Base garments: Sari and kurta
A sari is wraparound garment that accentuates the female figure, while the kurta is tunic that can be worn for casual occasions. Both are richly embroidered and come in vibrant colors.

“Generally the saris are saved for older women,” says Jasmine Shewakramani, a daughter of Indian migrants born and raised in Manila. “Maybe late teens and up. Wearing a sari requires this level of grace and poise of sorts that younger girls might not have yet.”

Gold accessories
Gold is very important in Indian culture as a status symbol, heirloom and even as a financial investment.

India is the largest consumer of gold in the world; most gold items are purchased for weddings, with families saving up years in advance. A 2012 documentary by CBS explored “India’s love affair with gold” by showing weddings among India’s extremely wealthy. One family spent $200,000 on gold alone.

However, not all Indian families can afford that luxury. In middle-class families, consumption of gold is less conspicuous as some choose to invest in land and properties instead.

“When my mom was my age,” says 21-year-old Jasmine, “her mother would buy her gold jewelry and they saw it as an investment. That doesn’t happen now unless the family is very traditional.” Meanwhile, poorer families may have little to no gold at all.

Tikka
A tikka is piece of jewelry worn on the head. It is pinned to the crown of the head; a chain hangs over the hairline to dangle an ornament over the forehead.

Another decoration for the forehead is the bindi, a traditionally red dot applied between one’s eyebrows. However, the bindi is less open for use among foreigners because of its spiritual roots.

Mehndi
During weddings and festivals like Holi (festival of colors) and Diwali (festival of lights), women decorate their hands, arms and feet with mehndi, or intricate patterns drawn onto the skin using henna. Here, skill is an equalizer; the rich and poor can have equally beautiful patterns.

The black henna Filipinos usually see during beach parties is more like paint; the authentic henna from India leaves a rich brown tint to the skin. Mehndi will last anywhere from one to two weeks after application. As it fades, the mehndi turns a light orange color.

Taking the look to the Philippines
The prevailing look in the Philippines is significantly less colorful than the one seen in Bollywood. Not to worry, says Jasmine: “Just wear it appropriately for the gathering and company you will be with.”

Mother-and-daughter tandem Suman and Anjie Gogna own OM: Lifestyle + Cafe in San Juan City, which sells Indian ready-to-wear and custom-made clothes, accessories, bath items, and food. Located in the commercial district of Greenhills, the shop is open from Monday to Saturday.

“It's an Indo-Western boutique,” says Anjie. “The clothes we sell are authentic Indian, but done in a modern way." (Fun fact: “Boys Night Out” DJ and funnyman Sam YG is Suman’s son and Anjie’s brother!)

How would Solenn wear express Indian style on a regular day? "For a casual look, [I’d put on] denim shorts, a loose white top, then use Indian accessories. Simple lang, hindi masyadong over the top." Solenn adds that you can DIY your own tikka with chains and ornaments bought at costume jewelry and cloth stores. To hold it in place, all you need is a bobby pin. No need to bust the bank!

Completing the look: Indian-style makeup

If South Korea’s actresses favor barely-there makeup with full and child-like brows, India’s celebrities glam it up with arched brows, smoky eyeshadows and contoured cheeks.

For centuries, Jasmine says, Indian women have ground up lead sulfide and other ingredients to create kajal, a strong pigment used to darken the eyelids. Because of its cooling properties, mothers believed it protected a child’s eyes from the sun.

These days, high-end makeup brands sell kajal eyeliner sticks; however, any black liner will be good enough for the budget makeup lover.

Indian-inspired eye makeup for daily use
1) Start by grooming your brows. If you have sparse brows, fill them in with a brown pencil and apply brow mascara to exaggerate the arch.
2) Pat brown or plum eyeshadow onto your entire eyelids, deepening the color in the crease.
3) Brush a light, shimmering shadow from the inner corner towards the center of your lids to open up the eyes.
4) Using a small, flat brush, re-line your bottom lids with brown or plum eyeshadow.
5) Line both upper and lower waterlines with black or dark brown eyeliner, making it thicker on the outer corners and smudging upward.
6) Use a highlighter to draw attention to your browbone and inner corner of the eyes.
7) Apply two coats of black mascara to the upper and lower lashes. —PF/CM, GMA News

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Additional photos by Roehl Niño Bautista