Since time immemorial, films have had a knack for throwing up fashion icons. Since the beginning of modern-day cinema, attire that actors don have been part of the draw and thrill. Well-designed costumes not only cleverly concealed physical flaws but also added a layer to the character in question. From Hollywood to Bollywood most successful stars owe a lot to their on-screen style and to the fashion fraternity.
1. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)The music, the jewels, the exceedingly chic clothes – there’s a lot to
like about this movie. Coco Chanel introduced the “Little Black Dress” in 1926; Cinema’s first style symbol Audrey Hepburn most definitely set the tone with the iconic Givenchy dress she wore for the film.
2. Cleopatra (1963)
More than forty years before Brad and Angelina and before this whole “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” hoopla, there was Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the “Cleopatra” scandal. Liz’s costumes weren’t widely copied, her dramatic makeup on the other hand was. Women inspired by her piled on blue eye shadow,
black eyeliner, and false eyelashes for years after.
4. Top gun (1986)
The RayBan shades that Tom Cruise sported for the film have now become a household name. If Time magazine is to be believed (and it usually is), Ray-Ban Aviators sales jumped 40% as a direct result of the movie.
5. Pretty Woman (1990)
Making a prostitute’s look the “in-thing” takes some doing (Eh, maybe not so much in the States). Julia Robert’s role in Pretty Woman was anything but low-class. A bunch of dresses and looks from the movie became in vogue -particularly this brown polka dot ensemble, complete with hat and matching gloves, from the polo scene.
6. Mughal-E-Azam (1960)
This EPIC depicting a doomed romance between a Prince and a courtesan saw Madhubala bow out of the picture in grand style sporting a resplendent and embellished costume now famously addressed as the Anarkali.
7. Bhramachari (1968)
Even though it was Rajashree and not Mumtaz who played the leading lady in the musical entertainer Brahmachari, this cute star livened things up by turning on her mischievous charm in a bright orange sari draped in an unconventional yet uber cool manner
8. Bobby (1973)
Bobby celebrates the mad rush of adolescence through the childish qualities of its leading lady, Dimple Kapadia. The actress with the best mane in the business lends a carefree sensuality whileromping about in a knotted polka-dotted shirt and hot black mini.
Main hoon na (2004)
And the polka dot craze goes on. When Sushmita Sen’s black and red polka dotted sari caught a majority’s collective fancy, stores were chock-a-block with customers of all shapes and sizes from young hep gals to a grumpy aunty next-door.
9. Hum Aapke hai kaun (1994)
Be it ‘Ek do teen’ (Tezaab) ‘Dhak dhak’ (Beta), ‘Choli ke peeche’ (KhalNayak) or Humko aaj kal (Sailaab), Madhuri Dixit’s flamboyant blouses have always made an impression. Nothing beats the popularity of her ‘Didi tera devar deewana’ outfit though.
10. Jab we met (2007)
