As
a bit of a confessed Bollywood geek, I recently went to see Ram Leela, I had
heard much hype surrounding this movie, the story was engaging, but the shining
moment of this movie was the costume design and jaw dropping jewelry. With
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Anju Modi on hand as costume designer and Amrapali
leading the way with stunning accessories it was match made in heaven. The
stunning looks in this movie will be a source of huge style inspiration to any
fashionista out there.
Throughout
the movie we see the movies leading actress Deepika Padukone
(Leela) dressed and draped in Gharga-Choli after Gharga- Choli, but who's
complaining, when there as beautiful as the ones in the movie. The reasoning
behind such a choice may solely have been to keep in tune with the theme of the
film, but has left many yearning to get one in there wardrobes and wearing one
as soon as possible. Now our confidence and aesthetic sensibilities may be
weary of donning the ever so tiny, sultry backless numbers worn by Leela, but by
all means take some inspiration, with longer blouses and more demure designs,
the Gharga- Choli is a trend that certainly going to be more predominantly seen
in the future.
The
detailing on the blouses of these gharga cholis is the work of a genius, we saw
a great mix of different embroideries and as a huge fan of any work of
traditional origin, this was a feast for the eyes: patchwork, mirror, dabkha
and zaari blended with classic banarsi materials were all used in tasteful
abundance throughout the film. These elegant and rich embroideries and
material will also work beautifully on kameezs paired with either churidars or salwars;
small accents of mirror work paired with classic silhouettes will also give you
a Ram-Leela inspired look.
One
of my favourite features in this movie was the use of a layered lehenga, which
epitomises the modernised version of a traditional outfit, its been seen on the
runway and is a feature that after seeing this movie, I cannot wait to see more
of! Layered Lehengas not only add effortless volume but also add drama,
interest, texture and colour to a classic look. Leela was seen sporting various
different shapes and types of lehengas but my favourite was a red and
white-layered lehenga (you can see an image below) during one of the many
musical features. This is a technique that is easy to try and one that we
shouldn't be afraid of! Stick with rich classic colours, like red, burgundy and
greens for example and simple embroidery work if your trying this look for the
first time, I think the saying, less is more takes precedent here!
Now
I couldn't talk about Ram-Leela and not talk about the Jewelry, so last but by
no means least, I just have to say that throughout this movie I was in awe of
the jewelry, I was literally coveting every piece I saw, and I mean how could I
not, with Amrapali on hand to compliment Anju Modi's wonderful creations. When
I first heard that Amrapli has worked on this project I knew I was in for a
treat, and I wasn't let down in the slightest. From the gorgeous rings to the
practically iconic earrings worn by Leela and the regal necklaces seen, I
wouldn't know where to start, but the key message here was clear, statement
jewellery is a trend that is here to stay. The big Amrapali earrings worn by
Leela are large and lavish in size and are gaining so much buzz on the
Internet, and its not surprising why, and to me owing a large pair of earrings
like these are a wardrobe staple. But be careful, there is such a thing as
wearing too much jewelry, the basic rule here is, choose one statement piece
and let that shine and choose simpler accessories that compliment that one
statement piece. So if for example you choose a statement necklace, choose
smaller earrings rather than large chunky ones that add to look rather than
detract from it!
I
would love to hear what you thought about the movie and more importantly the
costumes!
Take
a look at a few of my favorite looks from the movie...
 |
| Amrapali's ring and earrings in this scene made a lasting impression! I only wish I owned them! |
 |
| Anju Modi layered a Red and White mulmul material to create a stunning lehenga... |
 |
| By far my favourite accessory of the film and therefore deserve a close up shot, these earrings are to amazing, classic in design and demonstrate perfectly how to wear statement jewellery... |
