Recreating the Look of 10 Iconic Indian Women

Some Indian women across generations continue to mesmerise us when we think of iconic women. What is it that they do differently? Do they wear clothes that any other woman does not wear? They make whatever they wear look distinguished. They know what suits them. They are also highly confident women, and their beauty is not only external. The beauty radiates from within. These are the style icons who continue to rule our hearts, for how they have always inspired us.

When you wear clothes that you love and fit you well, you have confidence and look gorgeous. You don't have to spend a fortune to look like you spent a fortune. You can look expensive even while working on a budget. All you need is your style, attitude, and a little help from tailors.

Do you have trouble getting dressed, let alone putting outfits together? Don't be worried. The below list will help you get started on how to look expensive on a budget and make you feel your best every day! So, let's dive in.

1. Gayatri Devi

How can we not pay homage to Gayatri Devi when talking about style icons? She was the queen and embodied grace, culture and elegance. Most of the photographs show her favouring pastels and neutral colours. She wore sarees and western wear based on what the occasion demanded with equal dignity. She made the jewellery stand out. Pieces from Cartier, pearl, diamonds and heirloom jewellery seemed even more beautiful when she wore them. The chiffon saree with a blouse or trench coat, her hairstyle and dark sunglasses embodied everlasting class. Gayatri Devi was a trendsetter, and we will admire her signature look forever.

2. Rekha

Rekha's heavily embroidered ghagra and anarkalis, which she paired with heavy jewellery, continue to look stunning. She aced the simple bindi, kajal, and braided hair look. She also could look powerful, sultry and playful. A nation obsessed with complexion, Rekha made dusky the epitome of beauty. She understood her strengths and focused on Indian textiles and earthy shades that complimented her frame.

To recreate her look, opt for knee-length kurtas, fitted churidars, traditional kanjivaram saree with half sleeved blouses and pair them with gorgeous jewellery. Start by stitching a white kurta or white churidar using a custom tailoring online app or website, invest in heavy silver jhumkas, wear your hair lose and voila- that's vintage Rekha for you.

3. Indira Nooyi

The 2018 Westchester Global Leadership Laureate Award was presented to Nooyi (Hillary Clinton was the 2017 award winner). She reminisced about her career and the white shirts while wearing a sheath dress in solid Bordeaux red with a matching bolero jacket and a simple necklace and earrings. She revealed a stunning leaf-shaped belt only as she stepped away from the podium. Her accessories, as CEO, complements her stature. This ensemble was a nice change of pace. It became legendary because it was a departure from her regular sarees, pantsuits, or skirts.

4. Sushmita Sen

Sushmita disclosed on the TV show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai that the gown she wore for her Miss India finale was sewn by a local masterji working out of a garage. The fabric was purchased from Sarojini Nagar, a Delhi flea market.

"We didn't have enough money to go on stage in expensive gowns; we were meant to wear four different outfits." We were middle-class individuals who were well aware of our limitations. 'So what?' said my mother. They won't be looking at your clothes; they'll be looking at you.' So we proceeded to Sarojini Nagar Market to do some shopping. A local tailor who produced petticoats worked downstairs in the garage. 'This will be on TV, so do a good job,' we told him as we handed him the material. My mother created a rose out of the remaining cloth, and he built my winning gown out of it," she explained.

You can get your gowns designed from an online tailoring app that employs hundreds of tailors. So it is easy to look as iconic as Sushmita Sen.

5. Priyanka Chopra

We love a good power-suit moment. Immaculate stitching and plunging neckline made Chopra Jonas' white pantsuit powerful and bold in an appearance on The Tonight Show, Starring Jimmy Fallon. Priyanka Chopra knows how to pair her attire with her dazzling smile, whether her 'Desi girl' moment or Met Gala. The ultimate 'it girl' is bold, a woman of the world, and her sense of fashion breaks the glass ceiling.

6. Sudha Murthy

Murthy has a few traditional Ilkat sarees that she inherited from her mother. She also flaunts some hand-me-downs from her two sisters. She is a proud owner of a few Benarasis, Paithanis, Orissa silks, delicate cotton from Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh handlooms. She likes a saree that designer Ritu Beri gave her from her collection as a gift.

Murthy keeps her sarees relevant by changing how she wears her blouses. Most of her sarees come with two blouses, one in the same colour as the saree and the other in a different colour. However, she recently discovered the allure of wearing blouses with traditional Kalamkari motifs and Kolkata's well-known cotton blouses. She says that they elevate her sarees a notch or two.

She dons many hats: a thinker, a philanthropist and a writer. We love her simplicity and values, making her one of the admired women in contemporary India.

7. Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Ji is remembered for her plain-coloured saree. A pallu tucked on her shoulder and a crimson bindi on her forehead. Her sarees occasionally sported pastel colours, such as lavender, or she wore cream or off-white sarees to add a hint of the current to her classics. Her wardrobe was brimming with the best handloom sarees, ready to be worn for any occasion. A modest bindi, diamond earrings (sometimes gold or silver), a gold chain, a wristwatch, and well-pleated hair were all part of her characteristic look.

The Nightingale of India ruled our hearts for decades. Her voice personified truth, honesty and innocence. Her signature look was an embodiment of purity, class and understated elegance.

8. Mira Nair

Mira Nair wears a wide range of Indian attires. Like her films about India and its cultural nuances, she prefers to dress in silk Salwar-Kameez, Anarkali suits, and kurta-churidar instead of formal Western clothing. Her favourite textiles were silk and cotton. Despite popularising urban Indian attire, she has rarely been spotted wearing a sari on the red carpet. Her favourite colours vary. However, she seldom wears any accessories other than a pair of earrings to accessorise her outfits. She knows how to play up her eyes and lips with the perfect makeup to enhance her features.

9. Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy's sense of style is inspired by Indian ethnic fashion sensibilities and emanates ease and simplicity. Her basic dressing sense and fashion preferences are simple cotton and raw silk kurtas, cotton sarees, and long flowy gowns with floral designs on pastel backgrounds. In addition, she favours solid-coloured Kurtis or shirts with loose-fitting slacks or skirts. Arundhati Roy's favourite saris are basic cotton saris with simple blouse designs.

She is usually seen in solid hues such as black, red, mustard yellow, green, blue, or grey. However, she occasionally wears a brightly coloured dupatta or scarf to brighten her ethnic ensemble. She also likes to mix colours and experiment with opposing shades of orange on pink or red on pink. However, she doesn't follow rigorous rules for matching blouse colours with sari colours. Her fashion sense is eclectic and resonates with the fiery personality that we love about her.

10. Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi's sarees, salwar kameez, and other outfit combinations show that she is a woman who takes pride in her appearance.

"Fashion is something that comes and goes," she says, "and we should not be easy victims of fashion; instead, we should build our own style." And style is not the same as fashion in terms of ephemerality. People might acquire the confidence to establish their own style within themselves. And, of course, no other garment in the world compares to the saree."

Shabana Azmi transitioned easily from Art films to commercial cinema. As an actor, the suffering wife in Arth, the young victim in Ankur or the Diva in Amar Akbar Anthony, Azmi, created a pathway for future actresses. People looked at actors like her from a new lense.

We salute these women for continuing to inspire us always. Their personalities and sense of style have touched us in many ways.