Back to basics: How sarees and gajra have become Gen-Z’s new penchant
The mention of sarees and gajra was first referenced in the Vedas
Young Gen-Zs are the fashion drivers.
Updated: Jun 27th, 2023
The saree-gajra symphony
Be it weddings, college farewells, festivals, book store dates, or just another photoshoot for the Instagram feed, there has been a peculiar penchant towards light cotton sarees coupled with the old-school accessory, ‘gajra’, the flower garland in one’s hair bun. The newbies of this generation have found treasures in the old trunk of fashion and they are recreating and relishing the old-school era.
The mention of sarees and gajra was first referenced in the Vedas, dating back to 3000 BC. Gajra has its place in the Vedas and is among the final phases of the 16-step ‘solah shringar’ bridal ornamentation procedure. However, the gajra was forgotten in popular culture from the 1980s to the recent past. It seems that this elegance has chimed again in the mainstream, and this time, young Gen-Zs are the fashion drivers.
Celebrities’ choice
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| Image courtesy: @mipalkarofficial |
Recently, Netflix’s ‘Little Things’ actor and content creator Mithila Palkar took to her Instagram account in an elegant white and gold glitter saree with a white jasmine flower gajra affixed delicately to the hairstyle.
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| Image courtesy: @Janhvikapoor |
Actor Janhvi Kapoor's March 2023 instagram post also had a vintage look with a floral-printed saree, and a messy bun styled with jasmine flowers. The actor brought back the essence of the early Hindi cinema era. It was a long time ago when Rajesh Khanna romanced Mumtaaz by complimenting her gajra in the song 'Kajra Lagake Gajra Sajake' from the 1972 Hindi movie, Apna Desh. More than 50 years later, the trend is not only making a comeback but going strong as ever.
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| Image courtesy: @legendaryrekha |
Actor Rekha is one of the early trendsetters of saree and gajra. Her signature looks from her days in retro Hindi cinema until the present featured the unbeaten combination of saree and gajra many times. In the recent inaugural event of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) this April, Rekha was draped in a heavy golden-and-blue silk saree with a gajra-adorned hairstyle.
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| Image courtesy: @neena_gupta |
Actor Neena Gupta was also in the queue to create hype for sarees and gajra. She wore a retro Bollywood-inspired, monochrome saree with a gajra entangled in her messy bun.
Period movies and series bringing back the retro styles
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| Image courtesy; Instagram |
In the Hindi film ‘Gangubai Kathiyawadi’, Alia Bhatt was seen in a saree and gajra look. Many fans and influencers recreated the look of Gangubai from the film and flexed it on social media.
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Mira Nair's directorial ‘A Suitable Boy’ on Netflix holds the charm of retro vibes from Vikram Seth's novel from the 1990s with the same name. Tanya Maniktala and Tabu's characters in the series flaunt their traditional looks with gajra in a gallant way.
The retro look has hit the fancies of today’s youth and they are celebrating by wearing cotton sarees, gajra, and posting their ‘aesthetics’ on social media.
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