The monarchs of India, famously known for their tales of gallantry and strong-willed demeanor had a far larger influence on the fashion trends of their times than we’d think. The Indian royalty through the years has become a testament of timeless elegance that perfectly balances the old-school charm with modern day experimentalism. Their luxuriant lifestyle and opulent fashion sense has created a very interesting fashion look-book for modern day couples to get inspired off of. Indian grooms today can look up to the royals for inspiration - the ones from the past and modern-day royals, alike.
Their luxuriant lifestyle and opulent fashion sense has created a very interesting fashion look-book for modern day couples to get inspired off of. Indian grooms today can look up to the royals for inspiration - the ones from the past and modern-day royals, alike.
At the time of the Wadiyars of Mysore, one’s attire said a lot about their social hierarchy and economic status and thus the ‘Durbaar dress’ became a raging trend under their rule - a Durbaar dress was worn by anyone who had an appointment with the king. The attire included a long (below-the-knee) black coat, paired with a white ‘Churidaar’ and a turban lined with golden embroidered lace called the Mysore ‘Peta’. White ‘dhotis’ lined with golden zari border for men and pure silk sarees with golden zari work for women were some other popular attires at the time too.
A well-incorporated balance between Indian and British clothing, the Sherwani - a slightly more flared and longer article of clothing similar to the Achkan was popularized by Raja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, which can be seen adorned by the king in his portrait painted by Raja Ravi Verma (1885).
The frontal opening of the Achkan dotted with a vertical line of buttons, is a western addition directly derived from the European counterparts. The Nizams of Hyderabad lived lavishly. Their day-to-day attire included some of the most exquisite jewelry made from precious gemstones and pearls and clothes made from the finest of fabrics from around the world. However, their jewelry left a very prominent mark on how modern Indian ornaments are made. From the late 19th century they too, wore ‘Sherwanis’- ever since then, grooms paid homage to the grandeur of their dynasty through this attire. Sherwanis crafted from rich and regal fabrics such as brocade, silk, and velvet were popularized.
The Rajputs and Mewars of Rajasthan were not left behind in their era of evolving fashion trends. The royals of Udaipur had accessories to showcase their royalty and wealth. One such accessory was their ‘Chattri’ or ‘Kirnia’; which can be seen being used in barat processions even today. The Maharanas of Udaipur adopted ‘bandh galas’, short, stand-collared garments paired with jewelry to imbibe the western influence into their daily wear. Some of their other ornaments such as decorated swords, ‘Kamar bandhs’, and turbans etc. are all elements that a lot of modern grooms today choose to adorn as an homage to their culture and heritage.
When trying to select outfits for festivities and weddings and other cultural gatherings, men today have an array of styles, fabrics and colors to choose from. Today, masculinity is not as linearly defined as it once was; and surprisingly we have our own Raja-Maharajas to thank for the same. They wore necklaces, earrings, statement rings, kamar bandhs etc to add to their glory - items whose elegance and grandeur has stood strong through the test of time.
The Gaekwads of Baroda, the Peshwas of the Maratha empire wore heavy, bold pearl strings dotted with gemstones to pair with their delicately embroidered silk robes. Fashion, ever evolving phenomena, flows and evolves and adapts cultures, trends and other factors through time and helps us get a better look into our rich history, and helps us create timeless, evergreen statement pieces!
