Actress Kritika Kamra, who has portrayed characters from the 1960s and 1970s in projects including 'Bambai Meri Jaan' and 'Matka King', argues that fashion from those decades felt more personal and culturally rooted than today's rapidly shifting, social media-driven aesthetic. Speaking to IANS on 7 May, Kamra reflected on how the slower pace of trend cycles in mid-century fashion allowed for deeper individual and regional expression.

The rhythm of trend cycles then versus now

Kamra observed that the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s each had distinct defining aesthetics that persisted long enough to shape an entire decade's visual identity. "When we studied fashion history in fashion school, it was always defined by decades," she explained. Today, by contrast, trends cycle rapidly—sometimes within weeks—driven by constant social media feeds and viral moments. "Trends change really quickly," Kamra said, "and also because of social media, everybody's kind of seeing the same references, the same trends all over the world. So it doesn't feel as personal. It feels a bit more homogenized."

Cultural distinctiveness versus global homogeneity

Kamra's research for 'Matka King' deepened her appreciation for how fashion once carried region-specific and culture-specific interpretations. While broad trends existed in the 1960s and 1970s, she noted, individual cities and countries applied them through their own lens. "Each person had their own interpretation," she said. "When you see pictures of the West versus India, there's also a lot of cultural difference." The way Indian women wore tight salwar kameezes or draped sarees in particular styles was distinctly rooted in subcontinental tradition, even as global influences seeped in. "Some things that we borrowed from there, some things that we had our own," Kamra reflected.

How geography shaped fashion identity

The contrast between New York and South Bombay fashion in the 1970s exemplified this regional distinctiveness. "The fashion of New York feels different from the fashion of South Bombay in the 70s," Kamra observed. That difference arose not from gatekeeping but from the organic interplay of local culture, available materials, climate, and social values. The mixing of global and local influences created something neither purely Western nor purely Indian, but authentically rooted in place and time.

Personal style versus algorithmic trends

Reflecting on her own approach to fashion, Kamra concluded: "I have always dressed for myself." That philosophy—dressing for personal identity rather than algorithmic visibility—mirrors the ethos she observed in mid-century fashion. The implication is clear: when trends move slower and social validation is not instantaneous, individuals have space to develop a coherent personal aesthetic.