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Revive Style

fashion, design and old world charm

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24th November 2017

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Oorja Makkad

Blogger | Designer
Millennial Sareephile
Indian Textile Aficionado

Musing on fashion, handicraft, sustainability narratives, cruelty-free beauty and eclectically homegrown design. Find me on Instagram @oorja.revivestyle.

#HANDCRAFTEDISBEAUTIFUL

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Closely linked to how much I wish I lived in a col Closely linked to how much I wish I lived in a cold, mountainous place, I have a wish that I had a lot more cozy knitwear in my closet! It's Knitwear Day over at the @showoffyourcloset challenge 🖤 This is my favourite ribbed knit dress, I only get to wear it in December given how hot it is in Bombay all year. I know dress day is the last day, but this is my fav knitwear like piece so I couldn't help but begin with this. @drapeastory I lovvvved your pink pants! Go check out the #ShowOffYourCloset hashtag. So many beautiful posts, rewearing and celebrating what one already has. I love the idea, it's cute and fun. @alisa.koz, @csillaherbszt and @dreamalittlegreen are three ethical fashion queens that started this cute 'style thing,' thank you for letting me in on this 🌲
Shop: think princesses and nayikas, tinkering down Shop: think princesses and nayikas, tinkering down candlelit palace halls in the wee hours of the night, in mysteriously sensuous garb akin in it's appearance to the night sky and all of it's stars. Keeping their trysts; as the delicate tinkling of a hundred ghungroos announces an arrival to a lover in the shadows... This hand block printed Ajrakh is one of many cotton mul curations to come to the #AjrakhMystique collection on the Revive.Style Shop. Naturally dyed on cotton mul, all the way from Ajrakhpur 🖤🍷 The madder dye blends beautifully with a black base to create a burgundy, black and indigo saree (Ajrakh uses a natural black pigment obtained from the fermentation of iron oxide and jaggery). Six yards of a densely patterned, geometric, architectural lattice (jaali) design, which one might quite likely see on the windows and viewing galleries of ancient palaces. The Persian influence over Ajrakh's print vocabulary is so evident, isn't it? . . . 🔊 Sound on for the video, the pallu is lined with melodic little ghungroos in silver, which may organically oxidize over time. This is a light, breezy, soft cotton mul that sashays as the wearer walks. Link in bio!
It's #baluchariweek so I just had to, for you @des It's #baluchariweek so I just had to, for you @designerrajirm ♥️🍒 I await the day I have a Baluchari saree like all the gorgeous people posting theirs! I remember lusting over @saree.man's absolutely dreamy black drape (cannot remember if that was a Swarnuchuri or Baluchari but heavenly it sure was) the night we met at the Saree Social and ever since, I've been wishing to get myself one exactly like that. It's imprinted on my mind, and Himanshu you've become my saree style icon for a Baluchari. This Baluchari dupatta from @handmadebyrahi is my very first Baluchari buy for myself, something of a lifetime milestone! A throwback to last year's festivities. Paired with a pure silk 'pyaaz' pink kurta-pyjama set from @tjoritreasures, and earrings from @swarovski.
🍁 Think of the chinar leaf, gently omnipresent 🍁 Think of the chinar leaf, gently omnipresent across kani and jamawar handwoven shawls, sozni and kashidakari embellished textiles, hand carved copperware and walnut wood designs, on papier mache, within traditional carpet knotting and wherever more art takes creative nourishment from the region - the environment - it finds home in. Something like the fish motif in Odisha and Bengal weaves, or Islamic architecture influencing the quintessential arched elements in Mughal buti prints and Ajrakh! Spotting recurrences across the design vocabulary of a particular region gives us heritage lovers a strange sense of achievement, doesn't it? Like we've been let in on something. A chinaar tree could tell tales spanning centuries - of Lalla Ded contemplating in its shade, or of Akbar taking refuge in its hollow trunk along with 34 soldiers. The Mughals were so enraptured, they ordered it to be nourished with milk instead of water. Poets have long been inspired by the flaming beauty of the majestic chinar tree, an iconic image of autumn, or 'harud' as it's called in it's homeland. While some works are darkly melancholic, some beautifully romantic, there's one I came across in The Speaking Tree that stayed with me... "Jis khaak ke zameer me hai aatish-e-chinar, Mumkin nahi ki sard ho woh khaak-e-arjumand" The dust which possesses in it's soul the flame of chinar, is a celestial dust that wont be possible to cool down. Textile: Went to work like a 🍒 in a @fabindianews kurta and a non-woolen Kashidakari on the side (hey I'm in Bombay, 17 degrees is all we get in the early morning for winter which is basically the temperature of a fine summer day in lovelier places of the world. 😂) This one is full of 'chinar' leaves but in a machine embroidered rendition, purchased on travel. The above excerpt is from a post I'd written about the Chinar leaf and its presence in the creative vocabulary of it's place of origin about two years ago! I can't recollect more examples, but so many such inspired themes exist across the textiles of India when it comes to motifs. Have you noticed any? Share in comments below ♥️
🌱🤗 don't let the 'High Court of Instagram' g 🌱🤗 don't let the 'High Court of Instagram' get to you, it's what you really DO - in your living, breathing, imperfect, pulsating existence - that matters! Love this @ethicallykate
A sustainable, 'tiny changes' resolution for 2020, A sustainable, 'tiny changes' resolution for 2020, I want to try to fulfill my clothing needs or desires by substituting shopping with going old school - using the fabric yardages I have in plenty, as a designer, or procuring slow textiles whenever necessary, and getting them stitched to order from my local tailor. I feel like so many things that I would like to wear could be made in this manner. It would fuel my own creativity, support the skilled (and underpaid) tailor and karigar workforce that I know of directly, and even encourage me to experiment with trying out more and more tailors. In turn, I would be able to recommend them to so  many people and enable the joy of making our own clothing over consumption for a number of dear ones. We all know finding a good tailor is a major deal, a hassle not everyone has the patience to undertake. What I get stitched would be suited to my needs to the maximum - for it is conceptualised and made just for me, by myself - and I feel like this is a far more mindful and positive way to go about creating and nurturing my wardrobe. . . . Of course, when I do want to invest money in clothing, I'd always want to go for ethical, artisan supporting, slow and sustainable brands. They are the future of fashion, and I'd only want my money to uplift designers working to bring about a change in how we manufacture clothing, how we wear clothing! Do you like to get clothing stitched from local tailors? What's a sustainable resolution you have for 2020? It could even be the tiniest change - such as finally buying that steel straw, or breaking up with a fast fashion brand you keep going back to for good. It could be a big change like planting many trees or going on a no-spend year. We can all make a big change, even with tiny changes! Share yours in comments below 🌱
Thought I should post something Sankrant-y, don't Thought I should post something Sankrant-y, don't mind me 🖤🔥🧵 #BlackforSankrant
Bonfire night vibes? 🖤🔥I arrived at the 10k Bonfire night vibes? 🖤🔥I arrived at the 10k milestone after three years (I took too long, maybe, this has been a s l o w slow fashion feed) and somehow I'm still not feeling it totally sink in. Where's my Möet at?! Sending hugs and gratitude to every inspiring soul this journey has introduced me to, every beautiful online and offline friend that added knowledge, value and insight to my life. I feel like I have grown over so many phases - been so many different people - all the while that I've grown as a blogger and through how this feed has evolved over time. This happy little 10k strong bubble of saree, sustainability, fashion aficionados and beautiful minds have been with me through it all.Thank you so much for being such an uplifting, loving, inspiring, warm community! Happy Lohri! . . . #SareeToWork: This one's for you @sareesaatsamundarpaar, some #blackforsankrant. I've been waiting to take part. An unknown, mystery silk weave to me, from my mom's closet, all I know is that it hails from West Bengal (because that's where it came from, brought by a benevolent Bengali neighbour). It's got pineapples on the pallu! 🍍Can anybody identify it? I think this could be an Assamese weave too!
I see the pattern, but the laal bindi, tiny blacks I see the pattern, but the laal bindi, tiny blacks and tad too many saree selfies shall prevail this year too, sorry. ✨♥️
It's getting a little weird how so many people thi It's getting a little weird how so many people think they 'know' someone because they've been following them on Instagram for a while. We put too much stock into social media behaviour as a species at this point in time, as if that's all there is to them, especially in the case of bloggers and content creators. That's never the case, we really, really don't know and what we think we know - what has specially been curated to be exposed to us - doesn't even scratch the surface. I had a flattering moment recently when I was asked in response to a saree post, rhetorically, how tall I am (in the sense that they thought I'm a really tall supermodel type hahaha). Now that's a question I'd never, ever expect to be asked, what a grande (pun intended, if you speak French) deception I'd made and totally unintentionally. So many other even funnier things happen on the regular. Some other times it's creepy, murky, highly annoying and boundary crossing, let's not go there. But in conclusion, there's too many personalities in here, in the whole 5 feet and 0 inches of me, for one feed to ever grasp 😂🍃 Does anybody else have weird social media moments like that? I'm going to tag this post for @sixyardsoffinery's #MyFavouriteSilks because silk Kota doria is definitely my favourite silk!
ajrak, ikat and carnelian on a hand-me-down denim ajrak, ikat and carnelian on a hand-me-down denim shirt, I made those brooches 🍂 I'm thinking I wanna sashiko this shirt up!
Hold on I'm not done yet 🌺 I love how this tie Hold on I'm not done yet 🌺 I love how this tie dye is atypical, one usually expects a statement on the pallu but this one has a vibrant burst of shibori around the body from one side of the pleats, going round the waist, transitioning back into a solid ochre when the pallu begins! I'm going to repeat this saree to work the next week, in an urban life avatar. But it's at it's best when beachy! Definitely counts for #TieAndDyeStories with @eeshitajoneja (I kept thinking of our mutual love for bougainvilleas) and @fivefeetsixyards, I'm glad what we started seems to be never ending 🌴
sunshine, and some tie and dye 🌴 3/100 sunshine, and some tie and dye 🌴 3/100
Goa in two handblock prints 🐟🌴🌊 Goa in two handblock prints 🐟🌴🌊
Handloom pants, an Ajrakh mala, a vintage Chivas b Handloom pants, an Ajrakh mala, a vintage Chivas bottle made of porcelain. How beautifully things were created back when there was a lot more time and a lot less people!
I was second-guessing this for so long this mornin I was second-guessing this for so long this morning, as I thought about my day ahead. "Isn't wearing black velvet to work in the daytime a bit much? But I never get to wear this crop top all year, what if today's the last day of the nip in the air? Is a lustrous gajji silk in dark wine and indigo too much for the morning? When else would I ever wear this?" and I almost succumbed to toning down my metaphoric glimmer by picking out a drab cotton tee to wear underneath this gorgeous @fabindianews Ajrakh saree (from my mom's wardrobe). I eventually concluded, that being a tad extra and enjoying it has always been in my nature when it comes to dressing up, I'd rather just forget about my will-people-think-Im-overdressed social anxiety and wear this delicious outfit anyway. Maybe everyone who is familiar to me is used to it already, and unsurprised at my eccentricities 😂 Felt like a queen all day, plus this is probably the last few days left until next December that I'd get to spend the day in velvet and buttery gaji silk with ease. Bombay girl problems? 2/100 for 2020, Im hoping I do complete the #100sareepact this year, now that I teach and have a lot more opportunities for sarees!
Creators, and artists of all kinds, put so much pr Creators, and artists of all kinds, put so much pressure on themselves to make "serious" art all the time. Art that is obligated to be perfect, art that is superior to perceived 'others,' art that 'should' turn out so good one can sell that very piece, art that leads towards a monetary plan, art that already sounds viable as a mass producing business plan, and this is the biggest killjoy and block of all good art to flow from within. Serious art can only be born from serious play, to quote Julia Cameron from The Artists Way. Sometimes shedding all 'shoulds' and focusing solely on what feels good, is the best thing to do for creativity. To think of what would feel most enjoyable, and do that first, and then see where you flow. I purchased this @goodearthindia Mughal colouring book sometime in 2017 - it's called Bagh-e-Bahaar, and it is so beautiful. It decorated my shelf for quite a while. Here I am in 2020 finally comfortable in my skin - and I dare say, smart - enough to decide that the first "task" I want to do before all the tasks I want to do this day is to feel good by coloring like a child 🥰
We can't call every sparkling wine a champagne, we We can't call every sparkling wine a champagne, we can't call every cotton silk a Chanderi. 'Chanderi,' isn't the hindi word for cotton-silk, although a lot of vendors seem to behave otherwise. Chanderi is a handwoven textile originating from the looms of a weaving town called Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. Chanderi can be pure cotton, cotton silk or pure silk, it has been woven for centuries and was beloved to Mughal queens. Legend says it goes as far back as the Vedic period. If you come across a cotton-silk saree/apparel titled 'Chanderi,' you ought to question - is this being called Chanderi simply because it is an Indian cotton silk, or is this a handwoven cotton silk textile woven by a weaver of (and in the region of) Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh and has been sourced from there? I've seen 'Chanderi' printed/embroidered sarees being sold for as little as INR 2500-3500, an obvious red flag because a superfine handwoven like Chanderi would only start at INR 5000 or above (and that is in it's most basic form). Chanderi is very sheer and delicate, close to organza but softer, it wouldn't be opaque or medium-weight if it's the real thing. A GI Tag (Geographic Indication) has been granted to Chanderi textiles by the Indian government, legally ensuring that only a textile woven by traditional weavers and method, in this town, can count as Chanderi. It is one of those textiles that you have to see to understand, once you familiarise your sight and touch with a real Chanderi, you'll know why a non-Chanderi cotton silk (whether handloom or powerloom) is so different. . . . What's in a name? Well, a livelihood! We're free to buy any cotton silks, but it's unfair trouble to the rightful creators of this textile if uninformed consumers consume 'Chanderi' without even benefiting those who TRULY PRACTICE and own the patent to this textile tradition. If we want a Chanderi and have the capacity to buy a Chanderi, our money ought to support the specific regional group of weavers that are actually upholding this part of Indian textile heritage, isn't it? We can always call a spade a spade, and let Chanderi weavers maintain their rightful exclusivity ✨
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fashion, design and old world charm

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