Trends may come and trends may go but style and elegance transcend time. One Bollywood star who epitomises this is Tabu. The National Award-winning actress, who is riding high on the success of her recent releases, A Sutiable Boy, Drishyam 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, has always had a classic and elegant yet understated fashion sense, that rarely goes amiss.
Through the years, Tabu’s style has been individualistic and timeless, with a preference for traditional Indian wear and kohl-rimmed eyes taking precedence over all else. She marches to her own beat—that is equally true for her film choices and her fashion picks. The Andhadhun actress has never chased trends blindly and is a true style icon in our eyes.
No one can rock the classic sari like Tabu does, and we can’t get enough of her soigné style that always subtly incorporates a glam quotient.
Here are 5 times Tabu proved she’s the OG queen of desi glam
Tabu chose an elegant white sari for an intimate family affair, which featured silver work on the borders and a white blouse. She paired it with a red lip and wore her hair straight, making it a wonderful choice for a family function.
Tabu made a statement in a sari at the time she wore this beautiful all-black Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla creation with an intricate mirror work blouse. She finished this off with her trademark subtle make-up, a bun and dangling earrings.
The ever-so-gorgeous actress swore by the timeless charm of the six yards with a blue sari from designer Manish Malhotra’s eponymous label at Karan Johar’s 50th birthday bash. Swathed in sequins, the sari perfectly complemented the glitzy theme of the night. Letting her glittering outfit take the centre stage, she went minimal with the accessories and wore just a pair of sparkly earrings, her signature kohl-rimmed eyes and glossy, nude lips.
Tabu wore an ethereal black sari by Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla with sequins and golden embroidery spanning the whole garment. We couldn’t help but save the outfit for a wedding party. Her sari also featured blue and red embellishments on the border, adding just the right amount of colour. She tied in the look together with a matte lip, loose hair, natural brushed-up brows, and smoky make-up framing her beautiful brown eyes. The star accessorised her sari with stunning rings and chandbali earrings.
This magnificent red drape was worn by Tabu’s Saeeda Bai in A Suitable Boy and any embellishment the costume designer, Arjun Bhasin, used was part of an ancient tradition. For instance, this red sari had badla and zardozi needlework—which is a beaten metal work or embroidery done with metallic threads—all over it. The reputed costume designer dressed Tabu’s brilliantly portrayed character in clothes that displayed fidelity to the story’s period setting as well as judicious anachronism. A new bride can easily wear a piece like this featuring ample embroidered work all over in silver. Tabu paired this look with a chhapka and earrings, but you can also opt for a maang tika for your big day.