Imitating fashion

While switching channels on television the other day I came across an old movie. I was in a semi comatose state that generally creeps upon me when I watch too much of the ongoing US presidential debates. Listening to the Republican Party candidate Donald Trump makes me wonder if he is for real. The amount of gibberish he speaks can make my skin crawl. I do hope in the near future I don’t have to witness him as a brand new resident of the White House. But politics is a dirty game and who can tell what will unfold in the next several months. As they say in my home country India, “democracy is like that only”.

So, the old film that suddenly lit up my television screen was from a black and white era. The hero was serenading the heroine who was standing on a first floor balcony, swaying gently, for no apparent reason. A close-up shot of her face revealed that she was extremely beautiful, in an ethereal sort of way. The shadow and light fell at an angle on her cupid-bow painted lips, giving her a luminous glow. The hero had a Charlie Chaplin moustache and a dainty physique, quite unlike the hefty gym sculpted muscular bodies of the actors today. I think there was also a hint of kohl lining his eyes and if you took the moustache away, he was almost as pretty as his leading lady. 

But what caught my eye was the earring that the actress was wearing. Shaped like a peacock, with tiny bells on it, the piece of jewellery looked extremely familiar. I jumped up from the sofa and went rummaging into my locker and immediately took out the box that contained my ornaments. Separating the necklaces and bracelets I found the earring and ran to compare it with the one the woman was sporting. The song was still going on, the hero had somewhat switched his position and was now near the rose bushes, but the heroine continued to be rooted to the same spot. She was blinking her impossibly long lashes and giving coy glances to the hero. As the camera panned on her face again I held up my earing next to hers. It was identical. 

Both my mother and my mother-in-law were very fashionable women. Their generation did not have any fancy fashion designers, so they mostly copied what the popular actresses wore in their films. From the hairstyles, clothes, shoes, handbags to the thickness of the eyeliner, they imitated the celluloid look to perfection. I knew this because I was witness to the umpteen trips to the tailor where my mom would explain the flair of a particular trouser to the flustered guy, carrying a picture of a famous heroine in it. 

However, what I did not realise was that they managed to duplicate the jewellery too. Unfortunately, I could not remember whether it was my mum or my mum-in-law who had given me the peacock earrings. Feeling bad at not having paid more attention when it was gifted to me, I decided to wear them instantly. 

“Wow mother, lovely earrings,” our daughter said walking into my room. 

“Thank you, like that one,” I pointed to the TV. 

“Identical! Who gave you?” she asked. 

“Either your Nani or Dadi, I forgot,” I said miserably. 

“Why you wearing them with your track pants?” she changed the subject. 

“I am like that only,” I smiled.