The Original Boss Lady

While Indira certainly disapproved of theWhether it was the crisp white sari of a martyr or a Kanjeevaram paired with a mink coat, the unusual sartorial legacy of INDIRA GANDHI is a lesson in power dressing, finds journalist and her latest biographer SAGARIKA GHOSE.

- Sagarika Ghose

This may come as a surprise to you, dear reader, but you have something unlikely in common with the hard-nosed Indira Gandhi—you both read Vogue. Indira made sure to keep up with the latest fashion. Her cousin Nayantara Sahgal even remembers once poring over Vogue’s fashion photos with Indira on a flight from America.While writing about and researching Indira Gandhi’s life for my new book (Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister, Juggernaut Books), I discovered a political leader who, in spite of the hurly-burly of public life, never compromised on looking her absolute best. Handloom rather than, say, chiffons, favourites of feudals and filmstars, was her preferred look, and she was drawn to vibrant earth colours: orange, red, brown and shades of green. Indira’s saris and accessories were decided upon with great care and entered into a chart in different columns. Her petite figure always remained lean and trim, and she watched her weight carefully—sometimes she ate a meal consisting of only an egg and boiled vegetables. Indira took painstaking care of her skin and nails, used transparent nail polish and skin creams regularly, and was very proud of her graceful hands and feet.

A DELICATE BALANCE