- Avarna Jain,
Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media
The Skinny Dupatta Is Back In All Its Glory
Who would've though this 90s Bollywood trend would find its way into Oscars 2026 fashion?
L-R: Sonam Kapoor, Gracie Abrams, Princess Diana, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kendall Jenner, and Bella HadidGetty images and Instagram
We love a lehenga with the dupatta left open, resting on the shoulders, or even when it's resting on one shoulder, but it's also hard to deny the effortless charm of the skinny dupatta worn around the neck. I mean, we'd be lying if we said that we didn't develop a vehement girl crush on Madhuri Dixit when we saw her skinny dupatta outfits in Dil Toh Pagal Hai, or on Kareena Kapoor when we saw her in the iconic peach Manish Malhotra sharara in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham with the skinny dupatta.
Madhuri Dixit wearing the skinny dupatta in Dil Toh Pagal HaiYashraj Films
Never was the beauty of the skinny dupatta more palpable than in the 90s. And it's safe to say that Bollywood was single-handedly responsible. From Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee to Karishma Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai, every IT girl in the 90s was rocking this trend, no matter what their personal style was like.
Karishma Kapoor in the 90s
While one might associate the skinny dupatta with the 90s and 2000s, and rightfully so, it made a special appearance in the 80s. Princess Diana, always being way ahead of the game when it came to fashion, rocked the skinny dupatta back in the 80s when she wore a blue Elie Saab dress with a scarf around her neck at the Cannes Film Festival in 1987.
Princess Diana wearing an Elie Saab dress with a scarf at the Cannes Film Festival in the 1987Getty Images
But mostly, the skinny dupatta was was at its peak during the late 90s and 2000s. While the trend basked in lots of glory in its heyday, it has been dead for a while, and was almost nowhere to be seen in the last decade. However, much to our delight the skinny dupatta has been seeing a surprising resurgence lately. And, much to our surprise, this resurgence is not necessarily stemming from India. Exhibit A: Kendall Jenner in this vintage Dior look.
Kendall Jenner wearing vintage DiorGetty Images
Exhibit B: Gracie Abrams in this (super 2000s Bollywood-coded) Chanel look!
Gracie Abrams in Chanel Getty Images
Exhibit C: Bella Hadid in this Prada look at the Vanity Fair Oscar party 2026.
Bella Hadid in PradaGetty Images
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