By: Ananya Abeygunasekera
Love. Such a simple little word, yet it carries with such depth of emotion. It is that instant when we feel Cupid’s arrow pierce our hearts, and we know we are done for. For someone who falls in love for the first time, how do they know they are in love? The Cambridge dictionary defines love as having strong feelings of liking a friend or a person in your family. Pfffff. That can be how you describe your dog. What makes you expect red roses on Valentine’s Day? It’s our first time, so what do we know? And this is one subject that parents will NOT talk to you about. And if so, they'll just talk about the birds and the bees if need be. So, Google sends you right back to the start, the Cambridge dictionary. So, where do we turn? To movies. To memes. To the dating coaches on Instagram. To the guy who smiled at us in class and instantly became the One. And like every first crush or heartbreak, our closets get involved too - because love isn’t just a feeling, it’s a look. Before we even know what love is, movies have already shown us how it’s supposed to look, feel, and be performed. From ‘I burn for you’ to running across fields of flowers and flinging yourself into SRK’s arms, our closets took notes - and now we’re dressing like every scene of our romantic fantasies, whether we’re going on a date or just surviving Monday mornings.
Love, According to the Movies
Down the Bollywood route, love is all butterflies and rainbows, fooling around in bushes, and shy, naughty gestures. A guy likes a girl, makes her fall in love, and the couple faces resistance from their families. They either run away or fight for the perfect ending - and yes, the girl always chases the guy on a train in slow motion, with the entire family abandoned at the station. Think Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’s mustard fields, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s dancing in the rain, or Om Shanti Om’s dramatic sari moment - where her sari somehow gets stuck on his bracelet. The wardrobe? Flowing saris, lehengas sequined enough to blind a small village, pastel kurtis that flutter in the breeze, delicate bangles jingling with every dramatic gesture. Every hair flip, every scarf toss - pure cinematic fantasy.
Switching to Hollywood, love is either sweet and predictable or intensely passionate. Cringey romcoms give soft-focus montages, confessions in the rain, and the classic showstopping dress moment - think The Notebook, Pretty Woman, or Titanic. Then there’s the hotter, more passionate side: Fifty Shades of Grey, 365 Days, where gestures are raw, chemistry is off the charts, and clothing is… minimal. Romcom Core fashion matches the cute side: midi skirts with white tanks, cosy sweaters, pyjama sets, ballet flats or kitten heels, overalls, old-school glasses - casual moments made cinematic. Passionate films push wardrobes into silk robes, lingerie, and undone shirts - layers, textures, and pieces that amplify tension and desire.
The Closet After the Cinema
Of course, real life doesn’t come with background music or slow motion. Our wardrobes reflect not the movies we’ve watched, but the personalities we actually live. Some archetypes you might recognise:
- The Chaotic Cute: Messy hair, slightly artsy, always unpredictable. Vintage skirts with sneakers, overalls, nerdy glasses or oversized tees with ripped jeans. Creative, spontaneous, and a little dramatic - could start a paint fight and end up making a masterpiece.
- The Glow-Up Survivor: Starts heartbreak in pyjamas, eating ice cream while watching romcoms, then suddenly emerges in the club in the tightest dress. Resilient, confident, magnetic - fashion tracks the glow-up.
- The Heartbreaker: Confident, flirty without effort. Bodycon dresses, bold prints, statement heels, and accessories that make everyone stop mid-conversation. Playful, teasing, fully aware of their charm.
- The Girl Next Door: Effortless charm in cosy sweaters, denim, simple dresses, and ballet flats. Approachable, warm, and relatable - soundtrack: Kiss Me, Suddenly I See, Olivia Dean, and other quintessential love songs.
- The Dreamer: Fairy-tale believer. Flowy skirts, pastel layers, delicate jewellery, whimsical pieces. Poetic, optimistic, hopelessly romantic - handwritten notes, late-night confessions, cinematic moments.
- The Romantic Minimalist: Not actively searching for love, focused on self. Sporty chic, layered basics, sneakers, understated accessories. Independent, confident, into sports or rock music - they attract romance without chasing it.
When It’s Not a Scene Anymore
After Bollywood’s chaos, Hollywood’s romcoms and steamy moments, and real-life personalities, love isn’t dancing to songs, love at first sight, or just about sex. Love is how the other person makes you feel inside. They should make you feel like one of the most important, beautiful people in their lives. Looks matter, sure - we all want someone good-looking - but personality is what counts. No hot-but-dumb Donkeys allowed. Love should make you happy, content, excited - and sometimes hurt, because pain reminds you how much it’s worth. The people who hurt you the most are often the ones who love you the most. Love is a funny word: short, easy to spell, impossible to define, but impossible to live without. It’s messy, passionate, complicated, and real. True love isn’t about escaping reality - it’s about finding someone who makes reality worthwhile. And when you truly love someone, you don’t just stop, because when you find the one who truly unlocks your heart, everything changes… but so does your wardrobe and outfit choices. Because love might unlock your heart - but it also unlocks your closet. Suddenly you’re twirling in saris, slipping into romcom-core sweaters, or reaching for the tiniest party dress - all in the name of feeling every shade of it.
