Who says style and comfort can’t shake hands and dance? On Usha Uthup’s birthday, let’s riff on Kanjeevaram sneakers, oversized bindis, and the glorious rebellion of dressing for joy, not judgement.

Walk into a room when Usha Uthup is anywhere nearby - you’ll know. Perhaps it’s the kaleidoscopic Kanjeevaram sarees she’s worn for five decades straight. Or maybe it’s her legendary voice - deep as midnight, rare enough to make music teachers stammer. Usha didn’t try to blend in; she zigzagged. “I come from a traditional South Indian middle-class family where sarees were simply a way of life,” she once mused, half-laughing, half-reminiscing about her mother’s treasure chest of rich silks. Humble beginnings, sure, but she never shrank herself to fit anyone else's silhouette.

Kanjeevaram Sneakers: Not Your Grandma’s Accessory 

Usha Uthup’s Kanjeevaram Sneakers 

(@redfmindia/Instagram)

Stilettos - those tall, pointy so-called “style commandments” - took their toll. Stage lights, long performances, aching feet; you know how it goes. Comfort? Rare as a pleasant summer in Kolkata. Usha’s daughter nudged her (“Ma, sneakers!”), and suddenly, fashion had a plot twist. Not some dull sports shoe, oh no. Usha grabbed borders from her Kanjeevaram sarees and handed them to her local cobbler. Now, she wears custom “Kanjeevaram sneakers” zipped in bright silk and gold thread, every step a silent revolution. “I just give them my saree and my sneakers - they create magic,” Usha beams with pride, and she even introduced the concept to the President of India hoping to lift up cobblers everywhere. 

Singer and storyteller Usha Uthup took the INK stage by storm and had the audience on the dance floor, as she sang songs on ‘shoes’, thanking her cobblers Sushil and Misri Das for her distinct ‘Kanjeevaram sneakers’ that have come to define her style over the years. #INK2018 pic.twitter.com/FCriiWGk6R

— INKtalks (@inktalks) January 6, 2019

Usha Uthup thanks her cobblers who brought her signature Kanjeevaram sarees to life.

(@inktalks/X)

Style is Comfort, Consistency, and a Little Mischief 

Usha Uthup talks about her saree collection.

(@usha.uthup/Instagram)

It’s tempting to chase trends - try this, wear that, don’t repeat colors. Usha? She’d rather match her bindi with her sari (sometimes it spells ‘Calcutta’ in Bengali), stack gold bangles until either arm clangs like a temple bell, and add fresh jasmine flowers just because - it’s tradition, but also, it’s fun. Her bejeweled aesthetic is pure maximalism, with a twist: the look is more about feeling fabulous than looking “acceptable” for someone else.

Usha Uthup talks about her signature saree, bindi and bangles fashion.

(@officialimpactful/Instagram)

Why do people always ask for her “secret”? She claims it’s simple. “Fashion is all about comfort and consistency. If you’re not comfortable, nothing works.” She’s said it, sung it, and strutted it on every major stage from NH7 Weekender to the DPIFF 2025 red carpet.

Redefining the Meaning of “Dressed Up” 

Usha Uthup at Dadasaheb Pahlke Awards 2025

(@dpiff_official/Instagram)

Still, Usha’s real legacy is not about clothes or shoes. It’s about permission - the kind she gives to the rest of us. You want sneakers with a saree? Go for it! Your bindi is too big for small talk? Wear it anyway. She’s a one-woman parade for self-expression and comfort, mixing opulent saris and footwear with personal ease.

She’s crooned across generations; “Hari Om Hari,” “Darling,” and dozens more - her voice as recognizable as her look. But it’s how she wears her story, stitched with a streak of defiance and infectious humor, that might linger longest. 

(The Times of India)

So, as she celebrates another year, here’s to Usha Uthup. The woman who taught us to sing in our own style, wear what we adore, and - if we must - pair silk with sneakers, just because we can.