Fashion Friday: Kareena Kapoor's Poo from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was a style icon way ahead of time

If you are a 90s kid, there is a high possibility that you have grown up watching Karan Johar’s magnum opus Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. The film, which was religiously watched almost every two weeks, and around Diwali courtesy Star Gold, is one of the most unforgettable Bollywood blockbusters, even after almost 19 years, for every millennial.

But there is one character who manages to shine brighter than the rest of the cast. It is none other than Pooja Sharma aka Poo, played by the effervescent Kareena Kapoor Khan. Before she became the self-love icon with her infamous line “Main apni favorite hoon,” in Jab We Met, Kareena was already preaching this idea to generations of women with Poo. Don’t believe us? Just think of Kareena’s introduction scene from the film where she looks at her reflection in the mirror, and says, "Tumhara koi Haq nahi Banta ki tum itni Sundar logo. Not fair."

But more than that, it was her fashion statements; carried with utmost confidence, that cemented her position as a true style icon and set the entire tone for the film. From crop tops to fur collar to sheer and co-ord ensembles, she got everything right. Moreover, all of that is relevant to this day.

Poo’s introduction in the film itself cements her character as a fashion icon. With her asymmetrical sequined backless top and mini leather skirt, she gave an outfit inspiration for generations to wear and look stunning. In fact, throughout the film, there were many instances where Poo rocked the crop top with utmost elegance.

Who can forget the sensuous red outfit donned by Kareena in the track You Are My Sonia? While co-ord fashion may have become a popular term on the runway only recently, Poo was already slaying it back in the 2000s. The sequined bralette paired with knee-high slit leather pants and mismatched pumps is, to this date, an iconic ensemble.

A similar outfit was worn by Kylie Jenner in 2016. While we may never know if Poo was Kylie’s inspiration, we definitely know that she was slaying the fashion game way before anyone else

Poo was already rocking this incredibly sexy piece of clothing back in the 2000s. She wore printed trousers and paired them with neon and sequined bralettes in 2001! Throughout the film, there are many scenes where she wears bralettes and quite trendy ones at that. And 19 years later, there’s still no stopping the trend.

Plump nude lips may have gained popularity recently, after the Kardashians and Kylie Jenner started rocking this trend. All of us rushed to the stores to try it out. However, Kareena was already wearing the nude lip with such confidence even before it became massive.

Then comes the iconic outfit that Kareena wore in the song Bole Chudiyan. The actress wore a stunning coral pink sharara set and revolutionized ethnic wear in the early 2000s. The set featured a cropped asymmetrical open back blouse with criss-cross detailing, palazzo pants, and a matching dupatta, all embellished with silver sequin work. The outfit was a bold remodeling of the traditional attire. Manish Malhotra was the genius behind the legendary ensemble.

Not much is said about this particular outfit. When Poo wore this sheer kurta over a red bralette and pants in a scene where we all cried buckets as the patriot in us made a resurgence, we definitely became a fan of it. And look at us, right in 2020, we still love sheer ensembles and pull this stunning ensemble out from our closet every time we want to make a statement.

While fur collars and animals prints in jackets and scarves are a big trend today, Poo pulled off these fashion trends quite effortlessly throughout the film. There were a few not-so-great moments, considering fashion was still evolving in that period. But, we have to say she introduced these staples to this generation in quite a fashionable form.