Malaika Arora’s complete style evolution

Malaika Arora at the age of 46 still appears as she did at the start of her career—there is something to be said about her age-defying beauty. The VJ-turned-actor, who also hosts reality shows, has also had one of the most varied careers among Bollywood stars, which has slowly but surely turned her into a household name.

Malaika Arora's filmography

Malaika Arora became big on the television scene during the time she hosted series like Love Line and Style Check on MTV. No '90s kid can forget Arora from the popular music video ‘Gud Naal Ishq Mitha'. She then made her debut in films with the hit song ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya' from Dil Se (1998) which also starred Shah Rukh Khan, after which, Arora became a silver screen regular, appearing in films like Kaante (2002), Kaal (2005), Om Shanti Om (2007), Housefull (2010), Housefull 2 (2012), Happy New Year (2014) and Dolly Ki Doli (2015). By 2010, the star took to producing films too. In 2010, her release Dabangg (2010) won noteworthy awards including the Filmfare Award for Best Film and National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. The star is also one of the three women behind the successful e-commerce platform The Label Life with Bipasha Basu and Sussanne Khan. Always staying true to flattering sartorial choices, Arora's sense of style has gone from mass appeal to a more curated one.

A peek inside Malaika Arora's closet

Malaika Arora has always had a soft spot for body-hugging silhouettes and back in the early 2000s, her style was all about bodycon ensembles. From that floral blue gown worn for IIFA 2007 to a Hervé Leger bandage dress in peach, the star was spotted in several form-flattering party ensembles nearly a decade ago. By the 2010s, however, Arora gravitated towards pristine white red carpet looks, whether it took the form of a Grecian-inspired draped gown or a sharp Dior creation.

Her choices only got bolder as time progressed, and she was seen in sheer numbers, plunging necklines and more saturated hues. Remember the backless Mandira Wirk pleated gown she sported with a daring neckline in 2011? Or that green Roberto Cavalli gown worn for Karan Johar’s 40th birthday? In the second half of the decade, Arora made a radical shift towards feminine outfits in soothing shades. Highlights include her ballgown-esque white Ashi Studio creation for IIFA 2015, a romantic Pernia Qureshi floral maxi and the bubblegum pink Gauri & Nainika dress.

The next year Malaika Arora moved to the dark side⁠—whether it meant picking a rich jewel toned Payal Khandwala lehenga or ebony shaded pants. Over the last few years, Arora's style repertoire has become more inclusive of experimental choices; take her distressed shirt look for the Justin Bieber concert for instance. “I am far more experimental compared to what I used to be and I give complete credit to my stylist Maneka Harisinghani who I have been working with for the last couple of years. If it were left to me I wouldn't have tried different things but I am very open to her ideas,” said Arora in a recent interview with Vogue India.

She also brought sexy back with several boudoir inspired creations in 2017. Arora sported two Pilar Del Campo show-stopping outfits: a bustier-style silver dress for the 10th anniversary party of a TV network, and a leather corset top at the Ed Sheeran concert. Later in the year, she chose a sexy Manish Malhotra number comprising a velvet corset-style mini and a silver floor length cape for the Ambani party.

Not one to resist a flattering lehenga or a sari, whenever the actor stepped out in Indian ethnic, it was always about OTT glamour. For #DeepVeer's wedding reception, she turned to a blue concept sari by Amit Aggarwal. On another occasion, she picked a sequinned white jumpsuit sari by Manish Malhotra. On the whole, Arora likes her tailoring—whether it was a floral black pantsuit at the airport or a white jacket dress in 2018. She’s also favoured statement versions of the power staple, like the sequinned pantsuit she picked at Anil Kapoor's 62nd birthday bash. In 2019, she made heads turn in a neon pantsuit by Mandira Wirk, and leaned to a denim creation for a flight back to Mumbai later. She often seeks refuge by blending some of her favourite styles. Her top picks include a white Ashish N Soni three-piece suit and a risqué white Aadnevik gown for the Vogue Beauty Awards 2019.

Malaika Arora is also known for her passion for working out. “I like pushing myself,” the actor told Vogue India in an interview once. “I do Pilates, dance, weight training, Bootcamp. I’m really glad I did Bootcamp because now I feel I can kick a man’s ass.” Owing to the fact that she enjoys her fitness regimes with a disciplined workout routine, the actor has also put the same effort to invest in an envy-worthy selection of athleisure looks. Time and again, she’s given a “Malaika” spin to her separates, spanning options with cutouts or a one-shoulder sports bra.

Malaika Arora's breaking away from the girl-in-a-tight-dress mould was the most pivotal moment in the evolution of her style. The star has come a long way from wearing form fitting looks to more relaxed, on-trend dresses and jeans + T-shirt combos. “Earlier, I used to be very impulsive and buy the same pair of shoes in different colours and stuff like that but not anymore. I am pretty organised when it comes to shopping, I know exactly what I want to buy,” the star told us. “Personally, I think I know my body type and what looks good on me so if I think something looks good on me, I just go with it.”

Check out her complete style evolution below.