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Dressed to Kill Winter with all its festivities is ready to celebrate life with glitz & glamour
No longer dull & boring As winter means festivity, usually rich vibrant colours are what one expects to see this time of the year. However, the trend this year is warm and neutral shades with a splash of bright colour here and there. Paint a vibrant story with fuchsia, navy blues, mustards, dark violets, parrot greens, soft and dark green, pink, orange, blue and lavender. Or simply go for rich wine and ruby that will be seen in almost all ensembles. Textured look Detailing is the mantra for this fall-winter collection, as texture and accessories carry weight. Fine textures with coarse finish like the corduroy finish or even coarse wool finish will feature in suits, jackets and trousers. Military-inspired styling – cool prints, epaulettes, badges, big loops, over sized buttons, broad collars, and big motifs bring alive the opulent yet chic look in the otherwise mundane sweats and pullovers. Detailing in accessories like adding Swaroski crystals gives a trendy and sophisticated look. Spice up the ensemble The vintage look makes a come back, combining with the European sophistication and prep American style. The tapering classic cuts to give a slim look that is in this autumn winter too. Pick the ones with stitches on the lapels of suits, gathers, cables, stripes, dobby prints and regular prints. The same goes for pullovers too. The knee-length sweaters and shirtdresses are an extension of the summer fashion. Fabric(ate) the dandy you Swish blends of various fabrics like cotton and polywool, lycra, lycra-blended cotton, pigment-dyed poplin, wool, polyester give that fluid and refined look. Light fabric is in but then thick corduroys, warm twills and tweeds are here to stay. Ultra soft Angora wool is making waves in forms of beanie’s, caps and pullovers. Fresh arrival The season brings some fresh arrivals like waistcoats for women that can be knitted or made in some fabric, a full waistcoat or the ones with a tie-up at the back, a simple formal one or a dressy one with sequins and waist tie-ups. Wearing a single thick warm pullover or sweatshirt is making way for layering look. Two t-shirts, a double-layered jacket, or a short skirt with leggings, is the look of the season. Shrugs are warm and comfortable. The trend that started last year will continue, to be worn in combination with other woollens. Jackets too play with this idea by teaming up with the shrug knitted sleeves. Detachable or attached, fur or fleece, jacket or sweat shirt, kids or grown-ups, hoods are featuring everywhere, for everyone. Keep your head and ears warm as the mercury dips
this winter. |
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With skirts staging a comeback, boots surely can’t be far behind
Soft look ballerinas are sitting pretty at almost all shoe shops. Delicate crochet net with shimmers and animal skin print in metallic colours are just a few to name. Wedge heels make a come back. Giving ballerinas a close competition, are the boots. As the skirts stage a comeback, the knee, ankle and calf-length boots are ready to take over. The designs and heels of these boots are awesome. The detailing includes Swaroski-studded stiletto heels with a delicate look, tie-ups, stone embellishments, bigger buckles and animal-skin inner lining. Kohlapuris that were once discarded are once again on the rise. Front covered ones with a multicoloured twisted knot will keep the feet stylishly warm. Peep toes are still hanging around with a little extra detailing of embellishments. Now lets shift our attention to the bags that carries your stuff when you step out on a cold winter morning. Handbags are personal choice and the market has the stock for all of us but there is still a trend to follow. Snakeskin and crocodile skin prints are crawling their way inside all stores. Bags made of supple Italian leather, stitched patent leather, fine fur, suede and soft nappa leather, with a grainy feel and uneven finish are going to be the showstoppers. Make a bold statement with vibrant autumn-winter colours from tones of red, gold, orange, olive, cognac, blue, grey and silver. Bags, almost the size of a travel bag studded with embellishments and strong metal accessories like brass and nickel buckles, brooches, jewels and studs, are all set to create a stunning effect. Multiple pockets and zippers are just enough to house all your possessions and to catapult you to the heights of a fashion icon. |
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The extra zing Drape a colourful scarf over your shoulders & turn into a style diva Winter may be cold, but it sure is exciting! If less was more in summer, the winter say ‘bring it all on’. And if you are looking for an option to transform that simple and mundane white shirt and black trouser into a chic ensemble, scarves will come to your rescue. Undoubtedly, a scarf is the cheapest way to strike off the wintry blues. As movie stars endorse these vivacious add-ons, its popularity is on the rise. Blends are being created for comfort and perfect drape. Soft wool blended with cotton, pure wool, plain simple knitted cotton and poly viscose are a few to name. Rich, bold and sizzling colours like deep fuchsia, orange, bright pink, coffee brown, ecru, black and white make for the colour palette of the season. Bright colours scarves can certainly add joy to the autumnal colours. Drape around the shoulders or knot it around the neck for the office look or cover the head on an ultra-cold day — scarves and stoles can be made innovative. Evergreen paisley patterns in wool or chiffons, all-time favourite jamwar that look ethnic, the candy and regular stripes, zig-zag multicoloured stripes at one side with a soft coloured base, checks and animal prints for the adventurous lot are the toast of the season. lifestyletribune@gmail.com
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STEP OUT Rafting and kayaking for both tourists and pros are underway in Uttarakhand
ONCE the monsoon ends, a host of adventure activities becomes available. Among them is whitewater sport – rafting and kayaking. I mentioned rafting in Ladakh in an earlier column but the Indus and Zanskar season ends by early September at the latest. From mid-September, the whitewater season begins on the Ganga and its tributaries, Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, and continues till end of June.
So go get a taste of rafting. You don’t need much physical fitness. You don’t even need to know how to swim – the mandatory life jacket takes care of that. As for clothes, shorts, T-shirt and floaters will do. Carry along spare shorts and tees and put them along with your camera in the watertight drum in the raft. Before the put-in (getting into the raft and pushing off from the bank), the river guide will explain some terms. He will use them to give you directions on what to do during the run down the river. They are basically paddling instructions for you will paddle and provide the power that will propel the raft while he will steer it. There will be six to eight passengers in the raft. The fun lies in going over rapids and getting drenched as the raft tilts and water showers over you. Tourists are taken on sections of the river where the rapids are small and so capsizes are rare. Even if you do get thrown into the water, the life jacket ensures that you float and the helmet protects your head from the boulders in the river. Help the river guide to ensure your safety by seeing to it yourself that your life jacket fits you snugly. Some people, especially girls, might find the helmets too big. Wear a cap under the helmet – the bill of the cap will keep the helmet from sliding forward over your eyes. Those who wear glasses must use elastic securing bands. These are available at opticians’ shops. However, if you use both glasses and contacts, you will enjoy yourself more if you wear contacts for rafting. Stay is in tents on beaches by the riverside and the evenings can get quite cold so carry along track lowers and a fleece jacket and thick socks. Rafting is a team activity, kayaking is done solo or in pairs. However, unlike rafting, how much an untrained tourist can do is limited. (Tourist trips on inflatable kayaks are available in south India.) You must learn kayaking in order to run a river in a kayak. When you do a course, you learn how to manage the boat, how to “read” the river’s features, and how to handle danger. To be a kayaker, you must have a liking for water and be a decent swimmer. If you put in the effort to become a skilled kayaker, the rewards are unending. A kayak has far more manoeuvrability than a raft and you can “play” in the river’s various currents and sections. If you reach an advanced level, you can do descents of waterfalls and run the most difficult rapids. If you develop a passion for whitewater sport, what you will enjoy most are multi-day, self-supported descents. For such expeditions and for courses, when you spend a lot of time in the cold water, wear a neoprene wetsuit and booties. A third sport is flat water kayaking but it is thrilling only during races. The thrill of negotiating rapids and exploring a river is absent. While whitewater kayaking is done on our Himalayan rivers, flat water kayaking is done on lakes and reservoirs. National championships in rafting and both whitewater and flat water kayaking are held in India but, if you really get hooked on whitewater, go to Nepal for rodeo competitions where highly-skilled kayakers can make their kayaks stand vertically and do cartwheels! A few whitewater enthusiasts in India also do river surfing – lying stomach-down on a body board in a river. Be warned, this is a rough sport!
Gear Wetsuits can be mail ordered from Northwest River Supplies (www.nrsweb.com) in the US and cost about $100. Korean and Chinese ones are available at Protos Adventures, Rishikesh for Rs 5,000-6,000. Call Umesh Goel at 09897289601. (This column appears fortnightly)
The writer has authored India’s first handbook of adventure sports and is available at
y.bey@excite.com |
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Health Peg
Red wine lovers can raise a toast to this. Although the health benefits of a glass of red wine have since long been known, a study has revealed that it is also capable of protecting humans from common food-borne diseases. Researchers Azlin Mustapha, associate professor of food science in the College of Agriculture, and Atreyee Das, a doctoral student in the food science program, are conducting studies examining the inhibitory effects of numerous types of red wines against pathogens, which can be beneficial in combating high cholesterol and tumours. It was found that red wines - Cabernet, Zinfandel and Merlot in particular - have anti-microbial properties that defend against food-borne disease-producing agents. Numerous white wines were also tested, but yielded no positive results. — ANI |
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Reality Check
When way back in 1993, Zee TV started the first reality show, Antakshari, it was noticeably a different idea being tried on the small screen. And viewers lapped it up. Being a part of the razzmatazz gave not just the participants a great high, but viewers too were besieged by the feeling that they were part of the event. Post this show, it was Sony’s Indian Idol that hit gold. Backed by high TRPs, the reality talent hunt show Indian (aired on Sony Entertainment Television from October 2004 to March 5), succeeded in hitting the advertisement revenues of saas bahu soaps However, soon the infectious ‘reality-show’ virus spread. Now, we’ve got these shows raining all around. Take, for example, Sony’s Bigg Boss. Touted to be the mother of all soaps, the show was the ultimate in voyeurism. In fact, it has opened new, albeit, scary dimensions to a reality shows in India. The Indian viewer, who had earlier rejected game shows like Kamzor Kadi Kaun because they were impolite, was now uninhibitedly lapping up the bitchiness and nastiness of the show’s contestants. In a bid to counter reality television, many saas-bahu soaps spruced up their act. From Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kumkum to Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, the serials promptly took a leap and got revamped. Like Kyunki ... and Kahaani ... underwent a third generation leap. But all this just added to the bindis, sarees and tears piling up on screen. Amidst the plethora of regressive soaps, are serials like Saat Phere, Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyaan and Solhah Shingarr. While Saat ... claims to have brought out our discrimination against dark complexion, and Betiyaan claims to talk about how daughters are a boon and not the bane of a family, they all are regular masala soaps minus the froth. And if we run out of handkerchiefs, all we need is a whistle to hoot. Sony’s Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, the adaptation of the popular Dancing With The Stars, and Star’s Nach Baliye, has TV, sports and film celebrities who had no formal training in dancing but are shaking a leg with professional choreographers and partners. So friends, keep flipping our Hindi channels and all you’ll need is a few handkerchiefs, whistles or cell phones. For, TV today is just about crying, whistling or voting! (This column appears weekly) |
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Chilly evenings, sun-bathed days, vibrant sweatshirts, heavy duty moisturisers, rounds of masala & adrak chai, hot pakodas, crisp jalebis... indulge
It’s almost like leafing through the pages of a gastronomic bible. Chapter one opens with a tanned you, reclining on your jhoola that sways lazily in your sun-drenched courtyard. You’ve just bitten into a plateful of juicy, red apple slices and orange wedges, when a hawker calls out, ‘fresh mausammi juice’.
Chapter two catches you in the middle of an evening, your over-coat clad silhouette cutting through a very romantic-looking dense fog. As you step inside your cozy home (courtesy the room heaters), steaming soups and munchy popcorns warm you up to a scrumptious dinner — saag and makki ki roti drenched in dollops of butter and gajar ka halwa, followed by gajak – moongphali session. Chapter next opens with goodnight time, wherein you’re all snuggled up in a feisty-coloured velvet quilt, sipping a steaming cappuccino… web of words that could be woven, on and on… to describe the joys of winter. Come winter and we all curl up in many a snuggly joys – butter-smooth creams, stronger perfumes, brightest of colours, furry, fluffy sweaters, the crackle of moongphali, sight of our daadis and mommies knitting, hands (and dry-fruits) tucked in pockets, missing baths (and pedicures!), endless chai, palak-pakoras, sunning gajar-shalgam ka aachar and of course, basking in the sun. And guess what, the weather’s slowly crawling to us (aren’t we already experiencing chillier nights and a bright sun smiling through the clear skies?). Soon we’d be taking out our sweatshirts and full-sleeved dresses out of the bed-boxes and buying dry-fruits. Then, the festivity would begin, setting the poojas and parties in full swing. Finally, we’ll be stepping into the season of indulgence, celebrating the season’s arrival, as Champagne bottles fizz over the fun and bonhomie. Winter – the time when the fragrance of cheerful dhoop permeates the afternoon air and chilly winds colour the nights. A time for gluttony, romance, relaxation, celebration. A time to indulge! — A.G.
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Farewell, dry ‘n’ dull skin
One can already fell the chill in the air, mornings are getting fogy and evenings cold. The cozy feeling is setting in and its time to welcome winters, and also time to deal with skin and hair woes. We get talking to skin experts from the city and bring to you tips to deal with the chill.
Begin with a de-tan, remember it is important regardless of all the sun blocks that protected your skin from harsh summer sun. Go in for a de-tan facial, it will not only take care of your tan but also nourish the skin. Next, pack up all gel-based creams, and go in for cream based lotions, mositurisers and cold creams. “Pamper your skin with loads of moisturiser after morning shower. Also, keep petroleum jelly handy for this is time when lips get chapped the most,” says Neelu Grewal, Innoxa-8. Apply a rich body lotion before going to bed. “A sunscreen is a must, for skin needs protection from the winter sun too,” says Ritu Kolentine, Cleopatra-8. Oils come to rescue in this season, be it for dry skin or dull hair. A few drops of oil, coconut or olive, added to water for bathing works wonders. Body oils last longer and keep the skin soft and supple. “A head massage twice or thrice a week can take care of a dry itchy mane,” says Raisy Chadha, Iris-9. Regular cleansing is a must, be it any season. And, it requires more attention in winters, for dust and moisturiser is a deadly combo. ”Go in for a mild face wash with granules that exfoliate the skin. And, while cleansing should be done daily, exfoliation should be done not more than twice a week,” says Raisy. Regular facials will keep the glow on skin intact. And, most importantly stick to the golden rule for all seasons, a proper nutritious diet combined with a good intake of water. archana@tribunemail.com |
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Long tresses, deep curls & basic colours will be the rage
A change in season spells a styling shift. And, this time the change promises to be exciting and glamourous. The cropped up look will give way to long tresses. Raisy Chadha of Iris-9 says, “Mid-shoulder and long hair will dominate this winters.” To complete the look, give the look a curly touch. Says Neelu Grewal of Innoxa-8, “Deep curls, soft curls and flips are already being sought after.” Curls do make one look more professional and glamorous. And, for all those who find it difficult to manage curls, here is an alternative — Experiment with slight fringes on your straight hair.
The all-colour mane is already out and whole colours are in. Bad news for the streak-obsessed, its time to say goodbye to golden and burgundy highlights and welcome basic rich colours. Dark chocolate and mahogany are already fast catching up with youngsters. So, what are you waiting for, it’s time to get gorgeous! —
A.K.S. |
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Reese single again
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe are now officially single and free to marry other people. The couple’s marriage was declared legally over by a Los Angeles Superior Court. Though the dissolution of the couple’s marriage has been formalised, the court still needs to finalise their divorce once Witherspoon and Phillippe have chalked out financial and custodial arrangements of their children. The couple had been married for seven years.
— ANI
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Making idlis, vadas and dosas has just gotten easier with Maharaja Whiteline unveiling its new Supra Wet Grinder. This tabletop grinder offers customers faster ways of making South Indian food through its Grind Scoop Grind Scoop technology, which makes the dough fluffier. The wet grinder, WG-501, has a capacity of two litres. Its other features include, a stainless steel grinding drum, an atta kneader, a detachable attachment for easy cleaning, a coconut scraper, a heavy duty 150 W motor and a shock-proof ABS body. The grinder is priced at Rs 5,295. So, don’t wait, grab your piece and churn out your fav dishes.
Want to brighten up your room? Check out Asian Paints’ new series of finishes that have been introduced keeping specific décor elements of customers in mind. You have the option of painting your home with one of the many Asian Paints Wall Fashion themes. To add to this, Asian Paints also launched its professional painting service brand in Chandigarh. Asian Paints Home Solutions provides a hassle-free painting experience by taking care of a consumer’s needs from start to finish. From providing colour consultancy to moving furniture; everything is taken care of. Moreover, a one-year warranty is also provided for any post-painting issues.
t’s time to tackle the itch and dryness in your hair with Sunsilk’s new range of nourishing conditioners that include Velvety Soft, Thick & Strong and Damage Repair. Velvety Soft is enriched with egg protein and cream nutrients. Thick & Strong offers you the richness of soya protein coupled with ginseng extract to make hair thicker. Damage Repair is a new variant that lends your hair the nutrition of olive oil. While shampoos clean your hair, conditioners provide the daily nourishment and care your hair needs by locking in the nutrients. These conditioners are available in attractive tubes of 180 ml for Rs 77.
It’s the time to look stunning and Avon makes you just that. Its smudge-proof Glazewear Lipstick that gives you the lip-gloss like effect is available in 12 colors and priced at Rs 300 for 1.8 gm. The brand’s Astonishing Lengths Waterproof Mascara makes your lashes up to 65 per cent visibly longer and is priced at Rs 250 for six gm. Avon’s Nail Wear Nail Enamel, which stays up to 10 days, is available in 12 colors and priced at Rs 65 for 8 ml. Pressed Powder Natural is available in porcelain and almond and is priced at Rs 350 for 9 gm. —
TNS