All chill, no thrill
So many people have so many reasons to hate the winter
Ashima Sehajpal

Another reason why we never wanted to grow up in life! We envy, we are turning green and why shouldn't we be! A little surge, a little plunge, or even if constant, temperature wouldn't do us any good, it's partial and kind to only kids (their winter holidays just got extended). What bad did we do to never get such blessings? What did we do to suffer from the chill even when woollens account for more than half of our weight? What did we do that we have to work on the keyboard with our cold, numb, almost dead fingers? No, we are in no mood to hear the excuse that we have had our fun in our childhood. Here, let's all the adults unite and voice the troubles we are facing in this cold weather.

DJ Bonny and EMCEE Bawa find it really tough to install the music equipment at different venues. "We have to drive and reach a venue on time amidst dense fog. Considering the dew factor, we have to assure that the music equipment is fixed safely to avoid a short circuit," they say. But even after all the hard work is done and efforts made, the worst shows when there is no crowd in the evening.

A warmer, a sweater, another sweater, another one (at times) and an overcoat, the number of layers one has to wear to keep away the cold makes the season annoying for Priya Garg, a businesswomen. Know more from her, "You have to make kids cover up in so many clothes which is uncomfortable.”

On a serious note the winter affects people the most who has to travel for their work. Flights are called off and trains are delayed. Harpreet Singh, a businessman, in such a situation prefers to travel by Volvo, "Which everyone else prefers too, leading to too much crowd and less seats." The next obvious choice is roadways buses which gives you the ultimate experience of the winter at its worst.

Manmoham Kohli, a restaurateur, likes this change of season only for the fact that the winter makes life a little slower. "Productivity is less in the winter as hands go numb even on a little exposure." People who have to play golf everyday don't like the weather either. Manjit Kochchar, who's regular at the greens in the golf club, finds it tough to spot a ball even at 100 yards, "It doesn't take as much time to fix the aim as it takes to locate the ball. Also, as the air is heavy, the ball doesn't travel the distance you aim for." The inspiration comes from the West, where people play all sports in such acute weather.

There might be as important a reason as theirs to dislike the winter or as less important one as Rohit Gupta's a student of law department, PU. What he hates the winter for is, "There isn't any point going for a morning walk at Sukhna Lake. The chill keeps the chicks indoors and even if there are any, you can't make out how do they look like." Hope the winter gives us a cold shoulder soon!

ashima@tribunemail.com

Layers of oomph
Look chic and stay warm in a combo of mini skirt, leggings and knee-high boots
Neha Walia

It's cold and it's time for pile on, keep warm and look stylish. It's the perfect time to get creative with your wardrobe, play around with accessories and flaunt the lots-of-layering look. Colorful scarves, chunky knits, high-heeled boots, chic coats and cozy caps….there is nothing in the world of women fashion that can go wrong in the winter, unless it's the attitude. When the weather drops, you get high on the trend meter with seriously cool styles, without burning a hole in your proverbial pocket.

Layering has transformed from piling on a frilly top, funky t-shirt, a loose sweater and sleek jacket into an art dressing up. And, just when you add the creative layers, get the two basics right. Now, what's that? Leggings and a pair of knee-high boots. They are all you need to keep you chic and warm this season. Whether it's a sleek black dress or a pair of punky shorts, team it up with liquid leggings and show off the long sexy legs without catching the chill. Move away from the basic black pair and you have trendy options in purple, reds, yellows and greens too add spunk to your winter wardrobe. Sheer or shinny glossy tights are trendy. Tights that are super sheer are also a fashion definition of this winter.

With leggings, comes the boot space. Boots, knee socks, and slouched boot provide a break to the monotony of wearing the standard nude tights. Ankle lengths or over the knee thigh length, banded or rugged biker boots, just one pair completes the look. High heeled boots with wrap around zippers, long patent leather boots and funky knit boots are all must haves.

Now, with the banded boots and leather leggings, the edgy look needs accessorising. Adding colour to the dark hues of the season, are arm and leg warmers. Turn into a Goth queen or rocker chic or just play around by wearing knitted warmers over skinny jeans or leggings. You can also add volume by pairing chunky, oversized knitted sweaters and jackets with sleeker pieces like slim pants, jeans or leggings. Never attempt a fashion suicide by pairing them with loose pants or skirts.

And, when talking fashion, how can the coats be behind? Bombers, fur coats, light weight jackets complemented by heavy knitted scarfs, suede overcoats with waterfall collars…the list is endless. Last but not the least, the tiny-winy add ons that make for the look come in form of Gauntlet gloves, long gloves, decorative cut out gloves will style you hands this winters. Caps and scarves depend on your wish to accessorise. Happy winter dressing to you, girl!

nehawalia@tribunemail.com

Fashion cocktail
Femininity is back in vogue in form of cocktail jewellery
Jigyasa Kapoor Chimra

Concocting a heady mixture of colour and charisma, it's the cocktail jewellery that has caught the fancy of designers as well as consumers. While it was pioneers like Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli who encouraged women to use costume jewellery and mix it with genuine gem pieces, back in 1920s cocktail jewellery was more of fake ornaments. But courtesy these two designers, today we have a range of fabulous fakes, better known as cocktail jewellery studded with precious gems, stones and diamonds.

Says Shruti Singhal, jewellery designer from Raga-35, "Colour is in, femininity is back, and individuality is the rule of fashion. And, with these elements, cocktail jewellery stages a comeback this year."

Defining cocktail jewellery, Shruti says, "If I have to define cocktail jewellery in one word, it has to be loud." And, if you are wondering what all included in cocktail jewellery, the answer is it's mainly chunky rings and big chandelier earrings."

Made with precious stones, Shruti's collection of cocktail jewellery is made of precious stones and is basically silver based, Italian silver to be precise.

Ask her if there are any specific colours that we use for these ornaments and she says, "Black, green, red and champagne colour is used predominantly and for stones we use emerald, black onex, garnet and even diamonds."

Allowing a woman to make a colorful fashion statement via bold and brilliant hues, it is also supposed to be a sign of opulence. "In case a customised cocktail ring, one should consider a stone of at least three carats, and preferably five or more carats. The general rule is, the bigger, the better. The cocktail ring is supposed to catch and dazzle the eye," says Ritu Malik, CEO, JDTI-35. She adds, "The focus of the cocktail ring is usually a large central stone, which does not necessarily have to be a diamond, stones like turquoise, citrine, amethysts, garnets, peridot, and blue topaz are a popular substitute since they are less expensive. The larger the stone, easier it is to spot flaws. So, a stone with a darker shade is recommended or alternatively you can flaunt a stone that is heavily included as it would add a dash of character to the ring."

Well, while we thought cocktail jewellery includes only rings and earrings, Savvy, manager, Silver Haze says, "Cocktail jewellery is a hit with the clients, so we have included necklaces in this collection. And, since low-neck dresses are in fashion we have these 'weight pendants' in the cocktail jewellery collection." Elaborating weight pendants he says, "These are chunky pendants that are teamed with delicate chains." Another innovation that they have done to cocktail jewellery is they have used coloured crystal in these pieces and have made use of hues like magenta, golden and black.

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

Singh is indeed King!
Jigyasa Kapoor Chimra

He's a sturdy Sikh who has made his mark on the ramp and believes that Singh is King. Meet Simranpreet Singh, a computer science student, who to his credit has the title of Best Turban for Mr Singh and Kaur-2008, two titles of Best Physique and Mr Singh for the Mr Singh India 2009 and the latest has been the title of Best Physique for Mr Singh International that was held in Amritsar in November 2009. Simranpreet, who started modelling in class X, says, "I was an unfit guy. It is because of my father I got into a fitness regime and later entered the modeling scene. I started my career with Launchers, a company that used to train Sikh boys for the ramp. It was in the year 2008 that a friend suggested that I take part in a modelling competition. And, there I was participating in the Ayur Mr Singh and Kaur-2008 and bagged the title of the Best Turban award."

So far, so good. What does he want to do now? "I want to promote Sikh culture and guys through this platform." But don't we have a lot of Sikh characters already on screen? "Yes, we have but all of them are made-up characters. We don't have real sardars on screen. I want people to see the real Sikhs on screen."

Open to acting, he asserts education is equally important. "Daily soaps and modelling assignments are like one night stand, one may not get a second chance. If one is qualified he can take up a job and side-by-side carry on with his love for acting." That's so true.

Talking about education, how does he juggle between studies and modelling? "It's tough sometimes, but my college principal and teachers have been a great support. They've been lenient when I had to go for competitions and that has helped me achieve my dream."

Accepting life as it comes, he says, "Right now studies are my priority and I want to complete my engineering degree and rest I am open to all offers that come my way."

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

More than a thousand words

Ranjit Singh’s photographs are born out of happiness he has experienced in life
A mother taking care of her infant daughter. Elder sister playing gleefully with her younger siblings. Children in a village pose together readily for a picture. Some expressions on human faces and human faces in all the pictures. And, the series by Ranjit Singh, an amateur photographer, was complete.

"I didn't require anything else than natural expressions in my pictures because to understand human expressions, emotions are enough." The candid shots thus have no formal poses and no colours even. For, Ranjit Singh believes, "Colours would have grabbed the attention which human expressions deserve. The use of just black and white brings them out strongly."

The expression common in most of his photographs is happiness, which was a deliberate effort made by the photographer. "I have tried to capture the few moments of joy that we get in life. There is enough misery and sorrow around to make me keep the focus of my camera on pleasing moments."

The emotion of anger can be seen in the picture of a Kashmiri girl, whose headgear explains her background. However, Ranjit is quick to add, "I have attached no messages with the pictures as I want people to draw their own conclusions. A message or title of a picture would have made them see what I saw in the pictures. It would limit their thought process." A picture of two boys, who has mud on their faces, says a lot just through their eyes.

Most of the photographs are clicked in North India. "No special arrangements were made before taking photographs. Most of them are the result of instant thrill that something caused at that time." Sharing an unusual experience while taking a picture, Ranjit adds, "A photograph that shows a boy on the crutches was clicked after he requested him to be clicked. He was elated after being clicked."

One actually can't derive any messages from a few pictures, which seem to be meant for just a visual treat. Taj Mahal, clicked amidst dense fog, has a few kids playing in the forefront is one such picture.

Ashima Sehajpal

Cold comfort

Lots of absents, couple of 'Yes Ma'ams' and the chill seemed to have left the roll call in cold. Of course, it's happening round the year, just that the varsity on first day of New Year was in warm up mode. Not that the rash brash brigade was hibernating, it's just that not many can check out the babe across the Stu-C lawns from a foggy haze! Meanwhile, the excuses start pouring. "I didn't come because nobody else was coming," laughs Himani Bahuguna, second semester student, Panjab University. She adds, "Well, you ask anyone around and they'll put forth the same reason." Actually time to move out of classrooms and ask around.

"Who wants to get up early in the morning in this crazy weather and attend a nine o'clock lecture," asks Kamaldeep Singh, another student. He adds, "In any case, it'll take time to get into the grinding routine of studies after intense revelry." Across the lawns, on the benches, at Stu-C, fog seemed to have caught up and the students blamed it on…what else? Actually, not just the weather. Reasons Rattika from Kasturba Hostel, "Actually Tuesday's Gurpurb, and so a holiday. A lot many students are yet not back from their vacations only. On Wednesday, it's going to be much better and from next Monday onwards everything will be back in swing and action just the way it usually is."

Did they leave out anything? Says Kamaldeep, "Many outstation students are yet not back, and many local students knew about it." He adds, "While some are still busy studying because a few of the exams were postponed till this year."

In contrast, one even hushes, "Actually there was an attempt at mass bunking as well. But many a times it fails. Still, some or the other do end up turning with their books in tow." Well, they are serious and sincere, known as studious and specy. That reminds of the libraries, in turn just as grim. Meanwhile the raison d'être continues…

— Manpriya Khurana