FASHION


NUDE WAR

By Shilpi Shukla Alexander

US First Lady Michelle Obama’s nude gown has sparked off a huge racial debate in the multi-ethnic world we live in today. A visual insight to this colour and its upshots from fashionistas in India...
Sterling silver sequin, abstract floral, nude strapless gown — that’s how designer Naeem Khan described this dress worn by US First Lady Michelle Obama at a state dinner. Little did he know that this statement would lead to a global racial hullabaloo. The colour has since been renamed as flesh and finally as champagne. However, the burning question remains – what colour is nude?
The dictionary describes nude as a colour that can extend to cover tan, tawny, sandy, yellow brown and light yellow. For many like ace fashion designer Mandira Wirk, the issue is unnecessarily being blown out of proportion. “Nude is often called the colour of foundation. Depends on how we visualise it for the colour denotes a wide range of shades from light peach, champagne, pale yellow to ivory.” However, for many others this incident does underline the ongoing racial bias in the fashion world. Many internationally acclaimed models like Naomi Campbell, Beverly Johnson, Iman and Tyra Banks have been vocal about the uphill hurdles they faced to get acceptance in the glamour world, given their skin colour. Fashion magazines in the West took a very long time to feature multiracial skin on their pages and cover.

Read the whole article on the following link...
http://www.khabar.com/jsp/mag_feature_view.jsp?sessionid=fkIHq6bx0zUpKhbOoiGLYgSfVQs&tempid=4651978834417944677&_articleid=2878

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THICK'S IN


By Shilpi Shukla Alexander




(Article published in Bharat Ratna, a HongKong-based publication)

For those who thought that trimmed eyebrows added to their beauty and feminine charm are certainly running behind the times. Fashion’s back in the thick of things.
That baby face with an eyebrow that says “I know what I want” is what made Brooke Shields so incredible. And now, thick eyebrows are splashed all over the pages of Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, Lucky, and Cosmopolitan. Stars such as Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Allison Lohman, Hayden Panettiere, Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson embody the look. Women who are without such a pair can't figure out a way to achieve the same effect. These pairs of eyebrows look groomed and naturally stunning on the faces of these Hollywood beauties.
Thanks to the changed trends. You don’t need to wear that forever-puzzled look on your face anymore, with those over-plucked, ultra-thin eyebrows. Thick eyebrows used to look manly, unkempt, and unclean. Thankfully, the fashion diktat’s a pair of bold, well-defined eye brows. Some women who once plucked zealously are now hoping that the thin brown lines on their foreheads bloom into thickets.

Don’t overpluck
Studies suggest that plucking brows repeatedly causes damage to the hair follicles and the hair growth becomes straggly, sparse and increasingly difficult to grow back as you age. Badly plucked brows lose their natural shape and arch and replicating them is almost impossible. Some patients want to restore their eyebrows to their original thickness while others want a subtle thickening or to reduce scars which may mar their eyebrows. Remember that most people do not need extensive reshaping. The more you tweeze, the more you make it so that you have to tweeze daily. Try to look at tweezing as a way to enhance and define, not a way to remove and redo.

Growing that wildness
For women who overpluck, this season will be about growing your eyebrows back so that they have a natural arch that extends out and ends in a beautiful point. It’s not that difficult to grow your eyebrows to their full thickness. All it requires is some patience and 12 weeks of grooming. Just let it grow and only tweeze the hair below your eyebrows when shaping. If you try and tweeze the hair on top, you often end up looking imbalanced and unaligned.
Tweeze immediately after a hot shower or bath. That is when your follicles are the most loose, and it will help keep the event as painless as possible. Sometimes you will accidentally create gaps in your eyebrows by tweezing. Also, when growing your eyebrows, you will inevitably notice odd patches where the hair is still coming in. Find a shade of colour that matches your eyebrows exactly, and use that to fill in your problem areas. Many women swear by clear or coloured eyebrow gels that can be used to keep your brows in place. The brush looks similar to a mascara brush, and is used to comb your eyebrows in one direction.
When dyeing your hair, consider that brows should often be several shades darker than your hair colour. To best compliment your colouring, consider the best shades of eyeliner and eye shadow as well. Brown brows often look best with green and soft pinks for shadow, and grey and browns for eyeliner. Black brows look best with grey and charcoal for shadow, and black for eyeliner. Blond brows look best with very little makeup-perhaps lights shades of brown and blue for shadow, and little to no eyeliner.
To create your best shape, see a professional esthetician. They can sculpt your first look for you, which leaves you with the job of maintaining that shape with tweezers over time. It is not suggested to attempt to shape on your own, as that often leads to mishaps and disasters.
*        Apply olive oil on your eyebrows and massage gently. This is known to be helpful in making the eyebrows grow thicker.
*        Castor oil is known to be helpful for growing eyebrows thicker and faster. Apply this oil on your eyebrows at least twice a day.
*        Dip a ball of cotton in a bowl of milk and rub the ball on your eyebrow. The proteins and vitamins contained in the milk provide nourishment to the hair roots and make them grow thicker.
*        Use eyebrow conditioners that contain essential nutrients helpful for the growth of hair. They can be bought from a drug store.  
*        Eat Right: Eat a diet of fresh fruits, green vegetables, and plenty of fluids. This will make your hair (and eyebrows) look healthier. Also, since human hair is largely made up of protein, you should consume a protein-rich diet. Fish, eggs, meat, and dairy products are good sources of proteins. If you wish to take only plant proteins, you should consume pulses and lentils. Along with proteins, a diet containing vitamins (like biotin) and minerals (like zinc) may also enhance hair growth significantly. If your dietary intake of vitamins and minerals is not sufficient, you can also take vitamin and mineral supplements. However, you should try and avoid smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, as they can impede hair growth.

Dramatise those eyes
·         To balance full eye brows, brush them upward with a clean, dry toothbrush or eyebrow comb.
·         Fill in sparse areas with a pencil or powder (to define your arch)
·         Keep heavy brows in place with a clear or tinted brow gel.
·         Apply a light eye shadow over the entire eye area, from lashline to brow. Pale lilac or pink are the best. Bone workd too for a totally natural effect.
·         Dot a shimmery, stark white eye shadow at the inner corner of each eye
·         Use a violet shadow to build colour at the outer corner, sweeing upward and outward in a cat-like fashion.
·         Use black kohl eyeliner pencil on the bottom lashline.
·         Black liquid liner on top.
Eyebrows are synonymous with expression. Strong eyebrows make you look intelligent, bold and empowered. Shave them off if you want to be considered eccentric and interesting ala the Mona Lisa or Whoopi Goldberg. Raise one and smile slightly if you don’t believe a word of what you are hearing. Feeling flirty? Raising both eyebrows up and down quickly can be a humorous suggestion that you might want to get chatty and cosy with a member of the opposite sex.

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ROYAL EMBELLISHMENT

By Shilpi Shukla Alexander






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BRIDAL DIVA

By Shilpi Shukla Alexander






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RAINY FIESTA

By Shilpi Shukla Alexander



This monsoon, adorn your wardrobe with a strikingly unconventional and smart collection.

There’s nothing like a bad weather that, as you say, prevents you from looking stunning and stylish. All that could possibly be wrong is your sense of dressing. Just a little thought can help you be your sizzling best during the wet season as well. Here’s how...

Go for aqua prints
Look pretty in coral and aqua prints this season. Wearing solid colours like maroon and black prints look ravishing even at evening functions during monsoons. Also, certain geometric patterns coupled with the floral ones work perfect for a day out with friends. Merge with the monsoon, so to speak.

Monsoon hues Dark, deep and bold colours promise a resplendent look on a rainy day. Colours like orange tend to be dominant as they overshadow the paleness of the surroundings and make you stand out in the crowd. Bright shades of indigo, pink, aqua, blue, lime and olive green are the best ones to cheer you up around this time of the year when it’s not sunny all the time and you need some mood uplifting. Wrinkle free clothing in dark shades of black and brown make an ideal formal wear. Beige tined with multi-colours and black seem perfect during the rain. A lot of mix and match of colours for clothing add fun to monsoon fashion, especially when rains make you playful. The accent this season is on colour black. A hint of black to your attire just does wonders as it makes you stand out.

Settle on softer fabric
Any clothing ranging from tops, skirts, and dresses will go with the season, while a knee length costume along with a coloured pair of leggings would best sustain the monsoon sprit. Light weight silks and softer cottons are highly recommended for monsoon wear as they are easily manageable and do not form much wrinkles. Moreover, silk provides scope for myriad bold colours and also keeps you warm. Blended fabrics of polynylon and cotton will be ideal. A right choice of fabric is more important, as some of them lose their sheen and get spoilt quickly once they get wet. 
Avoiding crepe and chiffon clothes are desirable, as they will lose their sheen one they become wet. Capri and beach wear designed with a proper fit will flatter the shape and also protect the wearer from wet conditions. Cool casuals for the season would be a jeans fitted with a cotton shirt. Silk and rayon will also make a popular choice during this season adding depth to the hues with variances in the colour palette which is otherwise not seen. Palazzo pants teamed with tank tops make good fusion wears whereas, elegant zardosi work on satin fabrics make the mark on ethnic collection. Denims are all time favourite even during the heavy downpour making a perfect combination with trendy T-shirts. Polka dot tops with boat necks will look great for evening wear. Opt for a close-fitting, knitted pullover shirt, jacket, or sweater (often called jersey) is a great option for some mix and match as it’s not too dressy and makes you look stylish in a downpour.

No light no whiteIt is not so wise to wear white or any other pale or light colour during monsoon as they tend to add to the dullness and dreariness of this murky weather. Moreover, they catch stains easily and get messy while commuting in rainy season. Even lighter fabrics like chiffons and georgettes should be avoided as they lose sheen on exposure to water.

Accessorise Right
Saggy clothes and wet boots are a part of the monsoon, but right choice of accessories, will help to dodge the puddles and give a trendy look. Wearing prints can be a disaster if you do not know how to accessorise right. If you’re wearing a bright printed shirt, wear a single coloured, plain trouser and vice- versa. Long beaded necklaces pair up very well with bright printed dresses and skirts worn with plain white tops. For the evening a smart clutch bag would go quite well, while for the morning keep it simple with a plain bag so that the attention is on what adorns your body. Walk out wearing a bright dress accessorized with a deep coloured handbag, a brightly coloured footwear and a multi-coloured scarf for that perfect, chic look in the rains.

Go natural
The trick to not look all washed-out if you are caught in a heavy downpour mid-way is to keep your makeup light during this wet season. Use water-proof makeup (mascara, liners, foundation) when required. For the cheeks, stick to pastel shades with rosy undertones. Add some drama to the eyes using pencil eye-liners in fresh colours like green and blue. Use matt lip colours or lightly tinted lip balms. Minimal makeup also helps sustain humidity. Wear your hair short, or select a style that can bounce back into place easily after being wet. Avoid hairstyles that require your hair to be straightened, crimped or curled since the high levels of humidity in the air will make the hair go limp.

Best foot-wear forward
The first advice is - put your leather and suede shoes away until winter. And if you must wear shoes, wear socks. They act as a barrier between the skin and the leather, preventing bacterial growth. Pick only water-proof materials. Flip flops often flap when you’re walking, causing long stripes of dirt on the calves. Instead, go for sporty sandals or floaters with straps. They hold the shoe in place. Crocs can be very slippery. Go for rubber slip-ons as they are easy to wash and let the feet breathe. Lycra boots look great and survive monsoon. How about experimenting with gum boots and incredible rubber heels? Some real fancy ones are available online. Check out.

Unlike the general norm of staying at home or dressing too casually when going out during this season, showers of the monsoon are actually the right time to refurbish your wardrobe. Go for beautiful patterns and give a sunny look on a rainy day. Look smart with bold colours, soft fabric and have a fashion fiesta.



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DECK UP YOUR POOCH!
By Shilpi Shukla Alexander

Pet stores now promise a hot winter fashion for your doggies with an exciting range of winter wear like embroidered denim jackets, velvet coats and funky caps. 


There’s no need to request relatives abroad to get chic winter apparels for your dear pooch. Right from embroidered denim dress with a faux fur collar to acrylic and wool blended hoodie sweater with a red bandanna print collar - Delhi has it now. “Oh it was mainly plaid jackets that one could expect to get for one’s pet dogs in Delhi till a few years back. But in recent years, the stuff has amazingly pleased me,” says college student Tanya Deshmukh, who just bought an all new range of winter wear for her pet..

Click on the link below to read the complete story published recently in The Hindu newspaper. Deck Up Your Pooch This Winter




 

(All the pictures showcased above are only representative and have been picked by Google Images)




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