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Of polish and pumps

Wondering how to pair the colours of your shoes with those of your nail polish? We tell you exactly how.
by Ankita Pathak

leopard PrintsBrace yourselves—we’re about to delve into the wonderful world of colour theory. This holiday season we are completely obsessed with the perfect shoe to match our nail polish. Clashing colours can ruin anybody’s would-be favourite look, so it’s important to make sure you’re matched perfectly from head to toe nail.

Let’s start simple, with complementary colours. When two colours opposite each other on the wheel are mixed to create a neutral, they are deemed complementary. This means that they pair well together, and provide the perfect high contrast look. Just be careful that the combo isn’t too loud—trust your judgment on pairings.

The colours that sit directly next to each other in groups of three along the colour wheel make for just the right combinations. Many times, mixing warm colours with warms and cool tones with cool colors will help you achieve a neutral look that will always be easy on the eyes.

If you want to try innovative looks and techniques, try splitting complementary colours. Go ahead and mix and match these tmintshree to your heart’s content. To avoid resembling a piñata, try and go with colours that won’t fight each other too much. Pale nails are still hot for winter, especially soft milky shades that work well with most outfits.

In the mood to make a bit more of a statement? Trade pale polish for something darker — another must-try nail trend for cold weather. Look for navy blue with gray undertones or ultra deep purples that look almost black. Oxblood is fall’s go-to hue but this rich shade of red can also be a stunner if you opt for something with lighter undertones. It’s fun, it’s fresh and it’s sure to add a stylish twist to whatever you’re wearing.

Wait for a longer time after applying your polish in winters as it takes time to dry off and set. You want to wait longer with heeled boots because the pressure on your toes is much greater. The incline can cause the polish to ‘slide’ or ‘push’. This trend manages to really bring the shoe to life and is almost like giving you a whole new pair of heels with each different polish pairing!

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This is how you nail it

The party season is here, and when the rest of you is all styled up, why leave your nails undone?
by Ankita Pathak

If you want an easy and affordable way to jazz up your outfit this winter, look no further than a bottle of nail polish. Need some ideas? You’re in luck! Because we give you one of the biggest accessories on the runways of late…your fingertips!

V-shapeV-shaped: Take your French manicure to the next level: angle your brush to create a ‘V’ shape (see pic on left) and use complimentary pastel shades for fall/winter. Rock the winter with some chevron design!

Neon shimmer love: What is better than a good dose of glitter with neon nail art? Nothing, honestly. Invest in a good glitter polish for an instant style fix and let those neons make a statement.

Finger twist: Spice up your one-colour manicure polish by painting the ring finger with a sequined color. There is nothing like a mix and match lilac and purple sparkling nail art design.

Side-by-side: No need to wait for warmer weather to embrace pastel polishes on your fingers. Go with a side-by-side manicure, with pastels, and flaunt the two fun sides of your personality!

Half-moon: If you have long nails, then you have to follow the half-moon manicure pattern. The half-moon style is Half Moonglamourous and has been seen on most runways (see pic on right). Want to give it a fun twist? Reverse a usual French manicure to make that classic half-moon style.

So many dots, so little time: A collection of inspiration for cool nail designs throughout the year. For the holidays, or a red carpet event, or even a relaxed style at the beach, nothing can be ideal than polka dots. Getting those perfect little circles on your nails is a major favourite right now!

Shimmer tips: If you don’t have the time, or just like playing with nail polish, here is a simple way to have somewhat similar results to a French tip, but this one’s inexpensive, and takes half the time. Finish off those tips with a similar colour family glitter polish and let the tips do all the talking!

ChevronChevron nails: A summer style (in pic on left) that has carried on to the winters is the boho chic look. If you love feathers and tribal prints, this is the design for you! With the winter holidays, style just gets a little more relaxed. So try tribal print nail designs for a super fun and perfect Christmas!

Studs: It’s all about studded accents, from iPhone cases to jeans shorts to high heels, so why not add some studs to your nails? Buy some microbeads from your local craft store and stick them onto your wet nail polish to add a funky and edgy touch to the girliest of outfits!

Mosaic works: Mosaic manicures are the most daunting manicures to look at…but in reality they are much easier to do. Clean lines and creative shapes will make this trend stand out in your entire outfit. Try this if you’re feeling creative or just want to do some hands-on artwork. There’s no better canvas than your nails!

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The great scent search

How do you find a fragrance that is right for you, that defines you? We guide you through the process.
by Ankita Pathak

FruityFinding a fragrance that’s right for you can be a rather overwhelming process – especially if you walk into a store and multiple sales people start attacking you with bottles. Today we’re going to talk about how to get the most out of scent shopping.

We are always taught that smelling coffee beans between perfumes helps, but in reality it’s a really bad idea! The best way to neutralise your nose is to smell your own bare skin. Sounds silly, but it actually works. The list below will help you identify your favourite fragrance families. It’s good to know this when you walk into a store and you can find your perfect match almost instantly!

Floral If you like floral you will be typically attracted to gardenia, jasmine and pretty scents like rose, cherry blossom, chamomile, etc. Floral are fresh scents with zesty, clean, and effervescent aromas. They’re bursting with ripe fruits and exploding with crisp greens perfect for morning to evenings.

Aquatic These will mostly consist of hints of tropical fruits. These refreshing cooling scents wash over the skin and give a sense of relief on hot summer days. The notes are watery, Aquaticairy, icy, dewy, light and easy-to-wear. Due to their light aroma, energizing or zesty scents are less typically feminine and are often favored by men.

Green Search for fragrances with basil, green tea, fennel, anise, or softer scents like mint and grass. Green tea leaves, green grass, fresh herbs, vines and leafy scents give these fragrances a clean, sporty attitude.

Fruity Attracted to sweet things? Look for scents with apple, plum, peach, strawberry, and raspberry.  The most popular fragrance family, a fruity fragrance can either be a mixed bouquet or a single scent and are often layered with fresh, spicy and fruity notes to add more depth. Fruity scents work wonderfully with florals, creating light, optimistic scents.

Spicy The most sensual group of scents belongs to the Spicy/Oriental fragrance family. There is a warming feel to these fragrances, which have a distinct and exotic aroma. If you like a little spice, look for hints of ginger, cilantro, pink pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and be renowned for being heady and rich.

Woody This fragrance family is made up of more earthy, deep scents. These are definitely fragrances you either love or loathe. Wood and musk-based scents are intoxicating and rich, typically masculine in nature but are often softened with spices and florals. Opt for pine, sandalwood, cedar, amber, musk, birch, if you are an aficionado of these aromas.

FloralFragrance buying tips

– Don’t buy a fragrance because your friend wears it. Fragrances smell completely different on different people.

– Spritz your perfume into your hair and on the back of your neck for a long lasting scent, alternatively spray your favourite scarf with your signature fragrance.

– To make sure that your fragrance lasts all day, use a body lotion in the same or complementing scent.

– Always keep your perfume bottles out of direct sunlight, and avoid submitting them to extreme temperature. Reapply every three hours.

– Base notes don’t fully release until 30 minutes after application, so don’t make snap decisions on a new perfume, it may smell completely different from the first spritz.

– Don’t base a perfume judgment on how it smells on a fragrance card. Perfumes release notes as they warm on the skin, and you need to smell them on your skin in order to fully appreciate the full scent.

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What your eyeliner says about you

Your eyeliner says a lot about you, even more than you realise. So how do your eyes do the talking?
by Ankita Pathak

Bold red lips, pastel eye shadow, bronzed skin…your makeup reveals a lot about your personality. Your eyes are the windows to your soul, letting the world know how you feel with just your eye makeup. Are you simple, sexy, bold, fearless or trendy? Find out what your eyeliner personality is:

coloured eyelinerColoured eyeliner

If colored eyeliner is a staple in your look, you’re likely your friends’ go-to person when it comes to makeup. You’re not afraid to take risks and be brave; you’re always ready for the next challenge in your life. You love finding inspiration all around you and you’re totally in-sync with what’s trending.

Glitter or shimmer eyeliner

A safer bet: shimmer. Wearing it the right way (see featured image above) shows that you’re proud of your best features and you know how to enhance them. Keep in mind it’s an actual skill to be able to pull off a look like this. And if you do it right, it’s a hint that you ‘know your assets’; it means you’re spontaneous, and love having fun with your looks.

Smokey eyelinersmokey eye

You skate on the edge of rebellion and drama. One look from you melts anyone within a 30-feet radius. The total mastery of knowing when to turn it on and off is only natural for you—it takes extreme control to blend your liner and shadow so well. You are not afraid to be bold and sassy and know that your eyes are your best feature! You’re fun, popular and experimental and like to up the glamour quotient with just your eyes!

60’s Goddess

You are the glamorous fashionista who loves to put her own twist on things. Slightly off-beat, gorgeously eye-enhancing, but not too much to take away from your outfit, a winged tip is one of the most versatile eye makeup looks. Your look is classic Audrey Hepburn, and you’re a cat-eye woman who is stylish, sophisticated and prefers a more subtle girl-next-door image! Ruling the room with a smirk, you love going by the fashion rules and being the ultimate diva.

Thick eyeliner

thick eyelinerYou are a lover of makeup and a lover of more exaggerated makeup. You’re not afraid to ramp up average eyeliner and take it up a few notches to give it the Amy Winehouse effect! You love transforming your look with colours, shapes and put a strong emphasis on your gorgeous eyes. You are the kind of person who is keen to keep a strong eye contact while chatting. You have no difficulties in refusing a down-to-earth lifestyle and instead diverge into the world of fantasy and endless possibilities!

 

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Five ways to wear the dupatta

The dupatta is extremely underrated, though you can wear it over anything, and drape it in more ways than one.
by Anurita Gupta

Close your eyes and imagine a typical Bollywood setup. A gust of wind, dried leaves whirling around the heroine whose beautiful face is covered by her colourful, tie and dye dupatta that dances in the breeze. Fortunately, the dupatta and its romance are not just limited to the lovey dovey scenes in Hindi films.

Call it whatever you want – dupatta, chunni, odhni – the truth is that this Indian accessory is something else. Traditionally, if you want to elevate a simple kurta into something special, you can just complement it with a colourful dupatta and look great. However, there is a lot more that the dupatta can do. Drape it creatively and see it become the life of your wardrobe. Here are a few tips to add colour to your various looks with it:

Party bling throw: Want to add a dash of colour to your little black dress? Pick from an array of sheer dupattas, be it organza or net, in colours like hot pink or dull gold and drape around your arms. It will not just make you stand out in the crowd but can also provide a fashionable cover to your arms if your arms are heavy.

sarongSun ‘n’ sand sarong: Before you unleash your hot body on the beach, use a colourful, bandhni cotton dupatta or a bold floral chiffon one as a ‘modesty cover’ for the times when you aren’t swimming but lying on the beach chair with a book. Sure, you can’t necessarily do this in Mumbai, but do pack a colourful dupatta in your bag if you’re thinking of a vacation to a beach town. You can also try opening the dupatta completely, holding it from each end and arranging it in a cross drape covering your back. Knot it behind your neck to show off your shoulders. This look is really hot.

The sensual look: As much as it was used traditionally to cover the body, the dupatta can also be used to show off your curves. It can be draped to draw attention to the low backs and the plunging necklines that your blouse designer has worked so meticulously on. Just pick a light texture, say a crinkled stole (half-dupatta) and drape it suggestively around the nape of your neck and see the magic it creates!

Being arty: If you have been a comfortable, casual dresser, then there may have been times when you’ve found it difficult to put your look together for an arty event. From now on, try this: get a cotton/silk or cotton-silk blend, block printed, solid colour dupatta. Wear it on your black khadi kurta and churidaar, accessorise with some silver jewellery and a long bindi.

The wardrobe overhaul: A word of fashion advice to the heroines (reel or not) who have used a part of it as the miracle bandage which will plain outfitstop the hero’s fatal wound from bleeding; your ravaged dupatta is still useful. Cut it width-wise and use it as a stole to jazz up any drab dress or tunic. Or you can cut it length-wise and use it as a scarf for that plain outfit you’ve relegated to the back of your wardrobe. Don’t forget to match your shoes and clutch with it.

All in all, if you are looking at a serious overhauling of your wardrobe, the humble dupatta can add the much needed glitz, glamour and colour without burning a hole in your pocket. So go ahead, experiment!

(Pictures courtesy www.nycurchin.com, idiva.com, nakshatra.tumblr.com)

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Trousseau trends unlocked

Customise your trousseau with the best in 2012’s bridal fashion, as Kavya Kolli decodes this season’s hottest trends for you.

The festive season may be over, but it’s only made way for more festivities with the wedding season right around the corner. And for all the brides-to-be who will be tying the knot soon, this is a very crucial time. These are the days of endless trials in search of the perfect wedding outfits.

Most brides have an idea of the kind of look they see themselves in. This can be both advantageous or challenging. If you are able to find an outfit that fits the bill, then you’re lucky. But if not, it helps to be open to other options. There are lots of designs that you may be reluctant to try at first, but once you do, you’ll be surprised at how great they look. A tip: Try on the outfits before taking a call.

To make things a little easier, we’ve handpicked the trendiest details from this year’s bridal shows.

 

 

 

Colours

The classic red was a predominant colour in all collections this year. And if red is the colour you’re looking for, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Red appeared in so many beautiful shades – dark cherry reds, bright scarlets, orange reds etc.

 

Seen in the picture: Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor at India Bridal Fashion Week 20122

 

 

 

Colour combinations

Both classic as well as unexpected, fresh combinations were also seen on the runways this year. 

Because it’s winter, deep colours like maroon, burgundy, rusty oranges, purples, navy and bottle green make for a great palette.

Seen in the picture is a Neeta Lulla creation at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive, 2012.

 

White

 

 

White is a great colour for a bride, and it shone in its pristine glory on the runways. Embellished with silver or gold embroidery, it looks stunning. Off whites and ivories were the popular choice.

 

Nudes, along with whites, were also seen with coloured trimmings in the shows of major designers this year. Seen in the picture on the left is a creation by Payal Singhal at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012.

 

 

 

The silhouette

The anarkali is still dominating the ethnic silhouette in the form of statuesque full-length dresses. 

Another silhouette that’s become a rage is the lehenga sari. The ensemble comprises of the typical lehenga, blouse and dupatta. But instead of draping the dupatta as you usually would with a lehenga, it’s draped like a sari – a great marriage, without the fuss of having to drape the nine-yard sari.

Seen in the picture on the right is an anarkali from the collection of Shyamal & Bhumika Shodhan at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012.

 

Fabric

 

 

 

Velvet is a huge trend this season, and it’s also very practical for the winters. The texture and rich shades of the fabric lend a regal touch to the ensemble.

Sheer fabrics like net, chiffon, georgette etc., look stunning in contrast to the rich velvet.

Brocades were also a popular choice with the some of the designers.

But what really stood out in the designs was the wonderful play of contrasting fabrics- heavy with light, stiff with flowy, thick with sheer.

Seen in the picture on the left is a velvet creation from the collection showed by Shyamal & Bhumika at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012.

 

Embroidery

The work that goes into embellishing, is what makes the bridal ensemble. And it requires the very best. It’s all about intricate, handmade embroidery and this season showcased an endless variety. Gota work, kundan, zardosi, zari were all there in gorgeous, unique designs as were embellishments with sequins, pearls and crystals.

Seen in the picture on the right is a creation from the collection of Meera and Muzaffar Ali at the India Bridal Fashion Week 2012.

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