Kerr bags modelling deals 

It has been raining offers for Miranda Kerr - the Victoria's Secret model has backed advertisement campaigns for Prada's and Gil Sander's autumn/winter 2010/11 collections.

New fibres can sing and hear  sounds. 

This could give a new meaning to the phrase power dressing. Scientist at MIT have created a cloth that can hear and emit noise. The cloth could even be used to generate its own electricity.  

Indians impress at Shanghai  fashion show 

Shanghai hosted the first ever show by Indian designers. As Kolkatta designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Mumbai's Nikasha Tawadey and Hyderabad boy Anand Kabra dressed Chinese models in their sarees and jackets, it marked a fashion milestone for Indian designers

Deepika in saree at Cannes  

Actress Deepika Padukone held India's flag aloft at Cannes, looking glamourous in a sari. While Aishwarya and Mallika opted for western outfits, the 24-year-old took 6 yard root to style as she stepped out on the red carpet in a  Rohit Bal Sari.

Ethnic wear tops retailer sales 

Ethnic wear seems to be the flavour this summer season. Kurtis and other desi apparel are disappearing from the shelves in the department stores all over India. Comfortable Indian wear is in demand over the western designer  labels.

US designer cracks butt problem 

A US designer has come up with an invention that cover's up your  'butt clevage' when wearing low-rise jeans. Kimberly Brewer created the Backtacular Gluteal Cleft Sheild, an adhesive fabric patch that's applied directly to the skin on the lower back. Made off Hypo- allergenic denim and decorated with studs and rhinestones, the patches come in several colours and designs.  

Bikini girl in the spotlight

She's the first Indian to be the bikini girl in the spotlight. She shot to fame with her bikini, bindi and bangles look for the exotic Sport Illustrated swimsuit edition 2010. The dusky Sonia Dara is the first Indian to be the pin-up model for the magazine. Currently this Havard student all of twenty, five feet eleven inches girl has just made her debut at New York fashion week. Not only that, she's been interviewed by Wall Street Journal about juggling demands of being world-class model and Ivy league student.

A T-Shirt that turns into body armour. 

An ordinary cotton T-shirt can be converted into body armour, thanks to scientists from South Carolina, Switzerland and China. They combine the carbon in the cotton with boron to create tough, light-weight fabric of boron carbide, the same material used to protect tanks. Available at Wal-Mart, the treated T-shirt will not only be bulletproof but also resistance to ultraviolet light from the sun and life-threatening neutrons emitted by decaying radioactive materials The research could lead to more comfortable body armour for soldiers and police. It could even be used to produce light weight, fuel-efficient cars and aircraft.  

UK Combat Barbie in lingerie deal

A corporal nicknamed 'Combat Barbie' by her colleagues has been chosen to launch a new campaign offering members of the Armed forces money off at a high street lingerie chain, Katrina Hodge of the Royal Anglian regiment swapped beret and army fatigues for tousled hair and skimpy La Senza lingerie for the campaign, which will offer a 15% discount to all British servicemen and women.

Fact :Eighty percent Frank Muller Colour Dream comes in steel, 18-carat solid gold and in jewellery version set with diamonds. Priced at Rs. 3,00,000 onwards.

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Is your bra making you ill?

Do wear bras your size. A lot of women wear bras with cups far too small, giving them the infamous quadruple boob syndrome. It looks awful.

It isn't about looks, a poor fit can cause back pain, indigestion and even headaches. But getting it right couldn't be easier, says Rosie Johnston. 

Are you constantly pulling up you bra straps? Do your shoulders fall forward? Do you bosoms bounce when you walk, despite your new balcony bra with lace trim? The chances are you are among the majority of women who have never had a proper bra fitting, and whose posture and back health are compromised as a result.

Attitudes about bra fit and function vary by generation. Younger women are more likely to find that their bra doesn't fit properly because, in the good old days, pubescent girls were almost always fitted for bras. The idea of being fitted for a bra when I was 13 would have been gross, but everything looks different after my bra epiphany, which happened in Night Owls on the Fulham Road, in south-west London. 

"Your bra doesn't fit properly!" the lady at the cash register shouted, as I checked out pink flannel pyjamas. I pretended not to notice. "I bet you've never had a bra fitting in your life!" continued the voice. She marched over. I was wearing an expensive underwired bra, designed to give "lift". I had tried it on in the shop, but that was not, I was told, a proper fitting. "I bet your strap's half way up your shoulder blades. Look at your posture! Your bust line is sinking!" My ear lobes, she said, were almost attached to my shoulders. I'd spent years compromising my breast and back health, apparently, and my bra was a load of "shite". I told her I'd always been a 36C."Rubbish," she snorted. "You're a 30-or 32E."   

Leenacom's People

Alley Baggett rose to fame as a play girl, most notably as a Playboy lingerie model. She continues to work with Playboy even today. She has also worked on television as a WWF Sunday Night Heat Commentator. In an interesting career move, Alley is the star of Alley Cat Comics, and even has her own Alley Cat action toy.

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Black shoes look best with darker colours -- don't wear black shoes with light-coloured clothing unless they are extremely dainty.

Scented water, such as lavender water are great way to infuse a heavenly, yet subtle smell into your clothing. Pour scented water to an iron, and steam setting, gently waft over the clothing.

If you have a black or dark coloured cotton garments, use a cup of vinegar the first time you wash at home. It helps to set the dye. 

Gen next...... Glamour & Fashion

The Confident Indian Woman. The new and young Indian generation are very fashion conscious. They seem to be well informed about the fashion scene in India and abroad. They are very particular of the dress material, design, texture, label and cost. Be it sarees, dresses, casual wear or special occasion or party wear clothes. Today they have the choice in design and price, from not so expensive to designer wear and famous labels. Today, teenagers to career woman know exactly what suits them best. It is not only restricted to clothes, but skin and hair care and beauty tips that make them beautiful and presentable.

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Will sexy clothes make the twain meet?

Women's attire evoked some disagreeable remarks yet again. This time it happened in the most unlikely of places - in a country that's considered a developed nation and a city that's considered to be its showpiece. Even as 'breast and 'brain' banded together to rubbish an Iranian cleric's remark that promiscuity, allegedly caused by revealing attire, was the reason for earthquakes, a Sydney court ruling left women reeling from a huge aftershock.

There was outrage worldwide when a Sydney court acquitted a man charged with raping a woman, saying her skin-tight jeans could not have been taken off without her consent. This, despite medical reports pointing to severe physical trauma in the  genital area. Can a woman wearing tight jeans be raped? How could it be taken off without her consent? These were the questions the jury had asked before letting off the man.

Many felt that a judgement of this sort coming from an Australian court was shocking. Human rights lawyer and activist Kamayani Bali Mahabal, however, doesn't agree. Suppressing women's rights is a global phenomenon and it doesn't matter whether it's India or even the United States, she says. "The mindset's the same- in all rape cases, if a woman is scantily dressed, it's cited by the opposite party as defence. In Jodie Foster's film, The Accused, a girl who is drunk and "scantily' dressed is raped and acused of 'asking for it'. The film was set in the US - now that's as developed as you can get. As far as women are concerned-developed, developing or underdeveloped, there is no difference', argues Mahabal.

Other activists too agree that in such cases, courts all over the world behave in the same manner. "It is definitely not a sensitive judgement. It seems to be an implication of the judge's position in this case and sends a negative message on women's rights. Here, the judge seems to have dealt a blow against women's rights", says Ammu Abraham, activist, Women's Centre, Mumbai. Delhi University student Alia Ahmed agrees that the judgement strikes a familiar note. It's ridiculous, but we aren't strangers to such observations. Women's attire is always a talking point and often, in rape cases, its what the woman wears and her morality that is discussed first- other than the crime itself," she says.

(Reproduced from Mail Today)

(Continued next week.......)

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Overweight and dig net saris? Here is what to do.....By Radhika Bhirani

New Delhi, Net saris are a rage at parties and weddings this season but don't go for it if you are short and fat, advise designers. If you still want to risk flaunting your flab, go for dark colours, satin petticoats and a lot of motif.

'Net saris look fabulous on women with well-toned bodies, long torsos. Such women, in fact look very sexy in net as it accentuates their perfect curves. But fat women should try to avoid it,' Seema of designer duo Swapan-Seema told IANS on the sidelines of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here.

According to a Delhi-based stylist, 'net saris are a complete no-no for fat women'.

'Net tends to contour the body type and I don't think it's worth showing the flab,' said the stylist, who did not wish to be named.

Designer Seema, who has a range of net saris in pastels with subdued work, says there are a lot of women in their 50's who wish to wear net saris in order to look younger.

'It is up to an individual if she wants to wear it. If my clients wish to wear net and I feel it won't suit them, I recommend chiffons or georgettes. But if they insist, what can one do?'

But overweight women who are still keen to wear net saris should be disappointed.

Designer Jaya Rathore, whose ethnic Indian collection is dominated by net, says comfort can play an important role.

'Good petticoats in satin and brocade can always make a difference to women wanting to wear the net sari. I feel every woman should try every possible type of clothing and see for herself if it suits her. If she is comfortable, she should just wear it.

'The only thing I would recommend is that heavy women must try net saris that have a lot of motif and jaal, which can help camouflage the fat if they feel conscious of their girth,' Rathore told IANS.

Young designer Joy Mitra, who has been working with nets for the past few, has some tips for overweight women.

'Fat or slim, short or tall - a sari always looks beautiful on any form. One shouldn't feel conscious. There's always a way to fix such problems. You can wear a full sleeve blouse to hide fat, the petticoats can be different and more stylish to take attention away from the waist.

'I also feel heavier women should wear darker colours - that can do the trick of making them look a little slimmer in case they are way too conscious,' he said.

Some, of course, avoid it themselves.

Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee is a little on the plump side and she fells net saris don't suit her.

'Women should wear what suits them. I don't think net saris suit me much and I am not comfortable wearing them. I prefer saris in cotton, chiffon, kanjeevaram, silks, etc,' Moushumi, who flaunted a black and white sari by Reynu Taandon at WIFW, told IANS.

(IANS)

Hallmark

Hallmarking is a system of analysing or assaying of precious metals like gold in a laboratory to ascertain their purity or fineness and certifying it. In other words, hallmarking gives the buyer a guarantee on the purity of gold, issued by an independent agency other than the jeweller.

The specified carat purity is an important factor in buying gold jewellery. It indicates the percentage of real gold in any piece of jewellery. In most cases, the carat of the piece of jewellery is mentioned on it, apart from the hallmark of the jeweller. This is genuine proof that it is indeed real gold.

24 carat gold is pure. It is soft, almost flexible and easy to break. That is why it is not always used in the making of modern jewellery, which features delicate designs.

Hallmark for jewellery. Nos. denominating gold purity as follows :

for 958 ........... 23 carat

for 916 ........... 22 carat

for 875 ........... 21 carat

for 750 ........... 18 carat

for 585 ........... 14 carat

for 375 ...........  9  carat

*All the gold ever mined could be moulded into a cube 60 feet high and 60 feet wide.

Diamonds are forever

How is the value of a diamond decided?

Based on the interplay of the famous four C’s of carat (weight), colour, cut and clarity. There are global rating standards for evaluating a diamond on these factors. Higher the combination of the 4C ratings, the more expensive is the diamond. And remember, though most buyers are obsessed with a diamond’s ‘cut’, no C is more important than another.

What do these four C’s mean?

Carat is easy to understand. It simply refers to the weight of the diamond in carats. One carat is roughly equal to 200 milligrams. Since larger diamonds are also rarer, higher the carat value, the more expensive is the diamond. That is, a one-carat diamond will be much more than double the price of two half-carat diamonds.

Cut refers to the diamond’s shape. This is slightly complex. Cut includes factors like angle, uniformity and polish of the facets of the stone. Now, the reason why it is considered important is this: better the cut, higher the brilliance and ‘fire’ of the diamond.

Diamonds may be cut deep or shallow. The brilliance will depend on the how the light reflecting surfaces are shaped in the cut. Don’t confuse diamond cut with its shape. Shape does not have anything to do with the reflective quality of the diamond. It refers to the outward appearance. That’s all.

Clarity refers to the level of presence of ‘inclusions’ (foreign mineral particles) in the diamond. Inclusions not visible to the naked eye may jack up the price of a diamond. So you have to be careful. Ask the jeweler for a’ 10xloupe’, a magnifying lens commonly available in all jewellery shops, to check inclusions.

Colour refers to the amount of deviation in  colour from white. In general, the more colourful the diamond is the lesser is its value. Ideally, a diamond should be colourless but brilliant. Here again there are global ratings set by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

What is ‘clarity enhancement’ of diamonds? Is it desirable?

Some diamonds may be treated to improve their appearance. This process is usually referred to as ‘clarity enhancement’. Two common techniques of clarity enhancement are fracture filling and laser bleaching.

Fracture filling involves concealing cracks by filling them with a glass like substance. The trouble is that it is difficult to detect by merely looking at the diamond. You have to go by the jeweller’s word on whether the diamond has been fracture-filled. Laser bleaching involves drilling a small hole from a facet up to an ‘inclusion’ to bleach out the inclusion.

Ideally, the diamond you buy should not be a treated one. If it is, you should be told about it and the fact must reflect in the price. Try and get the jeweler to acknowledge on the sale receipt that the diamond was treated.

What are imitation diamonds?

Imitation diamonds resemble real diamonds in appearance but are less expensive. (Cubic Zirconia, for example). Since diamonds are nothing but carbon kept under  tremendous pressure under the earth’s crust, laboratory techniques duplicate the process and create stones called moissanites, which resemble diamonds.

How much do diamonds cost?

You can buy a gold ring with a really small diamond set in it for about Rs 5,000 upwards. A large solitaire diamond set in a ring would cost anywhere upwards of Rs 25,000. A gold watch chain with a dozen small diamonds set in it would set you back by about Rs 35,000. A pair of medium sized earrings with good quality, small diamonds filling them would cost about a lakh of rupees. A gold necklace with lots of small diamonds in it would lift the price tag to a few lakhs of rupees. Quite a few big diamond jewellers offer lifetime guarantee, services and full exchange value on diamonds.

How to make your diamonds shine?

To ensure that your diamonds shine, soak the piece of jewellery in lukewarm water with detergent for about 10 minutes.

For best resale value, always return jewellery to the same person you bought it from. Always bear in mind you loose 15 percent of your cost price on resale of diamonds.

Certification :

There are several certifying bodies but the most recognised ones are GIA and IGI. Ensure that your diamond jewellery has one of these certifications. Certifying bodies certify 20 cents and above. Since it is not economically viable to get a small size certified for the customer, so market jewellers generally certify only half karat and above.

Diamonds are no longer a status symbol of the elite and rich, the average upper middle class Indians too love to buy diamonds now.

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Fashion around the globe

Latest trends and style in dress, footwear, apparel & accessories.

In Fashion 

Latest Trends from the Paris collections

Miniskirts

Think gladiator. Hemlines go from mid-thigh (chloe, above) to pelmet length (Costume National, below).On the cute side: Puffed rompers (Stella McCartney) and Teensy divided skirts (Chanel). Stream-lined; A-Line buttoned skirts (Givenchy). How do they differ from the 1960s and the 1980s minis? They have low waists and are in ultra-light fabrics.

Surf

“Aqua Sports” were Nicolas Ghesquiere’s inspiration for neoprene fabrics and deep-sea marine prints for Balenciaga (below), Surfing vests, Wet suits and Scuba style appeared at Louis Vuitton and Chanel, where models toted surfboards. More oceanis inspirations: bands of Day-‘Glo colour and Latex fabric for skirts (Helmut Lang)

High Waists

A challenge to hipster pants from Chanel to balenciaga . But the low-slung look has slipped downward with ubiquitous, baggycrotch dhoti pants (Ann Demeule-meester and Alexander Mcqueen). High-waist dresses make news (Vivtor and Rolf) and so do waists themselves, with bows (Vuitton) or roses (Yves Saint Laurent).

Draping

Toga time: Draping takes over from cutting with off-the-shoulder toga tops or saris (John Galliano), goddess swaths of fabric (Louis Feraud) and draping with a couture touch (Alexander Mcqueen). The blouson is the big top, from blown-up proportions (Dior) to a girly-blouse version (Stella Mcartney)

Fashion-- -The battle between  the stiletto and the sneaker

Karl Lagerfeld

Lagerfeld knows how to refresh wardrobe basics, from pantsuits, made shrunken and skinny, through light dresses in face-powder shades for the cocktail hour. Pearl buttons were favoured decoration, cute on bra tops that met high-rise skirts. In fact, this broken-up-dress effect of detached bodice and skirt gave a sporty look and a new proportion to both daywear and eveningwear. The finale was actively sporty, with the surfing and scuba boards, and the models looked ready for any action you could take in Chanel’s high heels.

Tom Ford

Ford just does not get the light approach to sensuality that is the essence of Gallic style. He has had such a sure hand at saint Laurent, but for this season he went back to an era when everyone had sex on the brain, rather than upfront on the Internet. It was Hello Dali, Dali, as the designer trawled the surrealist archives and came up with jackets with stitched-in bosoms, dresses outlining  the rear,lips appliquéd on high-heeled sandals, phallic pendants and nipples painted cobalt blue. Ford, uncharacteristically, was stuck with a juvenile theme that other designers have better handled. The clothes were surely meant to be witty and playful and, give or take the jackets with fabric tweaked into twin peaks at the bosoms, there were some seductive looks—especially the little black dresses.

Yohji Yamamoto

Yamamoto sent out his dynamic Adidas Y3 clothes in a powerful display in a Paris athletics stadium, where male and female models strode a futurist moving walkway, suspended between silver pillars. The blend of classic tracksuits with soulful dresses, graphic plays on stripes and a jolt of vivid Japanese floral prints, earned the  designer an ovation. And between YSL and Y3, there was no contest. Yamamoto’s clothes were some of the most imaginative and modern we have seen in a  strong Paris fashion week.

Valentino

Valentino’s collection was clean as a whistle, taking the designer into ruffle-free territory. It was smart and sure. Although the military theme might have seemed misjudged the sharp jakets with epaulettes and star  buttons, the skinny army coats and khaki green colours to match the Andy Warhol camouflage backdrop had no aggressive overtones. Valentino proved in this show  that his glamour goddesses could step down from their pedestals and still look divine.

Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel can take credit for being a pioneer of the saucy and flirtatious fashion, with hug-me-tight knits and coquettish models. Bras peeped out from scoop- front dresses or were shown as bikini tops, they were not so much D-cup as a thimble-sized and barely covering the essentials. With the models struggling to retain their decency (fig leaves would have been more effective) the show became a merry romp, in which the striped knits that  are the life blood of the label managed to hold their own.

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood, with her habitual fashion perversity, decided to exchange her usualsexed-up clothes for streetwear. After embracing historical costumes and preaching a vanished elegance, Westwood went back to her roots in the London streets. A model in a neo-punk outfit broke the ribbon cordoning  off a  SCRUBBY URBAN STREET THAT BECAME THE RUNWAY. Some of these layered cotton outfits and deliberately destroyed knitwear looked effective, and accessories from heart-shaped jewels hung like sporrans and bunches of chatelaine keys were a bit of fun. But with romper shorts, with attached apron  pockets, she returned to the complex clothes  that look too exhausting to put on, let alone to wear in any street.

Gurpreet Kohil’s tryst with the glamour world started when she bagged some prestigious modelling campaigns. However, her role in Star Plus’ medical drama, Sanjeevani made her a household name. As far the silver screen is concerned, she is keeping her fingers crossed.

Nine years ago, Rucci, 45, a butchers son from South Philadelphia, was standing in a welfare office asking for help to pay his rent. He was broke. Today, he is one of the world’s best designers. A basic little suit by him carries a tag of $15,000.

Clothing Size Chart

 CLOSEUP

The old & the new - Traditional Kashmiri dress - Pheran

Good looks

For a working woman, projecting an image of efficiency and confidence is crucial. The following tips will help you to achieve that professional look.

If you ,are tall and thin, avoid vertical stripes and tight fitting garments. Wear contrasting jackets with skirts or trousers, flared skirts and wide belts. If you short and slim, avoid wearing clothes with large prints or skirts with large pockets. Wear outfits of a single colour or pattern teamed with delicate accessories.

If you are tall and heavy, avoid wearing heavy fabrics, garments that are too tight, loose sleeves and big collars. Wear dark or subdued colours and stick to outfits of a single colour or pattern.

If you are short and heavy, avoid wearing heavy textured fabrics with large patterns, very light or very bright outfits and do not go in for wide belts or long sleeves.

Clothes must be well tailored. Casual clothes might be fun, but in the workplace they tend to impart an image of clumsiness. Choose a fabric that falls well and does not crush easily.

Avoid loud colours, plunging necklines, see through fabrics, chunky jewellery  and very strong perfumes.

Make-up should be understated. A touch of eyeliner and a brush of lipstick is enough. Use earth tones.

Finally, wear your confidence on your sleeve. And walk tall.\

Here are a few dos and donts for your feet:

Walk! It is the best form of exercise for your feet.
Don’t take life lying down. Regardless of your physical condition, walking is beneficial.
Wear properly fitting, protective footwear even in your own home.
Don’t go barefoot. This increase  the risk of injury and infection and provides no support for either the foot or ankle.
Use ice (cold) to treat an injury. This treatment produces a numbing effect and prevents swelling and pain.
Don’t use heat or hot water to treat a foot or ankle injury. Heat promotes blood flow, causing increased swelling.
Invest in “walking pumps” with wider toe room and comfortable reinforced heels.
Don’t wear heeled shoes that exceed two inches for extended periods of time – this is an open invitation for foot problems.
Seek medical  attention  at the first sign of an injury or infection in the foot or ankle. Treatments require an investment of time and sometimes include surgery – the foot isn’t just a beauty concern.
Don’t wear athletic shoes for sports other than the ones for which they were intended – one style does not fit all! Don’t wear any sports shoe beyond its useful life.
Consult a podiatric physician regularly. There are 300 different foot ailments, none of which should be neglected.
Don’t ignore foot pain. Contrary to popular belief, foot pain  is  not normal.

The Right Foot wear

Some important pointers for footwear with regards to problem feet and back and weight problems .Always go for the right footwear. If you like play around with colour and fabric .You can even match it with your dress.

Women with high arches on their feet should avoid wearing sandals with straps that run across the foot. Wear sandals with back straps or back open sandals with narrow straps across the toes. Avoid very high heels.

Women with flat feet should stick to comfortable padded footwear and completely avoid very high heels. Shorter women who want to wear high heels should look for sandals with a good grip all around.

Overweight women should stick to flats or smaller heels with good grip. Wear heels with back strap that supports the foot well.

Women with back problems should avoid heels and wear padded sandals.

Pregnant women should always wear comfortable sandals and shoes that are padded and offer enough support while walking. High heels and  flat  flip flops are a no-no. Stick to open sandals and let your feet breathe.

Skin tones and Hair Colour

Pale skin with pink undertones:
Choose ash or cream shades like ash blonde, ash brown, dark brown or intense strawberry red.

Pale Ivory:
This is the perfect skin tone for almost any hair colour – dark red or blonde. But be extremely careful of going very light blonde, as it may leave you looking washed out

Yellow/Sallow :
Warm shades are best. Use honey, copper or mahogany. Cool colours give a very obvious colrant.

Olive :
It’s generally best to stay dark. And a few interesting touches of colours like shades of red, burgundy or chestnut to lift the overall effect.