I remember dressing up dolls and coloring their faces to go with their dresses as a child.

Colors have always fascinated me and their magical attraction has influenced me in several ways – making me want to be an artist at first, then a fashion designer and beauty / makeup artist. My parents (like most Indian parents) guarded their little girl zealously against the evil influences of makeup and its undesirable side effects, not to mention its disreputable association. 

Having thus restrained my yearning for colors, I was greatly delighted the day I received my first makeup kit. That was the day I was going to meet Jai (now my husband) for the first time and my parents were in mortal fear that I was going to use a generous helping of all that was there in the makeup box.

That was many years ago, and since then I’ve tried and tested a great many products. All this trial and error has made me picky and taught me a few lessons on the art and science of good makeup.

 In the U.S of A I worked as a skin and color consultant for several years helping women learn to pick their colors and teaching the art of makeup. I have also helped clients identify the right regime of skin care according to their skin type and introduced them to age defying products. I have had requests asking me to write about beauty tips, but first things first, let’s talk about skin care.

Product overload isn’t healthy for your skin or your budget.  It is good to chalk out a simple and effective routine that is easy to stick to and can be done consistently, and fits  your lifestyle.

KNOW YOUR SKIN TYPE

Its of foremost importance  to understand your skin type – to do this, get a clean facial tissue and wipe your face first  thing after you wake up in the morning. 

1. Normal skin –. Oh please, stop kidding yourself –there is no such thing as normal skin.

2. Normal to oily skin -The tissue will have traces of oil from the cheek, forehead and nose area. The other visible signs are – your skin usually looks greasy and shiny, has enlarged pores and is very prone to acne.

The good thing about having oily skin is that it is not much prone to aging and wrinkles.

3. Normal to dry skin

-The tissue will show no traces of oil. The skin will feel tight after wiping with the tissue. The other visible signs are – flaky, fine pores, prone to aging and wrinkles.

4. Combination skin - The tissue will have traces of oil from the nose and forehead area (t-zone) and the rest of the face will be flaky and dry.  The area around the eyes and the cheeks tend to be very dry.

5. Sensitive skin-The tissue will not have any traces of oil. Sensitive skin tends to be dry and is irritated very easily. May have red patches and can get itchy.

Why go green? Now, I hope I don’t have to elaborate on this – My 10 year old could give a lesson on how imperative it is that we incorporate nature’s ways into our modern lifestyle, if we want to live healthy and preserve the environment. As a designer, I’ am constantly reminded of my duty to do my bit towards this all important cause. To live a greener lifestyle, all you need to do is remember this simple word – ‘USE- LESS'

.It is that easy and you don’t have to go live in the woods or wear leaves. Here are a few things I tell my clients (and also practice myself everyday) to help them make the world a better place –

Planned shopping

Oh God that’s really boring! I know you are used to impulse buying, but think of a wardrobe all stocked up with expensive clothes and still not having a thing to wear! First of all, make a list of basic things that you will need in your wardrobe, which also gives you the flexibility to mix and match with or complement other pieces in your wardrobe. In my earlier blog –wardrobe essentials I have put down 10 must have’s in one’s wardrobe. Know your body style, lifestyle and career style and choose accordingly. Invest in high quality and classic items, not necessarily high in fashion or in keeping with the current trend. You’ll pay more now, but wont have to replace those items soon, thus reducing wastage.

Washing

Wear clothes that don’t need dry-cleaning. This lessens the use of harmful chemicals (commercial dry-cleaning uses chemical solvents to remove grease and dirt) which could make you sick if you’re exposed to them constantly. Certain clothes that need to be dry-cleaned can be hand washed in cold water and flat dried. Use phosphate free and bio-degradable washing powder. Needless to say, normal detergents contain non degradable compounds, brighteners and artificial fragrances that are toxic and harm the environment. Bio-degradable detergent will increase the life of the clothes and the washing machine as the residue from this powder won’t cause any rust in the washing machine and hence will not leave rust spots on the clothes

Change for good

A good friend of mine was wondering why all her expensive clothes have food stains on them. She is the busy mom of a toddler who keeps her on her toes, which often does not give her time to change her clothes. So, it is good to change into your home clothes before you get busy feeding and cooking or doing the dishes.

Use, reuse and reuse again

From something ‘out’ to something very ‘in’. Refashion with a little alteration to something wearable- a dress to a skirt, tunic or a shorter dress. Some us of keep outfits just because we have some emotional attachment.  Recently I converted a vintage raw silk  kurti to a evening dress, had to fix some of the beads that were coming loose.  I was feeling so proud of myself as if I have restored an old historical monument.

Eco-friendly collection

My new collection will be an eco-friendly collection .I am  planning  to focus more on using vintage fabrics, recycled fabrics, organic cotton and organic silk (ahimsa silk ) greater emphasis on handwork and use of vegetable dyes (eco friendly fabrics) . Right now there is a lot of hype around fabrics made of bamboo. Here is the problem – Bamboo plantations can replace forests that are fast dwindling. Also, the processing of this fabric causes a lot of pollution .So it is important to read the label and to know what kind of fabric is used and also what processing was done on it.

But for me I like dressing up in winter .It is easy to look stylish this winter with one or two investment pieces and some accessories to give a personalized look .

We only get few weeks of winter here in Bangalore, so let’s get dressed.

Jackets/Coats

This fall witnessed the luxurious collection by Vikram phadnis. I liked the brocade jacket and velvet coat over lehangas and saree. The heavy thread work gives it a very ethnic look. These would make a great combination with a nice pair of jeans.  You could also go for long slik/brocade and tissue patchwork jacket with a shift dress or short ones with jeans (See pic from my fall winter collection below).

patch work jacket- Baja

Hood /Snood

Hoods or Snood are also back in style, so a hooded choli from Manish Malhotra’s collection or a cape in boldest of colors would make an excellent choice.

Boots

Ankle length or tall boots would be ideal for the Bangalore winter. These can be worn with knee length dress or skirts. Avoid boots in suede if you’re planning  to get in the rain as we are getting lots of rain this winter .There are boots available in patent leather that you can also use as rain boots .

Woolen scarf /pashmina stole

The word pashmina has come to be synonymous with scarves, shawls or stoles .Bright color scarves folded to form a triangle with  the two ends tied together and  worn on the neck (the tied portion of the scarf is at the back of your neck) could be  teamed  up with a suit or jacket. Tie it to form a knot (like a mans tie) to wear with suit . Stoles are of ideal length and width to wrap around the neck. As for length, the stole should reach till the hem of the top or the dress you wear.

The hot colors for this winter are frosted blue and metallic. You can also go for sparkles, and embellishments. Those who are not bold enough for red lipstick could go for red lipstick with peach or blue undertones.

Go ahead and get yourself a sweater dress and wear it with bold or neutral tights. Rain or shine, get yourself a pair of oversized sunglasses and go out and enjoy the winter.

Bangalore the ‘silicon valley’ of India and now a hub for the startups. The ladies working in these offices or CEO’s of the companies are going global or going abroad for a vacation. As a image and fashion consultant the FAQ’s I get is, What is the right thing to wear when climbing up the career path, or maybe as simple as choosing the right color of the foundation or what to wear when going for a cruise or what is the right kind of hairstyle that suits a particular bone structure.

Recently a lady who came to me started her career as a engineer and now promoted as a senior level manager of a company in Bangalore .Now she wants to restyle her whole wardrobe, moving away from sweatshirts to more formal attires to office.

Your Mom –bless her heart —loves you for who you are on the inside .But let’s face it. The rest of the world judges you- and me too based in large part on what they see on the outside

So let’s kick start this whole thing of looking and feeling good with some few key pieces in the wardrobe as a must have. These are the essentials pieces that go with other pieces in your wardrobe to create different outfits, ultimately ensuring that you look your absolute best.

Jeans : Select a couple of pairs of jeans in different shades and in styles that suits your body shape not necessarily high in trend. Jeans can be dressed up or down easily which makes them very versatile. Darker shades for dressier attire and another light wash for an everyday look.

Black trouser and a skirt: With tweed jacket or blazer can be worn to a formal meeting.

Black chudiddar and a cream colored pattiala : These can be teamed with some funky or traditional kurtis.

Black saree or a black dress: The material of the saree and the length of the dress is a personal choice. Get the style which looks spectacular on you but not necessarily trendy, so you can wear it for some time.

White shirt: Good to have shirts in different colors or lacy top but white collared shirt gives a more professional look. More over it is very versatile it goes with the black trouser or skirt, jeans or with a cardigan or sweater.

Pair of dressy shoes: Shoes in which you can really walk.

Most of the ladies don’t follow these guidelines as it seems too boring.The trick is to personalize each item to fit your individual style.Having these items in your wardrobe provides a solid foundation that practically guarantees you’ll look consistently polished.

I have been asked to judge as well as design. Partnering with some of the best bangalore minds on this event was great.
Here is a sip of the fashion elixir from the event.

Event details:

Start Date :Jul 23, 2009
End Date :     Jul 26, 2009

Venue

Hotel Oterra,Bangalore
Bangalore , Karnataka, India

Organizer Details
Dream Merchants, Bangalore
Mr. Sajad Mahajan
Address : Pankaj Villa, 1-1, Bore Bank Road, Benson Town,
Bangalore, India.
Email Id : sales@BangaloreFashionWeek.in
Telephone No : 91-80-42048270