2011

It’s time to party and ring in 2012 in style! Dresses, makeup, accessories—confused? Here’s our party style guide for you.

Little Black Dress

I’m not going to bother saying the LBD never goes out of style (you already know that). But you can wear it differently: wear it in tiers or with detailing like lace, sequins and beads.

Below: Dress from Esprit, dress from Zara

Bling for 2012

Bling works if you want it to work. Metallics, rhinestones and faux crystal embellishments are perfect for the party night of the year.

Below: Jacket and dress both from Vizyon

Party in prints

Crazy, funky, colourful prints have been the rage in 2011 and they will be around next year too. Choose a bold print that reflects your attitude.

Below: Look from Pria Kataria Puri Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2011, dress from S&N Drape by Shantanu-Nikhil at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week A/W 2011

Long-drawn beauty

If you’ve got the right figure (lean) and plenty of confidence, choose a light-coloured gown for a dreamy feminine look.

Below: Look from Wendell Rodricks at Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2011

Skip the dress…

… And wear trousers instead. Or a jumpsuit. Or even shorts. And don’t be surprised when the heads turn in your direction. 😉

Below: Look from Hemant-Nandita at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week A/W 2011, look from Nachiket Barve at Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2011

Accessories

Wear high heels, even if you hate them. Come on, it’s only one night a year!

Below: Partyy shoes from Steve Madden; Veruschka sandal on bestylish.com

Party. Clutch. Need we say more?

Below: Amoures clutch from French Connection, Lucy sequinned wallet from Toniq

Jewellery- dangling earrings, cuff and a long necklace.

Below: Cuff from Mango

Bonus party tip: Inglot’s “Crazy Nails” nail enamel gives your nails the salon look with funky patterns. Can’t wait to try this.

What are you wearing on New Year’s eve?

In Accessories, Fashion

Chic 2011: 3 fresh fashion labels for an exciting 2012

Speaking ChicDecember 7, 2011December 7, 2011Leave a comment

We kick off our year-ending series (Chic 2011) with three new fashion labels and designers that show plenty of promise for 2012 and many more years to come.

Applied Arts Alliance

A collaboration between three very interesting people, Applied Arts Alliance has created what the trio like to call a “Westo-Indian collection”. The collection comprises mini kurtas with French and Austrian collars that are accessorized with Japanese obi belts, shirts, corsets and waistcoats. Their cotton prints are born from the “love marriage” between Anokhi and Versace.

The three people behind Applied Arts Alliance are Praline- a Parisian costume designer, Harri- a Viennese print maker and Payal- the Mumbai-based photographer. If you are looking for unique prints and garments with a classy touch, the AAA might just be perfect for you.

To view their collection, email Payal on payal.appliedartsalliance (at) gmail (dot) com.

Papa Don’t Preach

While Shubhika Sharma launched her fashion label Papa Don’t Preach in 2010, it’s only recently that the label’s website came to life. Papa Don’t Preach is for young women who like edgy dressing, individualistic styles, and affordable high street wear. The label has two distinct lines: one for daily wear with jersey dresses, play suits and tops and tees and the other for the times you need to doll up (structured drape dresses, impish skirts, dramatic lowers and jumpsuits). There are several saris and accessories as well.

Visit the Papa Don’t Preach website to view and buy their collection.

Neha Sahai

Neha Sahai, a NIFT graduate, has crawled through malls and plundered Delhi’s Sarojini Market to mix the edgy with the classical for her jewellery. Using plenty of Indian elements and bright colours, Neha has dared to use unusual objects like wooden toys. The jewellery can be worn to college or a fancy party, and have the right dose of eccentricity and boldness.

Neha Sahai will showcase her collection at BMB Art Gallery in Fort, Mumbai on December 9-10, 2011. Her jewellery is also available at designer stores across India. Visit Neha Sahai’s Facebook page for more information.

In Bollywood Fashion, News

RIP Dev Anand, thanks for the fashion!

Speaking ChicDecember 4, 2011December 4, 2011Leave a comment

Dev Anand—the actor, the director and the producer? Yes to all! But Dev Anand as the style icon? I certainly think so.

For Dev Anand impressed not only with his versatility, but also his style statement. He was not too flamboyant or sophisticated, but his style was casual and insouciant, yet charming. Over the decades, his style remained more or less the same, but with a gentlemanly touch that was right for his age. I’d call his style old-school elegant (in the context of the 21^st century).

Dev Anand’s fashion trademarks:

Scarf/ cravat/ muffler: A simple scarf worked in a number of ways for Dev Anand—from a formal cravat to a casually draped muffler.

Hats: Dev Anand wore all types of hats in his movies—like berets, flat caps, and fedoras.

Hairstyles: Dev Anand’s hairstyles changed with his movies. His styles ranged from the “roll” to longish front bangs to the flat hair.

Pray a tribute to Dev Anand—wear a scarf today. I’m wearing one!

All pictures courtesy: Dev Anand’s official website

In Fashion, trends

Winter mini-guide: How to wear woollens with a twist

Speaking ChicNovember 23, 2011November 23, 2011Leave a comment

When it’s dark and cold, I’m usually not in the mood to put on something chic, trendy or fun. Besides, it can be a bit difficult to think out-of-the-box with winter wear. So I’ve put together this this mini-guide to help you wear your timeless winter essentials with a twist. So your winter days don’t need to be dull. 🙂

The basic: Sweater/ jumper

The classic sweater is comfy, soft and available in a range of colours.

Below: Basic sweater from Zara, Santana stretch jumper from French Connection

Wear it different: Sweaters can be fun. If you like colours, opt for jumpers in pop colours or with patterns.

Below: Look from S.Oliver, Sweater from Benetton

The basic: Cardigan

The buttoned V-neck and round-neck cardigan is a winter essential for both men and women. Dark colours are especially great for the incredibly short days and long nights.

Below: Cardigan from Zara, Knit cardigan from Mango

Wear it different: The “unbuttoned” cardigan (aka “cover-up”) is a chic way to show off your top below or keep it casual. Think kimono-style cardigans with no buttons, cardigans with in-built belts and loosely worn cover-ups.

Below: Cardigan from Sisley, Dymo LS Long cardigan from Vero Moda

The basic: Winter dress

Long sleeves, muted colours, simple patterns and a hint of detailing—that’s a winter dress.

Below: Pleated studio dress from Zara, Linda 3/4 mini dress from Vero Moda

Wear it different: Try a knitted or crocheted dress with feminine frills like lace or other sheer fabric.

Below: Woollen dress from Sisley, Lace details dress from Mango

How are you wearing your woollens this winter—the basic way or with a twist?

In Fashion, trends

Winter picks: Have you chosen your coat yet?

Speaking ChicNovember 21, 2011November 21, 2011Leave a comment

If you haven’t chosen a jacket or coat to keep you warm this winter, then here’s a guide to help you choose. And if you’ve got a coat already, maybe you could consider these for your next purchase this season. Either ways, I’ve got some tips to help you decide what to look out for while buying the perfect jacket or coat.

Neutrals

Black, grey and beige coats are winter wardrobe essentials—they’re excellent for office, college or an evening out.

Chic tip: While you can’t go wrong with black or beige, look for a coat that has some interesting details—like a matching or contrast belt, decorative buttons and shiny zippers.

Below: Black belted coat from Sisley, beige coat from Benetton, Colour Block Wonderland coat from French Connection.

Patterns

While prints for the cold season came into vogue in Fall/Winter 2010-11, they haven’t made as much impact on coats and jackets. Even so, you can look for coats with subtle checks or patterns.

Chic tip: The animal print trend refuses to die out (pun unintended), and you can choose to wear one if you’re bold enough.

Below: Coat from Marks & Spencer, Houndstooth coat from Zara.

Anoraks

If you live in a cold town with strong winds, you will need an anorak for cold weather protection. Some anoraks are also water-proof and hooded.

Chic tip: Anoraks can add more bulk to your body than other types of outerwear for winter, so opt for one only if absolutely needed.

Below: Anorak from Mango

Which winter coat do you choose?

In Fashion, trends

Chic Trend: Jumpsuits for all!

Speaking ChicOctober 3, 2011October 3, 2011Leave a comment

So fashion “authorities” tell me jumpsuits are oh-so-last-season, but I spoke to a number of women who say they’ve still not got one. And they add: if they knew a jumpsuit was right for them, they’d go out and buy one. So here’s a look at the kind of jumpsuits out there, who they’re right for and how to wear them:

The denim jumpsuit
Frankly, denim jumpsuits were last seen in the 1990s and we wouldn’t recommend you go looking for them, but they do look great as dungarees or playsuits.
How to wear: Layer with a fitted tee and sneakers
Who can wear: Tweens, teens and 20s gals

Below: Denim playsuit from S.Oliver, Denim dungarees from Mango

The regular wear jumpsuit
These can be printed or mono-coloured, fitted or loose, long-sleeved or strappy, and can elongate your legs if worn correctly!

Wear it like: Lara Dutta

(Photo credit: Kreative Access)

How to wear: Wear with a thin or wide belt, and avoid wide legs please!
Who can wear: College students, younger-looking working women, petite women

Below: Ruffle-neck printed jumpsuit from Mango; Nelly S jumpsuit from Vero Moda

The evening wear jumpsuit
These are usually ankle-length and come in slinky fabrics like satin– sometimes with detailing like belts, metallic embellishments and drapes. They can be a great substitute for a formal dress.
Wear it like: Anushka Sharma, Rani Mukherjee

(Photo credit: Kreative Access)

How to wear: With killer heels, evening clutch and glam makeup.
Who can wear: (Almost) everyone

Below: Venetta drape jumpsuit; Sierra sateen jumpsuit—both from French Connection

The playsuit
After jumpsuits, playsuits (aka rompers or shortened jumpsuits) have made an appearance.
They’re cute, they’re mostly casual, and they are good for year-round hot weather, like in Mumbai.
How to wear: Since they’re casual, it’s best to accessorise with a mix of casual and formal accessories, depending on the occasion. Heels or flats, statement to simple.
Who can wear: Gals with great legs

Below: Wrap short jumpsuit from Mango; Playsuit from S.Oliver

Which jumpsuit would you like to wear?

In Accessories, Fashion

Chic Accessories: Paris Hilton handbags are now in India!

Speaking ChicSeptember 28, 2011Leave a comment

Paris Hilton came to India, partied and posed for pictures, and somewhere in that very short trip launched her handbags and accessories for India.

Paris Hilton’s signature collection of affordable luxury handbags and accessories is designed for the fashion conscious women who seek design, quality and durability in their bags. While we haven’t had a close look at the handbags yet, the pictures tell us they seem to be suited for women across age groups and for a range of occasions. So you could carry a Paris Hilton to work, lunch, shopping, or to a glam party.

Here’s Paris Hilton with some of her bags:

And here is a delicious bag—it’s a chocolate cake made especially for Paris! Smile We couldn’t help but marvel at the gold-finish accents:

Paris Hilton handbags are available at Shoppers Stop, Standard Max, Vijay Stores and standalone brand store at Rajouri Gardens, Delhi. The bags start at Rs 2000, going up to Rs 11,000.

The CEO of Brand Concepts, the company that will market the handbags and accessories in India, mentioned that there are plans to open eight exclusive Paris Hilton stores this year. BTW, Paris Hilton’s other products include watches, shoes and fragrances—thought not all of these are available in India yet.

Ladies—do you want to own a Paris Hilton?

In Advertising, Fashion

Chic Ads: Giselle Monteiro plays fashionista for Westside’s Endless Possibilities

Speaking ChicSeptember 14, 2011Leave a comment

Now here’s a fresh approach to Indian fashion advertising. Westside (the Tata-owned department store) has just launched a brand new campaign featuring Giselle Monteiro. You know Giselle— she’s the gorgeous Brazilian lass who made her debut in Love Aaj Kal opposite Saif Ali Khan.

(From Westside website)

In Westside’s new TV commercial, Giselle Monteiro plays multiple roles as she walks on the streets of Prague, dressed in different looks. So you see her as boho chic, androgynous, flower girl and smart city girl. As old men and teens swoon over Giselle, the gals all drive off together. And then we know it’s just one girl with an enviable wardrobe and lots of options to choose from.

The whole vibe is fun and flirty, while the music is Indian retro. 🙂 Here’s the ad:

After watching it once, we wanted to watch it again! While we’re not big fans of Westside’s western clothing options for women, maybe it’s time to pay another visit to the nearest store for a look.

What say, ladies? Do you like the fashion collection at Westside?

In Bollywood Fashion, Fashion

Bollywood Fashion: Manish Malhotra’s ramp-inspired clothes for Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard

Speaking ChicSeptember 13, 20117 Comments

This post on Kareena Kapoor’s clothes in her recent movie Bodyguard was due at least a week ago. But then I decided to do some additional research and go back to my six-m0nth-old archives to understand the story behind how Manish Malhotra chose his clothes for Kareena.

Here is Kareena Kapoor in the outfit she wore in the last scene of Bodyguard, and here she is attending Manish Malhotra’s Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011 show, and a model from that show.

We got four words for you: Kashmiri embroidery, chikankari work!

Key trends we spotted on Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard:

Chikankari on kurtas
Kashmiri embroidery
Sheer sleeves
Deliberate mismatching (eg: white embroidered kurta with yellow salwar and green dupatta)

Being a small-town girl, Kareena’s clothes are mostly Indian wear, the key outfits being kurti + loose salwar, and kurti + jeans. As for accessories, she is mostly wearing slinky bangles, statement neckpieces from local markets, and oh, her Vaio. 😉

Meanwhile… at LFW S/R 2011

At LFW S/R 2011, Manish Malhotra’s collection was heavy on Kashmiri embroidery and chikankari work, with either of these two crafts seen on every garment. Also, there were plenty of sheer dupattas. The pictures below are from the collection:

And at LFW W/F 2011, Manish Malhotra played a lot with contrasts:

It’s wonderful to see a designer create regular clothes using thematic elements from his fashion week collections. Ultimately, most women want to wear what Kareena, Katrina or Kalki is wearing in their favourite movie, right?

PS—A male friend of ours (and a Speaking Chic reader) is already raving about Kareena Kapoor and her red outfit in Chammak Challo from Ra.One. That’s Manish Malhotra again!

In Fashion, Men

Van Heusen India Mens Week 2011: Name an occasion, take your pick of clothes

Speaking ChicSeptember 10, 2011Leave a comment

Yesterday Speaking Chic wrote about fashion for all personality types at Van Heusen India Mens Week 2011 (VHIMW 2011) . Today we write about clothes for all occasions—straight from the VHIMW 2011 ramp.

Clothes for hanging out/ college/ casual Fridays

Cropped pants/ shorts, comfy hat and subtle stripes and checks are great for chilling our with friends.

Below: From Sanchita Ajjampur

Clothes for a foreign holiday

For the lucky dudes who are heading for a Mediterranean cruise or a relaxed holiday in Europe, we recommend neutral shades like beige, ivory and grey. Mix classic with the contemporary (like this structured jacket off-set by slinky cowls).

Below: From Karan Johar- Varun Bahl

For festive occasions

The season for celebrations is about to begin—Navratri, weddings, Diwali, and some more weddings. Time for sherwanis, traditional looks, and embellishments on rich fabrics.

Below: From Shantanu-Nikhil

For formal yet fun occasions

Sometimes a guy wants to have fun but would prefer to be classy over casual. Think blazers and jackets in fun prints and colours. Be bold!

Below: From Troy Costa, Manoviraj Khosla

Guys—which of these looks do you wear most often?

Showing all posts tagged 2011

New Year Fashion: Dress your best to welcome 2012

Chic 2011: 3 fresh fashion labels for an exciting 2012

RIP Dev Anand, thanks for the fashion!

Winter mini-guide: How to wear woollens with a twist

Winter picks: Have you chosen your coat yet?

Chic Trend: Jumpsuits for all!

Chic Accessories: Paris Hilton handbags are now in India!

Chic Ads: Giselle Monteiro plays fashionista for Westside’s Endless Possibilities

Bollywood Fashion: Manish Malhotra’s ramp-inspired clothes for Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard

Van Heusen India Mens Week 2011: Name an occasion, take your pick of clothes