Indian fashion with a modern twist in Family Man Season 2

Priyamani as Suchitra (Suchi) Iyer

In both seasons of Family Man, Priyamani (playing Suchitra) has stayed close to the style that would best be referred to as Indian chic.

In the second season, her wardrobe ranges from long kurtas to chic tops, and each look has an unmistakeable Indian element. It could be the silhouette (long buttoned dress resembling a flowy kurta) or the makeup (thin eye liner on the upper and lower lids).

Priyamani in Family Man S2
Photo courtesy: Amazon Prime Video

Despite the popularity of the Indian chic style on actors across the board (Deepika Padukone in Piku and Kangana Ranaut in Tanu Weds Manu Returns), Priyamani’s look is unique in its own way. For starters, the colour palette is not typically Indian. She goes for subtle colours instead of rani pink or crimson red. Her eyeliner is visible yet thin, not thick and bold.

Priyamani in Family Man S2
Photo courtesy: Amazon Prime Video

How do you personalise the Indian chic look?

Get Priyamani’s look

Dress from Fab India

Fab India teal cotton dress

Kurta from Libas

Green printed jurta from Libas

Lakme Eyeconic Kajal available on Amazon

Lakme kajal

Seema Biswas as Prime Minister Basu

As the Indian prime minister, Seema Biswas plays a no-nonsense, authoritative role. She’s a woman in a world of men. Men are always telling her what to do, advising her on everything from external affairs to international defence. But with a single-minded focus and mincing no words, she tells them to do their job and she will focus on hers.

As a representative of India on the global platform and the most powerful woman in the room (and in the country), Seema Biswas has dressed modestly, keeping in mind Indian sensibilities.

This means no pant suits or skirts, or even salwar kameez or churidars. She sticks to the sari with a sharp silhouette, stiff fabrics, ethnic motifs and elbow-length blouses that cover up most of the back and the upper arm. Loose, open hair is a huge no-no in formal Indian settings, no matter how well styled, so Biswas’s hair is tightly tied back in a bun.

Seema Biswas in Family Man S2
Photo courtesy: Amazon Prime Video

And since Indians generally don’t trust “fancy” women with makeup or glamour, Seema Biswas doesn’t wear any visible makeup.

But there’s one aspect of her wardrobe where PM Basu experiments. No, it’s not a sari with her name printed all over it, but a unique blouse cum jacket.

What’s that, you ask?

If you look closely at Seema Biswas, she is wearing a standard-styled sari blouse. It fits perfectly well on the arm and the sleeves end in a simple border. Her pallu is perfectly draped on her left shoulder over the blouse. But on the right side, the blouse fits OVER the sari, like a jacket. And if you will take a close look at the back, it’s not a regular sari blouse. It’s longer and covers the pallu at the back too.

Say hello to the sari blouse-jacket!

Now sari jackets are not new, they’ve been spotted on and off the ramp since years. But Seema Biswas’s blouse is quite a new concept.

I’m a little surprised with this design choice, but it was nonetheless refreshing to watch something new on screen!

Get Seema Biswas’s look

Handweave Maheshwari sari from Okhai

Maheshwari sari Okhai

Sari blouse from Fab Dadu, available on Myntra

Maroon saree blouse

Nude lipstick from Faces Canada, available on Nykaa

Nude lipstick from Faces Canada

Style & Shopping Guide: Deepika Padukone’s Piku look

FOUND: Deepika Padukone’s kurta from Piku! (Read on to know more).

In Piku, Deepika Padukone has one of her most unglamourous on-screen avatars. Here’s a complete style breakdown of Piku and where you can shop Deepika Padukone’s look.

Deepika Padukone in Piku

Deepika Padukone as Piku

Deepika Padukone’s character Piku is a working woman and always in a rush due to her father’s morning drama. No high-end designer wear or heavy makeup for her. Instead there’s minimal styling and accessories. Piku’s look is relatable and girl-next-door and indo-chic but deliberately non-colourful.

Clothes seem to be thrown together, her hair is almost a mess, and there isn’t much time for makeup and accessories either. She carries one big bag in which she can dump everything.

Deepika Padukone in Piku fashion

Piku (Deepika Padukone’s) complete style breakdown

Minimal no-fuss kurta

Loose pants (salwar pants or palazzos), sometimes skinny jeans

Long printed scarf/ dupatta tied on bag or loosely draped on her neck

Footwear: Flat sandals/ chappals

Bag: Large leather carryall/ tote/ shopper

Jewellery: Small drop earrings that go with almost everything

Sunglasses

Makeup: Almost none. It’s mostly a nude-ish lipstick and a small bindi

Shop Deepika Padukone’s Piku look

Blue and white kurta-pants set from Biba

Biba kurta set

Black kurta from Aks (available on Jabong.com)- exactly the same Deepika Padukone is wearing in Piku (see the first picture above)

Aks-Black-Kurti with pants

Maroon palazzo pants from Soch

Soch Maroon Palazzo Pants

Bag from Elespry

Elespry bag

Glares from Titan

Sunglasses by Titan

Drop earrings from Tanishq

Tanishq- drop earrings with pearl

 

Pick of the Week: The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream

I have a confession: I am not a fan of BB creams. I tried several of them (from Maybelline to Bobbi Brown) when the initial hype began, but none of them worked for me. Most BB creams made my skin look flakey or too grey, or the shades were not right for my skin tone. After spending lots of my hard-earned money on BB cream fails, I finally gave up on them.

But then, last month I tried out The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream (perhaps the tenth BB cream I’ve tried!). The shop assistant selected the shade 02 for me, and while I was initially hesitant about the colour, it was perfect for me. And voila, finally a BB cream I like!

The Body Shop BB cream

Why I like The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB cream:

  • First (and most important), the BB cream is right for my skin tone and it does not leave a grey film on my face.
  • The BB cream does not dry out my skin, nor does it make it oily. No adverse reactions, thank God!
  • The BB cream seemed to be in place even after an entire day of being out. (I refreshed once with a pressed powder).
  • The product provides good coverage, though not as much as a foundation. And yes, as per the claims, the product is light-weight!

So is it the perfect BB cream?

Not really. BB creams are supposed to be all-in-one products, but I did need a moisturizer and sun screen with this one. And while the product is good, it won’t be replacing my foundation anytime soon. The product is a tad pricier than other BB creams (it’s Rs 1095 for 40 ml), and I think it’s worth that price tag, that’s just me.

How I use the BB cream:

As advised by The Body Shop assistant I apply the BB cream after my moisturizer and sunscreen, using very little of the product (too much product makes me look dull and greasy). I apply the product like I apply a liquid foundation (little dots on the face and neck, then blend with fingers). Though the product has a foundation-like texture and consistency, it does not need a few minutes to “settle” like foundation. So I immediately follow it up with my favourite day compact powder.

Verdict: The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB cream has now become one of the most important products in my daily makeup routine. Enough said! 🙂

 

Rating: 4/5

MRP: Rs 1095 (40 ml)

The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream is available at The Body Shop stores and counters across India. You can also buy it online on The Body Shop website.

Note: The product was provided by the brand / its representatives for consideration. However, the views expressed in the blog are honest.

Chic Reviews: Beauty buys of the season

Chic Reviews: Beauty buys of the season

This summer I tried on several new skin care products. Liked some, didn’t think much of some, and fell in love with a couple of them. Here is my take on the products I tried. Would love to know what you think of them.

Sun care

Nivea Sun Light_Feeling_Face_Fluid
Nivea Sun Light Feeling Fluid SPF 50+
This sun screen fluid is Nivea’s attempt to stand out from other sun care products. For one, it’s really a fluid- the milky texture surprised me, and so did the saffrony tinge. The flowy liquid is easy to apply, and performs its job well (sun protection), though I found it a bit greasy initially. Also the price (Rs 449 for just 50 ml) is a bit steep.

Chic Score: 3.5/5

neutrogena-ultra-sheer-dry-touch-sunblock-spf-50-88-ml

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+
What can I say about Neutrogena?  The brand almost never disappoints, and this product lived up to its promise as well. The light fragrance and the equally light feel is just what I needed for summer. It has now replaced my Kiehl’s sun screen, which was four times the price! I use it on my face and rest of the body as well when I step out or go swimming.

Chic Score: 4/5

Face care

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion

Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion
I asked my friend to buy me this cream from the Sephora store in Delhi on a whim. All I had heard about Burt’s Bees was that the products were derived from natural ingredients. This cream is an excellent facial moisturiser for my dry skin, and I love the non-sticky feel. This cream has quickly made it to my top favourites list.

Chic Score: 4.5/5

NIVEA-Pure Effect-Total Face Clean Up

Nivea Pure Effect Total Face Cleanup
Despite the product packaging clearly stating that it’s meant for normal to oily skin, I was intrigued by the multiple uses (cleanser, scrub, pack) and the #just5mins claim. I’ve tried the face wash all three ways, and the product delivers on all its claims, from blackhead remover to visibly clearer skin. Despite my skin type, I just can’t stop using this “face wash”. If only they had a variant for dry skin, I would make it part of my daily routine immediately. (Anyone from Nivea reading this?)

Chic Score: 4/5

Body care

Forest Essentials Cream Vitamin_E
Forest Essentials Velvet Silk Body Cream (Vitamin E)
From the whole bunch of products I bought using a Forest Essentials gift voucher, this is my favourite! I have extremely dry skin, and this lightly aromatic cream is an absolutely rocking moisturiser. I loved the Vitamin E fragrance that lingered on my skin for hours, and the cream kept my body moisturised all day long. Unlike heavy creams, it was easy to glide over my skin. I’ve finished the 200 gram container already and I am very tempted to buy my next one, despite the price. The cream is worth every rupee of Rs 1,175 (MRP)!

Chic Score: 5/5

Makeup

Avon VitaLuscious lipstick

Avon VitaLuscious Lipstick

This affordable lipstick is deeply pigmented, has long-lasting colour (colour stays on even after lunch), and it really does soften my lips. I’m trying the Reviving Red shade, and it’s a lovely maroonish red—perfect for Indian skin tones! The best thing is of course, the price—Rs 329 wonly!

 

Which new skin products have you liked this summer?

Bollywood Fashion: Get Deepika Padukone’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani looks in just one step

Bollywood Fashion: Get Deepika Padukone’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani looks in just one step

Deepika Padukone can wear almost anything and look pretty in it. In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani her character Naina wears a whole variety of clothes and looks great in all of them. Unfortunately,  Deepika’s looks in the movie are as stereotyped and predictable as the storyline, sometimes inappropriate and sometimes just bizarre. I’m not too impressed with costume designer Manish Malhotra’s styling for this movie.

Either way, if you want to adopt Deepika Padukone’s looks, here’s a simple one-step guide to the three key looks she dons in the movie.

Geeky student

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Deepika Padukone

The plain Jane Deepika wears squarish geeky glasses that indicate her studiousness, with simple printed dresses covered up with a light jacket or cardigan. Her straight hair is pulled back into a ponytail or held back with a hair band. BTW, on cold nights, while camping in the Himachal outdoors, Deepika looks surprisingly cozy in knee length dresses!

One step look: Dark rimmed glasses.

Transformation time

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Deepika Padukone Balam Pichkari

Deepika Padukone’s transformation from geeky girl to sexy lass was completed in the most predictable way– by getting drunk, swapping the spectacles for contact lenses, and ditching the comfortable outfits for tiny shorts and prancing around during Holi (when most Indian women want to stay indoors).

One step look: Hot shot pants

Head-turning hottie
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Deepika Padukone Ranbir Kapoor

Once the transformation was complete, we didn’t get to see much of Deepika until a grand wedding in Udaipur. At the wedding, Deepika is pretty much the centre of attention with tiny blouses and low waist lehengas. With her low neck kurtas that are barely concealed by a dupatta, Naina is ultra feminine and desi sexy.

One step look: Midriff-baring lehenga or tight kurta.

Which Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani look do you want to try?

WIFW AW 2013: Masaba is more offbeat than ever with Satya Paul debut

WIFW AW 2013: Masaba is more offbeat than ever with Satya Paul debut

Designer Masaba Gupta finally made her debut for Satya Paul on the first day of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2013.

Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul WIFW AW 2013 Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul WIFW AW 2013

Masaba’s creations were quirkier than ever with lipstick prints and paint splotches. Lipstick motifs were all over the clothes and accessories—saris, dresses, vanity cases and clutches.

Masaba clearly made Satya Paul appealing to her fans and beyond with her offbeat prints, neon trims, and contrast jackets with saris. I can already imagine copies of the lipstick prints everywhere. Maybe nail paint is not too far behind? 😉

Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul WIFW AW 2013 Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul WIFW AW 2013

Take a look at Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul (WIFW AW 2013) in this video:

Chic List: Things that shine! (Part 2)

Chic List: Things that shine! (Part 2)

In my earlier post, I shared some carefully-selected clothes that “shone”, especially those with metallic finishes. Today it’s all about the accessories!

Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough metallic-finish accessories, but there are some glittering patent-finish and croc-textured options that put gold to shame. Here are my picks:

Bags

Metallic bag from Calvin Klein Jeans (love the texture!)

CKJ metallic bag AW 12

Croc shopper from French Connection

FC Camden Croc Zip Shopper Bag

Bag from Steve Madden

Steve Madden BPANDORA_FUSCHIA

Shoes

Metallic finish slip-ons and heels can dress up any outfit!

Vanilla Moon

504-MINK-BRONCE-METTALIC

Charles & Keith

Charles & Keith silver shoes

 

Steve Madden

Steve Madden SUTTTLE_DUSTY-GOLD

 

Jewellery

Pendant from Myra- The New Age Chic Collection by Tara Jewellers

Myra's the New Age Chic Collection by Tara Jewellers (1)

Bangles from Toniq

Toniq-9923 (1500 x 1000)

Bonus: Makeup that shines!

Maybelline hyperglossy eye liner

Maybelline hyperglossy liner

Body pigment powder from Inglot

body pigment powder 17 Rs. 800

Bollywood Fashion: Student of the Year is all about the brands

Bollywood Fashion: Student of the Year is all about the brands

Karan Johar’s movies are not known for portraying stark reality, but Student of the Year is based in a hyper-real world. The “school” in the movie (St. Teresa) is perhaps the size of Hogwarts, houses students who are impossibly multi-faceted, good-looking and rich, and even the “Bata” gang dresses in premium brands.

Student of the Year fashion

Brands, brands, brands!

Alia Bhatt is Shanaya, the vain bimbo, who marvels at her beauty and pampers herself with brands. You name the brand, and it’s there. Her introductory song (Gulabi Aankhein) has a chorus which mentions and features luxury brands like Manolo, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Stella McCartney. Really! Take a look:

And then begins a game of spot-the-brand. Rishi Kapoor, for instance, pops open a Burberry umbrella in the sun, and reads notes from a Louis Vuitton case/ folder. Alia Bhatt totes a Dior bag and an Hermes Birkin. Even the sportswear is sponsored- the football uniforms by Puma and the triathlon clothes by Fusion (a UK brand specialising in triathlon clothing). As for the men in the movie—they are walking-talking Ray-Ban advertisements. 😀

Student of the Year

Key Looks

Shanaya is a feminine girl who wears mostly dresses and skirts, sometimes hot shot pants. On a normal day, she carries a Birkin, and brings a Dior bag to her school canteen. The lucky girl also wears Manish Malhotra outfits to a wedding. Her wardrobe is so out of touch with reality that she doesn’t have “hospital” clothes.

Alia’s makeup (done by Mickey Contractor) is only about red lips, and her hair is straightened and slicked back with a cutesy hairband. This lucky young lady has got to wear the best designers and brands, but it’s unfortunate to see her in a uniform look throughout the movie (pun intended).

Alia Bhatt in Student of the Year

Rohan (Varun Dhawan) and Abhimanyu (Siddharth Malhotra) are The Dudes At School, so they look good in every frame. Varun plays an aspiring musician, hence quirky prints like Mickey Mouse tshirts and the like are his statement. Siddharth Malhotra is dressed a bit more “serious”. Even so, his character is “poor” enough to be on scholarship, but can afford Quiksilver tshirts, Aviators and designer kurtas. The guys’ buff bods work well for them and are an essential part of their look, since they need to look sexy in their body-hugging sports gear.

Student of the Year - Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra

Meanwhile, Rishi Kapoor’s gay character wears polka dotted and pink ties with mismatched shirts and blazers with quirky brooches on the lapel (like a koala bear and crystal-encrusted reptile!).

Student of the Year- Rishi Kapoor

The Coolest School

The uniform of this cool “school” is pretty awesome- you can wear anything you want, as long as you wear the school blazer over it. Manish Malhotra has styled the lead actors while Shiraz Siddique and Archana Walavalkar have worked with the supporting cast.

Alia Bhat Varun Dhawan in Student of the Year

Being a Karan Johar movie, all characters look good, wear cool clothes and are quite trendy. If I went to such a learning institution, I’d either die of brand envy or spend an hour a day choosing my wardrobe and fixing my hair and makeup. Not to mention I’d end up draining my family’s precious money on clothes. And of course, there wouldn’t be time to study. 😉

While Karan Johar has attempted to make the movie as slick as possible, but the high dose of fashion seems looks almost implausible in real life. So yeah, if you like good-looking movies, Student of the Year is for you. If you like good movies though, then you can bunk this class.

All Pictures Courtesy: Dharma Productions

Bollywood Fashion: Favourite looks from Yash Chopra films

Bollywood Fashion: Favourite looks from Yash Chopra films

Yash Chopra (RIP) made the biggest blockbusters over the past five decades, writing unforgettable dialogues, creating iconic characters and teaching us how to fall in love and how to avenge.

And somehow, his films re-wrote fashion too, sparking new trends, keeping women and their darzis quite busy. Here are my favourite looks from films directed by Yash Chopra.

Chandni

A rainy day. A girl in love, looking sensual in a chiffon sari (never mind the weather). This sari later evolved into a shaded one, worn with sleeveless blouses on the snow-clad Swiss Alps.

Sridevi in Chandni

(Picture courtesy: Yashraj Films)

Silsila

Rekha’s flowing hair, dark maroon lips, soulful thickly lined eyes– mesmerizing even today!

Rekha in Silsila

Deewar and Trishul

There were some serious business suits in Yash Chopra’s gripping dramas, comprising Sanjeev Kumar’s waistcoats in Trishul and Amitabh Bachchan’s bell bottoms in Deewar and Trishul. Fine tailoring, power dressing redefined!

Trishul

Veer Zaara

Manish Malhotra’s chikankari work gained popularity with Preity Zinta’s coloured dupattas and semi-patialas. Soon after the movie’s release, every cloth market in India had its own collection of “Veer Zaara suits”.

Veer Zaara

(Picture courtesy: Yashraj Films)

Dil to Pagal Hai

Skinny Karisma Kapoor wore hot shorts and sparked the superfit craze among women so they could flaunt their legs and abs. Madhuri Dixits’s sheer long kurtas worn over short choli-style blouses drove thousands of women to their tailors. (I was too young at the time, but I wanted to dress like Madhuri too!). Now that I’m grown up, I want to wear chiffon saris instead. (Check out the song in the video after the jump- you’ll know what I’m talking about).

dil to pagal hai

(Picture courtesy: Yashraj Films)

 

Bollywood Fashion: Heroine fashion is dull and uninspiring

Bollywood Fashion: Heroine fashion is dull and uninspiring

When I watched Heroine, I came back unimpressed- with the movie, most of its elements, and Kareena Kapoor’s wardrobe.

Kareena looks gorgeous for sure, and she has a powerful role as Mahi Arora the superstar, but her on-screen wardrobe is nothing to write home about. Manish Malhotra and his team have kept her wardrobe updated with some trends, but they mostly lack a punch. Most of the outfits fail to make an impression, while most are repetitive.

Kareena Kapoor in Heroine

For instance, while depicting Mahi’s shoots, we usually see her dancing in heavily sequined dresses (like all Bollywood songs are like that!), though at a couple of film shoots she is dressed in ethnic clothes.

Mahi- not a style icon

A superstar in today’s times is not just an actor, but also a fashion icon and trendsetter, much like Kareena herself. She is known for making saris on the red carpet glamourous, staying covered up and feminine (she rarely sports cleavage or super short hemlines). She carefully steers clear trends like bodycon dresses (though she has a lovely figure), and likes to have fun once in a while with prints and silhouettes.

Kareena Kapoor at Indian Idol

Mahi, on the other hand, makes no style statements, though she does dress well and looks gorgeous almost all the time. Mahi’s off-screen avatar is a tad more interesting, like the blazer she wears to a store opening in Delhi and the long kurta-churidar at a wedding (obviously designed by Manish Malhotra). And the resort look for the yacht getaway with hottie Randeep Hooda.

Kareena Kapoor in Heroine

Mahi’s at-home clothes are a tad more interesting, like the black top with shoulder holes paired with dark green skinny jeans, and the printed long top she wears as a dress.

Fashion repetition

A word on red carpet dressing- while Kareena looks stunning in the red gown and statement neckpiece at her movie premier, the look reminded me of the auction scene from Agent Vinod- from the silhouette to choice of accessory. Oh, and the semi-sheer Halkat Jawaani blouse reminded me of the red blouse Kareena wore in Chammak Challo (Ra.One).

Kareena Kapoor in Heroine

A word on Kareena Kapoor’s makeup

The winner in the movie is Kareena Kapoor’s makeup (done by Mickey Contractor). Not only does the actor look gorgeous in every scene, the no-makeup looks are almost realistic. You can see her under eye dark circles when she is home, and her chapped lips when she shuts herself at home for several days.