Drool-worthy sports shoes are here!

There’s been a sudden surge of sports shoes at home recently. Between S and me, we have five pairs of various brands. Throughout my 13 years of schooling, I only had one sports pair: white canvas with laces, which had to be polished with thick and gooey white polish. We called them “tennis shoes”.

The few times I did go shopping for sports shoes, we’d fix a budget in mind and make a trip to Vama at Peddar Road. I’d try on a few pairs and then the most comfortable and “sensible” white pair was selected.

And then, for many years, I didn’t really need to buy sports shoes (I’ve never been a sporty or running or jogging or walking person). The sports shoes came out of the cupboard for holidays, vacations, picnics etc. And the shoes remained white and nice (and boring) for a long time. And then last year my white Nike pair (with a blue sswoosh) gave in, after several years of faithful service and support, and it was time to go sports shoe shopping again. I had started walking and jogging a bit and wanted good, no, great shoes. But when I went to the mall to take a look, I was blown away. I saw a mind-boggling range of sports shoes- different colours, textures, designs, some with fancy names, some with cool technology… and with several different uses. Shoes to wear with jeans, shoes for running, for walking, for tennis, for football, for fancy clothes… I was spoilt for choice. I finally settled for Reebook’s ZPump shoes in pink. Yes, PINK. And they look great, fit wonderfully, and have been holding me up for very long walks and runs.

Meanwhile, S needed to replace his old Puma pair. Again, white shoes, red logo. He’d decided to take up running (completed his first half marathon last week, yay!). S has bought three pairs since last year, two black and one blue, and he’s already looking for the next pair.

The transformation of our shoe rack (and our fitness level) has been incredible. We now own a colourful shoe rack filled with awesome-looking sports shoes.

Here are some awesome sports shoes lining up the stores these days, each with something “new” to offer, guaranteed to make you stand out in a crowd.

Colour crazy: Boys, make a statement with these black and gold MetaRun shoes from ASICS.

Asics MetaRun

Texture play: The two-toned mesh of the Skechers GORun Vortex shoes look super dynamic on the field.

Skechers GoRUN Vortex

Sporty but feminine: Ladies, here’s the purple sports shoe we’ve all been dreaming of! From Power Shoes (available at Bata).

Power by Bata Trail Zion (3) - INR 3499

Stars and stripes: When textures and colours abound, can prints be far behind? These patterned sneakers from Vans’ Americana collection will go great with jeans.

Vans Americana sneakers collection

High on tech: You just can’t go wrong with Reebok’s ZPump Fusion shoes (I own a pair!). The shoe molds itself to my foot and use the pump for cushioning and no-pain running.

Reebok ZPump Fusion - Rs 10,999

Which sports shoes are you planning to buy?

STYLE STORY: The Mexican drug lord’s “narco” shirt

When Sean Penn’s interview with (then fugitive) Mexican drug lord El Chapo Guzmán (or just “El Chapo”) was made public, it was sensational news around the world. Accompanying the news was a picture of El Chapo shaking Sean Penn’s hand, wearing a printed blue shirt. And then, El Chapo’s shirt was suddenly in demand. But who designed that shirt? And where is it from? This feature from El Pais (a Spanish newspaper) has the answers. Don’t just read it to know about the brand and the designer—think about the bigger picture here. It’s a fascinating story that began with religious persecution, then immigration, and is truly symbolic of globalization, international trade and the fascinating times we live in. It left me amazed (and amused!).

El Chapo in blue shirt with Sean Penn

I’ve translated important sections of the feature from Spanish (without help from Google Translate). Read on for an enlightening story about the famous “narco” shirt:

Last Saturday, while thousands of people were looking at a photo of actor Sean Penn and El Chapo Guzmán and wondering where it was shot, what they discussed or who took the photo, Sam Esteghball was focused on something else: the shirt that El Chapo was wearing was his. That is to say, the design. Esteghball is the owner of the shop Barabas in Los Angeles, and he had been inundated with emails from customers who had recognised the print and it seemed like they wanted to buy it.

Since then, orders have flooded this family business that creates its own designs and manufactures in China. “We have thousands of requests that we cannot fulfill [yet], but we are manufacturing more,” says Sam Esteghball in the store. They placed an order for a few hundreds of the shirts, like they do with all their designs, to sell them through exhibitions and to see how they do in the market. They did not imagine instant success.

Right now they are sold out, but Sam assures that he’s been requested [the shirts] for exhibition sales. If one makes an online request, rest assured, the shirts will be here in two weeks. On the internet, there are two shirts El Chapo was wearing- one in the photo, the second in the video.

At the entrance of the store the shirt from the photo with Sean Penn is clearly displayed, light blue with darker vertical bands and twig motifs, 100% cotton. It costs $128 in stores, a price that is cheap for this fashion line, according to Esteghball, who assures that it hasn’t risen this week. Sam defines the line’s style as “fantasy”, but the Mexicans know it as “norteño” [Mexican street gang] or “narco” [drugs]. Not exactly. The correct word in Los Angeles for that style is flamboyant. Flashy, ostentatious, garish, that calls for attention. That description is flawless.

Barabas is a small store in the well-known “fashion district” in Los Angeles, a euphemism that conceals a sea of warehouses and alleys where clothing business by most of the world and for the world is negotiated. In September 2014, the FBI confirmed that it was the epicenter of drug money laundering.

Photos of famous people posing in their clothes adorn the walls of the Barabas store in the city centre (there are two locations). You can assume right away that they have special success in the world of Mexican street gangs: Goyo Gastelum, Andrés Márquez El Macizo, La Banda Jerez, Jorge Gamboa, Javier Rosas y El Komander pose with their designs leaving from the store.

“That culture came to us, not the other way round,” assures Esteghball. He started the business with his brother nine years ago and it was around two years ago, he says, that he realized that the “narco culture” world had adopted his shirts, bright pants and safari jackets like those of his brand. They began to be copied by some of the others, he says. One enters Barabas and can leave dressed like El Komander in 10 minutes. They sell clothes to 5000 retailers around the world, which is why Sam says he had no idea where El Chapo bought his shirt, one of the richest men in the world, who could choose Armani, visible from Barabas.

The five members of the Esteghball family migrated to California 16 years ago from Shiraz, Iran. They are Jewish and the situation had become very difficult for minorities during the regime of the ayatollahs. Around a million Iranians live in Los Angeles- it’s the largest exile community of Iran in the world, to the point that there is an area called Teheángeles. The sons got into the fashion business because it was what their father did in Shiraz. El Chapo wears narco shirts designed by Iranian immigrants and made in China. That’s what the Republican candidates don’t notice.

 

Picture courtesy: Rolling Stone

TREND ALERT FOR MEN: Style tips to go short or long

Since it’s halfway through the year (what? June already?!), it’s time for a guy to update his wardrobe. There will always be tshirts and shirts to help change a man’s look, but how about updating your style with fashionable shorts and pants instead? From easy going shorts to comfortable jeans, here are some top choices and handy tips for the boys.

Shorts

Prints, checks, or good ol’ solids. Great for chilling at home, stepping out in the sun or for a beach vacation.

Trend Alert: Quirky prints on shorts (and shirts) are really hot right now. Play safe with polka dots and textures or go crazy with florals, camo prints.

Military print shorts from Ed Hardy

Ed Hardy mens military shorts

Linen shorts from Selected Homme (available on Jabong.com)

SHDott dark blue linen shorts H RS 3995

Denim shorts from Superdry

Denim shorts Superdry

Chinos

They’re comfy, easy and available in a range of colours. Chinos are quickly replacing jeans and formal trousers as the “smart casual” alternative to everything!

Trend Alert: After building up your chino collection with basics like khaki and black, stock up on bright blue, wine and olive green.

Complete look from Arrow

Arrow SS15 - Arrow chinos

Trousers from French Connection

FCUK blue chinos

Red chinos from Breakbounce

Breakbounce red chinos

Jeans

A man needs his jeans, no matter the season, the shade, the style.

Trend Alert: Skinny’s still in style, but wider leg and relaxed fits are slowly making a comeback. Look fashion forward already!

Complete look from Killer Jeans at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015

Killer Jeans Lakme Fashion Week SR 2015

Jeans from John Players

Mens Jeans John Players

Jeans from Lee

Lee mens jeans

Bollywood Fashion Guide: Kangana Ranaut in Tanu Weds Manu Returns

In my previous blog post, I did a look breakdown of Deepika Padukone’s indo-chic look in Piku. In Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Kangana Ranaut’s character Tanuja Trivedi (Tanu) is also seen in contemporary Indian wear but her definition of indo-chic is drastically different from Piku’s style.

Kangana Ranaut Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Tanu is a free-spirited quirky girl who loves having fun. As a married woman in London, she opts for Indian styles. So she wears saris in public, complete with mangalsutra and very noticeable sindoor. Her saris are mostly retro-style lacey ones, and in the opening scene she has bundled up in a beige trench coat over her sari.

Kangana Ranaut sari Tanu Weds Manu

Once back in India, the pre-marriage Tanu takes over, and she’s back to her colourful self. In the earlier film Tanu Weds Manu Kangana Ranaut opted mostly for greens and blues, but in this film her look is bolder than ever, choosing bright pinks and oranges.

Kanagana Ranaut in Tanu Weds Manu Returns look breakdown

Kangana Ranaut patiala Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Printed kurta or tee

Printed patiala

Bright printed or crushed dupatta

Accessories: Jhumkas (her favourite carried forward from Tanu Weds Manu), necklaces and stacks of bangles

Makeup: Lots of it, and usually very matchy-matchy. So if Tanu’s wearing a pink kurta, she’s applied pink blush and pink lipstick. And oh, there’s also a tiny bindi and tonnes of mascara and even fake eyelashes!

How to get Kangana Ranaut’s Tanu Weds Manu Returns Look

Kurta from Biba

Biba kurta

Patiala from Soch

Soch printed patiala

Dual-toned dupatta from Aurelia, available on Fashionara

Crushed dupatta

Sari from Pernia Qureshi

Pernia Qureshi sari

Jhumkas from Fida

Fida classic jhumkas

Pink bangles from Vidhya Kangan, available on Craftsvilla

Ethnic pink bangles

SUMMER CHIC: 20 pretty pieces you will love

Pastels, pops, prints and pinks,

All these chic choices make me blink,

In wonder I look at these summer faves,

Twenty reasons to make me rave!

Enjoy these drool-worthy picks for summer. 🙂

Pretty Prints

Dress from French Connection, Peplum top from Trendy Divva, Sling bag from Toniq.

French Connection printed floral dress

Trendy Divva Black Printed peplum top

Printed sling bag from Toniq

Pretty Pinks

Tunic dress from Label by Ritu Kumar, Shorts from Elle, bra from Amante.

Tunic dress Ritu Kumar, LABEL

Elle pink shorts summer

amante Serenity Bra, Pink Sherbbet,Rs.1395

Pretty Palettes

T-shirt from Being Human, Dress from Superdry, Bag from Holii.

Being Human tshirt

Superdry TIE DYE MIDI DRESS

Holii Hyacinth white orange bag

Pretty Pops

T-shirt from Ed Hardy, Studs from Fida.

Ed Hardy printed tshirt

Studs from Fida accessories

Pretty Pastels

Polo from US Polo Association, Pencil skirt from Miss Selfridge, Shoulder bag from Viari.

Yellow USPA tshirt

Miss Selfridge yellow pencil skirt

Viari Santorini summer shoulder bag

Pretty Pairs

Heels from Clarks, Ballet shoe from Melissa, Sneakers from Superdry.

Clarks Coral heels

Melissa metallic ballet flat

Superdry sneakers

Pretty Purses

Tote from Hidesign, Tote from Accessorize, Cutwork bag from Lavie.

Hidesign orange tote bag

Accessorize mirror tote

Lavie cobalt blue cutwork bag

Which pretty piece are you buying on your next visit to the mall?

The fabric you need to wear this summer- Liva

I have a whole list of summer clothing pet peeves- no denim, no clingy clothing, no itchy fabrics for me please. Of course, this doesn’t leave me with too many fashionable choices for summer.

Hopefully, this summer will be better because I’ve discovered a new age fabric that will make my summer (and other seasons) easier. This new age fabric is called Liva, made with natural fibres and developed by Birla Cellulose.

Fit for ‘Queen’

Liva’s ambassador is the talented actor Kangana Ranaut who wore this statement-making outfit at a Liva fashion show last week.

Kangana Ranaut for LIVA

Oh, Liva!

The fabric has got sheen, feels cool and soft against my skin, and is super comfy. Thanks to Liva’s fluidity, clothes won’t stick or cling to my body, nor make me feel warmer than it is. Luckily, several brands are already using Liva, and I got a closer look at the clothes.

Liva clothes

No more boxy looks! No more discomfort!

So what’s common among these dresses, kurtas and tees? For starters, they fall well, so no more weird fits or square shapes. And they’ve got a nice sheen that adds a luxe touch to any look.

Liva is being used by several fashion brands such as Van Heusen, Global Desi and 109 F (among others) and all Liva garments would be specially tagged so you can identify them while shopping.

Printed tops with Liva

Van Heusen dresses with Liva

New designs

Moving from high street to high fashion, fashion designers are already using Liva in their collections. Last week designers Anita Dongre, James Ferreira, Puja Nayyar, Sohum Dave and Narendra Kumar presented capsule collections made entirely of Liva. Their looks varied from easy flow to complex drapes, bold colours to vibrant prints. And the clothes? Tops, tees, tunics, kurtas, saris, pants… you name it, and it can be made with Liva.

Liva fashion show collage

If LIVA has you intrigued then please do get in touch with Media Moments for further details!

Fashion hits & disasters from the Obama visit

US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama bid India farewell yesterday after a three-day visit. Everyone talked about the renewed N-deal, the R-day parade and the town hall, but of course I’ll be talking about fashion. 🙂 Here’s my take on the fashion hits and disasters of the Obamas’ India visit. (More disasters than hits).

Disaster #1: Michelle Obama’s arrival dress

As her “arrival” dress, First Lady Michelle Obama wore a printed dress made by Indian-origin designer Bibhu Mohapatra. My take: not impressive! The floral print on the dress was too big, even for someone of her height and frame. Plus the lines across the dress added more confusion to the outfit. Maybe she could have skipped the matching jacket for a plain one.

Michelle Obama floral dres Bibhu Mohapatra

Disaster #2: President Obama names PM Modi a “style icon”

At the state banquet Sunday evening, President Obama stated, “The Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] is a style icon. I would also like to wear a Modi kurta.” Sure, while the Modi kurta is perhaps Indian politics’ latest contribution to fashion (remember Nehru jacket?), I don’t think PM Modi is a style icon. Yes, his wardrobe his carefully selected and he ensures he is well-groomed, but style icon? Nope! (one good reason below).

Disaster #3: Narendra Modi’s “selfie” suit

What looked like a pinstripe suit from afar at the chai pe charcha (evening tea), was actually lines and lines of the PM’s name all over. Take a look:

PM Modi suit tea with Obama

PM Modi suit tea with Obama

Now you know why PM Modi isn’t a style icon.

Disaster #4: … And the grey one

In the 1980s I remember all the male members of my family wearing grey “safari” suits, but the truth is that grey is not a flattering colour for most Indian men. But PM Modi wore light grey at the state banquet and well, didn’t carry it off. A darker grey or a navy blue would have looked so much better. And the tan shoes with the grey bandhgala? Oh no, no, no! :-O

Obamas PM Modi banquet

Hit #1: Michelle Obama’s state banquet dress

Ms Obama’s navy blue billowy dress with a gold and red print looked fantastic. She was a picture of poise and elegance as she greeted Indian VIPs. It was the right touch of colour, a pleasing print and totally appropriate.

Hit #2: Indian First Lady gifts FLOTUS a pashmina shawl

Awww… sweet gesture from Indian First Lady Suvra Mukherjee. I’m sure Michelle Obama receives plenty of gifts wherever she goes, but an authentic pashmina shawl is always special. I wonder if she will ever use it though? (No, don’t answer that).

 

Get Deepika Padukone’s top fashion trends from HNY

The Diwali release of this year Happy New Year starring Deepika Padukone, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, has several fashion trends to watch out for.

Styled by veteran fashion designer Manish Malhotra, Deepika Padukone is mostly seen in “performance” outfits, which mostly feature bling and shine. And then there a few hot fashion trends have been incorporated into Deepika’s wardrobe in the movie. Here are the trends, and where you can buy the looks.

Crop tops

You need a sexy midriff like Deepika’s to carry off a crop top. These super-short tees and tops are best worn with high-waist jeans or pants and a cool belt. Deepika paired her crop tops with track pants and dhoti pants for dance rehearsal.

Get the trend from: AND, Forever 21 (Below: Mint crop top from AND)

AND Mint Panel Crop Top- Deepika in HNY

Printed kurtas

Prints on ethnic Indian wear are not restricted to paisleys and Indian flowers anymore—there are bold multi-hued florals, abstracts, geometric patterns and even African tribal prints on kurtas now. I especially loved Deepika’s white kurta with a bright floral splash.

Get the trend from: Zovi (Below: Geometric printed kurta from Zovi)

Zovi geometric kurta

Refreshing colour palette

Like any feel-good Bollywood movie, the colours were bright and happy. Deepika’s off-stage kurtas and tees are from the citrus family- lemon and orange, with a hint of peach.

Get the trend from: Mango (Below: Pleated top from Mango).

Mango yellow top- Happy New Year

Deepika Padukone’s best outfit in Happy New Year:

It was the hands-down winner- the blue bustier top and embellished skirt Deepika wore to a party (in the song Indiawaale). Very glam, very MM!

Deepika Padukone in blue Indiawaale

5 top tips to trendy Diwali dressing

While we don’t usually put much though into our festive dressing, ethnic Indian wear is moving rapidly when it comes to designs and styles, with new trends coming every season. Here are some tips to help you wear these trends and look super-stylish this Diwali.

Tip 1: Experiment with embellishments

Embellishment sprayed all over your anarkali or sari are passé. The trend is toward embellishments on specific garments or sections of garments. This means pairing a heavy embellished dupatta from a lehenga with a simple kurta-churidar set, or heavily-sequined blouses with light saris. Embroidered borders on light saris and anarkali kurtas look great too. If you’re wearing calf-length anarkalis, opt for styles that have embellishments limited to the bodice. Also, look beyond stones or sequins—gold thread work, latkans (danglers) and shimmery thread can be great embellishments for Indian wear.

(Below: Look from Peppermint Diva and Anushree Reddy AW 14)

Peppermint Diva sari

anushree reddy look

Tip 2: Try prints for a change

We usually associate festive dressing only with embellishments, but why not explore the wonderful variety of traditional Indian prints? Block prints give a rich feel on luxurious fabrics, while leheriya saris with gota work are sureshot winners. Or try out any bandhini pieces lying in your closet, such as dupattas or saris. Of course, if you miss bling, look for pieces that have a dash of sequins or metallic embellishments.

(Below: Turi sari with gota border from Amazon, Block-printed suit set from Biba at Jabong.com)

Yellow leheriya sari with gota

Jabong Biba-Aqua-Blue-Cotton-Solid-Suit-Set

Tip 3: Mix and match

I know, mix and match as a fashion trend may be done to death recently, but it’s cool to create new looks from existing outfits. Mixing colours is easy, especially when you don’t need to match them. So pair the kurta of one outfit with the dupatta and churidar of another one. Or the gold blouse of your traditional sari with a new printed sari. Or throw a long or short jacket over your kurta. And who says you need to wear only traditional jewellery with Indian wear? Try diamond (or diamante) earrings with your ethnic outfits- you will be surprised how the fusion look works!

Below: Look from Ritu Kumar AW 2014 and Long jacket from Wrap Studio.

Yellow and orange suit by Ritu Kumar

Jacket from Wrap Studio

Tip 4: Update your accessories

You use your go-to metallic clutch all year round. This Diwali, try the batua instead (also known as a potli). They’re spacious, embellished and look great with ethnic Indian outfits, like saris and kurtas. When it comes to jewellery, you don’t need to follow the earrings-necklace-bangles routine. Instead, try on hair accessories like a maang tikka or clip, and ditch the bangles for a cuff and a simple gold-finish watch.

Below: Batua from Toniq, Jadau kada from Falguni Mehta

Toniq potli batua

Jadau kada by Falguni Mehta

Tip 5: Groom, groom, groom!

A gorgeous festive look is incomplete without the perfect makeup and hair, right? Go for fuss-free hair styles like a blow dry or iron for natural bounce and texture. As for makeup, make lip colours the focus—copper, champagne and burgundy are ideal for ethnic wear. And hey, red lip colours always work!

Bonus Tip: Always remember the basics of festive dressing (colours, fabrics, silhouettes)

Rich colours: Deep blues and greens, reds, pinks, corals, orange family. BTW, black is okay too.

Luxurious fabrics: Opt for silk and georgette over cotton and linen.

Flattering silhouettes: Anarkalis or salwar-kurtas to suit your body type, well-draped saris to create the illusion of height and curves, with thin borders for petite women.

Happy Diwali to all!

Bollywood Fashion: Sonam Kapoor’s designer explains her quirky look in Khoobsurat

A royal palace, a prince, and a very propah rani. That’s hardly the right place for a vibrant, quirky, almost boho clothes. But then there’s the movie Khoobsurat and Sonam Kapoor pulling off the most outrageous looks in this high-society setting.

Khoobsurat poster

Sonam Kapoor plays Dr Milli Chakravarty in Khoobsurat, and her hard-to-miss outfits will get your fashion radar beeping. There are quirky colours and prints, perfectly complimenting her candid dialogues. Karuna Laungani, who has designed costumes for Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat , explains how it all came together.

How did you go about creating the look for Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat?

I was inspired by her character Milli- she’s a very unique personality. She doesn’t care what the world thinks of her, and is bit of a tomboy. But she’s also feminine, a bit Indian and modern. Her look is therefore a bit androgynous mixed with prints. She has lots of things running though her mind at a time, which shows on her clothes. So she would probably end up in a pair of mismatched socks!

What did you keep in mind while designing Sonam Kapoor’s look?

The director Shashanka Ghosh’s brief was clear—Milli needed to stand out. The movie is mostly set in a royal palace, so everyone and everything there is very proper. With her kooky persona, the reaction she is mostly likely to elicit from people is: “OMG, what is she wearing?!” But Milli carries off the look and makes it her own. Sonam’s look by itself may not make sense, but with her character’s personality, it all falls together.

Khoobsurat selfie- Sonam Kapoor

So what is Sonam wearing in Khoobsurat?

Since Milli she expresses herself with what she wears, I’ve played around with androgyny that’s mixed with Indian prints. There is also plenty of layering, and mixing of colours and prints. Since she’s eccentric and experimental, she may not wear a typical salwar-kurta. Instead she’ll wear dhoti pants and a Rajsthani patchwork jacket. And she’ll wear boxers with cute onesies as nightwear.

Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat trailer

Where did you source Sonam Kapoor’s costumers from?

The sourcing was too much fun! We got to try a whole range of brands, looks and designers with all sorts of garments and accessories. I sourced a lot from Indian designers like Anupama Dayal, Karishma Shahani, and Pero (for scarves). From high Street, I chose Bhane for basics, and other brands like Vero Moda, Only, Zara and Asos. Her sneakers are from Adidas, worn with Happy Socks.

What about the accessories?

Milli’s accessories are fun, just like her. She wears Adidas sneakers throughout the film, they’re very sporty! You will also see her in jootis (since she’s living in Rajasthan) and her red watch. You would have already seen her maroon oversized spectacle frames in the posters and trailers. When it comes to jewellery, she’s wearing sensible studs (she’s a physiotherapist after all!), and there’s an arm party happening with lots of arm bracelets and arm bands! She probably got them on Friendship Day from her student days.

Khoobsurat-accessories

What is the one trend that you think stands out in the movie?

The Workout Look. Since Milli is a physiotherapist, she needs to wear practical clothes for working out. But she has fun even with her active wear. So she ends up wearing pink or blue tights with a striped sports bra, and interesting bomber jackets with floral prints.

What is the one thing you would to steal from Milli’s wardrobe?

EVERYTHING!! I like prints, colours, Indian textiles, and I love mixing everything up so it’s really difficult to say. But if I had to pick just one thing, I’d choose her sneakers.

Sonam Kapoor Khoobsurat poster

What is your favourite look from Khoobsurat?

It’s already on the poster. It’s a purple and pink cropped sweater with checked pants. Also, I like the dhoti pants with a blouse and blue shrug, with purple aviataors. It’s such a cool Indo-western look.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to take inspiration from Milli?

Think out of the box. You can clash prints and mix them up, or wear a fun tunic or kurta with denim and sneakers. You could try a printed skirt and printed blouse, but make sure they go together. It’s nice to wear Indian-inspired accessories (like silver jewellery) with skirts and shorts or even shirts. Electrical blue skirts would look great with sneakers and Indian kurtas.

All you need is the right attitude, and should know your style constraints. Of course, good taste in putting things together really helps. Most importantly, think about your personal style and what works for you and your body.

What was it like working with Sonam Kapoor, a fashion icon?

Sonam is an actor first, then a fashion icon. For her, it was getting into the skin of the character above anything else. She was very sporting and I loved how she could make every look work. She kind of inspires you to push the edge and try to do better. So when I would hesitate, she would say, “Come on, add another layer to this look”, and voila! It would look great.

Khoobsurat releases September 19 in cinemas across India.