Cannes-t Get It Right

What can I say except that it’s a shame that women who’re in the glamour industry and who have a retinue of designers and stylists designing for them and styling them, cannot get their act right. At the biggest red carpet events at that.

Aishwarya Rai’s first appearance at the Cannes Film Festival 2010 in a pale blue Elie Saab Couture gown was a disaster.

There were a number of problems with her look:

1. That gown is meant for someone thinner and more toned than Aishwarya Rai, currently. She looks like she’s gained quite a bit of weight recently, which is fine. Totally fine. But the fit of that gown is very unflattering on her. It makes her look podgy and highlights her big hips. She should’ve chosen a gown that suited her current body type better and congealed the flab.
2. The color of the gown on her skin tone, along with the mute make-up, make her look completely washed out. She should’ve gone with a pink/pink-purple lipstick. A little bit of pink, rather than nude, on the cheeks wouldn’t have hurt either. L’Oreal generally does a much better job of her as far as her make-up is concerned, so I’m surprised.
3. THE HAIR! THE HAIR!! THE HAIR!!! L’Oreal needs to shoot their stylist. NOW!

Her second appearance was MUCH better in comparison, but she still doesn’t quite cut it for me.

This gown again highlights her big hips and fully exposes her untoned shoulders/chest/arms. An off-shoulder gown with an empire waistline or a silhouette that’s more clean & structured from top to toe would be more flattering on her.

Aishwarya Rai did give us a fab look later which is up on my Ab Fab blog!

All said and done, I’m surprised that L’Oreal’s stylists mess her up so bad at Cannes almost every year. If it's not the outfit (remember the parrot green Neeta Lulla horror?), it's the hair!

I think Aishwarya Rai should seriously consider traveling with her own stylist - one who can give her an international look given that it's Cannes and she goes there as one of L'Oreal's brand ambassadors and not a representative of India/Bollywood per se. Afterall, she looks much better at events in India. Her stylists know what looks good on her and what doesn’t, where as L’Oreal’s stylists may not understand her face/body type so well given that they are more used to European/American faces & body types. And come on, after being in the industry for years, Aishwarya Rai should know what works on her & what doesn’t!

Deepika Padukone also made a Red Carpet appearance but in a sari, an off-white & gold Rohit Bal saree to be precise.

The saree itself is nothing exquisite, and it's more suitable for a formal dinner or wedding.

Secondly, it's tied too low (that large expanse of midriff does not look very elegant with a sari). The pallu is pulled up too tight and falls unevenly at the back. The blouse looks like it’ll ride up any minute! (Someone please explain to me why she's jutting her chest out in that picture?) Even her make-up is amateurish – the base is unevenly spread (notice the dark areas around her mouth).

I feel Deepika Padukone should have worn a gown on the red carpet. She has a very Western body structure – tall & lean – she would’ve looked good in a strapless gown.

What are your thoughts on these appearances?

Photo courtesy: www.highheelconfidential.com, www.rediff.com, www.24-worldnews.blogspot.com

I Need a New Winter Wardrobe

Let me explain why.

Once upon a time I lived in a land far away where winters meant sub-zero temperatures, wind that was so chilly it would turn the tip of your nose red, snow, turtle neck tops, sweaters, jackets, woolen socks, caps & gloves!

Then I moved to a land much nearer home (a.k.a. Mumbai) where 20 degrees Celsius (approx. 70 F) was considered the thick of winter! The turtle necks, sweaters, jackets and the likes I had so lovingly bought in the land far away were permanently relegated to the dark recesses of the cupboard, only to be brought out for an airing once every November in the hope that temperatures would dip to a level that would justify putting them on without getting certified a freak of nature, and would promptly be sent back to the recesses they were pulled out of after the airing. To be brought out again next November.

Now I’m in a place where I can wear at least one of them at a time – turtle necks OR sweaters OR jackets. When I took them out for airing this past November, it struck me that they have suffered the ravages of time. They have faded & started looking really old. Not to mention most of them cannot accommodate a permanently expanding body anymore!

So, I went shopping for winter clothes with The Boy.

Mistake 1. Never go shopping with a boy when you’re having “weight management issues”. The clothes he will pick out for you will be incredibly sexy but you will not fit into any of them. They will make the tyres on your stomach look like the safety tube you wear around your waist when you’re leaning how to swim!! Not only will you end up miserable because you didn’t fit into any of the nice clothes around, the boy will never let you hear the end of it. He will poke and grab and pull every tyre around your waist till you are feeling positively shitty about yourself.

Mistake 2 – Don’t pretend you will fit into any sexy outfit the boy picks out for you and attempt to try it on in his presence. You will only end up embarrassed and imploring Mother Earth to open up and swallow you whole right then, given that The Boy’s girth is half that of yours and he fits into, AND looks amazing, in anything HE tries on!

The most intelligent course of action in such a scenario would be to pretend you don’t like the sexy clothes he's picked out for you, and that your taste in clothes is much more evolved and sophisticated than THAT. And then suggest you go eat something instead since all that hunting around for clothes has left you famished. Boys are sensible creatures you know…they will never stop you from eating (within limits, of course) as long as you promise them you’ll take yourself to the nearest gym and pledge a lifetime of emptying out your wallet and Swiss bank accounts to get yourself tortured.

Whether you end up dragging yourself to the gym later won't matter. Sensible boys can also be distracted easily ;-)

*****

Cashmere Boyfriend Sweater - Gap, $98

Cashmere Shawl Popover - J. Crew, $129.99

Cowl Neck Sweater Dress - Banana Republic, $98

Puffed Vest - Gap, $49.99

Cropped Trenchcoat - Gap, $79.50

Mid-length Trench Coat - Gap, $88

Wool Trenchcoat - Banana Republic, $230

Wedding Bells

Gotcha!

Not mine.

But people around me are getting married like it's soon going to go out of fashion! There is a line-up of weddings in December & January. All fairly close people which means I need to show up at more than one function (the wedding), and I have a grave problem at hand…I don’t have enough Indian party wear! Heck, I don’t have enough Indian wear in the first place except sarees, which in my perpetual state of “healthiness” and my terrible draping skills, make me look like a freshly-fed cow!!

The thing is I don’t buy salwar kameezes for myself except for a kurti here or there, for work purpose, that I dunk over a white churidaar. Usually. Most of my salwar kameez shopping is done by my mom. She just buys a bunch of suit pieces, and my sister & I choose the ones we like when we’re home or when she comes over. Like most Indian moms, she has an amazing rapport with shop keepers who gladly take the rejects back.

The problem is most tailors don’t do a good job with party wear. In any case, you’d like to have some embroidery on your party wear, which is outside their realm. So one is left with no choice but to go to designers (boutique owner types) who milk you for all that you’re worth. But then, when you’re resembling a freshly fed cow, you’re not left with too many options.

Gah, I hate the wedding season!!

The Clothes Story

We usually talk about how the people we come across in our lives change the way we are as human beings, influence our opinions, thought-processes, behavior & all those exalted things. But has someone you’ve come across ever changed the way you dress?

Well, it’s happened to me for sure – for good or bad.

I used to be pretty much an eye-liner & hoops girl till I moved to Bombay & started living with this crazy chick from PR (said with utmost fondness believe you me). She brought along earrings (bought mostly from Colaba Causeway), a variety of flat sandals/chappals & multi-colored Oshos (again from Colaba Causeway), the ubiquitous Cotton World (that till date dominates my wardrobe, much like Gap & Old Navy did during my college days) and just the right amount of “bling” in one’s overall appearance to give one that edge without being over-the-top!!

And then came A. Before you raise that eyebrow, I do not dress like a boy now! ;)

A makes me think about the clothes I buy. He is anti wearing stuff pulled off the shelves at Shoppers’ Stop, Pantaloons, Westside & the like, for the simple reason that almost every other person would own the same outfits. (Thank God Cotton World isn’t everyone’s favorite haunt or what would I do!!)

He picks colors that aren’t very common. He’s conscious of every inch of fat on his body (the one teaspoonful that he probably has!). He’s very aware of what looks good on him & what doesn’t. He’s insists one must be very careful not to pick outfits that highlight those parts of one's body where fat has applied for & gained permanent residency!

And with time, you start to think like him too…Much to your aggravation because for people like me, who have been lovingly blessed with many many tablespoonfuls (heck, make that truckfuls) of fat on their body, it can be a pain to find an outfit that you like AND which isn’t very common AND which doesn’t highlight your fat reserves.

Sigh....the cruel ways in which nature, society and God (if there is one) choose to show their love for us!!

Lycra, The Cling Thing

Cleavage revealing outfits - No problem! (Women's lingerie has come a looooong way since the white cotton 'Lovely' bras which make your boobs look like pointed machine guns)

Short dresses - No problem! (In fact, the shorter the better! ;)

Lycra - F*&^%$!*&^%$@#$ - They cling to your abs like they'll never let go!!! How many of us have Bipasha Basu abs, inspite of all those excruciating hours spent training your abdominal muscles at the gym???

This is what Lycra has to say for itself: "LYCRA® fiber, from INVISTA, is made for clothes that love you back with your favorite fit and comfort, making you the perfect you" (taken from Lycra.com)

"Clothes that love you back".....Yeah right!!!!!

I be very sad :(:(:(

Skirting the Issue

WARNING: GIRLY POST AHEAD

Moonshine put up a post on skirts. I just HAD to follow it up with one of my own!

I love skirts. There is no attire, except gowns & saris, that can make a woman feel as feminine and fabulous as a skirt can. You start feeling pretty the moment you put on a skirt, it's that powerful! :)

The other reason I love skirts is because I associate them with spring & summer. And the moment I think of spring, visions of flowers in full bloom all around and a pleasant breeze start flashing in my head. I quite dislike wearing jeans during the summer, so a skirt works just fine :)

I mostly wear knee-length skirts.....sometimes with stilletos for a dressed up look but mostly with flip flops or any other kind of flats for a casual look. I have the most trouble with skirts that end midway down your calves. I just don't know what kind of shoes to wear with them! Flats.....Heels.....Wedges? Nothing looks good on them.

My favorite though are really short skirts that one can wear with knee-length boots. They can kill ;)

I remember as a kid I used to feel really shy wearing trousers! Or jeans for that matter. For what joy, I do not know. But I used to howl....I used to howl my lungs & eyes out the moment I saw my mom laying a pair of trousers on the bed before taking me in for a bath. I was such a dumb child.....I'd never run around the house and give my mom hell. I'd just stand there like a stupid child & cry!

I used to play mainly with boys so I don't know why I was so shy of wearing trousers. I just felt so awkward in them. I would only wear skirts & frocks.....spaghetti, tube, halter, the works! And I'd make my mom get these really lovely gowns stitched for me on my birthday every year, that I'd wear for my birthday party. I had quite a few of them accumulated across the years.....don't know where they are now!

Point is.....I used to be really girly when I was a kid. Traces of it still remain.....I love dressing up every once in a while, love wearing heels, love to wear earrings, love wearing skirts, love pink! But for the most part I dress conveniently which includes jeans, capris, shorts and the like.