Uniquely Carrie

What makes her brand of fashion and sense of style truly special is that it defies all categorization. The most fashion forward of the four SATC girls with her nameplate necklaces, flamboyant flower pins, baguette bags and stackable jewelry has given us way too many fashion moments to get any more specific. While we are yet to see whether or not as word has it, if SJP is a disappointment in the movie’s sequel, here’s how you can personalize her legendary style.


• Carrie is a trendsetter which is why individuality is key. So, always wear something that’s uniquely you.
• Wear your mood. Understand the power of letting your outfits mimic your emotions
• Build on the classics. Sarah Jessica Parker is known for her love of vintage clothing. She’s known for lending classic pieces a twist by wearing them in unexpected ways and adding funky accessories.
• Get bold with fashion choices and go a little crazy while mixing and matching. Contrast florals with pin stripes or psychedelics.
• Comfort does not have to equal frumpy. SJP’s brand of fashion is fashion that feels just as good as it looks.
• For Carrie there is never a moment without fashion. Continually put effort into your appearance (Remember the necklace with pyjamas?)





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Second skin

Every red carpet event has atleast one of our favourite style muses fabulously turned out in beautiful nude.Just this year at the Grammys we spotted Heidi Klum in a Pucci tunic and Katy Perry in a floor length, backless gown by Zac Posen and at the 82nd academy awards Miley Cyrus in a champagne coloured Jenny Packham gown, Demi Moore looking as splendid as ever in her nude Atelier Versace and then ofcourse there was Sandra bullock in a stunning dull gold number fashioned after the Oscar stauette itself.Not to forget Michelle Obama’s controversial champagne dress that created a flurry well ahead if time. While conventionally Spring Summer has always been about colour, this summer its more about the lack of it. Warm flesh tones of honey, cream or pink beige, soft nutmeg and pale caramel are some tones of nude to choose from. Pink champagne, a delicate combination of ivory and beige has been forecasted by Pantone as one of Spring Summer 2010s hottest colours


1. Pick the right fabrics, making sure they’re not too tight; body-hugging silhouettes that look like another layer of skin aren’t flattering at all. They should instead drape and float away from the body
2. Always choose a shade that is different from your actual skin tone to avoid looking washed out.
3. For definition mix nudes with black and darker neutral tones like brown, navy and gray
4. Punctuate a single nude item with contrasting black pieces
5. Stay away form delicate and girly and wear this non-color trend with attitude by contrasting with tough accessories

Footsie:
Dip your toes into a palette of beige, crème, blush or champagne this season because nude shoes elongate the leg and instantly give the illusion of a slimmer silhouette

This season's barely-there apparel isn't just for women. More designers, especially European, are featuring sheer knits and shimmery, neutral-toned shirts for men.

Element Y

From canary to acid, bright and fun … now is the perfect time to sport a little sun

My fascination for yellow started off this summer with a pair of Inc 5 sandals I picked up. Yellow has never been a favourite colour so what actually drew me to the sandals was the sturdy block heel that’s both super stylish and equally comfortable (despite being almost 5 inch) to walk in. But it’s a wonder how these sandals manage to energise just about any look. The sandals resulted in a fashion resolution. I realized the right shades of yellow (No, not CSK tee shirts. I am not even going there) when complimented rightly by other colours are great to work around especially in summer.

The predominant tone of yellow this year is acid and neon which makes
it even more important to balance out the visual effect with neutrals.

DIY
Yellow + Black =Taxi
Yellow + Soft Grey= Chilled out
Yellow + White= Dewy fresh
Yellow +White +Black= Heads turn

Shade card
Olive tones- Go crazy. Sport the most incandescent shades from the color palette.
Fair skin- To avoid looking pale try less vibrating variations of yellow
Dusky- Perfect in small doses. Accessorise or layer with white

His
Accessories are the best way to incorporate this shocking shade into your wardrobe. Try a sports watch or shoe laces on white shoes or layer with dark grey.

Fashion heals

Unless you’re the Carrie Bradshaw type who would opt for buying Vogue over dinner, if had to choose, this theory may not exactly appeal to you. But give it a chance, put it to practice and sure as hell you will soon be propagating it yourself. At the risk of being condemned as shallow and materialistic I confess I have found therapy to everything from bad head aches to heart breaks in guilt free shopping and unadulterated fashion. Even writers block. Believe it or not after two months of not being able to put together so much as an interesting paragraph this month’s edition of Vogue and rushes of Sex and the City 2 finally got me to writing again.
I know a lot of people who would back me up if I claimed that gorgeous heels can trigger serotonin levels in ways that gooey chocolate cannot. And no I am not talking only Manolo Blahniks. Unlike Carrie, in the real world columnists mostly receive four figure salary cheques, so my mood lifting, stress busting indulgences so far have ranged between fashion mags and a very chic flip phone. Apart from the instant gratification – the feel good factor, the mags have also yielded the lifelong benefit of teaching me to embrace, love and work around my petite form and having a fashionable phone gets a conversation started every time I have to network at an event.
I have often wondered why nobody prescribes window shopping for work stress, hair spas for head aches or LBDs as an aphrodisiac. They definitely work. Nobody seems to have dwelt too much upon the psychological aspects of fashion. As crazy as it might sound there is a psychology to it that has hardly been explored. Fashion in all forms (good shoes, jewelry, great clothes), in my opinion, is the best expression of self love. And as we all know there is nothing quite as instantly rejuvenating as a small dose of self love.

The devil’s advocate

At the rate of 300 words per minute interrupted only by contagious laughter Catherine McQueen tells me how the only thing she gets high on is music and I immediately know this is going to be interesting. Well, how could it possibly not be, sitting before me at the Taj Mount Road was a bond girl who has dabbled in everything from modeling to soliciting, been the face of brands like Chanel and Dior and could twist an arm if necessary thanks to four years of Tae Kwondo. From graduating with a degree in Law from the prestigious Edinburgh University to hosting shows for MTV and ESPN she is determined to make the most of the one life that she believes everyone gets.
After having learnt that she personally prefers Rnb to other genres, I steer the conversation to turntablism and her celeb Dj status as she is in the city to spin house tracks at Blend the same evening. I wonder aloud if her dance track ‘Time after Time’ reaching no 15 in the US Billboard Charts is what got her started and she explains, “A few years back when my modeling contract of three months had ended and I had nothing much to do in L.A, Emma, a friend of mine from my modeling days in UK who worked as a dj asked me if I would be interested in joining her. With a little help from her I was soon hooked on and yes the dance track helped too.”
The 5’9” stunner who started modelling at the age of 16 after being chosen finalist for Scotland in The Elite Model Look pageant, claims she’s a jean and tee girl who loves high heels because they instantly make her feel sexy. Speaking of brands she’s very much in awe of Louis Vuitton. “ I have had this amazing LV bag for quite sometime that has been to the jungle, the desert, the beach and has practically been thrown around, but is in great shape till today(touches wood). So I guess I can say Louis Vuitton is a brand I definitely swear by”
For someone who has worked and lived out of a lot of cities around the world she brings up London and L.A quite often during the conversation leading me to further delve into the relationship she shares with both places. “Eventhough I am scottish, London is a lot like home to me. I absolutely love the place, but the weather sucks. Maybe if I could have place like london with the weather of L.A, then I would have my ideal city”, she laughs.
While she might be a bond girl in the widest sense of the term, making an appearance in the Pierce Brosnan starrer ‘Die Another Day’ is something she says, will always cherish. “ I have been fascinated by James bond ever since I was five and I have always loved watching the International espionage kind of movies. So being a part of one felt truly amazing.” Going by the fact that she has toured India quite a bit over the years and also played at Sunburn 2009(Goa) I bring up Bollywood and she animatedly describes her experience of watching Sanjay leela Bansali’s ‘Devdas’ on a Diwali with friends.“I just loved how beautifully the colours were shot and Aishwarya rai is really really beautiful” she adds.What would be her reaction if someone chose to cast her in a Bollywood flick I ask and she excitedly quips, “ Fantastic! I am there” and bursts into laughter.

Forever

These sensible wardrobe investments will see you through anything from the psychedelic rage to the monochrome craze, even global recession

In the highly erratic world of fashion nothing is as constant as change. By the time you’ve figured out fall’s colours it’s already time to stock up for spring summer and just when you’ve picked up the season’s ‘it’ bag you realize it doesn’t exactly go with anything you already have in your wardrobe. While experimentation with trends is fun, investing in these classic pieces will ensure you stay stylish not just today but well after even all of this season’s hottest trends have faded into oblivion

1 The LBD
Invest in a Little Black Dress today and wear it five years from now and you will still turn heads. Little or ‘not so little’ (even maxi versions of the dress work great) a versatile classic that is definitely not going to exit the fashion scene anytime soon.

2 White button down shirt
A crisp, well-cut white shirt is a constant in most of the world’s best dressed men and women’s wardrobes.

3 Aviators
Popularised by the movie Top Gun in the 80’s, they have been around for quite a while now. The reason every guy should own a pair is, irrespective of your face shape you will always find a pair that looks great on you.

4 Dark wash jeans
The classic dark wash is a must have for both men and women. With just one pair that fits well you can effortlessly pull off a minimum of five different looks.

5 Black dress pants
They may never make a statement on their own but can multitask like no other garment. Boardroom/bar/barbeque/night club/fat days they work for all occasions and all seasons.

6 Black Dress Shoes
The unmistakable staple of a gentleman’s wardrobe. Dress up with polished loafers or choose a slip on style in relaxed leather for casual occassions

7 Chiffon saris
Lithe, modern and perfectly reflecting the spirit of the emancipated woman of today chiffon saris are everything that the traditional nine yards were never meant to be. Embellished or underplayed, they will never get dated.

8 Sports Jacket
In a solid colour like black, navy blue or brown because patterns can fade in and out. Sports jackets have a slightly more relaxed fit when compared to blazers

9 Pumps
Shoes that require no fastening or lacing, as the foot could be slipped into them. A good pair of pumps with towering heels will see you through many seasons to come

10 Short kurti
When designer Monisha Jaising cut the length of the kurta, little did we expect that it would soon acquire cult status. Frequent attempts to write off the humble garment as ‘so last year’ have failed because of its high comfort factor and flaw concealing benefits.

New woman

Just by insisting they would never want to be considered the ‘superior’ sex and would rather be treated as a respectable equal they confirm, most subtly, an undeniable superiority of thought

There was a time when she let others take charge -the conformist. Time passed, she read, she traveled, she rebelled -the feminist. What is she today? How does she define herself? This is what I set out to discover when in conversation with these five very talented women who supremely value their independence just as much as they respect relationship ties. Just by insisting that they would never want to be considered the ‘superior’ sex and would rather be treated as respectable equals they managed to confirm, most subtly, an undeniable superiority of thought. Going by their opinion on everything from eating alone at a restaurant, going dutch on a date, to riding motorcycles and single women adopting kids (increasingly common to an extent that probably by next women’s day you will not even think it’s a big deal) it turns out that the ‘new woman’ is way too busy discovering new things, spending quality time with herself or being a super mom to engage herself in meaningless gender based power games or for that matter even feministic bra burning.. As Rehane put it, I guess it indeed is passé to even give gender issues so much of thought.

Paloma
VJ

Top gear:I think a woman riding a motorcycle is very sexy, those who do definitely have my admiration but it requires certain skills that I myself do not possess. If I was any better with automobiles I would definitely have considered giving it a try.

Anjali Venkat
Artist

Top dog:I think being in a relationship with a less successful spouse has never been an issue for women because its men who have been conditioned to believe that they have to be the bread winners and yes the world is cruel too, which doesn’t make it any easier.

Rehane
Designer

Table for one:
I travel a lot and have eaten alone at restaurants and bistros a lot of times. I think its something that’s completely necessity based. You are hungry when on your own, you go grab a bite. I see no reason why you shouldn’t just because you are a woman.

Surya Dinkar
Photographer

Cheque please:Even today men at some level men like it when you are dependant on them. Picking up the tab seems to give them a sense of superiority, which is why I would never let a man pay for me unless he was my boyfriend. I always prefer going dutch.


Lata madhu
Entrepreneur

Single mom:I personally know single women who have adopted kids and I think anything women do, they do it with a lot of passion so there is no reason why they shouldn’t. This may not be the ideal choice but I know women who are doing a truly fabulous job.