The Brunette Diaries

Fashion habits that are bad for your health

Many people describe fashion as an exciting, transformative and communicative attitude. Although they may be right to an extent, they fail to include (and understand) the most important aspect that goes with fashion. That aspect is – comfort. It is upsetting that there are some facets of fashion that cause more harm to you than anything else does. Some fashion habits could damage your body and overall well-being; read on to know what to avoid and still stay fashionably healthy.

High heels:

We all have a separate shoe-closet filled with all our ‘sole-mates’. But wearing high heels is one of the worst things you can do for your body alignment. When you walk on the balls of your feet your torso tilts forward and you lean backward which puts an incredible amount of stress on the spine and compresses its discs over time. Try not wearing high heels very often.

Crash diets:

So your best friend is getting married in a week or two and you want to look the second best after the pretty bride. Do you find yourself resorting to crash diets or heavy workout sessions? Beware ladies; you might be risking a lot here. Suddenly restricting your food intake for the sake of looking “skinny” can ultimately slow down your metabolism, which can cause weight gain in the long run. Fasting does not help either as it may lead you to overeat later.

Heavy bags:

The bigger the bag, the more things you find to put in it. But take a moment to observe this: you probably carry your bag on one side all the time. This uneven weight distribution can cause muscle imbalances and influence your posture. Moreover, heavy bags also cause neck, shoulder, and spine pain when your torso shifts in order to deal with the uneven weight. Instead, give your body a break, and carry a small, light bag that’s free of extraneous objects.

Plastic face:

Some women are so used to applying makeup on a daily basis that they cannot recognize themselves without it. Having a plastic doll face daily can cause serious harm to your facial skin. Your skin would not be able to breathe and eventually become dull, dry and lack-lustrous, not to forget blackheads and acne prone.

So ladies, make sure you stay away from these unhealthy aspects of fashion that we all are prone to.

This year, flirt with the skirt!

One piece of clothing that can easily flatter any woman’s body is a skirt. If you want to flaunt your vibrant personality (and the sexy derriere), your love for unique fashion, and captivating creativity, then skirts are the way to go! What’s more is that you get a whole range of styles and sizes to choose from. Maxi, midi or mini, peplum or pleats, whatever you choose, striking a balance is essential. If you’re still wondering on how to sport the trend, don’t worry. We’ve got a few interesting combinations that you must try.

Here’s how you can wear the flair this year…

Maxi skirt

It’s no wonder the maxi skirt continues to be a major trend after making a splash seasons ago. This closet staple works year-round, but feels most at home in our summer wardrobes—lightweight fabrics and pretty prints go hand-in-hand with the super-feminine style. Go for floral printed ones in pastel shades and pair them with bold colours on top. Keep the accessories to a bare minimum.

Pleated skirt

Pleated skirts might have a school dress feel but truth is that, this style flatters most body types. It glides as you walk, leading the eye away from problem areas. Choose a fabric with an easy drape, like silk crepe, wear a crop top and your favourite boots, which will clash with the skirt’s ladylike vibe and give you a sexy new image.

Denim skirts

Denim skirts are back in style in a big way. You may have noticed the comeback of this fabric in a variety of styles and the best part is that you can wear it perpetually all the time. Denim skirts look great on weekends, as a cute date outfit, or even when paired with tailored tops and great accessories, to wear to work. Get a get black washed pencil style denim skirt and wear it with your favourite checked shirt, tying your hair in a sexy loose bun.

Midi skirts

The midi skirt has been making a comeback for several years now. Midis are the one skirt style to try this season. Wear watercolour prints and bold blooms to make them a versatile garment. Our fashion forecasters tell us this skirt trend is here to stay.

Minis

Ladies, it’s time you wax your legs and slather on some moisturizer, truncated hem lengths are back in vogue this season. Choose neon colours like oranges and yellows and team them up with chiffon shirts. Add some bling in the accessories for an uber cool look.

Peplum Skirt

There’s a lot of flounce for the ounce here, so select a soft material for your peplum skirt. Rule of thumb to rock this look is to wear it with a full top that runs into the peplum and wear your sexy peep-toes or strappy heels to complete the feminine look.

Skorts

The high-waist trend has been around since the 1940s and we are so glad it will never leave! This trend is best carried off in skorts – skirts meets shorts. Skorts are actually shorts, but with one little piece of fabric that disguises them as skirts.

2014 fashion trends – what sizzles and what will fizzle

Somebody has rightly stated that “Fashion is like seasons, it comes and goes and leaves the world wanting for more.” Whenever a new trend in fashion is doing the rounds, people all over the world turn to their fashion gurus for a word about how to rock the trend best. Some trends die out soon while others are more grounded for longer periods. Let’s take a look at which ones will stay on this year and what is fast disappearing.

Colours!

Orchid is the colour of 2014. We are extremely excited about this one because this vibrant and fresh colour can be worn on all skin tones. Plus the rosy-flowery touch to it makes it an out-and-out fashion staple. Rock this colour in accessories or go for a colour block wardrobe. Neons have made their splash but pastel shades are again making a promising comeback. We’re talking baby blue, lavender, subtle yellow and creamy-smoothie colours like shades of a prim rose… so romantic!

Culottes and Palazzos are here to stay

Culottes and Palazzos are making a splash this year

Culottes or wide legged short pants are back again and this time they will stay for a longer bracket. Also Palazzos will be widely accepted and preferred over skinny jeans. The high waist varieties will add length to your frame and make you look instantly taller and leaner. We give them a huge thumbs-up!

Tea-length skirts

Tea-length skirts have always been around and now with their colour palette going neutral, they never looked prettier! Mini-skirts can totally go into hiding now.

Crop tops

Crop tops will be a huge rage this year. If you dare to bare your mid-riff then you must try this sexy trend. They come in many variants depending on asymmetric hems and varying sizes. The bra-top or a bustier-top will soon make a mark.

Say no to Anarkali suits

The flared Anarkalis are completely out of fashion this year. These wedding staples will soon vanish from the mandap and straight kurta style dresses will take over the fashion scene instead.

Sarees

The traditional 6 or 9 yard saree will be swapped for one that’s pre-tailored. Textured fabrics will be more popular and pallu and pleats will be stitched as per the wearer’s body. Also the blouse will take a backseat with the young and bold; only to be replaced by a shirt or a tee for that edgy sassy look. Mainstream designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Masaba are already popularising this trend in the markets.

Hair trends

Shorter hair will be the hot favourite this season. Wind-swept pixie cuts or the classic bob will be popular. Beautiful and romantic braids will linger on for a long time.

Jewellery

India is known for its love for jewellery and this year too jewellery will be a huge fashion statement. Chunky designs inspired by history and nature will be hugely popular. Gold will remain wedding-loyal, and silver and platinum will be a preferred option for casual outings.

Transitioning from conservative to chic

Any girl would tell you that the biggest question in the whole wide world is – “What do I wear today?”

The most embarrassing situation would be stepping out for a party with your pals and looking trashy, just because you crossed a thin line that differentiates between class and crass. This usually happens with girls who have always been simple and traditional in dressing up, and were never exposed to modern ways of making a style statement. In a bid to go from simple to chic you may sometimes go a little overboard and end up looking indecent with the new found cleavage baring dress that you thought made you look like a million bucks.

If you don’t want to look like the most promiscuous girl at the next party, here’s help. And you can thank us later…

Also read: 5 secret hair tricks that really work

Always take a second opinion while choosing new items to dress up for a special occasion. You may feel that a bandage dress can look good on you, but probably your girls may give you an honest opinion. And that in turn would save you from looking like a victim of a fashion “accident” in need of a bandage. Choose a maxi dress that will not look like you strayed far away from your usual salwar kameez and still make you look gorgeous.

If you’re thinking of wearing a skirt instead of a sari at your friends pre-wedding cocktail party, go easy with the length. Your friends are used to seeing you covered up in the 9 yard drape, and if you make a sudden appearance wearing an ultra mini skirt, everybody’s going to think you’re craving to be noticed. Swap the mini skirt for a tea-length pencil one and accessorise it well.

We all dream of wearing a cute bodycon dress, but wearing one and having to constantly pull it down is a huge turn off. Here’s a helpful tip: when shopping for a bodycon dress if it feels like it’s a little short, try to pick a size bigger and preferably one that has a crew neck. This way you’ll have a more conservative ensemble that balances out the skin show.

Also read: 2014 fashion trends – what sizzles and what will fizzle

If you’ve never worn denims before, you may probably not want to directly jump to stone washed skinny jeans, or low rise and distressed ones. Pick a pair of simple mid waist jeans instead, and wear them with long tunics. Yes, we know crops tops are in and you’re probably thinking of flaunting your midriff, but you need to remember it’s a transition that must be carefully made.

Lastly, be sure to look and feel confident when you decide to go for a style makeover. It shouldn’t make you feel like you have had to jeopardise your self-image in the society. After all, beauty is in simplicity.

Also read: This year flirt with the skirt

This summer, go head over heels!

Summer has come in full swing and brought along sunshine and heat. Not to forget the humidity in our environment that adds to our woes. Most of us, especially women, dismally underestimate the value of sun protection for our hair. Come on ladies! You have to comprehend the dangers that you expose your hair to, every time that you walk out in the sun. We can hardly think of reasons why a woman would avoid wearing a headgear. In addition to the obvious fashion statement that hats can make, they shield your face from the harmful UV rays of the sun, keep you cool when you need it most and, lest we forget, they’re lifesavers on bad hair days!

Here’s a list of 6 must-have hats for the summer in a variety of shapes, and colours. What are you waiting for, pick-and-choose!

Straw hats:

Vintage straw boater hats can add a nautical charm to any outfit. The best part about straw hats is that one can sport them with dresses or jeans or even a bikini! They’re perfect for a day picnic as well as for a trip to the zoo.

Panama hats:

Ironically enough, Panama hats don’t come from Panama but from Ecuador. Authentic hand-woven panamas are extremely durable and chic. If you are a travel-person, make this hat your travel-buddy.

Sun hats:

This is one piece that you must never forget to carry if you are headed to the beach. Sun hats come in different colours and designs that give fresh feel to the classic topper.

Caps:

Caps are no longer just a sport-player’s headgear. Apart from being casual and cute, caps also save you from the sun keeping your head cool.

Flapper hats:

If The Great Gatsby left you longing for the glamour of the 1920s, worry not. It’s not late yet to don your favourite flapper style cloche hat. Wear it to a high profile party or a midnight summer ball.

Wide-brimmed floppy hats:

Increase your oomph factor with a huge wide-brimmed floppy hat. A ’70s-inspired floppy hat will provide a chic and sexy element to your outfit. This is the ultimate lady’s hat and you can never go wrong it.

Hurry up, take your pick and get the inner fashionista out in the sun!

Stylish ways to wear a scarf

Many of my friends have been asking me how I manage to wear my scarf in so many styles. So I thought of doing a tutorial. Basically, I usually wear a scarf in 3 simple ways and later style them differently according to my outfit and the occasion. Here are few styles that I absolutely love and do them very often.

Try These Different Styles Of Saree This Karva Chauth And Diwali

You can keep your chaniya cholis back in the wardrobe, it’s time for Karva Chauth and so TBD presents you with different styles of saree to up your fashion game this festive season. Karva Chauth is celebrated on 27th October, 2018, followed by Diwali later from 7th-9th November.

It is the time and month of a lot of shopping, cleaning, dressing up and having fun and mainly spending time with loved and dear ones. Karva Chauth is a one-day festival which is celebrated by mainly married women. These married women fast for their husband’s long life and good health from morning sunrise and break their fast after praying to the moon and doing a pooja. Sometimes, unmarried women join the fast for their fiancés. Women who keep fast and celebrate Karva Chauth love to dress up especially in saree.

So, here are eight different ways to drape your beautiful saree this Karva Chauth/Diwali:

1. Bengali style

In Bengali style saree, sarees pallu plays an important role. It has to be of thick border. If you wanna show off your sexy back or the back of your blouse, this style is perfect for it.

2. Belted style:

It is to be worn like a normal saree but all you need for this look is a statement belt to cinch your waist. It adds a modern and edgy flair to the average saree look.

3. Butterfly style:

If you want to flaunt your figure then this is the best way to wear your saree. Seen on most Bollywood celebrities today, this sexy saree style is a non-bulky and modern take on saree draping. Just pleat the top part of your pallu into a thin column after creating a fan-like, butterfly shape at the lower part of the pallu. Another variation of this involves pleating the pallu into a single column, which goes across the torso.
This is how you do it:

4. Dhoti style

This saree draping style is gaining a lot of popularity amongst fashionistas and is something unique and elegant.

This is how it is done:

5. Mumtaz style

Well, this look will never fade away or die. The retro look. This style was made famous by actor Mumtaz, and is a great party look if you love a sexy chiffon saree with a blingy border.

This is how you can wear it:

6. Gujarati style

This style is the favourite among all the ladies especially Gujarati. This traditional style of draping a saree brings out the rich work in heavy sarees, like Kanjeevarams or Banarasis.

7. Nauvari style

This saree draping style is distinguished by its unusual draping pattern which necessitates it being worn around the legs like a dhoti while the upper part is worn like a normal saree.

8. Half Saree
Usually, the garment of half saree is woven with cotton or silk. The half saree outfit can look similar to southern styles of saree because the drape travels in the same direction: tucked into the front of the skirt, then wrapped around the waist, and then draped over the opposite shoulder.

So which saree are you gonna wear this Diwali or Karva Chauth?