Celebrities who look their best in Saree

A Saree is something not all women can carry off……… as it requires a lot of attention to details when i come to selecting the saree material, type of drape and how to wear it.  Only few women in the fashion scene have done justice to a Saree. This is perhaps one of IFP’s most read articles, so had to add a couple of names more and present the write-up in a new look.

Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan is the epitome of old time charm when dressed in a saree. The only designer who does justice to her looks is Sabhyasachi Mukherjee whose designs are not over the edge yet feminity is at it’s classic best. In the initial days Vidya Balan did mess up a lot with her looks………………remember the hideous Orange Salwar Kameez she wore while hosting Filmfare Awards……………long are those days gone and I am glad that the lady knows what looks good on her. She does make heads turn at red carpet events with her beautifully crafted sarees. Loved her look in movies like ‘Bhool Bholaiya’ & ‘Paa’ but off-screen she is the one responsible to bring the 3/4th sleeve blouses and handloom sarees back in fashion. In a saree, Vidya could do no wrong and is today regarded as one of India’s Best Dressed.

Shilpa Shetty

No one on the Indian Fashion Scene could have looked so hot and sexy in a Saree as Shilpa Shetty did. She has simply re-defined the trend of wearing a ‘Saree’. Thanks to her Designer Tarun Tahiliani, Shilpa has never looked better. The world actually stopped to take a look at her as she walked down the red carpet looking dazzling in a Saree during Big Brother in UK. We loved her red and green saree with ethnic Kundan and Emerald jewellery. I love Shilpa for her originality and the fact that she has been a trend setter all along. She has styled her sarees with halter and off-shoulder blouses for red carpet events.  She has graced the ramp as shop stopper for Tarun Tahiliani’s collection for the consecutive 3 years.

 

  

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

I still remember Aishwarya as an upcoming model in advertisement of ‘Garden’ Sarees. No one before her and after her could do justice to the Saree brand. Since then she has graced numerous fashion shows and magazine covers.  I simply love her colour selection in pastels and pinks. From Traditional South Indian Kanjeevarams to Crepes to Chiffons to Silks give her any type Saree to wear and she carries it off with utter ease. Women just drooled over her two toned and heavily embroidered Sarees which she wore in ‘Devdas’. Aishwarys gives credit to her designer Neeta Lulla for giving her that look as she portrayed the role of ‘Paro’. In recent times, Aishwarya has worn Sabyasachi and Abu Jani- Sandeep Kholsa sarees to red carpet events.

 

 

Kajol

Her smile simply lights up any room that she enters but when she combines it with a beautiful saree the end result is ‘AWESOME’.  Manish Malhotra transformed her into a Style diva when he designed for her in ‘Kuch Kuch hota hai’ . We have seen her in designer Salwar Kameez but I feel she looks stunning in a Saree. The best part about her choice is that she has never worn anything which is has too much of detail work.  She keeps the Jewellery to the minimum emphasizing on earrings only. People love the fact that she is always herself in any silhouette and does not have to pretend that she is a celebrity. No wonder how style comes easily to Kajol.

Sridevi

Sridevi has been an example for all Designers in India for the way she carries herself in a Saree. She oozes grace and elegance for which I call her ‘Timeless Beauty’.  As a child I remember seeing her in sizzling blue saree in Mr. India or in pastel colour sarees in ‘Chandni’. Even when she is not in her on-screen glamorous avatar I love her simple look in a Kanjeevaram Saree.  These days Sridevi has started experimenting with western wear  but i still feel she should wear more of Indian Outfits as it suits her tall frame. Designers like Queenie Dhodhy, Manish Malhotra and Neeta Lulla design their creations for her and she has graced many fashion week shows as a Show stopper.

Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi wears a crisp Khadi and silk sarees with such a refinement I have ever seen. She might be of Italian origin but Indian women can learn a thing or two about how to carry a saree in whatever situation you might be in. I love how she combines her saree with a winter coat and uses her saree pallu as a scarf around the collar making it quite a style statement. Even as she is maintaining her style she never loses her dignity and focus that she belongs to the most affluent ‘Gandhi’ family. While other celebrities go in for glamorous looks in saree Sonia has always opted for simple clean look making a unique style statement. Sonia Gandhi has made a mark for herself in the Indian Politics and was third in the Forbes ‘Most powerful woman in the world’  list.

Hema Malini

This ‘Dream Girl’ has been on the Bollywood scene for more than 40 years but she seems to grow more elegant with the passing years. She might be above 60 years but she can give today’s young actress a run for their money with her style. She was the reigning queen of Bollywood in the 60s and 70s. She made a comeback in bollywood again after a long break of more than 10 years.People loved her look created by Neeta Lulla in recent movies like ‘Baghban’ and ‘Baabul’. She played her age in the movie and has redefined the image of a ‘screen mother’ in Bollywood cinema. A trained Odissi dancer Hema Malini still performs on stage along with her two daughters. The fact I love about her is that she dresses up according to her age and never once worn anything revealing or shabby.  Give her a Saree made out of any fabric and she carries it magnificently. She is the ‘Original Diva’ which the Indian audience love, still remember and cannot get enough of.  I have seen her personally several times and asked for her autograph and was always awestruck by her beauty. If I were to ever age, I would love to be as dignified and graceful as Hema Malini.

Kirron Kher

Kirron Kher who is a very versatile actress is well-known in the Indian Social circle for her Saree Collection. She has said in one of her interviews “I love to wear only woven handloom silk and cotton sarees. While I buy my tusshars from the Weaver’s Studio in Kolkata and tangails from Kanishka, I buy silks and Kanjeevarams from L’Affaire in Delhi, India as the collections are larger, more beautiful and embroidered. In Chennai, I pick up my Kanjeevarams from Usha Ranganathan and from Sundari Silks owned by Rajaram who has good taste.” No wonder she gets that amazing look by going out-of-the-way to find the perfect Saree. I like the way Kirron is at ease when she is wearing a Saree and the Potli/Batua bags she wears matching with her Saree. She says that she has inherited her taste in Sarees and jewellery from her mother Late Diljit Thakar Singh. Well I must give the credit to her mother, for even at this age Kirron Kher rules the Saree collection among Indian Celebrities.

Rekha

Whenever I think of the beautiful ‘Kanjeevaram’, Rekha is the only celebrity that comes to my mind. This silk silhouette is carried with utmost grace by Rekha since I am seeing her on the red carpet. She adorns herself with classic, traditional jewellery along with beautiful clutch bags on a Kanjeevaram saree. It would be a fashionista’s dream come true if they ever get to go inside her wardrobe and check out her amazing saree collection………….that is one think I would give my tooth and nail for. One of our readers reminded us that Rekha should be included in this list and IFP couldn’t agree anymore.

Photo courtesy : Rediff India

‘Abu-Sandeep’ the label celebrates 25 Years

Renowned designers Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla celebrated 25 years in fashion business in Mumbai where many celebreties were invited. The designer duo associated this big event with ‘Moet & Chandon’ and the party took place at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. Here is a look at who attended this big event:

Mum-to-be Aishwarya Rai Bachchan suprised everyone by making an appearance at this event along with hubby Abhishek.She glowed in a Black & Golden outfit by Abu-Sandeep and marked a perfect 10 with flat joothis in the same combination. Abhishek on the other hand needs to ditch the leather jacket look where he is neither formal nor sporty. A clash between the 2 looks spells disaster on the red carpet……….Abhishek we love you more in a formal look, sporty look is just not for you.

Dimple Kapadia and daughter Twinkle Khanna also dazzled the red carpet  in their respective Abu-Sandeep outfits. Both of them have been muses for Abu-Sandeep and loved fabulous in this off-white ensembles.

Kudos to Twinkle for adding a ‘pop of color’ via her ‘Bottega Veneta’ clutch and Jewelry……………she did rock the red carpet.

Is someone trying hard to get attention of the shutter-bugs??? Well Sonali definitely got our attention when she posed in this mis-match saree outfit. The detail work on the blouse is beautiful but when combined with this saree made way for red carpet disaster. Not liking the look where the hair is a mess, the saree pallu is draped just for the heck of it……………..as for the Shristhi Behl and Ali Zafar they seemed to have a good time at the party….:-)

Sussane Roshan attended the event D & G lace dress which was unfortunately paired with wrong shoes & clutch. The nude peep toes and the huge clutch seemed out-of-place and made the look feel more bulky. Since the simple lace dress calls for more drama, Sussane could have paired this outfit with a glitter clutch and shoes in black.

As elegant as Kirron Kher is, at this event she looked a bit in a hurry with the hair & jewelry totally out of place. May be it was a bad hair day for Ms. Kher who is usually dressed in the most classic way. Still like her choices of saree and the way she carries them……….sigh.

Here is someone with ’18 till I die’ spirit…………….Queenie Singh has the body women of her age would envy but unfortunately her choice of teeny-tiny outfits makes her a fashion disaster. The element of grace is missing in her styling…………….Queenie needs to dress in a more elegant manner if she needs to make a fashion statement.

Making a rare appearance on the red carpet was Sangeeta Bijlani in a black lycra fit top and a sarong………….wait is that a SARONG on the red carpet…………….there you have another fashion disaster. The see through effect caused by the camera lights and the sarong which is better off for pool parties do make Sangeeta guilty of bad fashion choice. Such a pretty face…………..such bad styling….sigh

Arjun Rampal and Mehr Jessia came in hand-in-hand at this party where Mehr wore ‘Herve Leger’ bandage dress in peach while Arjun kept it simple in a blazer. Mehr had me on the color simple she either opts for black or white. This color choice is a pleasant surpise……..Love this appearance by her where the dress obviously takes all the attention and the accessories are kept simple.

Photo courtesy : www.IBNlive.com , www.Masala.com

Aamby Valley India Bridal Week – Day 2

The Day 2 of the Aamby Valley India Bridal Week 2011 took off with an evening of dazzling bridal couture and jewellery shows by designers Bhairavi Jaikishan ,  jewellery designer Queenie Singh and Adarsh Gill.

Mallika Arora Khan was the stunning show-stopper for Designer Bhairavi Jaikishan in a net Lehenga. Bhairavi Jaikishan’s bridal wear collection brought together two contrasting inspirations – revolution and tradition.

Bhairavi displayed a collection that evoked life and feelings through her creations, which had that touch of ethereal beauty. Opening the show with two gorgeous black net saris which were followed by the swirling lehengas. The grace of the lehengas was in their flowy silhouettes.

Queenie Singh has created jewellery for some of the most well-known global celebrities like Hilary Clinton and Queen of Morocco, while her designs have been desired by women around the country and across the seas.

Queenie Singh presented a glittering collection of exquisite jewellery which was painstakingly hand crafted by the best in the business. Embellished with semi-precious stones, the Jewels by Queenie collection had perfect pieces for the modern Indian bride. Opening the show with a line of white layered skirts and bustiers created by Ramona Narang Rodella, which were the perfect line for the gorgeous jewellery; Queenie had long gold intricately crafted neckpieces with large triangular pendants, strands of emeralds and rubies had off centre pieces to highlight them and diamond chokers with impressive centres glittered on the catwalk. For the all black jersey gown section, Queenie showed diamond hoops for the ears, while broad gold bracelets shimmered with precious stones. The large imposing emerald pendant at the end of diamond chains, long multi strands of precious stones, trellised diamonds with ruby and emerald insets for necklaces, were stunners and will be adored by brides around the globe.

Queenie ended the show with the three Femina Pantaloon Miss India 2011 winners – Kanishka Dhankhar, Hasleen Kaur, and Ankita Shorey modelling beautiful tiaras with gorgeous chokers and necklaces that cascaded down the necks of the beauty queens.

Adarsh Gill is the name that has created a niche not only in India but in New York and Paris where women covet her creations and the international media love her ensembles. From the ever popular sari, which Adarsh had ingeniously embellished to the superb lehengas, the elegant gowns and dresses, the look was sheer beauty. Working with the most exquisite fabrics like taffeta, lace, chiffon and brocades, Adarsh chose a mix of vibrant and pastel tones for her garments.

Giving a 20s look to the creations Adarsh opened the show with the western section, displaying two beaded tasselled shimmering minis in ink blue and brown with lacy work. Some more eye catchers were the various long sleeved numbers that skimmed the floor clinched at the waist with chiffon sashes or one shoulder sexy gowns with flouncy hemlines. Adarsh ended the section with a black long sleeve crystal embellished gown that was a dream like vision for any bride. The ethnic section was a riot of colours and showered with crystals as lehengas, cholis, kurtas and saris dazzled the audience. Dainty handbags and clutches were the perfect accessory, while the stunning jewellery by Diamantina added the right touch to the collection.

Adarsh’s show stoppers were the lovely Bollywood star, Dia Mirza in a flared pink lehenga and crystal encrusted corset and the very handsome Zayed Khan wearing a white brocade sherwani.

Photo Courtesy : Tandem Communications

Celebrities at Lakme Fashion Week

Celebrities and fashion fraternity have always been like ‘Ying & Yang’……..one is incomplete without the other. Celebs have graced the runway every season since the inception of Fashion week, but what I find more interesting is to see them off the ramp and on the red carpet. That is exactly when my devil’s horn come out and mind spins into action mode. Let’s catch up on what the celebrities wore for the big event:

One got to see Karisma Kapoor on 2 days at LFW where she had come in to cheer for her neice and sister Kareena. Seen wearing a white ruffle collar top with blue denims and a b/w bag…….no one can do the basic white shirt better than Karisma. As I always say, Karisma is all about ‘Class’ and she reflect a good one in the above outfit…….

Though her look on the LFW -Finale Day could have been better since the top was more of a dress combined with skinny jeans………..I missed the glamour factor in this outfit. This one appears more of what one can expect Karisma to wear on a casual day……….for a Fashion Week, I wished she would have put on a more alluring attire to woo people.

Twinkle Khanna also attended the LFW where she was seen in a black & white attire……….nothing much to ponder over but I do like the ‘Scorpio’ brooch that she had accessoried her top with. Rest was too casual for a Fashion Week………ladies please dress up a bit more fashionable.

Neil Nitin Mukesh who came in dressed in a suit designed by Designer ‘Narendra Kumar’ looked undoubtedly handsome. The suit is all shimmer but other things are kept matt which works well here……..I am never in favour of men sporting a stubble on the red carpet, but in Neil’s case I make an exception.

Queenie Dhody had daughter Tiara Dhody for company at the recent LFW………..now here is the truth, they both look like they are best buddies dressed in similar style, unfortunately the hemline of Queenie is shorter than her daughters, talk about age-appropriate dressing…………..I am literally bored of seeing Queenie do the short dresses at every red carpet event………..need a change.

And I at last get my wish of seeing Ms. Dhody in pants coupled with a ruffle top and a ‘Hermes’ belt to grab the attention to that slim waistline. Like it for sure………..hope to see Queenie in more of these in future.

Also seen at Sabyasachi’s showcasing of his collection was Vidya Balan. Vidya is obviously wearing a ‘Sabyasachi’ creation. The peach blouse with a white saree reminds me of vintage fashion which a timeless beauty like her can carry off gracefully………though I am not a fan of her black potli bag……but that is just me.

Katrina Kaif choose a ‘Manish Malhotra’ creation when it was time for her to attend the LFW. We have seen this same look at the Filmfare awards where more than half of the actresses were dressed in floor length anarkalis. Not a fan back then, not a fan now either.

The ever so ‘Hot’ Sridevi confirms her star status every single time she steps on the red carpet……….despite the fact that she has not had a movie come out for more than a decade but she can certainly give new comers a run for their moolah. Sridevi attended Sabyasachi’s show in a Sabyasachi saree………..’Divine’ is one word for this ‘Diva’.

Photo courtesy : Tandem Communications, www.masala.com

GQ India Best Dressed Men 2011

GQ India has just come out with the list of ‘Best Dressed Men 2011’ in it’s recent issue and also held a party at Hyatt. Let’s see if the men on the list are actually ‘Best Dressed’ or not………

Ranbir Kapoor & Prateik 

Seen here are the upcoming actors striking a pose with Che Kurrien, Editor of GQ…………….both of them have been voted as the Best Dressed Men for the year 2011………..While I do agree with GQ picking up Ranbir Kapoor as ‘Best Dressed’, Prateik is definitely far from being it. Anyways blazers over denim is a look I don’t dig that much…………plus with folded hems of the pants & rolled up blazer sleeves, he looks more of a ‘Street walker’ to me than a Celebrity. Ranbir too is wearing the similar ensemble, but he can absolutely carry it off………..Agree with Ranbir Kapoor as GQ’s choice but Prateik still has a long way to go with his dressing.

Karan Johar

KJo was also voted the ‘Best Dressed’ this year, and I am all for this choice of GQ magazine. Never has he come dressed in an unflattering manner………………..always dressed like a Gentleman, he sure gets my thumbs up when I see him at red carpet events wearing the fitted suits designed by him & Varun Bahl. The hair is perfect, the shoes are perfect, the face is clean shaved…….now all we have to work on is the walk……….. 😉 ………………jokes apart, he indeed deserves to be in this list.

Rahul Khanna

 

With those drool worthy looks, Rahul Khanna too made to the list of GQ India’s ‘Best Dressed Men 2011’………….though Rahul is seen here wearing a tuxedo with a silver bow tie, white pants which I am no fan of…………….he still rocks. I think more than his dressing style,it is definitely his cool attitude and those cute looks which makes him look good in any damn thing. GQ………we totally agree on this celebrity.

Siddhartha Mallya

Siddhartha Mallya who has been seen on social events quite frequently since the past one year, has also made to the list of GQ India’s ‘Best Dressed’…………….I must say that he has a very flamboyant style of dressing but there is still a bit of maturity missing from his looks………I wish to see him in a more ‘Indianized Avatar’ at certain events than in his usual style of Hollywood wannabe………….One this choice I am not on the same page as GQ.

Rahul Bose

This pint size actor always makes his presence felt in any event that he attends……………he might not be the one to make people take notice of his dressing style, but his attitude speaks volume. Though I would vote for him as ‘talent powerhouse’ but ‘Best Dressed’???I am still in the middle of ‘ya’ versus ‘nay’ especially seeing him dressed in all white for the event………….GQ India picks him as one of the ‘Best Dressed’………me, I will let this one pass……….

Also present at the event were………..

Also seen at the event were Arjun Rampal along with wife Mehr Jessia, Nandita Mahtani, Sussane Roshan and Abhishek Kapoor. The ladies were dressed in white which seemed like they were following a dress code specified for the event. Nonetheless they all looked elegant while Arjun who made it to the best dressed list seemed a bit sleepy here……….I agree with GQ on Arjun as ‘Best Dressed’ but hate the fact that he at times forgets to have a clean shave look which we women adore on him. His crisp suits and effortless style have made him a red carpet ‘must see’…………….hope he listens to my wish and comes clean next time.

Queenie Dhody and Farhad Taraporvala also attended the party hosted by GQ magazine. Queenie came in dressed in an orange dress which reminded me of sherbet………………..bronze shoes and a golden clutch to complete the look. I have observed that Queenie often opts for short dresses but most of the times they fail to compliment for fab figure……….this time though she does look fabulous. My style wish for her would be to see her in gowns especially a one shoulder type…I am sure she would look absolutely amazing in those.

Isha Gupta and Sarah Jane Dias were also seen at the event…………..I like Isha’s look with those loose curl tresses but not liking Sarah’s look since it is hard for me to focus on the blue highlight on her dress or her hairdo………don’t know which one is worse. But since the night belonged to the lovely guys, let’s leave this here……..

Photo Courtesy : www.gqindia.com, www.masala.com 

HDIL India Couture Week 2010 – Day 2

Karan Johar & Varun Bahl

 

The best dressed men of India walk the runway together…………………Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Shahrukh Khan……………….Uffffffffff can’t get enough of glamour. The event HDIL India Couture Week 2010 and the designers were Karan Johar & Varun Bahl. Big B wore a black coat with velvet collar design while Hrithik wore a black velvet jacket which had a very regal touch to it with the antique watch on the side………very vintage. Where as Shahrukh who couldn’ t keep from dancing on the ramp as well, was wearing a suit designed by the duo. The three handsome men definitely were a delight to see on the runway together……………………….yummy…….:-)

Coming back to the collection, the clothes were very Victorian era inspired with frilled cuffs, long coats & jackets, the big collars, vintage detail work………….the collection was absolutely original, wearable and elegant. Karan’s vision & Varun’s brilliance make for a commendable collection……………celebrity or no celebrity, the collection has substance.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Queenie Dhody

Malaika Arora Khan walked the ramp for jewellery designer & socialite Queenie Dhody……………it was all emeralds & diamonds for Malaika though not liking the outfit a bit. The styling I feel was all wrong here………………a western outfit fitted with a traditional waist band???? I would have preferred these jewels with a sexy choli and a shimmer white saree that would have acted as a perfect background for the jewels. Plus the hair would have looked better if left open & tossled a bit…………….a petite like Malaika needs volumes when it comes to hair. The outfits for Queenie’s show were designed by Nandita Mahtani.

 

Maheep Kapoor

 Maheep Kapoor had the entire social circuit on the runway…………….literally. But i must admire the fact that all the celebrities some of who are close friends of Maheep, walked the ramp wearing Seema Khan outfits and Maheep Kapoor jewels. I feel she is the only designer to have only celebrities walk for her than models……………which brings to me to a question………….are our models gonna go extinct if celebrities take over???? Sonakshi Sinha, Natasha Khan, Ayesha Takia, Bhavna Pandey, ‘Aisha’ movie celebs Amrita Puri & Ira Dubey and many more. I liked the jewellery but was not convinced of Seema Khan’s designs on few celebrities…………..like the white asymmetrical gown with the stark black broad belt which took centre stage than the jewellery on Sonakshi with the hideous hairdo was not upto the benchmark of a couture week, Ayesha Takia’s strapless dress put more emphasis on her assets which required less attention. Though I liked the LBDs……………not a fan of the other outfits.

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raj Mahtani

 Raveena Tandon was the showstopper for Raj Mahtani’s jewellery collection…………..she came on the runway wearing  a very vintage traditional necklace which had loads of precious stones………..asmuch as the jewellery was beautiful, the styling was bad with Raveena wearing a body suit along with a sheer drape in black & golden. I wish she would have worn somethin equally vintage as her jewellery. Even a brocade saree in dark hues would have done the work…………..as for the hairstyle, please don’t get me started……………it was worst. Who ever styled her, needed to go to styling school first…………….but in the end I cannot deny the fact that Raj Mahtani’s collection was good.

 

Photo courtesy : www.ndtv.com

HDIL Couture Week 2010 Bash

Another couture week is here but in my opinion I feel we should limit ourselves to a maximum of 2 couture week per year that showcase all designers………………why do we need so many couture week where one gets to see the same designs, the same designers and of course the same celebrities again………………have we become addicted to couture weeks???? Do we love fashion so much that the sense is going out the window???? I often ask myself these questions but for the sake of fashion, I am ready to let go of this Q & A session in my mind………..

The HDIL couture Week 2010 started with a bash held at Grand Hyatt.

Shahrukh & Gauri Khan along with Rani Mukherjee

Shahrukh Khan with lady love Gauri an friend Rani Mukherjee posed for the cameras………..Shahrukh dressed in a brown shirt and black trousers looked quite ready to party the night, Gauri in a beautiful red Valentino and Rani in a short aquamarine dress designed by a Greek designer…………….all three looked good on the red carpet especially Rani since the outfit fits the bill for her petite frame. As for Mrs. Khan, I would have opted for a shimmer black or grey clutch plus shoes……………..Shahrukh was at an ease when it came to dressing up, but hey it is just a bash………….

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone who is our Style Star for the month, wore a satin beige one shoulder top with black fitted skirt and satin heels with rosette on them……………..on the whole I am not digging the look because of the shoes and the lack of glamour in her look. It gives vibe that one is trying to minimize the sexiness quotient in this outfit by adopting a ‘girl next door’ make-up & hair. I would have prefered if the top would have extended hemlines till knees and acted as a short cocktail dress…………Plus those shoes just don’t gel that well……………..though love the one shoulder top along with the crystal clutch……………..but a beautiful soul like Deepika needs to look glamorous by adding the accessories.

Raj Kundar & Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty also made an appearance with hubby Raj Kundra in tow but I have to say………….why does Raj always have that messy look on his face??? With such a fabulous looking ‘biwi’ as arm candy, he should dress to the core complete with good personal grooming. I feel that he should either go in for a beard or no beard…………….the style ‘in between’ does not suit him at all. Whereas I have no complaints about Shilpa………………she looks perfect in her Little black dress with gold trimmings and loooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee those shoes. Must say that combining black and golden in western wear is not easy and Shilpa knows how to do justice to it……………Mr. Kundra would expect you to clean up next time.

Karisma Kapoor

I can’t get enough of this ‘Diva’………………….there have been no instances till date that this fabulous ‘momma of two’ has ever dressed up shabbily. Not a hair is out of place whenever she is on the red carpet……………….in this outfit, I simply adore her look in a little black dress with hoopla earrings adding a dash of glitz to the look while keeping the clutch and shoes simple. The key to achieve her look is to let one piece get all the attention while other pieces act as a background. Simple yet ‘oh so classic’……………….I don’t mind declaring that she is one of the most well dressed women of our country.

Queenie Dhody

“The animal, the animal instinct in me…………….” that’s just a long lost song which I happen to remember looking at Queenie. Her favourite animal prints are doing a lot of appearances on the red carpet, unfortunately none of them work. The dress combined with golden jewellery, belt and the animal print shoes are overwhelming and absolutely not age appropriate…………….I would rather see a 20 year old young lady wear this outfit than Queenie……………as I said in my earlier posts, animal print in 40s works better if used in small amounts. This dress would have worked better if it was in a plain dark colour with alluring pair of heels.

Malaika Arora Khan & Arbaaz Khan

Malaika & Arbaaz came in as a pair wearing nautical stripes……………but the matchy-matchy is just getting to me. Arbaaz’s torn denims are definitely a red carpet no-no please paired with those formal mocassins……………..sheer disaster. Neither do Malaika’s leather pantlook and the heels paired with Louis Vuitton clutch don’t do much for her look. My say is this look is OK if you are going for dinner out with family or buddies………………but for a couture week bash………….please dress up a bit eventful.

Manish Malhotra, Urmila Matondkar and Sophie Choudhary

Did Urmila make a dress out of a silk scarf????? Looking at her dress I feel that she just did that……………..and those shoes………..kill me someone but they have spoilt the entire look. People firstly leave the animal print alone, secondly I would have liked it a bit if the shoes were strappy heels or open toe pumps. Why do ourbollywood women have that affinity with flowers on their feet. Manish Malhotra seems like he has had a very tiring day and just came to the party to get a break. While Sophie looks ready to pary in her short printed dress with Bottega Veneta clutch and black basic heels. Out of the three, Sophie definitely wins my vote for keeping in simple yet party right.

Gayatri Oberoi, Sonali Bendre and Goldie Bhel

 

Gayatri Oberoi poses here with Sonali Bendre and her hubby Goldie Bhel……………..Gayatri looks ultra glam in the Herve Leger bandage blue dress pairing it with Judith Leiber clutch and golden heels. While Sonali kept it simplein a little black dress and bronze heels while Goldie who also kept it simple,  is enjoying his moment with the lovely ladies. My favourite out of the three has to be Gayatri for looking ‘Oh la la’ in that dress of hers.

Raveena Tandon

Raveena Tandon was sighted after a loooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggg time wearing black on black. Where is the glitter??? The all black attire is now getting to me……………Raveena could have worn a beautiful pendant or earrings or even jazzy belt with funky shoes. But a beautiful woman like Raveena, this look is not doing any wonders for her.

Bhavna and Chunky Pandey

Bhavna and Chunky walked in where Bhavna was wearing a pretty navy blue strapless dress with a stylish belt, while Chunky is more in a very casual avatar in denims and a white shirt. But somehow I am digging his yellow mocassins which adds the much desired pop of colour to the outfit. It is unusual choice but works well on Chucky’s look. On the whole, the couple looking good together.

Arjun & Mehr Rampal

Mr & Mrs. Rampal camein hand in hand where Mehr wore a Malini Ramani kaftan one shoulder outfit and Arjun was in his casual avatar. Thankfully Mehr added that much needed colour to her style but would have preferred this outfit in a shorter version. With that hot bod, why hide it under loose clothes when you can show them off with elegance. Arjun seems to have just got out of bed and onto the red carpet……………….Wake up Arjun…………….its time to party.

Photo courtesy : www.ndtv.com

GQ India Mens Award 2010 – Red Carpet Review

GQ Mens Award event was full of glamour quotient which is what makes this blog tick………….I love to see our very own Indian celebrities on the Red Carpet, where they all are dressed up to rock the fashion world. This time around Indian GQ Mens Award had Hollywood presence as well with the legendary John Travolta who is visiting India currently, posed for the shutterbugs. Let’s kick off with who wore what at this event……….

Abhishek & Aishwarya Bachchan

Abhishek and wifey Aishwarya have been voted as the most powerful celebrity couple in Asia by E! News Asia, I am a believer since no red carpet event is complete without the cosy twosome. Abhishek Bachchan wore a three piece black suit with a red tie to add that pop of colour…………………..no complaints about him since he is looking absolutely dressed for occassion and very much like a gentleman. Whereas I felt Aishwarya’s gown to be a bit dull……..the grey colour though was gorgeous but the bodice part is where things went wrong. The neckline cut in steps and the glitter part did not do much on the glamour part of this gown plus with the hair swept to one side………….I am not a fan. My advice to Aishwarya is that she is one of very few women in India to carry off glamorous outfit with an ease so please don’t be too simple.

Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan who was dressed in a Tuxedo also rocked the red carpet scene and was on a high with the Peepli Live selected for the Oscars from Indian Cinema………………this time around I wish his moviewould get the international accolade since I honestly believe he is one of the few Indian who uses his celebrity status for the betterment of our country. Coming back to his red carpet style, I like the fact that he went all formal for the occassion but feel the seams of his pants were too tight when worn with those shoes. Maybe it is just me????? But on the whole I am all for this avatar of Aaamir with hair neatly styled, the one button tux are smart……………Mr. Perfectionist gets a thumbs up for me. Hope the young guns of Hollywood follow him when it comes to dressing up for the occassion.

Priyanka Chopra

The vivacious Priyanka Chopra was all glam in the beige strapless gown…………….though the shiny satin in that colour is something I would personally avoid but Priyanka is able to carry off with ease. Though many fashionistas hated this look, I say it is glamorous, sexy and the colour is doing good on Priyanka’s complexion. So I am for it since I feel this woman oozes loads of sex appeal and has a great body so why not flaunt it. Go Pri………….Love this look. Priyanka won the ‘Woman of the Year’ award too………..

Abhay Deol and Preeti Desai

Abhay Deol seems to be inspired by Boy george’s early 1980s look…………………I like his individualistic sense of style but the shiny shoes with the loose tie and the fitted pants that don’t match his blazer…………..style wise it is not how I would have dressed up for a GQ magazine Mens Award……………..this style would have worked for MTV music awards but not here. Sorry Abhay, you are an amazing actor but this get up is just not for me. Funnily Preeti Desai looked all dressed for the occasion in the Little Black dress, ruby red lips and those killer heels. For sure this lady has a sense of style and knows it is always better to emphasize on one thing only when you are on the red carpet.

 Ranbir Kapoor

 The Youngistaan heartrob Ranbir Kapoor was all dressed up in a Tuxedo which could have been fitted better since the suit seems loose at the waistline, the sleeves were too long and the bow tie was a bit limp. But what I wish Ranbir had shaved off and looked neat since one needs to put a handsome face on in those tux. So please tidy up next time around when you are all dressed up and show off your good looks to the world.

Dino Morea & Nandita Mahtani

Dino Morea might not be a big star in Bollywood but when it comes to style, he sure knows what looks good on him. I like his no tie, no bow look since he has kept it simple in a black suit and a white shirt with black piping on the button section. The outfit is neat and right for the event…………………whereas Nandita whose dress I simply love, made the wrong shoe choice. The animal print would have looked better on black, browns or beige but not on this blue. The one shoulder dress with detail work on the shoulder is beautiful but the shoes destroyed the look. I would have preferred a matt gold strappy shoes that match her clutch as well.

Arjun Rampal & Mehr Jessia

Mehr And Arjun both dressed in black was too much for me this time………………Of course Arjun looked pretty decent except for his tie which I felt was not required and the collar was unable to hide the tie.  Rest nocomplaints about his suit but I expect Mehr to wear more colour on the red carpet. She has am amazing body, alluring heigth, beautiful features……………..so what is stopping her from wearing colour and look drop dead gorgeous on the red carpet. All black outfit with a ‘Chanel’ waist chain is doing no wonders here…………….

Chunky & Bhavna Pandey

Chunky Pandey who surprisingly looks quite dapper in this suit and a tie that matches his background well…………I like his look for the fact that he has kept his entire suit simple in one colour but added a pop of colour through his tie. While wife Bhavna looks quite mis-matched with the animal print clashing with the florals. I wish her outfit would have been of one print only……………either all floral or all animal print. Mixing both is not giving the desired ‘fabulous’ look……….thought the shoes and matching ‘Bottega’ clutch give an understated look and work well here.

Simone Singh

As lovely as Simone truly is, this jumpsuit is not for her………………..the greenish blue satin jumpsuit with hideous pockets on the side, the shimmer jacket accompanied are a recipe for disastor. The only thing I like about this attire is her ‘Tiffany’ key pendant which looks elegant even against that colour. I wish Simone would have skipped her jacket altogether, wrn the jumpsuit alone and accessoried with a stylish cuff and a pair of earrings complimenting her pendant. Plus my advice to all would be to avoid pairing golden and silver hues in a single outfit…………….make only one metallic tone work while you dress up.

Queenie Dhody

Socialite & Jewellery designer Queenie Dhody walked in with beau Farhad Taraporewala dressed in tiger print sequin studded gown…………………..my eyes went wide open looking at the mess. Honestly if a woman is over the age of 40, it is sbetter to use animal prints in subtle measures like on the rim of a dress or jacket, on handbags, in form of scarf, shoes…………..the key is to keep it minimal. This is too loud for Queenie……….the big black clutch, the old Hollywood style hair, the sequins…………..all of it is too much. I would love to see her in pastels with a hint of shimmer.

Sheetal Malhar

 

Did someone just go for a walk on the beach, lost her way and ended up on the red carpet of GQ India Mens Award???? I think that has to be Sheetal Malhar…………..unfortunately the dress, the pearl necklace and the shoes are pretty…………but not appropriate for the event. The leather bag is also to some extent a spoiler in this attire…….would have loved to see sheetal in a Grecian inspired gown instead of a short summer dress.

Parmeshwar Godrej

Yyyyyyeeeeeeeekkkkkksssss…………….that is my reaction seeing Parmeshwar Godrej in this ensemble……….all I can say is ‘What was she thinking???’ The black shiny leggings, the net bodice, the low cleavage, the boring stole, the shiny pumps, all might be big labels but they ain’t looking good here. My request to Ms. Godrej is to tone down a bit and stick to graceful vintage outfits which are plenty in market. A woman like her will look amazing in a ‘Chanel’ rather than this hideous dress.

Rahul Khanna

Rahul Khanna definitely looks suave in this attire………………..hands down he is looking polished, sophisticated and handsome. Need I say any more for Rahul who is dressed in a two button Tuxedo which has an excellent fit……..by far this is my favourite look for GQ Mens Award. Rahul also hosted the event for the evening.

Anusha Dandekar

Anusha Dandekar wore a very colourful sequin dress made by Shane & Falguni Peacock has hotch-potch designs like the peek-a-boo cleavage, the black hemline, shimmer all over reminds of the song ‘Shiny Disco Ball’. But Anusha still managed to look amazing in the dress……………..maybe body language can make a world of difference. The belt and the shoes get her out of the brink of being badly dressed and the side swept ponytail puts the focus on her face rather than the glittery dress. Still not a fan of the dress, but adore Anusha in it.

Rahul Bose

Good things come in small packages………….well that is what I can say after looking at Rahul Bose who looked perfect in a grey suit adorned with black buttons, silver tieand balck shoes. The fit is proper, the hair is sleek, the tie stands out well……….the actor has never looked better. I am loving his style……………..No one could have done grey better than Mr. Bose.

Photo courtesy : www.NDTV.com

India International Jewellery Week 2010 – Day 1

The Indian International Jewellery show started off in Mumbai on the 15th August, 2010……………….of course our celebrities had to be there to make the occasion much more happening with their presence.

 

 

Deepika Padukone walked the ramp wearing an outfit designed by Ana Singh and jewellery by Farah Khan Ali…………..in one word Deepika simply looked ‘Splendid’………Deepika’s multi strand necklace had rubies and pearls with a similar neck piece made with diamonds, rubies and kundan………..love the ‘Indian’ look on her which she carries off gracefully.

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Katrina Kaif also walked down the ramp for the brand ‘Nakshatra’ which she represents as a brand ambassador adorning diamond jewellery and wearing Neetu Lulla creation…………….though I must admit I am not a fan of her lehenga but nonetheless Katrina looks flawless neck up.

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Mother – Daughter duo Lilette & Ira Dubey walked the ramp for Mirari & Sons adorning their creation. Both were dressed in black……….must say that Lilette Dubey can give other actresses a run for their money with her killer looks. Both of them looked ‘Awesome’.

Queenie Dhody also displayed her creations for Giantti in which Dino Morea wearing a manellery [jewellery for men] and pendant in white gold & diamonds. That is a first time that an actor walks down the ramp for jewellery………….I love new things in fashion……………love Queenie’s diamond cuffs.

Will keep you updated with more pics.

Photo Courtesy :  www.filmicafe.com, www.daylife.com, www.mastione.com , www.indiaglitz.com

Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2010 Day 1

Lakme Fashion Week is to held from 5th to 9th March, 2010 at Grand Hyatt Hotel In Mumbai. Suneet Verma has been selected as the Designer for the Grand Finale of the Lakme Fashion Week. Here are some Fashion highlights designer and daywise.

Rocky S presents Queenie for Giantti

Rocky S and Queenie Dhody kicked off the star of Lakme India Fashion Week Summer/Resort Collection 2010. The palette of colours were kept towards pastels with beautiful floral hues like peach, pinks, yellows and sky blues took the stage. The Attire was Indian where the models walked down the ramp wearing ensembles and hair adorned with floral patterns. The embroidery on the silhouette was mostly done with sequins and silver threads. The scallop cut look is a common feature in India’s fashion scene as is a fish tail skirt. But one could not stop mesmerizing the moment Bipasha Basu walked in as the show-stopper in a beautiful beige colour Saree having work on the border. Honestly the Saree was tad simple but when coupled with the eye-catching ruby diamond necklace created by Queenie Dhody and worn by Bipasha the result was divine. My take on Rocky S collection – It is wearable, colours are fit for summer day wear but there was nothing innovative or new in this creation. Have seen such creations numerous times on the Indian Ramp.

Babita Malkani

Babita’s Boho chic line was inspired by the beauty of Bhutan………………..well I must say she did remind of the mountains merging with city. The styling was totally for the summers but there pattern was prints, checks, etc. Somehow the look of the same felt very casual and not very fashionable.  Though the shoes were worth looking at the entire look was very dry and needed more……………..Harman Baweja and Pankaj Advani walked down the ramp as show-stoppers but the entire collection looked as if bits and pieces were stuck together to create a look. Boho chic…….yes………..but something different……………..definitely not.

Riyaz Gangji

Riyaz Gangji’s had designed his collection for both men and women. The clothes were summer wear formal as well as casual. Pooja Bedi was the show stopper wearing an elegant beige colour gown looking radiant. Colours ranged from pure whites to pastels to shades of blue. I somehow found the men’s wear more creative and modern which an Indian male will be happy to try out. The women’s wear was more glamorous something that celebrities would opt for red carpet.  My say is that Men’s wear looked smart and very wearable whereas women’s wear was more demure. I will look forward to see Riyaz in next season.

 

 

 

Shyamal & Bhumika

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collection of Shyamal and Bhumika was inspired by the colours of ‘Holi’ festival since their clothes were colourful and many models had their face and hair smeared with gulaal. The clothes were colourful with a lot of graphic patterns but the collection was mostly targeted at youth. The clothes were ill-fitted and there was no ‘cut’ to the design. Why would a woman try to hide her curves behind layers and layers of fabric…………………I just don’t get flowy gowns with no fit. Again the element of ‘something new’ was a miss though I kinda liked their idea of getting inspired from Indian Festival of ‘Holi’ but the prints looked as if someone really messed up the clothes with fabric paint and decided to make a collection out of the same. Advice to the duo ‘Fit’ of the dress matters a hell lot.

Nikasha Tawady

Nikasha Tawady kept her collection simple actually way too simple with fiery colours and lots of gotta work. But somehow the collection felt a bit incomplete. Maybe a lot of heavy accessories would have done the job since the outfits were pretty plain. Nonetheless I loved her way of mixing earth tones with fiery tones where the plain clothes are creatively given pop of colour to draw attention to the entire outfit. The clothes are fit to be worn for a day time wedding or event. Nikasha add a touch of glitter maybe that will work next time you roll out your new creations.

Krishna Mehta

Krishna Mehta simply visited the streets of ‘New York’ , saw the clothes there, came back for designing and put the creation on the models. And what was Rohit Verma doing on the ramp striking poses……………….I just don’t get the inspiration behind this collection and it’s target audience. ‘Power Dressing’ as the collection was themed seem to be powerless.  This collection lacked creativeness and the show stopper was a mess on the ramp. Krishna was inspired by the beautiful city of ‘Paris’ but the same could not be reflected in her collection. The pallette was colourful and few prints were worth picking but the combination of all these elements somehow the collection left thinking why were rainbow colour fabrics just draped around the models.

Pria Kataria Puri

‘Royal Rajputana’ was a tribute to the fashion Icon and Maharani late ‘Rajmata Gayatri Devi’ with royalty reflecting in every piece. Be it the work of palaces or the royal jewels reflecting on the silks, the prints were different and ‘Unique’. It was something new on the ramp with models sashying down in bold rich colour giving a feel of ‘party under the sun’. The collection was very tropical and wearable…………………loved the colours which reflected every bit of Indian Heritage. Mugdha Godse looked like a modern-day Rajputana Princess in the Pria Kataria Puri Ensemble. My say on the ‘Royal Rajputana’ that the designs were very refreshingly new and very creative.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

The day came to a close with Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s collection ‘Afro/Parisian’ was a fusion of  African jungles with the streets of Paris. The head turbans were very african inspired and thankfully very different form the rest. The colours were more earthy tones but I feel the clothes in this collection will look better if every piece is worn separately rather than together as shown on the ramp. He has tried to bring the a kind of hippie era back in his collection but somehow I find the prints quite repetitive. Of course I cannot deny the fact that this beautiful motifs are a trademark design of Sabyasachi. As always this collection also reflected an old world charm…………..