Exclusive: How To Drape The “Dhoti” Sari Like Sonam Kapoor!

Our reader, Deepa had sent us a picture of Sonam Kapoor in a dhoti drape sariby Tarun Tahiliani. While Gigi and I tried our best to figure out the drape, we thought we should leave it to an expert! So we got celebrity sari draping queen, Kalpana Shah to give you a tutorial on how to drape the sari – dhoti style!

Sonam Kapoor

Kalpana Shah has been in the business for the past 30 years and and has draped some of the most loved celebrities, actor and society stars. She can tame the sari in over 100 ways. So here’ s how to drape Sonam’s dhoti style sari!

Now that you’ve seen the tutorial, here are a few pointers  to ace the drape. Be warned, draping this style can get tricky if you don’t pay attention to the little details.

THE INGREDIENTS

What you need

The Perfect Sari: Choose a 5 meter long sari in a light drapey fabric like chiffon. A printed sari will camouflage the drape. Pick one in a solid color with a simple contrasting narrow border and no fall. This will enhance the drape and fold lines which are key to this style.

The Right Innerwear: You will need a non traditional blouse and a pair of lycra tights

Plastic Clothes Clips: Kalpanaji swears by them. Its her simple yet genius solution to control and keep the drape in place!

Sturdy Safety Pins: Choose pins that are strong and sturdy enough to pierce the pleats without tearing the sari. You’ll needed to keep all those pleats secure in place.

Sky High Heels: Pick a tall and slender pair to complement the dhoti. Wear you shoes before you start draping.

THE PROCESS

1. Drape the sari at the lower waist, leaving 1.5m to the non-pallu end. Overlap the two ends and pin at the centre. Remember to keep the longer (right) section over the left (1.5m excess).

Pin to the centre front leaving 1.5m on the non-pallu end

2. Take the longer section leading to the pallu around your back from the left and bring to the front. Fold the pallu into pleats 2-3 inches wide.

Fold into pleats of 2-3 inches

3. Use the plastic clothes clips to secure the pleats in place and toss the pallu over the shoulder. Maintain the line of the pleats and adjust where necessary. Secures the pallu at the shoulder of the blouse with a safety pin.

Here’s where Kalpanaji’s nifty clothespin trick comes into play

4. Follow the pallu to the lower waist, take hold of the pleats here and continue to drape around the hip. While keeping a close eye on the neatness of the pleats, bring the drape to the front and pin at the center to the tights. Make sure to smoothen the pleats before and after pinning – They must rest neatly around the hip and be prominently visible.

Bring the pleats from the pallu, around the hip, to the front and pin at centre

5. Take the 1.5 meter that was initially left aside and pleat along the width to form beautiful cowls for the dhoti. Secure with a pin.

Pleat the 1.5 meter excess along the width

6. Take this end between your legs, tuck in at the back and pin. Don’t forget to manage the pleats neatly.

Tuck in at the back

7. Pleat the last droopy section in the front, starting from the center outwards. Tuck in neatly at the centre waist. Readjust your pleats and pin.

Pleat the final section

8. Pin the front of the drape to the pleats on the hip to prevent the sari from opening while walking.

Pin to secure

9. Finish up with the right accessories. We picked a wide back tie up blouse for a that added jolt of drama and topped with with some bling drop earrings and a pair of anklets

The dhoti sari

Kalpana Shah is also the author of ‘The Whole Nine Yards’, a coffee table book and guide to draping the Indian sari. She has recently launched a her sari draping app on the App and on Google Play stores. For more information on Kalpana Shah, check out her Facebook and Twitter page.

Now that you know how to drape the dhoti sari from ‘scratch’, we’d love to see your versions. If you have any fashion queries you’d like us to help you with, comment below and we’ll find you a solution!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ABE7f2oUQ&feature=player_embedded&list=PLzRn7VqrDMyKZFBtJYLhEPjVG60vMkpA7

Shraddha Kapoor, Koyal Rana at Gaurav Gupta show fOR India Couture Week

How Effective is Homeopathy for Skin and Hair treatments

How Effective is Homeopathy for Skin and Hair treatments

Homeopathy is one of the most popular alternative forms of medicines today. It first started in Germany over 200 years ago and has helped people all over the world to find a safer treatments for their various problems. Homeopathy has been praised and criticized in equal measure and it is trusted by most of the users. The treatment has been found highly effective for chronic diseases and its benefits in skin and hair problems have been widely researched and validated.

Homeopathic treatments for skin and hair problems are very popular and many famous doctors now offer these treatments to people who have extensively tried conventional medicines and did not see any results. Skin problems like eczema in thousands of people have been successfully treated using Homeopathy medicines. The same holds true for hair problems and many people have benefited from the reduced hair fall once they started using Homeopathy medicines.

Homeopathy works on a very simple philosophy that was first formulated by Samuel Hahnemann over two centuries ago. He stipulated that there are certain elements, which can help your body in highly diluted forms. These active ingredients enter your body and activate certain areas of your body, which are responsible for causing the medical problems you are facing. Once these areas get stimulated, your body heals at an accelerated rate and help you get better.

A number of systemic studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of homoeopathy in treating hair and skin problems. These researchers have documented that the success rate of homeopathic medicines is much higher than what can be attributed to the placebo effect. The Lancet published a report in 1997, which shows that a control group exhibited a higher response to homeopathic medicines than to a placebo. When the two were reversed, the effects did not last, proving that the benefits of homeopathy medicines are not merely a placebo effect.

Critics of the treatment claim that such researches are biased against conventional medicines, but an increasing number of people have been coming forward and confirming to the world that homeopathic medicines really work. Homeopathy treatments have been especially successful at treating skin problems. The human skin is very sensitive and conventional treatments usually end up making it dry and irritable. Homeopathy has been proven to be safe and has proved to be a very successful treatment method for a number of skin problems.

There are many clinics that offer specialized treatments for skin and hair problems using Homeopathic medicines.  Hair problems like dandruff and hair fall have been treated using this treatment and have produced very encouraging results. Skin problems have been another key area where specialized Homeopathic treatment has proved its effectiveness. A great number of people have reported encouraging results once they switched to alternative medicine and the most successful treatment among them so far have been the ones that involved homeopathy. It is time you tried a treatment that has helped people all over the globe get healthier hair and skin.

Dress and Fashion Quiz 1

1. Which Mary was the British dress and fashion designer who revolutionised the world of clothes, jewellery , cosmetics and fashion in the sixties?

2. What colour sari does an Indian bride traditionally wear?

3. A fashionable Country Club at a park in New York gave its name to a dinner jacket or evening dress for men. Name it.

4. Where would you wear espadrilles?

5. Name the loose, coarse over-garment, prescribed by law as the distinctive garment of the Jews in the Middle Ages (as worn by Shylock).

6. In which country might the soldiers wear a stiff white kilt known as a fustanella?

7. Who would be seen wearing a trousseau?

8. Smocking is a popular form of decoration on young children's clothing. What is the name of the stitch in which smocking is worked?

9. Which item of clothing did James Belcher give his name to in the nineteenth century?

10. A dolly varden is an article of clothing what kind?

11. A male's formal evening dress-coat is often referred to as 'tails'. Why is this?

12. What article of dress or clothing comes in the following forms: Domino, Cardinal, Pelegrine, Mantle, Dolman and Inverness?

13. Which item of dress was launched in the sixties by Mr Fish, a fashion entrepreneur?

14. What name is given to the thin veil worn by Moslem women in public?

15. If you were wearing a Sam Brown what would you have on?

16. What name was given to the embroidered box-like contraption at the front of men's breeches in the early sixteenth century?

17. Sir Anthony Eden gave his name to which item of dress, popularised by him in the thirties?

18. What was the name of the very narrow skirt introduced in 1910, which made it difficult for the wearer to walk?

19. An anorak is a long hooded jacket of skin or cloth but from what language does the word anorak come?

20. Which Paris couturier introduced the New Look in 1947?  

ANSWERS

1. Mary Quant

2. Red

3. Tuxedo

4. On the feet

5. Gaberdine

6. Greece

7. A bride

8. Honeycomb Stich

9. A scalf

10. A large hat

11. Shortened form of Swallowtails (the full name)

12. Cloaks or capes

13. The Kipper tie

14. Yashmak

15. A belt with a strap over the right shoulder

16. Codpiece

17. A black felt hat

18. Hobble skirt

19. Eskimo

20. Christian Dior

Quiz: Test your fashion IQ

Think you know all there is to know about the world of fashion? Test your knowledge here!

So, you consider yourself a true fashionista. You cherish your Choos. You follow the fashion runway shows and you simply adore anything that has to do with fashion. OK, great! But how well do you know your designer history? Want to challenge your fashion IQ? Take our fun quiz, full of trivia questions to find out just how much you know!


QUESTIONS:

1. Coco Chanel's real name was:
A) Marie-Eve Chanel
B) Genevieve Chanel
C) Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel
D) Marguerite Chevalier Chanel

2. Karl Lagerfeld was born in:
A) Hamburg in 1938
B) Stockholm in 1945
C) Brussels in 1932
D) Rome in 1939

3. Tom Ford is most notably recognized for his work as the head of which fashion house?A) Chanel
B) Chloe
C) Gucci
D) Prada

4. The novel The Devil Wears Prada is rumoured to be based on the author's real-life experience with the editor of which magazine?A) Cosmopolitan
B) Vogue
C) Glamour
D) Marie-Claire

5. Which fashion house was publicly criticized in January 2007 by Britain's Advertising Standard's Authority, for launching an ad campaign that featured models brandishing knives?A) Yves Saint Laurent
B) Stella McCartney
C) Dolce & Gabbana
D) Ralph Lauren
6. In May 2007, Kate Moss designed a collection exclusively for:
A) Topshop
B) H&M
C) Abercrombie & Fitch
D) Nieman Marcus

7. Which designer was once described as "the supreme master of minimalism"?
A) Ralph Lauren
B) Calvin Klein
C) Roberto Cavalli
D) Versace

8. In the 1963 film Charade, Audrey Hepburn solidifies the cachet and popularity of carrying a particular designer bag. Who was the designer of the bag?
A) Balenciaga
B) Christian Dior
C) Valentino
D) Louis Vuitton

9. In 1988, Naomi Campbell graced the cover of which magazine, as its first black cover girl?
A) French Vogue
B) British Vogue
C) Elle UK
D) Harper's Bazaar

10. Which designer has 6 pug dogs named Maude, Margot, Monty, Molly, Milton and Maggie?
A) Jean-Paul Gaultier
B) Giorgio Armani
C) Zac Posen
D) Valentino

ANSWERS:

1. C 
2. A 
3. C 
4. B 
5. C 
6. A 
7. B 
8. D 
9. A 
10. D 

Red carpet repeats in Bollywood: Who wore it better? Deepika or Madhuri

Madhuri Dixit was spotted wearing a dress that was previously worn by Deepika and Priyanka Chopra (Photo: DC)

Mumbai: Every red carpet event these days is followed up by a detailed analysis of the outfits worn by the celebrities. And if a celeb opts for a garment that has, by chance, been worn by someone else even from the other side of the globe, out come the unflattering comparisons.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, for example, had a rough start to the year with her Cannes dress being an identical copy of what actress Kristin Chenoweth had worn earlier . Considering the nasty comments and jokes that go around the Web, one would think that the stylists’ would do their research to avoid such boo-boos.

Surprisingly, stylists’ seem to be perfectly okay with dressing the supposed trendsetters in “second-hand choices”, and the stars are fine with it too. Madhuri Dixit definitely seemed to be at ease with a green lace dress in a recent episode of Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa in spite of the fact that a similar dress had not only been worn earlier by Deepika Padukone, but by Priyanka Chopra too.

And to think that Madhuri and Deepika share the same stylist! It doesn’t end there. Hansika was spotted wearing a maxi dress to an awards ceremony that once again, Deepika had earlier worn.
Stylists defend themselves saying that neither they nor the stars mind wearing something that has been worn by someone else earlier.

Designer Ridhi Mehra explains, “It’s not as if  stylists are copying each other. There is limited good stuff in the market and everyone wants the best thing. In the case of Madhuri and Deepika, while on Deepika the dress looks hot and sexy, on Madhuri it looks elegant. As long as it suits  different personalities, it’s okay.”

Speaking from personal experience, designer Anand Kabra says, “My garments have been repeated at least twice by celebrities and on both occasions, the actress wearing it second knew that the outfit was worn by someone else earlier. Shilpa Shetty once decided to opt for a garment that Richa Chaddha had earlier worn. The second instance was when Nimrit Kaur went for an outfit that was first won by Esha Gupta.

“Maybe the stylists believed that it can be worn in a better way and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s the stylists’ call and their job is to ensure that at the end the celebrity looks good.” While most agree that it is the stylist’s job to keep track, they also defend them saying it is a risk the stylist takes with the confidence that their client can pull it off better.

Fashion designer Rick Roy says, “There are just so many events going on these days it’s honestly impossible to keep a note of what the celebrities are wearing to each event. Moreover, the trend these days is to pick up stuff. It’s no more the tradition where something is specifically made for each actress, mainly because they are invited to so many of them.”

And if a dress does happen to match what someone else wore, Rick says it’s not a grave error. “Unless it’s a statement piece which will put the celebrity in the spotlight, it’s okay if an outfit is repeated,” Rick adds.

Not too far away from criticism was Samantha who seemed to be opting for garments similar to Deepika and Sonam. Her stylist Neeraja Kona says, “I don’t believe that a garment once worn by someone can’t be repeated. If you like the look, it all depends on the styling. It’s always about trends and we do our research well, even though a dress might be similar, what makes it different is how it has been styled and accessorised.”

Exclusive: “I’m Not Going Jewellery Shopping For My Wedding!” – Dia Mirza Confesses

Dia Mirza

Glowing, undoubtedly, from all the rave reviews her film Bobby Jasoos has garnered over the past few weeks, actress and producer Dia Mirza looked resplendent on the ramp at the ongoing IIJW (India International Jewellery Week) in Mumbai.

Off the ramp of course, the main topic interest was her upcoming wedding to long time beau, Sahil Sangha.

Dia Mirza models for Shobha Shringar

?: What makes the jewellery which you modelled today on the ramp at IIJW, special and different? 
Dia Mirza (DM): I think it’s all about the lady behind the label, Shobha. I have been fortunate to wear a lot of exquisite jewellery throughout my career as a model and as an actress and of course, all of it has been beautiful. But I always feel the association becomes special when the people involved with the craftsmanship are interesting people on a personal level.

Shobha and Dia Mirza

What’s fascinating is that Shobha is an elderly lady, who is well into her golden years. She started off young and the best part is that she doesn’t come from a family with a jewellery background. She has really built the brand with her own efforts and hard work.

Shobha and Dia Mirza

When she approached me to walk the ramp for her, I was taken in by her simplicity and her genuine personality. I think it’s cool that with so many new and young designers showing off their designs at IIJW, here is a lady who is well into her sixties and is as excited as the young ones to show off her designs on the ramp.

Team MM: What is your personal taste in jewellery like?
DM: It depends on what the occasion is or what the attire is that I’m wearing. I’ve realized that I gravitate towords classic jewelry. I love antique designs. In fact, I’m particularly fond of Mughal style jewelry. I’m not too fond of contemporary styles. I usually gravitate towards jewelry that has a classic, old-world style and element about it.

?: Do you own any pieces that are family heirlooms and were handed down to you by your mother or grandmother?
DM: My mother has given me a bangle, which she had bought with her very first salary. It’s a thin bangle encrusted with Basra pearls. It’s very precious because I know how important and significant jewelry can be in a woman’s life.

I remember, when I was a young teenager, she was very upset because most of her jewelry had been robbed. Much of what was taken was inherited from her mother and mother-in-law. But she was more upset about the fact that she would have nothing to give me when it was time for me to get married.

I remember telling her, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make my own money and buy my own jewellery”.

I’ve never regretted not having khandani jewelry and I’m very happy with what I’ve been able to put together for myself, over the years, with the money that I’ve earned. And I think my mother really appreciates that.

I hope that when (and if) I have a daughter, she does the same.

Dia Mirza

?: Have you put together the jewelry for your up-coming wedding to Sahil Sangha? 
DM: Ritu Kumar has designed my wedding outfit and Anita Dongre will also be designing an outfit for one of the other functions. But over the years, I have slowly collected some nice pieces of jewelry and I’m sure I will use only those. I don’t think it will be very necessary for me to go wedding jewelry shopping.

I have not worn a lot of the pieces because somewhere at the back of my mind, I would buy them knowing that I would wear them only when I get married.

Dia Mirza

?  Which historical pieces of jewelry would you like to own?
:)  The Nizam of Hyderabad’s collection, for sure! It’s interesting that a number of pieces from the collection have a very Victorian influence. So even though it has that whole Mughal, Muslim feel to it, there is a marked European, Victorian style element. Every single piece is fascinating as it takes your breath away.

Paula Dress Tutorial

Instructions

1. Place the front bodice pieces and the back bodice piece together, right sides facing.  Close the shoulders

2.  Cross the front bodice pieces and pin the sides, including the back bodice sides.  Sew along.

3. Fold the neckline area and sew along. 

4.  Fold the armhole area and sew along

5.  Waistband:  Sew along the side.
6. Create 3 pleats  1/2 inch wide each.  Iron them flat.

7.  Place the waistband and the bodice together, right sides facing.  Pin and sew along.

8.  Skirt:  Close the sides of the skirt

9.  Place the skit and the waistband together, right sides facing.  Pin and sew along

Finish the skirt by making the hemline.

And it is ready to go!

Step in Time Quilt

My Step in Time Quilt was originally published in Australian Homespun magazine, early 2012. It’s a fun and easy quilt to make and perfect for a beginner who wants to play with some pre-cut fabrics.

It’s also a fun weekend project for a more experienced quilter.

The finished quilt measures approximately 48” x 52”.

If you’d like a bed sized quilt, just by double the amounts of fabric. Rather than using 2 charm packs, you could use a layer cake cut - start the process by cutting the layers into 4 x 5” squares. 

A seam allowance of ¼ inch is included throughout. Requirements are based on fabric 112cm (44” wide).

  
Materials Needed: 

2 x charm packs OR 80 x 5”x 5” squares (I used “It’s a Hoot” by Momo for Moda) 
1.25 yard of a solid fabric – light (I used kona cotton in white) 
1.25 yard of a solid fabric – medium (I used kona cotton in ash) 
0.5 yard of a co-ordinating print fabric for the binding 
* Backing fabric (extra wide) or a pieced backing measuring at least 52” x 56” 
52” x 56” piece of batting 
Neutral thread for piecing & quilting 
Sewing machine with a ¼” foot 
Cutting mat, rotary cutter, ruler 
Iron and ironing board 
General sewing supplies 


Cutting: 
Solid Fabric - Light 
(9) 2.5” strips x WOF 
Crosscut (80) 2.5” x 4.5” 
  
Solid Fabric – Medium 
(9) 2.5” strips x WOF 
Crosscut (80) 2.5” x 4.5” 
  
Charm Packs 
Cut 78 fabric squares to 5” x 4.5” 
Cut each square in half to yield 156 (2.5” x 4.5”) 
  
Binding Fabric 
Cut 5 x 2.25” strips - WOF 
  

Construction: 

Place 1 solid fabric and 1 printed fabric strip with right sides facing together.
Sew along the long edge using a ¼” seam allowance.
Do this for all of the fabric strips.
Press the seam to the printed side. 

  

  

Arrange the blocks so that the solid fabrics look like “steps”. 

  

  

Alternate between 2x white solid and 2x grey solid to make a row of 12 blocks.

In the second row, place the first block in the opposite direction of the block directly above it (with the same solid colour). The second block of the row will be the alternate solid colour (in the opposite direction). 

  

  

Continue arranging the blocks in this alternating manner.

The finished quilt top will have 13 rows of 12 blocks each. 
  


Quilting: 

Press the quilt top well.

Piece the backing if required and press well. 

Lay the backing fabric right side down on a hard surface and use masking tape to secure it, ensuring the fabric is taut but not distorted. 

Layer the batting square over it, then the well pressed quilt top. 

Baste the 3 layers together with safety pins. 

  

  

Quilt as desired - I used a free motion meandering pattern all over the quilt.