Vogue

Fashion over the years is a loop of

events that repeats itself. If you ever

happen to browse a fashion archive

you would notice that the hot fashion

trends tend to repeat themselves

every twenty to thirty years.

The funny part is that we always

blindly follow what fashion houses

tell us to wear or else we are geeky

or out of fashion, but the question

is- have we ever asked ourselves why

do we follow their ideas instead of our

own?

Why do we always think about

what people want us to wear instead

of thinking what we want to wear?

Well, before putting on something

that is in, it is important to know

whether you fit in or not.

Looking like a model seems quite

easy but believe me it’s not!

Bloom unravels the secret behind

those curves and the glamour that will

help you re-discover a new enjoyment

of style, clothes and shopping, with

fashion advice that honours your

body and celebrates the woman you

are!

Keep writing and suggesting how

you would desire Bloom to shape up

in the coming days. Drop us a word at

bloom@qimqatar.com. Your feedback

is always welcomed. So be it science,

technology, lifestyle or fashion take

your pick right away. We will be

eagerly waiting for your reply.

What was in style decades ago

Follow us on

Fashion wear trends are always dynamic. It is not often that people’s liking for a certain fashion remains stagnant for long. Fashion trends do not change once in a season or once in a year in fact fashion trends keep changing everyday.

If you have looked at a Cosmopolitan Magazine or have watched famous movie stars prance around in the latest styles, you would know that women’s fashion has changed a lot over the last 100 years. Whether it’s a whole new look or visiting old fashioned favourites, women’s fashion has made a brutal impact around the world. Designers and fashion experts have created and critiqued the good, the bad, and the awful!

Here are some of the styles that have begun, changed, evolved, and have made a huge comeback over the last 100 years.

1900’s through1920’s:

Fashionable women during the first decade of the 20th century needed morning dresses, afternoon dresses, simple dresses that didn’t fit in a specific occasion, and evening dresses. This was due to social gatherings in which women needed different dresses to fit each occasion. The second decade of the early 1900’s brought rich and exotic patterns and fabrics, skirt lines began to skim well above the ankle. This had prepared the most fashionable women for the radical changes that were about to occur during the roaring twenties.

Known as the beginnings of modern fashion, the 1920’s liberated women from constricting fashion such as shorter pleated skirts, gathers, and even slits to give women some motion that eventually ruled the fashion trends of the future. This lead into such trends as the flapper dresses, low cut necklines, and lingerie were more sought after than their corset, below the ankle style skirts, and the conservative dresses that were worn for centuries before.

1930’sthrough 1950’s:

The Great Depression of the late 1920’s throughout the 1930’s influenced women’s fashion of that era. Thrift was the rage and more women were taking their old clothes and making them into new ones. The more sophisticated Garbo look was in with a more flowing hemline at the hips and natural hemlines were in style. The nylon stockings became a new trend during the late 30’s right after the time they were created.

The 1940’s had two separate styles that women wore. This look involved padded shoulders and knee length skirts. Sportswear had become more popular then and gave women a sense of diversity in their wardrobe. Clothing was made simpler and women began wearing more pants due to World War II. Nipped waist, longer lengths, and fuller skirts were favoured. This created a more drastic feminine look that moved into the 1950’s.

During the age of the baby boomers, the 1950’s brought poodle skirts and the glamorous outfit’s worm by screen legends. The emphasis of a narrow waist became popular by designing a pencil and full skirts for women to wear during this decade.

1960’sthrough 1980’s:

Women’s fashion of the 1960’s dramatically changed. The mod look became popular during the early 60’s with shorter hems above the knee and fabrics that are more fitted against the body. By the late 60’s and the Woodstock era, many sported such things as tie dye clothing, bell bottoms, looser shirts, and more flowing hemlines. The look of the late 60’s stayed on until the mid to late 70’s when the disco era became popular.

The 1970’s started out with the hippie look that continued on from the late 1960’s. Bell bottoms and hip huggers were still popular. Miniskirts were the most popular during this decade and very short shorts called hot pants. By the mid 70’s glitter and high waisted pants made of various fabrics became the in thing. By the late 70’s the disco era and new wave became popular.

There were many trends during the 1980’s that ranged from the disco era early into the decade to the gothic and preppy look during the late 80’s. Shows such as Dynasty and Dallas influenced women in the way they dress to show off their wealth. Lycra was big during this time and skin tight jeans with loose ripped sweatshirts and leggings. The 80’s hair band and hip hop look crossed over from the late 1980’s into the early 90’s in women’s fashion.

1990’s through today:Seattle Washington became the fashion and music scene with the grunge look during the

early 1990’s. This consists of ripped up pants, Dr Martens or combat boots, and flannel shirts. As time went on, the revival of the looks from the 60’s and 70’s made a comeback known as the Alternative look. Hip Hop was also a popular style where women wore tighter clothes to accentuate their curves. Women’s fashion became a free for all during this era.

Today’s fashion during the second millennium consists of many different eras of fashion. Women now dress in what they are most comfortable in, whether it’s wearing clothing of the 70’s or making a revival of styles of the 40’s and 50’s.

Many fashion designers are evolving several of the styles of the past that flatter women of all shapes and sizes.

Women’s fashion has begun anew and has evolved over the last decade. The latest trends are freer spirited than ever. Back then, there was one set style and the world followed the trend to look as beautiful as possible in what they wore. Women of this era believe that being in style is how we view as being fashionable, and in the evolving world of today’s fashion, our personalities and individuality has begun to shine.

Thursday, 8 December 2011Issue No. 23

Health

A fashion model’s top 10 diet tips

The basics of losing

weight are no mystery - eat less, exercise more and

watch the pounds fall off. Real life, however, is not always that

simple. Sometimes we need a little push in the right direction before we can start to really achieve our goals.

Mentioned below are the top 10 diet tips that have helped motivate

models to lose weight, making dieting easy.

Follow them and see if they work for you!

8Keep a Food DiaryWriting down every bite and sip in your food journal can be an invaluable tool for a successful diet. It can help you track what you are eating, and make you understand how much you are really consuming. Try writing down the calories next to each entry too.

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Keep Snacksin the HouseA common mistake of most dieters is to take all snacks out of the house. Models know that snacking throughout the day is actually a key element of successful dieting. Everyone gets hunger pangs - just make sure that when you lose your willpower it’s with healthy, low-fat snacks rather than pizza or ice-cream.Great ideas for healthy snacks are low-fat yoghurt, sweet potatoes, edamame and salted popcorn. Try to carry snacks with you when you leave the house too. A healthy nut bar in your purse will prevent you from stopping in at McDonalds on the way home.

Go GrillingBaking and steaming are fine too, but you get the point! You have to steer clear of fried food if you want to lose weight. When you cook, try to use the absolute minimum of oil. Many foods contain natural oils that speed the cooking process anyway, there’s just no need for spoonful of cooking oil.

Spice It UpBoost your metabolism with spicy food, it really works! Spicy food can make you feel fuller, and it also gives your system a kickstart, forcing it to burn more calories.You have to be careful though - lots of spicy dishes in restaurants are extremely high in calories.Add ingredients like black pepper, ginger and chilli peppers to your home cooking for a flavourful way to increase your weight loss.

Frozen FruitBefore you go to bed at night, throw some fruit in the freezer. It can be grapes, berries, or whatever’s left in your fruit bowl just sliced up. The next day you have a nutritious, healthy snack ready for you.There are two reasons why this is a great diet tip. Firstly, you eat the frozen fruit slower than if it were at room temperature. This gives your stomach time to tell you when it’s full. Secondly, the lower temperature makes your body work harder, increasing your metabolism and helping you to burn off more fat.

Drink Lots of WaterWhen it comes to weight loss, water is a model’s best friend. Staying fully hydrated will increase your metabolism, stave off hunger pangs, improve your complexion and slow down the aging process.

Green TeaStudies have shown that drinking green tea between meals results in weight loss. It’s not just the caffeine either, so coffee is no substitute. Buy some green tea and give it a try - it has plenty of other health benefits besides weight loss so you have nothing to lose.

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Quit the Emotional EatingLet’s face it life is difficult! Many of us make excuses for a box of chocolates on a bad day. Learning to deal with the pains of life without turning to food is an important habit to create.Try to get stuck into doing something you love, like a hobby or your favourite exercise, when life deals you a blow. Alternatively, consider seeking professional help with emotional eating issues.

Don’t Order the SauceBelieve it or not, restaurant food doesn’t have to be a dieter’s nightmare. Dishes like salads, grilled meat and fish are perfectly fine for calorie-counting diners as long as you don’t put a thick, creamy sauce on top of them.Order dishes without sauces if you can. If you really have to, go for something light like a soy sauce or vinaigrette. In an Italian restaurant, try the sauces with a tomato base as they will generally be lighter.

Ditch the MayoIn every model’s list of foods to avoid, one of the top spot is always taken by Mayonnaise. Low in nutrients, high in fat, adding Mayo to your sandwich can turn a healthy treat into a high-calorie nightmare! Try mustard instead, it’s much healthier and will help keep your snacks low in calories.

Health Tips Treat yourself well

during the holidays

Stick to a regular or junior-sized meal or sandwich. Avoid anything labelled as jumbo, super-sized, deluxe, giant or big-sized.

Stick to lean meats that have been broiled or grilled. Skip fattening condiments in favour of veggies or a dash of mustard.

Order a sandwich on an English muffin, instead of a biscuit or croissant.

Stick to fresh veggies at the salad bar, avoiding heavy dressings, croutons, cheeses and bacon bits.

Opt for lean chicken, rather than beef.

Stick to thin-crust veggie pizza without too many toppings or extra cheese.

The holidays can be physically, emotionally and financially overwhelming. So take care to avoid letting the stress of the season get you down.

The Cleveland Clinic suggests how to take care of yourself during the holidays:

Keep up with your regular exercise routine, and stick to a regular schedule of healthy, nutritious meals.

Get plenty of sleep each night.

Find a few minutes to do something fun each day.

Make sure your holiday goals are realistic.

Enjoy the season with people who are supportive.

Take a break from your hectic schedule when you need it.

Rolling through the drive-through doesn’t mean your healthy diet has to take a nose-dive.

The American Diabetes Association offers the following suggestions for healthier fast-food choices:

make healthy choices

at fast-food restaurants

2 Thursday, 8 December 2011

Fine Living

How to look like a modelModels are typically very skinny, but there are plus-size models. The industry is tougher on plus-sizes but if they truly are models, they will get booked and can become supermodels and role-models for other plus-sizes. Being a model means being comfortable with yourself, loving the way you look, and being happy. Models have a confident mystique about them. Even the most conventionally beautiful models carry themselves with an aura that exudes style, grace, and health. They have a glow in their photos; that glow is confidence. Here’s how to get in touch with your own inner model and who knows, maybe even get discovered!

Get fitBeing healthy is a million times more important than being thin. Check with your doctor for your proper weight range and work to get and stay within it. Exercise, eat properly, and drink plenty of water. You are what you eat, so learn to like it in order to achieve the weight you want and be as healthy as you can be. As long as you’re in your healthy range, you’ll look fabulous. And if you’re already happy with your body, then you can still look like a model. You don’t have to be thin to look like a model. You don’t have to lose weight to look great. Don’t want to change? Then you can still look fab.

Be fashionableA lot of people don’t realize how wrong they are in the clothes they wear. Learn about your body type, height, skin tone and preferences. Discover yourself, and fashion will come to you. Rid yourself of any insecurity, because you can look bad in a Gucci & Manolo shoes if your shoulders are slouching and you have a scared look on your face. You don’t have to wear designer clothes, especially if you can’t afford them. Just look through fashion magazines, pick your favourites and then find look-a-likes. Remember, clothes don’t make you, they complement you!

Feel good about yourselfSmile, be merry and people will notice that. It will help you meet people and be talked about. But to smile genuinely, you have to be genuinely happy with yourself. Some models are unhappy, some have eating disorders and use unhealthy ways to lose weight. Just because they do that, doesn’t mean you have to. Don’t hide behind your smile all the time. If you are unhappy about something, express your opinion - the key to being a good model is emotiveness (the ability to convey emotions).

Watch your postureHow you carry yourself affects how people perceive you more than you think! Perk up that chin, throw those shoulders back, and glide through the air as if you just signed a ten million dollar contract. At home, practice carrying books on your head. Move like a dancer. Keep your head back, chin up, and shoulders down and back. Remember that every moment is a potential pose! However, you shouldn’t become obsessed.

Be your own makeup artistBe your own makeup artist. Makeup is amazing, and any fashionista knows that. You can transform into so many different looks if you have the necessary tools and skills. Look through fashion magazines and practice the looks you see on yourself and your friends. Then invent your own looks and perfect them. Being able to apply makeup like a pro is a must for looking like a model. It requires practice, practice, and then some more practice.

Don’t bite your nails and always keep them polished This doesn’t mean always have some nail polish on. Just make sure to buff them and maintain them.Keep your feet in impeccable conditions at all times.Soft elbows and knees are just as important as matching shoes and belt.To get softer skin, try to exfoliate your skin at least twice a week with something simple like white sugar and aloe vera mixed.Keep those pearly whites pearly white! Use whitening strips if you need to, and stay far away from cigarettes and coffee, which will turn them yellow. Always use enamel safe teeth whitening or else your teeth could chip off or become see through and very unhealthy.

Looking like a model doesn’t mean you have to cake yourself with makeupThey don’t so you shouldn’t either. Moisturize every morning. Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler. Use bronzer if it suits you, but don’t be afraid to embrace your natural skin colour. Foundation should be light. Eye shadow is nice also but don’t overdo it. Eyeliner and mascara are better in brown or similar natural colours. Makeup should be about enhancing your beauty, not covering it up.

Clear skin is absolutely necessaryNo zits, pimples, whiteheads, acne. Have a good face cleanser to use twice a day. Have a good toner, spot treatment, lotion. Do face masks and exfoliate once a week. Drink lots of water. Get enough sleep. Do what you have to, to achieve perfect skin. Wear concealer on anything you might have. Wash off makeup at night- no doing the “I’m tired I’ll skip washing my face”.

Make sure every part of your body is as flawless as you can make it We all have this idea that models are perfect human beings with perfect super powers, but they’re just normal men and women like you and me. Of course, they have been refined, polished, re-invented, and perfected. You can be all of these as well, with proper maintenance! Hygiene is extremely important.

Be niceModels carry themselves with a smile that tells everyone they’re friendly. Cultivate an amiable nature so that people like being around you.

Educate yourself in cultureStay on top of the arts, film, music, fashion, news and all things hip. Learn key phrases in various languages from countries with an active fashion scene. Travel the world, or watch the Travel Channel. Professional models learn to feel at home in any part of the world, and so must you--or at least you can pretend!

Be confidentYou’ll never get anywhere if you don’t believe in yourself. So be confident and don’t let people pull you down!

Be seenWhat does it matter to look gorgeous if the only one that sees it is your family, and your teddy bears? Go out dancing with your friends, or dining, or whatever it is you like to do. Have fun and live it out.

Mind your style, top to bottomThere are two things that can make or break your look: your hair and your shoes.Look through hair magazines and talk with your hairstylist about what would look good with your face structure. Always keep your hair clean and styled, and make sure you go back to the salon every 2-3 months as your hair grows. Make sure the shade of your hair is vibrant; there’s nothing worse than dull hair. If your colour is any dull, dye it. Many, many models have dyed hair. And they cover their roots- completely. If you don’t want to colour your hair, use a shine serum to add a healthy shine.Wear clean, nice shoes. Models wear sneakers, too, and they wear them with style. Just make sure your shoes aren’t worn out, and that you can walk comfortably in them.

3Thursday, 8 December 2011

The Garment and Beauty product industries are large users of models. People want to see what clothes or beauty products look like on somebody. Your high-fashion, designer-label garments, are designed for what fashion designers view as the “ideal woman.” This is someone tall and slender, somewhat leggy, with a swan like neck and very young. It is more important you just have a look of being tall and slender and that the sample clothes will fit you. The “look” can run from classic beauty to some extreme looks for fashion.

Types of Fashion modelling:

Fashion editorial modelling - Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Cosmo, etc. - these and many other magazines today that focus on fashion have lots of editorial pages they must fill each month. Many of these editorial pages feature models wearing what the magazine thinks will be the next trend in fashion. Fashion runway modelling - Clothing designers traditionally show their new collections twice a year (Fall and Spring) to perspective (store) buyers. Designers present these collections to a gathering of buyers by sending models down a walkway or runway. How well a model brings the clothes to life and shows important features of the garments can determine how well they sell.Fashion catalogue modelling - There are a lot of clothing catalogues produced. These catalogues, whether business-to-business, store, or direct marketing, require models to pose in the clothes they are trying to sell. Generally, catalogue models are picked for a project because they represent the ideal of the market segment for which that catalogue is targeted. Fashion print modelling - This is fashion and beauty for print

advertising. It can be display ads or collateral print materials. This is the most demanding work to get but pays the best because of usage and exclusives. With these ads it is very important that the concept, photo, and model work perfectly to convey the ‘image’ that is wanted.Fashion show room modelling - Modelling for buyers in the designer’s show room. This is lower pay but very regular work; it could even be a full time job. Only happens where there are designer show rooms.Fashion lingerie modelling - Because this type of modelling may be more revealing it requires very good body tone and proportions.Fashion bathing suit modelling - Again, more revealing requires excellent body tone and a healthy look. In this case the models should be very fit.Fashion fitness modelling - As health and fitness has moved more into the public consciousness a greater demand has grown in this type of modelling. Where once everyone exercised in baggy grey sweats, fitness attire continues to evolve and become more everyday wear. Fashion fit modelling - Fit models have the perfect proportions for a given clothing size. Garment manufactures and designers hire fit models to use to piece together new creations, see how they move, and develop their patterns. The key for a fit model is to never gain or lose an inch. Fashion tearoom modelling - This once was very popular (the ‘80s) in smaller markets. Usually it would be at ladies’ luncheons where models would wander between tables wearing designer clothes from local fashion boutiques. The models would describe the outfit they wore and where to buy it.

Lifestyle

Types of ModellingThe market determines what models are needed. These needs tend to cluster into market segments and allow us to look at types of models.

It is important to understand the type of model you want to be. By understanding the type of modelling you are interested in you can learn what the requirements are and if you can meet them. This also helps in avoiding getting ripped off.

Greatest number of rip-offs and bad business decision happen when a wannabe model is thinking of one type of modelling (usually high fashion) and a scout, agent, photographer, etc. is recruiting for another (life style, Playboy glamour). So it is very important you understand what type of modelling you are interested in.

Fashion

Modelling Body part modelling is a special category that belongs in both fashion and commercial modelling. This is the use of just part of the body in a photograph. Often standard models that look great in full-length shots or headshots don’t look so good close up. Their hands or feet may look horrible. This is where the body parts model comes in. A shoot is set up using the standard model’s face but the body part model’s hands and it looks like it is just one person. Usually body part models will specialize in just one part of the body like hands, feet, legs, ears, or neck.Body parts model follow a similar path as regular models with finding modelling agencies, building portfolios and having comp cards. They simply pursue a very special niche in the market.

Commercial modelling is sort of the catch all for everything that isn’t fashion and isn’t glamour. It is vast and diverse. The physical requirements can vary greatly. The ‘look’ can be that of a mom, business executive, scientist, glamorous beauty, etc. The pay can be good but not to the level of the top fashion model and commercial models who tend to find work less often. But it can be an area one can work part time for their whole life. Again, the purpose of commercial modelling is to sell something - a product, service, or an idea.

Types of Commercial Modelling:Commercial product modelling - Generally we are generating a photo to sell a product and the model is used to show how the product is used. Also, model may be used to convey an image about a product. An example would be a model dressed like a doctor holding a blood pressure device. The physical requirements and look for commercial product modelling can vary a great deal. It all depends on the image or story you are trying to tell. Commercial lifestyle modelling - Models are used in photos showing a period of life or doing something in life. The photo might be of a young couple playing in a park with their children and the photo is used in an ad for a life insurance company. The models are used to act out some concept or idea of life.Commercial corporate modelling - Corporate modelling is like Lifestyle but it always has a business theme. Again physical requirements can vary greatly, but usually attractive people are used - although sometimes character models are used.Product demo - In smaller markets this seems to be a favourite area to start models. Models stand in front of, or in a store or mall, and hand out free samples of something. The idea is they want someone attractive that people will be drawn to and will work for just a few hours or a few days. Trade show modelling - Once again attractive people are attention getters. When a trade show comes to town some exhibitors may hire models to hand out literature at their booths. One of the classics examples of this is the auto showSports/athletically proficient/fitness - This is kind of lumping a lot together but this has been a growing area in modelling. With sport attire companies like Nike and the increase number of personal sports, fitness and outdoor magazines the need for models that look like they actually know what they are doing has grown.Hobby modelling - This is modelling for the fun of it, to help out a cause or a place to get started. Some folks may never make a living at modelling but enjoy being in front of the camera or being on the runway. It also ties in with organization that might put on a fashion show as a fundraiser. Alternative modelling - This term has been coined for the whole gothic/punk modelling. This is a very specialized niche.Warm body modelling - This is where you just need someone to put in a photo. When doing an outdoor tourist bureau type photos you often find you need someone hiking a trail or standing at an overlook, this is where you need a warm body to help animate the photo.

Body Part

Modelling

Commercial Modelling

Glamour modelling is modelling for photos with a sensual theme. This might

be a simple cheesecake or beefcake photo. They can include bikini, sexy outfits and lingerie modelling. On the cheesecake level, photos can be

used for calendars, posters, and other pin-up girl products.

As one moves to greater states of undress you move to the adult entertainment industry with high-end men’s magazines like

Playboy and then on down to the low-end

back-ally magazines.But it is the Internet that dominates this

field and is now loaded with all levels of sensual model photos. There are no height or size requirements as in fashion

modelling. Where fashion modelling wants you to look like a beanstalk, glamour modelling wants you to have curves. Where fashion may want a ‘special beauty look’, glamour modelling

wants traditional drop dead gorgeous!

Glamour

Modelling

4 Thursday, 8 December 2011

Science

Fashion & branddriven children of today

Vinodh K. Pisharom

“You are from the old school”, chided my child on see-ing the clothes and shoes I bought for him from the lo-cal market. It was clear that neither of them conformed to his tastes, but the chiding was chiefly in disapproval of the unbranded and unheard-of stuff I brought home.

My solo venture to the local market was to surprise my child with new clothes and shoes, as he had fast out-grown the older ones. But, as it turned a misadventure, I learned that he, like most other children, has long out-grown us, the older ones, in fashion and brand aware-ness. The ensuing class on brands, logos and fashion unveiled my ignorance, confirming my child’s allegation that I belonged to the old school of thought. “You would wear anything we chose without a fuss till the other day”, I quipped, not to give in to his designs of stamp-ing me utterly out-of-date. To verify my claim he flipped through the family albums, sighed out loud in disbelief at some of the outfits and exclaimed, “Dad! How could you do this to me when I was too small even to talk?”

Are children as young as five so driven by consumer-ism and fashion that they are in danger of ‘losing’ their childhood? Dr. Jane Pilcher, a sociologist at the Uni-versity of Leicester undertook an unusual research to study the influence of fashion on youngsters between the ages of five and twelve. Her findings showed that brands and logos are highly important to some chil-dren, which is influenced by family attitudes, peer pres-sure and celebrity culture. This indeed raised concerns if young children are becoming more like teenagers in their behaviour and the ways they use fashion to create their identity.

While Dr. Pilcher agrees there are worries surround-ing children and fashion, she believes it would be un-realistic to expect the nature of childhood to stay the same when society itself is changing and becoming dominated by consumerism and the celebrity culture. However, she believes that youngsters do remain chil-dren in many ways and are saved from turning prema-turely into teenagers because of the greater controls and intervention exercised by their parents. She argued: “I would emphasize that we should be looking at what parents buy for their children and the negotiations that take place round that consumption. “Parents might give in and buy something they don’t necessarily approve of but they can place quite heavy restrictions as to where that item of clothing can be worn. “For instance, the child might only be allowed to wear a glittery off-the-shoulder top in the safe, monitored environment of the school disco and not anywhere else.”

Vinodh K. Pisharom

Ahmed was sad that his parents had aged a lot since he left home for employment in the Gulf two years back. Had it not been for his hopeless poverty, he would not have left his parents alone in their old age. “You needn’t worry about

us. Just get us that wonder drug to stay young, which people say is available in the Gulf”, his father said.

Ahmed was prompt in sending the wonder pill ‘Minus-ten’ to his parents. Each pill was claimed to have the power to reduce one’s age by ten years. Hence, they were

Dr. Pilcher’s study, conducted with colleagues at the Univer-sity of Leicester, found that even very young children have a great deal of knowledge about the clothing retail sector and they know exactly which shops will sell the kind of clothing they want. She also found a strong association between fam-ily culture and the value children placed on brands and logos, citing two cases, ‘Robert’ and ‘Hayley’ (not their real names).Robert came from a family where brands and designer fash-ions were valued, and he ‘name-dropped’ constantly about the brands of his clothes. Hayley, on the other hand, came from a family with little disposable income, where brands and logos were of so little importance that she had difficulty in under-standing what the terms meant.

Parents, however, do not have it all their own way. Dr. Pilch-er commented: “There are a variety of fashion influences on children and you can’t ignore the pressures from their peer groups, especially friends of the same sex, and their ideas of what is cool.” A further influence on young children is the ce-lebrity culture, which they may wish to copy or they may re-ject.

Is the dependence of young children on fashion a bad thing?

Not necessarily, it seems. The acquisition of brands that are in vogue and therefore cool can give great pleasure and act as a bonding between peers in a group. For young people them-selves, it is a matter of image rather than money. Although consumer culture clearly has financial implications, many of the brands favoured by young people are available in high street stores very cheaply. Children who do not participate in that culture, however, can be isolated from their peers in a form of social exclusion. This, Dr. Pilcher says, is something to be borne in mind by teachers when considering school uni-form policies and by parents doing battle with their children on the shop floor. Her research findings on children and fash-ion were recently reported in the journal Childhood.

Fashion, brands and logos may change with time, and chil-dren may adapt to the changes with ease. However, parents may still be branded old-fashioned, as our parental instincts haven’t changed much over time. Time and again, by giving in to the whims and fancies of the children, parents are only endorsing this brand name ‘old-fashioned’. Perhaps, the only saving grace to look up-to-date is to update ourselves with the latest in fashion, brands and logos.

To turn backthe hands of time

cautioned about the potential dangers of not taking the pill as per instruc-tions. Relieved at his parents’ assur-ance on being cau-tious, Ahmed eager-

ly awaited his next vacation to meet his

youthful parents.True to his belief,

and thanks to the poten-cy of the pill, Ahmed was

greeted by his spright-ly young mother at the airport. His ea-ger eyes searched

for his father, but there was no trace of him. Mom’s stony si-lence to his que-

ries about dad in-dicated that he was no more, and it

was intentional-ly kept a secret.

“How and when did dad die?” Ahmed de-manded. “Die? I would have accepted even that rather than being a nanny to this nasty kid”, said mom, point-ing to a diaper clad toddler by her side. Dumping the kid into Ahmed’s hands, his mother continued, “Here!

This is your dad! An overdose of Minus-ten has turned him into ten-month old toddler with the cranky brain of a sixty-year old grouch”. As Ahmed wiped off the gooey stuff which oozed out from his dad’s diapers on to his hands, he knew that his mis-sion had terribly backfired.

We definitely live in a youth obsessed culture and it seems that everyone wants to look younger than their age. It’s no surprise that peo-ple seek wonder drugs like the fictitious Minus-ten, or take extreme measures like that of Ahmed’s dad. If you are one of the lucky ones born with youthful genes and you naturally look young, you are very fortunate. Most people have to work at it. Many people choose surgery or injections as an option for looking younger, but there are many things you can do right at home that will really make a difference in your ap-pearance without having to visit the doctor.

Here are some tips that you can naturally turn back the hands of time for you! Most of these are very sim-ple and anyone can do them.

Eat organic whenever possible.

Moisturize your face, neck & hands every day.

Drink lots of water.

Get your Vitamin C.

Wear a young smelling fragrance.

Whiten your teeth.

Wear V-neck shirts and sweaters.

Reduce stress.

Stay away from sugar.

Fit exercise/yoga into your daily schedule.

Get plenty of sleep.

Update your hairstyle.

Wear light colours.

Improve your posture.

Drink a glass of fruit juice rich in antioxidants.

Skip a meal each day or fast one day a week.

Have a positive attitude and smile!

For those who find it tough to follow these harm-less tips, the good news is that Minus-twenty will soon be in the market to grant you youth without pain.

5Thursday, 8 December 2011

PlayfulnessWith all the dreary news we’re surrounded by every day, it’s only natural for people to want to relax and take their minds off the world in any way they can. And what better way to do so than to immerse yourself in a smartphone, laptop or music player?Nowadays, it’s not enough for brands to promote the product on its own. They have to go the extra mile and surround that product with a real-life scenario that potential consumers, like you and me, can relate to. MP3 players have existed a long time before the iPod ever saw the light of day. I, for one, was perfectly content with my 4GB mobile phone’s music playing ability until that glorious day when I saw a dancing silhouette of a young, hip and cool woman dancing her heart out with white headphones sticking out. Needless to say, I found myself buying an iPod the very next day! Even Nokia’s “Connecting People” slogan relays a powerful message relating to consumers’ lives and how it’s important to stay connected with your loved ones, preferably using a Nokia phone!

Modernity -Does this go well with my shoes?

Believe it or not, that is a question that’s not strictly related to clothing accessories anymore. Many of the big technology players in the market now adopt this mentality when designing and promoting their product.

Nokia’s latest series of N9 smartphones are a very good example of how the variety of colors and shapes attract the masses. Another

example is DELL and their economic and multi-color Inspiron laptop computers which are always advertised in a way that promotes the

variety of colors that suit all tastes.Technology had also given birth to an entirely new market

industry. Accessories such as mobile phone covers, laptop skins, fashionable headphones, and many other quirky add-ons have made their way into global markets and given

users the ability to customize how the products look. What better way to show the world what mobile

phone you own than plastering it on your car’s windshield, or creating your own customized printable skin

cover?

Technology

Fashion & Technology

My StyleFashion App

Weekly App Review

Available for

App Features:

Priced at a measly 1.99 $.

Very simple to use, just take snapshots of your wardrobe, and start creating ensembles with just a swipe of your finger.

When clothes shopping, you can take snapshots right at the store and compare

with items in your existing wardrobe to find that perfect match.

Get a second opinion while shopping by sharing your snapshots with friends for immediate feedback.

Shop online and browse what brands are available in nearby stores.

This app is the dream of all fashion-crazed shopaholics! If you have more than 10 pairs of shoes, and a plethora of clothing items that can barely fit in your double-spaced closet, then this app will save you hours in deciding what to wear for that smart/casual dinner soiree.

Although many say that vanity is a sin, millions of consumers out

there; much like you and me; think the exact opposite when it comes

to buying cool and trendy new gadgets which we can flaunt about

around the water cooler. Whether it’s a brand new mobile phone,

a personally assembled powerful PC, or a dandy new electronic

shoe polisher, there’s nothing wrong with a person that likes to put

his latest technology acquisitions on display for the world to see.

In these futuristic times, it’s not enough to wear Prada, smell like

Versace’s latest perfume or drive a super-charged xenon-lit BMW.

The devices you “wear” with your ensemble can turn you from geek

to cool, no matter how thick your glasses are.

But have you ever wondered why we buy the things we buy? Who

tells us what’s hot and what’s not? And why is every human being

that breathes on this Earth is a proud owner of an iPod?

As any clever marketer would tell you, it’s all about image. And

who better to learn from than the legendary Steve Jobs who was the

pioneer visionary who dared to say that it’s not enough to have a

powerful technological product if it’s not accompanied by an equally

powerful and attractive design. Jobs knew that first impressions

count, and that the true key to capturing consumers’ hearts is

through their eyes and sense of fashion. From the introduction of

the sexy Macintosh computer in 1984, to the even sexier iMac in

1998, and finally launching what many claim is the most attractive

product in history – the iPod. Jobs certainly believed in the holy

trinity of marketing – Modernity and Playfulness.

6 Thursday, 8 December 2011

Beauty

How to do itright for runaways

The object of a runway collection is to heighten the senses and stage a show. But in reality, it’s more chic to have a classic look you always do with your hair and makeup, and then just tweaking that a bit here or there depending on if you want to be edgier one morning or prettier the next!

Runway model eye makeup varies widely depending on season, fashion show theme, and other factors. There, are however, some commonly seen styles of eye makeup seen on the runway.

What’s more, you can achieve a catwalk-worthy look with the help of our handy eye makeup tips and eye makeup technique tutorials mentioned below:

Avant Garde Eye Makeup: Avant garde, innovative eye makeup art looks are often showcased on the runway.

These may be achieved with airbrushed or painted designs accentuating the eye area, dramatically emphasizing the eyes with colour and dramatic lines, and/or use of highly unusual elements to create a distinctive look.

Natural or Understated: On the other end of the runway spectrum, eye makeup

sometimes gets underplayed in order to emphasize another facial feature, such as the lips or cheeks, or to reflect a more natural makeup theme. More natural shades and shimmers may be used. The fresh-faced appeal of understated eye makeup is one that can easily be pulled off for every day with a flesh coloured eye shadow, a brown or other medium neutral liner on the top eye, and two coast of mascara on curled lashes.

Period: Often reflective of the clothing inspirations, period makeup can play

up the theme and revive eye makeup looks form eras past. Thick pin up girl eyeliner, eye-catching cat-eyes, or bold blue shadow might appear.

Fantasy or theme: Fantasy and theme eye makeup is filled

with imagination and places heavy emphasis on the eyes, making them dark, dramatic, or mysterious for the runway. Thematic elements may be incorporated into the makeup looks, such as heavy silver-toned glitter and shimmer shades for a winter show, or rich plum or mauve shades to create sultry eyes for a spicy sexy feel.

Smoky Eyes: Smokey eyes are a runway eye makeup staple, although colours vary from season to season. Whether it’s a bold, rich purple hue or a

more organic brown tone, creating a smoky eye makeup look instantly makes eyes stand out with an incredible allure.

While runway makeup trends may vary

each season, they often fall into one of

these broad categories of styles:

Styles of Runway Model Eye Makeup

7Thursday, 8 December 2011

Fashion

With an eye for starting trends and an understanding of what women want, Elie Tahari creates sleek, city-wise styles that effortlessly go from work to a night out. His passion for architecture is evident in the clean lines and understated elegance of his modern, feminine collection.

Women have been drawn to Elie Tahari’s designs for decades and his clientele continues to revel in the feminine, sensual fabrics, subtle textures and detailing that have come to define the much-loved brand. Elie Tahari has come to characterize modern sophistication with his inspired collections of understated grace and elegance.

His unique talent has positioned the collection as a force in the world of fashion for over 30 years. Elie Tahari’s devoted following continues to revel in the feminine embellishments, sensual fabrics, and subtle textures synonymous with the collection.

Fabrics from silk to wool to laid-back linen to comfortable cotton are carefully selected to provide the best and longest wear. Each piece in the Elie Tahari clothing collection allows for individual style.

Designer Clothing

boutique@

8 Thursday, 8 December 2011