Wear your boyfriend’s kurta with bright denims. Slap on a skinny belt to accentuate your waist. While we are on new silhouettes, why don’t you swap straighter cuts (pinned in picture) or long jacket-style kurtas for been-there-done-that kalidaars? Or team shirt dresses with slim pants?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s forget those border-patti saris and add some sporty elements to your traditional outfits. How about wearing a jersey striped blouse like that of Sabyasachi’s . It’s one of our favourites this season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why don’t you ditch net and polyesters and go organic? This is the time to embrace beautiful thread work, wispy printed organzas and celebrate our country’s wonderful weaves (we recommend saris by Raw Mango).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let us vow to dump black this season. Midnight blue, vermillion reds, tangerines, off-white and greys are tickling our colour palette. And yours?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say bye to the traditional and go for contemporary prints or motifs. They make a statement while adding a fun factor to an outfit. May we recommend our quirky printed saris !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stash away the Jodhpurs this season and do the new. Wear the new dhoti pants for both men and women. Trend alert from Anamika Khanna (pinned in picture).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bargaining is the thumb rule of street shopping, but you must know where to shop for what. The t2 campus team draws up a guide

WESTERN OUTFITS

What: Floral-printed tops, coloured jeans, dresses and shorts in every possible colour.

Where: AC Market and New Market (reasonable); BK Market (on the higher side).

We say: If you want to look classy and remain street-smart, head to Finale at BK Market for printed tees starting at Rs 300 and pretty little dresses starting at Rs 400.

 

HIPPIE-STYLE

What: Harem pants, flowing kurtas in sober shades, T-shirts with religious motifs, scarves and jholas.

Where: Art Museum and Sunshine on Sudder Street.

Pocket pinch: Harem pants start at Rs 200, plain scarves at Rs 100. Silk scarves and those with a bit of bling come for Rs 150. The jholas are for Rs 150 too.

We say: Make sure you bargain, even if it means just a Rs 10 discount.

 

JEWELLERY

What: Oxidised, dokra and silver earrings, bangles, neckpieces… the works!

Where: Gariahat and Dakshinapan (reasonable); Green Valley in New New Market basement and Art Museum (on the higher side).

Pocket pinch: Luck matters. We’ve found great earrings for even Rs 10 on the Gariahat pavement. If earrings are your thing, go to Green Valley. They have
silver and German silver items from Rs 150 and oxidised earrings from Rs 30. For dokra earrings, the stalls outside Dakshinapan offer good pieces for Rs 70.

We say: Our current fave are camel bone rings available at Art Museum, for Rs 100. They come in various shapes, sizes, colours and tribal designs.

 

FOOTWEAR

What: Flats, chappals, jootis, sandals and all kinds of heels.

Where: Metro Plaza and near Globe cinema (reasonable); Simpark Mall and BK Market (on the higher side).

Pocket pinch: Rs 100 flat!

We say: Near Globe cinema, you’ll find ethnic chappals and jootis starting at Rs 150. For footwear that go with western clothes, BK Market and Simpark Mall stocks start at Rs 200.

BAGS

What: Handbags, sling bags, clutches, wallets and jholas.

Where: Hatibagan and New Market (reasonable), BK Market (on the higher side).

Pocket pinch: Totally depends on your bargaining skills. If you are a pro, you can get a Rs 700 bag outside New Market for Rs 150! Serious.

We say: Sudder Street is good for ethnic bags and jholas (Rs 150 onwards).
Bags and Bags in BK Market has lovely stuff starting at Rs 650. Try New Market
stalls for quirky shades and shapes.

 

FOR HIM

What: Shoes, message tees, belts, casual shirts, wallets.

Where: Metro gali and Grand arcade (reasonable); F-Bloc on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road (on the higher side).

Pocket pinch: Message tees at Grand Arcade start at Rs 150, while F-Bloc tees are priced between Rs 199 and Rs 599. Watch out for their neon tees if you want to stand out.

We say: Borrow some bargaining tips from the girls in your gang. Better still, tag along with them when they go on an, ahem, hunting expedition!

RAYA GHOSH

Make-up pro Aniruddha Chakladar’s 10 make-up posers for you

1) This time the Pujas are early, so it’s going to be humid and sultry. Why don’t you use powder-based foundations instead of a liquid or a cream-based one? You’ll sweat less.

2) Instead of using just black for your eyes, maybe line your eyes with coloured kohl pencils? You can add a hint of blue or purple. Leave the eyeshadow out.

3) If you are not a kohl person, how about a generous coat of mascara and nude eyeshadow for a day outing?

4) Why don’t you complement your Indo-western outfit with a bindi? And, play around with the designs? The abstract the design the better it is. Remember, a round bindi is perfect for ethnicwear.

5) Forget the foundation, how about rubbing on some cream blush on your cheeks, followed by a brush of compact powder? Just a dab of moisturiser is enough. This will give a natural look without making the blush-on too obvious. The trick is to blend your blush really well.

6) Why not throw away the lip liner and use a lipstick in nude tone? For me, a nude shade is something that is closer to your skin tone. For a dusky complexion, medium to dark brown is a nude tone. For those with fair skin, peach or a soft pink is a natural shade. Feeling adventurous? Enter, RED!

7) Enough of open hair, why not go for braids? They are very ‘in’. How about messy braids? Those with shorter hair can scrunch it. Give your hair some texture.

8) Guys should groom themselves too. Why don’t you sport a nice haircut? If you have a stubble, make sure it is trimmed.

9) And guys, a little bit of compact gives the face a grease-free look. A little concealer and lip balm also won’t rob you of your masculinity. Say what?

10) Even if you don’t have make-up on, please use a nice perfume. Colognes are a must for guys.

Deepika’s demure chennai express cholis and sonakshi’s school marm lootera look are geny’s puja picks this year. the t2 campus girls go the whole nine yards

Going traditional is so ‘in’ this season, thanks to Deepika Padukone’s covered-up outings in Chennai Express. Broad zari borders are a must, and colour-blocking the need of the hour. Don’t be afraid to mix and match bold shades. If in doubt, take a cue from DP’s orange, magenta-and-blue palette in picture 3!

“The zari borders in Deepika’s Chennai Express blouses look gorgeous and the best part is the colours! I can match a blue blouse with a pink sari and
not look awkward. My Puja blouse, being tailored by Pinnacle in Salt Lake, is cobalt blue and the sari will be pink chiffon or georgette,” said Abhinanda Datta, third-year English, JU.

“This Puja, bright colours are in, with contrasting blouses,” said Sancharee Dutta, a sociology student at Presidency University. She’s all set to turn heads in a “maharani” sari she bought from Savera Sarees on Park Street, paired with a black blouse with thread work and a latkan at the back.

“For this Puja, I have got a red silk sari with a golden border from Asha Brothers in Triangular Park. I feel Durga Puja’s trend is very ethnic and grand. These days contrasts are in too,” said Ishani Sanyal, a second-year BBA student at St. Xavier’s College.

“I will head to Fabindia for traditional and khadi, and Byloom for handloom saris. I also want a three-quarter or half-sleeved blouse in a solid colour, with a gold
or silver-bordered sari,” said Rayika Sen, ex-student, Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology.

“I prefer half-sleeved blouses with a deep back or going backless. I’ve given my blouses for stitching at Vardaan Market. I usually buy saris from Prapti,” said Erica Roy, third-year BCom, Shri Shikshayatan College.

“I don’t really experiment much with blouses but this time I’ll be trying long-sleeved blouses with a low back,” said Radhika Dutt, a third-year student of sociology at Presidency University.

This Puja, white is the new red for Calcutta’s PYTs, thanks to Deepika’s temple look in Chennai Express

“I am planning to wear a white embroidered net sari with a peacock green and oxidised-gold border that I bought from Piyu’s Collection in Santoshpur. I will match this sari with a three-quarter-sleeved blouse with cord piping. Heavy earrings will complete my Ashtami morning look,” said Rebecca Ghosh, a third-year accountancy student at Heramba Chandra College.

“I think jute silk is the trendsetter this Puja. Of all that I have bought, my favourite is a white mixed-medium sari I got at a handloom fair in Golf Green. I’ll pair it with a red kalamkari blouse this Ashtami,” said Anamitraa Chakraborty, third-year, Bengali, Presidency University.

The “good girl” may be in, but what about our badtameez dil?

“I completely fell in love with the bikini blouse Deepika wore in Badtameez dil (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani). I am getting a black one made for Puja. It’ll be simple yet
sensuous and go well with a chiffon sari, ideally bottle- green or navy blue. Also, since a part of the blouse is made of a sheer material that looks like net, the end product is utterly gorgeous and is sure to attract a lot of attention during Durga Puja,” smiled Srabona Paul, a third-year English student at Bidhannagar College.

 

Giving Deepika stiff competition in the choli department is Sonakshi Sinha, especially her stern high-neck blouse in Lootera. The city’s young ladies seem equally into her long sleeves

Avantika Deb, a student of political science at JU, says she adored Sonakshi’s clothes in Lootera. “I am planning to flaunt a similar look this Puja — three-quarter-sleeved blouses, preferably with a collar. For saris, I prefer something classy. I also want a Kerala cotton sari a la Deepika in Chennai Express.” Her favourite sari stops include Byloom and Saarang.

“I think vibrant printed cotton saris are in. I picked up one from Gurjari in Dakhshinapan and I want to wear it with a three-quarter-sleeved blouse,” said Mihika Banerjee, a sociology student at Presidency University.

“I would like to try the air hostess-style (high neck) blouse, with quarter-length sleeves. For another blouse I’ll get a latkan for the back or just a simple deep ‘U’ cut. Simplicity rules in the Bengali tradition so whatever sari I wear, I make sure it looks simple yet elegant,” said Ritwika Chowdhury, second-year student of sociology at Presidency University.

“I’m looking forward to buying a monotone sari with a bright border, teamed with a simple blouse, like the ones Sonakshi Sinha wore in Lootera, preferably matching the colour of the sari border,” said Cinibali Banerjee, a third-year student of English at JU.