Stepping out in style this season

Don’t be a bore when it comes to stepping out in style this season. Shoe trends have come of age, ladies & gentlemen. Laces, buckles and straps, architectural to exotic , wild or feminine– name it and you can flaunt it.

The summery feel is in!

Stilettos will reign over ramps and on roads. The combination stiletto is an interesting arrival this season, with pencil heels at the back and hidden platform in the front part of the shoe. High heels look best when really high…adding elegance to the walk and style to the outfit. Also look out for the gladiator sandals that promise to be the coming rage. Heavily strapped and heeled, these sandals add to the smart and contemporary look. Platform sandals have been eternally popular, but now they come in two variations. Take your pick from those that have platforms through and through or the ones that have platforms in the front, with tapered or block heels.

Thand thanda, cool cool!

You can’t run away from boots, as they stride into fashion. Above the knee boots made of leather or suede look ravishing with slim fit pants, short skirts and dresses. Ankle length boots are set to be a preferred choice amongst youngsters…time for you to try them too!
Bright and colourful lace-up shoes with high heels will talk this winter! You’ll also witness the Mary Jane shoes doing a twist as they mix styles of ‘school girl shoes’ and ‘vamp shoes’. Buckles, heels, sharply pointed toes, vivid colours and leather finish will do a tango in these shoes.
Go bohemian in the chill with fringed boots. These ankle-length shoes with studs come in leather or suede, and go well with short dresses and tights. Stun the party crowd or wear it to college. In every circuit, it’s a winner.

Wild or flowery, bright or subdued…suit yourself!

The wild hunter look will be accentuated by boots in fake snakeskin and crocodile skin. Team it with wide leg pants and skirts. Become a ‘pretty woman’ with sandals in floral themes, in prints, appliqués and embellishments.
There will be a riot of colours on the feet! Blacks and browns will go backstage while hot hues of red, orange and yellow take charge. Pink and purple will a sure hit as well. How about two-toned and multiple-colour shoes? They are around for the bold and beautiful people to flaunt.
As you can see, the year will be a study in contrasts. Pencil heels share the arc lights with thick, chunky heels! Ah, need we say more?

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BEJEWELLED-FROM THEN TO NOW.

No part of the world has a continuous legacy of jewellery making as the Indian subcontinent. Ever since the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata, we have heard of finely attired Gods and Goddesses, kings and queens embellished in various forms of jewellery – a tradition that remains unbroken for the last 5000 years. By 1500 BC, the people of Indus Valley civilization were pioneering the crafting of gold earrings and necklaces, bead chokers and bangles. But even before metal began to be used, beads were very popular and bead jewellery was widely bought and sold in the Indus Valley. In the absence of technology and precision equipment, people used their skill and imagination to make beads. This traditional art form was mostly inherited from the family, and children learnt it from a very young age. The process began with the purchase of a rough stone which the bead maker acquired from an eastern stone trader. The stone would then be heated in an oven until it turned deep red. The red stone was a hot favorite with the people of the region, and needed to be chipped to the size required. After a hole was drilled through it, each bead was polished and often painted with designs. The beads were finally strung together to form a piece of jewellery, and found a place of honor in every female’s jewellery box!

Though men today are as enthusiastic about the occasional bracelet or ear stud as their female counterparts, things were different in the bygone era when jewellery was predominantly a woman’s domain. Women wore it all – clay or shell bracelets shaped like doughnuts and painted black, bangles made of metal, glass and ivory as well as thin bands of gold to be worn on the forehead, earrings, brooches, chokers and rings. Men wore beads too. One millimeter long bead strings were placed in men and women’s hair to add to their face value!

A tour of the National Museum in New Delhi, India will reveal a female skeleton wearing a carlinean bangle on her left hand…evidence of the age-old allure of jewellery for the Indian woman.

A woman’s best friend did not come from the West either! It was as early as 296 BC that India started mining for diamonds. Subsequently, the diamond trade picked up in right earnest. However, the growth of Christianity hit the trade and it almost vanished 1000 years after constant rejection. This was due to the fact that Christians associated diamonds with Hindu amulets. Then again, the Arabs from the Middle East were not very enthusiastic about diamonds. No wonder the wonder stone lost its sparkle for a period of time.

History is actually a passage from the past to the present, as the jewellery tradition of India will say! The designs of the Indus Valley spill over into our modern day wedding ceremonies, though the civilization itself has gone into the realm of archaeologists. Tradition is neatly juxtaposed with new materials, new styles and new accessories. In some belts of the North East, local inhabitants still prefer bone jewellery, though it has lost its place elsewhere.

Today there are centres for diamond polishing and gold filigree, kundan work and silver etching. Lakhs of people are engaged in various aspects of the jewellery industry, and millions of rupees are traded in the markets. Urban hubs have their share of opulent gold and diamond jewellery showrooms but are showing a leaning towards artificial jewellery.
This category is as attractive, more affordable, and highly innovative and come from premium labels. Clearly, in a jewel of a country, here is a gem of an idea!!

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