New man in Amisha Patel's life?

New Delhi, (IANS) Bollywood actress Amisha Patel, who recently broke off with her director-boyfriend Vikram Bhatt, was spotted with a tall, young man, rumoured to be her new boyfriend, on the first day of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here.

The actress attended style guru Namrata Joshipura's and designer duo Gauri and Nainika Karan's show Wednesday.

The actress, flaunting a bright orange knee-length dress, wasn't present at the WIFW for any specific designer or fashion show.

"I think all designers are equally good and I am not here for any particular designer," she said.

However, before she could complete her sentence, her new escort pulled her away.

The couple was seen cosying up during the show.

New man in Amisha Patel's life?

New Delhi, (IANS) Bollywood actress Amisha Patel, who recently broke off with her director-boyfriend Vikram Bhatt, was spotted with a tall, young man, rumoured to be her new boyfriend, on the first day of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here.

The actress attended style guru Namrata Joshipura's and designer duo Gauri and Nainika Karan's show Wednesday.

The actress, flaunting a bright orange knee-length dress, wasn't present at the WIFW for any specific designer or fashion show.

"I think all designers are equally good and I am not here for any particular designer," she said.

However, before she could complete her sentence, her new escort pulled her away.

The couple was seen cosying up during the show.

SS08: Colorblocks

Remember the AKA Dress I was obsessing over this winter? Well it seems that it is coming back to haunt me, because now I am seeing colorblocks everywhere! They are looking better and better too. Colorblocks are especially refreshing when compared to the floral and print patterns one usually sees in a spring/summer wardrobe. They are bright, sharp and bold.
The first brand that comes to mind when one thinks of colorblocks this season is Marc by Marc Jacobs. There are loads in that collection. Most memorable is probably that colorblock dress with the row of gold buttons coming down the front off center, but I showed that dress yesterday (fourth picture on the left). So here, I'm going to show this more geometric one (left) also from the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection. Orange is not my favourite color, but it works here. For something a bit more femininely styled, I like this dress from FCUK (right).
More boldly and sharply, there are these dresses from Cynthia Steffe (left) and DKNY (right). They are the definition of colorblock dresses (since you can actually SEE the color blocks really clearly as opposed to the dresses before which are more complex).
More subtly, there are these ones from J Crew (left) and FCUK (right). I love how the design of both is simple and sophisticated yet fun because of the color blocks! I love the color combo of these two (left: Mint Jodi Arnold, right: Mr. Abbott). Who knew yellow and grey would go so well together? Also the knot on the Mr. Abbott dress is cute!
Something more casual, there are these two options from Alisha Levine (left) and FCUK (right). My friend actually has the FCUK dress in black/yellow. The contrast of black/yellow is much sharper.
And if you are just looking to play around a little with colorblocks, you can try getting these fun but super versatile colorblock tees from Vince (left) and Ella Moss (right)- just to brighten up your wardrobe!

Image Source: Shopbop, Saks, J Crew, Nordstrom and FCUK

Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone in another ad

Now that their relationship is out in the open, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone seem to have become the most talked-about couple in the Hindi film industry overnight.

And Imtiaz Ali of “Jab We Met” fame will direct them in another Pepsi advertisement.

“There’s nothing intriguing about it. It’s an ad to be directed by Imtiaz Ali for Pepsi. Earlier, Deepika and I acted in an ad with Shah Rukh Khan for the same brand. Now it’s just the two of us, and that should be fun. But what I really want to do is a full-length feature film with Imtiaz,” Ranbir told IANS.

Ranbir debuted with Sonam Kapoor in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Saawariya”. Although the film didn’t do well at the box office, Ranbir is inundated with offers. He is doing Yash Raj Films’ “Bachna Ae Haseenon” and Rajkumar Santoshi has signed him for his forthcoming romantic film.

Sadly, just after cementing their relationship during the long outdoor spell of “Bachna Ae Haseenon” in Australia, Deepika, who had the privilege of working with Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh in her very first film “Om Shanti Om”, had to leave for a long shooting schedule for Nikhil Advani’s “Chandni Chowk To China”.

Hollywood studio Warner Bros is co-producing the action thriller with Ramesh Sippy. Akshay Kumar features as the male lead.

Deepika returned to India this week and is all set to start filming the ad with Ranbir. Deepika will team up with Saif Ali Khan later this year. Saif will produce the movie to be directed by Imtiaz Ali.

However, Ranbir’s first cousin Kareena Kapoor, who is dating Saif, is not a part of Saif’s first production. Apparently, Ali insisted on Deepika.

— IANS

Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone in another ad

Now that their relationship is out in the open, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone seem to have become the most talked-about couple in the Hindi film industry overnight.

And Imtiaz Ali of “Jab We Met” fame will direct them in another Pepsi advertisement.

“There’s nothing intriguing about it. It’s an ad to be directed by Imtiaz Ali for Pepsi. Earlier, Deepika and I acted in an ad with Shah Rukh Khan for the same brand. Now it’s just the two of us, and that should be fun. But what I really want to do is a full-length feature film with Imtiaz,” Ranbir told IANS.

Ranbir debuted with Sonam Kapoor in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Saawariya”. Although the film didn’t do well at the box office, Ranbir is inundated with offers. He is doing Yash Raj Films’ “Bachna Ae Haseenon” and Rajkumar Santoshi has signed him for his forthcoming romantic film.

Sadly, just after cementing their relationship during the long outdoor spell of “Bachna Ae Haseenon” in Australia, Deepika, who had the privilege of working with Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh in her very first film “Om Shanti Om”, had to leave for a long shooting schedule for Nikhil Advani’s “Chandni Chowk To China”.

Hollywood studio Warner Bros is co-producing the action thriller with Ramesh Sippy. Akshay Kumar features as the male lead.

Deepika returned to India this week and is all set to start filming the ad with Ranbir. Deepika will team up with Saif Ali Khan later this year. Saif will produce the movie to be directed by Imtiaz Ali.

However, Ranbir’s first cousin Kareena Kapoor, who is dating Saif, is not a part of Saif’s first production. Apparently, Ali insisted on Deepika.

— IANS

Do I Look Too Much Like a Sailor Girl?

Nautical inspired clothes (read: anything that is navy and white, and possibly red,) has been a must-have for the past few summers. A TimesOnline article suggests that the nautical look is so favoured because nautical clothes represent a highlife, (presumingly of a life that involves many luxurious holidays, yachts, beaches and seaside houses,) that most of us can't afford but do aspire for. This season, the runway collections offers the starry nautical look (see Chanel,) knit dresses and the 70's look.

The usual, nautical-inspired look is basically a striped top with jeans/ shorts.
A question that's been nagging me every time I see a nautical-looking item is this: Would it make me look like I'm dressed in a sailor costume? I don't mind looking a bit cutsy or too navy and white, but I really don't want to look like I'm some fashion victim who's literally dressed like a sailor.
Take this sailor-like outfit Blair is wearing: Leighton looks great in it, and Blair can totally pull it off, but that's because she's a tv character with a strong sense of style. I'm not sure it would translate well in real life.
Take these two tops from Top Shop. The top on the right is just too sailor-looking for me. And I've actually tried on the top on the left, but it kind of made me look like a 12 year old. I might be aiming to look young, but I am not aiming to look like a kid.
When I first saw this dress I thought it was cute but was way too sailor-looking and kiddy for me. But the more I stare at it, the more I want it! It's so cute and I love the details -the collar and the buttons. Alas, now that I want to buy is, it's sold out on asos.com. I totally regret not ordering it when I first saw it now!
As usual, Urban Outfitters provides some ideas on how to wear the nautical look in a young and stylish way: The key is to wear one nautical item, and the rest should be a bit plainer, or a add a splash of colourful to make it look like a chic and modern outfit. Match them with 'in' accessories, like long, charm necklaces (-no anchor charms though!) or sandals (-love the tan-coloured ones on the right).
So question: Is this APC sailor dress too sailor-looking? And is it too kiddy looking? It looks cute on the model, but then everything looks ok in catalogues. Would it look really boring?

Image credits: www.apc.fr, www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.topshop.com, http://city-celeb.org, www.asos.com

Katrina Kaif and I will make striking pair: Neil Mukesh

Katrina Kaif, who’s paired with Ranbir Kapoor in Raj Kumar Santoshi’s “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”, seems to be getting into the let’s-get-young mode.

She has now been signed to star opposite Neil Nitin Mukesh in Yash Raj banner’s next venture to be directed by Kabir Khan and the hero says they will make a good couple on screen.

“Kabir made a very unusual film ‘Kabul Express’ for Yash Raj earlier. This time he’s going all-out to make a commercial film. I think Katrina and I will make a striking pair,” Neil told IANS.

All her earlier films have been primarily with the 40-plus Salman Khan, Govinda and Akshay Kumar. Now she’s finally working with co-stars nearer her own age.

“I wouldn’t know about that. My bonding so far has been with John. I really get along with him. He’s so funny and entertaining. Somehow, he reminds me of Dharamji (Dharmendra) with whom I did my first film ‘Johnny Gaddar’. The same towering personality, physique and a heart of gold,” said Neil.

Let’s hope the initial camaraderie lasts through the film. Considering what happened to John’s friendship with Arshad Warsi during Khan’s “Kabul Express” one wonders if Neil would be singing the same tune by the time he and John finish shooting together.

— IANS

Katrina Kaif and I will make striking pair: Neil Mukesh

Katrina Kaif, who’s paired with Ranbir Kapoor in Raj Kumar Santoshi’s “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”, seems to be getting into the let’s-get-young mode.

She has now been signed to star opposite Neil Nitin Mukesh in Yash Raj banner’s next venture to be directed by Kabir Khan and the hero says they will make a good couple on screen.

“Kabir made a very unusual film ‘Kabul Express’ for Yash Raj earlier. This time he’s going all-out to make a commercial film. I think Katrina and I will make a striking pair,” Neil told IANS.

All her earlier films have been primarily with the 40-plus Salman Khan, Govinda and Akshay Kumar. Now she’s finally working with co-stars nearer her own age.

“I wouldn’t know about that. My bonding so far has been with John. I really get along with him. He’s so funny and entertaining. Somehow, he reminds me of Dharamji (Dharmendra) with whom I did my first film ‘Johnny Gaddar’. The same towering personality, physique and a heart of gold,” said Neil.

Let’s hope the initial camaraderie lasts through the film. Considering what happened to John’s friendship with Arshad Warsi during Khan’s “Kabul Express” one wonders if Neil would be singing the same tune by the time he and John finish shooting together.

— IANS

SS08: Marc by Marc Jacobs

For the last few seasons (ever since they got into the "grunge" look), I have not been too impressed with the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection. This season though I am delightfully surprised! The collection is preppy and retro-chic. My style but with a refreshing twist!
This collection makes me WANT to buy something orange, and that is a difficult feat. I absolutely detest orange. But I am willing to break the rules for these two dresses. I just LOVE the orange dress with the fancy bow tie (though I cannot quite imagine what occasion that would be appropriate for) and the shirt dress is casual and chic.
I don't even mind being obviously Marc by Marc Jacobs. Many would recognize this very distinct geometric shirt dress (left) as Marc by MJ by now (along with the orange bow-tie dress above) but I still like it. I am really impressed that the color seems so "old" and yet, the whole look is still so young! At first glance I thought this blue printed dress (right) was really cute. But if you look closer, can you tell that it actually has Marc Jacobs written all over it? I thought it was pretty cool that I couldn't tell at first. But now that I can, I think that kind of ruins the dress. Shame.
The definition of retro chic. I love how they mixed the flirty print and color with such a "proper" design. It is both refreshing and stunning. Though it is a bit too much for me. I prefer the more subtle purple dress (right). I absolutely absolutely adore this dress. It is simple, vibrant, youthful and fun. I've tried it on actually, but the fit of the bodice is a bit off. Maybe if I got it tailored.........
More fun casual dresses. I love the block print (right). Its so off and cute at the same time. And the cut of the heart leaf pinafore dress is just adorable!
The neckline and the prints are awesome. I especially love the neckline of the blue shirt (left: it is very ladylike, but the print makes it fun!) and the subtle pinstripes on the yellow shirt (right).
These two are my favourites of the collection, because I think they are great investments. I'm a great believer in outerwear and these two cardigans are perfect to carry around with you this summer- just in case of freezing a/c temperatures! I waaaaant the white one (right)! It is very Chanel-esque with a youthful touch.
A cute jacket is ALWAYS a good buy. You get the most mileage out of them cause you can just throw it over any outfit- and this one is so chic and stylish! (Though it may be a bit too heavy for the summer). And this pinstripe shirt with the ruffles is just darling!

Now if only I can win a free shopping trip for Marc by Marc Jacobs this season!

Image Source: Net-A-Porter

Spring/Summer Nail Varnish!

Just when I found the perfect winter nail shade (just in case you were wondering, it is the Essie Sole Mate. It is the perfect rich deep dark purple, with just a hint of red!) , spring comes around. Not that I'm complaining, I can't wait for the weather to get warmer and the sun to shine. Although now it means my nail colors will have to change along with it- to get into the spring mode you know. But I am kind of tired of the pale white pinks that I usually favor for warmer weathers. As classic as they are, it does get a bit monotonous after a while. AND it is super hard to apply properly (this might also be due to my lack of nail varnish applications skills- though I'd like to point out that I have no trouble with the darker colors! Odd, I know).
So I started to consider other colors suitable for spring. Flicking through the Essie advertisements (Yes, I have a preference for Essie!) bright pink crossed my mind (left: Secret Stash). As much as I wanted to try something new though, bright pink does seem a bit too much. I AM 21 now. Not quite Barbie. Then I considered pale purple (right: Looking for Love). It is subtle but still quite different from pale pink. But then I quickly rejected the idea- that is just TOO weird. Its just not a color one would relate to nail color! Kind of like how it is odd for people to put pale blue/purple lipstick on their lips!
After much consideration, I finally found the perfect color, Ball-timore (left). It is the perfect coral pink, with the sharpness of a super bright pink but toned down by orange/coral tones. I simply LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It is youthful and fun with a hint of sophistication. The other color I bought is Hard to Get (right). A more intense version of my usual pale pink hues, I thought this would just be fun and girly to play around with.I also wanted to get a nude color, like this (above: bags to riches). This one is the definition of sophistication and simplicity. But alas, it was getting rather expensive (they hiked the price up in the place I usually go to!!!).

Image Source: Essie

Are Eco-Friendly Bags Worth It?

In my head, eco-friendly bags usuallt mean low-priced, off-white bags with some kind of save-the-earth type of message printed on it. Obviously, I've got Anya Hindmarch's "I'm not a plastic bag" bag -the first famous eco-friendly bag imprinted in my head. Back then, they were sold for 5 pounds each in the UK. (The whole craze for the bag is another story.) But clearly with over-demand, many other designers have tried to come up with smart slogans to put on suppsedly eco-friendly bags. I've managed to ignore that trend up until two weeks ago, I found this (literally) happy-looking bag in my mum's paper shopping bag.

No, my mum didn't buy it. She bought a jacket and the bag was a gift for shopping at Seibu, a department store in Hong Kong. We didn't think anything of it until we got home and discovered a HK$500 price tag on it. Wait, $500?! Yup, that was our reaction. We were kind of confused with why this bag would cost $500 in the first place and why the department store gave it away as a gift. I mean sure, the green smiling tree is sort of cute and it does have Moschino printed on it, (-as we all know, anything with a brand name printed on it allows it to be priced above what we think it ought to be worth,) but is it really worth 500hkd? (-500hkd is around 64usd or 30 pounds.) My point is not that I'm complaining about wasting my money on it because it was free, but that who would pay that much for it in the first place? And what you may not be able to tell from the photo is, this bag is small! It is probably the most impractical eco-friendly bag I have ever seen. Even the "I'm not a plastic bag" bag is more practical since it was wide (making up for it's lack of depth.) Plus, there was no message tag attached and the saleslady didn't even explain the point of the bag. Perhaps the proceeds of the bag goes to an unmentioned charity?

Anyway moving onto the Feed Bag. BG blogged about the first style last April. Recently, Lauren Bush released Feed 2 Bag. I have to admit the reason I looked it up was because I was surprised by the 50pound price tag when I saw it in Tatler magazine. But after reading the Harrods website, I am actually convinced it is worth it -According to Harrods' website, "each Feed 2 Bag sold will provide a year's worth of lunch meals in school for two children in need" for the UN World Food Programme's school feeding program. As for the design, it is reversible and made of 100% organic fair-trade material. OK, I can't claim to fully appreciate how 'green' the material is, but the cause actually sounds solid and worth it. I'm assuming people use these eco-friendly bags as their grocery-shopping bags, not to replace their Chanels, so even though it's not supremely stylish, it looks fit for the job, (although I would much prefer one that didn't have "Harrods" imprinted on it.)

What do you think of the whole eco-friendly bags trend in general? Do you use them for grocery shopping? Have you bought any?

Image Credits: http://www.harrods.com/