Life Influence-holistic image consulting: Dressing up the Indian way, Indian accessories

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: Dressing up the Indian way, Indian accessories: PAYAL, ANKLETS KAMARBAND,WAISTBAND MAANG TIKA Most Indian women like to dress up the Indian way for marriages , family ...

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: Dressing up the Indian way, Indian accessories

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: Dressing up the Indian way, Indian accessories: PAYAL, ANKLETS KAMARBAND,WAISTBAND MAANG TIKA Most Indian women like to dress up the Indian way for marriages , family ...

Dressing up the Indian way, Indian accessories

PAYAL, ANKLETS

KAMARBAND,WAISTBAND

MAANG TIKA

Most Indian women like to dress up the Indian way for marriages , family functions , religious ceremonies etc. This is the time when we feel like wearing and showing everything which we have in store, which has been lying in our lockers or wardrobes since a long time. It is good to dress up the Indian way for our celebrations keeping in mind the mood , occasion and activity. We all feel tempted to wear almost all or most of the accessories and jewellery which we have, specially if we are attending a marriage. But at times dont you feel unsure of how you are looking, if its too less or too more or if you are looking like a  christmas tree! So control your temptations and select carefully what you want to wear and how you want to look when dressing up the Indian way. Here are a few tips as to how to wear Indian accessories and how to create balance and harmony in your looks......

1. Maang tika- an Indian accessory to be worn in middle of the hair parting, it also touches the forhead a bit. Select maang tika keeping in mind the size of your forehead. If your forhead is small  then avoid or wear a small size maang tika and a very small 'bindi' ( a dot, forehead decoration) or no bindi at all. In case of a large forehead wear a  maang tika and a bindi both of medium size so that it covers some part of the forehead. Women having a large forehead can also wear big size bindi.

2. If you are wearing a big colorful bindi then be careful in choosing your lipstick. Lipstick should be either of same color as bindi or it should be very natural or nude. Also one should keep in mind the shape of ones face while selecting a bindi (eg a round face would look more round on wearing a round bindi, so you can select a long bindi  and vice versa)

3. Again, long earrings will give the illusion of a longer face so if your face is roundish you can wear long earrings and if long then you can wear roundish earrings to balance your face shape.

4. Wear a choker shape necklace only if you have a slim or long neck.  It would be good to wear a single necklace only but if you still want to wear two necklaces then keep distance between them( one can be close to the neck and the other at chest level) .

5.Dont mix silver and gold . If you are wearing silver jewellery then wear everything in silver shade and if you are wearing golden jewellery then stick to the shades of gold. Also keep in mind the shade of embroidery on you garments and keep your jewellery of same shade.

6. Dont leave your hands bare if you are heavily dressed up as they would look too empty, wear bangles to beautify them. If you want to wear a thick 'kada' ( a very thick bangle, kind of bracelet), then wear bangles in one hand and one single kada on the other hand.

7. Dont wear a very thin 'kamarband' (waistband , belly chain) if your waist is on the heavier side , instead wear a broad one. Those who have a slim to medium waist can wear thin to medium waistbands.

8. Anklets look very nice with Indian wear and are shone while walking so it is a good idea to wear them , they also complete the look (dont wear them if your feet are not properly pedicured as they attract attention to the feet).

So next time when you are getting ready the Indian way keep these small things in mind and be confident of the way you look.

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: STYLE

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: STYLE: " Style" is a very commonly used word. She or he is very stylish, he or she has her own style, she /he makes a style statement etc. Somewhe...

STYLE

" Style" is a very commonly used word. She or he is very stylish, he or she has her own style, she /he makes a style statement etc. Somewhere inside most of us want to be stylish, look stylish. But what does style mean....does one need to spend a lot or wear only expensive brands to look stylish? How to look stylish or leave a stylish image on others...These questions often arise in our mind...

'Style is a manner in which you present yourself, or anything for that matter. Style does not necessarily refer to clothing. It could be about speech, life, way of thinking, writing etc. The basic idea behind style is personal, every person is entitled to their own style and no style can ever be the ultimate. The only defining style, often called a style statement, is the one that is admired or adored by the majority. Other than that, style is an absolute individual thing'-  wiki

 If we talk in terms of clothes and accessories, you just need to be creative to create your own style.  As Judith Rasband  (ace image consultant) says 'your image should be authentic, appropriate, attractive and affordable'. So whenever you get ready everyday just ask yourself if you are fulfilling these 4 A's. If you are , you can move ahead  with your day confidently. Here are a few things which you need to see after getting ready or before starting your day.

1. Make sure that you are not creating too many focal points or points of emphasis eg a bright lipstick and a bright eyeshadow , a big neck piece and big earrings too, bright colored lower body garment piece and upper body garment piece as well, too many big or prominent prints , a bright shirt and an equally bright tie etc. If wearing a bright eyeshadow keep the lipstick  minimal and vice versa, if wearing a big neck piece then keep your earrings small or minimal and vice-versa. In this way try to balance and create harmony in whatever you wear. Even if you are an expert in creating unusual combinations , just take care that nothing should be unpleasant to the eye.

2. See to it that your clothes are well ironed and no loose threads , loose buttons etc are hanging.

3.Take care of your body odour,  do not wear too strong perfume, you might be liking  strong  perfume but not everyone, also, some people are allergic to strong smells.

4. Its not just your clothes , even your footwear speaks a lot about you. Your footwear should be clean and well polished, not just from the front but also from the heels.

5. If going out for a meeting or work, see that all your papers your purse or laptop bag is arranged properly so that you are not clumsy in front of your client or boss. For women carry all your essentials in your purse, your makeup touch up, perfume or deodorant, sanitizer, wet tissues, moisturizer, mouth freshener, small mirror etc. Try to carry all these in small packs so that they do not make you purse too heavy which would in turn effect your shoulders.

6. Last but not the least "be yourself"!

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: How to satisfy your food cravings during monsoons

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: How to satisfy your food cravings during monsoons: Monsoons are back and so are our cravings for hot fried food , we love the aroma of hot oil and specially "pakoras" being fried in it. In f...

How to satisfy your food cravings during monsoons

Monsoons are back and so are our cravings for hot fried food , we love the aroma of hot oil and specially "pakoras" being fried in it. In fact rain brings a reason for us to indulge in fried foods not realising that our digestive system becomes ' weak and sluggish' during this time and requires light food which can be digested easily. Here are a few tips which one should follow during monsoons to keep our digestive system healthy and protect ourselves from monsoon illness like food poisoning, diarrhea and various types of stomach infections. Also as our outdoor activities like walking, cycling etc decrease during monsoons we should keep our weight in control......

1. Whenever you feel the craving for fried food have grilled , baked or tandoori food instead.

2.Avoid having raw food during monsoons , instead of having raw salad you can have vegetables in sauteed form. eg take chopped carrots, broccoli, bell peppers and zucchini, saute all these in some olive oil, add black pepper powder and oregano (if you like) and salt in the end to keep the vegetables crisp.

3. Avoid leafy vegetables , have vegetables like bitter gourd( karela), bottle gourd (lauki), apple gourd(tinda) ,cluster beans, pointed gourd (parval) , corns for better nutrition during monsoons.

4. Use ginger, garlic, asafoetida, cumin seeds(jeera), fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), turmeric (haldi) as frequently as possible in your cooking. All these prevent infection and aid digestion.

5.Dry or fresh mint leaves also help in digestion , mix them in fresh curd or include in your cooking just see that they should be cleaned properly.

6. Make a decoction of tulsi leaves and elaichi and drink warm to prevent and heal sore throat  and common monsoon illness.

7. Try to cook light, instead of adding too much of oil during cooking, add a few drops of home made ghee or a dollop of butter on hot food before eating or serving. The aroma  and taste of ghee and butter will satisfy your taste buds.

8.You can have hot home made soups, steamed  corns, pop corns instead of the fried food and can also have warm milk.

The mantra to keep healthy and fit with proper nutrition during monsoons is "fresh home cooked food", so carry  your tiffin as frequently as possible. If you dont have a choice and have to eat out then stick to well cooked food items rather than raw food items. Also dont forget to satisfy your taste buds with hot fried food once in a while or you will end up binging one day.

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: Mangoes are not fattening

Life Influence-holistic image consulting: Mangoes are not fattening: Many people deprive themselves of this tasty, nutritious, king fruit 'mango' thinking that it will make them fat. Just because it looks rou...

Mangoes are not fattening

Many people deprive themselves of this tasty, nutritious, king fruit 'mango' thinking that it will make them fat. Just because it looks round it does not mean that it is going to make you round. Also we have this in our minds that anything which is tasty and delicious makes you fat. But i am sure after reading this you will not deprive yourself of this summer fruit.

It is true that mangoes are high in natural sugar but are low in glycemic load, thus they do not effect the blood sugar like many other fruits.

It may come as a surprise to you that mangoes are high in water and fiber. They provide a full feeling after we consume them for a few calories (74 calories per 100gms) . Fiber aids in healthy digestion , has cholesterol lowering effect and also helps in loosing weight!

Mangoes are also rich in vitamin 'c' which boosts our immune system, prevents heart and eye disease and promotes good skin.

They also have antioxidants in them (vitamin e and betacarotene in them acts as antioxidants) and we all know that antioxidants reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.

Vitamin B6 in mangoes improves brain functioning.

Magnesium found in them plays an important role in lowering blood pressure.

100gms of ripe mango contains- 74 calories, 0.6 gms of protein, 16.9 gms of carbohydrates and only o.4 gms of fat.

Smart shopping ( in London)

Before I started for London to attend the spring festival this year, my friends guided me and also warned me  about shopping in London. Some told me about the classic stuff that I could buy from there which would last for years and is difficult to find in India and some told me that I should refrain from shopping there as everything was too expensive , not to forget that we spend in pounds there. I thank all my friends for their valuable guidance which I followed up to a great extent. Being a 'woman' it is difficult to refrain from shopping but I followed the path of 'smart shopping' and bought gifts for others as well as myself. Just want to share the experience of smart shopping in London with my readers and friends. These basic ideas can be applied while shopping in other countries as well.

1. Take guidance from local people, residents of that place, do not hesitate to tell them your approximate budget or you can get wrong guidance.

2. Ask for the hypermarkets there  like Asda walmart, Tesco and Primemark being quite popular in London,( eg carrefour in Dubai) . There markets are very good for buying gift items, souvenirs at times your basic clothing items also as the quality is good and you get different stuff. If you want to buy some fad items or things which are in fashion there you can pick from these places as they are not expensive and you can try new looks.

3.Keep a calculator with you so that if and when needed you can convert the currency and check the amount according to your currency without troubling the sales person again and again.

4. Always see the price tags to avoid embarrassing situations at the payment counters ( eg a 250 pound  article will cost approximately 22,500 rupees)

5. Buy winter wear from countries which often have a cold climate ( the temperature in London in this month was 6- 7 degrees celcius which for Indians is quite cold but for them it is summers ) so I got a chance to buy winter basics like thermals , leg warmers, warm socks, jackets etc at a 50% discounted rate.

6. Oxford street is very famous for shopping in London. If you want to buy any basic garment pieces which would last for many many years you can buy from here. Selfridges , Harrods being the most famous places there. Such basic items are expensive but they last really long so you can invest in them.

7. Dont get carried away by the displays and dont hesitate to ask for discounts schemes. If you want you can invest in something which you will cherish forever.

8. Many countries have this provision of 'Vat return'. If you are a tourist whatever vat you have payed while shopping will be returned to you at the airport before you leave the country. So from whichever shop you make purchases ask for the vat slip. This is also applicable at some of the restaurants and fine dining places abroad.

Picture of a charity shop in London

9. You can also visit vintage shops and charity shops ( charity shops are run by charity organizations where they sell donated items and what ever money they earn goes for charity purpose). Also you can visit the local street markets for fun shopping.


So be a smart shopper and dont deprive your friends and yourself of gifts and dont forget those yummy chocholates which you can buy from duty free at the airports.

Foods that have a cooling effect on your body

Summers are in and with the inset of summers our body automatically demands and likes the foods which have a high water content and have a cooling effect on our bodies. Usually foods which do not grow under the ground have a cooling effect eg lettuce, broccoli, mint,celery, cucumber etc. We can have the following foods at least twice a day to keep our digestive system cool :-

1. Coconut water ( narial paani) is one of the age old food for our bodies which produces a cooling effect.
2. Have salads made of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, sprinkle a few mint leaves and add lime. Avoid salt as much as possible in your salads, use lime instead.
3. 'Lassi'  again is a tried and tested Indian drink. Make fruit lassi instead of plain. Add fruits like strawberries, mangoes etc to curd , add some water and blend it well in a blender. Avoid adding sugar to it as much as possible or you can have chaas or salted lassi.
4. Melons like water melon , musk melon have high water content in them, instead of having their juice have them as fruit salad. You can snack on them whenever you feel hungry.
5. Tea also has a cooling effect on your body so you can enjoy your cup of tea, try having green tea, mint tea , jasmine tea which are full of antioxidants.
6. Aam ( mango)'panna' is another Indian drink which helps you to keep cool during summers. Following is the recepie of making panna:-

Ingredients:

6 medium sized Green Mango (Aam)
33/4th cup Water
1 tsp dry-roasted and grounded Cumin Seed (Jeera)
1/2 tsp Red chili Powder (Lal Mirchi)
1 tsp Salt (Namak)
3 tblsp Sugar (Cheeni)
3 tblsp chopped Mint Leaves (Pudina Leaves)
12 crushed Ice-cubes

How to make aam panna:

• Place the mangoes with water to cover in a sauce-pan and bring to boil.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Drain off the water and then peel, stone and pulp the mango with a spoon.
• Place the pulp in a deep bowl.
• Add water, sugar, salt, chili and cumin.
• Whisk thoroughly.
• Stir in the mint and whisk again.
• Transfer it to a jug.
• Serve chilled with crushed ice.

Correct application of lipstick

Being women most of us love wearing lipstick. There is no harm in wearing lipstick on daily basis if you choose the product carefully and apply it correctly. Now we also get lipsticks which have a sunscreen base to protect your lips. You should also refresh your lipstick once or twice a day by completely removing it with the help of petroleum jelly and tissue paper and reapplying it if applying for long hours. Here are a few tips for the correct application of lipstick :-

1. Apply thin layer of foundation base on lips before applying lipstick, if your lips are very dry then first apply petroleum jelly on your lips, leave it for a minute, wipe it with a tissue and then apply foundation base.

2. Choose a lip liner/ pencil a shade darker than your lips, it should not be too dark and if wearing nude shades choose the lip liner shade closest to your natural lip color.

3.Apply lip pencil on the outline of your lips, if your lips are thin then apply the outline "just" outside the natural lip line [ remember "just" outside not too outside as it would look too made up and artificial, the natural the better]  and vice versa for thick lips , the outline should be "just" inside the natural lip line.

4. Get into the habbit of applying lipstick with a lipstick brush (lip filler). Fill the lips with the lip color with the help of a lip filler, and mix it with the outline so that the outline is not visible.

5. Apply lip gloss if needed only on the center tip of both the lips.

6. Try to maintain your lipstick while eating and refresh it during mid day and eve if applying for whole day.

7. Shades of pinks and peach make you look younger than deep shades of maroon and brown.

8. Leave your lips bare and let them breath at least once a week.

9. At times you can just apply a colored gloss or a tinted lip balm for a natural day look.

Full length skirts

Summers are in and so are skirts. For those who are hesitant in wearing short or knee- length skirts can feel comfortable by wearing long or full-length skirts. A-line skirts are very useful for Indian women as most of the Indian women have tendency to put on weight on the lower part of their bodies. A-line skirts help in hiding most of the body variations  as well provide ease of movement. Here are a few images of full length, maxi and A-line skirts.

Different types of waistcoats

A waistcoat is of great importance if you want to wear a third layer garment  piece and also adds  visual authority. I agree that our Indian climate does not allow us to wear a third layer in summers unless we are working in air conditioning all the time. But we can modulate a waistcoat according to our needs. It is not necessary to wear those traditional waistcoats made of thick fabrics. Now there are wide range of waistcoats available in different fabrics and patterns. You can also get a few stitched according to your needs, likes and choice. Cotton waistcoats are very comfortable and can be worn over western, Indian or indo-western clothing. Here are some image of women's waistcoats.

How to stop your 'kajal or kohl' from running or spreading

Women often complain of this problem of running kajal which spoils their entire look and make their under eyes look darker. Here are a few tips about how to stop your kajal from running.

1. Try not to apply kajal to bare face, apply some kind of a foundation base, preferably with SPF.
2. Use waterproof kajal.
3.Dab some loose powder on the under eye area close to the lower lashes and apply kajal on it.
4. After applying kajal , take beige color eyeshadow and apply it just below the kajal with a thin cut brush. Apply it twice.

5. You can also apply beige shadow on the kajal if it is broad and outside the eye rim, this prevents it from running down, if you want kajal to be more dark you can reapply it.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOOTS

b

Boots with straps and buckles

Ankle length patterned boots

 

Boots without heel

Cowboy boots

Cropped boots

Lace-up boots

Peek-a-boo ankle boots

Platform boots

Studded boots

Thigh-high stiletto heeled boots

Thigh-high leather boots