Mangalsutra

When it comes to Hindu marriage rituals, Mangalsutra is an indispensable accessory without which the entire wedding ceremony would be incomplete. Literally, the word Mangalsutra means a propitious or auspicious bond, as mangal means prosperity, auspiciousness, good fortune, etc while sutra means thread, bond, thread, etc.

A Mangalsutra can be considered the most precious accessory for every married Hindu woman, as it symbolizes the love and inseparable bond between her and her husband. Traditionally, Mangalsutras feature black beads strung in a couple of gold chains with a pendant at the centre.  However, the chain portion of Mangalsutras can be spotted in various other beautiful designs. The main purpose of the black beads is to avert the evil eye and protect the loving relationship of a husband and wife from negative energy. Along with saat phere, the tying of Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride is considered the most important ritual of the entire Hindu marriage ceremony.

Mangalsutra Sets

Apart from the Mangalsutra that a married woman wears everyday, usually every Hindu married woman possesses few other beautiful Mangalsutra sets that she saves for special occasions and wears while going out. Homeindia presents latest collection of traditional yet elegant Mangalsutra sets that would accessorize well with semi-casual or Party Wear outfits. The sets consist of beautiful Mangalsutras with stone-studded pendants featuring drop stone and are paired with matching earrings.

RaiR Saree

Refreshing and vibrant shades are ruling the fashion scene this year. With turquoise declared as the color of the year, the trend is more towards aquatic and tropical shades that catches the eye. This means you need to invest in outfits in shades of greens and blues. RaiR Spring/Summer ’10 Collection abounds in sarees in such refreshing shades. Contrast borders and embellished motifs make these saris stunning.

RaiR Saris

Alternatively, saris in blues and greens paired with other complementary shades would appeal to those who love the blend of multiple colors. Pick a saree in a shade of blue or green that suits your skin tone and accessorize it with the right jewellery.

Earrings

As RaiR saris are primarily partywear sarees, a pair of gorgeous danglers or an elegant necklace set would be perfect. Silver finish jewellery would be fabulous with most shades of blue while dark antique gold finish jewelry would be ideal with certain shades of green.

RaiR Saris

The latest RaiR Collection is finally here. RaiR Spring/Summer ’10 Collection embodies all things pretty and nice. This collection truly captures the vibrancy of Spring with saris in pleasing pastels as well as vivacious shades. Intricate detailing mainly comprises velvet appliqués and resham embroidered floral pattern and decorative motifs.

RaiR Saris

Borders play a major role in enhancing the beauty of any saree. Hence, every RaiR sari flaunts eye-catching border featuring contrast panels or ornate resham embroidery.

RaiR Designer Blouses

And now for the best part, RaiR designer blouses! As always, this year’s collection, too, boasts of saris paired with stunning designer blouses that promise a perfect fit. As for the design and styling, it remains unparalleled as usual. Backless or tie-back blouses, deep cut, keyhole cut and other interesting cuts at the back make these blouses truly exclusive.

Get smitten with yet another beautiful RaiR collection!!

…. Firstly, as usual I caught hold of some really cool ethnic kurtis, which I wanted so much … and how can I miss some funky traditional jewelry to match my kurtis? So bought some colorful bangles, earrings, and ….. No necklaces, because I am not fond of it much! Also, did I tell you about the pair of ethnic shoe that I bought? No? Yes, I bought a pretty looking classic style mojari for myself … I must say it’s really awesome! Now to tell you the truth, I didn’t really had these mojaris in my mind but when I entered the shoe store the first thing that drew my attention was this extensive row of cute mojaris in different shapes, styles, and colors. Bright colors have always attracted me so how can I miss this?

I was really confused which one to buy because the store had an assortment of mojaris, viz, gol-panja kind (round toe), chota-panja mojaris (Small Toe), salem shahi  mojaris (Pointed Toe), and God knows what all! Mojaris with leather or textile embroideries embellished with brass nails, cowries’ shells, mirrors, bells, ceramic beads … were available. Now this is too much to select from … right? But I kept my cool and bought a really funky pink-colored mojari embellished with mirrors and bells on it …

… Today I wore my new shopping stuff to office … Trust me, nobody complimented about my kurti or earrings or bangles but my pinky mojaris … they say it’s really looking cool!

Courtesy - Desi Shock

Monotonous life becomes real boring … Do you agree with me guys?

Courtesy - The Hindu

Same goes for fashion as well. Can you imagine wearing same type of dresses every day? It’s just unbearable, right?

Now days most of us prefer wearing jeans due to its comfort and also due to the fact that we don’t have to wash it everyday, but at some point we feel an urge to get an alternative to this. Harem pants is a blessing in disguise to our this wish! Remember Kareena Kapoor’s attire in ‘Mauja Mauja’ song in Jab we met? Yes that’s what harem pant is! Kareena wore it and this wear became a trend overnight! Not only Kareena Kapoor, in Dil Bole Hadippa, even Rani Mukherjee is wearing harem pants in the title song.

Harem pants are basically baggy pants tapered at the ankle, with side flaps on the hip that button at the waist area. These pants originated in India and can be considered as a cross between a skirt and a pair of skinny jeans. The legs, from the knees down, are fitted. The crotch area is loose and baggy as if it were cut to be a skirt.

Harem pants can go well with short tops, short kurtas, long kurtas, etc. The thing is you just have to experiment different looks! Trust me; harem pants are comfortable yet trendy! So if you are bored of wearing jeans and are seeking to try something new and trendy then harem pant is an answer!

So are you in for harem pants?

Pakistan is in news these days for staging the first-ever fashion show in its history, in Karachi. In a country where hardly any woman steps out of the house without burqa and hijab, this fashion show was truly an audacious moment. Models strutted down the catwalk exposing their midriffs, bare shoulders and backs, self-effacing cleavage and legs, which was so unlike Pakistanis.

Ace Pakistani designers presented a blend of outfit in the show; some exhibited traditional Pakistani outfits and tribal motifs, and others exhibited clothes that had little or no sign of traditional aesthetics. The show displayed the fusing of the West with the East. Evening dresses merged with Eastern design, rich embroidery, silk tunics, feathery hats, and lacy tops, along with radical interpretations of the traditional salwar kameez, baggy shirt and trousers were the theme of this fashion show. Designer Fahad Hussayn presented his models with their faces covered by veils but their shoulders bare. Not only him, most of the designers who participated in the show, viz, Zarmina Khan, Athar Hafeez, Arshad Tareen, etc. also adhered to the traditional attire but again with a touch of western frills to it.

I think, this echoes the self-set boundaries that designers and models observe in this very conservative society. Anyway, at least the first step is taken.

Bravo Pakistan! We hope to see more of such fashion shows from you!