What you wear under your clothes speaks your mind. Yes, the world of men’s inner wear has come a long way from the days when the only thing available was boring boxers or tailor made ‘chaddi’. Today it is more than a style statement, a means of self expression.
Study shows a man who wears well fit underwear is more successful in life. When bollywood heartthrobs Saif & Shah Rukh are flaunting it out, how can their fans be left out? After all, it is fashionable to show out the straps with the designer tag, they spell style & attitude and good thing comes for a cost
Today you have a plethora of under gear. Thongs, trunks, bikinis, briefs, boxers, and jock straps you name it and you’ll find designs suitable for special day, every day and any other use you can imagine. In the market you can check VIP, Jockey, Tommy, Hannes and other brands that have come out with their exclusive collection for the New Men, which are more sexy & stylish.
Fetish for fancy wear has made Indians to go on a virtual tour for e- shopping. It’s a world where you can discover your wildest fantasy does exist and some one has designed it for you. Letting their imagination run wild, people doesn’t mind paying big price.
Not only are underwear getting sexier & bolder, men are getting more innovative with their usage. “I love my guy when he wears the red undy with a caption ‘taste me’. He is fat but I love his good sense of humour,” says Niharika, Accent trainer, Bangalore. And all I can say is underwear is no doubt one of the seduction tools to spice up your sex life. Wear your attitude!
OMI
So you are ready to settle down, have already bought the ring and thinking of the right way to ask her ? Hold on! Before you take the leap of faith and cross that line, make sure you have all your facts in place so that you don’t regret the decision later.
Here are the kinds of girl you do NOT want to spend a lifetime with:
The Complex Type
Let’s be clear on something. All women are complicated and complex. But I am not talking of the general kind here. The ones I am talking about have a complex way of thinking and most of the time she can never make up her mind. She never commits to anything. She likes complex relationships and always craves drama. She loves playing mind games. She will leave no stone unturned to leave you consufed! But thats just how she is
The “I want it all” Type
She gets what she wants. And she wants everything. She doesn’t believe in the word compromise. She is ambitious, spoilt and flirty. She can manipulate men easily. She will make you fall in love with her and control you from the word “go”. If you can handle her then kudos to you!
The Gold Digger Type
She wants money, cars, expensive shopping trips, all the luxuries of life and she is not ashamed to admit it. She loves stuff more than she loves you. She loves fashion. Be careful of her because she knows your “weaknesses” and will stop at nothing to get that last dime out of you.
The Nagging Type
You can never make her happy. She will always find some fault with you. She will blame you for everything,,, even her own mistakes. You can never make her happy because according to her you never do anything right. The only thing she care about is that she has to say what she wants to say.
The “I know” Type
She knows everything. Be it the latest happenings around the world or the latest Hollywood gossip. And she doesn’t like holding all this knowledge back. She will share it with you all the time. She’s most interested in your achievements rather than you as a person. She always questions your thoughts because she is “so darn smart”. Debating about every small thing is her favorite pastime.
The Journal of Marriage and The Family, published in the USA, says in the findings of its worldwide study that people in unconventional relationships are more prone to problems because they lack responsibility and are defiant of social norms. At best, ‘live in’ relationships are weak commitments, says the survey. Most often, the media is found to highlight such relationships among the celebrities from the entertainment and social whirl and media-addicted people, who are awed by the lifestyle of such people, want to emulate them to feel ‘stylish’ or ‘fashionable’ in their own lives.
We all know relationships are a gamble. Sometimes they work and sometimes they just don’t. But what does one do, when one of the biggest gamble one takes with their life goes terribly wrong? This is the story of Tara (name changed), and how her life changed for the worse after she moved in with her boyfriend.
“ I met Karan (name changed) during my final year of college. He used to go for computer classes, which was located in front of my college. We were introduced by a common friend and soon we started hanging out together. He was 3 years elder than me but we got along fabulously. Soon we became very close and it was no surprise to anyone when he asked me out and we started dating. Life was hectic and good fun those days. We would meet everyday and just talk, watch movies or just take long walks. He was perfect and I was crazy about him. Soon I graduated from college and took up a job in a fashion house. He was already working as an animator for an editing studio. After job started things became a little difficult for us. We couldn’t meet very often because I lived and worked at colaba and his office was at khar. Time was a major restraint. We did talk on the phone a lot but both of knew that it was not enough.
One day, over a cup of coffee, very calmly he suggested the idea of us living together. First I thought he was kidding and so didn’t take him seriously. But he started being persistent about it and the idea began to take shape in my head as well. According to him it would solve a lot of our problems. No time restraint or when to meet, how to meet etc. And of course, marriage was definitely on the cards sometime in the future. We were already dating for 3 years by then and marriage was the plunge we were planning to take ultimately. I didn’t take very long to get convinced. But there was a problem. Since his parents lived in Bangalore he didn’t have an issue with having to face them. I had to think of something to tell my parents. They knew about Karan but I knew their reaction if I told them that we were to live together. So to make things a little easier, I quit my previous job took up a new one at Andheri. My idea was that I will complain to my parents about the long distance of traveling everyday and thus convince them to let me move out. I did not want to hurt them so I told them that I am moving in with a girlfriend for a couple of months to see whether the job suits me or not. They reluctantly agreed. Now when I look back, I feel quite ashamed at what I did. It is a feeling mixed with humiliation because moving in with Karan was the biggest mistake of my life.
So after three months of planning we moved into a 2 bhk flat in andheri east. It was small flat but I didn’t mind. He took care of everything from finding the place, till the down payment of the rent. We had decided that we were going to split the rent and the bills since both of us made decent money. And we started living together.
But to my dismay things started changing only after four months. My desire to spend time with him went haywire because he started coming home really late, and mostly drunk. When I would question him he would say that he was out with his buddies. When on rare occasion he would be at home, we would spend the time sitting in front of the computer playing games or working on some design. Evenings he would go to the gym and at night leave to meet his friends. My work was taking up a lot of time as well so I didn’t pay much attention to it for a couple of months. I never got to know what caused the change of behavior. I suspected that he was having an affair, but I never asked him. Both of us would get home really late and just go to sleep without saying hello or goodnight to each other. But I did try from my end to make things better. I used to go home early to prepare his favorite meal, but the food usually remained untouched. When I would call him at his office someone would always say that he is in a meeting. I was seriously depressed and didn’t have an idea of what to do. I tried talking to him, but he always “shushed” me by saying that I was just being paranoid and everything is fine. But things didn’t end there. My parents had found out that I was living with my boyfriend and vowed never to speak with me again. I had disgraced them. So basically, I was lonely, confused and on the verge of killing myself.
And then came the final blow. We had opened a joint account to pay for our bills and every month I used to deposit a certain amount of money. One day when I checked the account, it was empty. Apparently Karan had forged my sign and taken out all the money for some purpose. I was furious. That same day the carpenter who made our furniture called and said that his money is due, which is around 28 k. I was furious. I did not go to work that day and waited for him at home. He came in at his usual late hour. When I questioned him he started hurling abuses at me. I was shocked. I did not know how to react. But my anger got the better of me and I slapped him hard across his face. He lost it after that. He picked up an ashtray and slammed it across my head. I went reeling to the ground. He grabbed my hair and started yelling, abusing and telling me that I have ruined his life and moving in with me was the biggest mistake of his life. And then he did something I couldn’t have imagined. He told me to pack my bags and leave. When I refused he told me that if I don’t leave on my own, he would drag me out of the house. And since all the papers and documents were signed by him, he could do that. I had no right over the house. I still don’t have words to describe what I felt at that moment. He is kicking me out of the house?? Why??
Well, my “why” didn’t have any answer then, because I found myself on the streets at 2.30am with nowhere to go. I couldn’t go to my parent’s house because it was too humiliating. Most of my friends were married so I couldn’t disturb them. So I checked myself into a hotel. I still couldn’t believe what had happened. It was Karan, the guy I loved for the last 4 years. It’s the same guy who hit me, called me a whore and threw me out of the house. I was in shock but still some part of me still had hope and I was expecting his call any minute to apologize. That call never came.
That was three years ago but I still can’t get over the incident. He never called to apologize or explain his behavior. Last I heard, he went back to Bangalore and now lives there. I apologized to my parents and told them what happened. They were angry but welcomed me back with open arms. I don’t know about him, but I was blinded in love and it hindered my judgment. I didn’t think it through the realities of living with a person and most importantly the financial aspect. My blind faith let me down. The incident has not only shaken my confidence, but also my belief in relationships and marriage. I don’t know about the future but from now onwards, I know better”.
“Wine is the most civilized thing in the world”
- Ernest Hemmingway.
It’s no surprise that wine has today become the vertebrae of engaging in India. Right from a dinner party or entertaining people at home, bottles of Champagne and shimmering glasses of red wine flow as smoothly as water. Sometimes, wine is also the center of topic as people evaluate and remark on the body, consistency, era or essence of the wine being served. No wonder that there is an immense pressure on anybody who is somebody to know the rudiments of this drink.
And so the problem arises. How do you astutely contribute to this conversation without sounding like someone who thinks Chardonnay was a stylish Italian actress? Such a goof-up would be the cause of great social embarrassment wont you agree?
But don’t give up hope just yet. You don’t need to drown yourself in books to learn about some simple pointers for wine. There are just some simple factors one needs to remember.
The basis of knowing wines lies in the grapes. For anybody whose only concern is making uplifting discussion on the topic, remember that wines are of two kinds. Red and White.
For Reds: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
For Whites: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
• The pronunciation of these names is not very simple. I suggest you practice saying it in front of the mirror before you go public with it.
• You should always order white wine to begin with, and a red to compliment the main course.
• There is a certain order one must follow for wine tasting at a restaurant. Soberly offer your guest a taste of the wine. If he/she says a no, then don’t worry. Taste it yourself. The waiter will dispense a tiny quantity of wine in your glass. You rotate your wrist, holding the stem of the glass and then bring it up to your nose to take a whiff of the wine. Then take a tiny sip of the wine, and if pleasing to all your senses, communicate your approval to the waiter. Wait for him to fill both the glasses till a halfway mark, and then you can wish him cheers. Rest assured, you have made your impression.
• Many people often wonder about the precise way of holding the glass. Whilst you might want to act like a movie star by holding the glass in between your fingers and poised on your palm, but it may end up looking foolish. Therefore, holding the stem of the wine glass securely, together with your thumb, index and middle finger will give the glass much more stability. This technique also ensures that the temperature of your wine will remain steady. The more contact you will have with the cup of the glass, the more warm your wine will become.
Since wine is relatively new in India, the protocols are still quite bewildering for most people. So its time to shed the ignorance and learn these simple tips which will definitely make you more intellectual and interesting at your next gathering.
Enjoy!
A common cold could mean just that — common cold or it could be a sign of something more uncommon, like lung cancer. Sounds scary? But it’s true. I have tracked down 10 such medical conditions that might have serious repercussions on your health. It’s time to be careful!
1. Sign: Recurrent coughing
It could simply mean that that last chilled glass of orangeade you had after a workout did not agree with your throat. Or it could be an indicator of something more serious. Dr Pramilla Roy informs us, “A cough isn’t usually a symptom of a life threatening illness but continuous coughing could indicate an obstructed airway, congestive heart disease, asthma or even lung cancer. If it persists for two weeks or more with no obvious medical explanation such as a cold, consult your doctor.”
2 . Sign: Persistent, low-grade fever
It can indicate a number of ailments. Dr Roy explains, “A fever is a sign that your body is combating an underlying illness. In general cases a pill might do the trick but if it extends for a week or more, seek your doctor’s advice. An early diagnosis of the cause might just save you from some debilitating disease that may accompany it.”
3. Sign: Light-headedness or shortness of breath
Do you find yourself panting for breath? While it is normal after working out on the treadmill, it’s a sign of something serious if it happens suddenly when you are seated at your desk at work. “It could indicate pulmonary embolus, which is basically the blockage of an artery in the lungs by fat, air, blood clot or tumour cells. Symptoms include rapid breathing, feeling light-headed or short of breath when at rest. It requires immediate medical attention,” cautions the doctor.
4. Sign: Swollen eyes
“Something is wrong for sure and it’s better not to take any chances with your vision,” advises eye specialist Dr Arunabh Jha. “It could be an infection or allergic reaction and in the worst case scenario, it could be optic neurosis, a medical condition that affects the nerves in your eyes. Since eyes are every sensitive get them checked with an eye specialist immediately; it might just save your vision.”
5 . Sign: Severe back pain
You have tried every possible remedy from applying heat to taking painkillers, but your backache just doesn’t quit. So how do you make it get off your back? At the root of pain are problems pertaining to muscles, ligaments and tendons. In case of back pain it may even suggest a weakness in the lower back. But can it mean something else as well? Dr Roy elaborates, “If back pain is severe and persistent, it could be an aneurysm. It’s a condition in which a sac is formed by the dilatation of the wall of an artery, vein or even heart. Pain subsides after your body’s main artery bursts. The pain could also stem from kidney stone. The best option is for you to consult your doctor and get a CT scan done to throw light on the exact condition.”
6 . Sign: Persistent headache
In most cases it is attributed to migraine which can be alleviated by a painkiller. Under more unusual circumstances it could be a sign of brain tumour or brain haemorrhage. “There are no two ways about it. If your head hurts constantly or there is a persistent pounding, especially on one side of the head, accompanied by watery eyes or nausea, you must go visit your doctor now,” urges Dr Roy.
7 : Sudden drastic weight loss
If you haven’t been dieting or working out which could explain the weight loss, it might suggest some abnormality of the endocrine, thyroid disorder, depression or diabetes. It’s better to consult a physician.
8. Sign: Your waistline measures more than 34 inches.
If not now, he could face the problem of erectile dysfunction later in life. “Overweight men usually have clogged arteries which restrict the blood needed to get an erection. Take up a gym membership immediately and lose the flab around the waistline,” is Dr Roy’s advice.
9 . Sign: Sudden sharp pain in the shoulders or neck
Pain is felt differently by men and women and can be interpreted differently too. In case of women symptoms of a heart attack may not be as severe as with men and may even be overshadowed by other, less obvious ones. These include discomfort or pain in other areas of the body such as the neck and shoulders, upper back or abdomen. The trick is to be aware of them and know when it occurs.
10 . Sign: Painful urination
Relieving yourself may seem like a major task and your urine may even have a tint of red. Dr Roy states, “Painful urination and blood in the urine are common causes of cancer in men and smoking could aggravate the condition. It could also indicate bladder infection. Get a thorough check-up done immediately to avoid complications later.”
“This is ridiculous!” He muttered to himself as Joy took long steps and walked faster towards the main office. He was 5 minutes late.
The split AC of the office didn’t help much, as beads of perspiration formed on his forehead.
“Is it done?” Praful asked from his seat as he passed him by.
“Hmm…” he nodded. He didn’t bother chatting and walked faster.
He entered his boss’s plush, mahogany, carpeted office.
The place always gave him a sense of power and accomplishment. But today, it made him extremely nervous. His boss was late but he was thankful for the delay. It would give him some time to calm himself. It was an important meeting. He stood in the middle of the empty room and hoped everything would go well.
Couple of minutes later, his boss Swaraj entered the cabin in a hurried pace. Looking flustered he nodded impatiently to him and sat in his chair.
“I hope this time there are no silly errors”, he asked impatiently.
Clutching his folder tightly, Joy nodded.
“Then what are you waiting for?” He said stretching his arms towards him.
Slowly but confidently Joy handed him the file.
For the next 10 minutes he wasn’t sure of what Swaraj was thinking while looking at his concepts. His face was devoid of any expression and he did not look up once.
He waited.
After, what seemed like eternity he closed the file and gave him a long, hard yet blank look.
“This is what you call a concept for a car? We are here to sell the product and not make a joke out of our client! What were you thinking? This is absolute crap and sub-standard work!”
The words cut him like a knife. Joy felt his knees shaking. As his boss continued to berate his work, Joy suddenly felt very dizzy.
All he could think of were the sleepless nights he had put into designing those concepts, resulting in the lack of having a life for the past 3 weeks. He could not even attend his cousins wedding or his nephew’s seventh birthday party. But it did not matter anymore. The confidence he felt about his work sometime back was replaced by a feeling of sheer humiliation and incompetence.
“Listen Joy. You have been in this agency for 5 years now and I have to say your work really surprises me. Sometimes it’s out of the world and sometimes I don’t have a clue of what you trying to say!”
These words suddenly brought Joy back to the present and he realized that his boss his still talking.
“I am not here to train you. Since we are investing in you, we need to get something back. Start taking copywriting seriously and think in a way that can appeal to the client but not to you only. We are here to sell a product but I don’t know how that can happen with the type of concepts you come up with”!
With those words he threw the folder on the table and picked up his mobile which was ringing for a couple of seconds.
Joy realized that it was time for him to get up and leave, but he just kept sitting there, trying very hard to gather his thoughts for couple of minutes.
His ideas were just thrashed.
Slowly he picked up the file from the table, took a deep breath and walked out of the cabin.
His boss was still on the phone and did not even notice him leaving.
He entered his small, suffocating cubicle and sat down with a thump on the chair. Feeling depressed beyond words, he looked at the layouts spread in front of him.
“Where did I go wrong”? He wondered.
He remembered the time when he was fresh out of college. With majors in literature, and a very uneventful college life, Joy had confidently decided that his days of formal education were finally over.
Full of life. Full of vigor. He was ready. Ready to face life head on. Ready to begin his life.
Soon after, he had taken up a job in a small advertising agency as a trainee for zero salary. From serving coffee to seniors to photocopying papers, he did everything, and did not mind. He was observing everything and it was there that he dabbled a bit into copywriting, and had gotten hooked. The whole concept of putting together a few words to sell a product seemed fascinating to him. He knew this is what he wanted to do.
“You want coffee?”
Joy was back to reality. He looked up and saw Naira holding a coffee mug and munching on a doughnut.
“No thanks. Not in the mood” He smiled weakly.
“Ok sweetie. But remind me later. I have to tell you some latest gossip”.
Naira winked playfully and disappeared. Joy could not help but smile. She was always so perky and happy. Considering the crazy amount of time she spent in office as a client servicing executive, she was probably one of the saner ones in office.
He looked at his watch. Already 4.30pm. But he was in no mood to do anything.
“Maybe I will just go home and sleep for a couple of days”, he thought dejectedly.
He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes.
“What happened to me?”, he thought. I had plans for a life. I wanted to do some good work, travel the world, be surprised, face life, and go bungee jumping. Just feel alive. But now all I want to do is to crawl under a rock and die”.
He wasn’t sure whether he liked copywriting anymore. He wasn’t sure what he liked anymore. Because of his crazy work life - due to a deadline sometimes he often slept in office itself, over the years slowly he had lost contact with his old friends, acquaintances and even his family. It is no surprise that his fiancée broke up with him last year. Love life had never gotten a chance. His life has become one big deadline.
His eyes still closed he realized for the first time that his life has become the only thing he didn’t want it to be. Stagnant.
“Is it worth it?”, he asked himself.
He was still in a gloomy mood when he suddenly remembered about the meeting that was announced in the morning.
He got up with a heavy heart and slowly walked towards the conference room.
“I wonder what this is about” Naira whispered to him as she whizzed by him.
To Joy’s surprise, the room was packed. Everyone in the office was present.
“Thank you all for coming”, Swaraj began.
“Now, the reason for this meeting is that the very important Rs.18 crore account we pitched for last month, Apex air-conditions, has finally made a decision and they have chosen our agency to handle their account”.
An excited applause went through the crowd.
“As you all must know that this is a very crucial account for us. All of us have worked very hard the past two months to make this happen….”
“But…”, he continued. “I must give due credit to the person responsible for this. It was Joy’s brilliant concept that they found unique. I must admit that I wasn’t too much in favor if it.” He gave out a short laugh and the whole office clapped lightly.
Joy, taken aback, looked at Swaraj and smiled.
“I want to you to be the Creative Supervisor for this account Joy”, Swaraj told him and made sure everybody in the room heard him say. Afterall, it is a big thing. The Creative Supervisor himself is offering a copywriter not just an account, but the biggest one for this agency so far. That too, in front of the whole office. It is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Joy still silent realized that this was the opportunity he has been waiting for. After this day and after he says a yes, all his sacrifices, his broken relationships, his heartaches will be worth it. This is his chance to validate his life. He just had to grab it now.
Joy looked at his boss of three years.
“Thank you for the offer Swaraj but I am resigning today”.
As a shocked whisper went around the crowd. Joy walked upto Swaraj. His face could barely contain the emotions of anger and confusion.
“I am grateful that you think I am worthy of such a big responsibility, but I have some different plans for my life”.
Joy walked out of the office smiling, thinking where he would go for bungee jumping.
Note: This story was published earlier in this page but had to be deleted due to a technical hitch.
To all the married people I know. I am sure you are really happy with your decision and really excited about spending your life with your chosen bakra. But if you already feel like hitting your head with a baseball bat repeatedly, then sigh! Read on and feel worse!
Recently, I met up with a couple friend of mine who have been dating for a year or so and just announced that they are engaged. ( Let me just tell you that they have broken up at least 200 times and to be honest, I didn’t take this news seriously because I was convinced that it is one of those ploys couple play to keep each other from running away)
And here is the best part. They chose to tell me this information last!
I was the last one to know about this act of their’s and boy, was there smoke coming out of my ears!
How dare they??????
I was the one listening to her when she would scream like the devil almost making me deaf and tell me how uncaring he is thus wanting to do voodoo on him.
I was the one who heard him sob and cry over drinks when he wailed like a baby about her and called her a blood sucking leech and thus should be squished.
If I were to charge them by the hour for the amount of hours I heard them whine, cry, sob and abuse each other, I could have bought myself the Birkin bag! (In bright orange, mind you)
And to imagine that I get this information LAST!!
I couldn’t imagine!!
So I walked into the restaurant and confronted them. Those ungrateful little @#$%^^&!!!!!!!!!
I think I managed to scare them enough because before I could say anything, just they blurted out in unison.
“We wanted to tell you…but since you are so cynical about marriage…we thought we will do it personally…and tell you that it is not a mistake and we are happy”.
And just to give it a dramatic ending to that ridiculous line, they gave me a Kodak “come frame our faces” smile.I was almost threw up the pizza I had for lunch.
First and foremost, I am NOT cynical about marriage. Yes, I do have my reservation about it, but not cynical. Oh just screw it! I am not trying to impress anybody!
Yes. I AM the biggest cynic about marriage. I also think that you have to be seriously demented or emotionally suicidal to go for it voluntarily. (There! I said it!)
But before you start chasing me with torches with the intention of setting me on fire, let me just tell you….I don’t care! I stand by my point.
But for the sake of world peace, Mother Teresa or the Rajasthan royals winning the IPL, (which ever you believe in) look around you and do a simple task. Look closely at the face of somebody whom you know is married. But avoid the people who are “just married”. They will think that I am the devils messenger anyway and most probably they will pelt you with stones too. Go for the faces which are condemned for a year or more. Tired, haggard and a look of genuine apathy floats on their faces. It’s like they have made the decision to bungee jump because it is thrilling and exciting initially, but then as they continued they realized that their eyes are popping out and gravity loves them more than they thought. Welcome to joyride!
Bah!
Divorce rates are skyrocketing thus making divorce lawyers very rich. Extra marital affairs are as common as 2 min noodles. People rather spend long and useless hours at work rather than going home and spending some time with the “love of their life”. Everyone wants their “space”. And my morning yoga just don’t sync in if I don’t read front page news about a man chopping his wife into 2 million pieces because of some vague reason like not enough salt in the dal.
I just love myself too much to put myself through all this self-imposed misery. To all those people who will throw the lines like “grow old with somebody” “somebody to love” and “somebody back at home waiting me for” kind of corny stuff, let me just tell you something -
- You will grow old anyway
- If you want somebody to love, consider joining Osho ashram (Yes, it is a different kind of love they propagate, but there is no harm trying!)
- It won’t be too much fun if the “somebody waiting for you at home” is busy playing video games or is making love to the TV via the remote
A warning : This article is strictly for women and sexually confused men. Rest all…go take a hike!
Okay ladies, Remember Kate Winslet in Titanic or Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich? Apart from being great actors with brilliant performances, the one thing they have in common is perfect outer and perfect innerwear. To those unused to thinking on these lines, take a minute and conduct a mental scan of the ladies. Imagine now those beautiful clothes over ill-fitting, unflattering innerwear. Not a pleasant sight right? Isn’t it surprising then, that we continue to wear appalling innerwear with the most carefully chosen outerwear.
Dissatisfied with the idea of having to wear a heavy corset underneath a new sheer evening gown she just bought for a social event, socialite Mary Phelps Jacob of New York and her maid, Marie, devised a backless bra made from two handkerchiefs, some ribbon and cord. Amazingly she started getting orders for it that very night
Bra history began as far back as Cretan times, but 1907, was the year when the word brassiere was first reported in an American copy of Vogue. The original French meaning was support, but the word was out of use and the French chose to call a bra soutien-gorge.
When choosing any outfit, be it an elegant evening dress, office wear or casual wear, most women are consciously or subconsciously attempting to project a certain attitude or image. The effectiveness of this communication could very easily be diluted through a lack of attention to ‘what lies beneath’. The most beautifully cut outerwear still draws largely on innerwear to achieve that perfect silhouette. You may have got the right accessory, make up and shoes; but the wrong inner wear can ruin the ensemble.
The first modern brassiere to receive a patent was one invented by a New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob in 1913.
Most of the major designers of the era have tried to lay claim to designing the first bra. Poiret probably had the strongest claim. What is certain is that all the designers promoted a simple breast retaining garment as better for the newer simple straight dress styles. In the costume history of bras these early bras were similar to camisoles tops of the 1980s and 1990s. Initially at the turn of the 20th century even the word camisole was used too, but replaced by ‘Bust Bodice’ by 1905.
An unhealthy and painful device designed to narrow an adult women’s waist to 13, 12, 11 and even 10 or less inches, the corset is attributed to Catherine de Médicis, wife of King Henri II of France. She enforced a ban on thick waists at court attendance’s (1550’s) and started over 350 years of whalebones, steel rods and midriff torture.
Many of us don’t realize the importance having a good support system until it’s too late.
Where do we go wrong you may ask?
- Wear fabrics with a smooth silky fall and match it with ill-fitting innerwear that shows through your outerwear as ungainly criss cross lines.
- Wear knits or figure hugging clothes and then wear functional innerwear that does absolutely nothing to flatter your figure
- Wear innerwear that brings too much support into play and immediately conjures images of pop icon Madonna in metal cones.
- Skip a bra when wearing a backless top. Unless completely unaffected by gravity, please do not attempt this.
Knowledge on how to team one’s inner and outerwear could transform the way you look and feel.
Warner produces the first popular all-elastic bra, which shows off a woman’s curves.
SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- A balconette bra is designed to lift the breasts so as to give a fuller and rounder look by pushing the breast up from the bottom.
- Low back outfits, halter, and racer back tops require a transparent backed bra that provides the complete backless look.
- A seamless bra has moulded cups and no seams. It gives a smooth appearance under clothing. A wonderful style when you want a bra that is almost invisible for sheer or clingy fabrics.
- Low cut dresses and eveningwear call for a push up bra / plunge bra that is designed to push the breast from the bottom and the sides to add a cup size. This gives the required lift and is ideal when an outfit calls for a more filled-out look.
- The 4 way bra can be worn with straps / without straps / with a single strap / straps that criss cross is made with specially designed elastics to ensure a better grip and does not slip. It’s a much-needed wonder bra that can be tweaked to suit almost any tricky requirement.
The first bikini swimwear is introduced in Paris in 1946
Every woman is unique in body and soul and one should wear a bra that complements that.
The 1960s saw the women’s liberation movement denouncing bras as a symbol of conformity and servitude and encouraging bra burning rallies. The Hippie and free-love movement would see the bra abandoned altogether, resulting in the braless look.
There are some movies that make you cry. Then there are some that lift your spirits and re-confirm your faith in humanity.(If that is even possible) But lets be honest here. Don’t we just looove those movies that leave us unsettled, disgusted and completely shell shocked?!! ( Yes. I knew it!) So here it is. List of 10 most disgustingly amazing movies that is gurantedd to leave you depressed for weeks. ( I can see you smiling now!)
Remember, the list is not in any particular order.
Enjoy and don’t forget the popcorns!!
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Based on a 1978 novel of the same name, this complex, psychological drama depicts different form of addiction leading to the characters’ imprisonment in a dream world of delusion and reckless desperation, which is then overtaken and devastated by reality. The story revolves around four characters. Mother Sara (Ellen Burstyn) is going to appear on TV game show. She wants to fit into a beautiful red dress which gets her addicted to diet pills. Meanwhile, the son (Jared Leto) his girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend are fighting their addiction of drugs, very unsuccessfully. All of characters spiral out of control and fall into a pit of darkness and misery with no scope of recovering. If you are looking for a movie to cheer you up, then this isn’t definitely the one.
Casualties of War
Based on a true story, this Brian De Palma film stares Michael J. Fox as a soldier in Vietnam in a squad led by Sean Penn. While on patrol, in the wake of an ambush that has left friends dead, they kidnap and rape a Vietnamese woman–then murder her. But Fox, one of the soldiers who refused to participate in the rape, is so appalled by the killing that he reports it–and finds himself being treated as the villain. Penn is scarily tough as the vindictive soldier. Throughout the movie the gore is shown thorough the brutal actions of the actors which in turn leave you mortified at cruelties of the human mind. Not a family entertainer for sure.
Pi
Math is a universal language. Everything can be represented with numbers. If you are smart enough to understand the pattern, you can decode anything. The Torah for instance is a long string of numbers. Decode that and you can know the true name of god. Sounds a bit odd? That’s what Pi is all about. Max (Sean Gullette) is a genius mathematician who’s built a supercomputer at home that provides something that can be understood as a key for understanding all existence. Representatives both from a Hasidic cabalistic sect and high-powered Wall Street firm hear of that secret and attempt to seduce him to get the string of numbers that can decode anything. Brilliantly written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, this dark and disturbing drama didn’t get the attention it deserves. But a must watch nevertheless.
Natural born killers
The story is about tow natural born killers, Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis) who thinks that killing is some sort of a higher cognitive activity. They do what Bonnie and Clyde did year’s ago. They enjoy senseless and meaningless murders without a motive. Everyone in the movie seems to be ready to kill one another. Directed by Oliver Stone, this satirical film highlights the sensationalized way crimes are depicted in the media and the manner some killers have been glamorized. Although it was the most controversial movie of its time, the film was criticized for its excessively graphic and violent content. Depending on how you view it, it could be an intelligent attack on your senses or a well crafted aggression that can have any impact on you. Be sure to watch this one.
Ichi the killer
Have you ever seen a movie that just left you sitting there with your eyes wide open, begging for more? Based on the popular manga by Hideo Yamamoto the story is set within the yazuka underworld. After his yazuka boss goes missing, Kakihara (Tasanobu Asano) uses his sadistic methods of interrogations to find the boss’s assumed killers. Working his way through the underworld connections-with the use of hot oil, piercing needles, and large hooks-Kakihara discovers this boss demise came at the hands of Ichi (Nao Omori), a mysterious figure that slices individuals into bloody pieces with razor sharp blades strapped to his boots. As Kakihara draws closer, Ichi turns the tables on the hunter and brings his own vengeance, served up sushi style. Directed by Takashi Miike, Ichi the Killer is one of the most violent films ever to have been made, and the intensity of the emotions aroused by its depictions of countless acts of brutality is enhanced by the exaggerated manner in which these acts are presented. Highly recommended, but be forewarned, it will take a strong stomach.
Irreversible
The basic story of Irreversible involves three protagonists; the sultry Alex, her boyfriend Marcus and her ex, Pierre. During a night at a friend’s party the relationship disintegrates - due in part to Marcus’ drug-taking and womanizing and the on-going sexual tension between Alex and Pierre - which eventually results in Alex leaving the party early. Unable to cross the street, she takes the underpass and is violently raped and beaten. Still high and irrational, Marcus drags Pierre through the nocturnal Parisian streets (quizzing local gangsters and prostitutes for information regarding potential attackers), before eventually ending up at the gay S&M club. Here the story comes to a head and a scene of violent retribution plays out. Extremely disturbing French film directed by Gaspar Noé, Irreversible features a revenge plot told in reverse chronological order (similar to Memento) - punctuated by extreme violence and a brutally graphic rape scene that runs approximately nine minutes. Surely not for the faint hearted.
Eraserhead
Considered one of the truly groundbreaking independent films to emerge in the horror and horror/thriller genres, Eraserhead offers a vaguely linear plot, ambiguously motivated and realised characters, and despite an atmospheric dreamscape created via such familiar images from psychoanalysis as spewing liquids and worm-like organisms, an arguably incoherent set of messages about the interconnectedness of sexuality, identity, violence and loss. It is a surrealist horror film with no definite script. You have to watch it to believe its intensity and how it plays with the human mind. Eraserhead initially polarized and baffled many critics and movie-goers, but over time the film has become a cult classic.
Seven
A serial killer is on the loose. That’s never a good thing, but what makes this guy particularly gruesome is that he’s got a style. Each of its victims are so called perpetrators of the sol-called “Seven deadly sins”. (Gluttony, greed, pride, envy, sloth, envy and wrath). Step forward two detectives and reluctant partners David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) who are handed the job to track down the psychopath before he can complete his plan. This is one of those dark movies, where it is constantly raining and wet and where light always seems to be dim. If you are not one for blood and gore, you might want to miss this as director David Fincher doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing of the various victims in all their grisly details. Seven attempts to be a statement about humanity: no one is without sin.
A Clockwork Orange
Set in the near future, the movie centers around the life of the fifteen-year-old protagonist Alex (Malcolm McDowell), who, along with his gang, roams the streets at night, committing crimes purely for enjoyment. The crimes increase in severity from assault, to robbery, to arson, to a fight with rival gang, to a break-in at the house of a handicapped man, where the gangs rape his wife. Equally violent is the state’s aversion therapy Alex is forced to endure to cure him of his addiction. Adapted from Anthony Burgess’s slim best-selling novel, A Clockwork Orange became infamous in 1973, not because of the extreme violence on show, but for director Stanley Kubrick’s decision to withdraw the movie in the UK, because of copycat acts of violence blamed on the film. A must watch movie for those who don’t mind violence at the cost of brilliant film making.
Salo: The 120 days of Sodom
Salò is one of the handful of genuinely disturbing movies ever made. It leaves you shaken, not simply because of what it is depicting but also because of how. Four upper-class libertines gather in an elegant palazzo to inflict the extremes of sexual perversion and cruelty upon a hand-picked collection of young men and women. Meanwhile, three ageing courtesan’s enflame the proceedings further by spinning tales of monstrous depravity. A cinematic ground zero, Salò confirms the cruel meaninglessness of everything human. Based on the infamous book, The 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade, Salo contains its fair share of disturbing imagery and graphic violence, including rape, torture and murder. For this reason, it is still banned in some countries even to this day - good luck finding a copy! Director Pier Paolo Pasolini was brutally murdered shortly after the film’s release. Be warned–Salò will test the very limits of your endurance.
Summer is here and it is already scorching my head and heart, leaving it terribly dehydrated. To be honest here summer is not my best times. And you cant blame me! It is blazing hot, no matter how less I dress it always seems more, and it is one of those rare seasons when I don’t feel like stepping out of home at all.
( Some of you may not that a big a deal, but for me, it is like going without water)
But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel because there is something that makes the treacherous heat of the summer bearable.
There will be no guessing games…so let me just get straight to the point.
Mangoes!
Yes…that yellow…juicy…fleshy…hmmm…( Okay…I will get a grip now) piece of fruit just makes me want to die, given the condition that I will be surrounded by mangoes on my deathbed and there will be loads of dancing mangoes in heaven…just for me.
Sigh!
Let me just assure you that my love for mangoes is just not a floozy, timepass sort of love.
No sir..it isn’t!
During this season, I make sure I keep myself abreast with any and every food festival that is happening in city, with a mango theme. And I usually manage to try all of them.
( I really like mangoes ok…sue me!)
Therefore, just like Frodo had a mission in life, I am always on the quest to find the best mango dishes in town that will lead me salvation. And I was in luck!
I came upon the Mango Festival that is happening at the Intercontinental, Marine drive in Mumbai. Each restaurant at the InterContinental, Marine Drive is thematically driven by the tempting king of fruits. They had every dish available which could be made through a mango. Aam ki kheer, kache aam ka jhinga, mango cheesecake, smoked chicken & mango…it is my Disneyland!!!
But just like a true adventurer, I just didn’t stop there. I got a chance to talk to the chef who prepared this delectable menu, Chef Amit Bharadwaj, Executive Chef of InterContinental.
So while eying all mouth watering spread of mango dishes behind and thus getting intensely distracted, I managed to ask the chef a couple of questions.
Me: What inspired you to have a mango festival?
Chef: The fact that what is in season is healthy, if nature produces something in a particular season, we must eat it then!!
Me: Most of the restaurants in town are having similar festivals. How does your stand out?
Chef: We have taken a holistic approach to the “KING” Alphonso and let it reflect in all the different courses of the meal this sets us off as a unique meal experience.
Me: How did you decide upon such a delectable menu?
Chef: We let our creativity be inspired by the magical Mango… the menu was the result!
Me: What goes in making a good festival?
Chef: The timing, the uniqueness and the singular will to “WOW” our customers f!
Me: What other fruits would you like to use for a festival like this?
Chef: Why use anything else to dilute the mango, we have used the mango in all its different forms, be it the dried powder, the fragrant Ripe mango or the and young green mango.
Well said chef!
I think by now, I have given the slight idea that I might be obsessed with mangoes. ( What was your first clue?!!) But then can you blame me? It is the best fruit that is created by nature and with its versatility, you make more or less 500 drinks, dishes, starters, pickles and various other edible items out of it. Most of the other fruits stay limited to squashes or syrups!
Now before I continue my rant and narrate in explicit detail my dream where I had a serious conversation with a mango…just go and enjoy the fruit. The season will come to and end soon and so the reign of the king. ( And by “king” I don’t mean Shahrukh khan!)
Visit http://mumbai.burrp.com/events.html for more information.
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