Bikini bottoms

It seems that most of the bikini styles, with an exception of the thong, are categorized by the style of the top. The bandini, the tankini, the halter bikini, and the monokini are all distinguished by the cut and fit of the top (or lack thereof) with little attention to the bottom style. There are, however, several different styles of bikini bottoms that have important implications for bikini fit and flattery. In many cases, the fit and style of the bottoms may be more important in a flattering swimsuit than the fit and style of the top.

The history of bikini bottoms is a history of the lowering of the midriff and the heightened cut of the legs. Throughout the history of the bikini, bikini bottoms have become shorter and smaller until they have consisted of only two small triangles of cloth connected by thin strings (or one small triangle of cloth in the case of the thong bikini). In the beginning of the bikini’s history, bottoms tended to rise to the navel and cover a large section of the upper thighs. Today, bikini bottoms ride significantly lower and display a considerable portion of the upper thighs.

The large variety of bikini bottoms allows an improved amount of choice for women when shopping for bottoms. In addition, the increasing tendency of stores to sell bikini separates allows for tailored top and bottom selection. In general, string bikini bottoms look best on women with long legs and thin torsos. Boy shorts are naturally best for women with boy shapes. Bottoms with high cut legs are attractive and flattering for nearly all women, as they tend to lengthen the leg and minimize the hips and thighs. Brief-style bottoms can be flattering for many women, as well, depending upon the amount of coverage they offer. The best tip for selecting flattering bikini bottoms is to attempt to replicate the cut and style of your most flattering underwear.

Halter bikini

A halter bikini generally consists of any style of bikini bottoms (brief, string, boy shorts, etc.) paired with a halter-neck top. A halter neck implies a top that employs straps or strings that meet just at the nape of the neck (as opposed to straps that sit over the shoulder blades and join with the back support of a bikini top). The halter bikini is useful for a large number of swimsuit activities, as it provides a bit more coverage and is more likely to stay in place during extreme activity than other bikini styles. The halter bikini has been popular for several years among women of all ages. Still, it seems to have come into even greater popularity in the last couple of seasons.

The halter bikini became a fashionable bikini design just as the two-piece swimsuit was becoming a popular style of swimsuit in the United States. The halter neck had already been in style on one-piece swimsuits since the early 1940s; it was an easy transfer to popularity on the new bikini. However, the halter bikini was generally passed over for sexier, more revealing styles until volleyball star Gabrielle Reece showcased it in 1993. Due to Reece’s support of the style, the hugging, halter bikini became the latest rage in the sports bikini market. The halter bikini now comes in a wide variety of styles, including designs offering tie straps, extra breast coverage, minimal breast coverage, wide straps, and thin, string straps.

The halter bikini is a flattering style on a large number of women. The extra support it offers can be useful for both women with small breasts and women with large breasts. Such support also makes the halter bikini one of the best choices for beach sports. However, women with large breasts should note that the halter bikini will not have the same minimizing effect as the bandini.

Thong bikini

The thong bikini is a swimsuit that consists of a typical bikini top (usually a string top) with thong bikini bottoms. The thong provides minimal coverage for the crotch but leaves the buttocks almost entirely bare, allowing only a thin strap of fabric between the butt cheeks. The thong bikini is currently a popular and extremely sexy style, and many women purchase a model of it each year.

The thong bikini began in the 1970s and was introduced to the American market by the maker of the monokini, Rudi Gernreich. The thong is supposed to have been inspired by the traditional garb of Amazonian tribes in Brazil. Like so many other swimsuit designs that have been inspired by the sexy style of Brazilian beaches, the thong quickly gained popularity after its introduction to the American market.

Having experienced only short-lived success with his topless monokini a decade earlier, Gernreich decided to experiment with a bottomless swimsuit style instead. Aptly recognizing the new American fascination with the upper thighs and buttocks, Gernreich sought to introduce a new swimsuit that would capitalize on this fascination. The original thong swimsuit was available in three models: a tank one-piece suit, a two-piece bikini, and a topless swimsuit with thong bottoms only. While the thong would prove to be popular at its introduction in the 1970s, its absolute minimalist style would actually result in a popular resurgence of the one-piece swimsuit throughout the 1980s.

The thong bikini is flattering and sexy on only a very small percentage of women. Because the bottoms offer very little fabric coverage, it is important to be toned in the butt and thighs before attempting to wear a thong bikini. While the thong bikini can be incredibly provocative and sexy on the right body, the majority of women will appear more attractive and toned in a swimsuit that offers a bit more coverage in the buttocks.

Monokini bikini

The monokini is one of the most shocking and scandalous swimsuits to have entered the swimsuit market. While the monokini has a very specific historical definition, the term is now used to indicate any topless swimsuit. When fashion designer Rudi Gernreich first introduced the monokini in 1964, the swimsuit consisted of bikini style bottoms with thin straps over the shoulders to hold the swimsuit in place. The swimsuit provided no additional coverage and left the breasts entirely bare. Today, fashion designers continue to vary on the style of the original monokini, producing topless swimsuits for more adventurous women to wear in private swimming pools or topless bathing venues.

The monokini has a rather interesting history. It emerged in an era of American history when the country was on the turning point between the placid, conservative 1950s and the turbulent, explosive 1960s. Into this climate, European designer Gernreich presented his new swimsuit design in June of 1964 to mixed review from fashion critics, government officials, and church dignitaries. Gernreich’s monokini consisted of a black knit suit that extended from the midriff to the upper thigh, employing two thin black straps to hold it in place over the shoulders.

The reaction to Gernreich’s bikini innovation was immediate. Fashion designers criticized the swimsuit, proclaiming that the sole use of bikini bottoms would foretell the eventual demise of the bikini style. Throughout the country, statesmen and church officials pronounced the swimsuit immoral and tasteless. Because the monokini was so obviously inappropriate for swimming or tanning, many people assumed it was meant to be more of a gag than a serious swimsuit design. However, despite the reaction of fashion critics and church officials, shoppers purchased the monokini in record numbers that summer. By the end of the season, Gernreich had sold 3000 swimsuits at $24 a pop (a tidy profit for such a miniscule amount of fabric). Still, despite the number of swimsuits purchased, very few monokinis were ever worn in public.

After the first summer season, Gernreich’s monokini fell quickly out of style in the United States. Still, his shocking experimentation with dermal exposure would herald a new era in swimsuit design. Designers would soon begin experimenting with strategic cutouts and mesh coverage to push the envelope farther on public exposure.

Because the monokini was designed as far more of a fashion statement than a flattering piece of swimwear, it is difficult to determine the most ideal body type for this type of swimsuit. While monokinis do still exist in the swimsuit market, they are not always easily accessible and most stores do not carry them.

Bandini bikini

The bandini is a style of bikini that pairs a bandeau-style top with traditional bikini bottoms. A bandeau top is generally a strapless, tube-type top that remains in place with the aid of a high percentage of spandex in the fabric. The bandini is somewhat common in swimwear fashion, although other styles of bikinis, like the string bikini and halter bikini, are far more popular. There are also several one-piece swimsuits that come with bandeau-style tops.

The history of the bandini is closely linked to the history of the bikini, itself. While the bikini was marketed in the United States as early as 1947, it would not become greatly popular until the mid-1950s. Even then, the bikini would not become widely socially and morally acceptable until the turbulent decade of the 1960s. The bandini, interestingly enough, was one of the first bikini styles to be generally accepted in the 1950s. Strapless, bandeau-style tops had emerged on one-piece swimsuits just five years before, but the shocking and exciting nature of the bandeau top accompanied the very first popular bikini styles in the 1950s. The somewhat questionable breast support of the bandini, relying only upon the tightness and stretch of the fabric, greatly enhanced the overall allure of the swimsuit. Since the beginning of bikini popularity in the United States, the bandini has maintained a strong foothold in the bikini market.

The bandini has an overall minimizing effect on the breasts that makes it wonderfully supportive and flattering on some women and quite unflattering on other women. The bandini is best for women with large breasts, of course, as it can provide valuable, minimizing coverage. However, women with small breasts should not wear bandinis, as the bandeau top will serve only to flatten the appearance of the breasts to a greater degree. Whenever wearing a bandini, be aware that the strapless nature of the swimsuit can result in a rather unfortunate loss of coverage. Needless to say, the bandini may not be the best swimsuit choice for beach sports or serious swimming.

Tankini bikini

The tankini has only recently entered the swimsuit fashion scene. It was designed to combine the modest coverage of a one-piece swimsuit with the convenience of a bikini (a woman need only remove the bottoms to use the bathroom). A tankini swimsuit generally consists of a tank-style, tight-fitting top that ends anywhere from just below the waist to the top of the hips. This top is paired with traditional bikini bottoms.

The tankini is still quite young and has not yet developed a compelling history. The tankini can, however, already claim a few renovations on its traditional style, including the ruched tankini and the camikini. A ruched tankini contains elastic sewn into the sides of the tankini top that allows for adjustable top length and greater waist definition. This particular innovation is a great boon for women with long torsos. The camikini is quite similar to the tankini in its design. However, the camikini generally pairs a more structured, camisole-type top with bikini bottoms to provide more support for women with large breasts.

While the tankini offered great hope to women at its birth into the fashion world--due to its additional concealing coverage--it is not the magic swimsuit bullet it was at first perceived to be. If worn in the wrong manner, the tankini can accentuate undesirable characteristics, just as any other swimsuit. The tankini works best for slim women with long torsos, as the tankini top can break up the torso and lend it a shorter appearance. The tankini can also be flattering on women with fuller figures. For these women, however, it is important to ensure that the bikini top and bottoms meet. A tankini top that is too tight or ends too high on the body can result in unattractive belly bulges. To find an attractive tankini fit that will flatter your body, try pairing a light-colored, ruched tankini top with darker bikini bottoms.

String bikini

The string bikini is one of the first and most classic renovations of the traditional bikini. It generally consists of the barest minimal fabric coverage for the top and bottoms, with thin strings serving as straps and support. The string bikini is most often composed of four triangles of material--one piece each for the breasts, crotch, and butt.

Jumping on board the sexual revolution of the 1960s (during which men and women began to seriously reconsider the public ban of nudity), the string bikini became a popular bikini style in the 1970s. While the major erogenous zones of the 1960s had been the breasts and the midriff, the string bikini indicated a shift in public attention toward the upper thighs. Also known as the Tanga, the string bikini was an import from the Brazilian beaches of Rio de Janeiro. It became so popular at its introduction to the United States in 1974 that Manhattan’s Bloomingdale’s sold out its entire order of 150 swimsuits in only two weeks. Another popular Madison Avenue boutique exhausted its supply of 160 string bikinis in just two days! This burst of popularity proved to be only the beginning for the string bikini. The classic style continues to be one of the most commonly purchased by American women, especially among women in their twenties.

The string bikini is not ideal for every woman’s body. As Beverly Hills designer Jim Riva stated at the string bikini’s birth, “It’s something I’d hate to see on every woman in the world.” For some women, however, the string bikini may actually be the most flattering bikini style. The string bikini style looks best on women with small busts or boy shapes. Because women with small breasts do not need a large amount of bra-style support, a traditional triangle top can serve to add more shape and curve to the breasts. In addition, triangle tops with built-in underwires can work similarly to a push-up bra to maximize the breasts. When choosing a string bikini, be forewarned that the style only works on women with very slender figures. The tight strings of a string bikini tend to cut into the skin and cause unsightly bulges on women with fuller figures. To avoid this problem, make sure the strings of the bikini are not cutting into the skin. If they are, this is a clue that you may need a larger size or a different style.

Sleeping Beauty Dress Review

Sleeping Beauty or Aurora with her beautiful blonde hair and stunning dark pink dress is a favorite among little girls and adults alike. She is a symbol of resilience and courage and nearly every little girl loves to dress up just like her so they can feel the same qualities that she possesses.

There are many Sleeping Beauty dresses out there to choose from, so how do you choose the right one? From the Disney Store to your local stores to online retailers, where is the best place to buy the perfect princess Sleeping Beauty costume?

The Disney Store is so much fun. It is a great place to look around and get ideas for what you are looking for in terms of the perfect princess gift or dress for another special occasion like a Disneyland trip or princess birthday party. Disney dresses are so expensive, but they are beautiful and usually made from high quality materials that will last. However, they tend to be itchy and not very comfortable for little girls to wear for an extended period of time like a Disneyland trip or a princess birthday party where she will be wearing it for hours.

Your local discount store like Walmart or Target may have some cheap quality dress up clothes for girls. They are generally very small and short to save on cost and made from thin fabric that rips easily. They are cute and sparkly for a while until all the glitter falls of onto the floor or onto your little girls hair. These costumes are cheaply made and don't last very long and for the price range of $20-$35 they aren't really a good choice of dress up clothes that will last for a long time.

Other toy stores or malls may also carry some princess costumes in their toys section. Many of the costumes you find in the store are small and only fit sizes 1-2 well and many are cheaply made. However, if you look around at many different store, you may be able to find a couple that are made from quality fabrics and will be larger sizes to fit older children.

Online retailers are a great place to buy quality dress up costumes and have loads of selection. If you are looking for the perfect Sleeping Beauty dress, a great brand of dress up costumes for girls, boys, adults and dolls is Little Adventures. They are great because they have matching dresses for girls, dolls, and adults. For example, you can find the exact same Sleeping Beauty dress for mom, child, and 18 inch doll. This makes for fun and creative dress up play. Best of all, Little Adventures costumes are all machine washable and made from high quality fabrics. Many online retailers offer free shipping, so that cuts down on costs. If you are budget conscious, these are the dresses for you because they only cost about $27. Best of all, they also have matching doll dresses that fit 18 inch dolls.

Best of luck finding the perfect Sleeping Beauty dress up costume for your little girl that will last for a long time and won't break the bank. Studying your options should give you a good idea of what would work best for your family.

Shelby is the mother of 2 girls and 1 boy and lives in Orem, Utah. She also runs a home-based business called My Cute Dressups. that sells Princess dress up clothes and other fun pretend play items for kids, toddlers, and even teenagers and adult princess costumes.

She also has an eBay store and a local store run by the same name. She has seen a noticeable difference in her kids after encouraging dress up play. Visit her website for more biographical information or to see her exciting line of Princess Costumes like Cinderella dresses, Snow White Costumes, Sleeping Beauty dresses, wedding dress up, Medieval Princess, Yellow Beauty, Winter Beauty, Rapunzel dress, doll clothes that fit American Girl, 18 inch doll clothes. She has a Cinderella doll dress that matches exactly with the girl Cinderella dress as well as matching Snow White doll dress, Sleeping Beauty doll dress, and Medieval princess doll dress.

Surrounding Cities beach wear

While Virginia Beach is a remarkable destination of its own, visitors to the area may find themselves wanting to explore more of what Virginia has to offer. There are certainly plenty of things to see and do in the area surrounding Virginia Beach. Here, we will take a look at a few of the most popular towns and cities in the area, as well as a brief glimpse at what these cities have to offer visitors. You want your Virginia vacation to be perfect, and seeing much of what the state has to offer can be a great start.

One of the best cities to visit while in Virginia Beach is Norfolk. The city is home to the area’s international airport and hosts a significant number of great things to see and do. From the Virginia Zoo and theBattleship Wisconsin to Botanical Gardens, festivals, and more, there is always something exciting on offer in Norfolk. There are also hundreds of shops, restaurants, and museums to choose from. With world class theatre and music and much more on offer virtually every day, visitors to Norfolk find it very easy to pass the time.

Williamsburg is another great destination and is actually one of the state’s most popular cities. Here, visitors can find theme parks such as Busch Gardens tucked alongside Revolutionary War Museums and remarkable art museums. Of course, no mention of Williamsburg would be complete without discussing Colonial Williamsburg. This is the country’s biggest living history museum, offering more than 500 buildings and providing a settlement that is truly as close to life in the 1700’s as you can get. Whether you want to see blacksmiths actually performing their trade or to watch a live reenactment of some of the nation’s biggest battles, you can see it here.

Yorktown is another of the area’s historic cities. Here, you can view 18th century homes, visit Revolutionary War battlefields, walk along beautiful beaches, and enjoy world class dining, all in a single area. There are also many historic sites and art museums to help ensure that you always have plenty to do.

The greater Virginia Beach area is certainly something spectacular. Visitors will find that there is always something fun on offer. Whatever your interests may be and whether you are looking for historical exploration or modern excitement, Virginia Beach and the surrounding area has plenty of it.

Bridal Do It Yourself Makeup

Wedding day is one of the most significant moments in a woman's life. This is the day when she would finally be facing God with her beloved groom. Basically, on this special day, the bride gets most of everyone's attention. Hence, one should put her best face forward. In doing this, some bride-to-be prefer hiring professional hair and makeup artists. On the other hand, majority of the brides prefer to do their look on their own. This is a good way to save money and to let her flaunt her best features with her own capabilities. However, if blending and combination of make up colors are not done properly, this may make your look to a disastrous one. With this, here are free bridal do it yourself makeup tips to help you out.

Free bridal do it yourself tips are usually torn into parts: the base, the blush, the eye makeup and the lip highlights. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind in every particular facial area or concern.

The first stop discusses about the base. The base is the most critical and most important part of a makeup. It is advisable to have one that best compliment your skin tone. Choosing a shade closest to your actual skin tone is usually advised. Apply foundation using a sponge or brush evenly onto your face. Then, deal with your flaws. Using a concealer, seal any blemishes or under-eye circles. A skin tone's one shade lighter concealer is recommended. You may also use mineral based foundation and concealer. This specific make up helps minimize the appearance of oily skin throughout the event. Complete the base by dabbing foundation over your neck, jaw lines and ears.

The next step involves the cheeks. To give the bride a lovely glow, blushes are applied. The natural-looking shades of pinky peach and rose are usually preferred. When you apply blushes, start with the apples of your cheeks. A simple smile can help you discern your cheek's apples. Move through the face's temple until it has properly blended. If excess blush is observed, you may use a makeup sponge to clean it up. Also, keep in mind that is you have an oily skin, a powder blush is recommended. On the other hand, a cream blush will work best brides with dry skin.

For the eye makeup, dabbing the eyelid with foundation can help you make the eye makeup last longer. Also, check the eyebrows for unwanted hair. When dealing about sparse blow areas, a light brown eye brow liner shade can help you out. For the eye shadow, you may use tri-color makeup palette that compliments best on your eye color. The softest palette color is used to emphasis the brow bone while the deepest color is applied on the eye's crease and the medium toned one for the eyelids. For eye liners, black shades are preferred as browns tend to depict tiring eyes. For mascaras, water-proofed items are recommended as most brides shed tears on their special day.

Lastly, for the lips, select a shade that will compliment your whole look. Outline the lips and fill the entire area with lip makeup. Finish the look by applying a balm or gloss for an instant shine.

As a concluding thought, free bridal do it yourself makeup tips should be tried several times before the big day so you could practice and do more necessary adjustments or changes with your makeup. It is also important to consider the wedding time. Is it a morning or evening wedding? All these things will help you achieve the best bridal look you could possibly have. For other free bridal do it yourself makeup tips, searching through magazines and online websites will also be a good option.

Fashion and lifestyle week defines style trends of India

Indian traditional costumes sets trends in the hands of Kolkata Fashion and lifestyle week.

As Coco Chanel quotes, “ fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”, Kolkata stands stylish forever. Today, the city is much more than a fashion portal. The charm of this metropolitan lies in its extensively dynamic fashion trends. Fashion and lifestyle changes itself everyday at every moment. In Kolkata, the Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week preserves the age old but well cherished trends along with launching of new trends in fashion. This city has the nerve to play with fashion. With its growing business in fashion and lifestyle, this cultural capital of the country is ready to be India’s focal point for fashion trends even we have no fashion Street as such.

Kolkata fashion and lifestyle Week conceptualizes to set the City of Joy as the next definitive destination for fashion and lifestyle business in India. Kolkata fashion and lifestyle Week over the years has pushed forth pioneering efforts as projectile to the ever growing demands of fashion and lifestyle industry. It had being a dashboard for aspiring models, fashion photographers and apparel designers to launch or strengthening their career firmly both nationally and internationally.

Fashion in India is a vibrant scene, a burgeoning industry with a colorful and glamorous world where new trends are created everyday. Each region of India has a different tradition and the costumes and apparel fabrics’ changes likewise. Fashion shows like the Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week takes ideas from the rich and varied textile heritage of region specific traditional attires and costumes and incorporate them to latest fashion trends. Designers have changed the way South Indian “mundu” would look like and played well with “gamcha”, saree or dhoti, churidars or chunnis, all looks different on the ramp. This is the sole reason why one can find every corner of the country throbbing with trends set by Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week. Rapid Fashion and lifestyle changes and modifications amongst all levels of the society have created markets that help nouvelle fashion designers in their nurturing stages. Gen Next reflects fashion trends in the cosmopolitan metros of India and our city is no exception. India tries out all designs and appreciates efforts of newcomers in the fashion-designing world. Indian fashion has no “ugly”, beauty is relative. We understand that fashion is something that suits one and not blindly copying trends.

Fashion in India covers a whole range of clothing from ornate clothing to prêt lines, sports wear to casual fashions. Fashion in India is continuously evolving as new designers from leading institutes in Kolkata continue to redefine the meaning of Fashion in India through Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week and regular fashion shows. We understand that Indian fashion is traveling and inspiring the world. The latest designs from Armani, fendi, Miyaka all draws inspiration from exotic Indian culture. Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week aims to make fashion and lifestyle business of Kolkata aims to make style business here of international importance both as an industry, a creative canvas and a platform to define future fashions.

Leather Apparel for the Fashionable Woman

What we wear on the upper part of our body plays a very important role in sprucing up our appearance. Having a presentable appearance is of prime importance these days, and therefore it becomes imperative that we don't just wear something good but also something unique that would make us stand out in the crowd.

Unconventionality is the key word, and what could be better than leather tops for creating that perfect unconventional look? There are various fabrics and designs available these days which just provides the contemporary woman with a variety of options on a platter.

Leather fabrics have created quite a niche for themselves in the fashion arena, and this durable fabric is definitely worth trying at least once.

Leather apparel looks trendy if you really want to accentuate those curves, and there could be nothing better than donning proper body-fitting leather tops.

Leather vests have become quite popular lately among fashion conscious women.

A red lamb leather halter vest with a tuxedo style cut would look fantastically edgy if you really want to create a statement.

For a first date or an informal get-together with friends, this style would definitely make you look like a million bucks.

Team up a front zipper closure nickel studded vest with skinny leather pants and swanky leather boots if you want to attain a gothic look or make a bold style statement.

If it's a formal occasion and you want to don something decent, try simple sleeveless patterned sand colored leather top along with an "A-line" cut formal skirt or formal trousers. If it's a simple yet stylish look that you want to achieve, this combination will definitely work wonders for your personality.

Even leather jackets are quite a fashion statement and when teamed up with the right clothes, they can give your appearance quite an edgy look. A few styles you can try when it comes to jackets:

Cropped Jackets - They have recently touched a chord with the young crowd. This style imparts a very trendy look to your persona. These are jackets with a hemline thats waist length or higher.

Trench coats Trench coats are a great utility style statement. They are long coats that protect you from the harsh weather.

Hooded jackets Jackets with stylish hoods can never go out of vogue. They look supremely trendy. Fur hooded leather jackets are all the rage among the youth lately.

Double breasted jackets These kinds of jackets fulfill the purpose of attaining both a casual as well a formal look. It has an overlapping front with parallel column of buttons on both the sides.

The Changing Face of Indian Fashion Industry

Introduction

India is a country with diversified customs and cultures. People following various traditions live here, their way of dressing also differ from each other. The traces of Indians being fashionable can be found out from the ancient remains of Harappa and Mohenjodaro civilizations. After the independence, globalization is being witnessed in the Indian fashion industry, due to which changes have occurred in the style of Indian dressing.

Styles of wearing saris and salwar-kameez have changed. The look is more cosmopolitan than region-specific. Different styles of blouses like katori style, halter-neck, back button blouses, high neck blouses, puffed sleeve blouses, etc. have become the hot favorite among women. The average lengths of the blouses have decreased. Saris are draped mostly in traditional back pallo style or gujarati style. Indian fashion scene is greatly influenced by its films. For example Mumtaz style sari draping inspired by yester-year heroine Mumtaz. Here sari is tightly draped around the body.

As far as salwar-kameez is concerned numerous styles and patterns can be given to this garment. For instance the kameez can be long, short, A-line, skin tight, etc. Such variations can be done to salwar as well as dupattas. Modern version of kameez is known as kurti, it could be coupled with jeans, pants or churidar. It has taken the form of Indo-western outfit. People in western countries too have started wearing kurtis.

Emergence of mall culture

Mall culture is slowly and steadily growing in India. Many brands and private labels are launched in the Indian market. The first such retail outlet was Shopper's Stop which launched India's first multi-brand store in the year 1993. The specialty of such malls is that they offer a wide range of varied branded stuff, all under single roof. Some of the famous malls of India are Pantaloons, Westside, Lifestyle, Globus, etc. These retail outlets have also launched clothing line under private labels, manufactured and sold by them. For example- Pantaloons has many private labels under its brand like All, Fashion station and Mela. Some of the major private labels even operate as exclusive stores. The buyer gets an international shopping experience in such retail outlets. There are no nagging sales persons pressurizing the customers to buy.

Family stores are becoming hot favorite shopping hub for the middle-class and upper middle class shoppers. These stores sell garments of nearly all age groups and sexes. Apparels of various brands can be found in family stores. They are being considered as one-stop shopping destination. Roopam, Big Bazaar, Fashion station, V-mart, Maxx, etc are examples of some family stores.

Interview with Oxford Jasmine

You may know her from Youtube videos such as 'Bollywood Bridal Look', 'Contemporary Indian Wedding - Everyday' and 'Aishwarya Rai Inspired Golden Bollywood Look', just to name a few!

Indian Fashion Diva caught up with the ever-so enchanting Oxford Jasmine for some fun insight into the life and mind of our favourite Makeup Artist...

IFD: It goes without saying, you are quite stunning even without makeup. Did you initially feel self-conscious about posting closeup videos of yourself?

Oxford Jasmine: Thank you very much for the compliment. My channel has come a long way, I am now coming up to my second year on YouTube. If I think back to the first video that I uploaded on 18th June 2008, I was so nervous. I had to stop filming to get some air!! It's so much harder than it looks. Like every woman, I have image issues and there are things I don't like about myself. It took a while to gain the confidence to appear on camera wearing not a scrap of make up. What keeps me going is the many emails and Facebook messages I receive from women around the world who enjoy watching and learning from my tutorials or just listening to my voice.

IFD: Your video 'Egyptian Inspired Emphasised Crease Look' was a fun surprise! Where does your inspiration come from?

Oxford Jasmine: I bought a wig and everyone said I looked like Cleopatra in it so I decided to make an inspired video based on it.

IFD: I just watched your video 'Tropical Fish Inspired Look' and imagined the number of times I would have messed that up on myself. Do you ever make any blunders that you end up editing out? Any chance of a future bloopers video?

Oxford Jasmine: I practice with new products and tools until I feel confident with them. Normally I have to stop videoing when my cat or my husband burst in to the room demanding attention or there is some other intervention. Most of my videos are looks I wear when I go out so I generally don't have time for a second take! I try not to edit unless the video is really long or to remove boring bits such as when I have to go and find a product from a drawer. I am sure I could easily fill a 10 minute video with just bloopers.

IFD: We all have our likes and dislikes. What makeup look are you not particularly fond of?

Oxford Jasmine: I think there are some amazingly talented people out there who create stunning looks. Everyone is different and likes different aspects of make up. I tend to shy away from more dramatic looks in my videos as I like my videos to reflect my personality and lifestyle rather than the entertainment value. I leave that to the more flamboyant and adventurous make up gurus out there.


IFD: Judging from the global interest you've received, you're obviously a Makeup Guru for thousands of women around the world, including us here at Indian Fashion Diva. Who is your Makeup Guru?

Oxford Jasmine: I have many friends who are make up artists and they work so hard for very little recognition. I am a big fan of the late and great Kevyn Aucoin who was truly gifted but shared his knowledge with the world in the form of his easy to follow and beautifully illustrated books.

IFD: Do you ever get recognized when you're out and about?

Oxford Jasmine: Not very often and only in London. It's an unreal experience and one for which I was totally unprepared! It's kind of nice to talk to people who share my interest!

IFD: Okay, time for some random questions...what is your favourite song of all time?

Oxford Jasmine: It's a tie between Karma Police by Radio Head and Insomnia by Faithless.

IFD: Blackberry or iPhone?

Oxford Jasmine: Blackberry

IFD: Favourite Bollywood star?

Oxford Jasmine: Aishwarya Rai and Shahrukh Khan

IFD: Your star sign?

Oxford Jasmine: Pisces


IFD: Alright, last question. As a professional in the field, is there any advice you could give to a budding makeup artist trying to make a living out of their passion?

Oxford Jasmine: Learn all you can from those who are prepared to teach you, never pass up a chance to learn from others and practise your skills. In the early days, no female visitor ever left my house without a makeover! I think that's why my friends and family love coming to stay!

For those living outside of the UK, Oxford Jasmine offers one to one or group make up lessons, special occasion make up and Personal Video tutorials. Contact Oxford Jasmine by visiting her website, or by connecting with her to your favourite social networking site listed below:

Great Tips to Look More Beautiful

Long narrow face—Blend the rouge back from the cheekbones to the hairline in an almost straight line. This creates a horizontal effect which adds width to the face. Do not bring rouge close to the nose as then the widen­ing effect will be lost.

Square face—This looks more oval if the rouge is sha­ded in long triangle towards the cheekbones.

Hollow cheeks—They appear fuller and rounder if the rouge is blended above the hollows instead of being blended in the hollows. This application neutralises the natural shadows in the hollows and makes them appear rounder and fuller.

Oval face— Dot rouge on the height of cheekbones un­der centre of the eyes. Blend up and out until the edges disappear.

Round widish face—Keep rouge fairly close to the nose, blend up at sharp vertical angle to the outer corner of the eye to give illusion of length.

8. Regularly massage the joints with neem oil.
9. Have four walnuts on an empty stomach for a few days.
10. Apply gingelly oil to which has been added three tablespoons of nutmeg powder.
11. Mix ginger juice with asafoetida powder and apply on the joints, and massage lightly.
12. Grind a handful of basil leaves with six peppercorns. Add a tablespoon of ghee. Take this twice a day for 20 days.
13. Try a handful of chopped ginger in 100 ml of coconut oil. Use this for massage of the joints.
14. Five drops of clove oil and 30 ml of olive oil can be applied as a liniment

Online shopping isn't just about saving time and effort any more. Its also about saving money. One can get up to 80% discount at branded & designer products. Shopping Websites like www.myroyalstore.com offers great quality at affordable prices. 8. Regularly massage the joints with neem oil.
9. Have four walnuts on an empty stomach for a few days.
10. Apply gingelly oil to which has been added three tablespoons of nutmeg powder.
11. Mix ginger juice with asafoetida powder and apply on the joints, and massage lightly.
12. Grind a handful of basil leaves with six peppercorns. Add a tablespoon of ghee. Take this twice a day for 20 days.
13. Try a handful of chopped ginger in 100 ml of coconut oil. Use this for massage of the joints.
14. Five drops of clove oil and 30 ml of olive oil can be applied as a liniment

Online shopping isn't just about saving time and effort any more. Its also about saving money. One can get up to 80% discount at branded & designer products. Shopping Websites like www.myroyalstore.com offers great quality at affordable prices. Long narrow face—Blend the rouge back from the cheekbones to the hairline in an almost straight line. This creates a horizontal effect which adds width to the face. Do not bring rouge close to the nose as then the widen­ing effect will be lost.

Square face—This looks more oval if the rouge is sha­ded in long triangle towards the cheekbones.

Hollow cheeks—They appear fuller and rounder if the rouge is blended above the hollows instead of being blended in the hollows. This application neutralises the natural shadows in the hollows and makes them appear rounder and fuller.

Oval face— Dot rouge on the height of cheekbones un­der centre of the eyes. Blend up and out until the edges disappear.

Round widish face—Keep rouge fairly close to the nose, blend up at sharp vertical angle to the outer corner of the eye to give illusion of length.