Dress for the rains

Who doesn’t like to get wet in the first shower of the rainy season? But no one likes the idea of getting their pretty clothes spoiled. Often one gets stuck when it comes to fashion in the rainy season. One downpour and the entire crisp look, neat hair goes limp. Well, its time to keep your worries aside as the fashion for this season is all about ‘flaunt with comfort’.

What’s in

“Full lengths are a complete no-no. Knee-length skirts are a must-have this monsoon. But if you are into Indian wear then go for churidars and avoid patialas as they get spoiled easily”, suggests designer Mandira Wirk. Another style that will work is a well fitted tee with sporty chic shorts. “The rainy season demands a more casual look than a formal done one. Sporty styles in knit and stretch gel well with the season. The monsoon is all about a cheerful mood so your look should always spell that out”, says designer Anita Dongre.

“This season, styles for men are cropped jeans-ideal for when you need to wade through those inevitable puddles. In addition, linen shorts are another big rage this season. For women, there are denim capris, knee-length skirts, cotton shorts and jumpsuits which are perfect for the monsoons. A fresh colour palette ranging from white tonalities of sand blasted denim, which are contract to vintage gabardines, and washed shades of light and dark blues are the highlights of this season’s Calvin Klein jeans collection”, suggests Shiraz Bhavani, senior marketing and communication manager, Calvin Klein (India). “Tops are brighter, key colours are coral, chlorophyll green, lagoon (blue)”. One can also indulge in calf-length belted dresses and easy-to-dry silk tunics for evenings as they make easy dressing for the weather.

Brighten up

Go bright and flashy this monsoon. It’s time to fold up your pastels and tuck them deep inside your wardrobe; try bright hues like electric blues, candy pink, vermillion, fresh green to complete the perfect look. “Bold is the way to go “, advises Mansi Zaveri, marketing and communication manager, FUCK. She further adds, “Don’t shy away from bright colour this monsoon. Monsoon wear aims to look effortlessly stylish. Embrance colour injections in lime green, orange and pink where modern graphics sit alongside colourful stripes featuring across bare shoulder dresses and smock tops”.

The lighter, the better

If you think denims are a good choice during heavy showers, I’d say, give it a second thought! Don’t you know that drenched jeans are a big turn off? Make way for lighter fabrics. Listen to designer Reynu Tondon to know more. “Go for fabrics that are water-resistant and quick dry like polyviscose, polynylon, cotton blends or lycra mixed fabrics. They cling well and don’t get messed up even in heavy shower. Monsoon demands light weight fabrics so that it won’t feel heavy even when wet”. Also, lightweight jackets are a perfect match for both men and women.

Time to accessorise

“Great collection of bags is a perfect match to heavy rains”, advises designer Manoviraj Khosla. But he also suggests selecting them carefully. “Accessories should be selected carefully; bags should be waterproof and in bold colours, footwear should be open and airy. If you want to go for jewellery keep it minimum; either flaunt your earrings or a chunky neckpiece. Men should go for utility and comfort with cargo pockets and waterproof bags”, says Khosla.

Monsoon is all about romance with beauty and a date with gorgeous styles. Get set to cheer up your wardrobe and enjoy the first shower in the trendiest outfits.

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Indian “Internet predator” held in US

In possibly the first such case involving an Indian in the U.S., police in Pennsylvania have arrested an Indian engineer on charges of using Internet for soliciting young girls for sex.

In a statement, the Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said Nityanand Gopalika (30), here on a work visa, allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach what he believed was a 13-year old girl from the Pittsburgh area.

The “girl” was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit. According to the criminal complaint filed by the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, Gopalika engaged in a series of chats over several days questioning girl about her sexual experience and describing the sex acts he wished to engage in. Gopalika is also accused of sending the girl two obscene web cam videos.

Gopalika was arrested on July 1 when he arrived at a predetermined meeting location.

Following a search of his vehicle, agents seized two laptop computers, a digital camera, a cell phone allegedly containing a partially completed text massage to the “child”, directions to the meeting location and a bag of condoms. Gopalika was preliminarily arraigned on July 1 and lodged in the Butler County Jail in lieu of @15,000 cash bail, pending a preliminary hearing on Friday.

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Indian Business Etiquette

• Greet with a smile, handshake and small talk.
• Saying ‘namaste’ with slight bow and palms together, will be appreciated.
• With women, only shake hands if they offer it. Do not kiss them in greeting or goodbye.
• Dress conservatively and formally.
• Always address colleagues with title followed by Surname. Using a first name is seen as being disrespectful.
• Don’t open gifts until the giver has left the room. Don’t be too eager to open gifts.
• Indians are not always punctual. So be patient and flexible.

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What Indians drink

What do Indians like to drink? It seemed at first like a simple enough question when someone asked it the other day. But do we really know?

The problem is not merely that we don’t have anything remotely close to a proper survey on Indian wine drinking habits. Also, the wine produced in Indians is not diverse enough to throw much light on consumer preferences. Yes, domestic production accounts for a little over 6 lakh cases, something like 75 per cent of the total wine consumed in the country. But despite the increase in the number of varietals, the consumer is pretty starved of choice when drinking wine produced in India. Red wines is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz or a blend of the two. Most whites in the market are either Cheney or Sauvignon Blanc.

Yes, Voigner, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and other varietals are growing in the country, but it is the Big Four that seem to find a way into most bottles. When it comes to domestic wine, people largely drink what is available rather than what they want to.

Perhaps, the pattern of imports may throw up some clues? (Imported wine accounts for some 2 lakh cases of which an estimated 1.6 lakh cases are bought in retail stores or ordered in restaurants. The remainder is sourced from duty free shops or consumed on international flights.)

I asked Aman Dhall, Executive Director of Brindco, the question during his visit to Chennai, where he generously showcased a splendidly diverse and rich range of mid and high-end wines at the launch of Terroir, the Madras Wine Club, at the Taj coromandle hotel. His company is not just India’s largest importer; one out of every two bottles that make its way into the country is a Brindco.

His answers went something like this:

There is a preference for reds over whites. Sixty five per cent of the wine he imports are reds.

Younger people consume a lot of wine. Over 50 per cent are within the 25 to 35 age bracket and possibly another 25 per cent between 35 and 45.

In retail sales, there is a marked preference for new world wines-from countries such as Australia, Chile and South Africa. It’s possible that consumers see better value in them.

The picture is somewhat different in restaurants. Old world wines sell as much as new world ones.

Preference in varietals is hard to gauge. Though among reds, Cabs, Shirazes and Merlots do well.

There is a small but distinct move to experiment with some evidence of a growing preference for Riojas from Spain and Malabecs from Argentina.

Of course, even these broad generalizations need to be qualified. States such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh do not sell imported wine in retail stores, so it’s hard to say what people prefer here. In Karnataka, the flat state duty of Rs.225 a bottle imposed in late 2007 (in addition to the central tax of 150 per cent) has probably skewed preferences in favour of mid and high-end wines. Why buy imported plonk if you are paying more in tax than for the product? In Maharashtra, the sudden and thoughtless hike in state taxes has dampened the consumption of foreign wines beyond imagination.

The answer is that we don’t really know –beyond some broad hints at least- about what Indians really like to drink. This may seem like a very longwinded way of professing ignorance. In my defence I can only cite my Philosophy professor, who would insist- that in the absence of conclusive answers- the challenge is to ask the right questions.

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