VIDAMOD by Amoli Goyal

VidaMod WE’RE THE MOD VOL 1, RS 150

MOD 12

VISTA 24

FUNCTIONALITY

THE 15 DENIM CONQUERS WORLD

BE OKAY IN YOUR SKIN

18 BLACK

IMPERFECTIONS

AFTER SUNRISE, AFTER SUNSET

CELEBRAL WEAVE

IS THE BLACK

NEW

THINGS VIDAMOD 20 FIVE LOVED ABOUTAIFW

VIDAS 46

BEAUTY

INTERVIEW WITH ELTON J FERNANDEZ

EAT SMART

54 HEALTH AND FITNESS

CONTRIBUTORS

AMOLI GOYAL

MUSKAAN WALIA

RIDHIE VINAYAK

AMALU R NAIR

Living alone or living with family? MW : Family, for life! Love for dogs or love for humans? MW : Dogs are love! Mountains or beaches ? MW : Moutains. Teenage love or serious relationships? MV : Serious? Serious!

Writing with a cup of coffee or partying with alcohol? ARN : Writing and coffee, best! Sagar Ratna or Khan chacha? ARN : South Indian at heart, Sagar Ratna for sure! Shopping for boobs or shopping at koovs? ARN : koovs Adventurous life or be a wife? ARN : Wife alert

LBD at a party or pyjamas at home? RV : LBD at a party. Future planning or past mourning ? RV : Future! Candlelight dinner or spa with partner? RV : Spaaa, with partner. Chilling with old friends or going out with new ones? RV : Oldies, for life.

Is it better to fit in or be the odd one out? AG : The later, anyday! Love or Carreer AG : CAREER Smoke up or make up? AG : Make up up up! Food or Shopping? AG : Shopping AND FOOD, no option.

EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LETTER

When we first found our way into adolescence, fashion did not follow. It was all about being comfortable and cool. We have always been trying to create an impression on others about ourselves. What about our impression on ourselves? In this constant race of acheiving the trophy of beauty, we have forgotten our importance as indivisuals. Other things like knowledge, inner strength, values, talent no longer matter in this made up real world. We want to convey our message that beauty is being simple and yourself and not trying to be like someone else and loose the essence of your personal self. Its ironic effect is that one feels so low about oneself that all that person wants is to satisfy others. Our magazine mainly focuses on breaking the stereotype that a certain type of a woman should dress in a certain way to be a certain kind. The complexities of women trying to dress up in a way that does not suit their personality is absurd. Why is it not okay for someone to feel comfortable the way they are . Why do they have to be conscious of how they look to feel accepted. Also our am to pm shoot will give you an insight on how to feel confident all the time by looking your very best at every event. Our functional fashion bit will show you how to be comfortable amd chic at the same time .

VidaMod

CLASSIC | TRENDING

KHADI

CEREBRAL WEAVE by AMALU R NAIR

The intellectual khadi is back with a new avatar. It is no more boring to wear khadi. Designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Wendell Rodricks, Anamika Khanna and Ritu Kumar are making the khadi more relevant and fashionable for today’s generation. Khadi is back on track with its edgy fashion. Other than cotton, khadi can also be made from raw silk, tussar silk, polyster and matka which have opened the way to a lot of possibilities for the designers to experiment with. The designers are coming up with myraid silhouettes like gowns, structure jackets with embellishments and sequins making it more wearable and fashionable. The designer Abraham and Takhore has been working for more than two decades now. “Khadi’s hand-spun texture makes it unique for design experimentation, dyeing and layering,” said Abraham for Hindustan times. We have a very deep relation with khadi. A kind of relation every single Indian feels deeper from their heart. Khadi for us is not just a material; it is related to the freedom we enjoy. It’s a reminder of the struggle we went through to take back the freedom taken away from us. It helped us to put a stop to colonisation. As Nehru once described Khadi is “Livery of freedom”, the khadi is not considered to be just a piece of cloth it’s a way of life. Khadi was a pathway to the independent life Gandhi taught us. Khadi helped us to revive our freedom back. We boycotted the imported goods and burnt satin and silk imported from England. A possible solution to this entire problem was to become self-reliant. Boycotting machine made goods was the preliminary step, followed by our own production of goods. Since it requires a lot of patience and concentration, weaving in a charka is also an act of meditation too. Spinning of the charka wheel kept us from anger and unwanted emotions. Charka was in fact ‘the nation’s aqualung’. It kept all of us to find our own place of non-violence and the stability of mind. It gave us political and economic strength, political by boycotting all the foreign goods and economic by providing a source of income to every villagers. Khadi is the hand woven and hand spun fabric made either from cotton, silk or wool. The handloom made khadi had its own defect. Usually there will be total 10 percent loss in the whole production. The feel of khadi comes with some imperfections, it is imperfectly beautiful. As much as the times you wash khadi, the material gets better and better. Consid-

the Indian scenario, we can consider Mahatma Gandhi as the first Indian to declare independence from British Raj by weaving his own clothe and made everyone to wear khadi and also made it the way of life. Following Gandhiji, our beloved Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi took several efforts to promote it. The speech expert took people in his hands through the programme ‘mann ke baath’ which was aired in All India Radio channel on October 2nd. “Buy khadi and promote khadi” was the message he passed on to his listeners. There was a sudden upsurge in the percent of sales as per the report from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). Well, the power of influence. Khadi has taken place in Indian couture fashion. When it comes to Sabyasachi Mukherjee works with khadi, he does gara embroidery, zardozi borders and mixes and matches it with Banarasi weaves. While with the young designer Aneeth Arora you will find a goncha (Ladakh’s dress), an indigo robe worn by a gurudwara gyaniji, a puthia(a Rajasthani costume for women) or a kediya(worn by Kutch’s dance artistes). A fitted jackets or long, flowy gowns, asymmetrical skirts, long tunics paired with palazzos, even shorts, all with appliqué or thread detailing is what Rahul Mishra’s Khadi collection includes. Designers are experimenting in every perspective possible. “Khadi dyes beautifully, is more eco-friendly than any other Indian textile, and its matte texture looks fabulous with subtle embellishment,” says Ritu Kumar to the hindu. Khadi has not only gained popularity here but also worldwide. In UK and US khadi has a warm welcome and people do want to wear it. Khadi is an intellectual outfit. Wearing is like you are wearing an outfit with a pinch of dignity, pride, and freedom. Thanks to the designers, khadi is no more a poor man’s cloth. Its unique character to be cool in summers and to provide warmness during winters is one of the salient features of khadi. Our Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has played an important role in promoting khadi to the youth. As a fabric, khadi is inspired by nature. It does not need the crutch of fashion. All it needs is people of style to endorse it,” said the designer Wendell Rodricks to the website inonit. Also due to the availability of varieties in khadi and the fact that people nowadays are going back to the roots Khadi can expect more acceptance. Khadi is simple, elegant and it is a classic.

DENIM

DENIM CONQUERS THE WORLD by MUSKAN WALIA

When we think of casual yet fashionable we think of ‘jean’. Jeans are pants made from denim cloth. the denim fabric emerged from Italy in the city of genoa .Who would’ve thought that a piece of clothing created for the laborers as comfort clothing would conquer the world as the number one fashionable item. Today everyone wears jeans from celebrities to people from the middle class. Denim has broken all boundaries as the best comfort clothing loved by both men and women since the time unknown especially women as It would fit perfectly on their legs showing off the curves of a women .It is difficult to find a garment as widely embraced and loved world over like jeans . Jeans are now a very popular article of casual dressing around the world. “They weren’t only a symbol of democratization, they put different classes on a level”. They are affordable and hard-wearing, looked good worn as well as new. They conform to the body in a way that matched even the most finely tailored clothes and they come in many styles and colors. From the place of normal clothing, denim has risen to be a fashion icon and is being adorned by all. It has now become a symbol of modern culture. The metamorphosis of jeans from a commodity to a fashion item happened during the 90s; when jeans evaluated into a number of various other items such as jackets, shorts, skirts etc apart from the normal pants. Current trend is all about variety and views denim as an item with bold styles to keep pace with the fast track life style. Be it jeans, jacket, skirt or any other product, the spirit of fashion lures the consumers to shop around for denims. A fashion survey taken in US states that, on an average every American owns 7 to 8 pairs of jeans. This spring denim fabric gained quite the unique spectrum of interpretations .The designers from London to New York, Milan to Paris took denim to an entirely new level. From head to toe denim looks streamlined flared denim, jumpsuits, lady like silhouettes, embellished , washed-out . There’s denim for every occasion. “I wish I had invented blue jeans,” said Saint Laurent There are many designers who have been making denim a major part of their collection from Robert Cavalli, Simon Miller , Anna Sui , Dolce and Gabanna , Saint Laurent , Tommy Hilfiger , Vaneso Bruno ,

Micheal Kors , Louis Vitton , burberry , Fendi and many more. Gucci showcased cropped wide leg jeans as its designer Frida Giannini swears by it. Designers Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida did their rough around the edges in white. Roberto Cavalli showcased distressed denims. Stella McCartney, created several all-indigo looks. Her collection includes an architectural shift dress that plays up the material’s stiff qualities, and a denim polo dress layered with indigo silk trousers. “Denim is already ingrained in a woman’s wardrobe, so I wanted to make it richer by playing with silk indigos, denim knitwear and denim silks combined with actual denim pieces,” said Ms. McCartney. “Incorporating them all into one story, so one can’t tell what is actual denim, modernizes it and makes it not just a casual item.” At Valentino, denim was shown in a form of an t A-line dress with tuxedo ruffles in a deep shiny indigo, while Dries Van Noten stitched white and light blue denim onto the sleeves of a boat neck shirt and wide-leg trousers in a navy cloth. New York-based designer Derek Lam made royal blue denim the centerpiece of his California-inspired spring collection. The best thing about denim is that it takes embellishments so beautifully . Designers like Anna Sui have been decorating their jean collection for more than 20 years . Looking at all these designers make denim a major part of their collection shows us that denim is still a very important part of our life. Its not only the high end brands who have been swearing by denim but also the high street fashion brands like Zara ,Forever21 ,H&M , Mango sell denim all year round . There is nothing more assuring than a classic pair of jeans be it a formal occasion or a casual lunch , you will always be sure of them to make you look effortlessly alluring . Whether you are short or tall a basic pair of skinny , indigo blue jeans will never do you wrong. But we shouldn’t ignore our options of wearing denims.

“I wish I had invented blue jeans.” -Yves Saint Laurent

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK by RIDHIE VINAYAK Black is the foundation stone in fashion statements like purple is the new black and green has replaced the monotony of black are only to create a seasonal buzz. Black I may say had gone for a stroll to give other colors a chance! Class never goes out of style. Even in Indian wear I’ve seen fresh use of the color as it can take any color on it and stand alone looking like a one man army. History has it, the black Versace gown with gold pins dawned by Liz Hurley made her from a star girlfriend to a glam diva in one red carpet appearance. When a must have wardrobe has to comprise of a little black dress and has a strong history behind it, the little black dress is an immovable fashion statement. Black is a power colour and that was proved at all times. Almost every person likes to wear black and feels empowered and confident in black. Black is nothing less than a cult thing. Subcultures like grunge, gothic, biker, emo endorse wearing black. Black is nomore only the colour of clothes but it describes a person’s personality. It also determines the mood of a person like some people consider black to be a sad colour and some consider it to be glam. Black in itself is a religion, it makes one feel a particular way, sad or happy. Also astonishingly black is not a generation colour, all generations can carry black as it screams out classy and bold at the same time. A colour like black has nothing to do with age, black is meant to be a dominated colour for all other colours. Grey haired women wear black their way so beautifully. A serious profession of being a lawyer of supreme court demands you to be properly dressed all the time. I met this 48 year old

lawyer who was in a black printed saree and a full sleaves black blouse keeping the look chic yet in sync with her profession. Young girls are spotted in black backless gowns making them look bold and confident. Its a belief that black makes you look slim but i believe that it also makes you look confident. Designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee engage themselves in deep dark colours that makes their collection unique yet wearable. The usage of black in his clothes shows class and culture at the same time. He increased the visibility of black in Indian clothes and changed peoples mindset of black as a colour being negative and unauspicious. ‘Black is not sad. Bright colors are what depresses me. They’re so empty. Black is poetic. How do you imagine a poet? In a bright yellow jacket? Probably not.” , said by Ann Demeulemeester Surprisingly, black is nomore the ‘behind the scenes’ of any outfit, it is nomore used only as the base colour in Indian clothes. Infact a full black garment is considered to be a look in itself. All the designers have an affair with the colour black as it can take the burden of anything on it and yet stand out as it is both strong and subtle. Black is the mother of all colours as it can be used as a base and also win any race in competition to other colours. Formal or informal, summer or winter, black is never conditioned in a certain way.’Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony’- Coco Chanel Black aint a seasonal colour, Its the colour of all seasons.

THINGS VIDAMOD LOVED ABOUT THE AMAZON INDIA FASHION WEEK THE GRAND FINALE Paying homage to our country’s luxurious heritage, 25 designers displayed two ensembles each depicting the “crafts of India” and set the stage on fire, with colours and music and the energy hence created with hues of royal crimson, gorgeous reds, and fiery orange, in ensembles that highlighted Indian crafts and weaves at their best The show was set in a haveli stage setup with traditional Rajasthani puppets on either sides of the runway. A palace-like mirror-bedecked arch in the middle and live musicians set the mood with music like ‘chhaap tilak’, ‘dil kare dekhta rahuna’, ‘ishq nachaya’, and ‘padharo mhare desh’. The collection showcased innovation, creativity, experimentation and loads of style with Indian, western, fusion wear which included suits, “lehengas”, dresses, jumpsuits, gowns, saris, sherwanis and skirts varying from extravagant silk and organza to flow-y georgette and crepe, mirror work, zardosi, embroidery, sequins, and appliques. The 25 designers got the autumn-winter15 season of 25th edition of the India Fashion week to an end gracefully. The grand finale was indeed grand.

PERO BY ANEETH ARORA The classic concept of the battlefield inspired look has once again taken over the runways this A/W15. The military uniforms by giving it a chic twist with a message of “making love, not war”. The models walked to a live bagpipes band. The military-inspired collection reminded us of uniforms and preppy fashion. Jackets and sweaters had zardosi flowers. An androgynous range with strong feminine undertones, we saw some fine hand-woven woollen Scottish tartan checks, excellent layering using roomy jackets and sweaters, dungarees, suspenders, a mix of patterns (stripes and florals, checks and florals, stripes and stars), and indigo resist block printed khadis.

MINIMILISTIC BODICE effortless charm and Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna‘s precise cuts and clean lines gave a nod to the minimalist trend this season of A/W 15.

ANDROGYNY The 25th edition of FDCI’s #AIFW kicked off with a powerful nod to Androgyny by designers likeRajesh Pratap Singh, Abraham & Thakore and Gaurav Gupta.

BOHEMIAN SYMPHONY From tribal gypsy dresses to capes teamed with kimonos- AIFW was a lot about bohemian revival. Collections from Hemant and Nandita, Malini Ramani and Pia Pauro grabbed all our attention with the colour palate that comprised of muted tones of dusky browns, smoke greys, mustards, dull reds highlighted with a bunch of pop abstract details.

VidaMod

| VISION |

FUNCTIONALITY by AMALU R NAIR

In this fast moving life, we have time for no one. Multitasking has become the mantra of life. Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s busy schedule starts from the morning. The main headache is to come to an agreement with your clothes. You have to choose your outfit according to the occasion which makes it more difficult to decide. What if your wardrobe itself chooses your outfit according to your mood? How functional is that! You will be one person in ease if were to possess such kind of a wardrobe. Not being able to move around in a body hugging A line dress, uncomfortable high heels, a handbag which refuses to give space to the stuff you planned to take to your workplace, well these are past now. Old days are gone; now is the era where we consider fashion as a synonym of comfort. Comfort and convenience are the new trend. Along with fashion what if you get a product which can function more than one task at a time. Well possessing such products are not a science fiction anymore. There are shoes which has GPS connectivity, cleaning properties, handbags which can be used as a clutch, a handbag and a tote according to your need. Functionality is the new trend. Vida Mod has enlisted few products which can be of great use and which will help you in your multitasking daily life.

FUEL

Technology meets sports launch the fuel band that attempts to get my attention.

TISSOT

Luxury tissot watches are made of materials like plastic, granite, mother of pearl, wood etc. and are adorned with precious jewels.

OMEGA It is the official time keeping device, from the first watch on moon to all the james bond movies. It is a classic statement piece.

TARUN TAHILIANI WATCHES His collaboration with timex is a great venture as fashion and time come together to showcase the jewelled collection of watches.

FUNCTIONAL SHOES 1. Eco friendly shoes These shoes are made of wasted textiles. Apt for people who want to take an initiative towards sustainability. 2. GPS shoes These high heeled shoes are equipped with global positioning system, emergency alarm and liquid crystal display.

3. Vaccum shoes The sole of these shoes is designed to clean dirt as you hobble around. 4. Weightloss shoes These orthopedic shoes are specially designed in Switzerland. The curved bottom of the shoe will alleviate any discomfort and keep your legs toned and lean. 5. Sneakers with wedge heels Comfort of sneakers and perks of the heels coming in together in this pair of shoe.

FUNCTIONAL BAGS the

J CREW This bag’s made from the finest 100 percent certified Turkish cotton and sustainably produced leather .It’s super-functional. It converts from a carryall to a clutch.

Hermès

BIRKIN BAG This bag was made to solve the purpose of functionality. It has large amount of space inside and pockets to keep stuff. It is an expensive and handmade bag that’s works perfectly for functionality.

the

MESSENGER BAG It is a rectangular shaped bag with a V shape on the front and a buckle to tighten it. It’s a bag of multi usage, most accesible to design students as its used to carry large files.

BE OKAY IN YOUR OWN SKIN by AMOLI GOYAL

Most of us have been in the alluring feeling of self-love and have also been down the road of deprivation of same. Its an archetypal phenomenon. Why is there a constant effort of trying to be someone you’re not or trying to fit in somewhere you don’t belong? The temptation of trying to belong and fit in is actually one’s insecurities sabotaging the possibilities of them being completely themselves. The feeling of feeling belonged and trying to fit it crawls at a very impressionable age, when we question perfection and identity. What is perfection? Well, according to me, it is one of the most unadorned feeling. Perfection is about being flawed and yet being graceful about it. Perfection is being okay with who you are and that comes with the knowledge of knowing that ‘I am who I am, and I am okay with”, “I am okay with making mistakes.” In fact, I believe, beauty of ourselves comes in individualism, and individualism comes internally. It’s all about self-introspection and the internal journey one needs to go through to discover themselves. It’s a journey with no destination or rules. Self-love comes from accepting yourself and showing gratitude, it’s a practice, of counting your blessings and being thankful for your experiences. Investing on yourself devoid anything materialistic and exuberant is the key and indulging in self-enrichment brings extreme joy. Breaking free from the bondage in you and reaching out to freedom. I speak here of the blissful inner freedom that we deprive ourselves of. Freedom comes in various forms, it can be breaking free from restrictions imposed by the society and the world, in general; it can be in terms of creating your own vision or perspective, it can also be freedom of simply being yourself- truthful and powerful. Being an adherent of healthy desolation, I believe that nothing brings more joy than spending quality time with our own self. Moving to a new city, with a completely different culture, new people, new lifestyle doesn’t sound easy and is actually as difficult. It depends on how you adapt to it, and giving up was not an option. “Overnight I felt that I had lost everything” says Tarra Rai, a 21 year old design student while sharing her journey of self love and discovering the inner freedom. “I was demotivated, wasn’t confident

about myself and I wasn’t sure about anything actually. Breaking up with my childhood love (“apparently my eternal love” she tells me), I was not only deprived of positivity in my head but also lacked encouragement from people around me to pursue my dreams and study design, while I studied science till high school”, she added. Days just came and went and left absolutely no impression and motivation for her. She was bound within herself and consumed in her thoughts, so much so that she had no knowledge about what made her happy and what talents she had. Meeting all sorts of people, being an introvert seemed like yet another challenge she had to conquer. She knew she needed to come out of her shell. A typical day at college, she happened to come across a piece of notice on the notice board, regarding a summer course of 2 weeks in Italy. “The moment I read it, I did not want to give it a second thought, I knew I just had to go.” On the approval of her idea of going to Milan for 2 weeks by her very supportive family, she left for Milan, alone. “No one among my family and friends knew that I had gone alone.” “Again, I don’t mean to sound like a loner” she adds “there were a lot of people from my college, but literally, I went by my self.” Two weeks and her personality flipped 360 degrees. While talking about her journey post Milan, there was a constant smile on her face and with bright eyes she exclaimed “It was one of those experiences in life that everyone talks about and how it changes the person, you gain perspective and discover yourself! Yes, that’s what it is.” She felt free, happy and alive. Meeting new people from all cultures and interacting with each one of them, listening to stories of their lives, she realised she was not the only one, “every person we meet, is somehow fighting their own battle. You just need to accept it and move on.” As simple as it sounds, once you accept it, everything seems easier. She was surprised how comfortably and confidently she interacted with new people, while earlier she assumed she was shy and quiet. With days, she broke herself out of her shell and did things she never imagined. “It’s not about the materialistic things. I started appreciating my inner beauty, and discovered so much about myself. I didn’t know how talented I was” she expressed while sharing pictures of her

art and photography, and adds “it gives me so much happiness when I sketch.” “I felt pure joy when I got ready and presented myself well, I had started liking myself and taking care of myself.” She appreciated each and every moment and immersed in things that made her happy, from hanging out with her friends and working post college, she went about the city alone and not only explored Milan but also Barcelona. “I did not feel the need to belong anywhere. I had made a world for myself. I was fearless, confident and free.”

There’s no fear of being judged by anyone and that comes when one accepts themselves and feels graceful about themselves. After coming back to India, she was an active girl, full of life and free spirited. Her thoughts were different and open, she let go of her past gracefully and strongly believes that good times will take over the bad times, no matter what. That’s how simple it is, it is just about breaking free from the bondage in you, once you do that, you will have the courage and freedom to be whoever you want to be.

“The world is your oyster” -William Shakespeare

PERFECTLY FLAWED My trysts with finding beauty in imperfection by RIDHIE VINAYAK

Women who redefined perfection and acheived success. KATHERINE HEPBURN was an american actress known for her fierce independence and spirited personality. She was outspoken, assertive and atheletic and wore the androgynous high waisted pants much before it was fashionable for women to do so. VIDYA BALAN. Who is Vidya Balan? An overweight actor or someone who has bad style sense? No, she is one of the finest actors in the industry and has proved that over time. Also leaving the issues related to her weight and fashion sense behind, knowing that she has been made fun of alot of times, Vidya Balan made sure that all such pitty things donot come in her way to success. NANDITA DAS who is an actor and director changed the way people look at dark skin colour nowadays. She gave her support to, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dark is beautifulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; campaign 32

Beauty has almost lost its value in real sense. Now it just means being made up fully and being engaged in unnatural activities. It is so important to wear make up that they forget to wear their brain. The real meaning of beauty has been changed to being unnatural and dressing up like someone else and loosing the essence of your personal self. Knowledge, inner strength, values, talent, nature nomore stands errect infront of being beautiful in the new sense. Most of the women are caring way too much about beauty and leaving behind other attributes of being a complete woman which is disconsolate. In this radical world nothing matters more than “being perceived” as beautiful. The pivotal question here is that is beauty all that matters or do you think there are other things that can create a woman? What happened to real womens’ attributes like - being kind, smart and gentle.. talented or professional? Why isn’t a “real woman” feeling empowered when she realises that she is smart and funny? Why does she need to be beautiful to feel empowered?How can someone feel empowered on the basis of something you can’t change (beauty) instead of attributes like intellect and sense of humour - qualities you can actually improve if you work on it. The emphasis needs to shift from plastic beauty to natural beauty but made up fashion is what is ‘ IN’ these days. There is a crack in everything, thats what makes it more beautiful. Even the beautiful moon we all admire is not perfect. Even imperfection can be percieved with perfection which means beauty can be found in flawedness. Infact sometimes the flaws make the perfect more perfect. Sometimes imperfections overpower everything else so much that one forgets that they blind us from noticing the things that are envy to others. Maybe imperfections overpower in the negative chamber of our head but categorizing ourselves into have nots stagnates the fuel in our brain.The classic idea of beauty being perfect is having long black silky hair, nails built from manicure, properly shaped lips, defined body and beautiful glowy skin. Perfect beauty, ravishing looks, charismatic appearances,the beauty of mother nature, beautiful mountains and landscapes, showers of the rain, the bright sunshine, tamed animals, exquisite gems and jewels , happy faces and so more.

The picture perfect imagination of the above mentioned makes life so perfect. Perfection in beauty surely tickles our imagination and fills us with emotions and excitement. But have you ever pondered that on contrary the beauty of imperfection stirs our creativity and allows us to practice our longing for perfect beauty. They say that one learns from ones imperfections and flaws which gives us the room to explore and dig into oneself more and thrive for the best in life. An erudite said, “ Beauty is Beauty but Perfect beauty inspires us while imperfection is the fruit of our inspiration”. God tricked us all well. Imagine a world where all are so perfect. Had Einstein thought himself to be contended and perfect, he would never have struggled for new innovations and inventions. The tycoons like Tatas, Ambanis, if they believe they are perfect then our economy would have doomed . So, imperfection surely leads to beautiful results. Beauty over imperfections were always the popular choice. for me, beauty is over-rated. I walk in imperfections perfectly, and people around me see the beauty of me, radiating from within. I may be an awful and imperfect dancer but what about the beauty of the fun one has while dancing .I may dance terribly but i pledge to dance and be ecstatic imperfectly. Dressing up like a beauty queen or a fashion diva might not be my cup of tea. So imperfect that the fashion police catches hold of me for life imprisonment. But even with my fashion disaster i refuse to obviate myself from the beauty of the joy i get from dressing up into my imperfect dress. One may swim imperfectly but the beauty of playing with water keeps one going. When a little girl cooks noodles or tea for the very first time for her mother to surprise her for her bitthday, the imperfect food or beverage cant beat the beauty of the effort put in by the kid. I may propogate imperfect life ruining advise but the beauty of sharing sorrows, lending your shoulder, talking your heart out wil stil keep me going. Why are all a part of the made race to be perfectionists or idealists . Why are we curbed by the taboo of what looks perfect is only beautiful. Minds need to be clearly filtered.

after sunrise, after sunset In today’s fast life all of us forget to take care of our self . Most of us work through the day and have other commitments at night, be it with family or friends . With all the tiredness of the day there is still an innate need for us to look our best at all times . What do you do after long hours of work when you have to meet your family for dinner right after it . Would you go home all the way in this maddening traffic to change your clothes .It would indeed be immensely troublesome to run back and change for every occasion . How cool would it be if we could have an outfit which would go with every occasion be it a formal dinner or office conference , with just a little touch up . So to save all you busy ladies from all that stress and worry we came up with our AM-to-PM section with ideas so awe inspiring it will cater to your very needs. From make up to accessories to outfits we have it all just for you . “Sometimes it’s all about adding an accessorie or carrying a bag”, says Yamini Sehgal , editor of Everything Experiential. Team up your shorts and crop top with a colored blazer for the official look after a party scene with your friends . Our Am to Pm style shoot will give you a further insight on ideas for those hectic tiring days when you still want to look good .

Plain white kurta, GLOBAL DESI Blue jeans, MANGO Tan bag, ZARA Tan footwear, ALDO

AM- Kurta over denim jeans with tan footwear and carry the bag. PM- Tucked kurta inside the

jeans making it look like a shirt. Tan flats and tan ban to complete the look.

Light pink blazer- FOREVER21 White top- FOREVER21 White shorts- MANGO Nude heels- D&A Bag- FOREVER21

AM- A white top and shorts for a

comfortable day out, paired with nude wedges and a bright clutch bag.

PM- The same outfit can be transformed for another event just by adding a blazer to it.

Long maxi gown- ZARA Leather jacket- MANGO Sports shoes-ADIDAS Bangles - Thrifted Earings - FOREVER21

AM- A long printed maxi gown can be

worn for a get together in day time.

PM- Just by adding a leather jacket on it makes the look chic yet punk and can be easily worn for a night event like clubbing or dinner.

White shirt- PROMOD Long slit skirt- FOREVER21 Heels- STEVE MADDEN Denim shorts- MANGO Bangles - FOREVER21 Hairband - ZARA Bag - ACCESSORIZE Scarf - ACCESSORIZE AM- It is most comfortable to leave the house in a white shirt and shorts. PM- But incase you have to hurry up and dont get alot of time to change, you can just wear a skirt over the shorts and tie a knot with the white shirt, it gives it a cool yet classy feel.

Black crop top- FOREVER21 Silver jeggings- H&M Black wraparound skirt- FOREVER21 Bag- ALDO Shoes- CHARLES AND KEITH Bag - FOREVER NEW Bangles - FOREVER21

AM- Wearing a simple black crop top and comfortable jeggings is the best outfit to be in for any casual affair.

PM- Just by adding a raparound skirt to

it can get you ready for an inhouse party.

Crop top- FOREVER21 Black jeggings- ZARA SareeClutch- ALDO ACCESORIES Black heels- CHARLES AND KEITH

AM- A full screamed out Indian

look is only completed with a saree so wearing a saree and wearing a crop top and jeggings underneath is comfortable yet stylish.

PM- Just by removing the saree, the look completely changes from indo western to western and does not require any wastage of time and makes it functional.

VidaMod

| SELFHOOD |

SMOKEY EYES

Use a kajal pencil and apply it on the water line Then smudge the kajal on the lower line of the eyes

2 3 4 5

Take any colour eye shadow and use the eye shadow brush to evenly do the upper part of the eyes. After doing the eyeshadow, connect the lower kajal line upwards. Smudge the black eyeshadow with the other colour. Add a little eye shadow in the inner corners of the eye to define the final look.

MAYBELLINE, Colossal Mascara

CHANEL, Eyeshadow palette

MAYBELLINE, Colossal Kajal

MAC , Eyeshadow

THE WINGED WAY

AM-TO-PM WINGED EYE LINER

1. LAKME ABSOLUTE, Precision Liquid Liner

2. THE BODY SHOP, Liquid Eye Liner 3. MAC , Pen liner 4. LAKME NINE TO FIVE, Kohl Unlimited

BEAUTY TALK WITH

ELTON J FERNANDEZ

Elton Fernandez is India’s one the best fashion and celebrity make-up artists. His work has graced dozens of magazines like Vogue, Elle India, Grazia and American Condé Nast Traveller. Elton also runs India’s first professional YoutubeChannel where he shares his DIY makeup and hair tutorials. VidaMod had an opportunity to interview Elton , talking about his journey and some styling tips for the season and for people leading an ‘AM-PM’ lifestyle. by AMOLI GOYAL

VM : When did your fascination for make-up begin? EJ : Wardrobe and makeup have always fascinated me, also I remember trying my mother’s make up as a child, but that could not have been a career option according to the society norms. I was at google and HSBC at desk jobs, and at that time I liked to paint cavas and did not know that one day I’ll be in this renowned job of painting faces. VM : When did you realise that you were very much a part of the make-up industry? EJ : I was working desks for five years and I was tired. And I knew it was not me, then I decided to leave home and move to Mumbai, and pursue makeup. I got a sales job at MAC, and I was thrilled as I was

VM : You have done commercial, films, fashion and bridal make-up. Which appeals the most to you? EJ : My favourite type of work is bridal makeup as I get to engage myself with the entire family and brides are people who genuinely need help. It’s a great bonding experience. And if it’s a destination wedding, you get to travel and adds a good money, also ads are good money and shorter duration than movies. VM : Do you think wotking in iNdian films limit you, contarary to what you want to? EJ : Yes of course I value good cinema and have great respect for certain artists but, for me, blow dried hair, manicured nails and lip gloss for the rural type in the movie carrying dried wood on the shoulders, makes no sense. I like to see things that makes sense.

VM : How did you youtube channel start? What approach are you planning on taking it in the near future? EJ : I like teaching and like being on the camera, so why not? I was like to host a TV show, five years from now. So I just started for the kick of it , and im enjoying the process. My viewers are largely keen on finding out more about my life and work about my wardrobe etc, am starting to make my content more varied by including some lifestyle-related content as well. I just want to be able to create something new and interesting each month, it thrills me when peoplp say they love what I do. VM : Any makeup trends that you are looking forward to? EJ : I don’t really follow trends , I go with my instinct, but a good tinted lipbalm will always be in trend.. VM : In your videos you use brands which are only available at Sephora or online. Most of the college going girls in India don’t have accessibility to these brands. Do you have any suggestions for more economical brands that are available in Indian department stores? EJ : Initially when I started making videos I started with my kit, which is largely expensive brands simply because I work with different people and this my job. I started to use several other economical brands like Nyx, Revlon, Diana of London and Maybelline recently. Needless to say, pigment quality will hardly ever be as superior as a luxury or premium range brand. I always recommend investing in good products.

VM : A make-up tip for a person who has an AM-to-PM lifestyle? EJ : The best thing that you could probably reward your skin with during long work days is good hydration, good sun care, and minimal coverage. A ‘BB’ or ‘CC’ cream would be an ideal skin solution. If extra coverage needed, use a light concealer only where required. Always curl lashes and use black mascara to have alert and engaging eyes. A cheek/lip stain is the best solution with dual purpose! VM : We know for a fact that you don’t follow trends, but could you tell us few must haves this summer/ Hand bag essentials? EJ : Sunscreen to protect, Moisturiser to hydrate and look after, Bronzer to fake the suns glorious golden light, and sanitiser, mouthwash, condoms, sunglasses and lip balm. VM : One hair trend that works for a professional person working in the morning and then going for a party in the evening? EJ : Use a styling cream in damp post-shower hair, blast dry damp hair using max heat, hairspray, and then quickly roll and pin it up into a bun. Post work, open up bun to allow for a cascade of waves. The strength of your curl/wave will depend on the thickness and texture of hair strand. Fine hair holds shape for the least amount of time, so updos are always a great idea. Thick hair strands hold shape but the weight causes it to droop after a while. Medium textured hair is the best type because it holds a shape the longest. VM : Do you have any tips for women who like to play with makeup and still look professional. EJ : Yes definitely, they can play around with shades of blusher and different colours of kajal like blue, bright green, navy blue and plum

DIANA OF LONDON, liquid eyeliner

CHANEL, CC cream

THE BODY SHOP, BB Cream

BURT’S BEES, Tinted lipbalm

BENEFIT, bene balm

THE BODY SHOP, BB Cream

NYX, Blusher powder

LIPSTICKS

DAWN TO DUSK

1. MACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s matte lipstick range is made with a formula that is incrdibly pigmented and scatters evenly with full coverage. The application is smooth and ensures no colour bleeding. It comes in a range of various bright poppy colours and works for all seasons. 2. LakmĂŠ Nine to Five brings you a range of 15 shades that sit on your lips all day long. Enriched with Vitamin E; it conditions your lips & softens them with wheat germ oil. So, perk those soft, smooth lips with a touch of matte. 3. Neither lipstick nor lip gloss, this matte lip cream is a new kind of lip color that goes on silky smooth and sets to a matte finish. Soft Matte Lip Cream is surprisingly durable and, unlike some matte lipstick formulas, also moisturizing. 4. Lipfinity Lipstick is smart, two-step application for glamourous colour with a moisturising gloss top coat for luscious lips that lasts all day. 5. Dolce and Gabanna - Monica Voluptous lipsticks are the long lasting lipsticks, just one swap is enough to get the colour. It has a beautiful gloss effect without stickiness.

HAIR HACKS Braids AM -TO- Waves PM In this fast paced life, it is very hard to keep in pace with the ongoing trends and styles and yet be comfortable. The scenario has changed, people find comfort in simplicity and treat themselves to be in a relaxed zone all the time. But if something can comfort you and make you look stylish at the same time, then it is astounding. People often wear clothes that make them feel at ease but tend to experiment with their hair to make them look noticeable and stylish. One such way is to make a braid in the morning at work or for a day out and then just by opening the braid, your hair takes the natural form of curls and makes you get halfway already ready for another hurried up session. It is an easy and functional way of looking different by putting in less effort and time.

PHILIPS KERATINE - Hair dryer. The genius invention of a blowdryer in comb as the kerashine range by philips is quite easy to use. The process of drying your hair while combing them is very accesible. It gives volume to the hair and does not make them look flat. This leaves your hair look healthy and shiny.

Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;OREAL TECHNIART - Dry Shampoo Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oreal invented the time saving product that helps you through your busy schedule. The dry shampoo helps to get a completely fresh hair look before you know it. Shake before use. Spray onto the roots and work in the product evenly. To restore volume spray approximately 20cms away from hair. Brush your hair to remove any excess product.

EAT SMART by AMALU R NAIR It is really hard to say no to the tempting food sitting in front of you. The smell, the colour, the mere beauty of it is so appealing that you can’t resist yourself from consuming it. Except food being a necessity, it is the love of life. If you are facing a situation where you are out for a dinner with your friends and yet you don’t want to break your diet after following it religiously so long. Yet you also want to enjoy the food with everyone. Take few necessary steps and you can enjoy your food. EAT HEALTHY • Don’t be hesitant to ask the waiter about the ingredients. You can make your own less calorie. Try to choose foods that are steamed, are steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, poached, or lightly sautéed or stir-fried. • Always eat in small proportions. • Go for dry side dishes. • Low calorie salads are perfect for the dinner. • When it comes to tea choose green tea, low fat milk, or unsweetened tea. AVOID • It’s a strict no to dishes with butter, gravy and sauces. • Replace your dessert with fruit salad or share it with your friend. GUIDE Indian Cuisine Butter milk, tandoori chicken, hara bara kebabarhar, sambar dal and rajma dal Chinese Cuisine Dumplings, stir fries, steamed tofu, wonton soup. Italian Cuisine Penne with vodka sauce and capicola, Chicken piccata pasta with mushrooms, hazelnut cookies, grissini, chicken stew

HEALTH AND FITNESS by RIDHIE VINAYAK

Health and fitness are dynamic process and encompass a variety of components. Health is not merely about a person’s physical health- it envelops other components like social health (ability to interact well), mental health (intellectual growth), spiritual health (concept of faith) etc. and while one may seem more important than the other, all of these and many other components are equally important to ensure an individual’s well being. Psychologists have clearly stated that physical exercise is very important to get rid of the mental stress that we all accquire from day to day activities. Physical activity is one way of achieving improved physical and mental health. It helps reducing risks of various diseases and keeps one’s health regulated. Some researches suggest that vigrous workout and proper exercise routine may even add up to five years to your life span. A gym trainer once stated that one looses weight by any form of physical exercise and gains mental peace as all the toxins are released from the body and makes the body a new and fresh place to live in. Asthesayinggoes,“ahealthybodyisthehomeforahealthymind.” The mind-body health should be one of the main focus of our lives as it is the driving factor behind most of our cognitive decisions. If health and mind are in sync, an individual can experience wholesome well being. Dieticians and health experts recommend a proper and balanced diet to be fit and lead a good and healthy lifestyle. As we proceed towards a post modern era, there’s seems to be a noticeable sudden boost of lifestyle disorders such as obesity, hypertension, depression etc. These are all serious ailments and have the potential to greatly impact a person’s life. The most ironic part is that these are avoidable to a very large extend. People bring it upon themselves by neglecting their health and putting fitness on second priority, however by being more aware of the consequences, one must endeavour to keep these diseases at bay. The best way to do this is by keeping fit. Obesity causes other channel of diseases that make the body unhealthy. Diet and exercise play the most significant role in fitness. Including a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet and regular physical activity is they key to a healthy lifestyle.

“It is the health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” - Mahatma Gandhi

BEST FITNESS APPLICATIONS by MUSKAAN WALIA

CODY To me this is like Facebook for fitness. It offers users inside connections to a fitness community where they can share and complete workouts by following new and old friends. This app allowed me to track my own progress through a timeline and other users could like and comment on my daily workout activity. HOT5 FITNESS This app offers high quality step-by-step workouts led by the top trainers in the industry. From abs and core to yoga and flexibility and everything in between, Hot5 contains pages and pages of 5-minute video workouts of every variety and difficulty level. Best part –No wifi needed.What else do you fitness junkies need? PACT This is rather interesting concept for a fitness app .For those who value money as incentive, this one’s for you. Formerly known as GymPact, this app encourages users to put their money where their mouth is. Users pledge a set number of days they plan to workout that week along with an amount of money they must put up. Users must pay for each day they miss, but they get paid every time they complete a workout. Pact now features the option to connect with other tracking apps. Commit to eating healthy or pay the consequences. HUMAN This one has a rather casual approach to exercise. Human simply encourages you to reach your “Daily 30”—30 minutes of physical activity—whatever that may be for you. Whether it’s running, dancing, or doing jumping jacks, all that matters is that you are being active for 30 consecutive minutes at a time. Not too much to ask for is it? MOVES This one is apt for the otherwise lazy people who want to feel good about their routine at the end of the day.This one serves as a reminder that all those little steps add up. This pedometer tracks your day, minute by minute, and gives you a summary of all your movements, steps, stairs, and even pedals. It calculates your calories burned and presents it as an easy to read timeline to keep things simple and distraction free. LOSEIT This app is for the diet conscious people. It’s like having a personal trainer and nutritionist at your disposal at all times .This one basically does all the work for you. It creates a specific weight loss plan custom for you and your busy life, though. Just plug in your weight loss and general health goals.

Not only does it track your calories, it gives you a barcode scanner to get more specific with what you are consuming, focusing more on nutritional value in addition to just calorie intake. It connects to other apps and devices as well to make it extra handy. HEALTHY OUT This is by far my favorite app Want to enjoy guilt free eating?? Now you can. Healthy Out gives you nutritional labels and healthy options at all of your favorite restaurants. Find your restaurant and then specify your restriction or nutritional need, whether it be fat free, gluten free, heart healthy. This app can suggest modifications to dishes or break down the calories, carbs, fat etc. ZIPONGO We know how expensive it can be to eat healthy. This app is perfect for those wanting to eat clean on a budget. It alerts the user of digital coupons and weekly in-store items on sale to help keep your diet and your wallet on track. It also has a database of ‘GO foods’ that are recommended for their vitamins and nutrients. DAILY YOGA Hate cardio? Do some yoga. This fitness app facilitates the most convenient home exercises, not only nourishes your health but also spares you all the tiresome workouts and help you achieve fitness goals with yoga studio on the go. You don’t even have to step out of your house . FITSTAR PERSONAL TRAINER This app has a number of videos to help you. FitStar personal trainer assesses your needs and fitness level by asking you a simple set of questions at the end of every workout. That way every workout is challenging but doesn’t crush you. And the program’s offerings are a good fit for beginner to fitness fanatics. NIKE+ TRAINING CLUB This is by far the most famous app out of all fitness apps. This app offers more than 100 workouts crafted by Nike master trainers for people of all fitness levels. Select your specific fitness goal for instance (get lean, get toned, get strong, or get focused) and it has easy to follow workout plans. RUNTASTIC SIX PACK ABS Getting six pack abs seems like the hardest goal to achieve. But strengthening your core has never been easier, thanks to Runtastic Six Pack. Choose Daniel or Angie as your avatar trainer, and then select from workout programs that last anywhere from 10 days to almost a month. The best part about this app is that it has Slow-motion videos of the virtual trainers means you learn each exercise right the first time around.

BEHIND THE SCENES