Ms FEBRUARY 2, 2014
ISSUE NO. 85
Obsessed with page Accesories
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Why Women Aren’t Funny
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inside fashion smashion —
A point to note
domestic goddess —
Comfort food at its best
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Section In-Charge: Batool Zehra Sub-Editor: Amna Hashmi
The Fashion Guru
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Ms
the buzz
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
Why Women
Aren’t Funny? by Sumaiya Lakhani
The idea that women aren’t funny seems pretty laughable these days, especially when women are making waves in all other aspects of life. Ms T investigates the humour gap and why the set up may be changing
I sat at the corner table at a local cafe with my two best friends Sara and Aiman, casually sipping on my afternoon tea as Sara scanned the menu in search of food that would match her diet plan. Aiman looked at her pitifully and said, “You know what diet works best? The sea-food diet! I see food and I eat it. Get it?” Needless to say, I was in a fit of laughter but Sara was not amused. Meanwhile, in a parallel universe (read: the other side of the cafe) two boys were enjoying their lunch and another came running from behind and smacked them out of the blue. I half expected them to begin fighting but the boys just foolishly laughed their guts out. I gasped in distaste. One of the boys was crawling on the floor, collecting the bits of food he had dropped upon the attack — laughing but evidently in pain. How was this stunt even remotely funny? No witty comment was passed and no intelligent conversation took place. It was just a display of masculine strength. But it got me thinking. I couldn’t help but wonder if men are generally funnier than women or do both genders just have a different sense of humour? Could it be that men find everything funny but women don’t? As a woman, I can safely say that it takes more than two boys beating up one another to crack me up. Could it be true that
men are from Mars and women from Venus? “Women do have a sense of humour, of course but it is different,” says 23-year-old Ayesha Moazzam, a youngster who spends a lot of her time in the company of her husband and his friends, trying to comprehend their jokes. “It seems to me that unlike men, women don’t feel the need to pass an irrelevant comment on everyone and everything to merely appear eloquent or superior. I think men do that a lot. Most of the time, I don’t find them funny and would much rather hang out with women. At least their sense of humour isn’t disparaging towards others!” The question arises whether women, particularly in Pakistan, are funny at all. Maimoona Zakaria, 55, sheds light on important societal issues that put a damper on the female sense of humour. “Of course women are funny. The problem is that our society doesn’t accept a woman who is humorous because she is expected to be demure and reserved and within the limits of decency. Humour often surpasses that limit.” Kamran Zaidi, a working professional in his fourties, explains this further. “Our religious and cultural beliefs have distinctly defined the role of women who are expected to adhere no matter what. In our male-dominated society, a man who can make others laugh is considered charismatic but a woman with the same talent will be ‘amusing’ or ‘fun-loving’ at best. People may accept her humour but still expect her to be more submissive and tameezdaar because she is a woman.” Unfortunately, it is not just the general population who feel this way. Our very own queen of comedy, the legendary Bushra Ansari agrees. “In the sub-continent, women who are more serious are given more respect,” she says. “If a woman is funny, she is labelled as ‘out’ and if she laughs too much, she is
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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
“In the sub-continent, women who are more serious are given more respect,” says Bushra. “If a woman is funny, she is labelled as ‘out’ and if she laughs too much, she is considered bewaqoof
considered bewaqoof.” According to Sana Imtiaz, 27, the nature of humour is to blame for the humour gap between men and women. “If you think about it, many of our jokes are cheap and inappropriate. Therefore, I can understand why men may be taken aback by a woman indulging in such behaviour. And older woman may be accepted for it but a young girl? No way!” Razaa-ur-Rehman, agrees. “Humour generally entails some silly, low and dirty comments for Pakistani men. If such jokes are coming from a woman, she will be tagged as besharam.” Fortunately, despite such stringent gender roles embedded in our society, there are some who have broken free from the traditional mindsets and revel in the company of a woman who can elicit a few laughs out of them. One such individual is Rashid Thahim who says “For me, a funny woman is indicative of a charming and confident personality. It shows that a woman is comfortable in her own skin and that makes her all the more attractive.” Anas Hakimi, 32, regards the bias against funny women as a
construct of the male dominated society, the patrons of which feel threatened by a woman who is comfortable being the centre of attention and fraternizing with men candidly. “Most men prefer to keep the focus on themselves,” says Anas. “They like women who will be a silent audience for their wisecracks and one-liners as opposed to those who will give them a run for their money in the humour department.” In addition to this, the afore-mentioned stereotypes mean that people are even quicker to judge a witty woman and render her an outcast. “Personally, I think it is unfortunate that so many feel this way. If men can be praised for their humour and charm, why can’t women?” he adds. So are women generally not as funny as men or has our patriarchal society squeezed out any humour that may have existed in the female gender? “I think that is too rigid a generalisation to make,” says Ayesha. “There are plenty of women who have made a name for themselves by virtue of comedy, such as Hina Dilpazeer and Bushra Ansari. I am certain many people also appreciate the female sense of humour because it isn’t always directed towards one unassuming individual in the circle. Women are more sensitive as people and so are their jokes.” Add Pakistani-born Norwegian stand-up comedian Shabana Rehman Gaarder to the list and one can conclude that the state of female comedians isn’t entirely bleak in our country. Unfortunately, Bushra Ansari expresses a different point of view. “In my experience, society may accept a female celebrity as being funny but the same acceptance is rarely extended to ordinary women.” She also confesses that in the world of show-biz, an actor who gains a footing as a comedian is rarely considered for serious roles and so, she has decided to take a back seat from comedy for a short while. In a patriarchal society such as ours, it is difficult for women to adopt qualities associated with men, be it working in male-dominated industries like finance or technology or simply participating in open conversation with men and expressing their viewpoints. Gradually, women are starting to come forward and break the barriers entrenched so deep in our minds that they have become an inherent part of our beliefs and values. Regardless, there is a fine line between being witty and rude and care must be taken by both men and women to not cross it. After all, as English novelist George Eliot said, “A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.”
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en vogue
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
Savvy
Fashion
Go for glam with Ahsan Hussain’s latest collection of fashion apparel and accessories to help you look your very best
Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Hair & Makeup: Akef Ilyas Designer: Ahsan Hussain Photography & Styling: Akef Ilyas Model: Rubaab Masoon
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
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fashion smashion
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
Make A Point - Fashion for the Feet By Nayab Najam
The pointed-toe shoe craze is back with a bang and from what we can tell, it is here to stay! Fashion often follows a cyclical pattern and tends to repeat itself every few years. Just when we had finally said goodbye to the bell-bottom craze and invested in skinny jeans of every shade possible, the flared pants made a comeback and brought structured blazers and neon florals along with it. The latest in this line is pointed-toe footwear that is having a big moment at fashion weeks across the globe right now, in heels, flats, boots and even sandals! These edgy and super chic shoes have been subtly making a mark for a couple of years now but fashion for spring 2014 has finally embraced them completely. Unfortunately, this style of footwear is still perceived with some apprehension. Personally, I associated it with the evil villains of Disney movies as a child. It took a while for me to realise that pointed-toe shoes can be the epitome of sophistication if worn the right way. And so, here I am to guide you about why and how to wear them during the upcoming spring season. Anyone who isn’t a Victoria’s Secret model (read: everyone) will appreciate the fact that the pointed tip of the shoe adds a few extra inches to our body vertically, even if you are wearing flats. The point makes legs appear longer and skinnier, which ultimately, gives a leaner appearance to the rest of the body and anything that can make us look taller and thinner gets a double thumbs up. What sets these shoes apart from the rounder predecessor — those plain old ballet pumps that are now done and dusted — is that they go with everything from western wear to traditional eastern attire — even wedding outfits! Whether you are wearing skinny jeans or a dress or a chooridaar pyjama and peshwaas, the pointed-toe will always look great! The point adds a modern flair with a feminine and luxurious feel and the vast variety of designs to choose from just puts the cherry on top! If you’re a true fashionista and want to make a point with your feet then there are hundreds of prints, patterns and colour schemes to choose your shoes. With shoes ranging from metallics to polka dots and tie-dyed designs, rest assured that there is a pair out there for everyone. So if you do plan on refreshing your shoe collection this spring/summer, take inspiration from recent fashion events and keep an eye out for the classic blacks, nudes and goldens as well as florals, stripes and other patterns. My advice would be to treat yourself to a pair of neutral-coloured shoes (black, beige or silver) that will go with most of your outfits. If you really want to rock it out, invest in a pair of studded pointed-toe heels and you’ll be
A word of warning though: It is best if your purchase this style of shoe after having tried and tested if in person. Due to the pointed toe, one usually needs a bigger shoe size than their normal one in order to remain comfortable and avoid foot blisters. In my personal experience, buying a shoe online is never a great idea. Your shoe may add give your outfit a much-needed oomph but all will go to waste if you are hobbling around in shoes that are one size too small. Therefore, purchase them only after ensuring they are worth the hassle!
the talk of the town. Some fashion houses have also launched a range of purses and bags to match their new pointed-toe collections. Take your outfit up a notch by pairing it with a set of matching shoes and other accessories to complete your look. As I said earlier, the shoes look fantastic with any type of outfit and matching bags, jewellery and other accessories will make you look even greater!
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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
Recipe
Chicken and Potato Pie Forget about your diet and revel in the indulgent glory of this warm and filling chicken and potato pie. It is comfort food at its best — quick, easy and very very cheesy!
Arooj Waqar runs a Facebook cooking page called Mona’s Kitchen and aspires to convert her passion for cooking into a career
Method • Melt the butter in a frying pan and add flour. Cook the flour until it becomes light brown in colour. • Pour milk into the pan and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute. • In a bowl, mix some cornflour with water and pour it into the boiling milk. Let the mixture cook until it thickens. • Turn off the flame and add salt and pepper to taste. Your white sauce is now ready. • Marinate the chicken in salt, pepper, soy sauce, oil and vinegar for 30 minutes and fry it until it becomes soft and light brown. • Line the bottom of a large baking dish with mashed potatoes and press them down to form a thick layer. This will be the base of the pie. • Place the chicken over the potatoes and follow it up with the boiled macaroni. • Sprinkle salt on the macaroni and place the sliced boiled eggs on top. • Cover the layers by pouring the white sauce over the dish. • Decorate the top of the pie with some shredded cheese and bake the dish until it melts completely. • Serve fresh out of the oven with a side of garlic bread. Your pie is now ready!
Ingredients:
Boiled mashed potatoes 2 cups
Hard boiled eggs (sliced) 2
Boneless chicken 2 cups
Soy sauce 2 tbsp
Vinegar 1 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Boiled macaroni 1 and 1/2 cup
Milk 2 cups
Cheese (shredded) 1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour 3 tsp
Butter 2 tsp
Cornflour 2 tsp
Water 3 -4 tbsp
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 2, 2014
hottie of the week 8
Status Born
Single Lahore, Pakistan
Birthday
27th October
Face
90%
Hassan Sheheryar Yasin
Body
85%
Who is he? The name Hassan Sheheryar Yasin — or HSY as most of us know him — says it all. As the frontman of one of the biggest and most successful fashion enterprises of Pakistan, HSY is hardly a newcomer to the world of glitz and glamour. After obtaining an honours degree from the prestigious Le Chambre Syndicate De La Couture Parissienne in France, HSY began his career in 1994 and is now celebrating his 20th year in the fashion industry, as a couturier, show director, event architect and choreographer. His fashion expertise has won him countless awards, including the Lux Style Award for ‘Best Designer’ and the ‘Most Stylish Fashion Icon’ trophy at the MTV Style Awards in 2009 and rightfully so. HSY has shown his work to standing ovations across the globe. With so much talent, sophistication and looks to die for, we wonder why HSY doesn’t model his menswear collections himself!
Talent
95%
Why we love him What sets HSY apart from his contemporaries in the Pakistani showbiz industry is that he almost always has a grin on his face, regardless of whether he is behind the scenes of his catwalk shows, catering to clients at his studio or busy toiling away into the wee hours of the night. His life revolves around his work and he embraces it completely, making it a point to remain happy-go-lucky throughout. Despite facing a great deal of criticism in his initial projects, HSY continued to strive for excellence, drawing inspiration from positive people around him, as well as music and travel. His idea of the perfect adventure is visiting new cities around the world, his favourite being New York. An individual with diverse interests, HSY has also lent his talents to directing and choreographing motion pictures and has even won several awards for his work. These include the Paksitan Film Award, the Graduate Film Award and the National Film Award for best choreography. He is also passionate about brands and has confessed that had it not been for fashion, he would like to be working in the field of marketing.
What you didn’t know about him HSY loves to dance. His favourite cuisine is sushi. HSY’s idea of the ideal woman is someone with Reema Khan’s beauty and Tahira Syed’s elegence. Ladies, if that sounds like you then call dibs before someone else does!
Total Package
90%