BEST HARLEM SHAKE
Who says you need to be slim to be stylish?
Ahead of the curve
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Who says you need to be slim to be stylish? speaks to
fashion bloggers who guide their curvy followers on how to dress right
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When Gia Kashyap started her blog Giasaysthat (giasaysthat.com) in
2010, she knew she wasn’t the conventional slim and svelte fashion
blogger. But that didn’t bother her. And just as well. Her blog posts
dishing out advice like ‘dressing for your shape’ and other style tips
for curvy women got instant and positive feedback from readers. Today,
her Facebook page has over 5,000 members.
“Many girls are round, which to me is subjective. Women all across the world are embracing curves. So why not here?” says Kashyap. slim conditioning “One of the biggest problems with curvy girls is that they often like to dress like skinny ones,” says 23-year-old Komal Khulbe who writes at delhifashionblogger.com. It doesn’t help that fashion tips for curvy women are always about findings clothes that will ‘slim you down’, ‘conceal your problem areas’, ‘flatter your figure’ or, in other words, make you feel wretched about not being slim enough. But curvy women worldwide clearly have had enough of that and the spurt in international fashion blogs by plus-sized women is proof enough. Fatshion on Tumblr is one instance of many such communities where large women post pictures of themselves dressed in their fashionable best. “We’ve been conditioned since childhood to feel conscious. The moment a woman realises that her body is hers and accepts it confidently, styling becomes easier,” says Khulbe who loves to wear skirts that fall just below her knees as they accentuate her legs. Fashion-Bombay, one of India’s earliest style blogs, was started by friends Sonu Bohra and Jasleen Kaur Gupta in September 2009. Their aim was to cater to ‘real’ women, i.e. women who are not waif thin. On Fashion-Bombay, the duo give tips about everyday clothing for such women. “Jasleen and I were amazed at how everyone said curvy was out of fashion,” says Bohra. “We ourselves aren’t model sizes and aren’t apologetic about it. We enjoy having curvaceous bodies, and we celebrate it on the blog.” busting myths When ‘real’ women are so confident about themselves and their bodies on the blog, real women relate to it very well. “We’re like everyone else. We have our own body image issues. So when we project our true selves out there, there’s an instant relatability factor,” says Khulbe. Part of their popularity is the fact that these bloggers are brutally honest with outfits and photographs that they upload, unlike magazines that extensively photoshop photographs. “For our blog, we shoot on the roads and feature a mix of branded and street clothes,” says Khulbe. The bloggers bust myths about style for curvy women. “It’s always said that large people shouldn’t wear stripes since it doesn’t flatter their figure. When I see a striped top, I look at the cut, the shape and then buy it,” says Kashyap. On her blog, she also busts the myth that layering clothes makes people look bulky by effortlessly pairing a pair of drawstring pants with a top and blazer. The idea is to make the whole look structured, she says. While leather pants are often considered skinny-girl domain, Kashyap pairs hers with long shirts. TENT FASHION Any large Indian woman who has looked at brands catering to plus-size women will agree that these brands seem to believe that large people have no desire to be stylish. Only that can explain the tent-like shapeless silhouettes that most of these plus-size brands market. Bohra admits not many brands cater to large people but says one can always check out the streets. “The Indian market doesn’t cater to girls who go beyond XL. So if you’re like Adele, you’re in trouble,” says Kashyap. She advises her followers to scan places like Colaba Causeway and Fashion Street in Mumbai for stylish clothes. In Delhi, Khulbe recommends Sarojini Nagar as a good place for stylish clothes. “You get everything there and the best part is that size is never a restriction. I’ve actually done a trend analysis and the hippest stuff is here before it hits the stores,” she says. Bohra is happy that the blogging world she is part of is driving a positive change as far as acceptance and self-confidence of one’s body goes. “It’s all about taking power back into your hands, and fashion does that beautifully,” agrees Khulbe. |
Every March, China’s leaders, thousands of delegates and advisers convene in Beijing for annual political meetings
Every March, China’s leaders, thousands of delegates and advisers
convene in Beijing for annual political meetings. They go through a
flurry of sessions and group meetings, helped along by an army of
attendants.
Photographers have been capturing the images of the politicians and deputies as they go through the expected political procedures, but there are smaller details that add interesting touches to the political machinery. Here’s a package of photos capturing the time and place of the political events at the Great Hall of People in central Beijing.
In China, the usual suspects are installed
China’s new leaders turned Saturday to veteran technocrats, many with strong international experience, to staff a Cabinet charged with overhauling a slowing economy and pursuing a higher global profile for the country without triggering opposition.The ceremonial legislature approved nearly three dozen trusted politicians, experienced officials and career diplomats who make up the State Council under Premier Li Keqiang, who was named Friday. Their appointment largely completes a once-a-decade transfer of power to a new generation of communist leaders.
Photographers have been capturing the images of the politicians and deputies as they go through the expected political procedures, but there are smaller details that add interesting touches to the political machinery. Here’s a package of photos capturing the time and place of the political events at the Great Hall of People in central Beijing.
In China, the usual suspects are installed
China’s new leaders turned Saturday to veteran technocrats, many with strong international experience, to staff a Cabinet charged with overhauling a slowing economy and pursuing a higher global profile for the country without triggering opposition.The ceremonial legislature approved nearly three dozen trusted politicians, experienced officials and career diplomats who make up the State Council under Premier Li Keqiang, who was named Friday. Their appointment largely completes a once-a-decade transfer of power to a new generation of communist leaders.
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| Military delegates exchange Chunghwa cigarettes outside the Great Hall |
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| Delegates smoke during a break of the plenary session of the NPC in Beijing’s Great Hall |
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| a tea hostess wearing plastics glove serves Chinese tea inside the Great Hall of the People |
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| A male delegate wears red socks at the Great Hall |
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| Delegates click pictures with Liu Yandong (in blue), one of the newly-named vice premiers |
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| A police dog wears shoes to keep warm in Beijing |
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| An empty paper roll is used to keep a window open to let in fresh air in the Great Hall of the People |
UrbanEars Bagis
UrbanEars Bagis
International headphones-maker UrbanEars has launched a few new
products in India, including the in-ear Bagis, touting it as a compact
version of the full UrbanEars experience. Its earplug construction
claims to reduce noise, while the rubber housing along with a combined
fabric and TPE cord eliminate distortion caused by friction. What’s
more, both earpieces snap together, allowing you to carry them around
your neck when not in use.
Specs: 9mm handmade drivers |
Frequency Response 20Hz-20kHz | Impedance 16 ohms | Max input power 5mW |
47-inch tangle-free fabric cord | Standard 3.5mm jack | Small, medium
and large sleeves
Price: 3,250
Website: zemaxindia.com
Sony Xperia Z
Sony Xperia Z
Sony’s latest flagship phone features a stunning 441-pixelsper-inch, FullHD, 5-inch display. The Xperia Z boasts of Walkman technology for better audio playback, and comes with Sony Music Jive, which offers six months of free, unlimited streaming and music download of over 15 lakh international, Bollywood and regional songs. Besides, the Sony Liv video streaming app allows access to SAB, Sony Entertainment and Max channels. The Xperia Z features a battery stamina mode that increases battery back-up by 50%, and is also water- and dust-resistant.
Specs: 5-inch BRAVIA screen
(1920x1080 px) | 1.5GHz quad-core processor | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 13MP rear camera with 1080p FullHD video | 2.2MP front camera with 1080p FullHD video | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, NFC, microUSB | 2330 mAh battery with 14 hours talk-time, 530 hours standby time | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Price: 38,990
Website: sony.co.in/xperia
Zync Quad 9.7
Zync Quad 9.7
The Zync Quad 9.7 gets most things right on paper: a large screen with an LED-backlit Super HD IPS display, complete with 10-point multi-touch support; a fast quad-core processor and ample RAM to support the latest games and multi-tasking; lots of storage space, with an expandable slot; and a highcapacity battery. Noticeably missing are Bluetooth support and FM radio.
Specs: 9.7-inch IPS touchscreen (2048x1536 px) | 1.5GHz quad-core processor | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera | Wi-Fi, microUSB | 603 gms | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Price: 13,990 Website: www.zync.in
The Zync Quad 9.7 gets most things right on paper: a large screen with an LED-backlit Super HD IPS display, complete with 10-point multi-touch support; a fast quad-core processor and ample RAM to support the latest games and multi-tasking; lots of storage space, with an expandable slot; and a highcapacity battery. Noticeably missing are Bluetooth support and FM radio.
Specs: 9.7-inch IPS touchscreen (2048x1536 px) | 1.5GHz quad-core processor | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera | Wi-Fi, microUSB | 603 gms | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Price: 13,990 Website: www.zync.in
Please suggest a multi-function printer-scanner-copier device for around 3,500. Printing cost should be kept at a minimum. And if Wi-Fi fits in that budget, it would be great.
Please
suggest a multi-function printer-scanner-copier device for around
3,500. Printing cost should be kept at a minimum. And if Wi-Fi fits in
that budget, it would be great.
The HP Deskjet 1050 ( 3,700 approx) fits well in your needs and budget. It can print up to 16 A4 pages of monochrome text per minute, or 12 colour pages in the same amount of time. Besides, you can also print a 10x15 inch photo in around 60 seconds. Its scanner can accommodate resolutions up to 1200dpi, with 24-bit colour. The 1050 uses an HP 802 ink cartridge, which costs 450 for black and 675 for colour, with refills costing around 100 and 150 respectively.
For Wi-Fi, you would need to extend your budget. Here, we recommend the Canon Pixma MG3170 ( 5,200 approx) which also supports AirPrint for Apple devices. It can print 9.2 images on A4 sheets per minute, and a 4x6-inch borderless photo in 44 seconds. The scanner supports resolutions up to 2400dpi with 48-bit colour. A black cartridge for this printer will set you back by 920, while a colour
The HP Deskjet 1050 ( 3,700 approx) fits well in your needs and budget. It can print up to 16 A4 pages of monochrome text per minute, or 12 colour pages in the same amount of time. Besides, you can also print a 10x15 inch photo in around 60 seconds. Its scanner can accommodate resolutions up to 1200dpi, with 24-bit colour. The 1050 uses an HP 802 ink cartridge, which costs 450 for black and 675 for colour, with refills costing around 100 and 150 respectively.
For Wi-Fi, you would need to extend your budget. Here, we recommend the Canon Pixma MG3170 ( 5,200 approx) which also supports AirPrint for Apple devices. It can print 9.2 images on A4 sheets per minute, and a 4x6-inch borderless photo in 44 seconds. The scanner supports resolutions up to 2400dpi with 48-bit colour. A black cartridge for this printer will set you back by 920, while a colour
I want a tablet with a great screen for reading, gaming and watching movies. Please suggest a device for around 25,000 that supports on-the-go internet, and perhaps allows for phone-calls too.
I
want a tablet with a great screen for reading, gaming and watching
movies. Please suggest a device for around 25,000 that supports
on-the-go internet, and perhaps allows for phone-calls too.
The iPad Mini, with its wonderful 8-inch screen, is the best tablet for your needs. Its size and weight makes it easy to hold in one hand, and ideal for reading, watching movies and playing games. More importantly, the App Store is populated with apps that have been made specifically for tablets – something that, as yet, can’t be said about Android’s Play Store. The 16GB, Wi-Fi model costs around 22,000; while the 16GB, 3G model starts at 30,000. We suggest extending your budget to buy the latter since on-thego connectivity can boost how you use the slate. However, despite its nano-SIM slot, the iPad Mini 3G cannot be used to make or receive phone calls.
If you want a larger screen, built-in phone functionality and internet-on-the-go, then consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P5100 ( 26,000 approx) that comes with a standard SIM slot. Its widescreen, 10.1-inch high-def display is especially good for watching movies, but it does feel a bit heavy to hold over prolonged use (although this factor is not really a dealbreaker). And since the P5100 runs on Android, you can be assured of good app support. It should be noted that this tablet’s weight and size makes it unwieldy to use as a smartphone, so you might have to invest in a Bluetooth headset.
The iPad Mini, with its wonderful 8-inch screen, is the best tablet for your needs. Its size and weight makes it easy to hold in one hand, and ideal for reading, watching movies and playing games. More importantly, the App Store is populated with apps that have been made specifically for tablets – something that, as yet, can’t be said about Android’s Play Store. The 16GB, Wi-Fi model costs around 22,000; while the 16GB, 3G model starts at 30,000. We suggest extending your budget to buy the latter since on-thego connectivity can boost how you use the slate. However, despite its nano-SIM slot, the iPad Mini 3G cannot be used to make or receive phone calls.
If you want a larger screen, built-in phone functionality and internet-on-the-go, then consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P5100 ( 26,000 approx) that comes with a standard SIM slot. Its widescreen, 10.1-inch high-def display is especially good for watching movies, but it does feel a bit heavy to hold over prolonged use (although this factor is not really a dealbreaker). And since the P5100 runs on Android, you can be assured of good app support. It should be noted that this tablet’s weight and size makes it unwieldy to use as a smartphone, so you might have to invest in a Bluetooth headset.
Arzan Khambatta created this ‘scrapture’ — created from scrap metal
GETTING ARTY AT THE FEST
Arzan Khambatta created this ‘scrapture’ — created from scrap metal he found at construction sites — called ‘This Is Not What You Expected’
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