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6 Wardrobe Essentials Will Keep You Looking Trendy And Warm As We Bid Adieu To Summer

I ,, BY KALYANI WAKHARE

A!though it hardly felt anytbing like aunnnn when going ro press, I couldn't belp bur feel excited doing some research on this season's b ig trends and sourcing good ideas on which to spend yo ur dollars.

Here are some of the best pieces chat v;,ilJ take you th.tough this autumn and winter in style and best of aU, you can ch oose to 's ave' or 'spend' on your favourite ones. Ch amb ray (sha111-b-r'!Y) shirt: The ' casual' classi fication of denim is fast changing a nd even moving into tbe so- called ' sophisticated' style of dressing.

wirh Sussan ($80)

The warm coloured jacket: \'\!hat's autumn \,,itbour a warm coloured o utfit! Don't we aU just gravitate towards brown, mustard, orange and shades of red and pink? Well, d1e good news is t hat shades o f red are rig ht on trend, including the area of make up coo I like to imerpret thj s trend by selecting a burgundy or orange smact cut blazer, and wearing ic over an aU black base.

I know you 're thinking, whateve r happened to d1e perfect Ertle black blazer? If you like co stick to convention d1en go a head and wear your black jacket over a red pnlo neck, by all means. I just like co quirk things np a bit!

Save wirb Forcast boyfriend orange blazer ($41) or spend with Witchery's relaxed fir coral jadm (S JO0)

Cashmere jumper: oching g ets classier than cashmere. It ranks higher in the dollar \7alue., bur a b lack or grey piece will be a long- term invesrmenc. Cashmere will provide the perfect base for a beautiful statement neckpiece for an evening out, or a bright printed scarf for a weekend look. The soft woo l knit will keep yon warm and die. natural fibre will lase longer and keep looking fresh.

Save with Woo.lovers online buy (2 for $ 67) or spend with DVF at Net a p o rter ($385).

Chambray most certainly Ets the bill for a 'sophisticated' style. Well, chambray is essentiaUy a fabric that looks .like denim a nd feels like linen, quite handy for a comfy s hirt, right? It is cosy, versatile and easy to pair with a pencil skirt, coloured denim pants, knitted leggings or worn as a jacket over a striped dress. I'm sure you are beginning to imagine and sryle some of these. looks in your head already! Chambray is available in a variety of dark and light denin1 tones, so cons ider buying a wash that will compliment your s kin tone or contrast with your reguht blue denim jea ns for a 'double denim' look without m aking a fashion fa11xpas!

Save with Krnarr ($ 17) or spend

INDIAN LINK

Dark deniut: OriginaUy worn by workers and synon ymous wi th teenagers not so long ago, denim has come a long way. A well- fitted pair o f jeans is a highly desirable piece; it's am azing co see the range of prod ucts available, and rbat's ju st in regular blue denim! Light wash, mid wash, dark wash, straight, boot cut, super skinny, curve Aattering and so on. There are so many options which can b e good, but a bit confusing at rbe same ti.me. So let's simplify. The trend this season is ankle grazing, slim fit jeans in a relatively dark wash but then again, rbis is definitely not the 'be aU and end all'. So go for a wider leg if chat is more flattering, but get the hem right and preferably pick ,t darker colour. Work the look with your chambray shirt, black cai;hrnere jumper o r a warm co.loured sweater and leopard print flats for a sleek aummn outfit.

Save with Target's every day jeans ($10) or spend with Sussan slim dark wash jeans ($90).

Something with that 'ed,,,ay' detail: So wbat is tl1is 'edgy something'? Pardon my vagr1eness, but 1 am ar a loss for using a better word! l'm referring to the 'leather and .leopard' kind of detailing. You probably have noticed plenty of fu.1Lx leather detailed tee shirrs or leggings, skins with side panels, and leopard print clutches or snakeskin trimmed bags lf you were tempted to pick up one of these l'd suggest you do, because d1at is 'edgy derailing' and ir certainly is a stylish trend this ~eason. Save with Sussan 'Olivia' leopard detail pouch ($40) or spend with M.a.i:cs 'Pebble Victoria' smaU satchel bag (St 89)

Ankle boots: This one is a pre.tty quick and easy to understand trend, and rm sure many of you have great ankle boors from previous season s that will be coming om of the closer soon. Well, yo u certainly should save be.re if you already have good boo ts, as there is reaUy no rig µt or wrong. Bur if you're looking fo r a great pair, g o for my suggestionsuede, suede and suede! J can't

The trend this season is ankle grazing, slim fit jeans in a re latively dark wash but then again, this is definitely not the 'be all and end all' ger enough of this classy material, but leather or faux leather is good enough LOO and for those of who love tbeir UGGs, bring chem on as well!

Save with therapy suede ankle boots ($50) or spend witb Country road suede ankle boots ($ 199).

Wha t canisay about Holi that hasn't already been said?

What can I say about anything really, that hasn't already been said? A little, but I shall try.

As a child, I loved Ho li. So many c r azy memories, tl1e sweet smelling gulaaf, the cool water on a warrn , SUDn) d ay and weirdly enough, the h ysterical runni ng like my life depended on id

1 remember begging random lcids at school co "please, please throw gll!aal on me!" whi le also supplying them with my owngularil and pichkari.

I'm sure a l ot of us cLid these hilarious, mental thi.ngs when we were young, but as we grow older, we mess it up. We gradually become very lazy about many thi ngs, but festivals in particular.

We feel we have 'grown- up' and therefore have grown out of these silly gam es we used co play as kids I guess a l ot of us becom e more comfo r tab le just watching the kids have a b.l ast, and make m ental notes of which corners we will have to clean, and how long it might take.

Lame, I know!

So, all my fellow 'grown- ups' out there, if you think you've outgrown the giggling over funny faces and running behind friends with a squirt gun; if you thinJ, you're too old for spending a night filling hundreds of water balloons o r jumping io a poo l filled with a rainbow o f colours; T ins ist, think again! There might just be a few more Holis left in you.

Here are the cop ten songs on m y Holi list to get you in the mood for some guloal funl

1O) Do me a favour, let's play Holi

When the sexy Akshay Kumar calls you to play Holi in the voice of Anu Malik, i s there really a choice but to say yes?

Thi s song from IV'ctqt is the perfect number to get you off your bum and start talcing HoLi fun a Little more serious ly

9) Holi song Oye hoye pyar ho gaya

Holi ,vale din /;11//et da Si!ent"er hai !ah kya, Ni main todke tadke

Lightan te chct!aan bhi km leyo

Teti go1igal utle dos kehda nmg !alJJa

Tere beli di hr,i zid

Tere_yaar di hai zid H oli !ere 11aal 111a11t11va.

Yes, those are the lyrics co yo u r ne.xt favourite Holi song.

You're welcome!

8) lkJunoon

This song fro m Zindagi 11a milegi dobt11"{J is the chemical free HoLi for the sensitive skin lcids! Hundreds of h appy strangers oo the streets armed with tomatoes io Spain celebrating a festival so close to our hearts wi tl1 just as rnucl1 m adness This song also reminds us that oo matter who we are, where we were born or what languages we speak, we're all really not that different!

7) EygoriDelh i Heights

A nother recent number that's bee n added to tbe list of happy Holl songs bas some great advice coo. Keep it fun, don't be shy and throw some colour around! After all, "Aqj k.e di11 1110.sti no pm11jil'

6) Hol i ke din dil Hali kab hai? Kah Hai holi? Kah!?

Hohohehehahaha

Yeah, no Holi list in di e past, present or future is ever going co be legit till tl1is epic musical from Sholqy is on it!

5) Ek ladki ne mujhpe

This upbeat Holi song combined with the jhintak Govinda moves takes your dancing e.xperience to another level. This one is for all the desi tap0ties out the re!

4) Holi re

This is tl1e perfect song for a boys versus girls dance off at Holi! The dashing Aami r Khan and char ming Rani Mukhrjee puJJ tliis off with maximrn11 111asti and minimum effort.

3) Lahu mu lag gaya

This song from Ram Leela .is without a doubt, one of the sexiest BoJJywood numbers ever to be made A couple in love, just a handful of g11l0t1! a n d so mucl1 magic. This one is for all. the lovers om there. Don't you dare sit tbrougb th is!

2) Rang barse

This song makes me blush, there's al most no need fo r g11la111'. Two ex-lovers s inging about their romance right under the noses of rneir currem spouses, 111ah! This song truly encapsu lates the wild abandonmem of Ho li. P l us it's the most amazing Holi number, ever!

1) Balam Pichkari

Thank you gods of divine tunes for bestowing u s with this sprightly, z ingy 11umber!

How apt for a shy and introverted Naina tO let go and have fun, just in time for Holi This song from ) eh .f01111mi Hr1i Diivani has been on all our party playlists si nce i t was released, and now we finally get to dance to it on the day of bho11g and pitckt11is

DEBBIE FERNS believes the festival of colour can be even more enticing with sweet pichkaris and savoury kanji

HoLi is one of India's most resplendent festivals that owes it origins to a variety of legends that vary fro m state to sta te. Some celebrate the onset of spring, others burn the effigy of the evi l Ho Li ka with enth usiasm; however, the one co1nmon element of the festiva.l is the joyousness and enthusias m with which it is ce lebrated. Peop le prepare for days, loading up on co lo u red powders of every hue, and children deLigh tin iilling water balloons ro bombard unsuspecting passer-byes

On the clay itself, adding to the gaiety of r.he sometimes riotous ce lebration, there are a few specia l preparations char are traditionally associated with HoLi. Like tha11dai, a cooLing drink usually made. of purified water, sugar, seeds of watermelon and muskmelon, almonds, lotus seem seeds, cashew nut, cardamom, s,imif (aniseed), rose- flower, white pepper and saffron. [cs ingredients comb ine to ensure a good deal of energy for the fun to follow. For the conservative crowd, char is!

But the more popular versi on, undoubtedly so, is when bha11g is added co this concoction. A mere spoonful of hha11g mixed with milk, ice and cream and added co thcmdai can create a delightful air of extrovertism.

Holi is synonymous w ith hbang, an essential and accepted part of the celebrations The buds and l eaves of the cannabis p lant are squashed and ground to a paste to create bhang, and when added to the thandai, it transforms into a potent, yet nutritious and refreshing drink.

Bhang can also be used in the preparation of certain sweets like hahva or added ro savoury pak,qras or vada.s. Bhang is traditionally associated w ith Lo rd Shiva, w ho has been awarded rhe honour of d iscovering the intoxicating properties of the plant.

Because it is illegal to use, possess, grow or sell cannabis in Ausrralia, people ce lebrating

HoLi here ,vill have to enjoy tl, e rather sanitised \7 ersion of tha11dai.

But Jet that not dampen yom ceJeb rations. And wbile yo u're at it, ro get into the rrue mood of the festiva~ here are a couple of recipes ro help you hit chat

I-Ioli h igh!

Kesar aur aam ki pichkari

2 very r ipe mangos

10 strands saffron

300gm ricotta cheese

2 leaves of gelatine

100ml cream

Pinch of salt

65g confectioner's sugar lO score-bought canno Li shells

Pistachio nuts, mango puree, strawberry puree for the garnish

Cut the mango inro small cubes and set aside Soak the saffron in warm cream and keep aside. Add soaked gelatine leaves i11 warm cream. Mix the ricotta cheese, s al t and confectioner's sugar together, and fo ld in the mango cubes and saffron cream. Let it sec for two bours in refrigerator

Fill the cannoli shells with the mango mixmre.

To present, d r izzle with some pureed fresh mango, strawberry and garnish with pistachio.

Carrot kanji

650gm black carrots, peeled (u se regular carrots if you cannot find b lack carrots)

2 medium beets, pee led

2I tr water

100g brown mu stard seeds, coarse ly ground

Sprigs o f mint (optional)

Cut the carrots and beers into thin sticks and b lanch in hoc wate r for two minutes. Let tl1em cool in the same water. Add grot1nd m u stard seeds and salt to caste Leave in the st1n for three to four days, until the grou n d mustard seeds rise to the top and the col our of the Li q uid turns brigh t red from its original dark mauve

For a d ash of co lour and Aavo ur, add a sprig of mint

Bod:, recipes courtesy of Ai1dy Chauhan, Sip & B i t e Cafe in Cante,-bury.

Do you remember mucking around with friends when you were little? Do you w i sh those water tights, pai nt skirmishes and mud wrangles could go on beyond childhood? Wel l , in some cultures they do, and are celebrated as traditions by some societies There are annual festivals dedicated to foo l ing around It's no joke! The order of the day is pandemonium, and people are encouraged to throw care into the air and let loose, en masse Don 't bel ieve it? Here is a list of the world's top 10 muck around festiva l s, that bring back the memories of good times!

10. Songkran (Water festival) - Thailand

Thailand celebrates New Year with the world 's largest water tight - the Songkran Water Festival. Attracting a crowd of more than 100, 000, it is a spectacle to behold. Combatants carrying water guns, water balloons and cannons patrol the streets Water is hurled freely, drenching everyone including the police. The festival promotes the symbolic purity of water to cleanse the soul on New Year. An organised public soak! Pretty cool, eh?

9. La Raimo (Grape throwing festival) - Spain

To celebrate the end of the grape harvest, Spaniards make purple rain by pelti ng each other with grapes Every year, tonnes of grapes are hau led by trucks and dumped in the midst of waiting throngs, prompting a grape throwing frenzy. The festival originated in 1930 when the people were left with l oads of bad grapes unfit for wine making. Not knowing what else to do, they started launching the surplus stock at each other and a beautiful , but messy tradition was born.

8 Cheese rolling festival - England

Rolling with the cheese is actually what this annual tumble down Cooper's Hill near Gloucester in England, really is Every year on the Spring Bank Holiday, people from all over the world gather on Cooper's Hill to kick off a tradition. A lar ge round Dou ble Gloucester cheese is rolled down the hill and people race after it. Falling, tumbling and crashing into each other to win. The first person to cross the finish line claims the grand prize - the cheese. Totally worth breaking a few bones for, don't you think?

7 Sindur jatra (Vermillion powder festival) - Nepal

In the village ofThimi near Kathmandu, people celebrate the advent of spring and the Nepalese New Year by dousing each other in orange powder The cold night turns warm as ceremonial torches are lit to welcome the spring season. Deities in wooden temple structures are carried through the streets Then the fun begins, vermilion dye is showered over the deities, friends and neighbours as a token of good wishes, honour and respect

6 La Tomatina (Tomato festival) - Spain

Held on the last Wednesday of August near Valencia in Spain, La Tomatina is the world's biggest food fight. Every year, thousands head to Spain to enjoy the tomato festival. More than one h undred metric tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes are hurled around, crushed underfoot and squished to a mush Scenes of people covered in tomato juice, wading through streets resembling rivers of to m ato puree are common

5 lvrea Carnevale (Battle of oranges) - Italy

Many centuries ago a city ty rant tried to have his way with a young girl in l vrea in Italy; instead she cut his head off and the whole town celebrated with a battle of oranges Go figure that one out! Every year since, Italians commemorate the fortunate demise of this tyrant by staging a battle of oranges Peopl e join one of the n i ne teams divided into two groups - the orange 'throwers' and the 'thrown-at'.

This is the l argest food fight in Italy, with prizes awarded for bravery and accuracy

4 Els Enfarinats (Flour and egg throwing festival) - Spain

Kicking off on April Fool's Day in lbi, Spain, this is really a massi ve flour tight, painting the who l e town white in its wake. In a unique twist, if you beat the city council w ith your barrage of flour and eggs, you win the power to make rules for a day. The ru les are implemented strictly and disobedience is punished with tines , with the proceeds going to charity

3 Boryeong (Mud festival) - South Korea

You can't get muckier than this! Held in Boryeong near Seoul in South Korea, the mud festival attracts more than a million people every year Tonnes of slimy, g rey mud is dug up from mud flats and dumped on the town beaches for revellers to wa llow in. The festival started in 1998 and features mud based activities like the human mud pyramid, mud massage courses and m u d-slinging competitions

2 Holi (Festival of colour) • Indi a

And then there i s Holi, the Indian festival of colou r. The country comes together as one big happy family to smear co lourful dyes on each other, splash colour everywhere, dance under sprinklers and have parties The atmosphere is of carefree abandon as bhang is consumed and differences are forgotten On the eve of Holi, large bonfires are lit to mark the burni ng of the demon Hol ika.

1 Moose Dropping Festival - Alaska

You must play the cards you are dealt with, and that's what t h e Alaskans do. They have dedicated a festival to their official state animal 's poop. Alaskan town Talkeetna celebrates the annual Moose Dropping Festival by l iteral ly dropping moose poop on targets from hot air ball oons. You stand to win big bucks ifthe droppings land on you. Wait ! It gets better Craftsmen sell jewellery made out of moose droppings on the day. Dung necklace and earrings anyone?

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