Posts in category: Life Style

I’m a fan of a good jelly shoe, but even I wasn’t prepared for the rabbithole you tumble into when hunting for the perfect monsoon jelly shoe. What started as a quick scroll turned into, “Do I want practical? sparkly? Prada? PVC?” Jellies have range—who knew?

If you’ve ever stepped out in the rainy season wearing a pair of leather loafers, only to watch them wilt and bubble like wet cardboard, you know the heartbreak. A soggy sock inside a drenched canvas shoe is a mood-killer like no other. This is where the humble jelly steps in—waterproof, wipe-clean and oddly chic, it’s the shoe equivalent of a raincoat you actually want to wear.

Consider this your monsoon survival kit—no squeaky soles, no mouldy heels, just a selection of sandals that can handle a downpour and still look like you planned the whole outfit. You know the saying, the proof is in the pudding. In this case, it’s in the puddle. So let’s dive into 14 monsoon-ready jelly shoes that deliver on both function and fashion.

1. Melissa Farah – AD in Pink

Courtesy of the brand

A meal cooked by a lover is the ultimate way of showing they care, be it an old lady cooking chicken soup for her sickly grandson, a mum making a ham sandwich for her heartbroken daughter, or a neighbour sharing her leftover lardy cake with the lonely man next door (I doubt this last scenario has occurred since the 1950s, but I like to imagine that it does).

So, being cooked for by someone else is always a nice feeling, but being cooked for by a lover simply hits different, even if the food is bad. I fear the Netflix and chill movement means that romantic, home-cooked meals are less common. Instead of your beau slaving over a candlelit supper, your beau now scrolls through Zomato. Why would he cook when he can get 2-for-1 on pizza with a side of sticky-finger chicken wings and a volcanically large bottle of fizzy pop? All of that delicious salt and processed meat? Followed by a bangathon and some TV? I understand the appeal, I must admit.

But if, on the off chance, a lover does cook for you, you should take note of just how special it is. Likewise, if you get the opportunity to cook for them, you should savour that sweet little look of “feeling loved” it paints across their face.

When I was 18 and in my first relationship, my boyfriend made me his famous Thai chicken curry. Him being a posh suburban white lad with no experience of cooking (or eating) good Thai food, the outcome was… diabolical. Stodgy clumps of rice swam across my plate, drowning in a sea of tepid and bland “green” curry. The coconut cream was not cooked out, the heat was non-existent, the Thai basil was still in the shop he hadn’t gone to, the chicken was tough and the presentation was grotesque. But my God, this meal was heavenly. This dish was more than a plate of food, it was a symbol of his commitment, his dedication, his love for me. I gobbled up every last chunk of grey chicken, and it’s still one of the best Thai curries I’ve ever had: my stomach satiated by love, not flavour.

In my twenties, I had an affair with an older man, and after a particularly spectacular night of corporate rumpy pumpy, I woke to the smell of toast. I stumbled into the kitchen and found that he’d gone all out and prepared a full brunch spread: eggs, fruit, smoked salmon, pastries, farmers market bread and good coffee. He had this fancy contraption to make coffee, which I now know to be a cafetière. I was violently hungover, and when I saw the extensive display, it overwhelmed me. As I slept, he had gone out and sourced the ingredients, brought them home and prepared them—for me! I imagined him whisking the eggs, like a handsome Julia Child. I went to the bathroom to puke, but I did it silently so he wouldn’t know. Against the odds, I kept it all down. My stomach was hungry not for his food, but for his love.

Bleach is a shift. In tone, in texture, in how your hair behaves. It softens the colour but hardens the upkeep. Which is why post-bleach hair care becomes a different kind of ritual altogether.

Whether it’s a crisp platinum, a honeyed highlight or a careful balayage, bleach leaves behind more than just lightness. It alters the hair’s internal structure; its ability to hold moisture, withstand heat and stay intact. The gloss might still be there, but the resilience? Not always.

Which is why post-bleach hair care is about adaptation. Shifting routines, adjusting expectations and learning to work with hair that may now be drier, finer and more reactive than before.

There’s no list of miracle fixes. But for anyone learning to live with bleached hair that needs a little more care, these can help ease the process. With the right post-bleach hair routine, your mane can still be soft and resilient.

Understand the scene

Before you rebuild, you need to reassess. Bleaching hair physically alters the hair’s internal structure. It opens the cuticle, dissolves melanin in the cortex and often leaves strands porous, dry and weakened.

In British Vogue, Alexandra Brownsell, co-founder of Bleach London, notes that bleach affects the bonds within the hair that give it strength and structure. Once these are broken, hair becomes more vulnerable to breakage, dryness and long-term damage.

This isn’t surface-level wear and tear, it’s internal. Which is why repair starts from within, not just with what coats the outside.

Build the repair routine

Bleached hair doesn’t bounce back with a one-time fix. Repair is gentle, consistent care over time.
Start with bond-building. While conditioners coat and soften, bond-repair products work deeper to help restore the broken connections inside the strand. They’re not a cure-all, but they lay the groundwork for long-term strength.

Relearn how to wash your hair

Post-bleach hair care needs minimal disruption. A gentle, sulphate-free shampoo and hydrating conditioner need to be on your shelf as you focus on hydration to help maintain the health and appearance of bleached hair.

But do it less often than you would with unbleached hair. Frequent washing can strip moisture, disrupt your hair’s natural oils.

Based on the season, you may want to try ending your post-bleach hair care routine with a cold water rinse. “Washing your hair with cold water helps with closing your cuticle after the wash. This also has the added benefit of helping, along with your haircare products, to make your hair look strong and shiny, and who doesn’t want that?” celebrity hairstylist Florian Hurel told Vogue India.

Bring back the slip

Bleached hair behaves like dehydrated skin: rough, tight, dull and prone to cracks. Deeply moisturising masks can bring back the softness and smooth texture of your hair. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid to boost hydration, panthenol to improve elasticity and ceramides to strengthen the hair’s barrier and lock in moisture.

Prep before exposure

Bleached hair is more vulnerable to everyday stress—sun, salt, chlorine, even your styling routine. As NYC-based colourist Natalie Rotger told Vogue India, “Salt water and chlorine can create mineral build-up on the hair which can alter the intended tone.” To prevent that, rinse your hair with clean water before and after swimming, and use a leave-in conditioner to act as a protective buffer. Covering your hair when you’re outdoors for long periods doesn’t hurt either.

Don’t overlook the scalp

Bleach can irritate the scalp, too. Over time, this impacts hair growth, strength and lustre. Keep the scalp clean but not stripped. A weekly scalp massage with lightweight oils or serums can boost circulation and calm inflammation.

Also read:

Why a cold water rinse is the hair care tip every hairstylist swears by

Why argan oil is considered “the liquid gold” of hair care

What blonde hair taught me about myself

Cosmic tip: Ask yourself what the core things you wish to address in the short and long term, and only focus on those for a while.

You have gone deep into your learning and growth process, and here you are – emerging not only victorious, but also beginning to feel like life has begun happening for you. This wish-fulfilment stage in your life is here to stay, but you must also know how to care for it. Staying humble is first on the checklist, followed by staying enthusiastic and approaching each day as if it were your first and last, and getting out there doing your thing with like-minded folks and party invites. Leo, maintaining a fine balance between learning, sowing and reaping all with utmost humility is your game plan, okay?

Cosmic tip: Each day you get to go back to school, life’s school, where there is always something new that awaits to be unfolded.

Get your freak on! Virgo, you know you can be a crazy one, and it is time to get that bizarre, eccentric, quirky streak online. You know that moment when you are just about to jump off for your skydive experience? It’s not just adrenaline, it is the choice and willingness to give something exhilarating a shot. This is that moment in time for you. Stopo, pause, reflect, integrate and decide to jump off the cliff whenever you are ready, but make it quick if possible. You are in for the ride of your life, and hello, you know you are going to love it!

Cosmic tip: Instead of judging a book by its cover, why not read it to understand if you like it?

A sense of lack or worried vibes may have filled your life recently, Libra, and it may have pushed you to your limits. However, here you are – turning the wheel of fortune in your favour, where everything you touch is defined, meaningful and turns to instant gold – be it your work, relationships or anything else. Your persistence, hard work, faith and courage have led you to this point where things begin to sail smoothly. New support and resources come forward in unexpected ways, and your intuition? Well,l it has not spoken more clearly in a long time! What are you waiting for?

In a modern-day Pavlovian manoeuvre, I’ve conditioned myself to open Instagram the moment I sit down for breakfast. On weekends, this leads to hours fixated on my phone screen, simply scrolling the day away. At 12pm last Saturday, when I had scrolled for two hours straight and felt like I had exhausted the seemingly endless algorithm, I knew I would scream if I had to listen to yet another review of a ‘hidden café’ in Bandra. So at 12.15pm, I decided to go find it myself.

A short rickshaw ride later, I was exploring the colourful bylanes of Pali Village on foot. My phone had been firmly pushed into my pocket, but I wasn’t completely without technology; a pair of the new Ray-Ban Meta Glasses rested on the bridge of my nose. It was my first time using them, and the idea of speaking out loud, to no one in particular, was daunting. To my pleasant surprise, the smart glasses picked up my softest whispers, as long as the sentence started with ‘Hey Meta.’

Shot on Ray-Ban Meta

His vacation accessories include a black Louis Vuitton signature cap and a pair of rectangular black sunglasses with a silver metal frame.

From Vogue’s fashion desk:

“Vedang leans into a London summer with a casual yet stylish range of looks, proving the power of well-chosen separates—the foundation of any strong capsule wardrobe. It’s all about layering those versatile pieces. Think: wide-leg denim, easygoing shirts, plain tees, well-constructed yet relaxed trousers, a coat, and a timeless sweater. To elevate the look, introduce vintage caps, face-framing sunglasses, and subtle accents of jewelry. The key is to stick to a cohesive colour palette as Raina does with his neutrals (whites, beiges, blacks, and blues)—which makes mixing and matching effortless.” says Vogue India’s Associate Fashion Editor, Divya Balakrishnan.

Also Read:

Ananya Panday’s vacation wardrobe was full of playful prints

Vedang Raina opted for an edgy Balenciaga look at Vogue’s Forces of Fashion last night

Looking for cool Gen Z style inspiration? Take notes from Vedang Raina, Khushi Kapoor and more

Heat, humidity and sweat; three of makeup’s biggest enemies. Or so you might think. It doesn’t have to be that way, since nifty products and clever application techniques can help your makeup stay put through thick and thin – and that’s with a mask on, too. Here find five makeup artist-approved tips to harness when it’s hot.

#1 Prep the skin

How you tend to your skin before you apply makeup is key to enhancing the longevity of base formulas. As well as hydrating the skin, makeup artist Jamie Genevieve is a great believer in the power of primer for makeup longevity. “Use a primer that feels slightly tacky,” she recommends. Most formulas now marry stellar primer capabilities with hydrating and barrier-boosting ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

#2 Choose the right foundation

Finding the right foundation is essential if you want to wear it all day – and it’s not as difficult as you might think. Those who prefer a barely-there finish should opt for BB or CC creams, or tinted moisturisers. For those who prefer medium coverage and upwards, look for products labelled “long wear”. “A panel of people will have tested these to ensure they can perform in such a manner,” says Debbie Finnegan, MAC’s global senior artist. MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid Foundation is one such formula and promises to last for up to 24 hours on skin.

#3 Set your base

Whether you use a spray or a powder, setting your makeup is key. “If you don’t usually set your make-up, powder is great, even if you just apply it to the areas of your skin where makeup tends to move the most,” says Genevieve. “Using a light powder with a beauty blender makes the skin look airbrushed.” It’s also key to use a setting spray she says – and yes, they do work. “Setting sprays contain ingredients that form a protective veil over your makeup – you can use it as a last step in your makeup routine, or go one step further and mist between layers of makeup to help blend. The latter helps makeup stay in place all day.”

#4 Consistency is key

To heat-proof your makeup look, switch creamy consistencies for powder textures instead. “In the heat, I would recommend making the most of your eye makeup, and add a matte bronzer and powder blush as these will last the duration,” advises Webb. “Cream and gel textures may move slightly over time, so go for matte products.”

#5 Waterproof your eyes

If the heat all gets a bit much and your mascara simply won’t stay put, swap your normal mascara for a waterproof number. Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara delivers a full and fluttery finish that stays put, no matter what you throw at it.

This article first appeared on Vogue.co.uk

That fire within – when you let it explode, you recreate the big bang that reverberates into the entire cosmos, radiating your magic, will and pure intention to seed a life you hold within your heart. Aries, your intuition is guiding you – will you simply trust it now? Wait, watch, breathe, leap. Virgo, this is your mantra, and if you only focus on this, you will soon be making headway in the direction of your soul’s dreams and wishes. You may feel like the time to make your moves is around the corner. Magic surrounds you at this potent time, Libra. Bringing the unconscious to light – it may feel triggering at first, but remember that there is an opportunity in everything you encounter. When you go deep into the oceans of your heart, when you dare to face the fears and emotions that may have been buried in a seemingly bottomless pit, you may feel overwhelmed, a tad anxious and unprepared to face what comes forward next. One of your missions here on this planet may simply be to anchor a nurturance for yourself, for others; your dreams, hopes and life in general. Capricorn, pay attention to your inner ebbs and flows, listen to the rhythm of the moon, and notice how your tempo fits in with Mama Moon’s. When you really look at this, Pisces, zoom out, breathe more, and reflect on the larger picture, you will realise that this doesn’t really matter. Gain a grip and a perspective on your current situation and circumstance, apply a soft lens to it, change the lighting and perspective a little bit and perhaps you will find beauty in the roughest moments – because they are not here to toughen you up – they are here to soften you down.

Read on for what the stars have in store for you and make sure you check out your sun, moon and rising signs for the complete picture.

That fire within – when you let it explode, you recreate the big bang that reverberates into the entire cosmos, radiating your magic, will and pure intention to seed a life you hold within your heart. Aries, your intuition is guiding you – will you simply trust it now? Try listening to that inner voice and try to walk upon the path that is unfolding right in front of your eyes. Your life is shifting, and you can see it – so call in support, call in help and move things around wherever you feel necessary. Be it decluttering your drawer, your mind or your belief systems – do it now. Pay attention to your ideas – they are answered prayers.

When you engage so fully, cannonballs flying – do you realise, Aquarius, that perhaps you push forward without allowing things to happen to you? Yes, you are absolutely right – you cannot always wait for life to happen. But you must also remember that you need not always make life happen. The beauty lies in the crevices, and most often, it is in your best interests to take your power back not through brute force but through patience, awareness and a decision to hold faith in the cosmos irrespective of how much of a rush you may be in and how fast you may want results. This is your cue to remind yourself today that the cosmos is always on time, so keep going – your rewards are arriving.

Cosmic tip: Give birth to life – instead of forcing it to happen, let it unfold.

Also read:

Aries June 3, 2025

Taurus June 3, 2025

Gemini June 3, 2025

Cancer June 3, 2025

Leo June 3, 2025

Virgo June 3, 2025

Libra June 3, 2025

Scorpio June 3, 2025

Sagittarius June 3, 2025

Capricorn June 3, 2025

Pisces June 3, 2025