Posts in category: Life Style

For the launch of Thamma, Shraddha Kapoor chose the House of Masaba’s Manhattan Cocktail Sari from the Kinda Kooture collection, styled by Lakshmi Lehr. It wasn’t just the colour that caught attention, but the way the crepe moved; heavy enough to hold shape, fluid enough to sweep into a trail.

The body-skimming silhouette worked in tandem with a pallu that shimmered with one of the label’s signature motifs: the palm tree. The bustier blouse was cut with a notched neckline and packed with foliage embroidery in gold thread, dense enough to echo tapestry work. It was offset by a sheer bolero stitched with thumbholes, a detail that pushed the sari into sportier, contemporary territory.

The accessories extended the metallic accents of the ensemble: a choker in antique gold circling the collarbone, its rounded, coin-like motifs echoing historical regal jewellery with drop earrings and an assortment of bold, geometric rings. A luminous makeup look with kohl rimmed eyes, a flush of peach across the cheeks and nude lips offered a radiant counterpoint to the richness of the garment. Shraddha Kapoor’s hair styled into a long braid offered both a traditional touch and a deliberate narrative callback to her much-loved character in Stree, who belongs to the same cinematic universe as Thamma.

From Vogue’s fashion desk:

“This is a striking look, but it risks leaning costume. Pare back the gold jewellery: trade the chunky set for one delicate choker or a single bold cuff to keep the neckline clean, retain the nose ring. Swap the braid for a loose, side-parted waves. Add a pair of embroidered juttis in place of the strappy sandals to give it that full desi effect,” says Vogue India fashion associate Manglien Gangte.

Capri pants have a long history. In the ’50s and ’60s, they were a staple in the wardrobes of Audrey Hepburn and María Félix, while in the 2000s, they became a playful element for brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Blumarine, Balmain, and Emilio Pucci to experiment with. This fall, capri pants continue their legacy as the season’s surprise star, appearing in fashion capitals as a key piece in looks that are hard to ignore.

If you’ve followed the Fall-Winter 2025 trends in pants, the popularity of shorts comes as no surprise. Statement-making designs in leather, low-waisted cuts, and even transparent fabrics dominated the catwalks. Capri pants, meanwhile, offer a style statement that’s bold yet wearable—striking enough to get noticed, but subtle enough for everyday styling, especially when paired with pumps. Here’s how to wear capri pants with pumps like the fashion experts this season.

Capri pants with a suede jacket and pumps

Getty Images.

The classic style of capri pants allows them to adapt to different aesthetics, such as bohemian-inspired looks, where they pair effortlessly with flowing blouses and suede jackets with fringe. While cowboy boots are the usual choice for this style, this season, black pumps are recommended to elevate the look.

Capri pants with a turtleneck sweater and pumps

Getty Images.

Yogini Jingan, an associate manager at Nykaa, didn’t expect her skincare routine to unravel when she moved from Delhi to Mumbai. But within weeks, her cult-favourite products turned on her. Serums that felt weightless in Delhi’s dry air had become sticky and suffocating in Mumbai’s humidity. Her skincare isn’t working, and not because she changed it. “It’s like my entire shelf betrayed me,” she says, half amused, half exasperated.

This isn’t just personal inconvenience. It’s a symptom of a larger flaw in Indian beauty: the refusal to acknowledge that India isn’t one market. The same product can act like a miracle in one city and a mistake in another, depending on the climate. However, the majority of brands continue to develop with a pan-Indian perspective, overlooking the importance of microclimates in favour of mass appeal.

The problem isn’t just technical; it’s also ideological. Brands build for the idea of India, not the lived reality of its people. They prioritise scalability over specificity. Tamil skin, Assamese hair, the water hardness in Bengaluru—these aren’t outliers. They’re reflections of our reality.

“You can’t formulate for Indian skin without first defining what Indian skin actually is,” says cosmetic scientist and product innovation consultant, Lipika Hegde. For instance, in a country with such a spectrum of skin tones, actives don’t behave uniformly. Melanin-rich skin is more prone to pigmentation, while lighter tones often show redness or irritation. These biological differences directly affect how ingredients perform yet most brands don’t test for them. So when consumers feel their skincare isn’t working, it is often because formulas are borrowed from Western benchmarks and applied wholesale in India. Hegde raises a critical question: “Can Indian brands, often operating with strapped capital, invest in something this niche? ”

But what if the real opportunity lies in embracing that niche?

Some brands are starting to listen. In Coimbatore, Vilvah has grown into a ₹100 crore brand by staying rooted. Founder Kruthika Kumaran didn’t rush to go national. She focused on Tamil Nadu first, testing products across water types, rejecting trends that didn’t translate and building loyalty through relevance. Dewy sunscreen? Not a thing. “People here don’t want shine; they want something that feels fresh and clean,” she says. “We didn’t follow trends. We asked what works here.” Even now, she insists there’s untapped potential in Tamil Nadu alone.

Cosmic tip: You are entering a new phase of your soul plan—a better, more enriched one.

In what ways do you perceive the world in a distorted manner, Leo? Perhaps a little bit of thought on this could help you understand what feels authentic to you and what distortions may actually be projections that rise upward towards the light. Trust your path and know that not every red carpet is for you to walk on, and perhaps as you go along, you will have a more star-studded walkway ready for you to take on. However, for now, you simply need to say yes to the life that is being offered to you.

Cosmic tip: Dream a new world into being. You are divinely protected.

You may have spent a lot of your life feeling like you don’t really fit or that you are struggling to move beyond patterns that are binding you down. Virgo, there are many layers to your situation. Whether it is your sexuality, or your finances, or your health, or your belief system or your self-talk—remember that it all boils down to you living what your lineage, aka ancestors, thought and experienced as their truth in addition to your compounded experiences. Now, if you grew up thinking that working hard is the only way to make money, no matter the quantum of wealth you accumulate, this will be your only outlook. But your angels say that this does not need to be the case and that you hold the power in each passing moment to change this. The more you ask yourself what you want, the more you will realise that you begin attracting what you feel is right for you.

Cosmic tip: Break free from inner dialogues that keep you feeling chained.

This is fated, Libra. A lot of connections, situations and relationships in your life are not only karmically chosen, but also specifically chosen by your soul to help you work through previous and present baggage so that you evolve. And this may not necessarily be trauma or dense energy. We are talking of a wide range of experiences here—from that friend’s niece you chose to help to that little pup you fed to your immediate inner circles that you hold together and nurture, and those that nurture you back or not. And while we do not doubt that you may have gone through a lot, you are now turning over a new leaf, where you are seeing the sun shine upon your meadow, and you are also learning to bask in it. This is all happening for you, not to you.

We’re seeing record-high temperatures, which means that staying hydrated is more important than ever. After all, one third of the human body is composed of water and while we can survive a month without food, going without water is lethal after just four days.

Water is necessary for almost every function of our body—and while the “eight glasses a day” rule may be a “quasi-fact” according to Michael Hartman, PhD, there are guidelines: about 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 cups for men. If you’re not hitting these goals, you may be dehydrated, which leads to fatigue and headaches, low blood pressure, muscle cramps, skin problems and much more.

But it’s not only beverages like water that can help with hydration. Your diet can be a source of water, too. Here are 10 foods to help with your water intake—because foods that are rich in water can help fight dehydration.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers top the list of foods rich in water. Made of 96% water, cucumbers are a low-calorie, high-fibre food that is also filled with vitamin C, the antioxidants flavonoids and tannins. Additionally, a single medium-sized cucumber meets about half your daily goal for vitamin K.

Lettuce

No filler food here! This humble vegetable actually has surprising benefits. Made of 96% water, it’s also a fantastic source of fibre (the darker the colour leaf, the better for you) along with vitamins C and A to support healthy skin and eyes.

Tomatoes

Whether small or giant, from heirloom or San Marzano, this fruit provides plenty of hydration. Tomatoes contain 95% water and are filled with lycopene and beta-carotene antioxidants that help lower cancer risk, strengthen bones and preserve skin.

Radishes

Typically forgotten, the humble and simple radish has 95% water. They are also a mini superfood, fantastic for detoxifying the body, as well as filled with vitamin C and potassium to help with heart health.

Celery

Celery juice is a staple in wellness routines for a reason: The vegetable is not only made of 95% water, but it’s also packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre to help cleanse and fight inflammation in the body.

Zucchini

Steamed, baked, or raw: Zucchini is made up of 93% water, along with vitamins A, E and C, skin-beautifying antioxidants that cooking at high temperatures can neutralise.

Watermelon

It’s a summer staple for a reason. Watermelon is made up of 92% water and is also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C and magnesium.

Strawberries

A true summer treat, strawberries are incredibly thirst-quenching: 91% of their weight comes from water itself. In addition, this healthy food is a source of antioxidant lycopene, which protects the skin from UV rays, and vitamin C, which stimulates collagen.

Cantaloupe

The cantaloupe melon contains 90% water. In addition, this fragrant fruit is rich in vitamin A, which is vital, especially in summer, for healthy skin.

Peaches

This summer fruit is a combination of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, which protect against UV rays)—along with 88% water.

This article first appeared on Vogue.it

For the opening of JJ Valaya’s new store at Jio World Plaza, Malavika Mohanan chose a golden-yellow lehenga from the couturier’s Baroda set.

In the realm of Indian couture, few designers command the reverence that JJ Valaya does when it comes to the artful prints. Mohanan’s look, for instance, is a testament to his unparalleled mastery of pattern play. It is a canvas of contrasts, where florals are juxtaposed with geometrics, clashing and complementing, yet harmonising into a singular vision. “Malavika is wearing the Baroda skirt set that is crafted in dupion silk. It is paired with a stole in silk organza and dupion silk border,” says Valaya. The skirt showcases a bold collision of floral, foliage and bird motifs, while the border illustrates geometric designs. “The dupatta features our signature shifting leaves chevron in the same palette as the skirt,” he adds.

The blouse emerges as the crowning jewel of this ensemble, elevated through an intricate melange of craftsmanship techniques. “The blouse is accented with antique gold metallic embroidery along with zari, crystals, beads and resham work,” Valaya explains, referencing the painstaking detail that underpins the piece.

To offset the golden yellow canvas of the lehenga, Malavika Mohanan reached for an emerald choker from Gehna Jewellers. By choosing to forgo earrings altogether, she let the neckpiece command all the attention. For beauty, Mohanan embraced an understated yet sultry look. Her hair was pulled back into a polished ponytail, a choice that highlighted the outfit and added a contemporary edge. Her makeup followed suit, with soft smoky eyes, sculpted cheeks and a caramel nude lip. The result balanced Valaya’s maximalist detailing with streamlined styling, showing how craft-heavy couture can feel current.

Its outer celadon green façade is unmissable as you pass by the Byculla zoo. Its offerings and artefacts have been a cornerstone of Mumbai’s cultural scene since its mammoth restoration in 2008. The Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai, formerly known as the Victoria & Albert Museum, was the first building in India to be built for the purpose of a museum when its construction began in 1862. “It is a quiet, beautiful, safe space of stories,” says Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and director of the museum, and previously the convener of INTACH’s Mumbai chapter that led that restoration project. “It’s the kind of place where you can slow down, have real conversations and discover something new about the world and about each other.”

After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus for post-Covid renovations, the museum reopened to the public this January with the exhibition Cartographies of the Unseen by Reena Saini Kallat (curated by Mehta) that explored the idea of man-made borders and the manipulation of nature. This was followed by Eckart Muthesius and Manik Bagh: Pioneering Modernism in India, curated by Raffael Dedo Gadebusch of the Asian Art Museum, Berlin. The museum is soon going to host exhibitions celebrating 100 years of the Art Deco movement, along with shows by Sameer Kulavoor (this November), Archana Hande (next January) and Himali Singh Soin.

It turns out that there are a lot of us. More than I assumed. While researching for this piece, I discovered that people mute others for reasons that are even more unhinged than my own. A friend of mine mutes people if they post too many dogs, meals and/or babies. “I want to be entertained,” she reasons. It doesn’t help that, during this era of handing out our Instagram handles in the way prior generations handed out phone numbers, our feeds are now clogged with acquaintances whose content we might not even enjoy. “It’s become an A to Z of everyone I’ve ever met,” this aforementioned friend says. “But if you unfollow, it’s rude.”

Plenty of people I speak to say they’ve muted exes, ex flings and people they’ve “shagged once but built up an unhealthy resentment towards after being parred.” I haven’t done this myself, but I can understand the urge. Sometimes the reasons we mute people aren’t because we don’t like them, or even their posts, but because seeing them makes us feel a certain way. “I have muted ex partners so I don’t get tempted to think about them too much,” one person tells me, “even if we are friendly enough to still be on Instagram with each other.”

Politics came up a lot as a reason for muting: Too much politics. Politics that people don’t align with. Too many political infographics making the same points to followers who probably have the same views as them. For some, social media can feel like a powerful tool in which to have their voices heard en masse in ways they can’t in real life. For others, political posting can feel futile, performative or even jarring, “like having the news on your phone” as one person tells me. I’ve probably been guilty of the aforementioned. ‘Am I muted on Instagram for the same reason by other people?’ I wondered.

In fact, the more I thought about my own muting habits, and spoke to others about theirs (“If I feel a pang of anything I cut it out of the feed,” one person tells me. “Whether it’s a bit cringe, or something approaching envy or comparison, or just too much ‘look at me’ content”), I realise that the reasons are so arbitrary, so “on the fly”, that I’ve probably inspired a few mutes myself—if I’m lucky. Maybe you have too. “Okay, fess up, who’s muted me?!” I could post on my Stories in the unhinged tone that probably got me a few mutes in the first place. Except, those who the question is directed at wouldn’t hear me. As is their divine right.