Posts in category: Life Style

In the early 2000s and 2010s, the engagement ring slipped into aesthetic autopilot, with bright-white round brilliants, sugary micro-pavé bands, halo settings, and princess cuts dominating the landscape. In 2025, we have a new version of diamond-ring ubiquity: the so-called “90210 ring,” a massive oval solitaire that was replicated endlessly on TikTok until it became its own algorithm. The result is a bridal monoculture where everything feels faintly interchangeable. At the other extreme are celebrity mega-rings that are enormous yet rarely distinctive. This trend points down to 2026 being the year brides finally push back.

Classic silhouettes still prevail. The six-prong Tiffany & Co. setting introduced in 1886 continues to define the textbook image of a solitaire, and the emerald-cut diamond—worn by everyone from Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly to Beyoncé and Amal Clooney—remains iconic. Four-prong settings have emerged as the more modern option, offering a minimalist look with less visible metal and therefore more attention on the stone. But how do you escape the churn of the traditional solitaire and choose something more personal?

A new mood is forming. It is warmer and more tactile, shaped by a desire for rings that feel designed rather than AI-generated. “People are trying to align with designers whose work actually resonates with them,” says New York-based jeweler Sarah Dyne, who sees clients gravitating toward labor-intensive, crafted settings rather than polished uniformity. Frank Everett, senior vice president of jewelry at Sotheby’s, notes the same shift. “People’s preference for rings is turning towards individuality, particularly favoring antique cuts for a long time.”

While the 2000s celebrated pristine brilliance, the next wave embraces personality. Remember when Carrie Bradshaw recoiled at a pear-shaped diamond on a yellow gold band? Today, that exact softened silhouette and warm tone are not only acceptable but also aspirational. The eclectic, personal aesthetic dominating fashion and interiors has filtered into bridal jewelry. Antique textiles, artisan-made ceramics, Bode-style patchwork jackets, and the broader return to craft have shaped a generation that values irregularity over flawlessness.

Zendaya’s east-west engagement ring is rumored to be the work of Jessica McCormack.

Zendaya’s east-west engagement ring is rumored to be the work of Jessica McCormack.

Photo: Getty Images

Antique stones and vintage cuts

The rise of antique diamonds—Old Mines, Old Europeans, and elongated antique cushions—shows no sign of slowing down. These stones offer softness, warmth, and a candlelit sparkle that comes from irregularity and hand-cut proportions. Their natural asymmetry and scarcity are exactly what modern clients are searching for.

A stalemate, two minds about a situation or simply an inability to look into the heart of a challenge may be the most important thing on your agenda. And Capricorn, take a good look. You are giving so beautifully and weaving your life with your nurturing hands. You’re sharing yourself and your resources generously, but you also need to take a good look at your own needs. Learning how to receive and perhaps assessing what keeps you held up in patterns that feel burdensome and depleting, but strangely ‘productive’ and ‘rewarding’ is the key here. Get out of your default setting and hit the reset button now.

Cosmic tip: Things are not as bad as you think they are, you perhaps need to only learn how to slow down—and this may be your greatest challenge.

It’s not only the year—but also a huge cycle in your life that is coming to a close. Aquarius, expect things to move quickly from now on. To keep up with this pace, you will need your creative hat more than your linear, logical one. Take a moment to review your life, your priorities and where you are headed in life. And then slowly inch your way towards it. Instead of always being in a rush, create space for your peace and sanity to find you, from within.

Cosmic tip: Make time for those who matter, make time for those you love and amidst it all, make time for yourself too.

When you look for a romantic or any other kind of relationship, do you seek the kind that you believe is supposed to be love? Whether it  is drama, peace, balance or martyr-like behaviour? Pisces, you may be reminiscing about the days gone by and you may really wish things were different, but you hold something precious in your hands right now. This may not be the kind of love you may idealise, but it is the kind that balances you. Of course, voice your needs and wants, but also acknowledge the hidden gifts and treasures that are beautifully wrapped and ready for you.

Cosmic tip: If you can close your eyes and trust someone with your life—it is true love, be it platonic or romantic.

I used to love to leave. I’d scuttle down the street feeling like an escape artist, a mastermind who’d had her fill of fun and was getting closer and closer to bed. But these days, I wonder why I ever have to go. I know that when I stand up and abandon the empty glasses and buttered breadcrumbs on the tablecloth behind me, when I figure out whether the foggy door is push or pull, a horrible sensation is waiting. The chatter will be replaced by silence, the warmth with cold and I’ll feel a ripping up from my belly and through my chest.

It’s not in my nature to sound this dramatic and yet, I’m not lying or exaggerating, I swear. For about a year, maybe more, I’ve been experiencing what I can only call the “post-socialising blues”. I leave an event and a black hole opens within my insides; my blood roars with emptiness and I feel really, really sad. I hate it and I don’t actually understand what’s going on. Especially when up until then, I’d been having fun.

At first, I thought it only happened with friends I don’t see often: those who’ve had babies or moved away, who I love most in the whole world but only get to see once every six months. My sadness made sense then, it was the answer to the question, “When will we be together like this again?”. But then I started experiencing the sensation after meeting up with people I see regularly. If anything, people I see too much.

I wondered, at one point, whether the empty feeling was just a symptom of a bad night. Maybe I didn’t get the intimacy I craved. We spoke at a normal pace, not volleying the conversation back-and-forth breathlessly to say “and-this-and-this-and-this”. We spent way too long talking about that person we both worked with seven years ago, we didn’t crack our chests open, I didn’t get to press my fleshy heart against your fleshy heart; no wonder I felt sad. I’d just spent 2,000 bucks on roasted aubergines and you didn’t even tell me your deepest, darkest fears.

But of course, the sensation arrived even after good nights, the best nights. I considered then if it was anxiety: “Why did I say that stupid thing? Katie was definitely fake laughing! Did Sarah have as much of a good time as I did, or was she counting down the minutes until she could go home to Ben? But.” Another ‘but’, that also wasn’t it. I still experience the sadness after nights where I feel secure, loved and comfortable, when I’m among people who forgive and even love my gaffes. In fact, if anything, I experience it even more.

I’ve finally realised the feeling I feel has nothing to do with the night before it. Whether the party, restaurant meal or dinner party is good or bad, rare or common, I still feel empty afterwards. And the answer, I’m told, may lie in the “hypothalamic circuit underlying the dynamic control of social homeostasis.” In mice.

When it came time to plan their larger celebration, a wedding in New Delhi felt inevitable. As lovers of art, history and culture, they wanted the celebrations to unfold in the city that shaped Shukla.

They planned the wedding in New Delhi together with Shukla’s family. Her mother, whose background includes floral design and choreographing fashion shows, played a central role in shaping the décor and visual language. “We wanted a boutique, highly customised wedding unique to our aesthetics, family stories and culture,” they explain. “We wanted every detail to tell a story about us.”

Honouring culture, for them, began with textiles. “We quite literally traced my family’s map across India,” Shukla says. In Lucknow, her father’s home, they worked with a designer from the royal family of Awadh to revive a nearly forgotten zardozi technique. From Jaipur came leheriya and bandhani. From Kolkata, in honour of her grandmother’s Bengali roots, an heirloom kantha stole. “Each piece of handloom holds a story of the women in my family, and of the artisans who keep these crafts alive.”

Sound was equally essential. The celebrations opened on October 9 with a baithak at Bikaner House, held in honour of Shukla’s grandmother. “Ritual for us is also sonic,” she says. Hindustani classical singer Vidya Shah performed a programme dedicated to forgotten female gramophone artists, as friends and family sat together.

The next morning brought haldi by the reflection pool at The Imperial. “There was something about the morning light with the fragrance of gendha phool, mogra, sandalwood and rose water that made the ceremony feel so grounding,” Shukla says. Guests arrived early, dressed in hues of yellow. “I saw everyone who will stand by us for the rest of our lives.”

The mehendi and sangeet unfolded on October 10, moving between the family home near Lodhi Gardens and India Habitat Centre. Folk percussionists from Rajasthan, led by 13th-generation nagada maestro Nathu Lal Solanki, turned the mehendi into a participatory drum circle. The sangeet blended choreographed dances with performances from friends, Bayes himself, and Shukla’s brother Aditeya.

The Hindu rituals took place on October 11 at the family home. Shukla walked down the aisle beneath her grandmother’s 64-year-old wedding sari, held above her as a chaadar. Priests from Vrindavan filled the space with continuous chants.

If the last month felt like a blink, that was Sagittarius energy moving fast through your life. But during Capricorn season (December 21 to January 20), the pace softens and your intentions find quiet support. You’ll likely feel steadier, more persistent and unusually focused on clearing the clutter that’s been piling up. Mars in Capricorn during this period sharpens this momentum, making ambitious, well‑planned dreams feel suddenly achievable. Anyone can use this energy, but it’s especially potent when paired with gentle self‑care to prevent burnout: small rituals, realistic boundaries and a clear to‑do list will keep you moving without losing yourself. Move forward with steady action.

Capricorn

You are rising from lack and struggles. Your birth season brings answered prayers not only in the form of new opportunities but also in the form of a renewed perspective on life. You are clearing outdated beliefs and outlooks while also learning to look forward with hope and optimism in the most grounded manner. Capricorn season is teaching you boundaries, and the more effectively you learn to apply them in your life, the less resentment and frustration you will feel.

Gemini

Celebration, camaraderie, kinship, community, harmony and overflowing oneness may have filled your cup during Sagittarius season—endless party invites, real connections over coffee and hobbies that got you showing up each day may have kept your innate need for connection well stocked up. Enter Capricorn season and your goals become more tangible. Your dreams find ground and your logical, strategic hat comes on to help you chart a steadier pace of growth and expansion. A scatterbrained approach to life comes to a close and a more anchored, even-footed motion sets the ball rolling for you.

Virgo

What bound you previously now sets you free, Virgo. Capricorn season feels like home ground because being an Earth sign yourself, you thrive well in its earthy energies. Partnerships come together, networks thrive and collaborations surface out of the blue—on both personal and professional fronts. Your cosmic reminder is to nurture them all, preferably without anticipation of what will be. Your sapling will become a sturdy tree. Cosmic balance and justice are at play.

Scorpio

You are on fire. Be it your ideas, your game plan, your net‘work’ or net‘worth’, this season helps you shine bright, loud and clear. Whatever you have powered through will open doors for you. Some of you may be considering laying foundations for something that will solidify into something real and the cosmos is giving you a green signal. Go ahead now.

Aries

You are moving on from your fears and the unnecessary chatter that keeps you from reaching your potential. You are now more willing to pay attention to that silent whisper that tells you to try one more time. You are done with self-sacrificial games; you are now stepping into an acceptance of all that you really want and are worthy of. Happiness is now welcome, minus the guilt, and you will no longer remain a slave to the old norms that ruled your life.

Pisces

Your intuition is your friend this season. You can smell when the energy is off, even when no one else can. This is not a bane; it’s your superpower unfolding. Allow your inner voice to help you make your choices and wait for the events to unfold before you jump right, and you will have the cosmos perfectly orchestrate events for you. Use this heightened ability to make waves instead of crashing into them.

If dress trends have crossed your mind at all lately, chances are they’ve been occasion-driven. With the party season bringing a whirlwind of events and commitments, the spotlight shifts to standout styles—from florals and LBDs to something new every day.

Besides the celebratory moments that might call for a dress, the winter season doesn’t seem like the optimal time to invest in a new style. But there’s no harm in getting ahead: the spring/summer 2026 collections, shown in September and October, brought plenty of new takes to the fore, which will inspire the mainstream market come February.

The string of designer debuts delivered fresh visions at Chanel and Bottega Veneta (to name but a couple), positioning several dresses front and centre on the runways. Matthieu Blazy focused primarily on relaxed silhouettes and Chanel’s bouclé tweed suiting for his inaugural outing, but he also mooted several awards-season-worthy looks for his coterie of ambassadors to champion.

At Bottega Veneta, too (Blazy’s former stomping ground), Louise Trotter catered to the brand’s loyal clientele with parachute dresses that appeared effortless, thanks to the lightweight fabrication and fitted inner construction. The asymmetric shoulder straps, which peeled off models’ shoulders, added to the nonchalant overall effect.

Miuccia Prada’s dress postulations were less nonchalant by comparison, centered around the apron. “We in fashion always talk about glamour or rich people, but we have to also recognize that life is very difficult,” she told Vogue. “And to me the apron contains the real difficult life of women in history, from factories to the home.” At Miu Miu, they came in both utilitarian leather and primly-printed finishes – some of which were splayed with florals, another key dress trend of the season, seen at Chloé and Loewe – prompting Rosalind Jana to ponder “Can An Apron Be Fashion?” for British Vogue. Similarly, London designer Talia Byre explored apron dresses for spring/summer 2026.

Even if a dress requiring function is way off the cards – and you plan on living in track suits throughout January – the below dress trends are worth bookmarking for a later date.

Florals for spring

₹ 2,59,200

LOEWE – Floral twisted woven minidress

₹ 33,162

Bethea – Midi dress

₹ 9,643

MANGO – Asymmetrical floral print dress

₹ 41,468

DOEN – Gathered floral print midi dress

₹ 57,500

ME + EM – Black Satin tie maxi dress

₹ 14,456

H&M – Strappy lace dress

₹ 30,117

Réalisation Par – The Carrie

₹ 59,000

Harvey Nichols – Eden Ruffle-trimmed ace midi dress

New everyday

₹ 51,200

MATTEAU – Silk midi dress

₹ 11,685

&Other Stories – Draped maxi dress

₹ 95,772

TOVE – Babette draped crepe maxi dress

₹ 36,800

ALULA – Satin draped open-back dress

Textural medley

₹ 1,75,800

TOTEME – Petal maxi dress

₹ 42,164

MANGO – Asymmetrical dress with embroidered fringes

₹ 4,39,700

DOLCE&GABBANA – Embellished minidress

₹ 2,17,400

BODE – Epoque fringed embroidered embellished silk-crepe midi dress

Can an apron be fashion?

₹ 92,158

Black Comme des Garçons – Asymmetric Pinafore

₹ 2,77,000

Miu Miu – Silk and Wool minidress

₹ 18,070

Gramicci – Nylon Tussah convertible apron dress

₹ 4,336

M&S – Pure Cotton checked midi dress

This article first appeared on Vogue.co.uk

Also read:

Your guide to the biggest jeans trends this winter

7 shoe trends from the ’90s that are back this season

Rubber clogs, fisherman sandals and more: 5 monsoon-ready footwear trends to add to cart

You’re finding your spot in the cosmos, Aries and not only is it an ornate one, it is also one that gives you the best view you need right now. When looking at the sky, notice that rainbow and perhaps that cloud that looks like a dragon. These are cues from your guides that you are being watched over. What if life were as simple as you being you. Cancer, this is your cue to stop overcomplicating things. This is your cue to make inner peace your topmost priority. This is your cue to simply notice how every time you choose to remain buoyant, you are in a better space to pick and choose your words. You keep your power from being scattered. Some form of remembrance may feel like it is waking up within your soul, Libra. And this remembrance is lighting up your path, it is waking you up to the various possibilities and potentials life holds for you. And it most definitely is helping you rewrite your self worth. Your warrior spirit is back but not in an aggressive manner, in a more defense-against-offense manner. Your guides remind you to remain fearless because once you decide to stand your ground with the purest of intentions for all involved, you automatically become indomitable. The cosmos becomes your shield and your light becomes your armour, Virgo.

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.

You’re finding your spot in the cosmos, Aries and not only is it an ornate one, it is also one that gives you the best view you need right now. When looking at the sky, notice that rainbow and that cloud that looks like a dragon. These are cues from your guides that you are being watched over. In the next fortnight your life is about to feel a lot different, at least internally. You are likely to welcome more peace and love, even kindness in your heart. And something you have been waiting on is likely to conspire around the next full moon. Trust the signs, keep moving. You are on track.

Cosmic tip: No matter what, don’t give up now.

Burnt out, then take it slow. Taurus, you work a little differently. Take a cue from Mama Earth and understand her cycles. That is your personal cycle as well. You work in rhythms, so find your own pulse. You can be super speedy at once and completely laid back another time, and both are okay. If something or someone has made you feel bitter about yourself or anything that you are struggling with, give it to the cosmos and your guides to carry. You don’t need any more burdens in your life. You only need more love. Welcome it with open arms.

You’re finding your spot in the cosmos, Aries and not only is it an ornate one, it is also one that gives you the best view you need right now. When looking at the sky, notice that rainbow and that cloud that looks like a dragon. These are cues from your guides that you are being watched over. In the next fortnight your life is about to feel a lot different, at least internally. You are likely to welcome more peace and love, even kindness in your heart. And something you have been waiting on is likely to conspire around the next full moon. Trust the signs, keep moving. You are on track.

Cosmic tip: No matter what, don’t give up now.

Also read:

Taurus December 21, 2025

Gemini December 21, 2025

Cancer December 21, 2025

Leo December 21, 2025

Virgo December 21, 2025

Libra December 21, 2025

Scorpio December 21, 2025

Sagittarius December 21, 2025

Capricorn December 21, 2025

Aquarius December 21, 2025

Pisces December 21, 2025

Life gets busy; opportunities to slow down and consider how our daily habits might be affecting the way we think, feel and function can be rare. But for the sake of our brain health, it’s worth pausing to consider how our relationships with technology, food, exercise and sleep might be impacting us.

A 2024 study outlined 15 risk factors of cognitive decline, concluding that diabetes, traffic-related air pollution and alcohol consumption were the most harmful in relation to ageing in the brain. Each risk factor cited was modifiable, meaning that it can be mitigated over time with the right approach.

Here, lifestyle physician and former GP, Dr Aileen Alexander shares five common habits that can impact brain health and what to do instead.

1. Excessive screen time

In 2024, the Oxford University Press made “brainrot” its word of the year: a reflection of just how much time we now spend scrolling. “The challenge is that, nowadays, social media isn’t social,” Alexander says. “The quick dopamine hits that we get from social media affect our reward pathways, which makes it even more difficult for us to concentrate on slower, more meaningful tasks.”

The brain is constantly under pressure when we are “switched on” all the time. Multitasking without meaningful breaks fragments our attention spans and increases cognitive fatigue. This, according to Alexander, tires out our brains at a faster rate, due to overstimulation.

Setting personal boundaries around phone use is essential. “Personally, I turn my phone off during periods of downtime and put it away in a drawer,” Alexander shares. “I feel so much better when I implement this, compared to when I do not.”

2. An outsized workload

An intense work environment can impact our brain health, but on the flip side, not being challenged enough can also affect how well our brain works. There is, according to Alexander, a balance to strike, where the challenges we’re placed under professionally don’t become an outsized source of stress or leak into other areas of our lives.

Physiologically, chronic stress from demanding work environments can increase our levels of cortisol. “This can impair our memory, reduce our ability to manage emotions effectively and even reduce resilience,” she says. “Cortisol puts pressure on the body and high cortisol levels can also lead to overeating, weight gain, increased blood pressure and in extreme cases, heart attacks and strokes.”

Studies have shown that, in fact, we’re much more productive when we allow our bodies to rest. Alexander likes to use the analogy of Formula One race cars. “When the cars are racing around the tracks, they need to be refuelled, the human body isn’t any different.”

For optimal brain health, we need clear boundaries and breaks at work with opportunities to restore and replenish. “This can be as simple as pausing to do breathing exercises or going for a walk at lunchtime.”

3. Poor diet

Processed foods are foods that have been altered from their original state, meaning that they are often of a lower nutritional value than their initial whole food form. Ultra-processed foods offer even fewer health benefits.