Posts in category: Life Style

Some people simply can’t bring themselves to wear a watch, let alone bracelets. Maybe it’s an excuse for never being on time, a matter of habit, or a style preference. Sometimes they enjoy the feeling of bare wrists, while others are in search of something special—something that tells a story. Nothing overly flashy or extravagant—the goal is to evoke a sense of subtle, whispered elegance. As architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe famously said, and many have echoed since: “Less is more.”

Wearing just one accessory on the wrist while leaving the other bare might be the perfect way to express style with intention. And if the watch ever feels out of sync with the rest of your look—delicate and refined—don’t worry. We’ve selected a few perfect bracelet alternatives to elevate your outfit.

Maxi Bracelets and Cuffs

Wide, rigid cuffs stand out with their bold, open design—typically clasp-free and wrapping the wrist with striking visual impact. Often crafted from metals like gold, silver, or brass, they frequently feature sculptural details and are perfect worn on their own, taking the place of a watch and becoming the focal point of the look. An alternative comes in slightly less “maxi” styles: double-wrap designs that embrace the wrist and extend gracefully toward the forearm.

Francesca Babbi/ Spotlight

Szymon Brzóska/ Spotlight

The chain bracelets

Chain bracelets offer a second-skin feel thanks to their fluidity and refined elegance. They range from bold, chunky links that make a statement to slimmer, more delicate styles perfect for everyday wear. Typically crafted in gold or silver, they can also be personalised with pendants or charms, adding a uniquely personal touch.

Valentina Valdinoci/ Spotlight

Francesca Babbi/ Spotlight

Net-A-Porter – Loren Stewart

Net-A-Porter – Saint Laurent

Pearl bracelets

A pearl bracelet is a timeless accessory that effortlessly combines elegance, freshness, and personality. From classic white strands to bold, colorful maxi versions or modern silver interpretations, each style tells its own story. These pieces offer harmony, visual impact, and a contemporary twist—making them a perfect alternative to the traditional watch.

Mattia Arioli

Vincenzo Grillo/ Spotlight

Net-A-Porter – Lié Studio

The bangle bracelets

Bangle bracelets are defined by their rigid, closed, and perfectly circular shape. Often crafted from materials like metal, wood, glass, or plastic, they offer remarkable versatility. Worn alone, they create a minimalist yet refined look—perfect, for example, with an elegant evening gown. Stacked together on the wrist, they deliver a more modern, casual vibe full of personality.

Vincenzo Grillo/ Spotlight

Valentina Valdinoci/ Spotlight

Farfetch – Roxanne Assoulin

The thin and precious bracelets

Thin bracelets—such as tennis bracelets or simpler leather styles—embody effortless luxury. These delicate pieces, often crafted in gold or silver and sometimes adorned with diamonds or small stones, add a subtle touch of elegance. The tennis bracelet is an iconic example, known for its refined beauty and understated sparkle. Perfect as a watch alternative, they can be worn solo for a minimalist look or layered for a more contemporary feel.

Francesca Babbi/ Spotlight

Szymon Brzóska/ Spotlight

Mytheresa – Stone and Strand

Amazon – Louis Ciocchetti dal 1887

This article first appeared on Vogue.it.

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When passion and ideas fuse, wealth, opportunity and stability follow naturally. Taurus, whether you are a man or a woman, a feminine energy is guiding you and helping you take initiative in life—it could simply be your intuitive, creative side or a person with these qualities. The web of life is such that the more you respectfully align with it, try to observe its order, the more you see how things truly work. Abundance, family, bonds, love, kindness—all of this sets up your foundation for a secure future and life. What you wish you had as your safe space growing up is available to you now. Slowly but steadily inch your way towards it.

Cosmic tip: Your emotional wavelength determines how you manifest.

Slowly move towards your goals, making bold, passionate moves, and changing fortunes—that is you, Gem. You may have realised that the more even-paced and calm you are, the your life feels fluid and aligned. Opportunities, resolutions, relationships and everything else begin to arrive in your life when you least expect them, but when you are most ready for them. The chapter when you are a wallflower is coming to a close, a nd the one where you step into the limelight is here for you.

Cosmic tip: Freedom and accomplishment are here for you. Claim it.

You have been showered with ideas and epiphanies—perhaps even the insights that help you feel settled, brighter and more alive. However, Cancer, this period of strife that you may be reentering is here to help you not only bite through hardship but also prove your inner resolve to you. Your desires come alive, the cosmos feels like it is responding to your every thought—and here is your not-so-tiny window to craft your future right before your eyes. Your current situation is not for you to focus on; what you wish to create once you wade through this is supposed to be your core focus.

Cosmic tip: Get out of this loop not only through wishful thinking, but also through seeking emotional fulfilment.

You may have been looking forward to something, Leo, and now, where you are presently, things may feel more like eyesores and headaches than you thought they would turn out to be. Tell me, Leo, surface-level victory suffices, or do you crave something deeper and more meaningful? Emotional fulfilment is here for you, or soon will be, if you shift your focus to creative solutions and acknowledge what you already have working for you, even if it is wrapped differently.

I’d heard the buzz around anti-inflammatory foods but I’d never paid it much attention. That changed during a five-day stay at SHA’s Rebalance & Energise programme in Cancún, Mexico, where I lived out the anti-inflammatory lifestyle in full. To my surprise, I left not only with glowing skin and a calmer gut, but with a sense of how small, consistent changes to my diet could have lasting effects.

I had lived with digestive issues for years. Bloating, constipation, colitis and heartburn. At SHA, everything from my meals to my sleep and treatments was recalibrated. And it worked. I felt the difference almost immediately. As SHA’s expert nutritionist, Nelly Victoria Gutiérrez, told me, chronic low-grade inflammation often shows up in ways we miss.

“If you have symptoms such as persistent fatigue, digestive problems, joint pain, frequent allergies, mood swings, rosacea, acne, mental fog, or hormonal imbalances, it’s likely that your body is suffering from some inflammation,” she explained.

I arrived a little sceptical, but within five days, I noticed remarkable changes. My digestion felt smoother, my mood more stable, my skin clearer and my allergies noticeably better. At SHA, I learned that nutrition works best when supported by other habits too—consistent sleep, acupuncture, therapeutic massages and even certain in-clinic treatments all played a role. But the dietary shifts were the ones I took home. They’re the reason I still feel better long after I left.

The benefits of eating anti-inflammatory foods

According to Gutiérrez, eating anti-inflammatory foods help reduce chronic inflammation and improve overall health. Some of the key benefits include:

1. Better digestion and immunity
2. Hormone balance and improved metabolism
3. More energy and mental clarity
4. Calmer skin and joints
5. A more diverse gut microbiome
6. Lower risk of cardiovascular and autoimmune conditions

Reducing inflammation, she added, also supports healthy ageing by improving how cells function and lowering oxidative stress.

What to avoid on an anti-inflammatory diet

While individual plans should be personalised, some ingredients are typically left out. These include:

1. White sugar and refined flour
2. Ultra-processed snacks and packaged foods
3. Artificial sweeteners and preservatives
4. Trans fats, processed meats and conventional dairy
5. Alcohol, soft drinks and energy drinks
6. Excess caffeine and fast food

Across red carpets and couture reveals, the mood was soft edges, seamless blends and tones that spoke in the same register. Triptii Dimri’s brushed shimmer, Janhvi Kapoor’s layered pinks, and Madhuri Dixit’s mirrored tones each landed without excess. No sculpted theatrics or overstated glow, just considered choices that let skin breathe and shimmer settle like memory. Ahead, a closer look at the faces that stood out by doing less, but doing it well.

Nimrat Kaur’s beauty look echoed the romantic palette of her floral sari. Her skin was matte but never flat, with blush bringing warmth to the centre of the face. A flush of eyeshadow from the same colour family and light mascara framed the eyes without getting dramatic. The lips stayed in the same key: a mauve-tinted pink that pulled everything together.

Khushi Kapoor’s skin caught light without flashback: glass-like across the cheeks and brow, set just enough to hold. A champagne shimmer swept across her lids, lifted slightly at the outer corners with soft lashes and a flick of mascara. The brows were brushed up and barely filled. Her lips, lined with precision and glazed in a warm nude-pink, gave the whole look its shape.

Triptii Dimri’s look leaned on softness without slipping into bare-faced. Look closely and you’ll see her lids carry a bronze shimmer that catches the light, paired with mascara and brushed-up brows. The skin stays close to its natural texture, with just a trace of warmth on the cheeks. A rose-brown gloss brought the lightest pop of colour to the look. Nothing sculpted, nothing exaggerated. Everything in place.

A peachy-pink sweeps across Madhuri Dixit Nene’s lids and diffuses into a soft crease. The blush—cool pink and placed high—mirrored the eyeshadow in tone and finish. Her lashes were defined, brows filled with a light hand, and her lips carried a satin rose for a beauty look that stays in conversation with her ensemble.

Dia Mirza’s beauty look kept to a narrative. A soft brown shimmer across the lids, lashes brushed just enough to frame the eyes. Her skin stayed radiant without reflect, and the lips wore a muted rose that balanced the eyes without mirroring them. With hair pulled back and no strong lines or colour to the face, the makeup synchronised with the forest-inspired Anita Dongre outfit.

There are saris that feel inherently time-honoured, then there are some that feel unmistakably contemporary. But you can’t say the same about Madhuri Dixit Nene’s latest look that bridges the gap between the two. The sari devotee, who has worn countless saris that span the range from heavy Paithanis to gossamer chiffons, has an impeccable knack for when to uphold tradition and when to rewrite its rules. This peach creation feels like a sophisticated collision of old-world charm and playful modernity.

From the House of Masaba, Dixit Nene’s sari boasts an interplay of textiles and an ornate border featuring aari embroidery, sequin work and kiran detailing. The foundation of the six-yard is raw silk. It forms the canvas upon which whimsical motifs of palm blooms are placed, creating a tropical look instead of a traditional one. But it is the tissue pallu that steals the spotlight. Tissue, a textile born of ancient looms, commands attention for its gossamer quality and metallic sheen. Historians trace tissue’s lineage to royal ateliers, where master weavers imbued the fabric with gold and silver threads, crafting pieces reserved for coronations and courtyard ceremonies.

The base is raw silk, bordered with aari embroidery, sequin work and kiran edging. Scattered across it are palm bloom motifs, a playful departure from the more familiar floral or paisley patterns. The pallu, in crushed tissue, adds texture and shine to the ensemble. Tissue—a fabric once woven in royal ateliers with gold and silver threads—has long been prized for its gossamer finish and metallic gleam, making it a favourite for celebratory occasions.

The Bridgerton actor wore a Gaurav Gupta gown that included the designer’s signature abstract loop off-shoulder detail that enhanced the figure flattering dress. Simultaneously, the satin sky-blue puffed drape around the waist was akin to the attire of Coughlan’s character—Penelope Featherington—from the series and added an element of grandeur to the look.

Beyoncé in Manish Malhotra

In line with her Cowboy Carter–tour theme, Beyoncé’s sequinned chaps were a custom creation by designer Manish Malhotra. The sequins in her high-octane-glamour bottoms glimmered on stage while the double-horse-shoe-buckle belt added a rodeo touch to it. It would be a sin not to mention her bodysuit that was studded with 10,000 Swarovski crystals.

French Montana in Manish Malhotra

Raising the cool quotient, Moroccan American rap sensation French Montana sported a statement jacket from designer Manish Malhotra’s World Collection for his performance at the WPL final in Mumbai. The jacket was doused in silver-, grey- and black-acrylic mosaic embellishments; wide-leg black trousers and a basic black T-shirt completed the look.

Also Read:

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7 Indian jewellery designers making waves

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Cosmic tip: The floodgates are opening up for you if you allow yourself to go with the flow of the great cosmic mind.

Adjust your binoculars and look at your life once again. Sag , you may have just started off something professionally, and it may be looking up already. That contract you were waiting on, comes through, that deal you felt was unfair—either makes sense or vibrates out of your life depending on where you are at now. Have some faith and confidence in yourself, because your captivity is simply an illusion; you are free to choose the direction you like.

Cosmic tip: Learn all there is to know and then make your choice.

Your loving, patient, tenderhearted nature is one that provides real resolve in times of need Cap, And look at you—ever ready to learn and be on the go. Is it time for you to go back to school and make notes? Learn all there is to know, and then slowly, when the time is right, you will receive opportunities to apply all you have learnt and forge new paths towards security, abundance and prosperity. Darling, the very fact that you love a good challenge means you are wired to succeed.

Cosmic tip: Your dependability and resilience make you a fantastic leader in life.

A major day—a major turn of events, Aquarius . You may have been closing loops lately, and you may also have been winding things down to set new, more aligned things up. And here is the thing—you are in a wonderful space now that not only allows you to give birth to your dreams but also nurture yourself and them through the entire process of creation. You are going to be leaving the heaviness of your previous world behind, and for that, you may need to acclimate and ease into newer ways of being—ones that involve celebrating each day as if it were your first and last, with gratitude and enchantment.

Cosmic tip: Soar. Up, up, up.

You may have tried scuba diving, you may have tried jumping through hoops, you may even have tried soaring above your current landscape; however, Pisces , have you tried standing your ground yet? Have you tried anchoring your emotions and intentions so firmly that your ideas flow like rivers, creating fertile lands wherever you are? No? Then try it, please. You will not regret it.

Cosmic tip: Don’t you ever underestimate yourself ever again.

Learning to skateboard wasn’t part of the plan. A year has passed, but that blood report still unsettles me. My cholesterol had raced near the line of danger. At 24, if crossed, it could unravel a life I’d only just started to build.

I knew I had to make lifestyle changes, partly to silence the taunts from my parents, but mostly to avoid becoming another statistic in the growing number of young adults facing heart attacks. Only a fitness phase could rewrite the script for me. Like any other sensible person, I tapped my phone. In the court of Instagram wellness, the verdicts arrived quickly: bubble baths, journalling, face masks, matcha in handmade mugs and those White Lotus–style retreats promising to fix your life. All of it was made to look effortless. Each scroll revealed women who are aesthetic and soothing, like joy is just one eucalyptus pillow spray away.

Somewhere deep down, all of us (me) want to be like the wellness girl on our feed after a long day of work and dive into the curated avalanche of health and fitness routines sold to us. You want to fit into that mould.

It’s easier to stay in the shapes we’re handed than risk being the one who breaks the pattern. No wonder we’re all addicted to algorithmic sameness—there’s comfort in doing what looks right, even when it doesn’t feel right. That’s not to say the mould doesn’t work for anyone, but it left me with questions.

How do we gain wellness from trends, and more importantly, from which trend? How do we actually know what the best thing to do for our body is amidst all this noise? How do I decide what act of labourious wellness will make me feel good?

With all of this lingering dread lying next to me on my bed, I wondered what kept me so healthy as a teenager. Just a few years prior, I could breeze through the day without a hint of fatigue, fuelled by nothing more than hostel Maggi and parathas. Maybe it was just my youth, unburdened by smartphones and the office grind and filled with play.

Image courtesy of Paridhi Badgotri

While mascara and lipstick are non-negotiables for many, the true power of blush—with its lifting effect—often goes unnoticed. But how to apply blush so it can do more than add colour to the complexion? Properly placed, blush can open up the eyes, ward off signs of fatigue, and impart a natural, glowing complexion. It’s even an instant pick-me-up, perfect for mature skin and anyone wanting a fresh, rested look.

Typically, makeup artists suggest smiling during application and placing blush directly on the cheeks. This works well for those with naturally prominent cheekbones, but it may have the opposite effect for those seeking a lifted look—once the face is at rest, the blush can settle lower, subtly pulling the face downward. Instead, a lifting effect calls for placing blush higher on the face, drawing features upward. Here are three expert techniques to apply blush with a lifting effect, ensuring a rejuvenating finish while avoiding common pitfalls.

How to apply blush for a lifted look

Celebrity makeup artist Mia Hawkswell, known for her work with Pamela Anderson and Rose Byrne, shares a key tip for an instant lift: always blend blush upward. This technique is especially effective for enhancing cheekbones that need a boost in definition. To achieve this effect, start by applying blush to the highest part of the cheek, blending it up toward the temples.

This method not only highlights the cheekbones but also creates a lifted, more sculpted look. For best results, choose stick or cream blushes, which allow for precise placement and easy blending. Use a brush or beauty blender, working in an upward and outward motion to keep the face lifted and smooth, giving a fresh, wrinkle-free finish.

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The L-shaped blush

The L-shaped blush technique has gained popularity on social media for its anti-ageing benefits, offering a simple yet effective way to achieve a lifted look. By placing your fingers in an “L” shape on the cheekbone—with your index finger pointing toward the temple and your thumb resting on the cheek—you can outline the ideal area to apply powder blush for an instant lifting effect. Afghan-Canadian makeup artist Frouzan, also known as Froartistry, takes this technique further, recommending liquid blush to achieve the same sculpted, lifted result with a fresh, dewy finish.

Somewhere between a fast fashion surplus haul and a ‘Thrift Flip’ Instagram reel, the Delhi thrift market and second-hand economy is a world of contrasts. Crumpled tags are showcased as fashion statements, and every ₹80 dress comes with a sustainability hashtag and a soft, vintage-style filter. Thrifting, once a compulsion of class, rebranded itself as cool. But in Raghubir Nagar in West Delhi, thrift is stitched into the streets—old clothes flow across boundary walls, dry on roadside fences and drape over jhuggis.

Here, circular fashion isn’t a lifestyle—it’s a livelihood. It begins with migrants from Gujarat’s Devipujak community—also known as Waghri, a historically nomadic caste group that was once listed under the British-era Criminal Tribes Act. Though denotified post-Independence, stigma persists; in Gujarat, ‘Waghri’ is still used as a slur. Many in the community have long sustained themselves through the informal cloth trade, going door to door to collect old garments in exchange for utensils.

Gauri Ben, 36, is one of them—a pherewali whose marketplace is Delhi’s manicured, gated colonies. “I don’t even remember when I started,” she says. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve been doing this. We’d go on pheris with our mothers, then help them mend the clothes afterwards. This is the only work we’ve ever known.”

Photographed by Maria Cassagne

In a country where more than a million tonnes of textiles are discarded annually, the labour of women like Gauri forms an invisible infrastructure that helps households offload old clothes. “While textile waste generated from factories is easier to manage, the real challenge lies in post-consumer waste—the clothes that have already been worn,” says Ina Bahuguna, Program Manager at the Estonia-based Reverse Resources, a global platform that tracks and connects textile waste from factories to recyclers. “One of the few ways our informal systems respond to this crisis is through the labour of women who have been doing this work for generations.”

These second-hand textiles feed into Delhi’s export channels and weekly haats, sustaining a steady resale economy for the city’s poor for nearly a century. Even today, nearly 1,500 women continue to work in this informal yet organised ecosystem.

By 11am, Gauri is halfway through her route. Her day begins at utensil shops in Raghubir Nagar, where she picks up steel pots, ceramic bowls or bone china to barter for clothes. With her dupatta pulled tight and a growing bag slung over her shoulder, she moves from one stop to the next. Then, in groups, she and other pheriwalis board shared autos and head out to Delhi’s gated colonies in places like Rajouri Garden, Janakpuri, Paschim Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, among others. Gauri knows which doors to knock on: homes with a history of generous giveaways, ‘madams’ who are regulars and whom she’s built trust with, or families mid-way through a seasonal wardrobe purge.