Fashion Police

The best part, they say, about receiving an invitation to special events is always the dressing up part. Even food comes in second, compared to fashion, especially in specialty soirees.

Have you always been called a free-spirited human being for your style and fashion statement? Then you are probably the right person to read this article. Your fashion statement is to be the most natural, making zero compromises on functionality or even comfort.

Sari has been termed as one of the most feminine garments by many of the recognised designers of our time, from Maheen Khan to Chondona Dewan, and this very garment which has been worn by our grandmothers and our mothers could have naturally lost its charm with time, especially with the Gen Z. Surprisingly, quite the opposite happened! The beautiful garb has been re-interpreted by the new generation and has been re-energised enough to make a vigorous entry into the future of fashion and last a few more lifetimes.

People get quite confused about whether they should invest in a proper coat, jacket, or blazer for the brief winter in Bangladesh. Our suggestion is: like any apparel essential, one needs to have at least one or two trendy coats hanging in their closet, otherwise a wardrobe is never complete.

It is near impossible to manage a new set of clothes every day. It is neither justifiable, workable, ecologically efficient, financially viable, nor intelligent. But then there’s social media and society’s deep-rooted judgement against misfits like a tacky outfit repeater. How do we manage both – or do we?

Here are 3 outfit suggestions from Star Lifestyle and designer Tenzing Chakma for the year 2023.

With respect to that larger-than-life lifestyle of the famous fictional character – let’s begin our New Year, and welcome it with open arms and true to our characters.

Statement silk saris promise to take you back to the ‘60s and help mimic your favourite Bollywood heroine. Decades ago, this very silk sari conjured images of eye-catching young women from elite society but today, that image has somehow faded because of the scarcity of the authentic fabric and the existence of cheaper alternatives that actually look nothing close or exclusive as its predecessors.

Dreams relating to motherhood began quite early in my life. It was mostly inspired by pregnancy photoshoots with celebrities like Brooke Shields, Kirsten Dunst, and Demi Moore. These ladies made pregnancy look like a piece of cake. With their long and thick hair resting on their shoulders, and finely manicured hands cradling their perfectly shaped bellies – everything looked handpicked, as if from a favourite fairy-tale.

A little provocative, definitely bold, and sometimes even extravagant, the backless dress or blouse, offers a clever twist to any sort of regular styling. Imagine, a lady wearing a suit and suddenly, there is a backless twist to the attire that every person would now seem more interesting than ever. Saris are beautiful on their own, the wearer often plays with the blouse to make it even more attractive than usual. One can go sleeveless, add fluffs to the blouse, put on interesting necklines, or even go backless.

Some have taken a similar stance when it comes to fashion. The Chakma, Marma, Garo, Santal and others have their own traditional, heritage wear; many of the new generation may not feel comfortable wearing their heritage outfits and that’s where fashion designer Tenzing Chakma begs to differ.

Picture this — Jaya Ahsan in gladiator sandals, maxi skirt, a solid-colour tank top and multilayers of natural wooden beads round the neck; or maybe Azmeri Haque Badhan, in a patchwork crochet midi-dress with leather belts and hunter wellies. What are we talking about? Boho–chic fashion of course! Like many other 90s trends making a comeback, Boho is back again with a bang. So, we are ready to welcome back floral waistcoats, midi dresses, ripped jeans, cargo pants, printed scarves, fringes on everything including belts, bags and sandals.

The versatile cotton sari is her perfect monsoon companion. Simplistic down to the last thread that make a handloom sari, they exude an aura of grace in all Bengali women. The myriad variants that exist enriches our fashion repertoire and it’s safe to say that there is one cotton sari type for every shade of a woman.

Zaaya became quite popular after people watched REKKA starring the gorgeous actress Azmeri Haque Badhan. Her saris became a cult favourite after the airing of the web-series, early this year.

Like everything else, no bad situation lasts for long and as the world heals itself in its own pace, one of the most coveted fashion event of the year, the MET GALA 2021, finally took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMOA) on September 13, with the exclusive theme In America: A Lexicon of American Fashion.

“This year I am obsessed with toe rings and you would get to see a lot of it in my collection soon enough! Plus, there will be range of polas to choose from,” informed the designer.

The story of the Jamdani, however regal it maybe, has been unable to reach the height of its former glory in the 21st century. And Marzia, mostly blames a handful dishonest tradesmen for the descent in the trade.

Imagine a day when you are tired to the core after ‘back-to-back’ presentations at the office, but you also have to make it to a party after the excruciating hours, all because it’s your best friend’s bash and she is ecstatic about it.

Many sources claim that the chokers were first seen during the French Revolution. History states that females of the upper class French society used to wear ‘blood red,’ neck-hugging, jewellery almost similar to the modern day chokers as a symbol of tribute to the martyrs who had lost their lives at the guillotine. 

The same thing happened to me a week before, right when I thought I was done searching for trendy floral design posts, entered Grace by Haneef, a brand that immediately took my breath away. For a moment there I was thinking it was probably not local because of the uniqueness in the outlook (a very international vibe was being emitted).