Before it is in fashion....it's in VOGUE!!

As taglines go...it is pretty compelling! I have been wading through the first Indian edition of VOGUE. At 400-odd pages, it’s a chest crusher of a book.....but every fashionista worth her spine-deforming corset can be found with her nose buried between the strikingly colorful pages.

Despite my healthy interest in all things fashionable, I am not a fanatic follower of the trends. My interest is purely aesthetic……I love the splash of colour…the coming together of seemingly impossible combinations, the vibrant collages and the lovely larger-than life perfection of each and every creamy page!

And who can miss the fashionisms……words like understated chic, stunning silhouettes, minimalism, contemporary hues, LBD (little black dress for heathens like me!!) leap up with alarming regularity and prove to be new additions to my miniscule word-bank!!

However, all those decadent scenarios we have been fed over the ages.....where the heroine of a book/movie would curl up with VOGUE and lazily pop chocolate truffles into her mouth from the large candy-box next to her lounger..............Yeah......that’s akin to Harakiri!!

With size zero, flawlessly-complexioned, glowing models pouting at you from every advert.....you pretty much would want to throw the candy-box and yourself in front of the nearest speeding truck!!!

On the upside......I discovered that I was in vogue (pun intended) and wasn’t even aware of the fact!!! My daily battles with my ratty nest of hair can finally cease. Because according to the "fashion bible"... straight, rebonded or relaxed hair is finding it's way out of the salon door!!

Say hello to the Wild and unstructured look.

The “look” of the season is not merely “bed-head” but hair that looks like you were flung out of your bed and passed through a freak-tornado. In short……my hair on any given day!?! But before the rest of my frizzy friends heave a sigh of relief.....let me just say that the “natural” unkempt look is the product and result of a lot of volumising shampoos, thickening sprays, styling wax and a lotta of other icky-gooey stuff.

Ah...the vagaries of fashion...mindless and oddly compelling. Think I’ll grab a few ZZZZZs and wake up with the urban-boho look which is currently setting the ramps on FIRE!!!

All Hail the mighty Everett!!!

So once more, I sat through “My Best Friend’s Wedding”, and once again I hastily channel surfed during the uncomfortable bits (a.k.a Julia Roberts doing her vilest best to break up an established romance AND ending up with egg on her face for all her troubles!!!).

I must have seen this movie a gazillion times and yet...to date I haven’t seen it in its entirety. I am content with watching the gorgeous Julia Roberts glowing like a beacon with her flaming hair surrounding her sparky face…..the utterly scrumptious Dermott Mulroney looking like a million bucks and ofcourse, the absolutely brilliant Rupert Everett!!!

All Hail the Cheeky Gay Man!!! With the right combination of puckish charm and devlish humour he plays the supportive friend and irrepressible voice of reason with élan.

The ending left me with a sour taste in my mouth. But it was expected….count on Hollywood to give u kick in the nether regions, just when you start smelling the orange blossoms!!

Now if it were upto the ever reliable Bollywood, the ending would have been so much more gratifying.

Cameron Diaz would have had a dark and devious secret (usually involving an estranged husband and a divorce that never happened)……Dermott Mulroney would discover this shocking secret just…JUST…. before exchanging vows and would finally realize the grave mistake he was to embark upon. He would rush out of the church to a “bawling-her-eyes-out” Julia Roberts (conveniently standing in the church-yard, checking out the horticulture) and profess his undying love to her, amidst a stream of applause from the church-entourage.

Not content at that, the director would probably hitch Rupert up with Cameron’s very-sexy, very-gay male cousin (celebrity in his umpteenth guest appearance) and have them making doe-eyes at each other …….****cue for second round of applause!!!***

Everyone’s happy and teary-eyed...we have had our dose of escapism and would come out of the theater with a feeling of total “paisa-vasool”. But then if wishes were horses then beggars would ride and Julia Roberts would have ended up with the straight guy!!!

On the whole, great chick-flick....the next time it comes on the tube, I will be watching it again and rooting for Ms.Roberts all over again (scruples be damned!!!).

p.s. My favourite scene is the wedding party at the seafood restaurant….where Rupert Everett - Julia’s pretend fiancé dramatically describes the first time he ever saw Julia and was slain by her stunning beauty. He then prompltly breaks into a love-struck rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “ Say A Little Prayer”…amply supported by the rest of the dinner brigade. Cheesy but so damn funny!!!

Louis Vuitton's 2007 Print Ad

I quite liked Louis Vuitton’s new Print Ad.....featuring lazily reclined Steffi Graf & Andre Agassi. After being bombarded by an avalanche of hoardings featuring air-brushed models who haven’t had a decent conversation with calories in a long time…….this particular advert came as a welcome change.

The tagline ("Is there any greater journey than love?") is a bit trite. But the picture itself is simple and subtle. No dramatic statement. Jus' a travel-weary, much-married couple relaxing in the comfort and warmth of an anonymous hotel room.......

Heart-Whole And Stomach-Overload!!

So finally, after another colorful session of festivities and food Unltd.; I have stumbled back to my desk. I can barely move (mental note to self: invest in jeans with elasticated waist-band ---fashion police be damned!!), much less string together witty or snarky statements. So for a change, I am going to post a politically correct and religiously infused post.

The highlight of this Dassera for me was the Sarbojanin (literally meaning - "involving all") Durga Puja, held in true blue Bong-Style!!

It has all the elements of a mini-fair....an explosion of colours, complete with kitschy stalls selling everything from gorgeous Bengali Sarees to equally scrumptious Fish-fry!!! The main pandal is a pain-staking work of art. The lovely statuesque Devis with their sparkling almond-eyes, long black spiral curls and multiple hands wielding an array of weapons emanate an atmosphere of awe and splendour.

And paying respectful homage to the same is the surprisingly devout pundit.

Unlike the usual world-weary bunch of holy men (atleast the ones I have witnessed!!) who go through the proceedings with a dead-pan expression, dribbling out incoherent mantras with total detachment ……this particular pundit was a refreshing change. He performed the entire puja with single-minded veneration...eyes closed, smiling gently at the devis……and moving in perfect rhythm to the thunderous drums.

You can't help but be moved by the spectacle. Pulsating with sound, light and smoke....the effect is stupendous. Standing stock-still for over an hour, being jostled by sweaty aunties and having a toddler dribbling on my shoulder all somehow seemed worthwhile. I came away, feeling inspired and sporting a more friendlier disposition!!

And today.......the last day of Navratri, was a replay of Ganesh Chaturthi. Loads of cooking and hardwork followed by a loo-ong lunch with generous second and third helpings!! I am feeling full and content…all thoughts of calories and kilos once again relegated to the back-burner.

I don’t know how long this state of karmic bliss is going to last but till the euphoria dissipates (and I stop resembling a comatose walrus!!)…am gonna languish in it and crunch happily on another of Mukhi Taru’s sinfully rich "maa-ke-ladoos"!!!!