Sabrina N Bhuiyan

That blind obsession with the sartorial choices of Bollywood actresses and celebrities is a thing of the past; we have, at long last, come into our own.

Blessed are we to have another beautiful month of Ramadan. Indeed, it is the most wonderful time of the year when we are in our kindest, nicest selves. And to go with that kind, pious self our faces must reflect the inner glow that is within us for the grand finale — Eid!

Jackets for summer? What an oxymoron that is! In our part of the world where summer is sweltering hot, why on earth would one need jackets, one would ask. The jackets we are suggesting are not the heavy, woollen ones meant for colder climates. Rather, easy, breezy and beautiful — summer jackets are an absolute staple for your wardrobe and beyond!

Another winter, another dozen weddings to attend. The pomp and circumstance surrounding a wedding is on steroids these days in Dhaka and you are here for it! Having secured your invitation to the most extravagant ones of the season, your outfits have been sorted, each more extravagant than the last.

In every culture around the world wedding attires are held in the highest of regards. Made from the most exquisite materials, with care and love a sari, or the bridal gown in the West is treated with utmost respect. Katan saris intended for brides are woven with gold zari or thread, rendering the garment fit for a queen!

An incredibly versatile fabric, velvet can be anything you want it to be. Velvet saris are magnificent for this season and beyond. An iconic creation, velvet saris embellished with zardozi work, crystals and cutdana work look stunning as eveningwear. Worn with a brocade blouse it’s the perfect outfit for those glittery weddings and parties.

Awards season is upon us and we are here for it! Golden Globe is the first big event of the year, with its plethora of stars, glitz and glam galore! Celebrities graced the event with their scintillating presence, delivering some truly fashionable moments. The stars showed up in fantastic outfits, setting the red carpet on fire after months and also providing cues for all things trendy for 2024!

If one fashion trend has taken the world by storm in the last couple of years, it is undoubtedly the coord! Shortened terminology for the coordinated set, this particular attire has taken the fashion world by storm. Everyone out there — from women and men to children — owns at least one set of coords and for good reason. Stylish and trendy they are a fashion-favourite and here to stay for the foreseeable future!

They have been around for the longest time but checks were never this exciting! Once relegated to office shirts and school uniforms before they were reimagined and reinvented in the best way possible, nowadays checks are anything but boring and plain.

What truly sets this season apart are the beautiful hues that imbue our lives with happiness and joy. To begin with, there’s the eternal white, pristine and pure, in a league of its own. This hue, or lack thereof, symbolises all that’s good and sacred.

With a spring in your step, you go to work, as the scarf has given your mood a much-needed boost of confidence and happiness; everyone compliments how fresh and sophisticated you look!

Jewellery for the body is perhaps our most ostentatious, obvious way of showing our love and gratitude towards our bodies! A slinky chain around the waist, an armlet on the upper arm aren’t modern style statements, but have been worn by men and women since ancient times.

The fact that there is no limit to the ways a black dress can be styled is a fact universally acknowledged.

Wherever your eyes rest these days, chances are there’s a profusion of all things Barbie — pink, pink and some more glitter! Barbiecore, an aesthetic where one embraces pink in all its glory, especially the shades largely associated with the most famous doll ever created, Barbie. Don’t mistakenly consider this as your daughter’s obsession with Barbie accoutrements.

The inglorious Bangladeshi summer is here with a drumroll, or rather, heatwaves! Call it what you will, but summers do allow us a lot of liberty in terms of fashion. One can experiment with sleeves, cuts, colours and most importantly, silhouettes. Sundresses are an eternal favourite for summer. Easy, breezy and beautiful — what’s not to like? In fact, a survey had proven that women wearing sundresses exude more confidence and appear chic and pulled together.

While ombre hair and hefty extensions are the order of the day, there used to be a time when hairstyles were considered artistic. In the ‘20s and ‘30s stylish flapper girls and fashionistas favoured bold but sculpted styles. It was the age of great change, women could vote and were slowly gaining independence, so they did not shy away from embracing new styles.

Curls have long been touted as a statement of sorts. When a woman refuses to fall into pre-existing tropes of Western beauty standards and flaunts her curls in their natural glory, she may come across as somewhat rebellious; someone who does not and will not squeeze herself thin into society’s narrow definitions of beauty. Her curls, strong and gravity-defying, is a reflection of her own self that refuses to be contained into rigid notions of femininity.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of polka dots? Minnie mouse? Or the cute frocks you wore as a little girl? Those are not wrongful associations but polka dots are trendy now and cooler than ever before. Leaving their childish past behind, polka dots are having a stylish time they so rightly deserve. Stalwart designers are embracing this print and making it their own, putting their unique spin and creating incredible designs.

In its humble six yards, the sari is steeped with centuries of history, culture, and tradition. To that end, Jamdani saris are in a league of their own. When wrapped in its gracious folds a woman can explore diverse aspects of her personality — she can be elegant, demure, attractive, practical, and more.

A shirt-style kurta, which has the collar and sleeves of a shirt but the length and cut of a traditional kurta is incredibly fashionable as well as comfortable. Pair it with tights, jeans, jeggings, or straight-cut pants; the shirt-style kurta is versatile in more ways than one. Wear it to work, to run errands, to meet friends for coffee, or later at night to dinner — this style will see you through life’s many different situations while keeping you fashionable!