Many Indian men when they hit their late 30s, dye their hair jet-black if they spot any grey locks in their hair. While life happens to you and some tight deadlines are met, you would have grown into a respectful and responsible gent. Well, do not go and get that time’s wear and tear hidden at a salon.

Proudly, let the world around you know that you have aged like fine wine. Carry that rare wisdom in your eyes and add some character to your face. some salt and pepper in your hair and beard can help

you look and feel effortlessly sexy. However, the look is incomplete without a carefully styled

ensemble. In the recent Lakme Fashion Week, Karan Johar made a stunning with grey spikes that

paired well with an elegant silver and black jacket. Here is a five-step styling guide that helps you

transform into a real show stopper.

 

1. Bling is out. Class is in.

While you walk into a clothing store, do not fill your cart with flashy colours or embellished

jackets. Go for deeper, classier shades. Pick deeper and warmer colours. Go for a royal

looking Navy Blue or a versatile Maroon. Beige, Sand, Mauve and Bottle Green are some

other hue suggestions.

2. Smaller prints are the right choice.

Flowers are for the missus. Go for micro checks, stripped silk scarves and elegant solid hues.

Huge prints and loud colours would ruin your wardrobe and give you a very gaudy

appearance. Make sure your wardrobe should be the right mix of charm and sophistication.

 

3. Tucking is not a great idea.

We recommend that you do not tuck in your T-shirts when on a casual weekend gateway. To

serve the purpose of both formal and casual events, go for Polos. Polos look great with an

outward tuck and give you an effortless style statement and add an agile and youthful

appeal to your personality. What’s more? They suit almost every body type.

4. Turtlenecks and roll necks are your thing.

A tight-neck tee is what you really need to pair with a smart blazer that you wear at work

today. Your greys and a tight turtleneck would give you the very cool, Michael Caine vibe.

Crew neck knit occasionally is also a great idea. In winters when you have donned that

stunning grey beard these knits are all you need to look sexier. Pep Guardiola, the famous

football coach has made an appearance in this look a lot of time. For his timeless sense of

fashion, he is also nicknamed “Don Perfecto” at the Barcelona academy.

5. Never forget a wrist watch.

Wrist watches are an accessory that add an extra insulation to your ensemble. Wide leather

straps are the ideal companions to your daily wardrobe. Invest into one today. It is a well-

deserved gift you must give yourself.

                                          Sarvendriyaanam Nayanam Pradhanam

-NEETI SHAKTA

The World is slowly turning into a global village and the homo sapiens of the 21^st century, spend most of their day behind a compact screen. Sources of survival, entertainment, communication and every significant part of our daily existence are dependent on these highly functional devices. However, the organs that suffer the most in the process are our precious eyes.

 

Our eyes enable us to appreciate symmetry, distinguish colours and sense dangers. According to Carl Jung the founder of Analytical Psychology, eyes are where the love begins. It is the first point of communication between objects or people you admire. It is now time that we make sure that we take a great care of these precious gifts and do our bit to restore a healthy vision on a longer run.

Maharishi Ayurveda says that all the five elements of our body should strike a balance to maintain sharp eyesight and have strikingly beautiful eyes. Each element is responsible for a smooth functioning of the eye. Prithvi (Earth) governs the muscular part of the eye and facilitate its movement. A good balance of Tejas (Fire) is responsible for the blood vessels in the eyes through which they receive oxygen and nutrients. Vayu (air) allows us to perceive colour and Apu (Water) looks after the functioning of the cornea. Sameera (Space) controls the tear ducts that help us secrete tears in the times of need.

To strike a balance of all these elements we have brought to you an intensive Ayurvedic eye care regime that helps you develop clearer vision and prettier eyes.

1. Yogic Eye movements: The way your body needs regular exercise and stretching to stay in shape, your eyes also need a day to day work out. Rotate your eyes in clockwise and anti-clockwise motions and look as far as you can see. Secondly, gaze in the upward and downward direction for a few minutes. Make sure you are sitting in Sukhasana (Legs comfortably crossed with your spine, neck and head in the same line). Doing 2-3 rounds daily improves vision, strengthens the eye muscles and relaxes your mind. The ideal place to practice this is a park near your house where there are trees, greenery and a clean breathing air.
2. Washing them from time to time: There can be a lot of air borne particles in your eyes that need proper cleaning. Oil, mucus and dead skin cells form a goopy discharge in your eyes from time to time. When you wake up you notice it often. Rishi Chaarak says that cleaning of your eye at least thrice a day is an essential part of your personal hygiene. Splash your eyes with regular water and avoid contact with soap or harsh chemicals. Your eyes are a relatively sensitive organ and can get easily irritated when cleaned with any kind of sulphates and parabens.
3. Netra Tarpanam : Netra Tarpanam literally translates to nourishment of the eye. Traditionally, medicated oils or ghee are kneaded with flour and donut like structure is placed around the eye. You can use cotton soaked in milk or rosewater overnight. If you are a side sleeper, make sure you are wearing an eye patch and the cottons comfortably placed in them.
4. Anjana : Anjana or regular application of Kohl is considered as an important eye care regime in Ayurveda. It purifies vision and serves as an antiseptic for eye related diseases. It also generates a cooling effect to the eye.
5. Diet and Sufficient Sleep: Vitamin-E, green leafy vegetables and pulses are the foods that provide the eyes the nutrition they need to function smoothly. Apart from that the most important aspect is a daily 8-hour sleep. Make sure that you put yourself to bed by 10 every night and wake yourself up by 6 AM. A regularised sleeping schedule would help your eyes look fresh, healthy and gorgeous.

A lot of un-conventional careers such as blogging, photography, social media influencing, Radio jockeying etc are becoming really popular these days. A suited look at these cool, liberating workspaces is a big no. More than being well-dressed being into your element comfortably and loving what you do is important. However, along with a good sense of personal hygiene a simple yet elegant sense of dressing is essential to your confidence. The world of smart casuals does seem a little confusing to a lot of men and women out there.

Here is a guide that helps you pick the perfect smart casual look when you are heading out for the interview of your dream job or a daily stylish entry at the workplace you love.

 

1. When in Doubt, Stay Closer to Smart than Casual

One of the main problems with smart casual is that you might want to take liberty and end up leaving for work in shorts and slippers. Make sure your outfit leans more towards smart than casual. For example you want to go with a Chino then pair it with a smart printed collared shirt instead of a loose, sloppy polo. For shoes pick brogues, oxfords or sneakers. Their mid-formal appeal is all you need to enhance your ensemble.

2. Simplicity is the key.

You might lay your hands on some really bright and bold colors if you are a morning person. However, they do not really look professional in a lot of cases. Go with subtler options like a denim shirt or a solid printed shirt. Keep colors and patterns simple. If you still feel like lighting it up a bit, you can wear some colorful accessory like a scarf tie or a funky wrist band.  They would look great and not ruin the balance of your smart casual ensemble.

 

 

3. Choose Good Quality

Even if you have selected the perfect smart casual pieces in terms of style, make sure that the material is of a good quality. A bad quality of material will also give you an improper fit. They might also shrink and fade after the first few washes. Investing into materials and pieces that fit well and look great is always a smart monetary choice.

4. Checkered Prints are the best.

Checkered prints are smart, subtle and elegant. You can go for bolder check prints. It is not necessary that you have to pick micro checks and make it a more formal affair. Make sure that there is some color and contrast and you do not go ahead with the monotonous blue, white and grey. Instead of the fuddy-duddy trousers, pick chinos to pair with them.

 

The smart casual attire is only about making a few conscious wardrobe changes and adding a cooler and a more relaxed vibe to your ensemble. You can keep your sleeves folded and also roll up the ends of your chinos. Remember that causal does not stand for crumpled. Iron them and make sure they are nicely washed and crisp. Belts, sleek wrist watches and hats are an effortlessly fashionable style statement and you can always don them as accessories while you are heading out to your much loved workplace.

Your wardrobe must be a careful collection of clothes that you have invested into after some real hard work. The life of those shirts can be extended if you take better care of them. Clothes can surely last you for a long time as they are crafted out of fine fabrics and touched with long lasting colors. However, there are a few steps you need to take on your end, to last your bundle of attires and save more money.

 

1. Getting the most wear out of any dress shirt begins with buying the right quality of fabric.
2. Post that you need to practice careful washing and ironing practices that would help your outfits last longer. You might want to give them away at the dry cleaner’s where they take expert care of your outfits. Although that would burn a hole in your pocket and taking better care of your clothes is easy, domestic and affordable.
3. Start with reading the label. At any store you would find the fabric details of every outfit and a specific care tip is mentioned. Do follow them from time to time. There is one common mistake that people make. When a tag reads, “Dry Clean,” it indicates that dry cleaning is not the only method but one of the methods you can follow to keep the color and fabric smoothness intact. “Dry Clean Only” is specified wherever it is necessary.
4. Read all the other drying and washing instructions that are prescribed on the attire before you begin that round of dry cleaning.
5. Adapt gentle washing techniques for washable clothes, especially your work wear shirts. Make sure that you invest in a good fabric conditioner and a delicate laundry detergent. That would minimize all the wear and tear and all the clothes would last as long as you want them to.
6. Prefer cold water when you are giving your clothes a gentle cycle in the machine. That is easy on the fabric and effective too. Shirts that are line dried are free of bacteria, sogginess and bright. However in case of dark clothes prefer indoor drying to keep their color intact.
7. Do not tumble dry when the tag asks you not to. If you can tumble dry then make sure that you are maintaining a proper temperature. Avoiding really hot temperatures is always the best for your clothes.
8. Knowing how to iron properly is also an important aspect. Set your iron according to the instructions prescribed on the attire’s care label.

Make sure that you have given extra attention to the collar and sleeves of your shirt and iron them with great care. Keep the iron moving at all times to avoid the scorching of the fabric