Special

Fashion in Black & White

Black and white are two colors with eternal appeal. "Shadakalo" a boutique with showrooms in Banani and at Rifles Square has used this concept to introduce a unique range of products where the only colors in the palette are black and white. "Shadakalo" is the brainchild of Ms. Tahsina Shahin who was a student of the Charukola Institute and her interest in art and culture is of course well-reflected in the creations of the store.
Cotton saris in black and white have a timeless appeal and are mostly in the range of Tk. 380- Tk.1500. Taat cottons are cheaper and cost between Tk.380-Tk.700. Check out the exclusive cotton saris in the range of Tk.850-Tk.1150. They are available in block and screen prints. The hand-painted ones are truly eye-catching, with traditional motifs such as fish, flower or birds. I saw one with hand painted kites, which is sure to capture any woman's imagination.

Printed "Kota" saris are also very pretty and available within the Tk. 400-Tk. 1200 range. Silk and half-silk saris are also available in block and screen prints. Good old Jamdanis form an integral part of the saree collection and prices range from Tk.1700- Tk.7800. Half silks are available in delicate screen paint motifs and they are in the price bracket of Tk.650-Tk 2000. Full silks vary between Tk.1600-Tk.2500. Have a look at the white ones with white designs...they look very elegant. Georgette katans in black and silver look arresting and will cost you around Tk2800-Tk3500.

"Shadakalo" is known for its fatuas amongst the teenagers
and young people. The variety is impressive and fatuas are available in nakshi kantha, blocs, embroidery, screen prints and appliqués. The designs are also striking and are a fusion of the traditional and the modern. There are a lot of them with asymmetrical motifs, which the teenagers seem to like. The prices are mostly in the bracket of Tk. 380-Tk.700. Hand painted and spray painted tops are available between Tk.220-Tk.520. Teenagers also love the dividers with block prints and they are between Tk.280-Tk.350.

The dupatta collection is appealing and you can get delicate muslin dupattas in black, grey and white. Pakistani georgette dupattas with Gujrati work look awesome and will be worth the Tk.650 that you are going to pay for it.

The most popular Eid gift for men is punjabis and you can pick them right here in Shadakalo. Punjabis are available in blocks, embroidery and screen prints and with unusual motifs, I would say that the designs are striking. American laser georgette is an exclusive design in punjabi and costs Tk.1680 (only found in the Rifles Square showroom). Pyjamas can also be bought separately and are available in different styles such as churidar, aligarh etc. The prices of punjabis are very reasonable, between Tk.380-Tk2500.

The shalwar kameez and three-piece collection, though more limited than the rich saree collection, has artistic designs in screen and spray paints. They are in the range of Tk. 900-Tk. 3000.

The jewellery collection is interesting and they can be worn both with traditional wear as well as with fatuas and western wear. They are mostly of clay and of course black and white in colour. The sets of earrings and necklaces in cement are worth mentioning and they can give you an ethnic look when co-ordinated with the right outfits. Black clay beaded bracelets can also be used with various types of outfits. Necklaces with geometrical shapes are available at Tk.95.

Shadakalo is a collection full of panache and can help you make an alternative fashion statement. Its charm is artistic, traditional and it epitomises the modern deshi man or woman.

Address of the Banani Showroom: House-66, Road-10, Block-D, Banani.

Address of the Rifles Square Showroom: 35, Rifles Square, 4th Floor, Road-02, Dhanmondi.

By Malina Islam Halim

Shop talk

Picnic Preparation
Winter is scrabbling into our life. And it's the perfect time to go out with your friends and family to a wonderful location for a delightful picnic. If children are to accompany the adults then special foodstuff have to be carried to serve up for these kids. Carry bags of chips like Pringles and Uncle Chipps (available at Tk.25) with you. Local food producers like Bombay Sweets have been making tasty chips for the kids too. You can also opt for our very own Slanty or crispy Korntos to add to your food variety. Most of the local potato chips are available within Tk.7 to Tk.8.

Mini Snickers
Check out supermarkets like PQS for packets of mini versions of gustatory chocolates like Snickers and Mars. Instead of buying the big bars, go for the little ones. These chocolate packs are available in two different sizes. For instance, you can buy a smaller packet of Snickers miniatures for Tk.140. So, on your kid's next birthday, surprise his/her friends with these yummy candies. The children will surely love them.

St. Ives' Invigorating Scrub
With pollution swallowing us up everyday, there is indeed a need for cleansing our face with a high quality scrub. St. Ives' Apricot scrubs are available in most of the general stores and the superstores of Dhaka. There are a wide variety of these scrubs. While some are suitable for normal skin, there are others manufactured specially for sensitive skin. So you won't have a hard time finding a tube matching your skin type. These scrubs contain more than 90% naturally derived ingredients and thus ensure great and safe exfoliation of dull and dead cells of your skin. Prices of these tubes will vary from Tk.215 to Tk.260.

For Coloured Hair…
Those of us who have dyed our hair in majestic shades to keep pace with changing fashion trends; it's in fact mandatory to take extra care of hair and its new look. Garnier has introduced nourishing conditioner with natural extracts of Fig and Rose oil to promise nutrition and radiance for coloured hair. The rich and creamy formula of Garnier guarantees to protect coloured hair intensely and keep hair colour intact for longer. Each 200ml bottle is available for around Tk.145 at general stores like Mother's Choice, Priyo, Almas etc.

Greeting Cards
Made from recycled paper, these cards available at Jatra are eye-catching. With elephants, women, fish etc painted on top these cards reflect creativity of the designer and are available at Tk.30 only. Since nothing is inscribed inside, you can use these paper cards for multi purposes.

Moisturizing Lotion
With winter extending its chilly hands towards us, it's high time we start taking special care of our skin. Clean & Clear's skin balancing moisturizer could be a fine choice for you in this cold season. This oil-free lotion balances skin moisture, and promises to keep skin blemish free. In this winter, a bottle of this Johnson and Johnson's lotion would come truly handy. Each 125g bottle is available at Tk.80 in most of the general and superstores of Dhaka.

Fa Freshness Control
Fighting body odour has been modern human being's prime aim for quite a long time. With Fa becoming a renowned brand in the world of deodorants, this hardy problem has resolved to a great extent. Fa Deo roll-on is available in a number of sweet-smelling fragrances and colors in almost all the superstores of the capital. Try their Green Tea antiperspirant that has a superb smell and promises to keep you fresh and odour-free for 24 hours a day.

By Wara Karim

 

 

Essentials

Be alert or else…
Other than paying three times extra money for the tickets, homebound commuters will face many other problems in the bus stations, rail stations, and launch terminals. Dalals will be around prowling, pickpockets busy making money out of someone else's pocket, porters will try to snatch the luggage, not to mention the people whose livelihood is based on snatching. Police protection is usually increased during this time of the year, not that it brings about any effective changes to the situation. Therefore, the responsibility lies on the commuters themselves to escape any unwanted happenings. On the day of the journey, be extra cautious in and around these places. Trust no one. Try to travel in a group. Keep money in a safe place, out of the reach of pickpockets. Do not leave your luggage even for a minute. Your alertness will save you from any mishaps.

Safer highway
Accidents are very common during the Eid rush with so many people travelling outside Dhaka. Highway robbers also enjoy this time of the year as they earn more. Police patrol should be increased to check speed limits. Usually patrol police just stay at one point to check buses. This method should be changed and forces should be mobile on the highway all through their duty hour.

Fools should have learned by now
There is a popular quote that "fools never learn". Recent occurrence of launch disaster proves this to be true. Hundreds of people died this year; still the average scenario at Shadarghat is one of overcrowded launches. To the people of south Shadarghat, a launch journey is a very popular choice. Like all the previous years, they will cram the launches up to the rooftops when going home to join their family for Eid. The death toll this year was too high. The concerned authorities should make sure that the fools learn. Launches carrying passengers more than its capacity should be punished and not be allowed to leave the jetty. Newspaper reports say unfit launches are still plying. When are we going to see stern action regarding this?

Share the joy
What is Eid actually about? It is certainly not just about eating, shopping and trendy fashion. In our society, that is in fact all we do. We tend to forget that Eid is about sharing the joy with everyone. In this Eid, share the joy with your family, friends, neighbours, and the poor and helpless. From the LS Desk we wish our readers Eid Mubarak.

By Shahnaz Parveen