Perspective
Fashion- Summer Style

Summer is back in full swing. The blazing hot sun, the hot gusts of air, the occasional bouts of rain, and the unbearable heat are all back in full swing. But don't let that deter you from your agenda. The season has changed and it's time you changed your look too.

Summer is a time to look fresh and breezy. It's also a time to tap into your comfort zone yet still manage to look flawless. Whoever said, "Looking pretty comes with a price," was so wrong. Now you can look pretty, prevent clogging your pours, and not pay a price at the same time.

The biggest obstacle in summer is fighting the heat. Wear cotton clothes and avoid long-sleeves and skin huggers. Limit yourself to light-colours because dark colours absorb sunlight. The summer look this year is a spillover from spring and so pastels and small floral prints are in order. Switch to earthen hues for the night. Let your feet breathe as well. Flip-flops and strappy sandals will give you the comfort you need without ruining your look. Match your outfits with footwear in complementary colours.

Summer is also the time to change your make-up. During the day use the least amount of make-up. Avoid putting on foundation as much as possible. Foundation will only clog your pores and leave your skin damaged. Use a skin-toned face powder if you must and limit yourself to lip-gloss and transparent mascara. Use waterproof make-up for the night. Your make-up should have hushed tones that carry on the fresh look. Dark tones will give you a half-baked look and heavy make-up will leave your skin feeling wilted.

The hardest part about bearing with the summer is smelling good. Pick sweet scents like Clinique Happy, Curve by Liz Claiborne, Issey Miyake and anything that has a whiff of spring flowers. Perfumes like Poison are totally out. Use deodorants with flowery smells as well.

This summer adopt a very willowy look. Let your hair loose in the wind. Wear outfits done in light fabrics and hues. Put on comfortable shoes and leave your face unpainted as much as possible. Treat yourself to a facial every now and then, and if you are lucky enough to be outside when it starts to rain, let your face feel the first soothing drops before your rush to open that umbrella. Summer is a time to have fun and look good without compromising your comfort zone. It's a time to start afresh so pick your own style and stick to it.
Happy styling!

By Tahiat-e-Mahboob

Event

Banglar Mela celebrates third anniversary

Banglar Mela, a very favourite name to the trendy people of Dhaka started its journey in 2002. In only three years they have become one of the most acclaimed fashion houses of the city. This May on the 28th, Banglar Mela celebrated their third anniversary amid a very colourful event.

Traditional dhulis welcomed the guests, which included well wishers, models and members of the Banglar Mela family. In the inaugural speech chairman of Banglar Mela Muhammad Lutfullahil Majid spoke about how it all started three years ago. Artist Monirul Islam was the chief guest in the occasion and Rabindra Shangeet singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bonnya was present as special guest. Bonnya in her brief speech stated, "It is the distinctive feature of Banglar Mela that attracts me most".

Every year in the anniversary they have honoured special figures for their contribution in our culture. This year Mohammad Aftabuddin a handloom worker of Araihajar, Naryanganj was respected for his contribution in creating wonders with taant. Taati Aftabuddin experimented with this amazing form of fabric.

The most glitzy part of the occasion was the fashion ramp. Models in the ramp presented prominent fabrics of each division of Bangladesh. Stylish outfits made with Muslin, jamdani, and tangail taant of Dhaka made a fine start. Barishal is famous for its gaamcha and lungi. Models in the show paraded the ramp wearing attires made of this unique colourful fabric. Khadi of the hill and plains followed gaamcha and lungi. After Khadi, Monipuri taat from Sylhet, another wonder fabric of Bengal adorned the fine looking models. Reshmi saree of Rajshahi dazzled the audience next. Display of exclusive outfits designed with the famous Jessore stitch was superb. The last segment of the fashion show titled Aftab special presented fabrics created by Aftabuddin himself. It was definitely a demonstration of fine quality fabric.

By Shahnaz Parveen

Reader's Chit

The dark illusion of light pollution

A new term in the household environment scene, light pollution does have its share in the indoor pollution of the houses and infrastructure. To put it very simply, light pollution is the light that is allowed to go where it is unwanted or rather, lighting that is not sensible, not economical, not properly regulated, too bright and wastes energy. Often referred as "light trespass", it is in fact unnecessary or excessive, or badly designed, or badly installed interior lights that interfere unreasonably with a person's enjoyment of their property. Uncontrolled, badly designed, and incorrectly aligned domestic lighting along with security lighting contributes to the amount of wasteful and intrusive light that leads to pollution.

Although in broader aspects when light pollution is perceived from astronomical point of views, there are aspects of this matter which must be considered with great importance since exposure to light pollution puts human health in risk. Night-time illumination can affect oestrogen levels in women, which in turn can increase susceptibility to breast cancer. Another theory explains that bright lights somehow restrict the brain's nocturnal production of melatonin, which is a regulator of oestrogen production. Some experts are also trying to find whether the levels of light we are exposed to through light pollution are high enough to affect our hormone production. Some also suggest that headache might be a result of too much exposure to light that is not properly installed.

Everybody dreams of a home that provides a sense of harmony and purity that fosters both the mind and the body of the occupants. The extent to which light pollution contributes to the deterioration of the indoor environment may not be considered very seriously, but this certain aspect of indoor pollution must be controlled in order to ensure a healthy home. With careful planning, installation and proper use of lighting, and by considering factors such as lamp intensity, beam angle and mounting height, light pollution can be kept to a minimum. To keep the glare of the light at minimum it is suggested to ensure the main beam angle of the light be kept below 70. It is also advised to utilise a 150W tungsten halogen lamp operated by a passive infrared detector for small-scale security and domestic lighting. Along with these, some other easy tasks to control light pollution in the indoor include correct installation and alignment of lighting equipment, switching off lights when not needed, direct light downwards where ever possible to illuminate its target, not upwards and avoid over-lighting. By practising these simple techniques one can ensure a healthy house that not only makes its occupants feel more content but also heightens the energy and enthusiasm all around that dwelling called home.

By Obaidur Rahman