FASHION FEST 356

In a small town along the banks of the Narmada River, a young, queer boy found his voice twice. First, in the white spaces of poetry and later, in fighting for the rights of the queer community. Today, Aditya Tiwari is using his narrative to blur the lines between fact and fiction, working towards creating a world where hope is the driving force. As he unfolded the pages of his forthcoming book, ELLE sat down to talk with him about all things poetry, activism and growing into his own. ELLE: What drew you to poetry – an art form that you have often referred to as ‘breathing fresh air’? Aditya Tiwari (AT): As poets, we often express ourselves in very few words. Sometimes, we hide behind words and metaphors, articulating what we may not say to a friend or a family member nonchalantly. As a result, I always tell people that poetry is not open telling, rather it is oblique. Through it, one can come out and hide at the same time.  I started my poetry journey in 2017. Back in those da...

To begin with, forget everything you already know about threesomes because we are going to make it simpler for you. The knowledge that you might have gained from watching porn caters to the male gaze and good ol’ pop culture. While porn mostly portrays threesomes as a rather crass affair with people being humiliated, pop culture romanticises it with films like  Vicky Cristina Barcelona . However, who’s pushing the dialogue for a healthy threesome experience? Before we begin, we must reiterate that fantasies, no matter how wild they are, are valid and natural. Threesomes are almost always shown as this extra steamy affair between three people that happen in the spur of the moment without any communication. As someone who’s got some experience, though messy, I can say that the act isn’t all that you see or believe it to be. In a study conducted by Dr Justin Lehmiller, a sex researcher, for his book Tell Me What You Want , it was revealed that 95% of men and 85% of women...

Nine years ago, Bumble started out as a dream. Over the course of its journey, this women-first dating app has fostered safety and respect, kindled empowered connections and promoted kindness in the dating experience. Today, as an enterprise that is dedicated to encouraging inclusivity, Bumble has teamed up with experts from the LGBTQIA+ community to launch a one-of-a-kind Healthy Queer Dating Guide.  A collaborative effort, this project has been developed by Bumble in partnership with Social Media Matters , with the support of organisations like   Rangeen Khidki , Sappho for Equality and Official Humans of Queer , and in consultation with Equal Rights Activists Harish Iyer and Manak Matiyani.  Through extensive research, Bumble’s State of the Nation 2023 Report found that 69% of LGBTQIA+ respondents compared to 56% of heterosexual or straight respondents found that being nervous talking to new people caused friction for them while dating. Additionally, 40% of LGBTQIA...

All of us have been obsessing over blush these last few years, and rightfully so. This craze has led to beauty brands constantly innovating with product format, textures and shades! While we saw red blush take the Internet by storm recently, the latest one to strike is the orange blush! Orange blush seems to be a celebrity favourite too! Lately, we’ve spotted a bunch of stars sporting this colour, and let’s just say that we’re obsessed. While it may not be everyone’s first choice but shades of orange offer versatility; they work for warm and cool tones both, and suit the Indian skin tones well. Most people find it overpowering but the key to perfecting the application of this colour is getting the correct shade and formulation. If you’re not afraid of going all out, powder blush is your best bet as it offers deep pigment. However, if you want to keep it subtle with a hint of colour, then opt for a cream blush. Swipe to take a look at a few! Lori Harvey Selena Gomez ...

Varsity jackets are revelling in the spotlight, once again. What once found its roots as a symbol of status in 19th century baseball teams has now chiselled its way into the fashion closet, epitomising street-style and taking over runways, by turns. Today, these chronicles of style are rewriting history, finding their place in the creation of the past through the lens of the present, Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies (2023). So, as we trace our steps back into the all-too-familiar world of Riverdale, here are 6 fashion moguls who are bringing back a dash of old school. 1. Vedang Raina  Image via @vedangraina With wreaths of charm, Vedang Raina (otherwise, the newest Reggie Mantle on the block) is styled in a classic combination of white, yellow and blue, embodying timelessness with a modern twist. Every detail of his Riverdale-emblazoned varsity jacket whispers a story of a bygone era. Dynamic yet debonair, he pairs his attire with a white t-shirt and a pair of classic blue jeans. ...

Lip balms have come a long way from being those colourless formulas in boring twist-up tubes. As a millennial, the max I saw a lip balm break out of the clutter back in the day was when it made an appearance in those Coca-Cola, Fanta & Sprite flavoured ones that relatives would bring back from the US! Remember those?! Cut to today, where lip balms go above and beyond the realm of only flavour & fun and dealing with chapped lips. Lip balms today are serious business and address a variety of lip concerns.  No longer is it also a winter staple only. Lip balms, tinted and non-tinted, scented and unscented, are now part of daily beauty arsenals, with many of them going viral even. Cases in point are Dior’s Addict Lip Glow balm, e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Hydrating Core Lip Shine, and Maybelline’s Baby Lips among others.  We round up some of our favourites that do more than just hydrate. Take a look… Minimalist L-Ascorbic Acid 08% Lip Treatment Balm   View this...

Nail art trends are on a roll this year; blame it on the growing Instagram or TikTok trends or pop culture references. Even after spending half of our year juggling from summer neons to mermaidcore nail art, we are all once again looking for newer and different nail art to go with our mood for the season–sombre yet sultry. It’s time for coquettecore nail trend. via Tenor For someone who is new to the term, a Coquette means a flirtatious woman or someone who gains the admiration of men easily but does not have serious feelings for them; in pop culture terms, A walking Lana Del Rey fanatic. This nail art has a Bridgerton vibe like bows, pearls, and tiny sparkles with an added hint of sultriness. So, skip those bold colour gel nail paints with these 8 Coquettecore nail art designs: 1. Little Spark   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by nanami ishibashi (@73nm__nail) Add some off-white bows and tiny crystal beads for chic ...