A cup of Assam Tea

"Fashion Changes, But Style Endures" COCO CHANEL Introduction:      Avon Diamond Executive President, India, Meghali Das is from Assam, India. No need for any elaborate introduction, she is the Secretary of North East Fashion Council (FNDC), India and is known for her great aesthetics for handloom and handicraft. Her subtle yet elegant style is impactful and inspiring. Presenting her and her style... 1. What is your style?       Meghali Das: I do not follow fashion. My comfort is my style and I always go for what suits me than following a trend. 2. Your top three favorite looks?      Meghali Das:  Totally ethnic, be it mekhela chador or saree with matching Avon jewelry. I love my handbags and a very good collection.  Love to wear skirts with knee high boots in winter depends on where I am going, weather, climate, and occasion. Blue denim and white shirt. 3. Eye makeup or Lipstick or...

An Assam silk sari with zardozi work clutch       When you build a classic wardrobe, you need to pay more attention to quality than quantity. A piece that you invest in, you should be able to assemble on it, mix and match and repeat on successfully many times.       I will list the item right below... 1.       A silk Sari-Sari is the soul of any Indian wardrobe. There are plenty of saris and fashion trends also changes quite often. If you don’t want to worry about the fast-changing fashion trends, it is the perfect reason for one to go for traditional saris. In this case, it is the silk sari. There are options like Assam silk, Kanchipuram, Paithani, and Panchapally to Ikkat and many more. A Chikankari sari 2.      Since you own a silk sari, you can either go for a Chiffon printed sari or Chikankari sari, Kantha work sari, Kashmiri embroidered, or one with Gujrati mirrored work is great too. 3.     ...

Bihu delicacies from my Ma's kitchen. All served in bell metal dishes. I miss home Assam every single day, perhaps around this time of the year even more for not being there. Yes, it is  Bohag Bihu  time, the spring season of Assam's most vibrant and whimsical festival.  Bihu  is the biggest and most favorite festival of Assam. Another name of Bohag Bihu is  Rongali Bihu , Rongali means color, the color of food, culture, tradition, and love and assamese hospitality. I feel nostalgic; the nostalgia transports me directly to Assam, probably 20 years back Assam, where I spent my childhood and adulthood during the early 80s to early 2000.          Me and my daughter, dressed for Bihu last year Kapau  Phool(Foxtail orchid)       A few days before Bihu our whole neighborhood became fragranced whether it's Tilor ladu(Sesame balls) or Pitha(Rice cake). New leaves grow on the tree, Kapau Phool(Foxtail...

My mekhela chadar memoir is vivid and vibrant. I was probably five when my paternal grandmother died. But, I still remember her pristine everyday mekhela chadar look. A cotton silk crisp mekhela and a handwoven cotton chadar with a cream or ivory blouse. Her inner simplicity is reflected in her attire. On the other hand, my maternal grandmother, who carries a tea garden heritage, always wears a silk mekhela and a cotton silk chadar with a small border, typically in brown, green, or gray colors. Throughout the day, her pleats remain in the same place and position; her mekhela chadar reflects a strong woman who has stayed strong throughout her life. As I grew up, I discovered every woman's inner world with her mekhela chadar. My art teacher, who used to wear beautiful mekhela chadars with intricate embroidery, revealed her sensitive inner world to me. Back home in Assam, our domestic help, Hiramoni, wears her mekhela chadar or saree effortlessly and quickly throughout the day.  ...