When it comes to accessorizing that special outfit, the scarf is the one item you want to have in your wardrobe. The scarf is the perfect accessory as it can add pizzaz to any outfit from the perfect little black dress to a business suit or your favorite T-shirt and jeans outfit. The scarf can add a sensational look making even the plainest outfit into a fabulous fashion hit. You should try to have a variety of scarves such as the pashmina, cashmere, fleece, silk and the scarf belt, then you will be ready for any occasion.

Red, beige-gold and pale bronze are the perfect colors for this festive season.

So you’ve got yourself a great outfit, the right jewellery and even the perfect pair of shoes. All you need now, then, is the face to go with it. Makeup, just like apparel, needs to be suitable for the occasion. Makeup that may seem perfect at work may be too understated for a festive occasion or a wedding. And considering that people tend to favor traditional outfits for weddings and festive occasions, the makeup needs to be a little more dramatic to accentuate and complement the whole look.

With highlighting your hair can look brighter and glossier. However, salt and pepper combinations (contrasting mix of dark and light shades) should be avoided as they are unnatural and old-fashioned, and can be misread as dark hair turning Grey.

Although perfect highlighting requires to be handled by professionals, some wonderful effects can also be created with homemade treatments. Like finger painting and streaking can be used quite easily.

Finger Painting

Few, dare to be different. Especially, in an extremely conservative society. Even fewer, find acclaim in doing so. She’s one of them. Nabila. Rebellious and revolutionary. Known for defying conventions, Nabila’s ventured into uncharted terrain and walked her way to victory as Pakistan’s top hair stylist and make-up artist. Today, she’s a name well-regarded in the international fashion scene for her unique work.

For a person whose made her mark in the make-up business over an impressive 20 years, Nabila comes across as rather soft-spoken and unassuming. Pride is a thing that’s not on her palette. A rare virtue in the world of high-fashion, where people wear ego on their sleeve. She allows her work to speak for her. Work that’s visionary, and challenges all that’s in vogue. An attitude, that’s way ahead of times.

Marriages feature as the most important event in a person’s life in practically all civilized cultures, since time long gone by. In our part of the world, especially, wedding ceremonies have always tended to be elaborate affairs spreading over quite a few days and involving at least three to four formal occasions. Regardless of whether a person can afford to indulge in the festivities and celebrations associated with marriages, the prime concern has invariably been to put up the best show possible. But, when one compares the finest of those of yesteryear, one finds that they are far removed from anything witnessed before in terms of conceptualization and execution, and, although admittedly, such weddings are confined to the moneyed classes. The trend is fast catching on so that even middle-income groups are now coming up with economical ways of introducing imaginative touches to wedding festivities.

Hard-work, dedication and focus is Tahseen Tasneem’s motto, an upcoming stylist from Karachi and a former air hostess with the national flag carrier. She ventured into the beauty business about a year back and has never looked back since. “I joined PIA in 1987

As an air hostess and worked in that capacity for 15 years. But the time came when I wanted to do something more in sync with my family life and having undertaken a number of courses in styling, I decided to open up a salon on Zamzama Boulevard and called it Dazzles. As is usually the case, initially people didn’t know about my work and they had certain reservations about working with me. However, the people I did work with spread my name by word of mouth. Over the past one year, I have worked very hard with the aim to make a name in this field,” says Tahseen.

‘My age is an asset. I feel great when people come up to me and say I don’t look 30. What is there to hide? I’m so against cosmetic surgery to make one look younger. I want people to know I’m a real person’.

She shocked the world with her first shoot 12 years ago. Here was a 5-foot-10 inch dusky girl with long, curly locks posing in a mini-skirt and knee high boots - a far cry from the petite, fair, straight-haired models that were the icons of beauty then. Iraj changed the rules. She had spunk, not sweetness, style, incentive and a whole lot of attitude. And now, with more than a decade of hard work behind her, she rules the roost as one of the top three supermodels in Pakistan

Short hair shows you are a woman on the move – cool, confident, in control, and too busy to spend hours fussing with your hair. A dramatic cut shows that you are happy to take new challenges.

Five great things about short hair.

1. Short hair is sexy. It allows a man to see you and your personality.

2. Well-cut short hair emphasizes femininity, especially if you get chunky layers and softness cut into the style.

3. Your hair looks thicker and more glossy. Shorter hair looks healthier as the hair is newer than the dull, damaged ends of longer hair. It’s a good option for people with fine hair.

South Asians weddings tend to have guest lists that easily reach up to 400 or more guests, so we think its safe to assume you won’t be saying “I do” on a beach somewhere. The festivities will probably take place at a beautifully decorated venue with all the traditional touches. Why not splurge a little and go beyond the conventional route to arrive in style?

Gorgeous hair is easy … with the right tools, says beauty therapist and naturopath Nirmala Shetty

Unlike your skin your hair cannot repair itself. That’s why you need to care for it and protect it - for the state of your hair reflects your internal health. To revive your hair’s natural health and shine, follow this:

• Keep your scalp clean and cool.
• Nutrients are the key to healthy hair, but to be effective, they must reach the roots. So, whatever you use, you must learn to massage it in well, using the pads of your fingers.