SO CUTE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 'soft' skills you need for success

Are technical/ job-related skills enough?Technical and job-related skills are a must, but they are NOT sufficient when it comes to progressing up the ladder. With the traditional paternalistic style of leadership becoming passé, professional managers expect their teams to be proactive and communicate openly. "Soft skills are very important in business.

It is essential to be technically sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to the masses in the simplest possible manner.With the boom in outsourcing taking root across industries, many professionals and subject matter experts directly deal with their clients on a regular basis. Their approachability and people skills are what ultimately sustain the contract their employers have bagged. Planning is necessary but execution is also equally important. And it takes soft skills to execute any idea because it involves dealing with people directly.

6 soft skills for every hard-nosed professional:
Behavioural training experts say there are several soft skills are required in these circumstances. Some of them include:
i. Interpersonal skills
ii. Team spirit
iii. Social grace
iv. Business etiquette
v. Negotiation skills
vi. Behavioural traits such as attitude, motivation and time management

Do you have these? If your answer is yes, good for you.But if your answer is no, then you know it is time to approach either a training organisation or a training consultant. Will formal training enhance your soft skills?There is a lot of argument in the industry as to whether it is possible to enhance soft skills in a few hours of training, especially when one considers the fact that a person has lived with those traits all his life. To this, the answer is harsh but real -- a professional who wants to do well in his/ her career does not really have a choice. In the initial years of your career, your technical abilities are important to get good assignments. However, when it comes to growing in an organisation, it is your personality that matters, more so in large organisations where several people with similar technical expertise will compete for a promotion. Training on soft skills becomes all the more relevant in a country like India where the education system does not delve into personality development. Soft skills training is essential because we do not have it in our academic curricula. Therefore, corporate houses have to take up the task of grooming employees who are the link between the company and the external world, so that they are able to present themselves better.

Be your own trainer!
While organisations are definitely investing in augmenting their staff's people skills, here are some inputs for professionals and students who would like to initiate the process themselves:

i. Be a part of team activities.It could be either as a part of your church choir, or an NGO, or your local youth circle.Observe your own behaviour in the group and how you relate to others.

ii. Ask family members or close friends to write down your best and worst traits.Ideally, have at least four to five people do this for you. Evaluate the common traits all of them have mentioned. Thus, you can be aware of your strengths and work improving your weaknesses.

iii. How well do you manage your time?Think. Can you do more in life? Or is your day too crammed with activities? Effective time management is very essential in the corporate world.

iv. Introspect on how you react to feedback. In organisations, people skills mostly come into the picture when there is feedback given -- be it for an idea, an executed project or a presentation.You are judged by the way you respond to feedback. Do you get defensive? Do you insist you were right?Do you meekly accept criticism? Remember, people tend to be judged and stereotyped according to their responses. You will, too.

v. How good are you at critiquing? While responding to feedback is one side of the coin, giving feedback is the other side. Are you aggressive? Pessimistic? Do you believe in constructive criticism? Or prefer to be the yes-man?

vi. Live consciously
Any organisation is manned by people, therefore soft skills are all about how you deal with people and present yourself. Though it may be easier said than done, soft skills can be enhanced simply by being aware of oneself and living consciously.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 mantras to boost your professional worth

If you think the outsourcing revolution means you are destined to pick up phones forever, think again. The future of outsourcing is already here, and it's not Business Process Outsourcing(BPO), but Knowledge Process Outsourcing(KPO). In the spotlight: KPOs.............BPOs and call centres have unlocked new fields of opportunity for the young. But the newer, faster growing job wave comes from Knowledge Process Outsourcing. KPO is outsourcing work, but the requirements are more specific. The job profiles are less repetitive/ mechanical and demand specific technical knowledge that must be combined with elements such as imagination, creativity, strategy and global corporate etiquette. These jobs are mentally stimulating and tend to pay than typical BPO work. KPOs encompass sectors such as medicine, IT, law, biotechnology, education, analytics, design and animation, research and development and intelligence services.

A recent example is the fact that entire airplane navigation systems are being designed offshore in India. This is just the beginning. Research shows the KPO industry is expected to reach US$ 17 billion by 2010. The question that immediately comes to mind is: how much of the pie will India really get?The global scenario: Currently, our competition includes various nations in Eastern Europe, China and other Asian countries. According to a recent report by McKinsey & Co, only 25 percent of our engineers are 'suitable' to work in a multinational corporation. Compare this with the fact that 50 percent of the engineers in Poland and Hungary are 'suitable' for the same jobs. Our figures are even more depressing in other categories: for example, 'suitable' finance/ accounting and life science graduates are a mere 15 percentAre you 'suitable'? What makes a graduate 'suitable' to work in a world-class company? Where are we falling short?

Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with our technical skills or work ethics. The problem is language proficiency and corporate etiquette -- the soft skills required to be an 'anywhere' worker in the new global economy. Sadly, our education system fails to equip us as far as this is concerned. So, if you want to be a player in the new global economy, you must take your future -- and your training -- in your own hands; opportunities are available only to those willing to groom themselves to join the truly global workforce. How to embrace global opportunities:

Boost your worth in the global job market by paying attention to these 10 areas.

i. Ability to market yourself
This starts with how concise, well-formatted, well-versed and tailored your CVs and cover letters are. Beyond this, the ability to interview well, cold-call recruiters and follow-up are essential.

ii. Presentation
Knowing how to put together a basic Power Point presentation with relevant and structured content is vital. Additionally, any business executive should be able to deliver content quickly and powerfully while speaking to a group of his peers and superiors.

iii. English language
Speaking without grammatical mistakes is imperative. Improving language skills is difficult and time-consuming, but can be accomplished through books, classes and self-help. Read as much as you can.

iv. Interpersonal skills
Listening (not just hearing), combined with the ability to build interesting conversations, is crucial in the business world. Client interaction and networking depend heavily on how much other people enjoy speaking with you. Intonation (how much feeling and rhythm you put into your voice) and pronunciation (how well articulated your sounds are) factor heavily herev.

v.Phone etiquette
Yes, as basic as this sounds, the way you answer your phone tells a caller just how professional you really are.When at work, calls should be picked up by introducing yourself. When you call someone and reach their voice mail, leave an organised message detailing why you called, your name and your telephone number. Refrain from calling clients from a mobile phone when in a noisy place.

vi. Diction
Whether the conversation is taking place on the phone, or face-to-face, it is important you use professional language. Read business newspapers and industry-specific material so you become savvy with the jargon used in your field.

vii. E-mail etiquette
There is no reason why professional standards should be abandoned just because a message is electronic.Pay attention to grammar, spell-check your work, don't skip salutations, introduce attachments and use professional language when sending out work e-mails (even to people you know well).

viii. Dress codes
To be a credible businessperson, you have to look like one. Men should wear collared shirts with an undershirt. Button your shirt all the way, wear simple belts, stick to dark-coloured slacks and dark-coloured shoes. Women who wear Western clothes should opt for skirts that fall below the knee, collared shirts/ blouses and close-toed shoesix.

ix.Handshakes
Don't hesitate to shake hands. Initiating a handshake is an indication of your confidence level. Remember to keep your handshake firm.If you are a woman and want to be taken seriously, don't hesitate to shake hands with the same confidence and authority as your male peers.

x. Business card etiquette
Always take your business cards with you when going for a meeting or conference. When presenting your card to someone, keep the print facing the recipient, so he/she will not have to turn it around to read it. When you receive a card, take a second to look at it as the card is representative of the person. Don't pass your card around like it is a flier. Refrain from forcing someone to take your card, especially a senior executive. It is far better to wait for him/ her to ask for it.Countries like the United States and some of the European nations that already outsource heavily are shifting towards countries where the labour force is of a 'higher quality' (such as Poland, Hungary the Czech Republic and Russia) as opposed to countries with a labour force of a 'higher quantity' (such as India and China). We don't have time to wait for our educational system to improve or for more corporations to work with universities and create exposure for students through internship programmes. Those who want to do well professionally must take their careers in their own hands. The global economy is hiring, and the choice is yours as to which side of the statistic you want to be part of.
So, are you 'suitable' or are you 'unsuitable'?

LOVE RULES'

========== Love Rules ==========

The first rule in Love is that you can't fall in love with someone you don't fancy. You find someone intellectually stimulating, interesting, kind and warm. In fact, you love being with him, but... his teeth stick out. Or he's shorter than you. Honestly - do you still fancy him? Which brings us to the second basic law of human chemistry:

A relationship with someone considerably more attractive than you is doomed to failure. Squeal and shout. Protest all you like. But when it comes to finding a lifelong partner, most people end up with someone roughly in the same category as themselves on the looks and charm scale. To put it crudely, if you're about a six on a scale of 10, I'll bet good money that your partner's some where between a 5 and a 7. Forget all the drama. When a relationship comes to an end, it's not some bizarre and arbitrary phenomenon, some inexplicable occurrence; it's the inevitable and logical working out of a mathematical equation where X always liked Y more than Y liked X. Why was that? Because X was a six and Y was a nine, that's why.

Stage one: the first spark ==================

Your eyes meet across a crowded room. Something happens and your life changes forever. It all begins with a tiny spark - an invisible chemical attraction that draws two people together. You could have a strange feeling that you have known that person before. Or you can feel totally comfortable or at ease with that person. Connection can occur on several different levels, often at the same time; mentally, when two minds "click", emotionally, when two personalities are "simpatico," or spiritually, when two souls vibrate at the same frequency. You know it when it happens. But!! A strong connection is not the same thing as being in love, nor does it automatically mean you are meant for each other. Connection is important between any two people who want to pursue a relationship, but it is only the first step. You can connect with many people over the course of your lifetime, but it is only by following through on the rest of the steps that you can know if this is truly the love of your life. So, wait and look ...hard and fast ...before you leap!

Stage two: getting to know you =====================

Now comes the "getting to know you" phase. You slowly begin to get to know the other person. You reveal your personal histories and share stories. With each new piece of information, layers are peeled back, and you draw closer to each other's core essence. This stage is very important because this is when you find out the information you will need to assess whether your new partner will ultimately be compatible with you. If this stage is rushed or overlooked, you may find yourself with someone whom you either do not really know or who is not right for you. In the midst of learning all the wonderful new things about your partner and the exhilaration of revealing your innermost thoughts, it can be a challenge to proceed with your eyes open and your antennae tuned. Though it may be tempting to keep the rose-coloured glasses firmly in place so as to not burst your bubble of happiness, peek over the rims of those glasses often to keep at least one eye on reality. Use this stage as an opportunity to explore your potential partner, both inside and out. Ask questions, and really listen to the answers. Ask about the basics. Where does he live? What does he do for a living? What does he do for fun? Does he have any pets? About his family...are they close? Ask about his preferences, his past, his hopes and goals. The answers will help you paint a complete picture of who this person is and how he got to be that way. Watch how he communicates and treats people - his friends, your friends, family, waiters, cab drivers, the man on the street .... or anyone at all. All these interaction provide clues into his true nature. Observe his actions in relation to you. Is he generous? Does he call when he says he will? Does he make you feel special? At the same time that you are getting to know your potential partner, he is also getting to know you. Take care not to mislead him into believing you are different from who you really are. By definition, a façade naturally prohibits you from connecting on an authentic level. You will waste both your time and his by leading him down a deceptive trail. Ask the hard questions. It's often difficult to interrogate your potential partner about where he stands on major life issues. But asking the hard questions early on is the best way to know what you are getting yourself into. Hard questions can range from how religious he is, to whether he wants children. There are ways to ask the hard questions without coming across like the tax office. One way is to approach the issue generally in conversation, to get a sense of where the person stands. Or, if you prefer, you can approach the issue directly, asking gently in passing, without pressure and in a casual tone of voice. Granted, asking the hard questions sometimes yields responses that you may not want to hear, but at least you will be in possession of all the facts and can make an informed choice about whether this is the right person for you.

Stage three: does this work for you====================

Assuming you and your partner have successfully transited the exploration stage and decided to go forward, you then enter the "make or break" phase: Evaluation. You weigh the pros and cons of your relationship and assess whether it is worth your continued investment. People choose partners based on something changeable or transitory - looks, money, job, sexual prowess - only to find the relationship collapse the moment one of those features disappears. You need to bear in mind that evaluating your partner on transitory features can be dangerous... Maybe you have made a list of qualities you would like your partner to have. Now is the time to review that list to see how close your potential partner comes to what you are looking for. If you have no such list, take an objective look at your partner and your relationship, and assess what works for you, what doesn't, and what you can and cannot live with. Either way, the process entails observing, evaluating and choosing whether to continue the relationship or abandon it. It is tempting to forget all about what you want in a guy if you have to abandon your criteria when you are faced with ending your new relationship. But try and distance yourself from things and view them dispassionately. It is easier said than done, I'll admit. However, the truer you are to yourself and your requirements, the happier you will be in the long run. A little denial in the present can cause a lot of pain in the future. Also, you need to know that evaluation is a process that has no right answers. The objective is to create as much certainty as possible in your head, your heart, and your gut in order to be confident and comfortable with whatever you choose. Follow your gut. Your intuition. Your instinct. It never lets you down.

Stage four: closer by the hour =====================

So, you met the guy, the chemistry is great and what you see, you love. And you are all ready to take things a step further. You want to get intimate... You know that this is the relationship you want to pursue, and that you and your partner are ready to move into the next stage of love: Building the bonds of intimacy. Intimacy is built through a deepening of your initial connection. It is allowing yourself to be vulnerable and, at the same time, making it safe for your beloved to disclose his deepest feeling and thoughts. Building intimacy is an action. You need to make the effort. While connection and emotional chemistry are important in intimacy, you and your partner have to take small steps towards each other. The first thing you need to do is to open the door and allow your partner to see who you really are. Tell the truth about yourself - truth about things that you are not necessarily proud of. This way you offer your partner the opportunity to see your most basic human side. Exposing your fears, concerns, jealousies or uncomfortable truths from your past puts you at your most vulnerable and invites your partner to accept you fully as you are. Sharing hopes, wishes and dreams creates bonds between people. Revealing private thoughts makes the man in your life feel like he is someone important. Withholding builds walls, disclosing builds bridges. So, if he is the one, you need to make the effort to share as much of yourself as you can. Talk to him. Tell him your dreams, your fears. Give him the opportunity to share parts of his soul with you too. And that is the best way to get closer and build a strong bond between two people.

Stage five: you're hooked! ================= Ok!!

Now you want to take things one step further. You want to move from "I think I want this relationship" to "I know I want this relationship". You want to commit. Committing does not mean you are no longer afraid, or that you are 100 per cent certain that what you are about to do is absolutely the right thing. One part of you feels that this is the thing you ought to be doing and the rest of you is willing to take the risk of being wrong. Both partners have to commit if the relationship is to last. Some people shy away from commitment because they are afraid of making mistakes. They may have a history of past mistakes, for which they mentally flog themselves. Before they can ever commit to another relationship, they must forgive themselves and heal those wounds. This is something each person must do for himself. It is a solo journey. What you can do is to make it safe for him to disclose his fears and wait for him to be ready. If he takes longer than your patience or timetable allows, then you will need to make a choice about whether to stay or move on. If you are the one who is willing but unable to make the shift from maybe to yes, then you will need to look inside yourself and examine what is standing in your way. Some people want a guarantee that they are making the right choice and that this is "it". But commitment requires some measure of risk. There are no guarantees in life. The best you can do is search your heart for your truth, and if it tells you that this person is who you want, then you will have to take a leap of faith. You may never be totally 100 per cent certain that you are doing the right thing, but at the very least, you will learn some valuable life lessons. At the very most, you will initiate yourself in love's higher realms and experience the bliss of a sacred union.


Sure, falling in love is fun and wonderful -- it's the greatest feeling in the world. But keep in mind that you're going to hit the bottom eventually. And that doesn't feel so good.

GET RID OF AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX

GET RID OF AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX

It's a big word, and a smutty one at that, but mostly everyone has a complex about something. Well, there are ways out of this schmucky feeling.........

Discover the Problem

First of all, you've to admit it to yourself. You may not be clever enough, or popular enough, or well-dressed enough, or monied enough, or good-looking enough..............and enough has no limits, you know. But once you know who the enemy is, you can go for them.

Love thyself!

Then, ask yourself, how important it is really. Is it important to the people who matter to you and to whom you matter or is it just one of those things the rest of the world makes you feel inferior about? Never devalue the people who like you by thinking , "Oh, she's a friend, so she doesn't mind it." Show some respect for the people who love you.By lacking in Self-esteem, you are dissing the people who love you.By thinking yourself as lesser person, you're making out that your friends have a bad taste and your parents are worthless. What utter rot... The peoplewho love you have good sense...respect it!

Leave no stone unturned

Then if it is important enough, ask yourself if you can do anything about it? Bad Grammar? Take some tuition in conversation. Bad Dancer? Free lessons from a friend or a classmate. Bad skin? Treatment. No conversation? Read newspaper and watch TV to be in the know. The solution is not always difficult if you know what the problem is. Big nose? Uh.......! Just keep breathing with the dratted thing unless you are Aishwarya Rai or your uncle is a cosmetic surgeon. WHO CARES?

Find out hidden talents

Have some pride. All this may sound like a psychobabble to you, but really, having pride is not only about doing well in exams or getting that male or female chick snaredor being able to get instant popness by being able to play Guitar. You could have other talents (and believe me, not everyone has) of being diplomatic, calming people down, making people laugh. Even if you make people cry- think of how many glycerine bottles you could replace in the movies.

No useless comparison

Stop comparing yourself with others. There's no point. It's a bad habit you inherit unknowingly from parents- FIGHT HEREDITY! You can't compare two people in this world. It's like comparing apples with New York. Useless!

Learn to enjoy life

Life is a gift. Every breath is a gift. value it. Appreciate what you have, instead of cribbing about what you didn't get or don't have. You have lots of time to get what you long for- but if you are going to mope around, you ain't gonna be able to get it for sure.

Heal the world

Be nice. Why the hell? Well...most of all because it has a huge 'feeling good' factor for you. It doesn't take piles of effort, don't try to save the world, just be less critical and pessimistic about everything and everyone, appreciate things other people are doing. That boosts up your own image like a pump. You will feel cooler about yourself.

Do's And Dont's for Boyz!

Do's And Dont's for Boyz!

1) Never compliment a girl like this: " You look good today!" That would mean she doesn't look good everyday.Instead go for:" You look pretty as always!"

2) Rule of Thumb: When a girl says 'no', she means 'yes'. So whatever she says 'no' to, do it for her. For instance, " If she says don't get me any gift this time.", get her one or wait for the volcano to erupt.

3) Plan out a surprise once a while. The routine 'movie and lunch' can be quite boring at times. Think of something like:

* playing snooker together

* go karting

* bowling alley

* going to a water park together (oh...sounds so cool..!)

4) Listen to her Whatever she feels..happiness or grief, she wants to share it with you.If she's cheerful, be happy for her. If she's upset and you don't know what to do about it, just hug her tight. She'll be calm within seconds.

5) A girl would never tell if she has a problem, or if she is in need. Try to figure out in her body language or words.Help her out and she'll shower love and care on you.

6) Never use abusive language in front of girls. Every girl likes a chivalric and mannered guy.

7) Do little things for her. Its not one 'BIG' thing that matters but many 'SMALL' things. Even if you write her name on a paper and decorate it, she'll treasure it all her life.

8) The most dangerous one: "Am I fat?"

" Have I put on weight?"

The answer - Always NO

9) Never propose unless you are sure. Keep dropping hints and look for positive response. Make her crave for you.

10) If she had a past, don't talk about it.Let bygones be bygones. If you had a past , never compare your girl with your ex.

11) Love her unconditionally. Don't expect anything in return. Thats a key to swift ecstasy!

2007 color trendz

2007 color trendz

The strongest colours in the spring fashion palette are :

• 
  
  
  strawberry ice



• 
  
  
  apricot gold



• 
  
  
  silver



• 
  
  
  blue.

Brilliant blue is likely to gain in popularity as the season progresses. Yet various sorbet tones create the tonal soft chalky dimension of many of Spring 2007 seasonal fashion colours.

Sharp colour combinations for spring 2007 include :

• 
  
  
  monochrome black and white prints



• 
  
  
  darkest navy blue teamed or trimmed with red.

Whilst black and white prints were quite a force on the catwalks, apart from flurries of acid brights, designers generally favoured a muted palette. Somehow that old black and white scheme is always fashionable.

This spring 2007 colour palette was of cream, grey, beige, soft pastel dusty pinks, silvery white, palest lemon, mauve, lilac, cherry red, brown, olive green and petrol blue. Think of the fondant colours of pink, blush, silver grey, cream, lemon, peach or white icing.

TRENDZ for 2007'

2007 TRENDZ for you

At the beginning of this new millennium and certainly at the end of the last century the present, the ‘now’ moments, and the huge curiosity and longing for ‘tomorrow’ and an even more remote future were major influencing factors in fashion. Looking back did not make sense, we wanted to live in the now. Actuality was very important because the world changed so quickly, there were so many new developments, and we had high expectations of the new time and ‘the new economy’. Almost nothing is left from these ‘dreams’. They seem to have been a soap bubble, a fairy tale. The millennium bug was the first threat and big joke that shook us up with fear. Nothing happened. In the meantime, more remarkable events than ever in such a short period of time happened and became important anchor points. They have had a major influence on how people stand in this world today. 11 September and the terrorist fear, the hunt for Osama and the consequences of all this, the huge bookkeeping scandals, the Tsunami, but also the end of great ideologies in many places in the world; time stood still for a moment and made us aware of its real meaning and of what a major change can happen in one instant with so great an impact. What is at stake. What we must not forget and what we can improve.

The world has a different future today. After years of neglecting it, we re-discover our own history again. We re-appreciate old values, traditions, rituals and cherish them as treasures now. We dive into the past looking for our roots, something to hold on; we need a time out to reposition ourselves.

Looking forward in fashion is looking back in time.This is exactly how we feel and what happens in fashion too. We are looking for a new balance in a confused world. History is our new toy for inspiration.This (fashion) world is overflooded with look-alikes, which are earlier on the market than the originals, and which give more and more power to only a few players. It is time for a moment of resignation, a fashion pause instead of real innovation, to go deeper instead of going one step further, to see a more contemplative vision than quick trends, cults and hypes.
The memory fever, the nostalgia trend of today, we have to take it serious. Just like in politics, a neo-conservative wave of ‘good old values, norms, discipline, class and style’ is clearly visible in fashion too. Chanel’s motto inspires us now: Style is never out of fashion!

Echoes of the past, romanticism
Our history brings back our own culture. In fashion we make a history tour through Europe and we cherish and re-invent old treasures, going back to the times of Napoleon and Josephine, la Belle Époque, Marie Antoinette with lots of romanticism, but also strict uniform styles; till our great grandmothers’ laces and embroideries, and we see retro-trends reaching back almost to the end of the last century, the eighties and even the nineties.
Aristocrats, and ‘wanna be’s’Allure, class, elegance and style are keywords for 2007!

We find inspiration in the old aristocrats, in today’s royalty circles and in high society. The girly princess is a sophisticated lady now, a majestic queen or even an empress. The new upper class luxury is discreet and less opulent, in contrast to the ‘show-off’ fashion styles and the Bling Bling glitter, that characterizes the Nouveau Riches, the ‘wannabe’s and the Hip Hop scene. Classics in style or twistedCouture classics, British classics, masculine weaving classics, due to today’s conservatism all these are great sources of inspiration, which are styled with elegance and class, translated into very feminine styles for bodyfashion and often twisted or even put upside down by youngsters! Bohemian moods, echoes of folk, and country lifeOur history tour crosses all borders and countries, from British, French, Russian, Balkan and Bohemian aristocrat upper class styles to country life, folk and gypsy styles; we also find inspiration in the first European pioneers emigrating to ‘the new world’ of America, the Amish people, Shakers and Quakers and in the Provence.Border decorations are very important in all these ‘cultural’ fashion expressions…. should this be a statement that we want our ‘borders’, and our ‘own’ lost culture treasures back for each and every country in Europe?

The influence of the Far East countries is decreasing. (Whereas in economy it becomes more and more a real competitive threat to the Western world!) On the other hand, there are the exotic cultural expressions of African (Muslim) countries with their beautiful jewelry and embroidery and their colourful, ethnic and graphic decorations. But also and in particular their pure, rough ‘natural’ looks.Clear is that in fashion for 2007 nothing is clear, we’ll see only echoes of all the above…. Natural, naturalness and luxuryAfter a long period with too much opulence, color, shine, crazy fashion design, print and pattern mixes and combinations, our mind and eyes want some peace, elegance, sophistication, and a different kind of luxury. The treasures of the earth, their natural expressions of textures and sparkles, the ‘rough’ dry, the frozen, or fluid, and ‘wet’ materials, they fascinate us.It is the quality and endurance of a textile, the class, style and excellence of a design, the ‘hidden’, yet expensive, precious, and often even exquisite luxury we go for now. It is the range of quick, crazy fashion hypes and cults we are tired of; we desire timeless, ageless, just comfortable clothes. Far from ‘cheap’ basics, but with looks that underline our ‘high’ standards and levels of living. Modern, high-tech innovation must be ‘felt’ and experienced, in stead of ‘seen’ as something futuristic. And we want all these extra values for less money.

Harmony and well considered intelligent and beautiful matching composés are the new keywords for styling combinations of different motives, patterns, different materials and prints together in one fabric or outfit. Atrandom mixing, mix-and-pick styling, mixed patchwork and extreme style clashes are really gone! The art of several techniques, which we had forgotten in the past, like old handcrafts, fabric manipulation (by hand)and hand shaping ‘moulage’ techniques, is re-discovered again and very important throughout all fashion trends in 2007. The desire to wear or create something special, something unique that does not look like a mass-product is getting even stronger.

Silhouettes
Rounding up spherical and styled with allure‘Dress-up’ styling was the motto of the last season, with many feminine skirts and dresses. It will go on even more pronounced. People don’t feel so ‘free’ to dress in sportswear and ‘streetwear’ like before anymore, they want to dress up in style; elite-sports influences and their dress-up styles are ‘hot’. Echoes of strict uniform styling and their details are coming up, especially among youngsters; it is in line with their political preferences and the need for more discipline and order. The feminine silhouette is getting large, often with royal volume and layers, almost with a couture-like, aristocratic and majestic allure; it is ‘rounding up’ to egg forms. Skirts and dresses have Empire lines, petticoats, balloon, tulip and bulb shapes, even panties come in balloon shapes. Sleeves and shoulders also have that roundness and volume. Such shapes are always contrasted with a wasp waist or tight breast. Dorlastan gives comfort to the more body-conscious areas and a nice ‘fall’ and ‘handle’ to drapes, to envelope shapes and several wrapping and moulding techniques.