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AUBURN UMBRELLA: Let’s Switch to Eco-Friendly Clothing

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In a world where every piece of plastic ever produced still lies somewhere in the garbage dumps, the stomachs of unaware animals, or in our oceans, where it  chokes aquatic life, fabrics like polyester and nylon only add to the degradation of the environment. Polyester and nylon, which constitute 60% of the textile fabrics produced, are called micro plastic and add to the non-biodegradable waste. India has taken a step ahead and roads are now being constructed by using plastic waste. So let us do our bit and take a step forward by changing our standards of fashion. Here are the best 5 eco-friendly fabrics to switch to:

Organic Cotton

Unlike normal cotton, organic cotton uses less water and no pesticides during its harvest. Also, since the farmers have to incur less cost due to minimal inputs, it does not cost as much as popular notions would have you believe. It feels the same as normal cotton and also helps us do our bit in contributing to sustainable living. You can find t-shirts, kurtis, dresses, and comfortable airy pants of various brands, both online and offline. Linen Produced from the fibres of flax plant, linen allows your skin to perspire during those warm days and keeps you cool. The clothes last long because the fibre is strong and the fabric is biodegradable. Linen shirts, pants and dresses give you the chic-casual look and gives you the breezy vibe. Just the perfect clothing you need on a long day of work/college.

Hemp

It is one of most environment-friendly fabrics available, which is also resistant to pesticides or chemical fertilisers. It requires very little water for its growth. Save water, save earth; remember? It is also very durable, only demanding a bit more of your time and attention in terms of maintenance. However, it makes up for it with the variety of outfits which you can choose from: those breezy dresses, pants, scarves socks and much more.

Bamboo

Clothes made from bamboo fibre are grown without any pesticides and the bamboo plant takes merely 9 months to grow requiring an all natural environment. Thus, the fibre turns out to be soft and the clothes smooth on your skin. Yoga pants for women, shirts, socks and much more are made from bamboo yarn.

These clothes may be more expensive than your normal jeans and tees, but changing  habits is for the good for the environment and our animals.

All of these fabrics last longer than the cheap clothes which you wear only 4-5 times before throwing them out. Instead, the next time you come across clothes that you no longer require, donate them to the neighbourhood’s underprivileged children, or your maid. You can even donate to your respective colleges’ NSS wings or Enactus as they are constantly in touch with various NGOs. Let us change the way in which we deal with our waste or purchase and save our Earth.

 

Feature Image Credits: Pinterest

Prachi Mehra
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Fashion

AUBURN UMBRELLA: Be the Monsoon Patootie

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While many wait for the monsoon season to arrive, mucky roads and gloomy weather have the capacity to put off people. Convenience and comfort are topmost priorities, but so are the fashion choices! Whether you are petite, skinny, or curvy, Auburn Umbrella is here to help you with comfortable yet fashionable tips this monsoon. Make your clothes evoke the haute look in this wet season.

rainy-season-fashion-trends

  1. Choosing the correct fabric

Fabrics that dry easily and resist mud and water stains are always recommended: cotton, polyester, lycra, and nylon. Get printed fabrics that have beautiful patterns and give a sunny look on a rainy day.  Make sure you’re not wearing fabrics that would stick to your skin or become see-through after a downpour. Denims are a thumbs-down as they take an impossibly long time to dry.

  1. Length of your clothes

Avoid full-length trousers and opt for cute shorts, culottes, or capris. Long skirts should be saved for another season to avoid a fashion faux pas. Monsoons are more about miniskirts, hot pants, and sleeveless tops with different neck styles. Whatever shape you may be, minis and midis are always defining and in vogue.

  1. Colour, colour, which colour?

Jazz up your wardrobe with pop colours. Bright shades of indigo, green, and blue are good choices for the monsoon. Peppy palettes of purple, lemon yellow, fuchsia pink, orange, and white are the best picks for this season. Darker shades of black and brown make for ideal formal wear. However, wearing pristine white in the monsoon is certainly not a good idea as white clothes tend to get transparent when wet and also get stained easily.

  1. Accessorising and add-ons

Bright neon-coloured waterproof bags, raincoats, boots, hats, and belts deserve a shout-out in this difficult season. Beautiful bracelets, earrings, and neck pieces made of plastic, rubber, and acrylic make for trendy picks. Metal and leather should be avoided during the rainy season. Get sassy covers for your gadgets that are waterproof.

  1. Shoes speak louder than words!

Just grab bright and vibrant colourful pairs of flip flops matching your dress. Chuck all those leather and velvet shoes and switch to the easy rubber flip-flops. Avoid wearing heels in the rainy season. Wear blacks and browns on formal occasions. Otherwise, Crocs are a smart choice and so are gumboots. They are firm and rain-friendly and ensure you can walk confidently on those slippery wet floors.

  1. Take care of your hair and skin

Stylise your hair with high ponytails and fishtail braids. Opt for new haircuts and try dyeing some strands with spicy shades. Don’t forget to oil your hair and moisturise your skin. You don’t want a smudgy and spoilt look, hence a no to heavy make-up.

 

Image Credits: EzyShine, MyVishal

Radhika Boruah
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The Auburn Umbrella

Auburn Umbrella-How to take care of colored hair

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Just got your hair colored and worried about the collateral damages to your luscious locks? Auburn is here to save the day!

It is so much fun to give your hair a pop of color with some hair dye every now and then. But hair coloring comes with responsibilities like taking actual care of it, unless you want your strands to look deep fried.

Here are some easy tips and tricks to keep those colorful locks in check!

 

  • Get it trimmed:Right after any kind of chemical processing, it is a good idea to get your hair trimmed a little to get rid of those frayed ends. If you are coloring only your tips, make sure you get a little extra length colored and you can get the rest chopped off. Tell your hairdresser that you want a light trim, so your colored hair don’t go to waste. Get a regular trim every now and then as colored hair is prone to split ends and frayed ends.

 

  • Invest in quality products: You need to keep your freshly colored hair protected with some good quality hair products. Buy a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner and always wash your hair with cold water. Do away with any heat products like hair straighteners or curl irons. Buy a soothing serum (this will be your best friend) and use it everyday to avoid frizz and dullness. You can also invest in leave-on conditioner or dry shampoo to minimise washing your colored hair away.

 

  • Compensate for the loss:After chemically coloring the hair, dryness becomes an everyday challenge. Compensate for the lost moisture with oiling your hair every week with coconut or olive oil. Breakage is also common after treating hair and it is recommended to use protein on those locks to keep them healthy. Weekly apply DIY hair packs made using natural ingredients like yogurt, egg, banana etc. to restore the strength of your hair.
  • Protect:This one is tough, but by being dedicated and careful, this won’t be a difficult task! All you have to do is protect your hair from everyday things like dust, sun and rain because these things can damage your colored hair even further. Using a scarf or an umbrella while you’re out in the daytime or avoiding stepping into chlorine-treated water (in swimming pools, etc) can go a long way in preventing the extra damage.

 

So there you have it. Even though all you want to do is be a carefree soul with your bright, colored hair – these tips will definitely help you in looking after your beautiful colored hair in the long run!

 

Feature Image Credits: Jean Louis Davis

 

Anagha Rakta

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The Auburn Umbrella

Rang De Tu Mohe, Gerua!

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With the much anticipated release of ‘Dilwale’ only a few days away, the ‘SRK-Kajol’ fever is turning up! Known for creating sheer magic on the silver screen every time they come together, SRK and Kajol have set the mood for romance. Their sizzling on-screen chemistry in the song ‘Gerua’ has made us want to (what is they say? Oh yes) ‘Fall in love again’.

But after watching the song, what I’ve fallen in love with (other than, of course, the lilting lyrics and serene scenery) is the colour ‘Gerua’. To begin with, ‘Gerua’ is a colour with several layers to it: red-ochre; somewhat reddish, yellowish, orange. It comes from the Hindi word ‘geru’, which means nothing but red ochre, or in some regions, the red soil, which is rich in iron oxides. ‘Gerua’ is generally considered a color worn by sages and hermits, and thus, here, it symbolizes people who have left everything to find ‘The One’ they are looking for. The word ‘Gerua’ in the song ‘Rang De Tu Mohe Gerua’ gives a kind of Sufi touch to it, as the lovers here want to get coloured ‘Gerua’, like someone who has left the worldly things to be in love.

Touted as the colour of the season, ‘Gerua’ will make for a perfect wear in the chilly winter months to follow. I’m not sure if we can paint your love life with this colour of ‘devout love’, but I sure can try and paint your winter wardrobe with this fun shade of reddish-orange-yellow!

Here’s how you can incorporate ‘Gerua’ into your winter style statement:

A. ‘Gerua’ Coats

Over-sized, knee-length coats are a winter must. They solve a dual purpose: they keep you warm and make quite an impression. Try them in this funky orange shade, by wearing the coat with a pair of black leggings or black, knee-length boots.

orangecoat

B.’Gerua’ Sweaters

For those who are fond of cardigans and sweaters, try teaming up a ‘Gerua’ coloured sweater with denims. Also, this colour looks really good with the colour tan. So tan boots, tan trousers and tan lowers in general can be worn with this shade of splendid orange.

gerua sweater

C.’Gerua’ Mufflers

To add a twist to your look, try mufflers that have an orange base, but have prints like checks, stripes, polka dots and designs in different colours like blue, black, white and brown.
But even hand-woven, plain, orange infinity scarves and mufflers will look amazing when paired with dresses and denims.

gerua muffler

D.’Gerua’ Beret

What’s winter without a fun beret? Add that extra zing to your outfit with a ‘Gerua’ coloured beret. You’ll be the talk of the town in no time! Attention guaranteed!

gerua beret

E.’Gerua’ Boots

This isn’t for the frail-hearted. Only the true fashionista- the bold and the beautiful, can carry off such boots with panache. It’s absolutely necessary to get the shade right, though. Too bright could make you look like a carrot; too sober could make you look droll. So inject yourself with a dose of confidence and stun the world with the right pair of tangy orange boots!

gerua boots

Get ready to embrace this colour of the season and who knows, maybe even fall in love, SRK-Kajol style!

 

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The Auburn Umbrella

The Auburn Umbrella: KNC girls high on fashion

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With the dusk of summer and the dawn of autumn season, it was reported that girls at KNC are experimenting differently with cool yet comfy styles of fashion. So, the DU Beat fashion police caught some fashionistas who had stories to tell about their choice of dressing. Here’s what we explored:

 

wooplr auburn umbrella

 

Is fashion your biggest foe? Does it intimidate you? Do you feel like a dodo when it comes to making sensible fashion choices? Do you wish to be a fashionista but aren’t sure how and where to start?
Well, our dear fashion-stricken reader, we’ve got a one-stop solution to all your fashion queries! DUB introduces to you the latest fashion app, Wooplr. This app will help enhance your fashion knowledge: it will guide you through the latest fads and trends, help you customize a style for yourself, suggest shopping options and Voila! Turn you into a stunning diva! So check out the app and be prepared to rock the college scene with your new-found fashion acumen!

Riya Chhibber

[email protected]

Compiled for The Auburn Umbrella by: Nidhi Panchal

Image Credits: Paurush for DU Beat

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Daulat Ram College

The Auburn Umbrella: DRC raising the fashion quotient

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Following the tip by one of its informants that the students of DRC (Daulat Ram College) are creating a fashion-frenzy in the campus, the DU Beat fashion police decided to hold a surprise visit to the college to catch the suspects red-handed. Here is how they confessed to their crimes:

Karina

“My top and jeans are from Nepal. The footwear is from Sarojini Nagar. I believe in dressing as per the occasion and not overdoing things. This helps in bringing out the true aspect of one’s personality.” –Karina Singhal, 1st year, English (H)

Somesa Gupta

“My top is from Forever 21, jeggings and footwear from Zara and bag from Mango. For me, comfort supersedes any trend. I usually dress up for myself and do not believe in the concept of dressing to impress someone else.” –Somesa Gupta, 1st year, B.com (P)

Aakriti Jain

“I bought the top from Myntra. The jeans are of Levis, footwear from Khan Market and watch is from DKNY. I love vintage and monotones and try to inculcate them in my dressing sense. For me, a great analog watch and basic footwear in the colours brown, black and white is something which should be a must have in one’s wardrobe.” –Aakriti Jain, 3rd year, English (H)

Prachita

“The crop top is from Pantaloons, jeggings from Zara and footwear from Sarojini Nagar. I’m quite moody when it comes to dressing up. There are days when I want to keep it casual and then, on some days I want to draw attention. I usually prefer dresses as they complement my fashion sense and try not to follow the common trends to keep my style unique.” –Prachita Dinesh, 1st year, Bcom (P)

Dechen Choedon

“The shirt is from Himachal Pradesh. The shorts are from Levis, the sneakers are from VANS. I avoid being too fancy. I think one should dress up keeping in mind their body type and what looks good on it. Casual and sporty is the way for me. And keeping in mind the colour palette, I always prefer light and bright colours.” –Dechen Choedon, 1st year, Political Science (H)

Shristi Karwasra

“I’ve got the tank top and Palazzo from a thrift shop in Gurgaon. The footwear is from my hometown, Rajasthan. I like loose clothes in this season which help one get through college in such heat. I’m also really fond of denims. I think any modification in jean, ripped or folded, or a denim jacket/shirt becomes an ideal piece of clothing which is both stylish and suitable for college life.” –Shristi Karwasra, 1st year, B.A (P)

 

Fullscreen-capture-8232015-22527-PM.bmp1-e1441094091796

 

Is fashion your biggest foe? Does it intimidate you? Do you feel like a dodo when it comes to making sensible fashion choices? Do you wish to be a fashionista but aren’t sure how and where to start?
Well, our dear fashion-stricken reader, we’ve got a one-stop solution to all your fashion queries! DUB introduces to you the latest fashion app, Wooplr. This app will help enhance your fashion knowledge: it will guide you through the latest fads and trends, help you customize a style for yourself, suggest shopping options and Voila! Turn you into a stunning diva! So check out the app and be prepared to rock the college scene with your new-found fashion acumen!

Compiled for The Auburn Umbrella by: Nidhi Panchal

Image credits: Chirag Sharma for DU Beat

Nishita Agarwal

[email protected]

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The Auburn Umbrella

Ask Auburn: How to handle the scorching sun?

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Dear Auburn,

The weather in Delhi has become extremely oppressive! It’s way too hot and the scorching sun is merciless! Given the heat that our city is boiling in, could you suggest comfortable yet fashionable clothing options for college?
– Heat-averse Chica

 

Dear Heat- averse,

Your query is absolutely legit. I, too, feel really uncomfortable these days. Thank goodness I have my Umbrella for protection!

Given the heat wave that Delhi is caught in, try wearing loose and comfortable cotton clothes. Summer dresses in floral prints, long and short skirts (depending on your personal level of comfort), and shorts are your best bet. If you like wearing Indian attire, go for short kurtis or kurtas that are minimalistic and don’t weigh you down. Palazzo pants, harem pants and dhoti-pyjamas are fluid and comfortable too.

Avoid denims. They’re really heavy, clingy and non-sweat absorbent. They’ll make you feel claustrophobic and trapped. Also, go easy on the accessories. Don’t wear very heavy earrings, necklaces or bangles.

The key is to dress like you’d want to feel: cool, comfortable and free. So make a wise choice from the above options, and you’ll breeze through the next two months!

 

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