Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Jaya Bachchan
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder,8217; has become one of the most tired statements doing the rounds. For all the focus on inner beauty, most women are actually unhappy with the way they look. Diet, exercise and beauty regimes dominate the lives of most, in a desperate attempt to look as beautiful as those on the cover of the glossies. While it may be possible to buy cosmetic beauty, is it possible to buy inherent grace? Sujata Assomull speaks to some of the well known names from the glamour industry for their choice of Mumbai8217;s graceful women
Cory Walia: Make-up artist
It takes more than powder and paint to lend grace to a woman. quot;The ideal graceful lady would be underplayed and subtle in manner and style. Her voice should be a low pitch which would lend her an essentially feminine stance. This again should not be overdone.quot;
A woman of grace, believes this make-up artist, should be in touch with both her feminine and masculine aspects. Grace, he feels, cannot be acquired. It is about knowing how to carry yourself. Says he, quot;Grace has much to do with an inherent sense of style and you cannot acquire style.quot;
But what about her make-up kit? How would Cory like to see his ideal woman paint her face?
quot;Less in more,quot; he says. The eyes and lips should be the point of focus and the face should be totally devoid of colour. quot;I like drama,quot; he says. The eyes could be played up to appear dark and smoky with just a hint of colour on the lips, or alternately, the lips should make a strong statement with a berry red colour and virtually no make-up on the eyes.
Cory8217;s choice is Pheroza Godrej. quot;She embodies grace of bearing, intellect and appearance. She is never over the top.quot;
His other choice is political activist Medha Patkar, who despite her no make-up look and simple cotton sarees is still a graceful woman.
Anuradha Mahindra: Publisher of Verve
Anuradha Mahindra feels pose and posture have a lot to do with grace. As does outward demeanour like speech and how you hold yourself. Which has nothing to do with clothing or style. She points out that the word grace is often connected with swans. And to be as graceful as a swan your posture needs to be correct. A woman should stand tall like the most graceful one among her flock.
Another key-word for Anuradha is confidence. quot;You could be wearing a daring outfit but only if you carry it off with style can it be graceful,quot; she says. Confidence, she believes, would again emanate from being slightly understated.
Anuradha8217;s choice: Internationally, she would choose Jacqueline Onnasis and Princess Diana. But closer home, her choice is Jaya Bachchan.
Sumeet Chopra: Fashion photographer
For this click happy man, being graceful lies in being balanced. quot;She combines elegance with elan, sensitivity with sensuousness, charisma with feline charm,quot; he says. He thinks all women possess this quot;magic stuffquot;.
quot;You just need the right exposure to tap that magic stuff. It exists inside a woman but they do not show it,quot; he says. He says that he once had a maid called Flora who had all the right elements to be a graceful lady but was not exposed to the right atmosphere, so she did not know how to be graceful.
He also adds that age has nothing to do with grace. Of all the women, he thinks his mother Shanti, aged 62 epitomises grace. quot;But all of it is subjective and will depend on each man8217;s experiences,quot; he says. quot;My views are based on a combination of the women in my life my sister, mother, ex-girlfriend and wife.quot; No wonder then he thinks his mother, Shanti, is one of the most graceful women in the world. Sumeet8217;s choice: Rachel Reubans and Pheroz Gujral.
Shahab Durazi: Fashion designer
Shahab might be the guru of western-wear in India, but he thinks grace has little to do with what a woman wears. quot;It lies in what she really is, not in what she wears,quot; says Shahab. quot;Two women can be dressed in complete opposite outfits but be equally graceful. This involves everything from her poise, her carriage, her temperament and her character.quot; He believes that a woman should have faith in herself and be comfortable in her own skin.
quot;A graceful woman has come to terms with her inner self and what she believes in. A woman who pretends to be something she is not and puts up an appearance can never be graceful, as it is always visible and short-lived,quot; he says.
Shahab8217;s choice: Gayatri Devi, Simone Tata and Simi Garewal, as these are women quot;who are comfortable with themselves 8212; who they are and the way these women lookquot;.
Pictures of Phiroz Gujral and Rachel Reuben courtesy Society.
