Simple is stylish: Sonia

Sonia Gandhi gave fashion advice to 38 students graduating from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Rae Bareli on Wednesday. What she said

DON'TS

Sometimes a single garment will have zardozi, beads, sequins, patchwork and crystals. Apart from completely overshadowing the wearer, such garments are very uncomfortable to wear. In my view, fashion does not mean opulence.

DOS

To find the right colour combination, cut and proportion in a garment and to ensure that it is comfortable as well is more challenging for a designer, but it results in a garment that is timelessly stylish and elegant. Indians have a very highly developed aesthetic sense… which can be seen in the vibrant colours of a rural woman's saris, her lehenga, ohrni or the cut of her choli or the myriad wonderful ways in which men wear their turbans. Every state has its distinct tradition of weaving, dyeing, printing, embroidery and beadwork. This is a heritage that is truly unparalleled in its beauty, its richness and diversity. I hope that you will take inspiration from this.

ROLE MODEL

Sonia looks no further than mother-in-law Indira Gandhi's "innate sense of fashion", whose simplicity and elegance was admired the world over, she said.

HOW SONIA FARED

"Sonia Gandhi is blessed to have inherited her mother-in-law's amazing collection of saris. She wears them well too. She's handed out practical advice. But nothing, I'm sure, the NIFT kids don't know", said  Kiran Uttam Ghose, Fashion designer.  "I personally completely agree with Sonia Gandhi…. Again, as she says that it is very easy to put in everything and make it opulent and larger than life, but actually god lies in the detail", said Dev of fashion designer duo Dev R Nil.

Sonia to open Congress strategy meet Nov 9

 Congress president Sonia Gandhi will open the party's review cum strategy meet on Friday with her remarks on the current political situation, party leaders said Thursday.

The informal meet, billed as "Samvad baithak" (dialogue meet) will be held at Surajkund near Delhi.

"The Congress chief's opening remarks about the current political situation will form the basis of the debate," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the meeting next on the economic challenges facing the country," said Dwivedi.

While Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will initiate the debate on the economic challenges after the prime minister has spoken, any leaders wishing to speak on the political issues will be allowed to do so during the meet itself, said Dwivedi.

The third and last item on the agenda of the meet will be a performance review of the party's 2009 manifesto and a roadmap for the future.

The meeting will end with Sonia Gandhi's remarks.

"All the issues are likely to take up around six hours, and it is going to be a working lunch for us, to have more time for the debate," said Dwivedi.

The meeting will be attended by party leaders, including 19 Congress Working Committee members among whom are general secretaries in charge of states, 16 permanent invitees to CWC, 23 cabinet ministers and 12 ministers of state with independent charge.

Coming after the Oct 28 reshuffle of the Manmohan Singh cabinet, the meet is being described in Congress circles as a "review cum strategy" session.