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Wardrobe must-haves for the hard-working, corporate woman

Affordable Business Formal Wear Options

Great leaders always dress like it. First impressions are important. Whether it is a client meeting, an office conference, or just another typical weekday, business formal wear has become a great medium through which you can express your office personality. Gone are the days when men used to be the only breadwinners. With renowned women like Michelle Obama, Jacinda Ardern, Kamala Harris, and many more, women’s formal wear has a whole new market. It can clearly be seen that in order to make your stand, you need to dress like it. You can’t go to the office in your pajamas, except, of course, it’s pajama day in your office. Nowadays, formal wear is an excellent approach through which you can evince your professionalism and authority. When you have so many options, choosing the right one can be a gruesome task. Instead of rummaging through your closet, trying to pick an attire that would do the deed for the time being, having a few of these outfits would make your mornings much easier. And if you are on a budget, worry not my friend- online shopping is here to rescue you from this disaster! To save you from an impending calamity, we present to you: Wardrobe must-haves for the corporate woman Skirts One can never go wrong with a well-fitted skirt. A-line and pencil skirts are a great option to showcase yourself as a fierce and assertive woman. The right skirt would not only highlight your femininity but simultaneously help you in presenting yourself as a strong leader. You can opt for a high-waist pencil skirt to accentuate your curves. If you have a rectangular body shape, a mid-waist pencil skirt would be perfect for you. If you have an inverted triangle or an hourglass body type, a midi would be a great fit. Just make sure that the skirt is not too short or too tight as it might cause discomfort throughout the day, affecting your work. Trousers A major key to confidence is comfort. Gone is the era when only the men of the house wore pants. A nice, comfortable pair of trousers can definitely help to bring out your ‘A’ game. Wide-leg, straight fit, palazzos, bell bottoms, cropped or ankle-length trousers, khakis, jumpsuits- the options are endless! If you have a curvy or hourglass figure, bell bottoms or cropped trousers would be a great fit for you. Whereas, if you have a rectangular body type you can go for a palazzo or straight-fit pants. These are great options when you know you’re going to have a long day at work! Shirts, Blouses and Tops Once you know what skirt or trouser you’re going to wear, the next step is to pair it with a well-fitted blouse, top, or a shirt. If you are wearing a skirt, you should probably opt for a well-fitting blouse or a top. If you have narrow shoulder, you can wear a puff-sleeved or a bottle-neck top or blouse. If you have an hourglass body type, you can opt for a wrap-around top. When it comes to trousers, you can go for a well-suited shirt or a button up. It can be plain, striped or even checkered. Just make sure that you wear non-printed trousers along with a striped or checkered shirt to avoid a mis-matched outfit. If you want to take it up a notch, you can wear a blazer and suit it up! A nice blazer will give your outfit a more formal and domineering look. Dress It Up! If you are done with your boring old trousers and skirts, you can always pick a formal dress to wear at the office. You can choose from an A-lined or X-lined dress, a long-sleeved Seath dress, pegged dress, or pleated midis. These dresses are not only comfortable, but emphasize your body type as well. Once again, make sure that your dress isn’t too short or tight as it may be uncomfortable. Color and Fabric When it comes to business formal wear, you need to make sure that you don’t wear clothes that are too brightly-colored or gaudy. Keep it smart and simple. Always opt for pastels or dark colored clothes such as a pastel blue or green, or dark colors such as black, navy blue, maroon, etc. As you are in a formal setting, wearing loud clothes may be inappropriate. Moreover, make sure you buy clothes that are of comfortable fabric, especially cotton. Having a very thin or uncomfortable fabric can be a distress. Shoes Finally, to tie the outfit together, a nice pair of formal footwear is a must! There are endless options to choose from. If you are wearing a dress or skirt, you can go for formal, heeled sandals. You can opt for an open toe, platform, pencil, or block heels, according to your preference. If you are wearing trousers or a suit, you can go for formal loafers or shoes. You can also opt for a faux-leather pair of boots. When it comes to trousers or pants, you can wear sandals as well. The choice is yours to make. If you are not a heel person, you can always wear a pair of bellies or flat boots. Wrapping It Up Bring the outfit together by accessorizing it with a great watch, pendant or a bracelet. And hey! Don’t forget to wear the matching pair of earrings! You are now all set to steal the deal!

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To the Vegans’ - With love, TikTok.

Vegan TikTok: Recipes, Tips & Inspiration

Veganism actually became popular way back in the 1960s. People started realizing the cruelty that non-vegetarianism caused to the animals. As a result, people looked for more guilt-free options. With the wave of TikTok, veganism has resurfaced and has become a part of many people’s daily life. A vegan is a person who does not eat any meat nor consumes any by-product produced by an animal, such as milk, cheese, eggs, etc. People prefer to indulge in plant-based replacements of these products such as tofu, almond or soy milk, vegan butter, and much more. You can also see meat being replaced with vegan alternatives such as jackfruit, mushrooms, carrots, chickpeas, etc. As TikTok became the new worldwide sensation, veganism came back in the limelight. People started posting their own interpretation and ways of dishes. Cooking hacks became trends that everyone was testing and reviewing. With this came the wave of vegan dishes. Dishes that were healthy and tasty, dishes that any non-cook or a busy bee can make. So, without any further ado, here are 7 TikTok vegan dishes that took up the internet by a storm. 7 TikTok vegan dishes that took over the internet: DALGONA COFFEE Some say, they cannot start the day without a good cup of coffee. Introducing from the land of K-Pop- Dalgona Coffee. This coffee drink was trending all over TikTok in 2020. All one needs is some coffee powder, water, milk and sweetener. You whip up some ground coffee with the sweetener of your choice in a little bit of hot water, for about 10 minutes, till it becomes a nice paste like consistency, almost till its doubled. You can either use a milk frother or give your forearms and biceps a good exercise by whipping it by hand. All you need to do after is add some cold or hot milk. Some use full fat milk and sugar but you can add your preferred plant-based milk and some honey instead. Believe me, it does taste as good as it looks! OVERNIGHT OATS Well, if it were up to me, I’d have breakfast in bed every day. Who has the energy to wake up and make breakfast? Waking up is difficult as it is. On a serious note, what if I told you that you do not have to wake up and make breakfast in the in the morning but still eat a home-made, healthy breakfast every day? This might sound like it is too good to be true, but my friend, it is true. Presenting to you- overnight oats. Though oatmeal is supposed to be eaten warm, this dish is cool as a breeze, and easy too! All you have to do is take a container, add some oats and some plant-based milk of our choice with some honey. Mix it well and keep it in the fridge. Over the night, the oats are going to soak up all the milk and become soft and sweet- just like you. Before you eat in the morning, just top it up with seasonal fruits or nuts of your choice and enjoy a home-made, healthy breakfast. This is a perfect recipe for all the busy bees, especially if you are not a morning person. AVOCADO TOASTS This fancy, wholesome dish will surely entice you. All you need is a couple of slices of bread, avocadoes, olive oil, salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, couple of drops of lemon juice and a few additional ingredients of your preference. Once you peel and pit your avocado, smash the avocado and add your seasonings. Toast your slices of bread on the pan or in your toaster. Spread your avocado mix on your toast with a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil and enjoy! And if you are fancy like me, you can customize it by using a French baguette or adding some cherry or heirloom tomatoes and few herbs and olives as toppings. Devour this dish as a nice Sunday brunch or a mid-day snack- the ball is in your court. SMOOTHIE BOWLS This post-workout dish is definitely the most wholesome and healthy move to get energized the right way. Take your blender, put fruits and veggies of your choice. Strawberries, bananas, mangoes, melons, you name it! You can also add some cashews, almonds or even avocados. Add some honey or maple syrup to make it sweet like you, add in your choice of plant-based milk and blend it all till it becomes a thick paste-like consistency. Top it up with some additional nuts for some crunch and gobble it all up without any guilt! And darling, don’t forget your protein powder! FETA PASTA Looking for a hassle-free, heavenly dish that takes you over a tour of Italy? I gotchu. This feta pasta dish is definitely a game-changer. Simply take a baking or pasta dish, add a block of vegan feta cheese along with some cherry tomatoes, basil, herbs, chili flakes, minced garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake it in the oven till the tomatoes are completely cooked and the cheese is melted. You’ll know when it’s done when your kitchen smells like an Italian restaurant. Take it out and add some cooked pasta of your choice. The melted feta and cooked tomatoes along with the seasonings will create a perfect sauce, lusciously coating the pasta. Voila! It is all ready to be devoured. CARROT BACON Yes, you heard it right. Bacon that is actually a carrot. I was as surprised as you probably are until I looked it up. If you are a recently-turned vegan and miss your sweet, crispy bacon, I got the perfect and healthy dish for you. Wash and peel a carrot. Cut it into thin, long strips with the help of a y-peeler. In a bowl, add some oil, tahini, maple syrup or honey, salt and pepper, paprika, soy sauce and herbs of your choice. Make sure to pre-heat your oven. As your oven pre-heats, add the carrot

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BeReal: A Fresh Take on Social Sharing

From posting pictures on Facebook, to maintaining streaks on Snapchat, to posing stories on Instagram, it can be easily presumed that we live in a digitized world. Every event, party, success story, achievement, moments of joy are shared on these social media apps. Now, these apps come with integrated filters and editing tools that urge you to put up the best version of yourself, or you may think so. Consequently, people only tend to like and get attracted to the good things, the pretty things. Let’s BeReal- No one wants to see failures, the reality of the world. BeReal changes this whole concept. You see a post of a woman so beautiful that you forget that it’s the filters that are giving her the perfectly smooth skin with the perfectly-shaped nose. Whereas in reality, she most definitely has a few pimples or freckles, marks, eye bags or uneven skin. We do not get to see her real self, we see what she wants the world to perceive- a woman with no flaws, which, to be honest, it not very authentic and the sad reality is that she is probably much more beautiful without the filters. We see her perfect, flawless self, and we unnecessarily question ourselves- Why can’t I be like her? What is BeReal? BeReal is Gen-Zs latest social media hype. ‘What’s the catch’ you ask? Well, it has no filters or any editing tools to oomph up your photos. The idea is, as you may have guessed, to BE REAL, to be your true, authentic self. Created by a former employee of GoPro, Alexis Barreyat and his companion Kevin Perraeu, it is a French social media app. Though it was put in motion in 2020, it started getting attention in early 2022. As of now, it has more than 10 million active daily users. It claims to be a platform that provides “A new and unique way to discover who your friends really are in their daily life.” How do you use it? Using the app is very easy. As it does not have any filters or image editing tools, all one has to do is take a picture at the right time. You have to start by creating your account and then adding your friends. The app will immediately give you suggestions on who to add as it will give you friend recommendations from your contact list who have a BeReal account. Whether to add them or not is a choice you will have to make. You can also add friends who may not be in your contact list by simply searching for their BeReal username and then adding them. Anytime during the day, you will get a notification from the app to post a picture. You need to post a picture within two minutes and share it with your friends. This time limit prompts you to share a picture of whatever you might be doing at the moment. For instance, you might be reading a book, cooking or even doing your college assignments. Just take a pick and share it with your friends. One thing to be noted is that you do not compulsorily have to post a picture every time you get a notification, you can just post one the next time you get the chance. Another great feature of this app is its use of both front and rear cameras. When you take a picture, you capture both yourself and your surroundings. This lets your friends see what’s happening in your life at that moment. When you share your picture to your friends, you can add a caption if you like. There are no hashtags or trending keywords as this app does not work on such algorithms. You can download the app on your Android or Apple phone from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store respectively. Moreover, it is completely free of cost! Why BeReal? Because it urges you to be real. It encourages you to put yourself out there, your true, original self. It is not just any social media app. In today’s world, where people focus so much on showing only their ‘good’ side, BeReal reminds you that your real self is your good side. You don’t have to be flawless or immaculate to be accepted or liked by others; you just have to BeReal.

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