"Get ready for summer"

Hello girls! I'm back! This time I am talking about summer...the hottest season of all. Read on for ideas about how you can be comfortable, simple and look gorgeous at the same time. How about giving you girls a total makeover this summer?

Lets start with the hair. Summer is the perfect time to shed long locks for a short, choppy cut that shows off your features and gives your look a new attitude. Tippi Shorter, owner and head stylist of New York City's Lush Studio, says to create looks like this, start by finding a stylist that will skip the scissors and use a razor. "Cutting hair with a razor gives it more texture, and a choppier feel so it doesn't look heavy," says Tippi. She created this jagged look by cutting layers to create a funky look and then placed some shorter pieces on the top for a fun spiky look. Another way to crank up the cool factor of your new 'do is with color. According to Shorter, "Two-toned color creates depth and works well with choppy cuts because you can see the individual pieces." To maintain this look, use products that add texture, shine and a soft hold.

Make-up? In this humid weather, it's best to steer clear from the heavy artillery and stick to just basic mascara and gloss. Keep a good sun-block lotion, and plenty of lip balm handy, and drink a lot of water to retain that healthy glow on your skin.

Avoid perfume and heavy cologne, as they tend to mix with sweat and create an olfactory massacre; instead, stick to deo spray and scented prickly heat powder.

This is the season of skirts and denims, that would look great with any top you wear. Sleeveless, strappy tops are also the best bet this summer. Pick floral and geometric prints. Spring and summer may not be the best time to wear full sleeves, but if you're shy about your arms, then shrugs are the perfect way to hide your arms and make you feel comfortable.

Long dresses have always been very comfortable. The granny dress with its vintage appearance brings back an era of elegance for the female community. You think you don't like ponchos? Think again. The easiest way to make a fashion statement this season is to throw a poncho over your head. A cotton or silk poncho (printed or plain) will look absolutely gorgeous with faded denim.

When it comes to kameez, choose natural, breathable fabrics such as cotton, linen, lon and mulmul. You're free to choose between the loose Pakistani salwars with their intricate cut work and dollars, or the chic churidars favored by Indian soap stars. Sleeveless is both trendy and comfortable, and you can experiment with bold and artistic necklines. Skip the dated blocks and use a little creative DIY to combine plain cotton with beads and baubles from your unwanted ornaments to create a jazzy new look.

Colour wise, green is the new pink this season. Opt for shades of lime, apple, mint, or paste-green. The lighter shades of orange, especially mango and dull marigold are very popular too, especially when teamed with electric or navy blue.

Finally, pretty up your feet with feminine slippers and thong sandals. But before you step out, make sure you get a good pedicure.

Well, that's about all the fashion advice I have for this season. See you soon, and until then, stay stylish.

By Tashmia Zaman

Trust issues

Trust a word that is easy to comprehend but hard to comply with. It is the basis of relationships of all types, be it husband-wife, brother-sister, parent-children etc. Even a successful friendship builds around trust and it is true that your best friends are the people you trust the most. So how do we trust someone? Why is trust important?

The answers to these questions are not clear. On the contrary, a precise answer is hard to find. If we delve into the matter of trust, you will be surprised to find that it is a complex matter. As a matter of fact, all things that are easy to comprehend are actually quite complex if you delve into the matter properly. Trust is important in the sense because in life there will be times when you simply cannot carry out any sort of task alone. There will be times when you might get into trouble and that certain someone, who you trust a lot, will get you out of it. And of course one day or another you will start a family and you need trust to bind your family together. A successful friendship requires a lot of trust and as I said before your best friend is the person whom you trust the most and hence that is why you can have such a good time with that person. Trust is simply the gateway to reveal you, a way to express your true self to someone else.

Trust has an important part to play in families as well. For instance, if your parents do not trust you in what you do be it your studies or career then you might have a hard time convincing them what is right for you. Your freedom might be hampered if you are not trusted by your parents because you will be constantly bombarded with questions with whatever you do and at one stage will annoy you a great deal. In this era, where most young people think that taking drugs and alcohol are cool, it is going to be tough for most of us to convince our parents that we are not a part of that dirty culture. Also, young people coming from a conservative family face an uphill task of convincing their parents, especially when it comes to going out with friends. Especially for a girl, who happens to have some male friends, and her family will beleaguer her to stop mixing with them or with any other friends by barring her freedom. Yes, the present situation of the country is not good and therefore we can understand their concern but they should also have faith in their children, especially if they are having higher education.

Most brothers and sisters have very good understanding between them and hence they have a solid bond of trust between them. But this also takes times because there are many siblings who are just too loyal to their parents and have a habit of telling everything to their parents and when I say everything I do mean EVERYTHING. The most suffered of them all are the younger siblings whose older counterparts have the habit of spilling everything to their parents. This usually happens when the young fellow trusts his/her older brother/sister and lets in on a secret that might upset the parents if they hear it. But the older brother/sister will disrespect the trust of their younger counterparts and will just let the parents know causing some trouble for his younger sibling. And this is often the reason for sibling rivalry.

Relationships are built on trust. It is this trust that helps understanding between each other and gives you the assurance that you are there for each other. Trust also clears out all sorts of suspicions or jealousy which could prove to be very fatal in a relationship. And this is just the stepping stone because most successful relationships turn into marriages and all healthy marriages runs on trust. Not only is it important to trust one another but it is also equally important to maintain it, which at times might not be easy.

The process of trusting someone usually takes time. In order to trust someone you must at first understand the person because without understanding how the person is you simply cannot reveal your true self to that person. If you understand someone properly you can then judge whether or not that person is trustworthy. There might be persons who may appear to be nice, proper and easy to get along with but that does not necessarily mean that the person is trustworthy because the same person may have a habit of spilling out secrets. And that might get you into a lot of trouble. Trying to know the characteristics or lifestyles through frequent verbal interaction can really help in understanding someone. There is a saying which goes like this 'Lets Talk' and through this talk you can uncover many things and even learn a lot. Parents can learn about the so-called new generation through frequent interaction with their teenaged sons and daughters, so that they are updated with the world today and can differ in judgment so as to not make their children feel that they are being treated unfairly. Couples can talk and settle issues of all sorts that might lead to suspicions or misunderstandings. Other than talking there are other ways which I do not find convincing enough.

Trust is a very sensitive and fragile issue and it must be dealt with utmost care. A little flaw in trust can have a huge impact.

By Ziad Bin Hyder

Book review

The other Boleyn girl

The story of Henry VIII and his six wives is perhaps not unknown to many. The history books tell of this fearsome tyrant who married six times, beheaded two of his wives, divorced two, and had a long line of mistresses. Many novellists have romanticised the story of Anne Boleyn, his second wife and the mother of Elizabeth I. Some paint her as an innocent victim, others see her as a grasping, ambitious woman who got her just desserts. So initially, when someone recommended Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, which tells the story of Anne Boleyn through the eyes of her sister, Mary, I was a bit skeptical, as I sympathised with Anne and didn't expect a similar treatment from Gregory.

Sure enough, the narrator, Mary maintains a very hostile attitude towards her elder sister, as the dazzling Anne returns from the French court, and first practically shoves her into the king's bed, and when Mary fails to hold him, steals the king's affection for her. The study of the sibling rivalry between the two sisters is riveting, to say the least. The sisters both care for one another, and yet each cannot stand the sight of the other gaining even an inch over her. Interestingly enough, although Mary is as catty as can be about Anne, and although she is very frank about her sister's cold ambition, you can't help but admire the latter for her determination, and you can't help but feel sorry for her when she is suffering.

If you like your historical novels with a slight touch of intrigue and romance, The Other Boleyn Girl is definitely worth a read.

Attention: RS Readers. The deadline for the 500Feat has been extended to May 12. Send your entries to rs.readers@gmail.com

By Sabrina F Ahmad

My God

I was lonely and I was scared
Not to take a step, I had dared.
But now that You are by my side,
There is no need for me to hide.
Now that You are always there,
No difficulties do I have to bear.
You helped me in every single way
Even from home when I ran away.
For you, now I am here,
There is nothing for me to fear.
You are greatest, You are the best,
You made me special from the rest.
You are magic, but not fraud,
You are my one true God.

By Niaz Makhdum