Paloma about town: Of pageants and pop-ups!

This week saw me digging in the recesses of my wardrobe for those long-forgotten outfits, making me wonder, “Does this mean that life is finally back to normal?” Every party sees girls talking about high heels breaking and bags falling apart because of not being used for two years. (Who knew this was even a thing! Sadly, I learnt the hard way) Of course, this means more shopping. And just when you think Chennai must surely be ‘all shopped out’, along comes the next pop-up.

Some of the Women’s Day festivities continued into this weekend with a two-day special by Vimonisha. Day one was the Wedding Pop-up show with NAC Jewellers at their new space, The Lotus Lounge. It was an Instagrammer’s delight, as the ladies turned up in the burgundy and gold colour theme, post which they made a beeline for their favourites from the list of designers on display. Day two was the Fabulous Women Awards where women from across various spheres were recognised for their achievements and contributions. It was a feel-good evening, with heartfelt toasts and encouragement all around.

You also know the COVID-19 lull is over once the pageants begin. We saw a slew of titles pre-COVID-19 and the season begins once again, with the Chennai auditions of Mr, Miss and Mrs Tamizhagam. While the true stars of the occasion were the contestants (it takes serious guts to put yourself out there and be judged for it), an event like this would not be complete without the ‘celeb’ presence. And a slew of starlets were there to keep the shutterbugs busy. Adding to the glam quotient was the IFL Fashion Show, heavy on bling. 

Later in the week it was a complete change of gears, with a live performance at Black Orchid. Yes, live bands again! It’s really been too long. ‘The New Dawn’ led by Kevin Asokan and Aishwariya Kumar, and an eclectic mix of musicians (most of whom I learnt are alumni of AR Rahman’s KM College of Music and Technology) saw quite a crowd. The line-up was a nice mix of the classics and ‘top 40’, making it a ‘something for everyone’ type of set list.