Submit your Article

The cardinal rule of style is that your clothes must fit you well. A bad fit makes you look sloppy whereas a good fit makes you look appealing. It’s a small thing but the impact is huge. However, just wearing good clothes doesn’t ensure your look is complete. Even designer clothes can actually fall flat and look average if you don’t style it well. Here are some style rules that you must follow to look your best in every outfit.

Pair your outfit with the right shoes

Shoes can often make or break your outfit. Shoes should be practical and comfortable. But they should also match with your clothes, in terms of style and color. Ideally, you should have at least a pair of black heels, ankle length boots in a neutral shade, some ballerina flats, a nice pair of sneakers, and some great open toe sandals in your wardrobe. Dark shoes will kill an outfit if there is nothing dark in the ensemble to balance out its harshness. So pair dark clothes with dark shoes and lighter clothes with lighter shoes. Also, dresses and suits look good with heels while casual clothes work well with kitten heels, flats, or sandals. Shoes with pointy toes give an illusion of length to your legs and look better than those with rounded or flat toes.

Play with jewelry

Most of us wear the same rings or ear studs with every outfit. It seems like such a hassle to keep changing out of our regular ones to match with our clothes. But you are doing yourself a great disservice by not experimenting with jewelry. Dress up your outfit with pretty necklaces, earrings, bracelets, or rings. However, don’t go overboard with it and use many pieces together. Rather, choose to make one or two the highlight of your outfit. There are many brands these days that sell affordable jewelry, both real and imitation. Invest in pieces that make you feel comfortable and you feel good wearing and switch them up. We recommend Maya Handicraft Jewelry for some good quality silver pieces that are timeless and you can wear with pretty much anything. Palmonas, the Indian brand of demi-fine jewelry, owned by the Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor, also has some great designs.

Beautiful bags to elevate your look

Are you guilty of carrying the same bag day in and day out and only switching it up when it starts to fall apart or when the season changes and you feel like you need a bag that goes with it? Bags are great statement pieces and can really elevate your look if styled right. Most of us tend to buy black bags thinking it will go with everything but the overall effect tends to be a bit drag. Slouchy bags look good with casual wear while structured ones that hold form are great for office and a more formal look. If you can, don’t carry large bags with dresses and suits and they tend to take the impact away from your clothes. Choose simpler, smaller ones instead. Clutches or crossbody bags also go really well with dresses. There are many styles of bags available—from larger totes and hobos to smaller side bags and crossbodies—that you don’t have to stick to a particular one for all your outfits.

Experiment with your style

Most of us have a particular style of dressing depending on our preferences and we rarely, if ever, switch things up. But unless you experiment with your clothes and dressing sense you will not know what looks good on you and how you can change how you look and feel simply by changing the way you dress. You don’t have to make sudden or drastic changes. Start by making small alterations in the way you dress. If you aren’t a big fan of accessories, try adding a piece or two every now and then. A scarf, hat, or even a funky piece of jewelry that you wouldn’t otherwise wear can change your style. Look for fashion inspiration, online and around you. Try making a mood board of different styles. Once you feel confident with small changes, you can make bigger ones with fabrics, textures, and designs.

“All these so-called feminists and feminism are making motherhood undesirable.” I’ve heard this too many times from people who haven’t bothered to understand what feminism truly stands for. Feminism doesn’t scare women away from motherhood—what does is the expectation of doing it all alone. Feminism has never condemned having children. Instead, it seeks to reclaim motherhood by challenging its negative stereotypes. It says: “Have a baby when you’re ready, not because society pressures you,” and “Motherhood shouldn’t derail a woman’s career or dreams—mothers deserve equal support from their partners and families.”

“Feminists don’t scare women away from motherhood. What scares them is the silence in the room when the baby cries past midnight and no one else gets up.” Too often, society frames motherhood as the end of a woman’s personal and professional aspirations. The anxiety isn’t about the baby—it’s the fear of losing one’s identity, freedom, and dreams, since women are still expected to bear the full cost of parenting. Many now believe financial stability and emotional security are essential before having children, which is why they wait until they’re truly ready.

Saying “we’re pregnant” isn’t enough—that “we” must extend through the entire journey. While mothers undergo physical changes, the workload should be shared. When feminists highlight this imbalance, they’re not rejecting motherhood; they’re asking: “Why is it still unequal?” Feminism dares to voice what women whisper at 3 am.: “I love my child, but I need help. I’m exhausted.” Yet this is misread as negativity.

Silencing feminists won’t protect motherhood—the solution lies in listening and redesigning a system where no woman must choose between motherhood and herself. “She thinks it’s only her. We had kids at her age and didn’t complain. We survived without support.” But when a young woman says, “This is hard,” the world rolls its eyes: “We did it, so can you.” They forget surviving isn’t thriving. Just because past generations endured doesn’t mean women today should carry the burden alone. Feminism insists: “You shouldn’t have to ‘figure it out’ just because others did. Your life and dreams matter.”

Then there’s the silent pressure—”Have a child; it’ll save the marriage.” As if a baby is glue, not a human. Motherhood should never be a bargaining chip. No woman should be guilted into it to avoid divorce. This is the oppression feminism fights—where a woman’s womb is treated as a solution to someone else’s fear, and her choice is erased. When motherhood becomes a tool for control or saving face, that’s not sacred—it’s oppression. True feminism champions a mother’s choice—freely, fully, and with dignity. It doesn’t turn women against motherhood; it advocates for a version that values and supports them.

“You can continue your studies after a baby—what’s the big deal?” But it’s never that simple. Who cares for the baby during class? Who shares the sleepless nights? The constant balancing act? The culprit isn’t ambition—it’s the lack of support and shared responsibility that makes education harder for mothers than for their partners. Young wives face relentless hints: “When’s your turn? We want to see our grandchild before we die.” Everyone prepares for the baby—but who prepares her for the emotional toll? Feminism says: “You can be a good partner without being ready for motherhood.”

“We’ll take care of the baby—just have it.” But who defines “take care”? Is it just diapers, or life-altering decisions? What if the mother wants to be present in her child’s early years—with the time, energy, and peace to do so? It’s not about waiting too long—it’s about being ready physically, emotionally, and financially. Historically, motherhood was a woman’s “primary purpose.” Limited opportunities enforced this ideal. But times have changed. Today, women shape their futures through education, careers, and choice. Feminism has redefined motherhood—no longer about fulfilling others’ expectations, but about empowerment and shared responsibility. We’re moving toward a world where mothers choose motherhood on their own terms, embracing every facet of who they are.

Life can get unnecessarily difficult at times so it helps to simplify things whenever possible. Little things can go a long way in making everyday life easy. Here are some simple ways to reduce the complexities of life. They might not solve your larger problems but they will definitely give you more time to focus on what’s important and clear up mental space for you to deal with the bigger issues.

Meal prep in advance

Meal prepping is the easiest way to shorten your time in the kitchen and make healthy meals accessible. So take some time out, once a week or once every two to three days, to wash and chop your veggies, marinate chicken, and soak or stream pulses and grains. Having healthy ingredients on hand will make cooking seem less like a chore. You can also batch make tomato puree and ginger garlic paste and freeze this to use when you need, saving valuable time. Invest in some lightweight containers to store chopped vegetables in the fridge.

Invest in an air fryer

Kitchen gadgets help reduce the time you spend cooking by making chopping, blending, frying etc. easier and efficient. In many cases, they also save the time you would spend cleaning afterwards. A blender is a necessity in the kitchen. This will make everything—from making purées to juices—easy and effortless. It’s good to have a microwave as well as this will help you reheat food in minutes and without the need for extra pots and pans. But what we especially recommend is an air fryer. It’s a game changer and can promote healthy eating habits as well. An air fryer eliminates the need to use a lot of oil. In some cases, you don’t need oil at all. It’s a great time-saving alternative to frying that can be messy and time consuming and you can make basically everything from French Fries to Grilled Chicken in it.

Deal with clutter on a regular basis

You might not realize it but clutter can make everyday activities a hassle. You might struggle to find your keys or wallet as you leave home or lose or misplace things on a daily basis. By clearing out clutter—throwing mail you don’t need or storing things away—you will be creating more space in your life for things that matter and also make your home more aesthetically appealing. Take 10 to 15 minutes a day, every morning or before you go to bed, to put things away and toss things like receipts and wrappers that have gathered from the day. You will find that a cleaner home makes life so much smoother.

Schedule one day a week for grocery shopping

As we go about our busy days with a gazillion things to deal with, there is often the added pressure to do things like shop for food, buy toilet paper or soap etc. Although they might seem like small things, they take up mental energy and time. Scheduling a weekly grocery run simplifies things and saves you the trouble of having to run to the store for one thing or the other time and again. Make a list of things you need and shop in one go. You can also try stocking up on essentials like toilet paper, soap, toothpaste and the like to have to buy them once a month and not every or every other week.

Have a go-to bag of essentials near the door

More often than not, it’s a mad rush to get out of the house. As we run about gathering things we need, we keep forgetting something or the other and thus moving about the house to find them. Having a bag of essentials near the door or in a drawer by the door or shoe cabinet will ease this tedious process. Grab a large pouch and put things like tissues, lip balms, masks, pens, hair ties and other things you might need when you are going out in it. This will be your go-to bag of sorts that you can quickly grab things from when you are running late and find that you haven’t carried something you need. Keep this where you keep your keys or at least nearby so that it’s easily accessible. We guarantee this will help you reach wherever you are going on time.

Maintain an organized bedside table 

An organized bedside table can make you more productive as well as make your early morning or bedtime routine more comfortable. Not only does a well kept bedside area make your bedroom seem calmer and more put together, it also saves you the trouble of having to get up to fetch things as you wind down for the day. It’s a convenient space to store your essentials that you might sometimes even need in the middle of the night. You don’t want to go waddling through the house for a glass of water or a painkiller during the middle of the night. Place a nice glass tumbler with water next to your alarm clock and book and some basics like painkillers, creams, and throat lozenges in a tray in the drawer below it. The idea is to keep everything you need close by so that you don’t have to keep getting out of bed at night. 

As Nepal advances toward its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and national plans, one target stands out as both urgent and ambitious: achieving net zero carbon emissions. This goal, though complex, is not impossible—especially if Nepal harnesses one of nature’s most powerful, yet often overlooked, climate allies: the Vetiver grass system.

With rising temperatures, rapidly melting Himalayan glaciers, unpredictable monsoon patterns, and an alarming increase in landslides and flash floods, Nepal is already living the harsh realities of climate change. While industrialized countries focus on energy transition, electric vehicles, and technological carbon capture, countries like Nepal—with limited industrial emissions but high vulnerability—must champion nature-based solutions that are affordable, scalable, and regenerative.

This is where Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) offers a uniquely powerful opportunity. Traditionally known for its use in soil conservation, erosion control, and slope stabilization, vetiver is now gaining recognition as a natural carbon sink. Its dense and deep root system, which can grow over three to five meters underground, allows it to sequester large quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide into the soil.

Recent studies have shown that Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) has the potential to sequester 15 to 20 metric tons of CO₂ per hectare per year—a rate that rivals or even surpasses many tree-based afforestation projects. What sets Vetiver apart is its rapid growth cycle and its massive, fibrous root system, which penetrates 3 to 4 meters deep into the soil within a single growing season. Unlike trees, which can take decades to reach maturity and store significant carbon, Vetiver achieves measurable carbon sequestration in just months.

The deep-rooted nature of Vetiver is critical: carbon stored below 1 meter in the soil is far less likely to be disturbed by erosion, fire, or agricultural tilling, meaning the captured CO₂ remains stable and locked in the ground for decades, if not centuries. This makes Vetiver not only effective, but a highly reliable long-term carbon sink.

Moreover, the Vetiver System allows multiple planting and harvesting cycles per year depending on climatic conditions and management practices, which further accelerates carbon absorption. Each cycle contributes fresh biomass, organic matter, and root expansion—deepening the soil’s carbon bank.

From a land-use perspective, Vetiver can be strategically integrated into a variety of landscapes to maximize both environmental and economic benefits. On degraded and barren lands, Vetiver plays a crucial role in restoring soil fertility while sequestering significant amounts of carbon. Along flood-prone riverbanks, it stabilizes the soil, reduces erosion, and captures sediment-rich carbon, contributing to cleaner waterways. When planted on road and highway slopes, Vetiver prevents erosion and helps create resilient green corridors. Additionally, when used along agricultural field boundaries, it serves as a protective buffer that not only shields crops from wind and water damage but also enhances carbon storage capacity, supporting sustainable farming practices.

A major advantage of Vetiver is its low maintenance: it requires minimal irrigation, no pesticides, and thrives in poor soils. This makes it ideal for large-scale deployment in Nepal, especially through community forestry programs, local governments, youth cooperatives, and eco-enterprises.

In a time when Nepal seeks to meet its Net Zero Carbon target within the next five years, adopting the Vetiver System at scale could be the most cost-effective, nature-based, and scientifically sound strategy available.

Nepal’s net zero ambition is bold—but it is within reach. In Vetiver, we have a low-cost, high-impact, nature-based solution already tested across different terrains of Nepal. As the world looks for scalable climate solutions, Nepal has the chance to lead by example—not by waiting, but by planting. The Vetiver System is not just about green landscapes; it’s about a green future.

With the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions within the next five years, the vetiver system in Nepal shows promising potential. In 2022, Nepal emitted approximately 56.7m metric tons of CO₂ equivalent greenhouse gases. According to studies, vetiver grass can absorb around 15.24 metric tons of carbon per hectare per year. Based on this, Nepal would need to plant vetiver across approximately 333,335 hectares to offset its annual carbon emissions.

To achieve this goal within five years, vetiver would need to be planted on 66,667 hectares of land annually. Out of Nepal’s total 4.1m hectares of arable land, the proposed plantation area represents only 8.13 percent, making it both practical and achievable. To help visualize these facts clearly, a visual infographic has also been prepared, showing how Nepal can realistically achieve its net-zero target using the vetiver system.

To maximize impact, strong policy support and cross-sectoral alignment are essential. The government should formally recognize Vetiver systems within national carbon offset strategies and incorporate Vetiver-based interventions in future updates of Nepal’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Additionally, it is crucial to facilitate streamlined carbon credit certification mechanisms, allowing local communities, municipalities, and private firms to access benefits from global carbon markets. By taking these steps, Nepal can accelerate progress toward its net zero targets while simultaneously unlocking significant opportunities for climate finance and green investment.

While carbon sequestration is a central focus, Vetiver offers multi-dimensional value across environmental and socio-economic domains. It plays a vital role in soil and water conservation by reducing erosion, restoring fertility, and enhancing groundwater recharge. In the context of disaster risk reduction, Vetiver strengthens slopes and embankments, offering natural protection against landslides and floods. It also generates livelihood opportunities through its use in handicrafts, essential oil extraction, composting, and livestock fodder. Moreover, Vetiver supports biodiversity and ecological regeneration by reviving degraded landscapes and fostering the growth of native flora and fauna.