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9 trends in Pakistan that we hope will go away in 2016

9 trends in Pakistan that we hope will go away in 2016

Dubsmash tops the list! Also, we're sick of contouring, sheer pants, man buns and product placement in movies
Updated 04 Jan, 2016

While 2015 was the year of new, swanky designer stores and the fresh juice craze, not everything that came out of it was good and like every year, it wasn't exempt from some bad decisions.

Celebs and fads coerce us to do some pretty unfathomable things but regret is an emotion we're all too familiar and it's time to let bygones be bygones and move forward.

Here's our R.I.P (fingers crossed) list of trends that need to just go away now that we've stepped into 2016:

1) Dubsmash

Like selfies weren't enough, we got Dubsmash aka the velfie app in 2015.

Read on: Who loves Dubsmash? Humaima Malick and Mehreen Syed certainly do!

Amo B has it down, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor use it and we've had a lot of fun with it ourselves. That being said, it's a lot like karaoke: the person doing it is having the time of their lives but the ones watching tend to get bored after a while.

#Dubsmashing #AfterSoLong 😆😆

A video posted by Amna Babar (@amnababer) on

It's been fun guys but this is one bandwagon we need to get off of in 2016.

2) Blatant product placement in movies and music videos

There is advertising everywhere. Commercials on television. billboards all over town, page long newspaper ads, the dreaded pop-ups on your browser — you just can’t escape it.

And now advertising has seeped into cinema too! Product placement in films has gotten out of hand: I still don't know if Dekh Magar Pyaar Say was a disastrous movie or the longest Sprite commercial in the history of commercials.

This inescapable marketing ploy is getting a bit much
This inescapable marketing ploy is getting a bit much

And let's not even start on Karachi Se Lahore and all those in-your-face Walls promotions. I'm probably never eating a Cornetto again in my life.

3) Ladies sporting the man bun

I don't know which guy decided it would be a good idea to tie up his long hair into a ball on top of his head but whoever it was: thanks a lot.

It ignited some silly need in women to reclaim an unflattering hairdo and now, the top knot/bro ball has become a widespread epidemic.

The 'hun' (half bun) has got to go.
The 'hun' (half bun) has got to go.

Except that women had been tying their hair in buns for years before this came along. It just got tweaked: now it's become a half up-do, which doesn't even make sense. To put it simply, it defeats the very purpose of a bun; sure, it keeps hair out of your face but not off your neck on a scorching summer day.

4) The 'It' girl

Who knew that a term coined by Vanity Fair in the 90s would continue to haunt us over a decade later?

The highly coveted moniker more or less refers to a young, hot woman who attends all the right parties and movie premieres, impresses with her flair for fashion on the red carpet and has her own hashtag attributed to her. These ladies are 'it' and it's okay that we don't exactly know what merits this endorsement.

Don't even get me started on the obsession with the 'frow'
Don't even get me started on the obsession with the 'frow'

In 2016, we'd like the mantle of the "It" girl to be rephrased; women are not objects, they are not 'its'. And maybe, just maybe we could see it being attributed to strong, hard-working, intelligent women from all walks and spheres of life rather than just women who own countless Birkins.

5) Vast age gaps between male and female lead co-stars

You know we live in a really stange world when no one even bats an eye to an onscreen pairing of Adnan Siddiqui and Mawra Hocane, an actress who is more or less half his age age.

This should weird us out. And the fact that it did not requires some self-reflection.
This should weird us out. And the fact that it did not requires some self-reflection.

And it's not only us -- it's a problem that plagues Bollywood and Hollywood. We have the 50-year-old SRK appearing in Karan Johar's next with the 22-year-young Alia Bhatt or Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley who were 28 years apart age-wise when the duo appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

Leading men are allowed to age; clearly, their love interests aren't. We're hoping to see more age-appropriate pairings in the coming year.

6) Sheer pants

Over the past few years, sheer tops and dresses have truly become mainstream. Now it seems as if there are no limits on what can be made see-through. I thought the whole premise of wearing pants was so that your legs were covered and you could get away with not waxing/shaving but I guess I was wrong!

These trousers are completely unnecessary
These trousers are completely unnecessary

They're impractical and costume-y and just plain inappropriate at times! These diaphanous trousers are transparently hideous. Next!

7) Fake it till you make it contouring

I blame Kim Kardashian for this one.

Well played, Kim K, well played.
Well played, Kim K, well played.

Makeup is all about enhancing what you have, it shouldn't be about creating illusions. Let's be honest: contouring and highlighting is one layer too many during the daytime and this madness has got to stop. Why paint on a cheekbone that doesn't exist?

Clearly, Pakistani make-up artists need to take note.
Clearly, Pakistani make-up artists need to take note.

Plus, it's time-consuming and looks cakey if not blended properly. It's better to stick to strobing, which is what we're hoping to see more of this year.

8) Artisanal chai places taking over

Sure, we Pakistanis love our tea and we were floored when Chai Wala opened it's doors and plot to Karachi, making a dhaba accessible to women and families, but this paratha and chai craze has spiraled out of control.

Do we really need one dhaba on every corner?
Do we really need one dhaba on every corner?

It has spawned many similar ventures: we now have Chota Chai Wala, Chai Shai, Lollywood Café, to name a few. After a while, they all start tasting the same anyway. Do we really need one on every corner? Not to mention, Nutella slathered on a paratha can be made at home for 1/200th of the price.

9) The same jewellery brands doing the rounds

Outhouse, Rema Luxe and Prerto -- every time there was an event where the red carpet was rolled out, these 3 jewellery brands were the only ones spotted. And here's the kicker: we can barely tell two of those brands apart.

Meesha Shafi (left), Sohai Ali Abro (top right) and Mahira Khan have all been spotted wearing Outhouse jewellery
Meesha Shafi (left), Sohai Ali Abro (top right) and Mahira Khan have all been spotted wearing Outhouse jewellery

While statement jewellery was big last year, the only statement it will make in 2016 is that you're behind the fashion curve. Less is more and we can see more dainty, well-structured accessories coming into the spotlight.

We're excited to see homegrown brands like Project Rich and designers like Zohra Rehman prosper this year


Comments

Alicia Feraz Jan 04, 2016 02:05pm
The unnamed writer of this piece claims that "we'd like the mantle of the "It" girl to be rephrased; women are not objects, they are not 'its" - a surprisingly ill informed claim considering that the IT girl is not used to describe a collective but a singular. Similar to the term 'X-factor' the phrase describes a magnetic quality rather than mere 'party girl/socialite' (and there is certainly no reason someone who owns a BIrkin and sits in the #FROW is not a hardworking intelligent woman). Every socialite is not and an IT GIRL. The term (NOT coined by Vanity Fair but in use since the 1930s) captures a mysterious quality - the possessor is ‘un-self-conscious’, sexy and completely captures the spirit of the times. It i best to use words for what they mean not what you think they mean - and please don't stick feminism where it does not belong. Chloe Sevigny is an IT girl and she is as feminist as they come.
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SOBIA Jan 04, 2016 02:12pm
What they said: You know we live in a really stange world when no one even blinks an eye to an onscreen pairing of What they meant: We live in a stRange world WHERE no one BATS an eye (or blinks) AT an onscreen pairing of
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Apache Jan 04, 2016 02:30pm
First you promote all these and now you hope to end them
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Zeeshan Arshad Jan 04, 2016 02:46pm
With the votes, Sheer pants would always be the worst , but let me ask everyone, is the sheer shalwar or kameez not always making a return during summers ? why blame just pants ?
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Eric Cartman Jan 04, 2016 03:12pm
lol. In the polls nobody including me disliked sheer pants
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flipflop Jan 04, 2016 03:36pm
@Alicia Feraz are you it girl?
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Habib Jan 04, 2016 06:32pm
I would ignore all of those bad habits rather than more advertising it
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asim Jan 04, 2016 09:51pm
Age gap I see it all the time in real life so what's the issue seeing it on screen - I am totally okay with it.
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mf Jan 05, 2016 07:53am
Instead of dislike or the worst you should have asked which one is the best or like, you would have found the majority like the sheer pants, so it works both ways. Those who voted were still in minority only 20% that means 80% liked it.
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Nida Jan 05, 2016 08:47am
After posting 1000 dubsmash related news, you want this trend to go away? You created this monster, DAWN and ET.
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Rejoice Jan 05, 2016 09:33am
Writer failed to raise a valid point to his dislikes. It seems he likes nothing in glamour world and has no taste buds for the delicious ones. Life is jubilant, let artists live as per their own style.....they choose to inspire others. Who are we do condemn age gaps and fashion mania. As long as it works...it should happen as in the case of SRK at 50 with young girls. Who cares? I enjoy my screen for touching love stories, which are beneficial to my inner soul. Iove Pakistani artists. They are doing a wonderful job. Adnan Siddiqui is my favourite.
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No Jan 05, 2016 03:40pm
The age gap one is the valid one here. They really need to stop doing this. Adnan Siddique and Mawra Hocane look like father and daughter, or at best Uncle and Niece. It's icky.
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BNS Jan 06, 2016 06:46am
We love everything you disliked, specially the sheer pants!
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Kala Ingrez - کالا انگریز - काला अंग्रेज - কালো ইংরাজি Jan 06, 2016 06:54pm
I am jealous and upset that I miss out on these fun and exciting things your magazine shows in Pakistan. Where do I find all this , is there one place or city or locality or street or area or neighborhood where I can enjoy all these trends shown in this magazine? Every time I go back Pakistan, I rarely see the dresses you show or the culture you are making every think is prominent in Pakistan. Help, guide me and tell me where to go and get some excitement while my stay there.
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