Summer Issue 2012
Nadja Atwal is one of those rare people who are a jack of all trades and master of several. The six foot tall former beauty queen and fashion model, who studied psychology and life coaching, became a foreign correspondent and media expert. She is a lifestyle and PR mastermind, owner of Pole Position Management working with supermodels, celebrities and brands lining up for her guidance. She recently co-produced a feature film with Eva Longoria based on a bestseller novel which helps people to be successful at online dating. She is a passionate activist against child trafficking and pro animal rights, published writer and photographer, yet says being married is in the end what means everything to her. Her husband is a young, handsome scientist and Professor for genetic cancer research. She is a mom to 6 month old Alexus who is one of the most booked baby models in New York. For Miami Shoot magazine, she sat down to guide us through the style jungle of this summer.
Undoubtedly we are facing one big summer “dictate” ; skinny jeans in bright colors. I don’t mind the color aspect, BUT, while skinny jeans don’t look good on real skinny people (jeans do require a butt), they don’t work at all for size 12 and above. So given that the average American is supposedly a size 14, one would expect to find people wearing colour-popping skintight stuff to be a rarity. Instead, it has become a uniform and white noise for my eyes. Plus the new ultra-flat ballerina shoe trend (which really only looks good on ballerina-like ladies in the end) doesn’t help here as it makes the legs look unnecessarily shorter and thicker. I’m all for color, but find there are sexier ways to flaunt yellow, bright pink and green than in something that makes you look like a cartoon sausage. By the time the Miami summer hits its high notes, jeans are too much fabric anyway. The way I have been flaunting my curves since spring in all types of colors are the beautiful shapely polo shirts from the Rugby collection of Ralph Lauren. I even went that far to order one of the Polo mini dresses with my first name initial “N” on them and wore those over dark straight leg jeans with high heels to a birthday party. I landed tons of compliments because of the formfitting shape and enough buttons to look less polo match and more ‘hello gorgeous’. A stylist then told me that shirts with initials are what all of Milan is currently ‘tottalli crrrrazy” about. I had no idea but welcomed the Italian solidarity with my taste… After all, I never see more well-dressed people than in Italy.
Another great way to flash some color is via accessories. When we throw on that white tank top or black little dress, these new types of scarf-necklaces and cuffs (generally made of classic t-shirt fabric) look effortlessly stylish. There are many labels to choose from – I went with the Necklush.
The sexiest summer dresses for the night out have the retro factor. I wore 50s style way before MAD MEN was around and one label that delivers the best retro glam for unbelievably low prices is Stop Staring (www.stopstaringclothing.com). When you look at all the celebs that wear their designs to movie premieres, no one has to feel odd to show up anywhere high profile in a 150 dollar dress. If you prefer an upgrade to first class, then check out Roland Mouret – his yellow O’Hara dress tattooed itself into my mind.
But lets talk beach and swimwear. Labels like Beachbunny Swimwear have shown us for years how we can turn a bikini into a major bedroom attraction. The lingerie-swimwear hybrid trend is one of the best fashion ideas in decades. Even in New York I‘ve seen women sporting bikini tops under their shirts and blouses – and no, I’m not talking The Hamptons – but Soho! In fact swimwear has become so versatile, it should be called “everywear”. Now something that may seem to lack practicality but surely has that head-turner effect when you lounge all cool by the pool, are the crochet-overlay one pieces by Robin Piccone. I got this great shot of topmodel Elaine Alden posing in it and tried it on myself. It’s more comfortable than I thought and yes, turns more heads than a tennis match.
I do like when fashion pulls double duty – my favorite items are those that look fabulous and have a part or all of the proceeds go to a great cause. The new must haves are the FUR SUX t- shirts and tank tops from my favorite t-shirt label David & Goliath in support for PETA. And since it is never too early to teach your child respect for animals, the label was EQ enough to also provide cute onesies and footies for the little ones. I simply could not resist and got my baby boy one in every color and included a photo I shot of him in the green one. Simply an adorable design that fights the immense cruelty and endless pain that animals have to endure when being killed for the senseless fur industry.
Finally, the one must have of the summer is: a sexy tunic. There is stunning stuff from Melissa Odabash to Zara, but I’ve never found this tunic that was able to go from day to night, beach to beach party, plane to poolside, business to pleasure. In general, too many designers focus too much on cleavage and not enough on shoulder – which is the far classier concept for seduction. If I am cut out down to Brazil, that tunic will indeed only serve as a cover up on the beach. That is why I love the off-the shoulder style which is sexy, yet classy enough to go anywhere. And since I could not find the very tunic with all the versatility I craved, I went back to my roots – as a teenager I sewed most of my own clothes and designed them myself. I feel honored that such a high profile label like Have Faith Swimgerie (www.swimgerie.com) which has been much featured recently in Sports Illustrated, GQ etc., is selling it now in various patterns and I’m proud that style-savvy supermodels like Joanna Krupa are already wearing it. Which leads me to my best advice for this and any summer: if you don’t find what you are looking for, don’t worry, be happy by simply creating it yourself. Wishing you a happy, stylish summer.
www.polepositionmgt.com
www.havefaith.com/new-arrivals-1/nadja-tunic
Supporter of PETA