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Thick pants, jackets, and boots might be winter staples but that doesn’t mean your winter style has to be boring. You don’t have to compromise on fashion for warmth and comfort. Invest in some key pieces and learn how to put together some good outfits so that you look sensible and stylish at the same time. We bring to you some ideas to get you started. These are just some tips and suggestions and not rules. The key to looking good is feeling good in what you wear.

Start with thermal basics

It’s getting colder by the day and the trick to staying warm is wearing good quality thermals underneath your clothes. No one looks good when they are cold and shivering, no matter how nice their clothes are. This tip might sound basic but it’s easy to overlook. Buy a pair of thermal or wool tights that you can wear under your jeans and a nice cotton camisole to wear under your top (this will give you a layer of warmth without the bulkiness) and you’ve got the basics of winter style sorted. If you opt for a thin thermal layer underneath your outfit, you can get away with wearing what you usually would without worrying about being cold. 

Invest in some important pieces

A long coat, a warm jacket, and a couple of sweaters in neutral colors like brown, beige, or white and you have laid the foundation of winter dressing. A trench coat is one of the most iconic and timeless pieces of clothing. You can wear it as a dress, with high boots. Or pair it with tapered denim or even bell bottoms. It’s also good to have at least one denim jacket and a puffer jacket in your winter wardrobe arsenal. Denim jackets work well with woolen cardigans as well as lighter inner layers. Puffer jackets are perfect for freezing winter when you don’t want the cold to get you. Plus, it looks stylish and works well with all kinds of clothes. 

Layer your clothes

Layering can make you look put together while giving you the option to put on or take off clothes according to how cold or hot you feel. But it doesn’t just serve a purpose, it can make quite a statement too. You need a base layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer. What’s important is to plan your look from the base to the outmost layer so that each layer works on its own too. Find some lightweight options to use this technique with during winter. A cotton shirt with a cropped sweater on top and a long coat to finish with can make for a great look. Purposeful layering allows you to play with a mixture of patterns or textures and curate different looks every single time. You can also play around with the length of your layers like wearing a shorter jacket over a longer top. 

Don’t forget footwear

It’s easy to overlook footwear and slide into that pair of comfortable boots or running shoes when you have to go out. But put in some effort to match footwear to your ensemble.

For an edgy look, go for some chunky heeled ankle boots and thick wool socks. Long boots work well with skin-tight jeans or skirts. Sometimes just switching your footwear can make a huge difference in your outfit. Some styles to include in your wardrobe for this season would be chunky soles and lace-ups. In terms of color, red and brown are also great choices instead of the regular black. Shoes need to be practical but there’s no harm in having at least one fun pair of boots in your wardrobe. 

Pick the right accessories

A great winter jacket or trench coat might be the foundation of your winter outfit but accessories are what complete your look. With the right accessories, you can express your personality and create a more polished look. Gloves, hats, scarves, and belts among others can elevate your look and take it to a whole new level. Buy your accessories in neutral colors so that they can be paired with most of the outfits. You can go for bright-colored scarves and hats to add a bit of cheer to your neutral ensemble. A scarf can be a beautiful accent piece. Think soft cashmere, chunky knit pieces, or neck wraps. Belts can do a lot more than just hold your pants in place. Accentuate your look by using a great belt to cinch your long coat at the waist.

Radha: Wrath of the Maeju

Rishi Amatya

Fantasy Fiction

Radha is the first-of-its-kind fantasy fiction set in Patan. The book is about a young girl who is excited to spend a quiet Saturday in Patan Durbar Square with her brother and uncle. But an earthquake brings her dreams crashing to the ground—along with Patan’s temples and palaces—and unleashes forces that threaten everyone she loves. As the armies of darkness await at the border between the worlds, Radha must find the strength and resolve to do everything it takes to restore the balance. An adventure unlike any before, Radha is the story about how the titular character must overcome her own doubts before she can know what it means to be a god. 

Sweet Bean Paste

Durian Sukegawa

Contemporary | Japan

Sentaro has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. He spends his days in a tiny confectionery shop selling pancakes filled with sweet bean paste. But everything is about to change. Into his life comes Tokue, an elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past. Tokue makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. She begins to teach him her craft, but as their friendship flourishes, social pressures become impossible to escape and Tokue’s dark secret is revealed, with devastating consequences. Sweet Bean Paste is a moving novel about the burden of the past and the redemptive power of friendship.

Bright Young Women

Jessica Knoll

Thriller | Mystery

January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.

Our strengths define who we are. It often dictates how we behave and deal with issues that arise in our personal and professional lives. Evana Manandhar from Apex spoke to three people, from different backgrounds, to find out how their strengths shape who they are.

Samishan GC, Actor

In the pursuit of an acting career, cultivating unwavering patience and maintaining a perpetual learning mindset are indispensable. Enduring years of struggle refines these qualities, forming a bedrock for success. The entertainment industry’s competitiveness demands resilience, emphasizing the importance of waiting for that pivotal opportunity. This patient approach is complemented by a continuous commitment to learning and skill development. As time unfolds, these accumulated skills, nurtured through years of training and experience, become a potent arsenal for seizing the spotlight. The actor’s journey is an intricate interplay of time, patience, and a relentless pursuit of improvement, ultimately converging into a narrative of triumph shaped by dedication and perseverance.

Rit Gautam, Cricketer

Discipline is a superpower that helps you work hard, follow through with your goals, and stay on track especially when it gets tough. It isn’t just your professional career’s demand but also a quality that makes your personal life rewarding and stable. Being a professional cricketer at a very young age forced discipline into me which gradually showed me how I was growing as a human being. It helped me to tackle challenges with ease, and with high emotional maturity.

As a professional cricketer, handling high-pressure situations and thriving in them is a strength that you must have. The ability to stay poised during an intense situation with high pressure is crucial because it enables individuals to maintain their composure and make rational yet effective decisions.

Sujal Shakya, Test Automation Engineer 

Communication is the lifeblood of relationships, the bridge that connects us to others, and the catalyst for growth and understanding. Professionally, I consider my strong communication skills to be a key strength. I excel in gathering information by communicating with concerned individuals, breaking barriers, and finding effective solutions, which has been evident in my previous roles where I successfully dug into each module of the application and documented it.

On a personal level, my ability to communicate and collaborate allows me to build positive relationships with people. At work, this skill helps me contribute to a positive work environment. My friends and family know me for my sense of humor. I know how to cheer people up and make them comfortable and that has always helped my friends and family seek me whenever they need to talk.

In an increasingly interconnected world, communication has become more critical than ever. It’s the key to unlocking our potential, both personally and professionally. By embracing the art of articulation, we can build stronger relationships, achieve shared goals, and contribute to a more harmonious and understanding world.

Anjana Malla, 28, is the founder of Deego Nepal which was registered in 2021. Malla was working for an INGO and had what people consider a ‘good job’. But she was constantly overwhelmed by the desire to do something to protect the environment. So, she quit her job and started her own company that offers eco-friendly alternatives for many everyday items. Today, Deego Nepal is an award-winning women-led sustainable brand.

Malla says working in places at different I/NGOs armed her with the knowledge and confidence to do something of her own. By the time she launched Deego Nepal, she knew she could run a successful business while staying true to her core principles. So, in 2020, she co-founded the company with two of her colleagues. 

“We knew we wanted to replace as many plastic products as possible, with sustainable alternatives like bamboo, straw, and wood,” she says. The Covid-19 lockdowns were spent doing research. Malla says they wanted to have a clear idea about the concept and line of products Deego Nepal would promote. 

Through Deego-Nepal, they have been supporting women, local artisans, farmers, and marginalized communities by creating wage-based job opportunities. Currently, about 75 women from different parts of Nepal, including Bardia, Dhading, Chitwan, Dang, and Kathmandu, work on sustainable products for Deego-Nepal.

Malla was born and brought up in Bardiya, in the Lumbini Province in midwestern Nepal. She saw Tharu locals weave bamboo products like ‘nanglo’, ‘doko’ and ‘dalo’. She found it fascinating to watch. She realized it had left a lasting impression on her young mind when years later she found herself sharing similar ideas with her colleagues. Crafting daily-use items through generational practices is now the mantra of Deego Nepal.  

Malla, as the CEO of Deego Nepal, is meticulous about ensuring everything is in order. She makes sure there aren’t any unnecessary issues with the company’s employees and customers. Focused on sustainability, Malla designs and promotes goods that are modern adaptations of indigenous practices. Deego Nepal’s products like tote bags, storage boxes, laundry baskets, wooden combs, loofahs, soaps, and scrubbers are easy to compost and biodegradable. 

Besides promoting sustainable alternatives, Malla also wants to spread awareness about the importance of an eco-friendly lifestyle. She has participated in numerous programs and workshops for the same. She is also constantly creating and posting videos and tips on the ways people can be kinder to the planet. She lives by the motto of Refuse, Reduce, and Recycle (3Rs) and wishes other people would practice it too. 

But it isn’t easy, she says. People have a warped idea of sustainability. Many think it’s just a trend and look down upon it. Some also think it’s expensive to live a sustainable lifestyle when it’s not. “You don’t have to throw away things and buy sustainable products, which is what most people believe. You can reuse and repurpose what you have,” says Malla. When you have to replace something, then you choose a sustainable alternative.

Malla says initially she struggled to make her parents understand what she was doing and why she was doing it. Though they now support her sustainable plant-based weaving business by helping her come up with ideas as well as source materials, they too had to be educated about the need to use fewer resources and live as eco-friendly lifestyles as possible. 

“People need to change their mindsets. It’s not about changing what you use. It’s about how you think and what you do with what you already have,” says Malla, adding using what you have for a long time is also a part of sustainable living. 

Deego Nepal, like any other homegrown business, has had its share of ups and downs but they have also received a fair share of accolades. People who have used their products have appreciated the craftsmanship and unique ideas. The company was the winner of the Greenovation segment in the Idea Studio Program Season 5. It also received the ‘Green Start-Up Award’ at CYINEF startup Fest 2022.

“At first, it was difficult to prove to people that eco-friendly products aren’t always pricier than plastic. One sustainable item might cost the same as three cheap plastic ones but it will last longer too,” says Malla. She expects people to make smart choices and adopt a sustainable mindset instead of just following trends. The good thing, she says, is that over time people have become more conscious about the need for sustainable living. 

Malla’s team aims to offer top-notch sustainable products and services as well as create a positive impact on society. Though the company doesn’t have a solid marketing strategy, it’s getting a good rap through its participation in farmer markets, programs, and product reviews. Social media has also been a boon, says Malla. “It has widened our reach.”

However, Malla doesn’t want to limit herself to Deego Nepal in her quest to promote sustainable living. She doesn’t like it when people litter on the streets, especially when they are hiking and going for other adventure sports. In a bid to raise awareness about its ill effects, she organizes hiking events where connection with nature is emphasized. 

Deego Nepal also collaborates with several organizations for awareness programs. Recently, they collaborated with Chakraviu Nepal, a non-profit organization that works to improve carefree quality education. They worked on a project to recycle old jeans into school bags for underprivileged students.

Malla strongly believes in helping local projects and resources and she wants to inspire the young generation to opt for eco-friendly practices. “Engaging young people in sustainable practices can help bring new ideas and perspectives. It will also build a strong foundation for entrepreneurship for a sustainable future as well,” she says.