Shop special

Bringing in the fresh air to men's wear: O2

Sabrina F. Ahmad

Women in Dhaka are outrageously pampered when it comes to fashion. Whether it's a traditional belle going for saris and kameezes, or an ultra-modern madam in Western clothes, or even the trendy 'Bangla' fan who's keen on the fusion wear that's heating up the markets, we girls have always had a wide range of clothes and styles to suit every taste. Boutiques abound the city, eager to supply us with the outfits we crave. All this time, the men had to be satisfied with the small male sections in stores that are otherwise more female customer oriented. Not any more.

It's time for the ladies to step aside and let the guys share the spotlight as O2 hits the town.

Located at House 2, Road 103, Gulshan-2 (close to the Wonderland amusement park), adjacent to the boutique Almira, this is the store that caters exclusively to men. The concept behind O2 is to bring a 'breath of fresh air into the world of men's fashion in Bangladesh', as Asif Iqbal, spokesperson for the enterprise told us.

O2 has a wide range of men's clothing. Right now the main focus is on fusion wear, following the current trend. There is an extensive collection of fatuas and short kurtas in a kaleidoscope of colors and a multitude of patterns and designs, to suit all tastes. They also offer executive wear, party wear, and an extensive bottom line. Starting sometime in September, they will also be bringing out a line of formal punjabis. Most of the clothes make use of natural materials like cotton, khadi, silk, etc., that's not only stylish, but also comfortable to wear, and easy to take care of. What's also unique about this outfit is that it offers the complete outfit; replete with all accessories, from shoes to shades to scarves, O2 has it all.

One word of warning for first-timers, though… you might find the items a bit taxing on the wallet. The fatuas and short kurtas range from Tk 700-1000, while the bottom line is available at Tk 900-1300. Both the executive shirts and party wear cost between Tk 700-900. That's a small price to pay for being stylish, though, and if you compare these prices with the prices of the same items at stores abroad, you'd find them quite reasonable. Not only are the clothes good to look at, the store has the right ambience for a long afternoon of browsing through the latest styles. The décor is simple, unobtrusive, and trendy… everything in neutral, earthy colors so that the focus remains on the clothes and accessories on display.

For guys who want to pamper themselves in style, or for those generous ladies who want to splurge on exclusive designer-wear for their special men, this should definitely be your next destination…O2 is the next big thing in men's fashions.

Shop talk

Be cool (or not)
People carry all sorts of things around their waists these days. There is the obligatory cell phone, maybe a pair of sunglasses in the pseudo Ray Ban case and in some cases there is also a folded umbrella. In this hot weather you can also add another item to dangle from your waist. Meena Bazaar sells cool stainless steel thermos flasks with their own zippered carrying cases. The flasks have a minimalist bullet design, can carry about a litre and look sleek. Carry your cool beverage in the flask using the handy wrist strap of the case. Shell out about an equally cool 1000-1400 taka. These are also available in New Market.

Look ahead
VIP tickets at concerts take you backstage where you get the privilege of becoming deaf by the close proximity to the loud speakers. Cheap tickets mean you stand at the back and mainly see everyone elses heads bobbing up and down. No tickets mean you stand outside wishing to be inside. Of course, this changes if the concert is at a place like Women's Complex and you live in a nearby high rise. People often go to the rooftop with their binoculars. If you want to join this elite club of spy glass viewers then you can get your own equipment at Jans Supermarket in Gulshan 2. The shop is above the Bata store in Awal Center. The binoculars come in lightly different sizes and cost 1000-1200 taka. These powerful multiple lenses can be used for longer range. You could use it for other purposes such as bird watching disregarding whether they have feathers or not.

Drive like Schuey
So you believe you are the next Michael Schumacher but a mistake Up There sent you to the wrong country Down Here. You are living out your life in Bangladesh wanting to race cars like a pro and have set up your commuter to its most "graphicy" level. Maybe you have opted for a Playstation instead because of its cool game titles such as the awesome Gran Turismo 4. Unfortunately sliding through the corners in a sports car is not so much fun when you are fiddling with the computer keyboard or a sandwich shaped game pad. Pro drivers never tap buttons. How absurd! To get that final touch of realism try using a steering wheel. You can get these in Eastern Plaza, IDB Bhaban or Rifles Square. The steering wheels come with separate unit containing the accelerator and brakes. Some have a gear stick as well while others come with buttons on the wheels for the gear changes. Genius wheels for PCs cost 3000 taka while Playstation wheels cost 500 taka more. There are other brands some of which cost about 2500 taka but do not offer as many features. Now if only you could have bugs splattering on your face.

Hard drive trays
If you have an extra hard drive and carry it around you might want to invest in a portable tray. That way you can just plug it into another computer without all the hassle of opening CPU casing and tugging at stubborn wires. It hooks up just below your CD ROM unit and comes with a lock. It costs about 250 taka and is available at all computer stores.

Industrial strength duct tape
Remember MacGyver? It was a TV series in the late 80's where the hero used his mind and not guns to foul up the foul fiends. He always carried around a roll of duct tape to tie up bad guys and patch up all kind of things from wrecked cars to leaking hot air balloons. Duct tape is similar to your regular tape only it has fibers in between that make it stronger. It's also very sticky and has a thick plastic appearance. It is available in most stationary shops especially those in New Market and Gulshan 1 & 2. You can get them in 1 inch to 3 inch variants. People in real life are too chicken to tie up bad guys but the tape does have other uses. Book binders use it to finish the spine. It can also temporarily hold up broken furniture. It's a heavy duty tape that is used for things that should not come off. Off course temporary jobs can sometimes become permanent. My car bumper has been held to the body by tape for the past one year.

By Ehsanur Raza Ronny

 

 

Essentials

Beautifying Dhaka
Planting flowers on street islands, a recent introduction to our life. What is actually going on In the name of beautification of Dhaka? It is practically impossible to maintain a flower garden on these islands. With all the hustle, hassle and squabbles going on in the streets, an island is never a place for flowers. So, instead of eye washing people that money is being spent to beautify the capital city, please do something useful.

Bill to ban cow slaughter
Indian government is planning to ban cow (a holy creature in Hindu religion) slaughter. A bill is on the way to execute the plan. There are around 20 crore Muslims living in India. It would be a very oppressive act towards the minorities to force them to abide by this rule. It will also constrain the practice of democratic rights of those people.

Where did they go?
Where did all the banned 2-stroke autorickshaw go? A simple question with a simple answer. Out of Dhaka of course. These vehicles are freely plying in all the other districts of Bangladesh. Making Dhaka the only pollution free area is not the answer. They should be banned from the entire country.

Tampered mobile sets
Notice how the whole country is swiped by fake mobile sets. Most of them are being smuggled from neighbouring India. In addition, stolen mobile phone sets are being sold after a little tampering in different stores all around the country. These illegal activities should be punished.

Misuse of Information Technology
An unpleasant but true fact, Information Technology is being misapplied in Bangladesh. Our young generation is using it only for chatting most of the time. Cyber cafes are mushrooming in the entire country. In most of these cafés, it is a common practice for users to visit porno sites. This powerful technology can be used for a much better function than these.

y Shahnaz Parveen