Food on international flights from the country is becoming more of a home-away-from home experience for frequent fliers. You can now tickle your taste buds with a shahi Indian Thaali, gajar (carrot) halwa stuffed in pancakes and grilled masala lobsters. Menus on airlines are acquiring an Indian taste. “The palate of Indian fliers is changing. What do people expect when they are travelling out of India?

Do friends sport the same style in shoes or see the same movies because of their similar tastes, which is why they became friends in the first place? Or once friendship is established, do individuals influence each other to adopt similar behaviours? Social scientists don’t know for sure. They’re still trying to understand the role social influence plays in spreading of trends because the real world doesn’t keep track of how people acquire new items or preferences.

Fashion designer Stella McCartney has urged Hollywood wildchild Lindsay Lohan to stop wearing fur. The “Mean Girls” star has been snapped wearing animal pelts and leather on numerous occasions and McCartney, daughter of Beatles legend Paul and his late wife Linda, has asked the singer-actress to quit fur. “Lindsay wears a lot of Stella’s designs and she doesn’t want to be associated with a high-profile star who insists on wearing animal products,” said a source. A spokeswoman for McCartney added...

The traditional sari is making a stylish comeback in the wardrobes of young women in cities, with corporate honchos, politicians and actresses inspiring the new generation to drape it not only as evening wear but also to office. “Most of the young generation wears saris to parties, evening get-togethers because you stand out and it is a most sensual attire. It looks great on every woman, irrespective of their body type,” ace designer Ritu Kumar, known for her ethnic Indian saris, said. Kumar fee...