Merril Diniz

We caught actress Sushma Reddy getting her hair done at the in-house Lakme Salon, post the opening of the show for designer Maheka Mirpuri.

On the ramp she sported a red ensemble -- a short, fitted kurta and churidar, a dupatta with lace trimmings wrapped around her yesteryears Bollywood-style bouffant (a hairstyle where the crown is all puffed up) and holding a long sausage-like golden clutch.

Cut to Sushma at the salon... She was sporting a simple spaghetti strap top, fitted denims, belt, fuchsia pink slip-ons and a funky boho-style bag by designer Malini Ramani, and she's looking radiant and fresh as a daisy.

And with two films in the pipeline, Chup Chup Ke by director Priyadarshini and Big Bazaar by Mahesh Manjrekar, she's also raring to go.

Here are some personal style tips from Sushma's closet.

Care for wavy, dry curls

"I have wavy, South Indian hair, which tends to get dry," explains Sushma.

So to keep the dryness at bay, she uses a leave-in conditioner post a shampoo, the type that you don't wash off.

"Personally I use Tigi Bedhead's conditioner. Also, NO hot styling treatments for me," she adds empathically as these tend to dry her hair even more.

For a glossy look, just take a few drops of serum and apply to damp hair, and voila you are all set for any occasion.

Belt it out

Sushma loves belts, which happen to be a hot, hot accessory at the moment.

So, how does one wear a belt especially if you have a broad waistline?

~ Choose colours carefully. Darker colours create an illusion of a slimmer waistline.

~ Wear strap-type slimmer belts, with a thin width.

~ If you love broad belts, then here's a trick. Let the belt sit loosely around your hips, as these take the focus away from your waist.

~ Er…big hips too? Then team a long skirt with a belt strapped loosely around your hips.

Shoe tips

~ Work towards accommodating five basic colours in your shoe closet -– black, white, copper, silver and gold. These can be mixed and matched with just about any colour in your wardrobe.

~ Choose shoes with a comfortable sole, always.

~ In terms of style, be ready to experiment. "I like square-toed shoes," she adds. ~ Platform shoes are OUT.

Style mantra

Sushma, a fan of footpath fashion picks up bits and pieces from roadside kiosks at places like Mumbai's Linking Road and mixes these with posher picks from designer collections and stores abroad.

"Build your individual style by mixing and matching from various places, " she advises.

Photograph: Jewella C Miranda