Behind closet doors: Tamannaah Bhatia

The actor hoards her T-shirts till they tear; treasures a pair of Nike trackpants she bought when she was 15

Tamannaah Bhatia opens the door of her Lokhandwala home wearing bottle green pants and a black top. Her hair is damp, she is fresh out of the shower, and she has zero make-up on. That’s how she likes it at home, she says. We’re greeted by her dog, Pebbles, as she finishes her two hourly meal and heads to blow-dry her hair. Her closet is extensive and organised— there’s a section for jackets, another for T-shirts and dresses, and one just for shoes.

Style sensibility: “Apart from comfort, I think experimenting is extremely important. I try to do so with different looks that define who I am as a person. I love dressing in Indian wear. I like wearing long anarkalis, kurtis and tunics. I want to wear a proper lehenga once, but I’ll have to get married for that (laughs).”

Fashion fetish: “Ripped jeans. I don’t know how many of them I’ve shopped for. Also, jackets and shoes. Apart from stilettos, I own a lot of Keds, Converse and various kinds of flats. I buy a lot of gladiators since they are comfortable. I also love collecting lipsticks and miniatures of make-up products. They are practical and convenient.”

At home we’ll catch you wearing: “Trackpants, a T-shirt and chappals. I have a bunch of T-shirts, and I keep rotating them over a pair of jeans. My mother always wonders what I do with the rest of my clothes. Also, I love boyfriend jeans because they are loose and comfortable.”

Riot of colours: “You will rarely find me in neutral shades. I love colourful clothes — they give a bright and cheery look to people with my complexion. I tend to opt for pink and I overdo it at times. In fact, I recently realised that I don’t have black in my wardrobe. So, I’ve been picking up more of pieces in black now.”

“I like wearing long anarkalis, kurtis and tunics,” says Bhatia

Sentimental Value: “I have vivid memories of everything I’ve shopped for. It could be something as small as a sharpener for kohl, but I will remember that. So, I find it very difficult to part with any item from my wardrobe. In fact, I keep my T-shirts till they tear. I still have the first pair of Nike trackpants that I bought when I was 15. Also, I can’t do away with my jeans. I think they look better as they get older.”

Favourite brands: “I love shopping at Forever 21, Zara, H&M, and at some high-end stores like Dior and Mary Katrantzou. For make-up, I like Bobbi Brown, NARS and Chanel.”

Lavish purchase: “I recently bought a Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent bag in one go.”

Time matters: “Once, when I was travelling for promotions, I took just 15 minutes to dress up for an event — hair, make-up and a sari included. I’m quite proud of myself for that.”

Fashion faux pas: “I’ve had so many of them. I can’t explain how difficult it is to put together a look at the drop of a hat. I remember wearing this really tight gown at an awards function once. It was so tight that I couldn’t breathe in it.”