Republic of Chic

Layering On The Neon

2012-06-01T21:43:00.000+05:30

Perfect Shourouk necklaces for the neon jewelry trend!

Diamond necklaces don’t appeal to me at all. I prefer fun jewelry with big stones—so large they would be untouchable if they were real.

-Iris Apfel

Harima

2012-05-30T08:55:00.001+05:30

In a Striped Crop Top and Republic Of Chic Gem Spike Necklace

Leafing Through the Menu at Harima + Republic Of Chic Aztec Ring

Ribs! Mmm..

The Ginormous Sushi Platter

Love the Floor Seating

On the Wall

Lounging in the Restaurant

Pattern Clashing: Stripes + Snakeskin

A casual night out at Harima, Bangalore with friends :) Can't get enough of Japanese cuisine or Japanese Anime. In fact, Naruto may have a lot to do with my undying Ramen cravings.

Half Moon At Harima

2012-05-29T15:24:00.003+05:30

An Easy Half Moon Manicure with Inglot India nail Enamel No.961

F in Inglot Lipstick - Freedom System Palette in Red

Waiting ImPatiently For my Sushi at Harima + Republic Of Chic Aztec Ring

Inglot (India) sent over a cosmetics kit with a Freedom System Lipstick Palette of 5 lipsticks, Nail Enamel from its Grey Collection, some super Cream Concealer and a pot of Gold Eyeshadow (I'm wearing it here) for us to experience. 5 reasons why I'm impressed:

They nailed the right concealer shade for my complexion. I have been widely unsuccessful at this till date

They know I like my nails painted grey

The lipsticks were bang on trend; from your nudes to neons

The eyeshadow was a beautiful, deep pigmented gold one that lasted and lasted

If I had put this kit together myself, I would have done it no differently and I think this is super insightful and thoughtful

Moving on to my easy-peasy 5 min half moon manicure I tried/mastered right before running out for dinner last night. There are a ton of great tutorials that use stickers and top coats. There are ones that tell you to use nail art pens. But I couldn't be hassled after a long day and I cheated. My quick fix was (umm..don't judge me) a CD marker. I panited the half moons on free-hand over 2 coats of my Inglot nail enamel for a rather (quick) chic effect. Outfit and sushi awesomeness to follow in next post :)

Postcards From Amer Fort, Jaipur

2012-05-23T13:43:00.002+05:30

Time spent at Amer Fort, Jaipur. Hot as hell but still magical.

Tangy Waves in Amer Fort, Jaipur

2012-05-19T12:03:00.000+05:30

Marble Courtyard at Amer Fort Jaipur

Sunken Hexagonal Garden in the Centre

Part Panorama of Amer Fort

Shade and Refuge from the Sun at Last!

Water Colour Dyed Dress was Perfect for Jaipur

Rose Gold + Spike Necklace - Love!

At Amer Fort Jaipur, travelling in style: Wearing Topshop Dress, ASOS Rose Gold Cuff and Republic Of Chic Rose Gold Spike Necklace with Slippers from a local market outside Jantar Mantar

I have found my happy place in India and its Rajasthan. It's cities are teeming with history, culture, style and tons and tons of inspiration. The crackling heat does nothing to deter me from savoring its richness. I chose a silky dress but sturdy sandals to take Jaipur in this hot, sunny day.

This ::cough::foreign-brand::cough:: Topshop dress seemed apt for the day in its fresh, tangy waves of stripe-y dyeing. Interestingly, it reminded me of the famous old craft of Leheriya (zigzag pattern of irregular colour stripes) which came to be for its a visual invocation of the flow of water. Leheria is a traditional style of tie dye practiced in Rajasthan, India that results in brightly colored cloth with distinctive patterns. The technique gets its name from the Rajasthani word for wave because the dyeing technique is often used to produce complex wave patterns which appeared pleasant and cooling to the eye (traditionally in blue), almost like a mysterious mirage in this desert state. I must admit, I was pretty pleased by how well my dress coordinated with the occasion! ;)

JJ Valaya 2012 Collection: An Ottoman Empire

2012-05-15T19:54:00.000+05:30

Short Cocoon Dress with Resham Embroidery and One Shoulder Ivory Jersey Gown with Fine Embroidery

Paneled Jacket and Build-Up Neck Dress with Applique

Tulle skirts

Brocade Jackets with Miniature Turkish Motifs and Velvet Leggings

Digital Printed Jacket with Paisley Motifs and Grey Brocade Kurta with Printed Leggings

Red Empire Gown and Digital Printed Jacket with Metallic Leggings

Anarkali with Embroidered Yoke and Velvet Jacket with Stitch-Up Saree

Digital Printed Saree Gown and Brocade Jacket with Applique Lehenga with Jeweled Embroidery and Crystals

A journey from ivory to colour:

JJ Valaya's 2012 collection was what you can always expect from him. Brocade and velvet jackets belted over royal hued and finely embroidered sarees and gowns. Anarkalis aplenty. So far.. so good. Nothing revolutionary. But its not all what you show thats important though, its how you show it too. Just as it was a journey from monochrome to vibrance, it seemed to me 3 generations of JJ Valaya's peeps walked the show including my favourite man of all time, Navtej Johar.

It started with classic whites, tulles, shawl collar jackets and fine embroidery and moved on to denim (yes, denim made an appearance in way of breeches) and went on to some Kantha embroidered lehengas we've seen from his past bridal couture collections but later got really stylish and modern with belted shawls over digital printed and embroidered skirts accesoried with those incredible Mercura NYC sunglasses. Classic to contemporary; evolving styles. A lil something I appreciated about the Wills India Fashion Week A/W 2012 finale admist all the theatrics. :)

A Study In Pastels

2012-05-14T19:17:00.000+05:30

Fashion's biggest spring summer 2012 trend has to be pastels! Soft spring-time pastel dresses and pants in candy hues are exploding onto your favourite high street stores. Yummy ice-cream shades in light and floaty fabrics give glamour to girlish looks. But as you can see, quite a few edgy looks can be pulled off too. Just throw in a biker jacket, some leather in nude colours, cat-eye frames and neon jewellery. Though the palette is pale, these fashion-forward looks are certainly not subdued! Quick, before you go shopping, this editorial from Grazia Germany is a quick 101 on how to wear pastel this spring summer season.

Mercura NYC Sunglasses: A Future of Glory and Glamour

2012-05-05T13:00:00.000+05:30

The story behind Mercura NYC Eyewear - most expensive glasses and sunglasses in New York city.

A vision deep-seated in the distant 70’s, yet so forward and propulsive that it is still up-to-the-minute. From the Mercura NYC eyewear designers Merrilee Lichtenstein Cohen and Rachel Cohen-Lunning themselves; "we didn't have to go to culture to design anymore, its as though culture grew in around us". With a clientele that includes fashion's favourite enfant terribles like Lady Gaga, Elton John, Grace Jones and Lil’ Kim, these women have been creating shockingly amazing (and most expensive sun glasses) for decades now.

What I love about Mercura NYC sunglasses is you can be dressed to the max by simply wearing a pair of these surreal x futuristic eyewear. There is spirit and individuality in every frame. These one-of-a-kind pieces are designed with a view on and a longing for the future. You may look like a martian or a space cadet in these frames but you can be sure you're the only uber fashionable space cadet in the room ;)

Rachel and Merrilee describe their strengths as follows: futuristic ideas, a love for invention, dramatic sensibilities, and a strong desire to express themselves. Their designs seem to pop up everywhere. I discovered them at JJ Valaya's Wills India Fashion Week show with some ghagras and some insane styling. And subsequently started recognizing having seen some Mercura NYC classics in fashion editorials and then fashion celebrities, fashion designers, scientists, diva’s, writers, porn stars, and billionaires around the world! Definitely a collector's item, definitely hooked!

Surreal Mercura NYC Sunglasses: JJ Valaya Wills India Fashion Week 2012

2012-05-02T21:03:00.003+05:30

Browse images from JJ Valaya Bridal Couture Collection from Wills India Fashion Week A/W 2012. Review of Indian fashion designer JJ Vallaya's collection.

A royal looking, gold engraved, sealed memento (release) from JJ Valaya's A/W fashion show (at Wills India Fashion Week) informs me that Azrak in Turkish means ‘rare and uncommon' - the title for this collection. Erm.. Anyone know how to say 'groovy' in Turkish? Perhaps a better befitting title as JJ Vallaya's paisley embroidered lehengas take on a hip new avatar worn with belted dupattas and Mercura NYC's Fantasy Golden Girl Sunglasses. Agreeably quirky, I was thrilled to see the same bridal stuff from couture week given a fascinating new life.

This set of clothing was my favourite from the collection with its Turkish miniature prints and beautiful calligraphy. I'm a sucker for anything with calligraphy/typography! Jackets and drapes were in their predictable Valaya avatars but I loved the exotic colours and surreal sunglasses. It was young and celebratory but contemporary and relevant. Very modern Indian bride. More on Mercura NYC's amazeballs-ness in the next post. Meanwhile, I am back from Goa with a golden tan and a ton of fashion to share! :)

In Rahul Mishra Wills India Fashion Week 2012

2012-04-24T08:00:00.007+05:30

At Lakme Fashion Week S/S 2012, in an outfit courtesy of Rahul Mishra from his A/W 2012 collection shown at Wills India Fashion Week

Apologies! The next few posts on the blog are AWFULLY late in coming but as the weeks are progressing, I realise I need to get down to dishing daily reports of Delhi and Mumbai fashion news- Wills India Fashion Week A/W 2012 and Lakme Fashion Week S/S 2012. Its a crying shame that my hectic travel and work schedule so far has put a bit of a downer on the blog and what were fantastic 2 weeks of fashion and fun! Oh well.... I'm backtracking a bit, and despite the copious amounts of time lost in between, fond memories of fashion weeks did come to me.

I promise, I do have a ton of things to delve into and explore with India Fashion Weeks. A lot of thoughts in general about having more than one fashion week, the direction Indian fashion designers are taking at these events, the constant struggle of design vs. fashion, showstopper culture, and chilling with some lovely fellow bloggers (in the flesh, finally!) in smoking areas etc. But gosh.. I don't quite have the disposition to be immersed in fashion 24/7. Immsersed in fashion as in clothes, yes absolutely, but all the people, politics and hoo-ha that goes with the clothes - no, or at least... not yet. Rest assured, there is positivity and I have so many things to be joyful about fashion-wise. Lakme Fashion Week, which I usually have not much to say about, I'll do more detailed posting about that too.

For now, I give you what I wore to day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week; outfit image courtesy of Vivek (street style photographer) for Grazia. I owe the fabulous outfit to the kindness of Rahul Mishra which came straight from the runway of Wills India fashion Week A/W 2012! Gasps and muffled whispers everywhere I went, I tell you! ;)

Proenza Schouler 2012: Alex and Lee Necklace Collection

2012-04-20T02:55:00.001+05:30

Proenza Schouler 2012 in collaboration with Alex and Lee for Pre Spring accessories - a 1960’s San Francisco-inspired necklace collection.

Alex and Lee's Awesome Website

Hippie Hot: Alex and Lee

My increasing pre-occupation with craft has really been honed in over the recent months, owing to my extensive travels around India. Something about artisanal design is timeless and in this country, we have perfected the art of making the home spun/ethnic/handicrafts aesthetic the coolest thing coming out of fashion weeks. More on that later. For now, I look across the pond to Proenza Schouler, my current favorite fashion designers for an inspired, well crafted and strange necklace collection.. Its incredible and I've never seen anything like it!

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez in collaboration with Alex & Lee developed one of a kind pieces of Art-to-Wear jewelry that incorporates intricate knotting of macramé, natural and industrial elements with found objects. From hand-carved wood to copper, pyrite, resin and more, the collection evokes a modern perspective but with a mystical and textured feel of the early 1970s.

You know me, I was floored by the artisanal touches and my love of assemblage in design making these necklaces high on my collectors list even at a cool heartbeat-skipping 4000$.

Alex and Lee say they have mountains of cord, trim, minerals, crystals, metal, and found objects, and somehow the elements find their perfect marriage, a surprisingly seamless union of the unexpected. They refer to their creations as offerings for the temple of the body and objects of the ancient future. What otherwise would sound like hippie fluff, sounds just perfect here, I must say.

A bit on Proenza Schouler's pre Spring 2012 clothing, lest we forget how they killed it with touches of digitized ikats and plaids, a stirring color palette of muddy browns and burnt oranges, and crisply tailored '70s silhouettes.

Proenza Schouler Pre Spring 2012

Circuitry Scarab and Tropical Moth Necklace

Iguana Pup and Crystal Candy Necklace

Jodhpur Journal: Shopping and Skipping

2012-04-12T12:30:00.001+05:30

Shopping antique fashion jewellery and handicraft textiles in Jodhpur, Rajasthan at a cute boutique in Ras Haveli.

I needed a break from the more simple things in my wardrobe. I was in Jodhpur. I needed to inject into my look, the colourful and cheerful vibe I saw women all around me carry. This is as far as I got :| Black with shots of colourful embroidery. You have to look up to Rajasthani women for their highly developed sense of colour and textile, they are truly an inspiration!

I did though, embrace the seasoned and stylish traveller vibe on my trip to Rajasthan. A bit of texture, a handful of fringing and smattering of embroidery – perfect for when the sun is shining. Earthy colours and rich patterns were at the core, as did mixing, matching and layering to obtain a sophisticated and well-travelled feel. Here I layer an antique spike silver bracelet from Rajasthan, Button Masala (Anuj Sharma) bracelet with an antique silver bangle from Gujarat to compliment my Kimberly Orvitz metal vest layered over a textured dress over a hand-embroidered skirt from Jaipur. Phew.. I wasn't kidding about the layering, you see :P

A first visit to any place should really be about going to all the sights, doing the quintessential thing native to that place. Ok, so I went to Rajasthan and savoured some Dal Bhati, visited a fort or two and saw a camel. But does that mean I have to shop like a tourist? No sir! Its always been a real tick of mine to really try and get 'under' the surface of a city's shopping opportunities and I think I found a bit of a off-the-beaten-track gem.

VJHOME was like rifling through someone's wardrobe in their lovely apartment except from 5 decades years ago. By 'off-the-beaten track', I meant it wasn't in an obvious shopping market (Ghanta Ghar) and rather than a traditional shop front, you walked through a renovated haveli courtyard (Ras Haveli) and found that this boutique was nestled in corner behind some plants and a cafe. It offered a selection of handpicked antique textiles reconstructed into modern dresses, jutis, antique jewellery, bags repurposed from vintage fabrics, scarves and skirts.. Needless to say, I left Jodhpur content and delighted.

PS. My travel mantra - Tourists don’t know where they have been, travelers don’t know where they are going- Paul Theroux.

Ravivari Bazaar: Thrift Shopping in Ahmedabad

2012-03-21T20:26:00.002+05:30

Meandering through Ahmedabad's Ravivari as Anuj Sharma leads our pack through the sinuous, crowded shopping course of this 598 year old living heritage - the Sunday Gujri market.

Every Sunday afternoon, this riverfront bazaar changes from it's usual sedate Sunday morning-self into a crowded thorough-fare of merchants and stalls who are selling all that you can imagine. And with that arrive the many people - young and old - who come to enjoy the sights and sounds of what's going on.

On this particular Sunday I noticed a little bit of everything. Antique furniture, second-hand clothing, paintings, records, gramophones, war paraphernalia and vintage fashion magazines. The antique, the odd and the downright obscure. All available for a price.

Now for the 'art of the deal'. Haggling over the price in India is a tradition as old as the country itself. More often than not you'll barter back and forth, up and down and in the end, save enough to make Donald Trump proud. The vintage bronze jewelry was of particular interest to us and my friends and I scored pairs of antique kangans (bangles) for Rs.50 each!

When I revisit, I'd like to catch up on more of the mini-stories scattered around the bazaar. Every character was intriguing. Every captivating sight/sound had an enchanting tale to go with it. I may do this with photography, I may do this with videos. Either way, stay tuned! :)

The Mod New Maang Tikka

2012-03-19T12:19:00.002+05:30

The newest way to wear the traditional Indian wedding/bridal Maang-Tikka in a modern Parisian style! Take inspiration from runways of Chanel's Paris Bombay show.
Lately, I find myself being supremely interested in collections when Indian fashion designers don't alienate the omnipresent aesthetics of all things "ethnic" and "exotic" that we are subject to, every moment, in this country. That is not to say I will ever enjoy a two-ton, gussied up Manish Malhotra lehenga.. No. Sure, being inspired by your own culture is wonderful but sometimes, it can feel like designers are shackled to that singular aesthetic. Relating your work to your personal experiences and where you come from obviously yields fantastic things but its when a collection reflects a reality that is genuine and sparkling but still feels like it's shaking things up a bit, then I stand up and take notice.

Sometimes, inspiration strikes from across the pond. "It's all about refinement. It's the Paris version of the idea of India," explains Karl Lagerfeld on Chanel's Paris-Bombay collection. "Most of the inspiration is from Indian men's clothes rather than women's clothes. They're easier to wear." - Haha.. I hear this! When I saw this show, I had to share with you a string of images of these ingenious little stringed beauties, the re-worked Chanel Maang-Tikka.

The tikka is designed to rest at the sixth chakra, the ajna, and it not only looks gorgeous, but also carries a great deal of significance in tantra. Symbolizing a third eye, it represents insight and the ability to gain control over desire and various other elements within the body. Aligning with the ajna chakra, also means the ability to see into the future, command emotions and unite male and female energies. Woah! Thats more than one reason to rock this traditional jewel with my leather and tweed, Alicia Keys style! :P

Delhi Street Style At Wills India Fashion Week

2012-03-09T20:29:00.006+05:30

Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week 2012- JJ Valaya

2012-02-23T23:10:00.003+05:30

When The Night Falls from Faiza Sheikh on Vimeo.

Here is a tiny fashion week finale video we created of show-stopper Kangna Ranaut and JJ Valaya taking a bow at Wills India Fashion Week 2012 in Delhi. There were performances by belly dancers and crystal ball jugglers and an elaborate ramp staged to resemble the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul! Though the individual artists were great, it was bit of a drag and had no place in a fashion show, me thinks.

The video is just a trailer to JJ Valaya's 2012 collection, the final bow really. The beginning was in a monochromatic palette of ivories and black and gradually moved into the colour territory in forms such as Mother of pearl inlay, Turkish miniatures and Iznik ceramics. To view the entire range of JJ Valaya's clothing, click here.

To view the colorful and bridal part of the collection and the designer's weaves of the Sultan's robes, exotic birds and graphic calligraphy done on his signature Alika jackets, click on this post where contemporary styling meets ethnic design.

Anuj Sharma: Button Masala at The Verandah

2012-01-31T13:35:00.001+05:30

A wonderful evening spent at The Verandah with Neetu Gupta and friends for Anuj Sharma's workshop on draping and Button Masala

For there is no way I can say this better than Nisha Khatwani, a graphic designer and former student of Anuj Sharma's, here goes: "Anuj's take on fashion is easy, understated, free, and is potentially a lifestyle. Making a garment without any sowing is the purest form of making clothing. Draping dhotis or sarees comes naturally to us, so why not apply it to everything we desire? The natural, spontaneous flow of drapes has an endless scope to give shape to new silhouettes, giving us quantum possibilities to express our creativity. Ignoring rules and making clothing fun for all shapes, all seasons - above all, Button Masala 'makes you think and innovate'. So the next time you want to take your outfit from day to evening, just carry some extra buttons and rubberbands or buy it from the nearest haberdashery."

There is an old proverb that states "If I am told something I will forget, if I am shown something I will remember, but if I am involved I will understand." To me this embodies what should be at the center of the any experience and it illustrates the educational experience at Anuj's workshop that evening. And from my interaction with the designer, it also spells out his theories in 'design as an experience'. Armed with this more hands-on approach, I draped/made my first ever garment from scratch under Anuj's watchful eye and it was nothing less than a moment of intense fulfillment ;)

Some fascinating conversations with Anuj have helped me realize the importance of the practice of authenticity and inquiry - we may yet learn new and insightful ways to look at things, that we assume, due to its discovery and record, need no further inquiry. Look again. He also helped me understand the culture of upgrade and step movement in consumers today, rather than lifetime ownership and gradual movement. "The people who want quality and finery (ahem.. 'fashionistas') have garments that would last 40 washes but would probably wear it just once, while the people who need quality (say men and women engaged manual labour), need the garment to last 40 washes but will probably last just one." In a time of rampant consumerism and a quest to buy the planet to death, this is an important observation and a big lesson learnt. Thank you, Anuj.

"If someone looks at my work and says - Thats interesting, why didn't I think of that earlier? Thats good! If someone else says I could do that too.. then great! If another says Oh, I could never do that and lets just leave it to the designer.. then I have failed completely!" :) A man's creative struggle (his search for wisdom and truth), is a love story. And through his work, here is a man telling us his own story and doing so with utmost honesty :)
I hope there are a lot more of these workshops and he visits us at Bangalore much more often! :)

PS. The Verandah is Neetu Gupta's lovely lil boutique in Ulsoor that stocks a small selection of hand-picked few Indian designers and some of my all time favourites - Anuj Sharma, Kallol Dutta, Aneeth Arora to name a few and Neetu Gupta's namesake brand, of course. Worthwhile to check them out :)

Pastel Punk Princess

2012-01-20T12:57:00.002+05:30

(Wearing Denim Shirt from my Menswear Collection, Zara Pink Denims, Spike necklace from ROC Store, Chunky Pastel Ring from Local Store, HorseHair Crossbody Bag worn as clutch, Metallic Heels from ages ago)

Is neon gone? Is pastel the new neon? Are retina shocking hues being replaced by subtle, feminine shades? Are we all going to be ballerinas? Am I going off on a tangent? Ok then.. Before you answer those, lets look at how here I do both. Pastel jeans with neon accents. I've never been one for muted style, and so the spike necklace, horse hair clutch and neon lips do the talking ;)

Perhaps the strongest trend of this season, Pastel comes with a soft approach. Sugary shades on sweet pastel pieces are the order of the spring/summer day with everyone from Chanel and Louis Vuitton to 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jonathan Saunders and Alexander McQueen dipping in. We've been told pastel jeans in pinks, oranges, yellows and greens are going to be a huge hit for Spring/Summer 2012! I think it was the next step in colour for denim. Every other colour has been done. A departure from the neon trend of last year, none of the denim is as bright, so don’t worry, it’s more pastel shades and muted tones, but you can still tell it has a florescent inspiration!

I’ve been seeing a lot of the highlighter pen shades around in jewellery, accessories, shoes and bags and it looks great! I know neon is hard to wear and some of you have found it hard to venture into the coloured denim trend which blew up this past Spring/Summer, but I think now we are all accustomed to the bright shades, it wont be so hard to jump on the neon bandwagon :)

God-Faced

2012-01-13T20:06:00.001+05:30

Beetle Face

God Of Wine

F found this funky dude carved out of a root in Pondicherry. He reminds me of Jesus but she named him Moriarty and now he lives on a wall in her room. She wishes him a good night every night before falling asleep and says he watches over her. (Ermm.. she's a bit cuckoo, that one) He makes wonderful display for jewellery too. In picture one, he's wearing my favourite Gold Beetle Ring and in the next, my choicest Floral bracelet (wreath?) of the moment. Moriarty has pretty awesome taste in dressing up and loves accessorizing. He swears by the Republic Of Chic online store where you can buy both the Beetle ring and Floral Bracelet or simply mail me! ;)

1 Floral Shirt: 7 Ways

2012-01-10T22:50:00.002+05:30

Floral on Pastel ala Park and Cube

Floral on Tailored ala Fashionerdic

Floral on Floral ala Wheredidyougetthat

Floral on ermm.. lets call this 'Barely' Floral ala Fashion Toast

Floral on Leather ala Haute Pursuit

Floral on Burgundy

Aaand finally, the Botanical Biker ;)

I know Bryfling snagged one of these shirts too and I'm dying to see how see wears her's :)

Birthday Bouquet

2012-01-09T16:51:00.002+05:30

(Wearing Zara Shirt and Pants, Prashant Verma Jacket, Mirror wedges from ROC Store, Beetle ring and Tuxedo Bow chain from Republic Of Chic Online Store)

A year older. Not all that much wiser.

To begin with, I feel like a fool for breaking the bank for my Xmas and New Year's Eve indulgences and NOT waiting until the Zara sale which is on this whole month of January. In my defence, it was the first one Bangalore experienced and I don't enjoy being wrestled to the ground for a tweed jacket anyway.

On the other hand, I'm kicked that my first outfit post of the year is also that of my birthday. Thank you for all your wishes, I had the merriest day with friends and family!

Winter is still upon us but I'm already dreaming of gorgeous flowers in full bloom—sartorially speaking, that is! Erdem brought fancy frocks adorned with heavenly floral designs and applique lace and Celine did the same with stylish blazers and pants with Zara and ASOS quickly catching on - all this has inspired me to swap out my usual monochromatic outfits and minimalist colour schemes for a romantic (but always modern and intriguing) look that is hard to ignore.

Of course you can always address this floral fashion trend in a more edgy way if you prefer—which is what I did here with a Zara shirt and leather pants. A lil' treat to myself, this Prashant Verma jacket I had ordered weeks ago arrived pretty in a package exactly on my birthday :) The Bondage-like wedges by Jeffrey Campbell add that punk element making it an age-appropriate look (yes, I will dress in 'Fetish-ish' clothing throughout my twenties while I still can) (and I saw a sweet Anglo-Indian aunty bill this same floral shirt right after me, thats why the age references ok?) that is also chic.
And now for those of you who didn't raise their glass with me on Facebook, toast with me - To a year of fun and fashionable, crazy and colourful and ridiculously remarkable times ahead! :) CHEERS! :)

2012 = Move, Eat, Learn

2012-01-01T20:09:00.000+05:30

Happy 2012, peeps! Here's to wishing you have a smashingly stylish new year! My 2012? Must be filled with:

Move
Eat
Learn
That Guy

You're most welome to join me on this noble venture ;)3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage… all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ….into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films…..= a trip of a lifetime. These have been very motivating for me and I hope the same for you! :)

The New Year's Eve 3 Way

2011-12-30T20:30:00.005+05:30

Tis' the season - skirts are short, our spirits and our heels are higher. In a sea of sequins, I'm wondering how not to look like the next girl on the dance floor tomorrow? As discussed on the FB page, in the battle of New Year's Eve dresses - Danni vs. Lucinda of French Connection India, the round went to.. drumroll.. The Danni!! - a pretty lil' Hervé Léger doppelgänger! :)

My biggest concerns with shopping party dresses in the holiday season is walking into my party to find 3 girls wearing the exact same dress! Eeep! And so my dresses have always been self-made, designer or vintage, NEVER high street! This year though, I made an exception with the Danni. She shimmered quietly in her corner of the FCUK store and even from a distance I was in bodycon love! Of course, even as I was getting mine, I had a mini tug of war with this beautiful girl for one in my size and I instantly knew I HAD to find a way to wear this differently!

Here I style it 3 ways. FCUK - 3 ways. Yes and once you've washed your dirty mind with some soap, lets move on ;)

Look 1: Danni + Statement Necklace From ROC Store + Zara Glitter Heels + Gold Metal Clutch + Stockings (I don't know bout you brave souls but I get really cold! )
Look 2: Danni + Statement Mirror Belt + Ring from ROC Store + Pencil Skirt from Mango + Black Pumps + Sequin Clutch
Look 3: Danni + Leather Leggings from Zara + Gold Collar Necklace and Cut-out Cuffs from ROC Store + Black Boots from Dior + Ameko Cross Body Bag

Now go ahead and tell me what you're wearing this New Year's Eve so I can turn up in the other! ;)

Happy Hollydaze!

2011-12-26T21:34:00.001+05:30

Did you also have a Merry Merry Christmahanukwanzakah yesterday?? F and I went to a wonderful turkey dinner last night with some of our favouritest people in the world and today, we spent all morning monitor shopping.. Ahem.. I love how 2011's wrapping up! :) 2012 is going to be a HUGE year for me - new projects, new partner ;) and I've never been more excited! :)

Its that time of the year and I'm feeling very inspired by GiGi which has led me to post a cute (and very necessary) lil' list of beauty resolutions, which is brilliant considering New Years Eve is quickly approaching and I've always ignored 'beauty regimes' like ugly step daughters.

So here goes - I vow to:

Find my signature scent. Its been Issey Miyake for years but I seem to have had a chemical shift, it no longer loves me.

Exfoliate my face and body at least once a week.

Wear SPF 30 every single day. And not forget to cover my ears, neck, décolleté and hands.

Always wash off my makeup before bed. Ugh, this should've been No.1 on the list!

Find the perfect red lipstick because it will give me an extra dose of sassiness.

Learn to apply my daytime makeup routine in 10 minutes or less.

Throw out all of my expired makeup. If I can’t remember when I bought it, it’s too old.

Clean my makeup brushes every week.

Experiment with styles (in the privacy of your bathroom) that I never thought I could pull off. Winged, Smoky, Cat et al.

Sleep on a satin pillowcase to protect my hair.

Sleep 6-8 hours a night.

Drink lots of water for a healthy body.

Take a multivitamin every day. They even make gummy vitamins for grownups so I have no excuse.

Have better posture. Breathe Deeper.

Donate my time and/or money to a charity I am passionate about.

Smile. More.

Tell myself that I am beautiful every. single. day.

What are some of yours??

The Paris-Bombay Preview

2011-12-23T21:17:00.001+05:30

Paris-Bombay collection was Karl’s nod to the amazing Indian embroidery houses recreated through Chanel's couture houses. In fact, Karl has never been to India but channelled the motifs through Coco and was able to have a poetic view of the culture. 'It's much more inspiring not to go to places than to go' says Karl Lagerfeld.. Umm, ok Karl. Its how I travel on a shoestring anyway! :P This collection inspires so many modern ideas to my bollywood bling bridal trousseau hating self! Its just my style - much less flesh and much more opulence. Dreadlocks with maang tikkas. Chain mail gloves with ornate embroidery. The plan is to recreate many of these outfits with whats available in local markets (I spy many fabrics that I've already bookmarked on Commercial street in Bangalore) with local embroiders so getting through this wedding/festive season will be a breeze. This is just a tiny preview to the collection - I highly recommend watching it in 1080p for the tiny details, so what if I couldn't be in the lavish Grand Palais among its hand picked guests, feasting and devouring the collection alongside Sonam Kapoor and Frieda Pinto? There is always HD. I'll be posting detail shots of the clothing and jewellery in the next couple of posts :)