Accessorize..............

Accessorize......................

Because that will define you ................... Wear your attitude, woman, wear it with oomph and style and own it !!! The universe has made us all unique, I know it and you know it but how about having our own style statement so that the whole world knows and applauds it . I mean, God has made us so special, so we should also make sure that we are contributing and working towards keeping ourselves fabulous and unique and our very best !!!

Accessorizing is important, it defines us, and lifts the most mundane dress into something special and marks our stamp on it. Its like our very own special "tadka" to plain old "dal". I mean we can't have dal without tadka, now can we??? Similarly, we can't dress up without accessorising. It can be anything big or small, but definitely a must to accessorize.

Take a plain old T for instance. One can dress it up in at least 5 different ways and even make it look formal with the right combination. One can wear a stole with a T for a semi formal look , throw on a denim jacket for cool chic look or wear with hoops , jeans and sneakers for a completely sporty look.To make it formal, wear a short blazer or summer jacket , along with a fitted pair of trousers or skirt and voila, it becomes office wear. Or wear a long light neckpiece in a neutral or contrasting shade, a matching clutch and get ready to rock the party!!!!

       A Peach T shirt accessorized in 6 different ways- from casual to chic to formal

With a stole

With matching shoes and long chain

Formal and minimalistic with a Red Blazer

                                             

With a stole and belt to team with the skirt

With a Jacket thrown on 

We can develop our own style statement by how we put together our clothes and accessorize. We can choose to have a style which is either classic, chic, sporty or glamorous ............ It can be anything, really, whatever suits our mood and lifestyle, be it Indian, western, Indowestern, retro, layered but it has to be just "U"......... Sure, take tips online or whom so ever's style you like, but eventually what the world sees and what defines you, should be exclusively your style.

Personally, I believe that it is better to invest in expensive accessories rather than in clothes. A good jacket or blazer can be worn time and again with different combos and it is real good value for money. A blazer worth 5000 bucks is a much better buy than a top costing the same. Chances are that you will not feel like wearing that top again next year but that blazer can be brought out and worn with a dress, top, suit or saree even 5 or 10 years down the line.

So, when buying accessories, how many are too many???? For me, its infinite ......... but I go by certain rules. Firstly, I always make it a point to pick up accessories when I am travelling. That way I always have something different from everyone else and it is unique!!!  Then I do stock up on all the basic colours, like black, white , beige, gold, blue etc in jewelley, shoes, bags and jackets. After you have all the must have colours, go indulge yourselves with the vibrant yellows, greens, purples and pinks. And of course, florals.............   Florals look great, whether its a pair of shoes, or jacket or tote!!! And anytime you wear them , you feel young, vibrant and connected with nature, thats the kind of vibe florals have................

Plain skirt accessorised with floral jacket and boots

Rule of the thumb for accessorising................ less is more!!!! It is really, believe you me................ Just 1 statement neckpiece or earrings or bracelet is enough .Even if you have the matching pieces, do not wear them all together. The idea is only to offset your attire and not to showcase your entire collection. Especially with dresses and gowns, wear 1 piece of jewellery. It can be in matching shades as your dress or it can be contrasting or a classic diamond or gold piece, but just the one...........

And try not to wear accesorisies in too many colors or 1 color too many times. If you are repeating the same colours in your jewellery, shoes and bag, then you can wear different shades in the same color. Ideally, you are not suppossed to wear more than 2 assesories in one colour, but you can make your own rules and sometimes cross these boundaries if you can carry it off. And when wearing bright colors like red, orange or yellow, there should be just 1 accessory in that colour, rest go neutral. Oherwise one could end up with a big fashion faux pas.

If your dress is bright, then compliment with understated accessories and vice versa. If your dress is neutal, then play it up with bright accessories. And of course, accessorize according to your age. A teenager flashing diamonds all the time is definitely over the top and a more mature woman flaunting girlish jewellery or a 'Jhola' is just so passe........

The most important part of accessorising is............ that it should be effortless!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, sure spend that extra 5 minutes while getting ready, see that the whole look is coming together............. you know, the hair, accessories, clothes, makeup............... and then forget about it!!!!!  Your accessories should become an integral part of you and you should not be conscious about them at all. Accessorising should be so understated and subtle that it should compliment the "Unique U" and not make a seperate statement altogether. It may be Chanel, Gucci , Jimmy Choos or Cartier, but the moment one starts flaunting them........... half the charm is gone. Do you want people to be complimenting how great you were looking in those Jimmy Choos pumps or how fabulous your Jimmy Choos were ????? I know what I would want said about me......... that I carried off those Jimmy Choos with oomph and style , as if they were made for me................

So gals, assessorize, in whatever makes you feel comfortable , what defines your style and makes you look effortlessly sophisticated............... Wear your confidence to shine through everything. Dress up for yourself, feel happy and beautiful from inside,  and you will look amazing, because you are, after all the "Unique U"

The Monochrome Look........................

The Monochrome Look...........

Life and nature, have gifted us with colours from black to white to various shades of grey in between................. from VIBGYOR to infinite hues and combinations of the same and we are always on the lookout to exploit each colour to the max and of course, be 'in'.............. with the colour of the season.............  But there are some colours and some looks which are fashion and style staples and have always been in vogue, since time immemorial................ One such look is the monochrome look !!!

Printed monchrome crop top with zig zag striped skirt

“Monochrome”  is having a fashion moment.................. black and white, all black, all white , all brown or blue. Supposedly it’s a difficult look to carry off but I beg to differ. I think if you nail it, it’s the best way to get noticed and stand apart from the crowd!!!!!!!  Of course it takes guts to carry it off but just imagine yourself in a monochrome casual or formal outfit and the heads turning and second glances coming your way................

With a splash of colour- Orange tote

Though I have supported this look lots of times, but as I started writing this blog, it dawned upon me the immense potential of this style and how I could use my existing wardrobe to limitless possibilities. Wow, feeling inspired and sharing with you some of these ideas......................

All black with only white in sleeves

A white top, black trousers or jeans teamed with a black blazer. Or the same combo with a white summer jacket instead of the black. One can go in for a black pencil skirt instead of trousers . Team it with a black pair of shoes and matching purse. Or one can add a single splash of colour with shoes or a purse in bright yellow, red, orange or hot pink....

All black with white blazer

Another look would be all black look, trousers, shirt, shoes and even a blazer or leather jacket. For such a solid block monochrome look, maybe a stole in muted colours can be added to take away the austerity of the attire.  An all black ensemble is just so.............so sophisticated,  for men and women both!!!!!  A black suit, black shirt and black silk tie or cravat........... you can never really go wrong!!!

If you want to achieve this look in dresses, the LBD or LWD ( little black dress and little white dress) or maybe the "not so little” BD or WD............. are your staple dresses to go with.  Again compliment the look with white or black short blazers, black pumps and any clutch .......... your look is complete. You just need to add minimalistic jewellery and you are ready to rock the party.................. How about trying out monochrome in a printed dress with a solid black or white blazer...............wow, pulchritudinous !!!!!!!!!!!

Monochrome dress

The above looks have been about solid colours only. What if we experiment and bring out the monochrome look in stripes and prints. Envision yourself in a skirt with white and  black stripes or zig zag stripes. Its best teamed with a black and white crop top....... be it in print, stripes or maybe even plain. This crop top should have a stiffness to it, this makes it fall subtly onto the skirt and just kind of completes the attire............ accessorize in monochrome tones to complete the look.

Skirt paired with black boots and solid colour blazer

Talking of skirts, how about trying out a pencil skirt with monochrome look??? For a formal look, a white pencil skirt worn with a black top, can be coupled with a black blazer or monochrome waistcoat. For a more casual, experimental look, try out an animal print skirt in black and white ...... team it with a solid colour plain white / black T and compliment with a neckpiece in gold or bronze for that touch of colour………...

In case you want to carry off this look in a supercool casual style, try an all black attire with a white striped crop top............. or just wear a slightly longer crop top directly on top of your black jeans and maybe show a little midriff if its toned ................ you will look and feel hot, hot, hot...... while being supercool!!!!!!!

Monochrome casual look

We can experiment with monochrome in browns and blues also..................... its a clever way of infusing colour in monochrome. This is usually done in different shades of the same colour.................

Monochrome look  in brown

We have been back to the basics with black and white and I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing journey of exploring and evolving such an awesome style...................... lets go and make a statement of it and catch up soon!!! Enjoy!!!!

Something old, something new.........................

Something old, something new.................. 

What if we challenge ourselves to revamp our wardrobe, without buying anything new, say for the next 6 months????   I am sure all of us have gone through phases when our cupboards are overflowing but we don’t have anything to wear for that party or coffee outing and of course we cannot repeat a dress, after all, the pics have to go onto the social media, right???  So do we rush to the nearset Designer outlet or exhibition or mall and dish out our credit/debit cards or do we pause.........................

Unused dress recycled with a belt and white summer blazer

Consider the scenario of pausing and organising our wardrobe and maybe overhauling our style . Why not, after all it’s not costing us anything other than a little time, so maybe, just maybe, It’s worth an effort.............

Firstly, organise everything into separate sections, trousers, jeans, jeggings, treggings,  skirts, dresses, formal tops, shirts, sarees, suits, stoles, shawls, dupattas , jackets, corsets, waistcoats.......... easier said than done, but definitely do-able!!!

Then how about checking out those new or almost new clothes, which were a wrong buy or size or just not complimentary or the dress looked maybe a little tacky in color or texture or cut. Worry not, these are not to be discarded but look at them as a challenge on how to overhaul, recycle and reuse..........

A very important step is to try out everything for size and fit and you may be pleasantly surprised that the top or trousers which were looking terrible a few months back are actually a better fit now. Or it may be the opposite.................... ( heaven forbid...... but it happens) No worries, there are lots of solutions and a little ingenuity will go a long way in helping us recycle and reuse!!! Of course, we are going to need that artful neighbourhood masterji (tailor) to execute our ideas / plans.............

Yellow is the New Black.....................

Yellow is the New Black……………

We all  like the soap “Orange is the New Black”, and lots of people like the colour orange , but yellow is another story altogether. As a kid, I was in the “Yellow” house in school and I remember the other kids teasing ‘Yellow, yellow, dirty fellow!!!!’ I sure was envious of all the other so called ‘luckier’ kids in the Blue, Green and Red House. I almost never chose anything yellow while doing clothes shopping, my first preference was always blue or white……….. Till a few years back when I bought a lovely vase in yellow for the house and realised how much it brightened up the whole place. Then my journey began……………. of exploring, trying and finally loving this colour till I actually began to believe that Yellow is indeed the new Black!!!!!

Yellow, its warm, its vivacious, its attractive, It’s happy (maybe that’s why all the emoticons are in yellow), its sexy and exudes loads of attitude…………. But it’s not the easiest of colours to carry off………….  And it does take a lot of confidence and  attitude to wear it effortlessly. If it goes wrong, it can go really wrong…….. a major faux pas !!!! But life is all about experimenting, so let’s go for it !!!!!!!!!!!!

How to wear ‘Yellow’ and set our environ ablaze, literally and figuratively?? I’m sharing a few looks and colours for various occasions and look forward to your feedback…………… My only major rule, just wear one piece or article of this rich colour!!!! You can try any of these……….

-   With all black, on a cold winter day or when its cloudy and rainy. Perfect!!!!! To uplift the weather and bring a smile on everyone’s face.

-   With an all white ensemble, be it a dress or Jeans and a top, but this is a really classy combo !!!

-   With blue……. It can be a dress, blue dress with yellow Blazer or vice versa. It’s a fabulous look to combine a  Yellow top with blue Jeans………. Or blue Jeans, white striped T and Yellow Blazer. All these are classic and we can carry them off well.

-   An all Yellow dress, accessorised with black, blue or fire colours like orange and red….. you can throw in a floral pair of shoes in these colours and take up your style quotient several notches!!!!! Don’t blame me if your feet hurt after wearing those stilettoes but it’s definitely worth it……………

 

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 -   With skirts in almost any colour, I tried with maroon and it worked!!! Pencil skirts especially in grey, black, blue or white work best.

    - For Indian ensembles, its best teamed with matt gold or white….. or maybe wearing a shaded saree or suit which has various gradients of this fire colour……. 

-   One fashion faux pas that I made, wore a bright yellow blazer over a vibrant blue dress. I was travelling abroad and wanted to wear this dress and was carrying just the one blazer…………… so I wore it anyways and carried it off with just my attitude and actually managed to get compliments for the look. It was a very pleasant surprise and a big thanks to you all….. Till next time!!!!

When In Doubt.................

When in doubt……………..

Normally, we can be as experimental or as conservative in our dress sense as our mood dictates, but there are so many situations in life when we are not absolutely sure about how to present ourselves. Sometimes the dress code is not crystal clear or we are divided as to whether we can carry off a particular outfit or colour ……………... or it happens that we pick up a dress and then spend ages thinking how best to accessorize it without going over the top!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or we may be wanting to create a first impression in an interview with a boss we have never met before or it’s our child’s selection interview in school or college……………

Then what to do???? Let’s play it safe by sticking to certain norms for those particular times, whenever we are in doubt

When in doubt…………..about which colour to wear for a formal occasion, wear, Black. It is the most flattering of colours and almost everyone can carry it off, no matter what our body type or complexion. Not only is it flattering, it is also very forgiving, in the sense that it hides any bulges and curves and makes us look slimmer!!!!

When in doubt………….. as to which colour to wear for a formal interview, wear Blue. Blue is a soothing colour and has various shades and hues from sky blue to turquoise to electric to royal and navy, one of which will definitely suit you. And it’s a colour which almost everyone likes or is neutral to. There are people who may be averse to brown or even black. Brown may make you merge in the background but never blue. It’s the safest bet and it makes you come across as professional without being too bold or pushy. Definitely understated enough to make a statement!!!!!!

When in doubt………….. about which attire to wear at a party where you may not be knowing everyone but you have to get the look just right and make an impression, wear a saree. Seriously, those 6 yards of fabric is one of the most fabulous, versatile and sexy ensembles ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It can easily go from being office wear to party wear to ethnic wear to “Ms. Confident Sexy Wear”. A safe bet is to wear a plain or light work saree with a dressier/designer blouse! 

When in doubt………….. about which material to wear, you know, if the weather is unpredictable or you are not sure whether the party will be an indoors air conditioned affair or "under the stars" Terrace types,…….. go in for Georgettes and/or Crepes . These materials can transition easily from indoors to outdoors and summer to winter to everything in between. They are versatile and easy to carry if you are travelling!!  And you can never go over the top with them.

When in doubt………….. about what jewellery to wear, go for diamonds or pearls. Diamonds are indeed a girl’s best friends and a pair of solitaires or diamond studs, can make you look classy, perfectly understated and sophisticated at the same time. Same for pearls. These can go with any attire and every colour, well almost!!! Some of the classiest and royale women I have seen have been able to carry off “That String Of Pearls” as if they were made just for them!!

When in doubt………….. about how to accessorize a dress, just wear a statement neckpiece and when in doubt about what to wear with a saree, wear only earrings. If you are wearing a casual western, a long chain type of accessory is perfect.

When in doubt………….. about what coloured footwear to wear, go in for beige or black. Even if they are not matching your dress, still you can carry off beige/black, sandals or shoes in every ensemble with aplomb. Sometimes I have seen that there are so many colours in our ensemble that matching shoes and bags and jewellery becomes an almost impossible task and you may search high and low, but the whole look just doesn’t fall in place. No worries, go neutral with beige……….. this has an additional advantage, If you are wearing sandals or shoes in a neutral shade with medium heels, it makes your legs look longer!!!

When in doubt…………. As to which coloured tote or purse to carry ……………Same rule applies for bags and purses too!!!!!!!!                   Brown, Black, white or even blue 

are safe bets. Or go for that LV or Gucci and make a statement. As for the size, go with whatever you are comfortable with..........

When in doubt …………. Whether you are looking perfect or maybe a little bulge is showing here or there, then layer....... Wear a jacket or blazer and stand out from the crowd

When in doubt………….. about which hair style to have for an occasion, go in for a bun or straight open hair. You may or may not be able to carry off curls or an elaborate hair style but one can’t go wrong with a neat bun, a French knot or well conditioned, well set  straight hair.

When in doubt………….. about  which coloured lipstick to wear, you can go with a medium shade of peach or coral. Peachy pink or peachy orange for lighter complexions and peachy brown for duskier complexions. This is one colour which really looks good on Indian skin and kind of blends with almost all dress shades and really brightens up the face and your million dollar smile.

When in doubt…………..about your nail varnish, a neutral peach or French manicure is a safe bet.

When still in doubt ………… whether your attire is completely put together or not, forget everything else and carry off whatever you are wearing with the ATTITUDE……………. That I can carry off whatever I am wearing, like it or hate it, I don’t give a damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When in doubt………….. as to whether this blog should be published online or not, do it anyways, you never know, it might strike a chord with someone, somewhere………………

The Mane Game..................

There is no feeling, absolutely no feeling quite like that of  freshly washed hair that are soft, silky, smooth and frame your face and move with every step you take................ it makes you feel great and look fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If your hair are looking good, believe me girl, rest will automatically fall in place!!!!

For any woman worth her salt, hair are her most prized possession. And to make this possession a prize, what all she has to do and endure???????? Yet, why is it that your neighbour's hair or hair style or streaks seem better than yours??? That is the million dollar question to which I don't have any answer.

What I do have is a few tips and do's and dont's that help in hair care.

First and foremost, have a hair style that suits your face, in a length

you are comfortable with. This decision  is absolutely individualistic , your hair, your choice according to your hair type, lifestyle and preference. But a style that makes you feel good and confident and feminine and easy to maintain if you are always on "the run" type of woman!!! If you have leisure on your hands, then go for any length and style that you like and enjoy!!!

But all lengths and types of hair need to be looked after and pampered with regular conditioning . If they are chemically treated, then even hair spas are needed .

Of course, it starts with regular shampooing . Select a shampoo that suits your hair and scalp and according to any chemical treatment that you might have done to your hair. There are specific shampoos for coloured and rebonded hair, sticking to them will go a long way in maintaining your hair treatment. Nowadays, the silicone-and sulfate free shampoos are highly recommended for  shiny, healthy and frizz free hair. Personally I have never used one. I go for shampoos that nourish my hair as well keep the scalp squeaky clean. To each his own....................

Shampooing should be done with your head down so that the shampoo water does not flow onto your face and back or you could end up with eruptions .

Hair can be washed as frequently as they dictate , from daily to once a week. Try not to wash everyday as it takes away the  natural oils from your hair and tends to dry it out. If you wash after too long, the scalp could become itchy. But whatever you do, condition, condition, condition............... before a head bath, after a head bath, with leave in conditioners and serums . You can use oils, masks, conditioners, power cell masks, natural home ingredients like egg, lemon, honey, yogurt, mayonnaise, banana, beer.......... they all work.

When oiling hair, try using hot oil. Any oil will work, olive, castor, coconut, amla, almond, but make sure that the oil is imbibed by your hair and scalp. For this its not important to keep it overnight, even 45 minutes is enough but give it heat treatment. If you have the spa steamer at home, then lucky you!!! Go use it. If not, try my secret mantra.

MY SECRET MANTRA TO FABULOUS HAIR

After having oiled your hair for about 30 min, take 2 wet towels. Roll one and put it in the microwave. Micro it for 2 to 2.5 minutes, take it out and wrap it around your scalp and hair, turban style. Meanwhile, microwave the 2nd towel. When the 1st cools , remove it and microwave it again while you have put the second hot towel on your hair. Repeat the process for about 10 min and then shampoo. Voila, you have soft, silky hair after a home hair spa.

Oiling can be done once a week or at least once a month to nourish and pamper your tresses.

On normal shampoo days, when you don't precondition, use a good conditioner at the ends of your hair.  Massage it into your hair and leave for 2 to 5 minutes. Then rinse off. If your tresses are too dry or untamed, you can use a leave in conditioner or serum, applied at the ends after towel drying.

Diet plays a major role in keeping your hair healthy. Foods like  eggs, peanuts, almonds, wheat bran, salmon, avocados ,low fat cheese ,spinach, bell peppers, lentils and sweet potatoes will all work towards giving  you lustrous locks.

On a bad hair day, either tie them or apply talcum powder on your scalp. It acts like a dry shampoo. Just rub it in well and then brush it out so that it is not visible. This is my quickfix when I have oily hair and don't have a dry shampoo at hand.

When blowdrying, protect from very direct heat. You can use heat protecting serums. To give a natural bounce to your hair, blow dry them inside out, with your head down. It works!!

Blow dry your hair in the opposite direction from your parting, let cool and then let them fall in position. For a casual, "just there" type beach waves, when your hair are half dry, just scrunge them between your fingers and let loose. Repeat and let them air dry. you,ll love the results!

 For professional setting of hair, one can use various products like mousse, spray, gel, wax etc. But that will be another blog. For now, just go and bowl everyone over with that gorgeous mane.

 HOME MADE HAIR PACKS FOR ALL HAIR TYPES

For normal hair  -     Whole egg, yogurt, lemon, honey 

For dry hair      -        Egg yolk, yogurt, honey, olive oil

              For oily hair      -      Egg white, lemon, yogurt

 Mix the above and apply on scalp and hair for 20-30 minutes.

 Wash off and shampoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPINESS IS..................

Happiness is..........................

Buying the latest model of that coveted merc or taking a holiday on the  French Riviera or maybe building that sprawling  20 bedroom mansion...........................  Oh, those 6 carat soltaires and the branded clothes................ Yes, all this does make us happy or does it really........................ like forever???? What do all of us actually want from life? Oh yes, we  all do want a better bungalow, car, clothes, holidays, possessions, status and relationships .......... and we feel that once I get that, I will be happy. So basically we all want to be Happy!!!!  But tell me, as you are sitting and reading this blog and if you relate to it in some way, then arn’t you happy right now??? When you see the smile on your kid’s face, when you meet a friend over coffee or catch up with a childhood classmate on FB after ages, listen to your favourite music or get a 100 likes on your latest profile pic, aren’t you happy??? Happiness is not an abstract thing that we will achieve when we reach a certain destination in our lives. Rather happiness is finding joy in each and every step of the journey..............

It’s not about the money, Honey, it’s about the attitude

Life is short, life is precious and life is what we make of it......... I know, many people will be like, that’s not true. Mr. X has this and Ms. Y has that, they are loaded, man....................and here she is telling us to change that attitude!!! But what do both , Mr. X and Ms Y, actually want????? Are they really happy????? I wonder............

Our happiness is not dependent upon other people, our kids, our spouse, friends, family or boss. Rather, our happiness is governed by our attitude towards people and situations in our lives. The remote control of our happiness is not with any other person, its with us!!!

No one is responsible for our happiness or vice versa. Don't believe me, then I,ll give you a small example. Imagine yourself in a room full of people who are partying and happy, but you are not feeling good about yourself for some reason ( It happens!!). Won't you feel lonely or sad, even when surrounded by happy people???  And another time, you woke up with a smile, are looking and feeling good about anything big or small in your life but when you go to work, you find a lot of negativity around. But it doesn’t affect you because of your attitude. You don't let it affect you and CHOOSE to be positive and think about all the blessings in your life rather than to concentrate on the negatives!!!

So, if happiness is governed by our attitude and we have only one short , precious life, then guys, choose to be happy. Being positive and optimistic is the only way to be.......... And if at any point of time, you feel things are not going exactly according to plan............ then take a pause and leave things in automode. Everything in this universe is already ordained and worrying is not going to change or solve anything. So, simply be .......... and let nature take its course. If you feel that the situation is too much to bear, then write it down on a piece of paper , fold it and put it away in a drawer, where you will forget about it. Retrieve it after a few months , reread it and you will realise that hey, the problem wasn't that bad after all. it was just our anticipatory reaction to it which was making us scared.

So develop the ability to let that, which doesn’t matter, truly slide...........
And develop the attitude to find happiness everyday of our lives..................
Wishing you Happiness always.......................................................................