Festive September

Hello readers!
Its been a while since my last post...well the reasons are varied.
My time's being split between planning for my daughter's school fundraiser (Bollywood Nite) and upcoming festivities (Shree Ganesha festival), not to mention work and household chores! Also all of us were under the weather so that didn't help at all!!

But now that we are fit and fine and the weather's warming up, I'm looking forward to some great events.

I couldn't help posting this picture of last year's Pooja thali (plate holding all the necessary ingredients for a prayer session).

I may be posting sporadically from now on and probably half way into the month of September due to all the commitments. But I promise to bring you some posts that showcase all the colourful events.

I will leave you with this picture of our beautiful Ganesha idol.

Hope you all enjoy festive times, be it religious celebrations, parties or just welcoming Spring!

Buying a 'Manbag'

This post is the first of its kind, you'll soon find out why!
Last month my colleague celebrated his birthday and on this occasion he decided to buy himself a new work bag- 'manbag' as he mockingly calls it!


Set created using Polyvore.com

  I was delighted when he said that he would like me to research and suggest some functional, stylish yet value for money options. I knew straight away that I would definitely include this experience on my blog. It was good to get feedback about my styling skills from the opposite sex. And it would be my first post about styling options for men!

Here are some of my picks for 'manbags'...



Classic LV



Marcs for Men



Rustic look



Urban Stylish look



Oroton leather satchel



For the glamorous guys!



The one we picked was unlike any of the above though! We chose a black faux leather bag with a large front flap, two buckles and a handy pen plus mobile storage just as you open the flap.

Colour Theory 2

On Saturday, I decided to test my next colour theory, this time it was secondary colours- Orange, Purple and Green. We squeezed in this quick photo session amongst the other activities of the day



Wooden bangles- purple, orange, green and stripy ones







Orange cardigan- SES, Black cropped pants- Esprit
Guess sunglasses, Kenneth Cole bag
Wooden bangles from India



Black suede ballet flats from Shoe Box
Anklet with stars from India 



There's always time for a quick hug!

Overall I was satisfied with my secondary colour theory, but would've loved to have more green in the outfit somewhere. Colour Theory 3 might be an improvisation! It's a learning process and I'm thoroughly enjoying it!  

Speaking of green I cooked the Mushroom n Bell pepper pulao today, using lots of fresh green bell pepper. Thanks to my blogger friend Being Fab for the recipe.
My blogging friends fill me with so much inspiration, I look forward to trying many more new styles, colours, DIY projects and recipes.

Keep up the good work friends!

Markets, Malls n much more for your dollar

This weekend's been a mish-mash of activities but I did take some time out to finalise this post on interesting tips for shopping, be it at the markets or the mall!

A few weeks ago when my friend planned a shopping trip and asked me to be one of her stylist/ shopping advisers, I was chuffed. We had a successful trip and needless to say I rewarded myself with some goodies. How can one ignore ridiculous bargains!!

My top Tips for Malls-  

• During sales at branded stores, look for timeless, classic pieces like neutrals, blacks- that way you invest in a good quality basic piece for your wardrobe.
• Do your research and return to the store in a week or so, you will find an even better deal, unless your smitten by a desired piece!

Mall: Grey n black Suede platforms from Nine West at 50% off

Mall: Tan satchel with a tiny coin purse from Nine West at 50% off
also seen here

My top Tips for Markets-

• It may not be a good idea to buy brands at the markets due to authenticity, however sometimes a pre-loved item in a good condition can be a great purchase.
• I prefer buying more accessories than clothes simply because there is usually a no return policy
  
  

  

  Markets: Pre-loved pretty Balenciaga, was a tempting buy but didn't take it!

  

  

  Markets: Quirky, sparkly butterfly belt

  How did you all score at your recent shopping expeditions?
  
  
  

Style Tips for a Reader

A reader recently asked me how to style with her pretty, tan, half -cut brogues. She wasn't interested in androgyny!
My research revealed that there is absolutely no shortage of styling ideas with brogues on the Internet. Brogues with-
1. High waisted pants
2. Shorts
3. Cropped pants



Images Via various sites


Brogues worn with a short floral dress OR floral brogues!

  

You've seen it all before...

So I decided to come up with my unique styling idea using Polyvore (I'm loving the graphic possibilities of this website right now!) My idea was to use an easily adaptable style using basic pieces, that can be worn by anyone tall or petite, slender or broad built!



Styling with Brogues: Crisp white pleated shirt/tunic, distressed cropped jeans
Tribal printed scarf, red messenger bag &
dangling bling earrings for the girly touch!


I think this style blends arty and boho, what do you think?

Coat Friends

So, officially there's just one more month of winter left!! The fashion mags, store window displays and catalogues are boasting about the big spring trends, which is exciting but it made me realise that it won't be long before the 'coat friends' that kept us warm all winter will now disappear away into the closet!





Coats featured: Classic trench, knitted with contrast piping and military


So I planned this post on coats, involving my girl friends and we had a great time doing a little photo shoot. Between us we had so many diverse styles of coats. I am glad to be surrounded by so much inspiration!



Poonam rocks the Military Coat



Bhavna & Ananya (my daughter) look lovely in red
Ananya is wearing a knitted coat
Bhavna is wearing an anorak style with hood



Eternal classic beige trench

While doing the shoot at first we were awkward, but slowly we got into the swing of things, pretended to stay candid and finally made it look quite stylish and fun at the same time!

It's always fun to plan something special and different with girl friends, isn't it?

Rainy Sydney

Continuing on from my previous post about last week, the rain just did not stop even for a moment. It was almost as if Sydney was trying hard to stop me from missing the Mumbai monsoon. But there’s something about winter rain that does not lure you to frolic in the wet weather!

Set created using Polyvore.com

 

I discovered what helped most (besides a huge umbrella!) was keeping a positive attitude!Finding pleasure in the finer details has made the difference! Let me explain in detail about my saviours in the cold wet weather-

1.Pretty umbrella

A pretty printed umbrella is so much more cheerful than a boring black or grey one! I utilised my large purple umbrella with houndstooth print.

2. Boots

I packed away those precious suede and leather boots and just wore the ordinary cheap vinyl ones. Rain boots seem fun but I feel like I've outgrown them!

3. Coloured all weather trench

A fuchsia, blue or red one would be fun!

4. Bright (water proof) accessories

Silicone watches, resin rings and bright stacks of plastic bracelets, wear one or mix n match to your liking!

The dull weather did spark some bright ideas after all! Moving on from last week, this week has been filled with sunshine and I'm making the most of it!

Do share your experiences on 'bright' ideas...