Wednesday 27 July 2011

The Denim Trick

Hey there my beautiful people!!

How are you all? I hope life is at its best for all of you. All is great at my side too (Thank You for asking :)), except the terrible weather from which there isn't a run-out. I did mention to you all that I love rains but all is well until it JUST rains. What follows after that for me is best described as a HAIR DISASTER. If you haven't guessed it yet, I am talking of THE HUMIDITY. I read and read and read (and try) so many style tips/products to keep my hair under control in this season, but they seem to have become senseless to my plea or actions. Aaarrggghhhh..
I am lucky to have the typical straight hair, but in this very weather they get possessed. I had a little encounter today, when a neighbour of mine remarked, " Ohhh have you gone thinner or are you looking thin just because your hair are all pinned up?" All I did was give her a polite smile and say "Maybe" but in my mind I yelled like Monica from F.R.I.E.N.D.S, "It's the HUMIDITY."
If you lovelies have any answers or are facing a similar situation please do let me know :):)
This makes me also know one thing of life...I'LL NEVER BUY A HOUSE NEXT TO THE BEACH...VACATIONS MANAGEABLE!!

Coming over to my outfit for the post. We all know that Fashion in the Summer of 2011 saw a denim makeover. I did try incorporating a few elements of denim in one of my previous post's. Denim extended beyond the regular jeans and found place in dresses, shirts, blazers et all. In this very post, I try and do DENIM SHIRTS. I didn't play adventurous and teamed them with khaki Capris...after all nothing beats the magical blue and khaki combo.

Here's what I wore:






 As you are observing, this is a very basic look. A super comfortable pair of Capris teamed with a shirt/T-shirt and loafers..and you are ready to go!! I felt that this look also got in the effortless Spring/Summer 2011 trend of ANDROGYNY.  Since, the outfit seemed 'boyish' I added feminine accessories to it. After all, its femininity summed with masculinity which best describes Androgyny. (That rhymes isn't :P)




In order to keep the tone neutral, I accessorized with a stack of gold bangles, hoops and wore leopard print loafers.

Wearing:

  • Denim Shirt also called Chambray Shirt: Ralph Lauren
  • Khaki Capris: Mango
  • Loafers: Atmosphere
  • Hoops: Aldo
  • Belt and Bangles: Thrifted

Remember me in Khaki?

How to wear the classic Denim Button-down Shirt? Some ideas..

1. The denim on denim look works great, but make sure that the washes are different.
2. Denim shirts can be thrown over floral dresses or maxis. It really doesn't get better!!
3. To wear it formally, team it up with a blazer in Black or Navy-Blue.
4. To be super casual, the denim shirt can be worn open over a basic white tank and jeans
5. Camel/Tan accessories work best when wearing Denim.
6. Donnig the androgynous denim look is cool but do not over-do it. Know where to halt :p
7. Always remember to add a hint of femininity.


I hope you enjoyed today's post :)

Thank You for stopping by...
Love
Agam

Wednesday 20 July 2011

~~Whites And Ferns~~

Hello lovely Readers!!
Apologies for this vague title..I am hoping to justify it as I proceed with this post. I am having trouble deciding as to what I want to talk about in this post ( I am sure we all have 'THOSE DAYS'). I think my Grey matter has gone for a little sabbatical. So this post is gonna be all RANDOMNESS!!

So, here starting with ten RANDOM things about me. I hope that what my dearest followers know of me through my posts, this would simply add to knowing me a little more...and here's certainly hoping that you all would be interested :):)

1. I love clothes. I love to shop and if I cannot find something that I particularly want, I rampage boutiques till I finally get it tailored or should I say custom-made :p

2. I love my family. My mom is my best friend and my Dad is the cutest in the world.

3. I have an elder sister. Her name is Umang and I idolize her. Also, we are lucky to have the same size in clothes and shoes!!

4.I believe in fairy tales (and Karma). Its Amit who completes my fairy-tale :)

5. I swear by natural i.e. 'kitchen shelf ' products for skin.

6. One of my biggest source of strength and inspiration is my brother Gautam. He means the world to me and I feel blessed to have him.

7. I hate getting clicked. OK not hate but it makes me extremely uncomfortable. That's the reason that most of the time you find me head-less :p

8. My best friends are Tanya and Bhanu. Tanya is my soul sister. The reason I can write to you is her. Bhanu is my agony aunt. She is the most positive person alive and knowing her you cant help but appreciate all the good things in life.

9. I love to dress traditional. My favourite outfit is the Salwar Kameez.

10. I would love to visit Disney Land one day. Also its my dream to see a World Cup Football match live (Did I mention I love football :D) and and and visit the manufacturing units of each and every Luxury House!!

:):):):):):)

Coming over to why this post is titled what it is!! I realized that Summers are fast transforming into Monsoons and till date I had not done an outfit post in the SUMMER CLASSIC - WHITE. Here's a look into how I wore white today:
                                                                                   



I wore a white sundress with fern green wedges :) I belted this A line dress to enhance and define its shape. Green and Purple were the two colours I picked to contrast with this dress. Keeping in tune with the tone of the dress I kept my accessories minimal. A few bangles and the neck-piece complemented the entire look.
                                                                        





Beautiful embroidery details the neck of this dress. The embroidery adds a feminist touch to the other wise strong appeal of the dress with regard to its fabric, buttons and pockets.
                                                                             

I finished the look with a green bag which I carried like a super-size clutch.
Wearing:

White Sundress: Local Boutique (Dubai)
Fern Green Wedges: Vintage Shop (Shimla)
Bag: Nine West
Bangles and Neck-piece: Gifted :)

  • You can catch me wearing green here.
  • The bag was also carried by me here.
  • My love for 'belting' outfits can be seen here, here and here.

Thank you for stopping by...
Love
Agam

Friday 15 July 2011

Once Upon A Time...

A big big hello to my gorgeous followers!!

I just didn't realize that its been a week since I last posted. I have no track of where the past seven days went by. It seems like the weekend was just yesterday and here we are starting another one..No one's complaining though :):)
There also seems to be no better time for me to pen this post. I say this because as I write to you I hear those magical rain drops lashing the earth, leaving behind majestic aromas of the wet soil. The pleasure of seeing those drops hit the earth relieving it from the harshness of the summer sun is unexplainable. Seeing this sight you can't help but jump to feel the first rain of the season. The first lightning roar followed by the cool gust sweeping our faces, we as kids used to be ready with our paper boats along with all the singing and dancing. The rains came and took our paper boats for ever, with a promise to come back again.
As time rolled on, rains found us inside with out hot tea and fritters enjoying the company of our loved ones. Time shall roll again and we will tell our kids not to go out in rains else they shall catch cold, like our mothers used to tell us. And then, one day we will see our last rain, born from those dark clouds, dripping on our wrinkled skin,and saying, " See, you have changed so much but I haven't." 

These simple pleasures of life are getting lost, when all we are caring of are the things that would one day change. The things that never come with a promise of staying with you forever. There is no bondage to letting that kid in you out and feeling those tantalizing drops. As, it is said that life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away. Let this be one...

My outfit for this post is something I wore last week for dinner with friends. The dinner that evening had some kind of an old-world charm as we dined at one such vintage styled restaurant which had beautiful furniture and paintings. The reason I describe it as vintage is not an apt one, but i call it so because it was well lit by candles and lamps. It had a cobbled pathway leading to the main restaurant. I am sorry for not having pictures of this lovely place, so leaving it on your imagination.
What made the evening even more special was THE RAIN :)

Here's what I wore:

 


This beautifully printed chiffon dress has been designed by me. The dress has a silk belt added to give the dress a structured look. However, this belt is detachable and the dress looks fancy even without it, as it is pleated below the bodice.



Its just a personal thought, rather my habit to keep accessories neutral and simple when I wear dresses. Hence, you see me wearing nude pumps, a few bracelets, my watch and carrying a nude clutch. I also wore a head-band which completed my look for the evening :)






Wearing:
Chiffon Printed Dress:TrimmingsAndLace
Nude pumps: Aldo
Nude Clutch: Thrifted

Bracelets: Aldo
Head-Band: Forever 21
Watch: Giordano

You can also check my neutral+dress avatar here. 
I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Wishing you a happy weekend :)

Prayers for Mumbai!!
Thank you for stopping by...
Love
Agam

Friday 8 July 2011

"And Who Am I?"

 "And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl."

Hello Lovelies!! 

So, isn't the very opening of this post reminiscent of what this post is gonna be all about? Well you guessed it right...its GOSSIP GIRL!!

I promise not to tell you in-depth about what the show is (which you probably do know!!) or how much every girl world over raves over the fashion set-up of the show or dreams to get a chance to live that life once so as to be able to wear all that wonderful stuff. I certainly am one of those and the reason this post is about Gossip Girl is because I just can't be done watching a back-to-back run of its episodes :p (EVER!!)


The entire theme of the show is based on something we all love and is very much a part of our lives i.e. BLOGGING. The show is narrated by an omniscient yet unseen blogger who digs into the scandalous and webbed lives of the Manhattan elite. Moreover, the show stars the 'FASHION IT' GIRLS Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen and Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf. We know that already..don't we??
I certainly believe that this is the power of art, in this case writing (as Gossip Girl is based on a book titled the same written by Cecily von Ziegesar) as well as cinema/filming. Art has the power of conceiving a thought process, giving it a defined shape and character and infusing it into our minds, till the very gap between fiction and reality vanishes. There comes that sublime state where you start believing the magic world of Harry Potter or feeling the pain when Blair sheds a tear in isolation.


Coming over to another aspect of my blog now and that is my outfits :) If you love clothes as much as I do, you would agree with me, that sometimes your clothes talk to you :) Say, I proved I swear by fiction :p
So, for some time now I have been ideating wearing basic shorts with formal/semi-formal blouses in Chiffon, Georgette, Lace and Crepe. I have attempted to do the same with the following outfit:






I wore a Georgette floral print shirt (worn here) with basic black shorts. I felt that the floral shirt imparts a semi-formal look to the entire outfit (because of the fabric) hence I accessorized the look by wearing a pearl necklace and cocktail ring (also worn here). I also wore a multi-coloured cuff (worn here) and nude bracelets.




In order to balance the formal setting of the shirt and the accessories with the comfort shorts are meant to impart, I paired the outfit with simple ballerina's and a black hobo.


Wearing:

Georgette floral shirt: Local boutique in Dubai
Black shorts and Ballerina's: Thrifted from Delhi
Bag: Vincii
Bracelets and Cocktail Ring: Thrifted from Australia
Cuff: Forever 21
On my nails: Revlon 404 Siren

I leave you all with a few memorable quotes from Gossip Girl :):)

1. " Whoever said that money doesn't buy happiness didn't know where to shop."
                                                                  -Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf
2. "Well I'm sorry I'm not who you thought I was, but what's happened is in the past, and all I can do is try to change. If you can't accept that, then you're not who I thought you were."
-Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen
3. "You don't know a good thing until it's gone. And found something else."
                   -Kristen Bell as Gossip Girl
4. "Usually I have a "never say never" policy, but for you I'll make an exception."
-Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf
5. "'m not anyone, I'm me."
-Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf
Thank you for stopping by...
Love
Agam

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Travel (V)ogue - III

A big big hello to all my lovely people!!

I am so right when I say that this hello is coming after long (6 Days :( ) and all I can say is that "I am so sorry". I hope I was missed...and I am so happy to be back. The 6 days minus you guys wasn't minus some wardrobe rumblings, so I invite you all to come back as I have a lot many outfit posts lined up.

In this very post I shall be winding up my Travel (V)ogue series and as promised I shall try and share a few of my travel style tips and essentials with you guys. Lets roll then :)

1. I very firmly believe and follow that your outfits on vacations must never be over the top. Follow simple patterns and designs, casual and chic. You are on a vacation after all!!

2. The same does not mean that you travel wearing slouchy pajamas, but wear something light and relaxed. Tight, body hugging  and wrapped clothes must be avoided.

3. We can all do without the tricky ADD-ONs on vacations like wearing tie-ups, heels, heavy accessories. Sometimes when you follow minimalism like just randomly adding that one of the few pair of earings you are carrying or stacking up those bangles..it works well.

4. I consider it very apt to carry a pair of running shoes. If you are out exploring the place you are visiting..wouldn't you want your feet to be kind to you?? Besides, running shoes keep your feet covered and thereby protected against dirt and ya the sun. Comfortable flats like ballerina's are another of my definite pick. These too keep your feet largely covered and look fashionable at the same time. FEET HAPPY = U HAPPY!!

5. Do add a neatly tailored jacket as an outer layer over more casual underpinnings. It gives you a more polished style and also helps keeping warm be that when you are outdoors or during a flight. 

 Before I move further, I would wanna know that did I do justice while on the vacation, to what I am  preaching :p



As I had mentioned I had a chance of visiting a few of the many vintage shops located at Shimla. The pics below are of one such shop that sells artisanic handicrafts. On my interaction with its owner, the very interesting distinction that I learned between handicrafts and the generic term arts and crafts is that handicrafts are items intended to be worn and used, beyond the purpose of simple decoration!! Clap Clap :)








Wearing:

  • Khaki 3/4ths Kapsons
  • T-Shirt Allen Solly
  • Summer Jacket Local Boutique in Dubai
  • Polka Dot Socks Aeropostale
  • Canvas Ballerina's and Bangles Thrifted
  • Bag from Vogue, carried here and here.

Moving on,

6. To keep looking neat and presentable all day long, pack in dark colours like brown, black or navy in light weight fabrics that do not show dirt or wrinkle.

7. It is always a win-win bet to carry a large hat or umbrella or scarf to protect yourself from the sun. In addition to this, a good pair of sunglasses is a must-have and (never to forget) THE SUNSCREEN,

8. When you are out the entire day, it is obvious that you will be carrying all your necessities. Its advisable to carry a sufficiently spaced bag such as a tote. If you are out trekking I guess there is no better substitute to a back-pack.

9. A belt is my pick to add that subtle glamour to your travel outfit. Its chic and would hardly add any weight to your luggage.

10. One must avoid wearing outfits like those teeny, little shorts unless you are on the beach, You don't want the unnecessary attention or a cultural abrasion or be screamed at "TOURIST." A cute dress is an alternative DO everywhere :)





 

The pics you see below are also of one of my favourite vintage book shop in Shimla. I do not remember the time I have been to Shimla and not visited this shop. It has an amazing old world charm (not to miss its classic wooden entrance doors done in blue). You can scan through books, maps, paintings, sculptures which are over 100 years old in the fields of Indian history, World history, Art, Music, Fashion, Culture et all. What I like the most about this store is that it isn't a typical commercial antique store but more of a learning haven.

















Wearing:
  • Summer Sky Top Zara
  • Jeans Lycra
  • Leopard print Wrap Next
  • Silver Headband Forever 21
  • Earings Claire
  • Running Shoes Adidas
  • Watch Giordano

Also,


Read how I combined the two here :)

I leave you guys with images of the beautiful Christ Church at Shimla :)




I hope you guys liked my travel style thoughts and the entire Travel (V)ogue series!!

Thank You for stopping by...
Love
Agam