The Misread Theory Of Professionalism

Its quite rhetorical when I ask myself or a group of like minded individuals as to whether 'Professionalism' in today's time is a disregarded virtue or simply an illusion. From what I can say for myself, I am a propagator of professionalism. I may have an occasional slip or two, but then my morality takes the better of me and the whole situation and perhaps the lack of "call of action" from my end, makes me feel guilty to the stomach. I do also believe that there are a few gospels that constitute the very fundamentals of professionalism and are independent of the industry you operate in. 

The sheer idea of TIME is nothing but a myth and punctuality an unknown virtue. We all have been late to a meeting or an event and have also been on the other side of the table. But why does being late become a characteristic symbolic of your stature and being right-on-time fetches you an  "Ohhh! You're here", topped with sufficient quantities of dismay.

Another aspect of our everyday functioning, which we all might have resorted to ourselves at some point of time, and have largely become okay with is NON-REVERT. One of the very basics of virtual communication is acknowledgement. But since when and why, a simple acknowledgement to an email, a text or a call become a damper to the position you hold or a reflector to how busy you really are. Why are we in a race to supersede the other on grounds as trivial as these. Has talent and hard work indeed lost their value that we cannot bank on them.

We battle it out on the OUTCOMES, results and deliverables. Yet it is easy for people to renege on their commitments and what was apparently agreed upon, easily compromising on the time and efforts put into the initial discussion and decision making. In some cases, your efforts might be deemed as obligatory. While in others, it might seem fair and just to put off a task for reasons more personal than professional, sometimes to an extent where it becomes an arduous exploitation of your professional dependence. 

I am sure each of us can add in more to this rant, coming from a tank of experiences we gain in and during our professional tenure. Likewise, each of us would have evolved a mechanism that works best for us. However, much like my thoughts on MODESTY, it sometimes saddens me to find myself swimming in a pool as shallow as this. But I'm glad to have my virtues as my lifeboats and retain them with pride. I would love to know your share of professional inexperience(s) and how you dealt with them. In the end, all I say is that - Let's bring the ship home!

Wearing - 

Top - ZARA

Skirt - Forever 21

Earrings - H&M

Shoes - Woolworths

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Agam

ALOHA!

Shot By - @farheenay

Besides the sempiternal nine yards, another Indian silhouette with an endless appeal is the quintessential Kurta. The Kurta or the Kurti as a piece of clothing has constantly re-invented itself and evolved in order to keep pace with the changing demands of the fashion forward world. Humble beginnings saw the very basic Kurti being paired with salwars/churidaars and dupattas. As lifestyles became more demanding, we proudly relaxed ourselves in the comfort of our jeans/trousers paired with the Kurti, ditching the dupatta. And now, this piece soars as breezy cotton dresses and the super women cape alike (and also like). Not to miss, how it holds its grace when worn as a beach cover-up.

I was instantly drawn to the delicate garden print on this Kurta by W (this one’s not from their latest collection) as it exhibited my never ending love for all things tropical, the idea defined as luscious banana prints and fashion presented amidst oneiric gardens. Sticking to the theme, I styled the Kurta as a cape making the whites and greens pop invariably. Likewise, while shooting our efforts were towards staying true to the whole concept of minimal tropic. Although this look would sit perfectly for a day at the beach, to put it humbly, this was the best we managed at Chandigarh. Thank God for no-beach hair though!

What do you think of this look? Do stop over my Instagram and Snapchat handle (@TrimmingsAndLace) to let me know. Also, I hope liked the latest video and subscribed to my channel. If you haven’t already, time to show some love people!

Wearing -

Crop-Top - Forever 21 (here)

Shorts - H&M

Kurta - W for Women

Choker - Gifted

Sunglasses - Missa More

Flats - Target

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Agam

TrimmingsAndLace For Fervour : Complexity Amidst Simplicity

In an environment where everything - from societies in general to industries in particular -  is a live-wire and is constantly evolving, the complexity is in the simplicity. Fashion as a genre is expanding exponentially and each day has a newer dimension to adopt and follow. The challenge herein remains to perfect the classic and better the simple. Something as timeless as a black and white outfit can have multiple layers when it comes to styling and representation. That basically was my challenge, when this gorgeously ruffled Dsquared2 blouse was sent to me by the wonderful team at Fervour. Fervour is a Bangalore based luxury house that shelves and retails a number of luxury brands - from Dsquared2 to Marc Jacobs, from Nina Ricci to Iceberg - all under one roof. For the longest time ever, the Indian connect with these luxury brands has rested in the hands of holiday travels and visiting relatives. Thankfully, with houses like Fervour, luxury indeed is at our doorsteps. Not to miss mentioning, all apparels and accessories retailed are one hundred percent originals.

On receiving this top, my reflex response was that how difficult can it be to style a white top. A printed skirt or a pair of shorts with a bright blazer, anything would work. But once I began playing with these ideas in my dressing room, I realized that the challenge herein lied in keeping the look simple and letting the structure and details of the blouse speak for themselves. Which is why, the entire concept of this post is positioned to reflect a play of textures than merely a styling endeavour. These sandals and cuff, I feel, added another dimension to the entire look and incorporated a sense of directional contrast to the look. Finally, not to let go colour completely, I added the mini Dsquared2 cross-body bag from Fervour again.

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I hope you like my take on the obvious. I am thrilled to be announcing the Fervour-Iceberg giveaway winner on my Instagram. Make sure you check that to find yourself getting lucky. And, don't forget to follow Fervour - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Wearing - 

Ruffled Top - Dsquared2 c/o Fervour

Pants - Tailored

Bag - Dsquared2 c/o Fervour

Sandals - ALDO (here)

Cuff - Vajor

Earrings - Mom's 

On my nails - Mischievous in 455 by Revlon

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Agam

That Bride-To-Be

Shot By - Sahil Nanda Photography

Undeniably, the charm of getting dressed for a wedding is unparalleled. Even though there can be times when your presence at every wedding of the season becomes necessary which in turn makes dressing up a chore, largely the whole fanciness around a wedding and dressing up for the same remains...well fancy. However, there is a harshly subtle reality to the whole wedding dressing scenario. The reality states that dressing up is always easy and weddings are always fun when they belong to someone else. Having been the bride's sister a year ago and the bride-to-be myself, I can assure you that wedding planning isn't as glamorous as it seems to be or can be as organized as the Pinterest time tables prescribe. Work-out wears become OOTD and missed meals become the order of the day. Nonetheless, each moment of it all is overwhelming and divine. I feel truly blessed to be at this stage of my life and am certainly looking forward to all that is to come. And I shall surely see you around!

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Wearing - 

Outfit - Plumtin Chandigarh (Wore this for my sister's wedding) (Similar)

Jewellery - Mom's

Kolapuri Wedges - Jabong.com

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Agam

TrimmingsAndLace For Vajor : Focused Bohemians

My final take (first, second) on the series of work-wear from Vajor has been to style a look for the freelancer in you reflecting an un-curbed, undisturbed creative personality. I chose to keep this look a little edgy and androgynously sexy. The pieces in this collection are designed in relaxed and breezy fabrics and are a blend of some gorgeous earthy tones. With sharp cuts and a tailored appeal, these pieces can take you throughout the day and do not demand any specific accessorizing or detailed styling. On viewing the collection, I could label it belonging to the ‘focused bohemians’.To do justice to the same, I styled my favourite pieces from the collection and finished the look with one contrast element, which I felt pulled the look together without swaying away from the genre.  

Wearing - 

Jacket - c/o Vajor (Shop)

Crop-Top - c/o Vajor 

Trousers - c/o Vajor (Shop)

Bag - c/o Vajor (Shop)

Oxfords - c/o Vajor (Shop)

Ring and Bracelets - c/o Vajor (Shop, Shop)

Neck-piece - Forever 21

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Agam

The Working Girl Ideas To Wearing Lace

     Shot By - Daas Media Works

Dressing for work comes with a different yet defined set of rules - some that we make for ourselves and some laid down by our work environment. Thinking about what to wear for work can feel like a job in itself. Undebatably, LACE is a tricky fabric to adorn as it always transcends the fine lines of sophistication and provocation. Some may argue that lace shouldn't be included in the work wear, but I believe that wearing lace is all about finding the balance. So for all you working girls, wanting to tune-up your work-style-quotient in lace, here are a few of my styling tips -

1. If you've always been conservative when it comes to lace and are now fancying an experiment, start with delicate yet well structured lace tops/shirts in basic colours. You can pair them with your favourite pair of trousers, a pencil skirt or underneath a well fitted suit. 

2. If lace pencil skirts are your thing but you still want to remain in the "safe" territory, pair your skirt with a basic shirt or, if your work place allows, a T-Shirt. However, avoid printed or graphic T-Shirts in this regard. You can finish your look with a tailored blazer and a pair of pointy pumps. 

3. When it comes to jewellery/accessories, less is always more. Much like my look, try sticking to minimalistic and dainty pieces. Yet again, if your work environment permits, you may experiment with contrasts in terms of colour.

4. The same principle as above applies when we talk of make-up. We ofcourse want our skin to look fresh and awake, but remember less is always more. I added a strong red lip for the purposes of this outfit. You always have a choice to go in for a more natural or a lip stained look. 

5. If you choose to stray away from the basics and pick lace in shades of wine, aubergines, maroons or coloured pieces with a nude lining, anchor the rest of the look with muted accessories. 

6. If an all out lace top, shirt or a skirt is not an option you can follow due to work constraints, a little peek-a-boo always works and adds so much textural and visual impact to the overall look. A lace hem peeking from just underneath your blazer or a structured jacket is an interesting dimension to the overall look. 

7. Another interesting pairing can be to wear a lace blazer over your regular shirt, top or T-Shirt. It's safe and spot on chic. 

8. Coming back to pencil skirts. If you feel that your skirt in any way is overwhelming, pair it with a top/shirt of the same colour i.e. ditch contrasts in terms of colours and textures. This shall render a very sleek and minimalistic look to the overall outfit. My personal tip would be to stick to minimal jewellery as well.

9. Whenever in doubt, add your favourite blazer! 

10. Last but not the least, if your work place is a fancier version of what most of us would envy, go ahead and try this girl! 

Wearing - 

Skirt - Myntra.com

T-Shirt and Scarf - Old (Gifted probably)

Bag - ALDO

Jewellery and Watch - Mom's

Sandals - Jabong

On my lips - Neutrogena Merlot in shade 90 

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Love

Agam