#AGAMIT 101

While working on some personal logistics this Monday morning, I found myself composing the infamous 'About Me' of our lives. My to-do list also included writing a new post for the blog and because of that prior exercise, ideas flowed fast. Being around here for long, you might know me a little or virtually a lot, but perhaps THIS wasn't enough to let you know about US. We may be the #Agamit, but who are we? Well, now you know -

1. Starting with the very basic. (In case you are new here) My name's Agam and his name's Amit Rabab Singh.

2. We were batch-mates through school, lost touch post that, met again while we were in college, dated for about ten years and have been married for ten months now. Touchwood!

3. While you know what I do, Amit too is an entrepreneur and has his own company. He is into skill development for the banking and financial sector.

4. We both are Pisces. Our birth dates are a week apart and I'm a week elder to him.

How To Do Gold Smokey Eyes - 6 Easy Steps

Tips To Manage Frizzy Hair This Monsoon

5. We were in a long distance relationship for about three years and after that too we were in different cities. As tough as it might have been, it strengthened our relationship and us like no other.

6. I wouldn't call Amit a fashion aficionado. But he undoubtedly has a great sense of style. He strongly believes in investing in statement pieces and his taste in shoes and bags is unmatched.

7. We both have sisters' as siblings. Amit has a younger sister while I have an elder sister.

8. He's a self confessed food and wine connoisseur while my food barometer is quite dismissive and I barely know my Malbee from Merlot.

9. This might get categorized as being a cliche, but I am the temperamental one between the two of us. He is pretty much always calm and composed and hence always the peacemaker.

10. Being in the profession that I am in and being a 'geographically distant' boyfriend, I sometimes missed having him as the 'photographer boyfriend'. Request you to kindly not judge me quite literally here but get the drill. Now, Amit himself is camera shy but has recently developed a penchant for photography. My Instagram's a proof. And now I can finally say with pride "I love that man behind the camera!"

Wearing - 

Top - H&M

Skirt and Sunglasses - Forever 21

Booties - ALDO

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

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

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

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

Thank you for stopping...

Love

Agam

TrimmingsAndLace For Chumbak : That World Of Colour

Shot By - Sahil Nanda Photography

For any artist, I believe, eclecticism is a challenging side of the curve to be at. Your art must thrive in its exclusiveness but at the same time must resonate with the ideologies of your audience at large. For any artist to establish this reasoning as his identity is surely a feat. But to diversify and divulge and reinvent and yet remain grounded to the aesthetics is a sign of greatness. For me the husband-wife duo, the curators, the visionaries and the artists at Chumbak fit this definition like no other. Chumbak’s entrepreneurial journey that started five years ago has always been an inspiration to me. Mainly because, it isn’t any rags to riches story that fits the texts of a case study but a narration of how far your dreams and your belief in them can take you. It is a story of what passions are made of and how sometimes it’s all about that one plunge.

The same came this October when Chumbak ventured into the apparel segment with the launch of Collection One. Collection One is your entree into Chumbak’s world of design, colour and print. Not to miss, the quintessential dose of insanity that is associated with Chumbak. So expect a whole new take on space, ocean, Pixel Art and food, all manifested into a fashion line, that has been designed to start conversations that never end and even when they do they end in smiles. 

Unlike most of my posts, I didn’t shoot this look with a prior brief or perspective in mind. My only agenda was to have fun at the shoot and celebrate the genre of outfits that I haven’t really worn before. The designs and prints have an inherent playfulness to them, which automatically gets infused into you. And that is pretty much what happened to me during the shoot. So there were twirls and pouts, jumps and misses, hair flips and virtual kisses, ankle twists and laughs and a leap into this new sea of fashion. 

You Need To Know When To Say Bye

The Rs. 100 Setting Powder You Didn't Know About

Wearing - 

Triangle Town Long Tunic - c/o Chumbak (Shop)

Aztec Cats Raglan Sweater - c/o Chumbak (Shop)

Hummingbird Leggings - c/o Chumbak (Shop)

Magical Jungle Women's Wrist Watch - c/o Chumbak (Shop)

Fox Yellow Ballerinas - c/o Chumbak (Shop)

Shirt Dress - Mango 

Neck-Piece - The Little Bauble Box

Brooch - H&M

Sunglasses - Miss Bennett 

Pumps - Done By None

Sandals - River Island (Here)

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

Culottes and Lilac Love

                                                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                                 

                                                                             

                                                                               

Shot By - RanaGurtej Photography

                                                                             

Trust your mom to give you the best fashion advice for life. She can battle all the notch heads to be a visionary when it comes to trends, statements and come-backs. Case in point these culottes, which my mom insisted me to HAVE and since then have been lying shunned except for those lazy days at home. Skinny and ankle-cropped pants have held the court for years now, and though they will never go out of style, it’s time to welcome some drama with culottes.

Culottes are a mark of innovative design. Cropped, wide-legged and falling a little lower than the Bermuda shorts, culottes encompass these stylish elements and spell élan and comfort in one.

Casual, sporty, sleek or tailored, I personally feel that the demure of culottes call for sophisticated dressing. Also, the silhouette and an over-flow of fabric can seem a little intimidating. Hence, minor attention to details never harms. A tucked boxy-top, a well-fitted top or T-Shirt or even your perfect fit button-down is the best way to accentuate the structure of culottes. Since I wore this outfit to a celebratory brunch, a little show of skin suited the occasion. Unlike the last time, I teamed this outfit with heels as they not only help elongate your frame and render some balance to the look, but also define the mid-calf area better. Now who can possibly mind that? 

With temperatures soaring I kept the tone of the look very monotone (and soothing if I may call it myself) with statement earrings, a printed clutch and a pop via the heels providing the adequate amount of colour and break.

However you may choose to wear them, I vouch that culottes are a summer staple. Besides, isn’t culottes a cool word to say? Your dependable fashion idol, breather for legs and a cool word…I hope the post has been worth a wait!

Don’t forget to tell me about it in the comments section below. Also, you can join me on Twitter and Instagram for everyday updates on fashion and more.

Wearing - 

Top - Forever21

Culottes - Mango

Sandals - Myntra.com (worn here)

Earrings - H&M

Clutch - ALDO

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

 

    

Chained Love : TrimmingsAndLace For ShopImagine

\

                                                           

                                                                           

                                                                         

                                                                            

                                                                              

                                                                            

                                              

If not a lover, I have been a forever admirer of baroque prints and chain prints. For me, they are reminiscent of the 16^th – 17^th century French royalty, perhaps from what I remember from my History textbooks. These prints undoubtedly spell creative genius as they involve completely different elements put together to create some harmonious artwork. Made covetable in the 1980s by Gianni Versace, chain prints advanced from the classic blacks and golds to the reds, blues, greens and even fuschias (love this). These prints particularly experienced a revival and a transformation from the couture to the wearable segment, a likely result of the Versace for H&M collections last year.

I couldn’t lay my hands on any such piece last year, so when I saw this play-suit at ShopImagine as part of their California Collection, I knew this one was an instant grab. The wonderful team at ShopImagine were extremely kind and generous to send it across to me. The laid-back drive of this play-suit crafted in a semi-silk luxe fabric, makes it my favourite for all those evening into the night events. Having worn it for a casual day-out and an evening getaway, for this particular look I just wanted to sit back, enjoy the monsoon showers over some hot chocolate. I added a mix of gold and silver via my cuffs, a neck-piece for texture, zipped up my gladiator flats and was on my way. 

ShopImagine houses the latest in chic fashion with pieces so multi-faceted that you can transform them from day to night and from formal to informal with minimal effort. The ordering process is easy and the delivery is prompt. But what makes you the happiest is the package your product comes in – neat, classy and simply beautiful. Also, ladies ShopImagine provides you with a lingerie shopping experience like no other. With much to choose from and a lingerie stylist on the go, your shopping woes are sorted with a mere click.

My ShopImagine  love affair now extends to all of you. Yes, all you lovely TrimmingsAndLace readers can avail an exclusive 30% shopping discount at ShopImagine. All you need to do is shop and use the discount code – SISTYLST30G

Wearing - 

Play-Suit - c/o Shop Imagine (Shop)

Bag - Forever 21

Flats - Thrifted (here)

Neck-piece -XOXO Accessories

Cuffs - Westside and Mom's (here)

Bracelet - Gifted

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

 

 

                                                               

                                                                     

                                            

Talking Obsessions : Mint

                                                                                 

                                                                       

                                                                               

                                                           

                                                                         

                                                           

Do you agree that colour fixation obsession exists? If you have been a TrimmingsAndLace regular you should be able to answer that for me. For those of us who've met recently, let me answer that for you. MINT - This flirty shade of green and turquoise broke the shackles of outdated, blasé bathroom tiles and witnessed a rip-roaring resurgence last year. The blog saw me embracing the colour in full power and sharing style ideas to wear it with aplomb here. This cool shade is soft and neutral, but still the perfect sweet staple to have in your wardrobe. Taking inspiration from some delectable macaroons and creamy sorbets I went in for a candy contrast with mint here. For a transition into Fall, I thought of allowing the spunk hiding in the maybe.I.exist little corner of me to come out and take the center stage. I paired mint with a sheer blouse and inaugurated the season's drama here. 

What's next? Well, post this monotone, one-colour look, I am feeling inspired by Monique Lhuillier Fall 2013 runway. Emerald green is the crowned jewel this year and I am loving the idea of pairing the regal shade with cool mint. So, does colour obsession exists? For now, I am taking it as a YES!

Wearing - 

Top - Forever 21

Jeans - ZARA

Flats - ALDO (worn here)

Neckpiece - H&M (worn here)

Bag - Nine West (here)

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam