If I Had A Number

While working on my 'internal logistics', the other day I stumbled upon a list of my old, my favourite (if I may say so) TrimmingsAndLace blogposts. So, if you have been a regular, avid reader of my blog this may be your deja vu moment, and if you've joined me recently here's something about my journey so far. 

1. The Misread Theory Of Professionalism

2. TrimmingsAndLace : My 6 Must-Have Foundations

3. And We're Married

4. 2016 : I Owe It To You

5. TrimmingsAndLace For Chumbak : That World of Colour

6. TrimmingsAndLace For Lifestyle : Almost Fall

7. TrimmingsAndLace For Vajor : Girl Boss

8. TrimmingsAndLace For Fervour : Complexity Amidst Simplicity

9. TrimmingsAndLace For Vivat : Dramatics And All That

10. TrimmingsAndLace For Meraki : Talking Aesthetics

11. The Working Girl Ideas To Wearing Lace

12. TrimmingsAndLace For French Connection : Entwined

13. TrimmingsAndLace For The Quirk Box : A Day In The Life Of The City

14. TrimmingsAndLace For The Quirk Box : Long Gone

15. Do-It-Yourself : Lip Stain

16. Layering Essentials : Ten On Ten

17. TrimmingsAndLace For Swarovski : A Sparkle A Time

18. TrimmingsAndLace For MaxFashions : Didn't Loose The Lesson

19. The Person A Watch Makes Me

20. Stories From That TextBook

I am sure such a plethora of links is bound to leave you overwhelmed, but I also do hope that they make up for a wonderful read and have something to offer and to cherish!

Wearing - 

Dress - TrimmingsAndLace

Earrings - H&M

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

Do-It-Yourself : Tasseled Sandals

Tassels and fringes are pretty much regarded as the trend of the 70s, but making a glorious appearance on shoes this Spring/Summer'16 made them absolutely delectable. Laced up to the mid-calf, sitting pretty on ankle straps, platformed, wedged or stilettoed, fringes and tassels add a striking dynamism to the entire look. I've personally loved the infamous Aquazzura Wild Thing Sandals and did pick up similar ones from Daisy Street (here). But if you're wanting to embrace the trend without burning a hole in your pocket and unlike other DIYs existing on the web, don't want to shelve and cut paste your existing pair of sandals, this tutorial might be of help. So, let's get started! 

You'll need:

1. A classic pair of sandals. Try picking a pair which is simple and minimalistic in virtue. If you have a pair that fastens on the ankles, its a bonus!

2. Tassels in the colour of your choice. These are easily available at all craft stores.

3. Suede, faux leather strings. Avoid using ribbons because they tend to slide and don't really hold on the legs.

4. Tape.

5. A pair of scissors. 

6. A straightening iron (optional).

Steps:

1. I started by trimming and refining the ends of the tassels to make them look neater and even.

2. Next, I used a straightening iron to smoothen any wavy and wiggly threads and strands.

3. This step is optional. I secured the loop of the tassels with a tape to make it smaller so that it doesn't move around, once slipped through the suede strings. 

4. Weave the strings through the straps of your sandals. Pretty much like this.

5. Finally, just when you are about to knot the strings slip in your tassels and secure them between the strings. 

Though I admit that the outcome can't match the grace of the original, but I still feel that revamping your sandals once in a while can be a fun activity and an interesting change. What do you think? 

Wearing - 

Dress - Tailored

Sandals - River Island

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

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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How To Layer Like A New Yorker

Wearing - 

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

Jewellery - Mom's

Kolapuri Wedges - Jabong.com

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

TrimmingsAndLace For Vivat : Dramatics And All That

Shot By - Daas Media Works

The value and symbolic significance of jewellery is something that gets instilled in us while we are little girls and stays with us through different stages of life. The conscience awareness that jewellery is an important adornment in the life of a woman, it's timelessness from one generation to another and also it's preciousness as an element of investment, are qualities a girl is raised with.

Jewellery has always been associated with being spectacular and breathtaking, depicting the detailed craftsmanship and skill that goes into curating it. These were my initial thoughts as I browsed through Vivat's collection on Instagram. Though I myself favour the changing preferences towards light and  minimal jewellery, nothing can beat the grandeur of truly bold, statement pieces. 

The collection at Vivat is a mix and balance of modern and traditional designs. Along with traditional stones, cuts and designs, Vivat also focuses on uncut, semi-precious stones set in a crushed gold or silver plating that enhances the beauty of the raw material used. The same, makes these pieces sit perfectly with Indian wear and are a definite treat when paired with more contemporary silhouettes. Fret not, because the jewellery is easy on the pocket which means as the festival and wedding season approaches, gone are your woes of wearing the same jewellery pieces over and over again. You can opt for wearing a choker alone or mix and match the sets. Wear an exquisite neck-piece as a headgear or as a modernized version of a kamar-band. Indian, westerns, contemporary Indian, solid colours, maxis, and even sharp, tailored suits it you dare, the options to pairing these beauties are many. Further, it is well ensured that those of you with sensitive skin do not develop allergies of any kind to non-precious metals. 

My idea of this post was to showcase how stylishly these pieces can be worn with more present-day and revolutionized silhouettes. I felt it matched the brand's ideology and functioning to the fullest. I decided to layer these gorgeous neck-pieces to amplify the theatricals that I intended to achieve with this post. I am sure you all must be wondering about the structure of my outfit. Well, it is a DIY-ed version of a georgette sari. I draped it render a very Grecian appeal, yet maintain the robust floral print to depict this transition period. Finally, it was the weather that thankfully added the requisite drama to the overall look. 

How would you choose to style these stunning pieces? Share your ideas with me in the comments section below. You can stop by my Instagram or tweet them to me. Also, don't forget to find Vivat on Facebook  and Instagram. 

Wearing - 

Dress as top - ASOS (here)

Sari - Mom's

The Head Turner Set - c/o Vivat (Shop)

The Glam Trio Set - c/o Vivat (Shop)

The Pride Set - c/o Vivat (Shop)

Sandals - ALDO (here)

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

TrimmingsAndLace For VAPH - An Isabelle Story

Shot By - Sahil Nanda

As a fashion blogger, stylist and someone who is genetically blessed with an average height, heels often are my rescue. However, like most of you, traditionally I am all in all a flats person. Eight out of ten times, if the occasion permits, you'll see me in flats. I head out for my shoots and meetings in flats with the heels making an appearance just before I step out of the car. There too, you would rarely find me in sandals or any open-toe flats. I am a complete loafers, moccasins and ballerina kind of girl and perhaps too definitive when it comes to my flats.

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This is exactly how my meeting with the VAPH team started. VAPH as a brand specializes in leather and leather textures. But what's interesting is how they have transcended the boundaries of classic leather shoes and colour tones, to introduce variants in terms of colours and textures. In their beautifully designed lookbook you'll be lost in choice amidst some colourful loafers, oxfords, lace-ups, boots and sandals crafted in a combination of suede and treated leather. Don't forget to refer the style guide for some amazing style inspirations and tips. With over 30 years of experience in designing, sourcing and shoe construction, needless to say that their pieces are crafted with meticulous attention to detail and quality.

One glance at the collection and I knew that these Isabelle loafers belonged to me. However, dressing up everyday and slipping into the closest pair of flats that you find to styling this pair was somewhat of a challenge for me. The unbound utility of these loafers to run multiple errands during the day is unmatched, but through this post I wanted to depict how stylish they look when styled for an easy and relaxed day. My idea of the same was to spend it in shorts and this breezy off-shoulder top. Thankfully it had rained a couple of hours before we set out to shoot, and what was meant to be a shoot turned into a fun day spent at the park. Heels might be a woman's weapon to stance, poise and power but flats for me are symbolic of her innocence, the child inside her and her little ways of making the world around her joyous and beautiful. An hour into the shoot and a array of feelings...a pair of shoes can change lives!

This particular pair has become my go-to and the most dependable pair on my shoe rack presently. It's easy to slip on, comfortable and sturdy especially during the rains. Don't believe me? See me do Snapchat story to show you the obvious. You can add me - TrimmingsAndLace. And for all of you dying to shop, you can check out VAPH shoes on Flipkart, Myntra and Jabong.

Wearing - 

Top - Tailored (here)

Shorts - Stalk Buy Love

Loafers - c/o VAPH (Don't forget to find them at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Bucket Bag - Mango (here)

Earrings - Vivat (love this)

Bangles - Westside

Headband - Forever 21 and Thrifted 

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

A Traditional Recline

                                                              

                                                               

                                                           

                                                                 

                                                                    

                                                      

                              

While fashion ideas and trends might change and reverse, a form of dressing that remains strictly conventional for me is Indian dressing. The lines barring domestic and global fashion are rapidly bleaking into the horizon and traditional wear has been witnessing a major revolution in terms of modernized cuts and silhouettes. However, I personally feel I've been rather stuck when it comes to the same. My sister got married last year and on our countless trips visiting boutiques and designers, a self-discovery that came through was my natural inhibition towards trying the contemporary versions of Indian wear. That doesn't mean I don't love the designs, I love them and admire the skill and art that goes behind creating such gorgeous pieces. Just that, it might take me a while (or one dressing occasion) to step out of this ideological zone. With the wedding season being on it's temporary recline, taking a moment on the blog today is this lehnga I wore on my sister's sangeet.  

Wearing - 

Lehnga - TrimmingsAndLace

Pipal-Patti Earrings - Mom's 

Haathphool - ALDO (here)

Kadas -Thrifted (here)

Sandals - ALDO (here)

On my lips - Non-Stop Red in 510 by Maybelline (DIY here)

On my nails - Colorbar Twisted Peach 

 Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

Layering Essentials : Ten on Ten

                                                            

                                                            

                                                        

                                                           

Shot By - HimShootz

So it's been a while. Between the weather that forces you to stay stuck to your bed, blankets and coffee, and shuffling through the work and to-do-lists for the new year, I haven't really been able to put together my thoughts for the maiden post of 2015. The past few weeks and this unplanned sabbatical worked wonderfully for me since it gave me time and reason to sit back and be a spectator. Blogs, books, television, nature, stores, displays, architecture, shopping sites, makeup counters, virtual travel diaries and what not, I've been in a world of my own. And this really with a hope that all my thoughts and actions are channelized towards making TrimmingsAndLace an experience that you enjoy.

Unconsciously, winter does confine you to the monotone basics in terms of colour palette and all that layering and texture play does come at a cost of turning you into a human artichoke. But winter is also one season to do a wardrobe rain-check and stock yourself with essentials that can easily take you one season after another and prove to be an investment you wouldn't regret. I've picked a quick list of essentials for you to take on winters and pile on fashionably.

1. The Perfect Trench - A trench/overcoat is literally my saviour for the winter season. Trust you me when I say that you can get away with wearing anything underneath, as long as you've polished and concealed your look with that quintessential overcoat. Need proof?

2. A Thick Cardigan - A thick, warm, long cardigan for me in an extension to the trench. Besides the fact that it is super warm and again gives you the leverage to be less fancy in what you wear underneath, I feel it looks ideal (in terms of length) with a pair of leggings. 

3. Leggings - Coloured, printed or leather, leggings for me are an absolute must have. I say a big no to jeans especially during winters, because denim by nature does very little to protect you from the chill. Leggings on the other hand, take your body shape and hence shields from the cold keeping you warm. And, if you are someone like me, you've also been wearing two pairs to fight the cold.

4. Turtle Necks - A turtle-neck T-shirt or a pullover is the ultimate winter ninja. For me, this piece in the wardrobe is something I can tuck myself in to stay clear of the cold. I would suggest investing in basic, simple silhouettes and colours since they can be styled and worn in multiple ways either as an outer layer or underneath another cardigan, blazer or a coat.

5. Wrap Scarf - Blanket scarves and belted scarves are a rage in the fashion circuit at the moment and rightly so. Remember that feeling of not letting go yet and wanting those extra two minutes (this could have been less dramatic though) in the blanket every morning, a good scarf lets you live in that feeling a good deal.

6. Flannel/Plaid Shirt - A flannel/plaid shirt is an extremely utilitarian wardrobe essential for all seasons. Wear it on its own or play peek-a-book under your layers, it helps create a print contrast like no other. Make sure you pick the one that fits like a dream. Pay extra attention to the length you choose.

7. A Sweater Dress - A sweater dress for me is a fancier version of the long cardigan. Bright stockings, boots, accessories - a stylish sweater dress is your call to be the Serena van der Woodsen.

8. Faux Fur - Having worn a faux fur cape here, I feel this indulgence shouldn't pinch. A faux fur cape, poncho or a scarf adds a great textural dimension to your outfit, looks highly classy and sophisticated and undoubtedly stylish. Did that pinch? No!

9. Parka - For me personally, a parka doesn't score full points when it comes to being on the higher end of being "fashionably stylish", but if you are looking for that one wardrobe essential which is your absolute must-go to bear the chill, this is it.

10. High Socks - From pajama nights to that hint of leg or adding another layer beneath your jeans or leggings, we girls have a trusted friend from our good old school days in knee-high socks. 

Wearing - 

Look 1

Cobalt Trench, Plaid Shirt - TrimmingsAndLace

Pullover - ZARA

Scarf - Marks&Spencer

Bag and Peep-toes - Mango

Trousers - Local Store

Look 2

Lace Moto Jacket - Mango

Sweatshirt - Gifted

Jeans - Levis

Pumps - Done By None (here)

Earrings - Gifted

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam

The Person A Watch Makes Me

                                                        

                                                         

                                                              

                                                               

                                                           

                                                            

Shot By - HimShootz

                

When it comes to identifying and understanding this broad term called fashion, I have always maintained that fashion and style are a reflection of you. It is your beliefs, ideologies, the discussions you have amongst your friends, your choice of music and art, the books you read and what lessons of life you've imbibed from your parents, teachers and family - for me fashion sensibilities are a product of the above. One of the very early lessons in dressing that I was taught and live by is the importance of wearing a watch. I've grown up seeing my parents keeping their respective watches in that anchored space of the cabinet. When my sister and I were kids, whenever my dad used to travel one of the most precious components of his gifts bandwagon used to be a watch for my sister and me. I remember my dad getting this limited edition Swatch watch for my sister, which incidentally broke one day at school. Needless to say it made my sister extremely upset and adding to her dismay was the fact that no possible store in India could fix it. Years (and yes I mean years) later my parents 'discovered' someone who managed to fix it. Yet again, needless to say by then we were a little old to wear it. 

For me a watch signifies your take on life. It makes you feel more in control of the uncontrollable and acts as a reminder that those bullet needles cannot beat you. A watch is your constant benchmark, teaching you discipline like no other. And strongly said not wearing one, unless the occasion demands you skip, is a turn off.

A few weeks back I received this elegant Classic Trinity Lady in rose gold from Daniel Wellington. Without a second thought, I knew that when it came to styling it will be all about the person a watch makes me. I hope you like the post. 

Don't forget to share your stories with me in the comments section below or tweet/Instagram them to me. Also, if you haven't heard and see it around as yet I am happy to share that TrimmingsAndLace is amongst the selected few enjoying an exclusive access to the newly introduced #ViberPublicChats feature. It is an extremely engaging platform and perhaps the most personal I am having a chance to be on. You can be a part of my conversation at -TrimmingsAndLace. 

Wearing - 

Crop-Top and Pants - TrimmingAndLace

Blazer - TrimmingsAndLace (here)

Watch - Daniel Wellington

Sunglasses - RayBan

Sandals - ALDO

Earrings - Gifted

On my lips - Lancôme Pret-A-Plum

On my nails -  Colorbar Twisted Peach

Thank you for stopping by...

Love

Agam