Tropical Pursuits

With all the glitz and glam of the festive season in full swing, it was almost a sartorial relief to find an outfit post that was pending and leaning toward the casual chic side.
I have forever been in love with a staple white shirt which you would have seen here and here. I have worn it in two absolutely different ways in the posts and in this one I have tried a particularly simple style that works for every season. All it takes is your favourite scarf =)
To complement the white and black monotones, I have thrown on a tropical floral printed scarf with thin rows of transparent sequins on it. Its warm, bright and definitely glams up my attire, just the right amount.
With the year drawing to an end, its probably the right time to tell you guys how rewarding the year has been as a blogger and with all the warmth and love that has come my way from you guys. Keep it coming in and I promise to keep the blog churning out more interesting and informative posts that will give you an insight on my take on fashion and style.
Happy New Years' fellas! =)

Wearing:
Shirt: UCB, Jeggings: Pieces, Cuff and Scarf: Accessorize, Ring: Mumbai (Colaba Causeway), Satchel: ASOS, Nude Peep-toes: Inc.5, Lipstick: Costa chic by MAC

Wishing you guys the best of the coming year and keep the love coming in, lovelies <3
XOXO

Travelogue: Kashmir

It gives me immense pleasure to be writing a post for FTLOFAOT, it being one of the few blogs that I most religiously follow. And who am I? I am Mahima, a blogger and writer by choice and a keen observer by nature. You’ll find my random musings at Welcome to My Paradise. I’d been meaning to write this guest post ever since Shreya first came out with the idea of having a series of guest posts on her blog. Yet I somehow never actually managed to write one. But today I finally coaxed myself to sit down and write it down in one go. So here’s a post that gives you a glimpse at the extremely beautiful valley of Kashmir as seen by Yours Truly’s eyes on her recent trip there. :)

Whoever said Kashmir is heaven on Earth couldn’t have been more right. I visited Srinagar and Gulmarg early this November for a leisure trip. And trust me when I say, winter is the time to visit Kashmir. With its multi-hued Chinar trees, snow-capped mountains and a pleasant nip in the air, the Valley does not get more beautiful than this. Period. Here I reproduce some of the pictures I clicked. You’re bound to fall in love with the place once you look at its resplendence!:)

 

The Dal Lake, one of the major attractions of the city of Srinagar, looks magnificent at dusk.

 You got to take an evening ride on a Shikara to be able to marvel at the sheer beauty of the lake.

 Snow-covered ground shrouded by dense fog in Gulmarg. It was chilly! :D

Don’t I just love the beautifully shaped leaf of the Chinar tree that is native to the Valley. It never fails to mesmerize me!

And as if such splendid beauty was not enough, the people of Kashmir are very warm and hospitable too. There is this perfectly languid and calm air about the place that just unnerves you, making you feel content and relaxed. You have to be there to revel in the magic that the entire place exudes.

Okay, now for some shopping related stuff. After all, isn’t that what this blog is all about? :D

So I found this little shop in a by-lane of Lal Chowk (the most important market of Srinagar city) that sells souvenirs such as pen stands, decorative items, little models of houseboats and shikaras, keyrings, beautiful accessories et al, all carved and hand painted by local artisans. It had me fascinated, making me look on for what seemed like a long while. I finally bought a few wooden keyrings in the shape of Shikaras and little dolls for my friends here in Delhi, and a wooden bell, and a pen stand, and a candle stand too. *grin* Have a look at the shop.

I just discovered how long this post is getting. So to cut the long story short, Kashmir is the ultimate paradise on Earth. No amount of conflict, violence or terrorist activities can ever take away the grandeur of the place. Did I forget to mention that this was my second visit to the state? That is the magic of Kashmir. It beckons you to keep coming back. I just hope this post inspires the readers to take some time out from their busy lives to just rejuvenate and unwind in the sheer majesty of the Valley of Kashmir.

 Thank you Shreya for having me over! It was a real pleasure! :)

Over the rainbow

I was having a conversation with my sister who you have seen here, about what she planned to wear for NYE. She told me about a dress she had picked from BCBG and when I asked her how it looked, with the most earnest curiosity and interest, she explained how it looked with a little disclaimer that "it might not look jaw-dropping(ly) exquisite to you, but it made me feel special". *Silence*
We laughed for hours on end over that statement coz on the face of it, it was so fairy tale-esque and straight out of a chick flick moment of sorts, but I thought about it later for a while and it struck me that the parameters to pick clothes for most of us are actually quite simple. We buy clothes that make us feel special. Or a piece of jewelery that makes us feel special. I, for one have never been able to wear something that I did not feel happy in but another person thought it would look good on me/was  absolutely bang-on the fashion meter.
And that, dear readers was a little introduction to my current favourite over-sized shirt with hearts all over it. It makes me happy :D

Luckily for me, Bangalore wasn't this abysmally cold a while back when I shot in this outfit and nothing, I repeat nothing is as comfortable as a flowy shirt and a cute pair of shorts! :)
Wearing:
Shirt: ASOS, Shorts: Australia, Cuff-Ring: Colaba Causeway, Mumbai, Lipstick: Peach Fuzz by L'Oreal(Gifted)

Keep the Christmas spirit alive, lovelies! :)
XOXO

Adding Drama with Lilac

What is black, staple and not an LBD?
A black well-fitted skirt! :)
In my case, its a cigarette skirt. This black skirt actually has transformation powers. When paired with a crisp white shirt it transforms into my official attire (yes, lawyers like power dressing :D ) and paired with a loose, flowy shirt/blouse/kaftan its perfect for that night out in the city.
This outfit was actually built around this flowy, pleated top that I picked, with ruffles at the top. After some brain storming, I decided that to lend it its true flowy feel, it needed to be paired with a cigarette skirt like this. The Lilac of the top makes me think of the cool night breeze and the myriad of colors the sea takes under the moonlight and Lilac being one of them. Who said fashion had nothing to do with philosophy or literature? :)
For those of you following me on twitter will know, I got a hair cut and was lucky coz Savio John was in town :) I have been asked by certain people *you know who you are* to keep this bed head look and not clean it up with a blow dry or a straightener. I am actually happy with the results so I'm not complaining, not here at least. :P

Wearing:
Lilac pleated top: Forever New
Black cigarette skirt: Mango
Strappy shoes with crystal bows: Random shoe store (Bangalore)
Tiny bag with an oversized bow: Accessorize, UK (gifted)
Lipstick: Costa Chic by MAC

The make up was kept dewy and candy. Some eye shadow in pale pink from Body Shop, NYX cream blush in Golden(its a light pink-ish beige, nothing golden but still lovely!), and a candy pink lipstick from MAC.
Keep tuned in ladies. Lot more posts coming up this month :)
XOXO

Makeup Hits this month

I am actually writing this post in the middle of my exams but its almost like I owed it to my blog. And also the fact that two cute little packages wangled their way into my mail box and their presence was almost hard to ignore. (First break that I took from my books, I leapt off my bed to try little swatches to make sure they're as awesome as I anticipated)

These are 3 new make up products that I'm absolutely going to have a blast using this month. Of course, I shall keep adding new ones to this list but for now, this will have to do.

1. Nyx Rouge Cream Blush in Golden

 

 Loving the natural, dewy look of this cream blush. The golden isn't really golden like I wished. Its more of an earthy pink tone. Over all: Light and natural. 

  

  2. Orly Miniature Nail Lacquer in Hair Band(Yes, thats the name of the color :D )

  Two coats of this nail lacquer is enough to make your nails appear like disco balls which is exactly the look that I'm going for this festive season. Super glittery, festive nails. Absolute worth for my money, the chunky glitter of Orly makes me look at my nails with pride! :D

 

  3. Chambor Lipstick in Silk Pops

 Ok so my lipstick looks like its been vandalized a little. It actually just happened during the process of taking these pictures. Moving on, love this pop of color on my lips. Its pink, more on the subtle end and yet gives the lips a lovely silky color. My go-to for all occasions safe lipstick now :D

This is my instant beauty fix for this month. Whats yours? Share with me! :)

XOXO