Winter Essentials!

It's that time of the year again! We are dumping our summer clothes and rediscovering what all we have for the remaining 2-3 months. (Ps...You have to be as slow as me for not doing that already).

There's always eagerness attached with taking out clothes from the closet as the season changes. Personally, I get thrilled to spot something I had long forgotten about...think of the last time I wore it, and how it was one of my favorite but gracefully abandoned for years. All those plans of how it can be best recycled this year or how that “fresh discovery” piece of clothing will best complement something that has hit the stands this season, or my latest purchases is surely time consuming! Phew!

As we snuggle up to winters, here are my top 5 winter essentials to look your glamorous self this season! Must confess, with how dynamic fashion is, predicting how it'll evolve this winter is a tall order. But then, these essentials are definitely here to stay!

Scarves and mufflers and stoles:
It’s difficult to complete a winter look without a super stylish muffler dangling around your neck. Flaunt and wrap these beauties in multiple ways and you're sure to make even the dullest of outfits interesting.

Jackets:
Now you can't imagine surviving the chill without them. Chose them in the brightest of colours and add that dash of brightness to everyone's lives.

Coats:
Ooh la la! The sheer grace and poise attached with these beauties! Be it long, short, classic trench or cape style, you cannot miss winters without donning one of these! My personal favourite, always the trench :)

Jeggings and boots:
With printed, plain, checkered and all sorts of jeggings invading the stands, how can you even afford to miss this fab look! Team them up with either ankle length or knee length boots. My only piece of advice, don't wear a tight fitted top with it! Body fitting clothes from top to bottom are definitely a big no no for all seasons! 

Checks:
Burberry will be in seventh heaven. After all, the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of them is Classic Burberry! How can you miss checks this season! They have become the new black. Be it the super safe black and white, to bold and colorful versions of it. I've lost count of the sheer number of times I've seen checks. The best part, they are being donned in jackets, coats, mufflers and even socks! 

So here's wrapping up my version of "winter essentials". Keep me posted on what's your pick!

As always, remember to put your fashionable foot forward! 

The Mechanic Look!!!

This piece of denim never gets old!

Well well…the mechanic look is back and how! Call it a dungaree, a jumper or a pinafore dress (or any other name associated with it that I might have missed); it is slowly and steadily making its way to the homes of many. 

Personally, I have always been a huge fan of the look. Its grand comeback forced me to dig my closet, and pull any jumper I had from my teens and try and slip into one of them (in case you insist on knowing, hurrrrray! I still fit into them…haha!)!

From shorts to a well-groomed and fashionable pinafore skirt dress, from full length denim jumpers to a twisted take to a jumpsuit, there’s a myriad of options to choose from. Their best trait? They have all the makings of a fabulous day-time wear. Oh the unfussy, easy and superr comfortable look it offers.

So chose what best satisfies your fashion appetite?! The classic engineer denim jumper look, or the back to school charming and cute pinafore dress.

Well, for me, what crosses the finish line first are dungaree shorts. Just adore how uncomplicated, no sweat they look, meeting all criterion for being oh so trendsetting!

Also, with winters fast approaching, what I am really looking forward to are elegant dresses in winter fabrics! Will keep my eyes wide wide open, and just in case I am able to spot the TWEED pinafore dress I am imagining right now, you’ll be the first ones to know!

P.S : Keep me posted in case you manage to find that dress! ;)

As always, remember to put your fashionable foot forward!

Classic Mechanic with this jumper

Back to School

 

Miss World Download!!

One of my favorite rituals is watching all beauty pageants. This annual affair involves continues scrutiny of what each of the contestants are wearing? How are they walking? Is their hair alright? Etc. etc. The most awaited section is always the final round. Its too obvious why I love it! The contestants get an opportunity to display the most talked about thing from the entire event (ok, maybe most talked about after “who won”, but this is a very close second)!

Oh those stunning, ethereal, magnificent gowns are such a delight! They ensure that I do not even blink my eye, lest I miss the one itsy-bitsy detail that sets it apart from all the grandiose that you witness.

What I’ve done for you, is handpicked some of them that stood out.

Not when judging the extravagance of a gown, am very clear on certain parameters. First and foremost is, what I just mentioned, the extravagance! Seriously, don’t we just fall in love with opulent, lavish, jaw-dropping craftsmanship! And no, just adding bird feathers doesn’t help anyone get there. What I am talking about is the magic and elegance of the gown. It needs to transport you to the inspiration behind the splendor.  

Second is the cut. Looking at women walking like they’re ducks coz the gown is far too narrow from the foot is excruciating.

And last, but not the least is how it has been accessorized. Are the hair open, or a bun? Is it pearl drop earings, or huge solitaires? Does the neck look empty or a chunky one sits there?

So, based on all of these, here’s my compilation of the top few:

Top left is what Miss Ghana. Love the choice of color. In a pageant where reds and whites dominated, this breezy hue was just what the doctor ordered! Heavy on lace and net from the top, it did remind me a bit of a Dolce and Gabbana i recently saw online.

Now, moving to our friends from Down Under. Miss Australia carried a gorgeous purple one. The frills look absolutely marvelous, giving the perfect princess feel.

Coming up next is Miss France(picture above). Like I mentioned, white gowns were the order of the day, but this one caught my attention. How can anyone ignore the tapering at the thighs, and then the frilly net peeping out! And more specifically, the back! Its absolutely divine!

Last, but certainly not the least, how can the winner be left behind? Most of you must be aware that Miss Philippines won the crown.

What looked absolutely stunning was the color! Oh so feminine, and fairy tale like. Also, the choice of frills at the bottom ensured that she does not walk like a duck!

The peachish, combined with glittery diamond dangling earings, and a neat bun surely meant that her attire will stand out.


So here's my list!
As always, would love to know what you feel about each of these gowns.

Remember to always put your fashionable foot forward!

Note: The pictures have been sourced from Google search for images of Miss World 2013

Crop it, will you please?!!!

So I've started gymming lately. Every workout regimen needs an inspiration, and mine came from the so-called IT thing these days...let's add two and two...what is that one thing that looks oh so wow (!) with flat abs?! Crop tops!! Literally a top cropped so that it reveals the belly, these have made a huge comeback from Britney and Christina Aguilera days...Associated with aerobics at first, am thrilled to see women embracing this trend for night outs, dinners or just a luncheon! 

To top it all, thank dear God coz these days, the trend is not sported with low waist trousers or skirts...On the contrary, all the smart and fashion conscious women out there are sporting it with high waist lowers! That makes it far more classy and charming than ever!

If you ask me what a crop top looks bestttt with are high waist palazzo pants! Sigh! A long flowing palazzo pant teamed up with anything from a cropped bustier to a tee.

However, if you're hitting a casual day brunch, a feminine chiffon skirt steals the show! Oh, and how can I forget to mention my all time obsession, denim shorts...a cropped tee and basic denim shorts creates that wow plus laid back effect at the same time!

Denim can never get old!

The perfect cropped tee!

I've never been a fan of matching-matching, but was compelled to change my opinion when I saw this!

Simply put, a crop top with matching skirt...oh so chic and filled with oodles of glamour...this one gives the illusion that the dress is sort of cut from the middle and is soooo cute and fun! 

Would love to know what is your prophecy for this trend? As always, put your fashionable foot forward! :) 

It’s a Telephone Booth, it’s a Lipstick, no wait, it’s a Masaba Print!!!

“OMG...is that a Masaba?”, or “I am so gonna buy a Masaba”, or, “Did you check out her new print? This time, it’s a lipstick!”…Some of the statements I’ve been all ears to for the last few days. The latest “in-thing” is to sport a Masaba print.

Member of the Satya Paul clan, she has entered the Indian fashion circuit with a lotttt of buzz. Also touted as India’s Coco Chanel (call it my love for Chanel, but that one, I doubt if I can give to anyone), her designs are the perfect unison of traditional, yet contemporary…modern yet connected to the roots.

If you ask me, the USP of her revolutionary designs is that you can tell a Masaba from any other designer’s work. So far, in the Indian fashion circle, no name comes to my head, when I think of a particular print/design announcing the designer’s name.

I’ve always felt that the thing about clothing labels and brands is that they are easily identifiable and can be related to the master craftsman who conceived the design. I mean, how many of us have wanted the classic LV brown bag…the interlocking C’s, subtly hinting “Dude, I am wearing a Chanel” (and there, I announce my love for Chanel yet again!).Owning a brand without announcing it to the world does not do justice to the creator.

Talking about the acclaimed Indian designers, sure you’ve been able to spot a Rohit Bal coz of the whites and creams, a Sabya coz of the sheer opulence of the work, and a Manish Malhotra coz you’ve probably seen a bollywood diva being serenaded wearing one of his creations, but cross your heart and tell me, is it the same way as you are able to spot a MASABA print?!

Ooh la la! The orange lippy!

From the hand print, to the telephone booth, the table fans to the lipsticks, not to forget the vintage camera, she’s done a big favor to a lover of prints like me. In one of my posts, I bet you’ve sensed how much I adore print (http://hatsheelsandthelike.blogspot.in/2013/05/wrap-it-up-in-style.html)!

What steals the show for me is that she manages to give the same print in the classic saree, and a dress, with equal grace and élan! Oh, and it’ll be criminal on my part to miss the crop top! Like totally WOW!

Hand in Hand are we?!!

The Shutterbugs!

   

With the heritage of prints that the house of Satya Paul boasts of, she has elegantly managed to take the legacy forward. I am sure I will not be disappointed if I expect a lot more quirky, spunky, classic Masaba vibrant hues from her going forward. Personally, what I will also like to see is how she manages to carve a niche for herself by not just dominating the world of printed clothing, but also other wacky takes (without using prints!) to what we currently wear. Don’t we just love a challenge!!

As always, would love to know what you feel about Masaba prints. And remember to always, always, put your fashionable foot forward! :)

Walk on the Wild Side!

“Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!” Little did I know that the lines Dorothy hummed in the Wizard of Oz while walking through the spooky forest will also be my reaction on entering a clothing store. Check out what the latest offerings this season are, and we will all be singing to Dorothy’s tunes in symphony.

Nope! Not talking about an animal print! While animal print is a clothing style wherein the fabric resembles the pattern of the skin and fur of an animal (faux leopard prints being the most common), what caught my attention was using the animal “as the print”, or an “animal picture” as a block covering the t-shirt say.

Bringing the fauna to your closet, this trend is here to stay in my opinion. Images of our friends from the wild are a sure shot winner to grab a lot of eyeballs. How can anyone ignore when the wildlife marches along.

What I am compelled to do is compare which one of the two works better. Subtle, equally shaped, sized and spaced miniatures of the beast flowing through the garment, or, an overwhelming look, with one of the wild ones, staring in your face! The parameter for comparison for me will always be which one scores on the “casual-edgy” meter. Ok, so I just invented this meter! But, don’t you agree with me that an animal photo on clothing has to pass the test of how casual, yet edgy it is? 

The Beast at its Best staring

Miniature camels along the fabric

I believe nothing means more cool and casual than a plain t-shirt with an animal picture on it. Team it up with skinny jeans or denim shorts (my all time favorite), and there you go. You are ready for your day outing with your friends over the weekend. And talking about edgy, like, duhh, the gaze that one of our friends from the wild is enough to make an impact anywhere!

Would love to know whether you prefer the one man show, singing “Hey, I heard you were a wild one”, or the battalion humming in chorus.

As always, put your fashionable foot forward!

Wear a Middleton!

Gotta give it to Zara. Not only does the Spanish clothing and accessory retailer never disappoint me, what’s bundled in their collection at times is that “wear a celebrity section”. Ok, so I am exaggerating…there is no particular section like that, but look at the images below, and you’ll exactly know what I am talking about.

About 3 years ago, I was on cloud nine when I saw a dress I bought from Zara resembled the one Kate Middleton had worn on her engagement. She wore one from the Brazilian-born London designer Daniella Issa Helayel. Oh that feeling when you see the Duchess of Cambridge flaunting something similar to what is proudly hanging in your closet. Sigh!

Middleton at her engagement

Zara dress bought some 3 years ago

Cut to 2013, and whoa! I rubbed my eyes in astonishment yet again as I browsed through pictures of the “mother to be” Kate in the christening ceremony of the ship now called the Royal Princess. Kate wore a Dalmatian print dress from the high street retailer Hobbs which well, I gathered costs 169 pounds.

That forced me to open my closet, and uncanny, but a dress I bought from well, you guessed it, Zara again some two years back looked a lotttt like here dress.

Kate at the christening of the ship

Zara dress with the same dalmatian print

Now I heard some years back that the Middleton sisters swear by Zara, and now I know exactly why! 

No wonder Zara was described as a "Spanish success story" by CNN.

In my opinion, the brand understands the needs and wants of folks from all age groups and all walks of life! Their clothes are oh so practical for the day, evening, office, and party, just to name a few occasions! Their sharp designs bring European style to the closets of millions around the globe. The mannequins on the show window just drag you inside. It’s almost like they’ve come to life, and are calling one to explore the collection.

With the sale season round the corner, hop on to the marathon, and go crazy filling your clothing basket!

Would love to know how Zara got a glow to your face! As always, remember to put your fashionable foot forward!

Now that’s a blooper!

“'Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman”, said the priestess of fashion, Coco Chanel. So far in my posts, you have read about a couple of the latest trends this summer, and how to best carry them. In this post, the objective is totally different. Some say not following a fashion trend is criminal. In my opinion, following it blindly is disastrous!

Here are some of the eyesores I can honestly put people in jail for committing.

·        

      Checks and stripes and everything printed (together!!!): I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen this...printed pants and striped top, checkered skirt with a printed top. The permutations and combinations are endless…Whatever happened to simple, fundamental, plain or even call them boring basic colors, teamed up with wild prints, and checks? 

·         Monochrome: There are over a million of colors, and all you chose from head to toe is just one! Prejudice! Injustice! Unfair! Some of the words I chose to describe your bias if you opt for this…It’s disheartening to see the same color in your hair accessory to your heels…from your top to your jeans…from your bag to your watch…phew! Combinations and contrast definitely add that ember spark and delight to ones look…so try them out without any hesitation please!

·         Body hugging clothes: Spine chilling is what I call it…some of us are so scared of our actual size, that we end up wearing a size or two smaller, under the false impression that it'll make us look thinner….Sorry for the Earth shattering news, but wearing a dress size 6 when you're actually a size 10, won't make you a size 6! It’ll only add a lot of volume and make you look way heavier than you actually are. Even if you insist on wearing that body hugging top you bought, please ensure that you team it up with lose pants J

·         Over accessorizing: While accessorizing, always keep your end look in mind. Working backwards from the end product is often the unrivaled way to chose amongst the array of accessorizing options we have. Will I tie my hair, or let them lose? Will a chunky neck piece enhance my look more, or dangling earings? Clearly both can't be an option. In my mind, an accessory is best if it complements your clothes, but never draws attention from them!

Would love to know about the fashion disasters you've been witness to. As always, keep your fashionable foot forward ;)

Wrap it up in style!

Imagine a multi colored scarf with wild prints running along the length and breadth. Ok…now that one step is complete, imagine the scarf tied around the handle of plain suede hobo bag…looks beautiful doesn’t it? Getting back to our imagination trip, here comes the tough one…the same scarf print on a shirt, a skirt, a jacket, a coat, shorts, dress..phew. Let’s just say all clothing items one can imagine! :)

 

A peek-a-boo into the latest collection of most fashion brands this summer, and you’ll know what I am talking about…Wild prints or scarf prints as they’re also called, have taken most stores by storm. Why call them scarf prints? Well, scarves are credited to be the mother of wild prints.Talking about them without mentioning scarves will be equivalent to sacrilege.

(image courtesy : Personal wardrobe)

Hermes is often applauded to be the pioneer of scarf prints. Introduced sometime around the 1930’s, this glamorous accessory called a “printed silk scarf” in plain, simple words took two years to hit the stands. Yes, the cycle of designing the concept to the finished product was this long!! It’s not without a reason that those scarves carry a signature of the designing artist. 

It fascinates me how abstract prints, reminiscent of modern art are so effortlessly blended into one unit. The end product can range from summery and playful using bright pastels, to vintage, gothic or boho with just the right mix of hues and fabric.

What stands out amongst all for me is a tribute to retro, loosely labeled as vintage at times. Nothing is more admirable than history meeting contemporary, and viola, the end product is tonnes of glamor, class and style. These ambitious designs scream and immediately soften as they make their way along the outfit.

This begs the question, where will scarf prints be appropriate? Well, here’s a quick guide, printed shorts with a plain white shirt (awesome for a summer Sunday brunch), a printed Maxi if you’re hitting a beach party, floral dress for just a visit to the mall, or printed pants with a plain top for a casual day outing. And here comes my favorite, printed jacket with fitted pants and pumps for that dinner you were planning!

One quick suggestion, if you are accessorizing, chose neutral shades please :)! 

As always, would love to hear about the latest printed addition to your wardrobe. And remember to put your fashionable foot forward!

Striped Out!!

As Blair Waldorf (of Gossip Girl fame) once said, “Fashion is the most powerful art there is. Its movement, design and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we'd like to be”, I start with my take on this brilliant form of architecture with some of my views on one of the latest trend this season.

What Spring 2013 is screaming out loud is….yes you figured out correctly….STRIPES. Anyone from the 13^th century will turn in their grave if they find out that the trend associated with prisoners, clowns, hangmen or even a zebra for that matter, is in rage this season. It was only in the 18^th century that the ever so influential pioneer of fashion, Coco Chanel set the ground for stripes, by sporting a striped top with palazzo pants.

Skipping chapters in history, cut to the 21^st century, and stripes will haunt you everywhere…from boardroom (the ever so famous pin striped suit) to night suits, from a casual brunch to the runway of renowned designers across the globe.

Even search engine giant Google saw a peak in search volumes for the query “Striped dresses” post Feb’13.The rising global interest in the trend definitely warrants fashion attention…

When it comes to donning them, most of us would be aware of the “Golden rule”, but here’s a quick refresher on it…vertical stripes enhance height and avoid horizontal stripes if you’re broad. Also famous are the “only two colors” and the “colors have to be complementary” rule, but personally speaking, I don’t think any of the two rules pertaining to colors are set in stone and should be taken seriously. I mean, spring is about playing with the colors, right?

From latitudinal to longitudinal, from chevron to diagonal, there is a whole host of varieties available. However, amongst the plethora of options, my all time favorite is the chevron stripe, a zig zag twist to the otherwise linear version. Not just edgy and classy, it suits all body types. What it adds to ones personality is a unique dose of eye catching, fresh, fun yet modern look.

So go out there, and play with stripes and colors as much as you want. Also, whatever you do, please please…a humble request; don’t mix stripes with printed or checkered fabrics unless you have suicide in mind!!!

I would love to hear from you on what stripey trend do you think is best. Please leave your comments/questions here..

And remember to put your fashionable foot forward!