Fuss Free, On The Go, Mom Dressing

As a mother constantly running behind a toddler, I've come to realise there is nothing more important for me than comfortable dressing. But that doesn't mean that I'm in a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie (however trendy athleisure may be) all the time. I cannot compromise my style quotient but at the same time I can't wear tight fitted clothes that restrict my movement.

I've been in Colombo accompanying the husband on a work trip for over a week now. When the husband is at work, Rania and I are usually out and about. Being an extremely active baby, I am mostly chasing after her so she doesn't wander off somewhere/put pebbles in her mouth/covering herself in mud etc. Thankfully, before the trip, I invested in some key pieces of clothing that were a perfect balance of stylish and comfy. In the product page below, you'll find some really playful shirts that make a statement without having to do much. I've grown tired of wearing the plain button down shirt (despite having plenty in my wardrobe) and have been opting for ones that come with ruffles and big sleeves. Furthermore, these options are great for anyone who in on the go. None of these pieces require much thought. It's literally putting it on and heading for the door whilst looking fabulous.

1. Zara Striped Poplin Blouse With Frills - As I mentioned above, I've been looking for fun shirts with lots of ruffled detailing. This one is is just perfect because it's a slightly looser fit so you don't really feel stuffed in it and who doesn't love poplin once the weather starts heating up.

2. H&M Straight Cropped Regular Jeans - I have literally been living in this pair of jeans. I swapped my favourite 7 For All Mankind Roxanne skinnys for this high waisted, straight cut pair. I love the ankle length, and raw hemmed edges and honestly, they're actually the most comfy jeans I've ever worn. Finally, in the heat, skinny fits just end up sticking to your body making them so annoying. This pair works great when the temperatures are rising and you still want to wear your jeans.

3. Zara Checked Trousers With Darts - I've been going through a cropped phase when it comes to my bottoms. I like everything to flail about my ankles. Anyways, if you're in a more formal mood, then these  fit the bill. They look really trendy and can be paired with anything; A tank, a formal blouse or even one of those oversized, masculine shirts.

4. Zara Printed Top With Bow Sleeves - If ruffles isn't your thing, then perhaps this shirt with red stripes, printed birds and bows on the sleeves might just do the trick.

5. H&M Frilled Blouse - A whimsical take on the classic white shirt, this one is definitely a piece I'm going to pick up for my wardrobe. Plus, everyone knows I have a serious white shirt obsession.

6. Gucci Pricetown Slides - I'm yet to come across a pair of flat slip ons that completely transform a look the way these do. I've already got two and I have been eyeing the red one to add to my collection. The best part is they look amazing with everything. Fashion week, cocktail party, errands, lunches, dinners; mine have accompanied me everywhere. I literally can't live without them!

7. Kenzo Kombo Bucket Bag - So I've come to conclusion that when I'm out and about with Rania, it's best to take a bag that is reasonably priced and not high maintenance like most of my other purses.  I have a Kombo bucket bag too that I bought two years ago, and what I love best about it is how I can carry it cross body and be completely hands free. Furthermore, this bag is not all leather so I don't need to freak out if it gets a little dirty. The one from their new collection has iconic Kenzo eye all over the front so it's really cool.

8. Zara Fabric Sling Back Shoes - If you're on a tight budget, then these Zara shoes can sort you out for now.

9. Saint Laurent Paris Monogram Earrings - I have a thing for statement jewellery. If I'm wearing a simple outfit, I make sure that it's accessorised appropriately so I don't look too basic. These earrings were seen on the SS17 runway show and created a major buzz. I can't even begin to imagine how these would transform even the most simplest looks. Tie your hair up for maximum impact.

I am going to post some photos of me so you can see how effortless some of these pieces are. If you're running short on time, then a few fabulous shirts just what you need in your closet. Oh and these mom jeans wouldn't hurt either. I'm so over skinny jeans!!! Also, if you like the white shirt I'm wearing, its also from Zara. It was just way too white and wasn't translating well on the product page. But it's a fabulous top. Leg'O'Mutton sleeves, a high collar and an oversized fit. Check it out at the store if you like it.

Desihighstyle X Headtilt : Featuring DLF Emporio - Part 1

Surbhi (from Headtilt ) and I have now been friends for a while. From our personal lives, to discussing blog posts, to shooting each other numerous times, to shopping; somehow we managed to become good friends despite being bloggers. In the fashion industry, it's rare to actually find friends from the same world. Between the back biting, exchanging air kisses, fake pleasantries, etc. where's the time???

Anyways, for a while now we had been planning to do a shoot together. Somehow, the timing wasn't right and there was always something coming up. However, this one time, as luck would have it, everything worked out. Well, it wasn't a smooth ride, because as I mentioned in the previous post, I  have a lot happening in my personal life. But we made it work.

DLF Emporio has always been one of my favourite malls for various reasons. Those who know me, know that as soon as I hit the luxury fashion retail space, something happens to me. I get a random and sudden burst of energy. Almost as if I'm ready to take over the world. Anyways, what I love about Emporio is that there's always a new boutique ready to open at the mall. Suddenly you'll walk in to the mall and you're like whoa, when did this store open up?? So obviously when my favourite crockery/cutlery brand, Villeroy & Boch opened it's doors there, I was over the moon. I mean from designer shoes to ready to wear, to fine jewellery & watches and even crockery, everything I love is under one roof. So why exactly would I want to shop anywhere else. In addition, their various dining options make sure you get whatever you're in the mood for. Be it the feta and apple salad at Cafe Emprio, absolutely delicious sushi at Cha-Shi, a sugar donut/ bhel puri/ cappuccino at On The Go or fine dining at Set'z. I've lost count on how many times I've gone to Emporio over the years just to have a quiet coffee with the husband or a friend just because it's much less crowded than the other malls.

For our first look, we wanted to do a slightly glamorous look that would easily transition from day to night. We checked out Missoni's newly launched SS17 collection and it fit the bill. We decided we wanted to do something metallic and they had exactly what we needed. Surbhi chose a lovely and sparkling colourful dress and I selected a blush pink shiny top to wear over a knitted skirt. I threw on a fabulous Fendi winter coat because the nights are still nippy in Delhi and what better than a gorgeous, long black coat with big lapels and white piping on the inside.

It was a really sunny afternoon and we were shooting at patio of Set'z in Emporio so we settled on some playful Fendi sunglasses (which will be available in stores really soon if they're not already there). I love statement eye wear so their Round Wave glasses in red and white were just perfect. Plus, I loved the whole 90's vibe they had going on!  For our jewellery, we knew exactly where to go. Roberto Cavalli of course! Surbhi and I were a big fan of their Circus series which featured a Lion (a symbol of the brand) on the pieces from that collection so it worked very well for us. Furthermore, it added just the right amount of bling. Because my look already had a lot going on, I wanted to go light with the earrings so I wore their delicate Circus earrings. Finally, Louboutin shoes completed our look.

The best part about everything we wore? You can shop all of it at DLF Emporio!

On Me

Jacket, Sunglasses & Purse - Fendi
Top & Skirt - Missoni
Earrings - Roberto Cavalli
Shoes - Christian Louboutin

On Surbhi

Dress - Missoni
Bag & Sunglasses - Fendi
Cuff & Earrings - Roberto Cavalli
Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Location - SETZ at DLF Emporio
Photography - Tarun Chawla 

M.I.A

Hello Everyone,

It's been a while since I posted on the blog. The last few months have been extremely rocky for me on the personal front which have left me with almost no time to get my head together and work on the blog. Between dealing with a death in the family, recent contributions to print media and almost no staff in the house, whatever little time I get to myself the only thing I would want to do is shut my brain off and go underground.

Whilst social media posts a completely different picture of what goes on in someone's life, reality is usually something else. Obviously I can't post photos of me wanting to pull my hair out or discovering that I now have white hair popping out from all sides of my head (I would like to blame high stress levels for my sudden ageing!).

Anyways, I don't like disclosing every little thing I have going on in my life online, I just thought I would write a short post apologising for my recent disappearance, or sabbatical as I would prefer to call it.

Coming up in my next post is a shoot I finally did whatever I could to take out the time to do it. It was an important collaboration for me so I tried to block everything that was going on on the personal front and just went ahead and took the plunge.

Life isn't as easy as ABC. Sometimes situations pop up which you have no control over and you have to decide what your priorities are. Which also means that something's gotta give. In my case it was the blog that I had to put on hold. Whilst it bothered me every single day that there was no new content online, I still try and look at it in the glass half full kind of way. I am thankful of the recent magazine and newspaper stories I got to submit. I am thankful that I was able to support the husband through the toughest time of his life (his mother passed away suddenly a few months ago), I am thankful that despite almost zero help in the house, I was able to step up and manage my home whilst entertaining my two year old daughter all day long. It doesn't mean that it wasn't exhausting. All it means is that SHIT happens. Deal with it. Everything will sort itself out. Well, eventually at least.

Having said that, I hope you like the two new shoots that will be coming soon on the blog.

Until then,

XOXO

Layering With A Light Sweater & An Overcoat

It's official. Winter is here. And so it the time to pull out your fabulous coats, or better yet, buy new ones! Winter dressing can be tricky sometimes. There are times when you bundle up on a really cold day, but then before you know it you're sweating buckets because you're sitting in a heated restaurant wearing thick layers. What I've learnt is, the key to layering is to keep it light. Wearing a big sweater under a jacket never makes sense to me. I've realised it's important to invest in some thin, woollen sweaters that aren't super bulky. Recently, I've been obsessed with Cos Stores. They're one level up from Zara in terms of their pricing, but what I love about their winter clothes is that they have so many amazing light pieces to brave the cold weather. This pink merino wool sweater I'm wearing is ideal for layering. Its boxy silhouette is chic and the fabric has a lovely fall to it. And I adore the simple high neck. I threw on a camel coloured overcoat to add a bit of a contrast. It's a really easy look to put together and transitions easily from day to night. A pair of heels under the cropped jeans will do the trick if you want to wear this on a night out.

Top - Cos Stores (click here)
Jacket - Zara
Shoes & Purse - Gucci (Click here and here to check them out)

Amazon India Fashion Week Day 3 Outfit

For day 3 of fashion week, I wanted to wear something a little blingy. Not in your face kinds, but something with a little more embellishment on it. I had been eyeing this label called Sanchita by Sanchita Ajjampur for her easy to wear separates that were comfortable and made a statement at the same time. I chose a sporty dress with some really fun detailing. The bottom half of the sleeves had fun fur on it and the shoulders were embellished with stones. I felt a little empty with just the dress so I chose a letterman jacket from her collection to layer on to the dress. My whole look turned out to be really sparkly because both the border of the dress and the back of the jacket had lots of embroidered sequins. Funnily though, despite all the bling on my outfit, none of it looked tacky. It just looked playful. At least to me!

Jacket & Dress - Sanchita
Shoes & Bag - Gucci
Photography - Surbhi Sethi
Sunglasses - Tom Ford

Handbag Review - Ralph Lauren Ricky Drawstring Bag

Although the Ralph Lauren Ricky Drawstring isn't a brand spanking new model, I recently got my hands on it and have been dying to talk about it ever since. A fun reinterpretation of their iconic Ricky bag, the Drawstring is luxurious, utilitarian, fabulous and just plain gorgeous. I've used numerous bucket bags in the past, and I have to say, none of them come close to being as comfortable as the Ralph Lauren one. 

I used it for two days back to back at fashion week and I was amazed at how easy it was to get stuff out of the bag. It comes with a very easy to use and NON-FUSSY drawstring closure (my Kenzo bag's drawstring is the most annoying one till date) so it doesn't take forever to open it and dig into it whenever your need to. And interestingly enough, the closure is at the back of the bag giving the front a very clean look.  I've experienced my share of inconvenient and hard purse zippers. If not the zipper then the weight of the bag is good enough to give me a shoulder ache. Whilst the purse comes in various leathers including calfskin, alligator and python, my favourite has been the Nappa leather version because of the leather's buttery soft texture and lightweight properties which makes the purse really light to carry.  Plus, I love how nappa leather rarely creases. 

In addition, both, the top handle and the cross body strap are removable giving you more than one way to carry the bag without the added weight of the handle/ strap when not in use. Unless you want to leave them both on like I did! Of the two internal pockets, one of them is specifically designed for your mobile phone giving you easy access to it when you're in a rush. At fashion week, whilst Surbhi and were shooting each other, I needed to be as hands free as possible but I also needed to be able to get to my phone without digging all the way into the bag. This pocket made organising my phone really convenient. And finally, it's the signature Ricky push lock that I am totally smitten with on the external front pocket which comes in various finishes like antique brass, silver tone or gold depending on which model of the bag you choose. 

Overall, it fits the bill for the perfect everyday handbag. Minimalist, light and easy to move around with, the Ricky Drawstring is a bag every girl needs in her closet. 

Official bag images via Ralphlauren.com

My Images  - Surbhi Sethi