Laces, Knots, Fringes & Straws

Hey dearies, hope everything's happening great! So, I've been in a constant touch with my fellow city bloggers and saw them updating a lot many bohemian inspired looks recently. Whereas, I myself had been thinking of sharing a look on the similar lines since a very long time but I feel I'm more of a free-spirited country girl and like to keep things opulent and sophisticated!

Hence, today I've partnered with a multiple fashion brands (find details below) to put across an eccentric look that includes four of my favorite trends that are booming this season - lace, knots, fringes and straws.

The country-boho as we could name it, history suggests that the urbanity of the look comes from the french period, where girls dressed as art and walked across roads flaunting loose fabrics and lots of colors! Apparently, its true because you would rarely see an Indian girl running around places with fringes and straw hats on head and so we could say its a borrowed craze from the west. Having said that, I am a firm believer of exotic alternatives in fashion and feel that every person carries an individual and unique style which represents a counterculture. 

Scroll down below to check out all the pictures from my kind of boho look and read what makes it a head turner!

dress : Forever21 | hat : Accessorize | bag : Old Buy | footwear : StreetStyleStore

twisty bracelet : Aminabad (Lucknow) | bracelet set : Auhna Creations | earrings : Aarna Designs | rings : H&M

Recently, in of the episodes on the Ellen DeGenerous show, the famous Bollywood actress and former Miss World - Priyanka Chopra carried a beautiful white lace dress from Zimmerman and became the talk of the town for the same! I was astound to find a very similar looking dress at the Forever21 store in Delhi and picked it without giving it a second thought. It was a clinched piece from the waist and an A-Line in the fall with a short length, just perfect for my height. I knew I was going to do something impromptu with it and that's what exactly happened when one morning I got up only to find myself pulling out my new pair of roman gladiators with brown laces from StreetStyleStore that are super comfy to walk in & look hot AF to match with the dress!

I quickly called up my team and told them we're shooting for a country side look in 2 hours and my accessories would be bluntly colored in red, orange, green, blue or just any random color one could think of, so we need a location that looks culturally aesthetic. As you could see in the pictures already, we finally stumbled upon a lake view with a broken bridge and some flowery scenes nearby!

To add, the multi-colored, knotted pom-pom earrings have been making its mark in the fashion market since quite some time, so I got myself some mirrored ones from Aarna Designs & paired it with a multi-colored twisty bracelet on one wrist and another stack of beaded ones on the other wrist complimenting the white dress, and of course we even wanted absolute finesse in the style so I carried a black-brown fringe bag to add vivacity along with my oxidised finger rings from H&M. I opted to finish off the look with a straw hat inspired by the actual country girl mode that I'd been discovering in western movies past so many years. Also, kudos to my MUA who gave me the best face of all time, a fresh & glamorous look with bold eyes, sensitive contouring and deep pink lips, and left my hair open to let me set to pose!

PS : If you were looking for a similar style, or were sceptical about trying out an unconventional look, I hope this post lead you somewhere. Do share it with your friends and help me spread some panache! Until next time, lots of love to you all.

Photographed by : Creativity Studio  |  Makeup by : Divya Vishnani

~xoxo~

Winter Wardrobe Wind-up

Hi pretties! Hope y'all are enjoying the change in the weather. Yes, one can feel the change of season in the air. And, its true that the shift from one season to the other, affect our daily lives, the food we crave for and the clothes we wear. So yeah, seasons have a powerful potency in our lives, and with the rising temperature it's quite evident that the spell of winter is finally bidding adieu!

I've always been in love with the cold days and dressing up during the season was something I did put efforts in. With the season coming to an end now, I've got the last style share for you to take ques from to throw up before spring. This time in collaboration with some remarkably known brands, check out my entire look and some beautiful pictures below..

jacket : Naamcheen by Muskaan Agarwal | spaghetti : Forever21 | pants : Marks & Spencer

shoes : StreetStyleStore.com | scarf, sunglasses : Accessorize

It had been a while since I shared a fashion post with y'all and what could have been better than decoding the last of winter fashion with a pair of burgundy pants that made a statement this A/W season! Burgundy or wine colors have been one of the clear protagonists in recent fashion collections, and it is rare not to have one or more pieces of clothing in this shade in your wardrobe. I got my pants from Marks & Spencer while strolling at Phoenix Mall Lucknow, just because I love that color so much! But, with efforts to seek what to buy to pair it with, I could get nothing in the mall or even while searching online. Of course because contemporary outfits isn't my taste and I crave for something unconventional every time!

And that's exactly when I recalled a birthday present handed over to me by one of my designer friends Muskaan Agarwal, who owns a pre-couture label called Naamcheen. She had gifted me a beautifully designed sailor jacket, characterised by short length, broad lapels, single-sided-double-breasted fronts with slash pockets, and metal buttons. She somehow knew I'd love a sailor patch on it which I actually do because it makes the jacket look so trendy! With a combination of navy blue and white, the soft, light fabric jacket (perfect for the prevernal season) looked fantastic when worn over a black spaghetti, the burgundy pants and accessorized with a printed, silk scarf from Accessorize (once on my hair and then in the neck playing with it to see what looks better), and sunglasses from there as well. In my feet I buckled up a pair of oxford-cut shoes that I bought from StreetStyleStore that went perfect with the whole look giving a hint of formal and chic styling!

PS : You can add on a bracelet or a watch on your wrist, and can carry a sling bag or a foldable clutch bag along! If you missed seeing the same in the pictures above, it's only because I like accesorizing minimally, but yeah I should have added the watch I guess. Say wha'?

Anyway, I hope you liked the look with all that's there. Pairing options with burgundy bottoms are many (like grey, white, black, denim blue, etc) but it's you who has to decide what appears better! Apart from that, I would suggest you to keep your makeup subtle and hair lose for the day and glitter up the eyes for an evening event! If you have any other queries about this look or any add-ons, do mention them in the comments below or you can even drop a quick message on my facebook page. Rest I'm available 24x7 on instagram and snapchat and would love to connect with y'all. Until then, lots of love!

Photographed by : Saumya Kumar

~xoxo~

Fall in Color with Chiaro

Hey pretty ladies, hope everything's going great at your end! I am currently getting over with my mid semester exams, and have to start preparing for the finals next month. But, that doesn't mean I'm gonna keep you all hanging for the first fall outfit post that you requested recently!

Today's editorial features CHIARO, a pre-couture fashion label by DEVIKA KALIA, a lovely lady with exquisite, creative ideas that will make you fall in love with her designs. Out of a wide range of maxi dresses, day dresses, Indian wear and evening outfits on www.devikakalia.com, she sent across a beautiful printed midi dress to me to flaunt and review. Take a look below at how I styled it as to welcome the fall month in color!

dress : Chiaro by Devika Kalia | heels : StreetStylestore.com | bag : StalkBuyLove

hat : Accessorize | bangles : Delhi Haat | bracelet : Zotiqq | earrings : Myntra

My favorite style of dresses are those that offer elegance without the need for much accessories. These pieces are eye-catching, elegant and enhance your feminine side! When I received this floral print midi dress, it was love at first sight. You already know how much a color fanatic I am, and it is unexplainable to what extent it excites me. The fusion of pink, green, blue and white just blew my mind since the dress appeared to be so summery and chic, with the fabric being so light as the mix of polyester and chiffon and felt smooth and comfortable on the skin with its alluring cuts and curves!

I chose to style the amazingly designed piece with matching mutli-color footwear with white block heels and a over sized floppy straw hat giving the perfect fall touch. Little but must add-ons were the bracelets and the earrings that added some glam to the complete outfit. With that, you know I never leave home without a bag, so abiding by that I carried a mint color satchel to add some freshness, nailing the entire look! 

If you ask me, I feel fall looks are versatile and one shouldn't just stick to warm clothes for that. If you're new in the league, never fear experimenting. Having said that, a midi dress would work for some and not much for the others. Below are 4 tricks that you might want to know before the next shopping spree you go to get your hands on some midis :

1. Select a length that ends at mid-calf : This dress actually creates the perfect illusion of a longer dress. My midi dress ends exactly at mid-calf, which is the thickest part, making me look little slimmer. If you can find a similar midi dress, I recommend it!

2. Wear sexy strapped heeled sandals : To elongate the leg and combat the stumpy look that a midi dress might give wear high strapped heels. I’m referring to sexy minimal heel sandals that give you height without the extra weight of a clumpy shoe.

3. Go for a lighter fabric (like mesh) : You want to select a fabric that is light doesn’t add much weight to your figure. Search for something I'm wearing in this post. It doesn't have too many layers and gives the outfit a light and airy feel. This openness helps me avoid looking short and stocky!

4. Select a A-line silhouette : It is universally flattering and is the perfect silhouette every body type. Make sure to look for A-line silhouettes when selecting a midi dress. Why not, right? It accentuates your waist to create a simple and elegant style!

I hope you liked reading this post and the tips and tricks were useful. If it were, do share this post across with your friends and let me know your views in the comments below. To follow me on instagram for daily OOTDs, click HERE.

Photographed by : Shishta Maurya

~xoxo~

Safar - The Journey Of Flavours From Then Till Now at Sepia, by Renaissance Lucknow

Aadaab janaab aur mohtaram! I am surely ruling by this style of greeting, eh? Anyway, that just simply means 'hi everyone!'

Being a Lucknowite by birth and have lived in the city of Nawabs all my life till now, I have a great great attachment with Lucknow and everything that's associated with it. May it be the culture, fashion, its people or most importantly its food. As you might know, Lucknow is known well worldwide due to its unmatchable Awadhi cuisine which is an indigenous part of the city. The dishes and cooking style of the people here is inspired and influenced by the Mughals, and I'm one die hard fan of it too!

Recently I attended the on-going Awadhi food festival, SAFAR - THE JOURNEY OF FLAVOURS FROM THEN TILL NOW, along with my friend Azman Khan at Sepia restaurant at Renaissance Lucknow Hotel, and it became a must share story for me with you all!  

The richness of Awadhi cuisine lies not only in the variety of the cuisine but also in the ingredients used like mutton, paneer (cottage cheese), and rich spices. The need for such a cuisine arose in Lucknow as the emperors, the Nawabs of Awadh, being inhabitants of Persia were used to a certain type of diet which comprised of grains, dry fruits, fruits and vegetables available in that part of the country apart from various forms of meat. This style of cooking was further polished by the Nawabs by adding exotic flavors of saffron and other Indian spices.

The bawarchis (chefs) and rakabdars (gourmet cooks) of Awadh invented the dum style of cooking or the art of cooking over a slow fire, which became popular and synonymous with Lucknow. Their spreads consisted of elaborate dishes such as kebabs, kormas, biryanis, kaliyas, nahari-kulchas, zarda, sheermal, roomali rotis, and warqi parathas. 

Today, years later with SAFAR, Chef Mohsin Qureshi - the Chef De Cuisine along with his team at Sepia, took ques from the original recipes of some popular Nawabs of the city, and has reinvented its glorious flavours while recreating an extravagant menu for all of us to relish and feel the modernised twists in the age old recipes! 

Awadhi cuisine is native to the city of Lucknow. The cooking patterns of are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern India with the cuisine comprising both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared with exotic spices, herbs and garnished with dry fruits. I, along with Azman gorged upon some of the finest Awadhi delicacies prepared exclusively for us by Chef Qureshi and below is an array displayed for you to have a look and drool!

Oh JK! This food festival is running up till 2nd November so you can actually go and taste the entire menu yourself!

STARTERS (VEG)

Kebabs are the integral part of Awadh. There are several varieties of popular kebabs in Awadhi cuisine like Kakori Kebabs, Galawat ke Kebabs, Shami Kebabs, Boti Kebabs, Patili-ke-Kebabs, Ghutwa Kebabs and Seekh Kebabs are among the known varieties. So, we were served lots of kebabs in the starters and I was so happy to see that they had some unique vegetarian recipes incorporated!

Til Bhindi ke Kebab (Sesame + Lady Finger)

My favorite out all, so that's no.1!

Doodhi Dahi Gilawti Kebab (Bottle Guord + Curd)

This is one of the most unbelievable kebabs I ever tasted.

Tara Arbi

For most of you who don't like colocasia, this is a must try!

We also tried 'Gobhi (Cauliflower) ke Shaami Kebab' which were super tender and tasteful!

STARTERS (NON-VEG)

Machhi Masala (Fish fried in herbs and spices)

Soft, delectable, yummy!

Jeera Dhaniya Murgh 

(Cumin Seed + Coriander in Chicken filled with Mozerella Cheese)

Very innovative dish, and Cheesy AF. A junk non-vegetarian's paradise!

Gosht Gilawti (Mutton Kebabs with Garlic Bread)

Love the unique display and it did taste awesome as well!

MAIN COURSE (VEG)

Curries and Kormas originated in the lavish Mughal cuisine wherein lamb or chicken was braised in velvety, spiced sauces, enriched with ground nuts, cream and butter. The main course menu of Safar include lots of revamped vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties and you must take a look below at what all we tasted the other day!

Bhindi Nain Tara (Spicy Ladyfinger)

I was drooled by the name already, and also its my favorite vegetable so it was yum indeed!

Dal Dhungar (Black Lentil with Mixed Spices)

Khumani Kofta (Apricot Stuffed Koftas)

Melts in mouth, amazingly thought of and well put together with a blend of spices and innovation!

MAIN COURSE (NON-VEG)

Turai Gosht (Ridge Gourd + Mutton)

Succulent enough to pop your taste buds and delight for the fans of fusion dishes!

Lagan Dum Ka Murgh

Completely swayed by the juicy chicken and Awadhi flavored gravy. A complete gourmet delight!

Awadhi breads are very significant. A few varieties are of the raised breads and improvisations are of different types and made in various ways that include the rumaali roti, tandoori roti, naan, kulcha, warqi paratha, lachha paratha, sheermaal and baqarkhani. We preferred tasting Plain naan and one of our favorite breads at Sepia, the Warqi Paratha. I'm not too sure, but if you remember in my previous post for Sepia during the Kakori food fest, I did mention how luscious this bread was, and still is indeed!

I am a vegetarian survivor, but my friends keep forcing me to try non vegetarian food too. Well, its just not my cup of tea and I am glad that vegetarian food combinations are innumerable for people like me to taste some real good food without compromising on taste. Well, Azman says the same for non vegetarian food served to him!

PS : I had a wonderful time during the Awadhi dinner and it was an helluva experience rediscovering flavors from the times of my great grand parents (or even earlier I'm not sure) but the twists added by the chef at Sepia restaurant truly won my heart! I personally and highly recommend all of you to at least visit SEPIA once, also because the ambience is so authentic and soulful, and like I say you can always thank me later! ;)

------------------------------

I can never really dress up to impress, but dressing up for a theme could be in my 'I-Like-To-Do-Stuff' list! This time I wore a long indo-western kurta from Saatchi Fashion with a pair of maroon churidaar pajama from Jabong, and styled it with a crystal necklace from Accessorize, a brass handcuff from Myntra and beige-gold heels from Steve Madden. Suited well I guess! 

If you liked reading this post, don't forget to share it across! Until next time, lots of love and virtual hugs.

Photographed by : Azman Khan

~xoxo~

Two States in Lemon Chillo

Hola everyone! Hope you all are enjoying the spring months with all zeal? If not, wait for more bloom! ;)

Well, you might have got some idea from the title of this post that I'll be showcasing 'two looks' today; in association with LEMON CHILLO, a women's western wear brand offering a 'dash-of-lime' freshness in its designs. So, they sent me a pretty, colorful leaf printed maxi top and I being a lover of comfortable fashion chose to display two different looks using the same top that one can wear at different occasions. Take a look at both the looks below....

Look 1 - Contemporary Plush

top : Lemon Chillo | leggings : Yepme.com | footwear : Steve Madden | belt : Jabong

necklace, bracelet, ring : Privi Accessories | earrings : Accessorize

The first look that I've created with this high-low maxi top from Lemon Chillo is more of an urban, sophisticated trend that has an appealing appearance of its own. I teamed up the top with a pair of tangerine, high waist leggings that matches the multi color print (also having orange as one of them) on the top. Buttoned it up till the neck and secured the mid closing with a tangerine belt to give the whole look a structure, parting it rightly at the waist, to give a sleek fall beneath!

Since I created this attire keeping in mind a party look with all the vibrancy available, I completed it by adding some chunky jewellery pieces from one of my personal favorite online fashion jewellery stores, PRIVI ACCESSORIES (that sells through instagram only). The cream & magenta statement necklace, the gold plated-clear stone bracelet and the stone ring gave the much needed shimmer to the whole look and matched the pink stone earrings that I got from Accessorize as well. Keeping it all classy and posh, I chose to add my rose-gold heels in my feet and I was all done for this one!

Look 2 - The Roma Gyppo

shirt dress : Lemon Chillo | footwear : Hill Road (Mumbai) | belt : Jabong

necklace, silver metal bracelet : Shopnineteen.com

earrings, multi color bracelet, ring, anklets : Privi Accessories

Let me just break it to you that this second look I've created with the maxi top from Lemon Chillo is inspired by the Romanis of the Europe, originated from Northern India. Well, you must have already understood that by looking at my distinctive hairdo, but still I just wanted to let you know in detail. Now, coming to the semblance, I chose to wear the maxi top as a shirt dress since it looked pretty RAD to me. I knotted the flowy fabric ends of the dress to decline the drop, secured the mid rift with a belt looking like a waist band and buttoned up like a shirt completely to add some bohemian accessories that looked remarkable with all the subdued prints on the dress!

Everything artistic looks good to me and I like experimenting with my looks too, so for this one, I added a gypsy necklace with gold spikes on a turquoise block and a double silver cord from Shopnineteen, that matched the oxidised gold earrings that I got from Privi Accessories. Wore a heavy metallic bracelet on one hand, along with a multi color one on the other, and added a bronze ring in one finger only to balance the over all vibe. Also, chose to put on a pair of unconventional metallic anklets in each ankle with my flat, turquoise bellies to step out in vogue! Just to say, this look can unapologetically be worn at fashion weeks, or events that are a fashionably casual! 

---------------------------

I really hope you liked checking out these two looks for summer/spring. Let me know which one is your favorite, in the comments below! Also, you can now FOLLOW ME on Snapchat (username : shubhigarg04) and stay in touch with me 24x7. How cool is that, no? 

Photographed by : Exposure Imageries

~xoxo~