Wedding Style : Part 2 - Haldi / Mehendi

The date is set, the invites are out, all is merry in your world. The countdown has begun for your best friend’s wedding and while she’s basking in the glow of her engagement, you’ve been frantically googling ‘what to wear to my bestie’s haldi & mehendi”! Out of so many pre-wedding functions, Haldi & Mehendi happen to top the charts in terms of popularity. It's a roller coaster ride of fun-filled moments for both, the bride and her and friends, where a lot of merry-making takes places.

In the frantic motion, I've got for you a stunning outfit that you can choose to dress in for your friend's Haldi and/or Mehendi functions. I picked this extremely gorgeous Chikankari jacket in a sunshine yellow colour with slim pants and a short layered kurta from STRAWBERRY FASHION STUDIO. 

Designer Aditi Jaggi Rastogi knows how to bring the best twist in the most traditional silhouettes, and this beautiful outfit is a sheer example of perfection! The intricate chikankari work speaks of the cultural understanding, and the style speaks of modern mixed with traditional. 

I chose to accessorise this piece heavily with a bold statement necklace, studded with polki kundan from BK SARAF JEWELLERS (Mahanagar, Lucknow). They have a wide collection of pre-wedding & wedding jewellery, and if you're looking at some stunning sets, BK SARAF (Mahanagar) is the place you need to head right away this season!

Keeping it dramatic, makeup artist SIDDHI CHAUBEY gave me a bold pink & yellow look, to add to the glam function. She left my hair loose with waves and added a little golden rose pin to it. For my feet I chose to add nude heels to keep it color coordinated and not go bold all over!

I hope you liked this Haldi / Mehendi look, and if you did, do share it across with your friends. Tip : Ditch the heavy weaves and layered lehengas for something light, easy-wear yet perfectly statement-making this wedding season - just like this beautiful piece I'm wearing!

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan

~xoxo~

Karva Chauth Look ft. Strawberry Fashion & BK Saraf Jewellers

While we’re preparing for all the festivities and weddings that are lined up, there’s one very important occasion that all married women are excited for. The celebrations have begun and it’s time to get your outfits aligned. Today’s post is dedicated to all the ladies who are set to deck up like brides once again this Karva Chauth, and will be celebrating it with their husbands in the most traditional manner.

I bring to you one of the most beautiful Indian styles - the classic white chikankari suit in fine net with gota patti, applique and resham work, along with a heavy, hand embroidered dupatta in orange with pink zardozi & pitta border. This floor length chikan suit with orange details looks like the perfect pick for the occasion. The net sleeves fall full on your arms and the orange cuffs with zari detailing on the wrist looks mesmerising. You can wear a white camisole inside till your waist and under it comes a pair of frilly, frock style palazzo pants that gives the suit a different look altogether. You know, it’s a brilliant idea to ditch the contemporary churidar and go out of the box & don something so elegant!

Also, let’s throw some light on these exquisite Polki & Kundan earrings from BK SARAF JEWELLERS (located at Gol Market, Mahanagar). These are one of the most stylish traditional earrings that go perfect with my look. Precious jewellery always looks gorgeous and brings out the best in every Indian woman. Honestly, these look astonishing! Don’t they?

The last minute fashion selection can only be entertained by STRAWBERRY FASHION STUDIO (located at Shahnazaf Road - opposite Sahara Ganj Mall), and hence it’s one of my favourite spots to drop when I personally need something! Highly recommended to all Lucknow ladies to visit this one-stop-shop for your fashion fix. Aditi Jaggi Rastogi - the very versatile designer knows exactly what her clients want, and she designs every piece with the best quality fabric and so much love. So, this Karva Chauth, flaunt your style and create magic before your husbands!

PS : I am 26. Unmarried, and have no intentions of tying the knot anytime soon, but I really hope you liked this quick Karva Chauth look. I may not look like a bride in real but my HMUA made sure to deck me up like one already. Kudos to SIDDHI CHAUBEY for giving me a very bold makeup look, teamed with subtle curls in my hair. So graceful!

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan (one of the best wedding / event photographers)


~xoxo~

Eid-E-Pehnava

Hello lovelies, how are you all? All set for the most awaited festival of the year? Well, not just Muslims but I guess all others like me wait for Eid the whole year eagerly, because hey its all about sweets and greets! Also, about sharing clarity of thoughts, warmth and love!

Last year, if you remember, I posted a quick recipe giving a twist to the regular dates eaten during iftaar everyday during Ramadan for Eid (if you haven't seen that yet, check it out HERE); so this year I thought of doing an outfit post since so many of you'd been requesting me to do an Indian wear since long!

To be honest, I'm a not a fan of Indian attires that much because I feel a simple tee and jeans are more comfortable and if you know me well, you know I always put comfort over fashion! But, when it comes to special occasions like any Indian festival, I make sure to make my parents happy as they see me dressed up in an Indian apparel from head to toe. Likewise, as we talk of Eid today, I got a set of Indian jewelry for myself recently from THE TRINKET SHOP and went ahead to match my attire with that (quite rare because it goes the other way round for usual, right?), but I just fell in love with the pieces and thought of wearing it on the special day; so checkout all pictures and outfit details below..

kurta, salwar : Sewa Chikan (Lucknow) | dupatta : Local Market | heels : Steve Madden

All Jewelry : The Trinket Shop

As you know Lucknow being a traditional Indian city, is known for its Awadhi culture that has a great number of Muslims settled since forever. Eid in Lucknow is really different and majestic, celebrated with so much of enthusiasm that where else would you see the same vivacity I'm not sure! Being a Lucknowite, I've grown up seeing the warmest atmosphere with Eid celebrations happening all over the town and I love to celebrate the zeal along! 

Every year my friends and I get dressed in our new Indian clothes and hop onto greet others at their place. This year I decided to go all white since I believe its the color of true elegance, purity and simplicity. I got myself a chikan embroidered kurta and salwar from the expert chikankaari shop in the town named Sewa Chikan. Lucknow also has the distinction of being today, the cusp of a very beautiful, very aesthetic form of white floral embroidery. The art of Chikankaari has been practiced in Lucknow for almost more than two hundred years, and I've been wearing it since always and have truly loved it so! I really like the embroidery work as done all over my kurta and its sleeves and also on the edges of my salwar, quite beautifully intricate it appears! PS : Choosing white for the top and bottom doesn't mean I don't like colors, and to break the monotony, I simply added a multi colored dupatta that couldn't have made the attire look more chic anyways!

I am not overly obsessed with jewelry but I like adding it to my attire often. So, this time I went ahead and wore it all in my neck, ears, and hands! All that you see in the pictures above, is handcrafted jewelry by a Chennai girl Bhagya Suresh, who happens to be a friend and runs an online shopping portal by the name The Trinket Shop. She exclusively designed this entire set of silver metallic jewelry for me for Eid and sent it across at the earliest so that I do not have to search for stuff all over the place! Silver metal, crafted along the colorful threads makes it look so graceful and magnificent. The necklace, earrings, bangles and rings, I am already in awe of TTS that showered so much of love upon me! ---- Must must check out this store for some really cool and affordable jewelry and accessories!

Shot at : Saadat Ali ka Maqbara (a historic monument in Lucknow)

I hope you liked reading this post. If you did do tell me in the comments below. Also, don't forget to celebrate Eid in the most awesome way you could. Eat lots of sewaiyyan and biryani and do lots of duas, for they shall be granted if your soul be true. Have a great time guys! Eid Mubarak!

Photographed by : Exposure Imageries

~xoxo~