Princess in the Woods

Hello my gorgeous readers! Hope y'all are in good health!

In the last few weeks, I've had a complete transition into my life, but what remains same is my passion to write everything I feel strongly about. Today's post is about the last avant-garde look I curated for you with ADITI JAGGI RASTOGI from her latest PRET COUTURE collection, along with magnificent makeup by JYOTIKA MIRPURI AROURA.

People often tend to confuse avant-garde with haute-couture but this collection displays a magical complexity of construction underneath a layer of apparent coherence. If you've checked out the previous 2 looks, you'd understand that Aditi's work straddles an interesting axis between what is considered glamorous and what is avant-garde. Even if her work can be viewed as a cerebral exercise on fiction-as-fashion, there is an inherent element of glamour in every piece!

This particular pink tulle gown is a haute-couture inspiration from the great Giambattista Valli, who's signature style is layering of the fabric in a way to give full-flounce to the pieces. I love how Aditi added her own charm to the net layering style with a satin band to secure the waist and created an even magical outfit that sets the bar for contemporary avant-garde fashion while also being relevant in a contemporary context. It's definitely a red carpet outfit, but can also be picked for special occasions like one's cocktail or reception! You can always achieve a bridal touch with makeup and accessories.

For this dramatic dress, I wore zero accessories but paired the voluminous gown with delicate nails from BUFF AND SHINY by TANYA ARORA (nail artist). My hair and makeup was all about understated beauty. Fresh, dewy skin with lots of blush and real flowers. Yes, fresh, real flowers on my face! From upgraded takes on floral nails to celebrities placing itty-bitty flowers in their hair, botanical beauty is everywhere. So, Jyotika glued real flowers from her garden around my eyes as it’s bold, different and perfect for the season. Also, doesn't hurt my face!

JMA also gave my hair an exotic rise with triple curling and pulled them back into a romantic updo leaving some strands falling on the face for the charming, princess-y feel! She says, "Beauteous makeup has pieces that are more than simple items, they are stories that allow you to speak without saying a word", and I agree with her cent percent.

This entire look is a perfect balance of saccharine and statement-making. Starting from daring ruffles, patterns, and colors to frothy, voluminous and show-stopping, think pink, sparkle and tulle; avant-garde fashion is here to stay.

Runway fashion designers show no signs of slowing down the progress that the current trend has brought. Now that you are more familiar with what avant-garde stands, I can’t wait for you to start discovering a world where freedom of expression means progress.

Don't forget to check out the mesmerising rose bouquet collection by THE TRILLION ROSES. They have added more colors and eye-appealing boxes to give you an enriching experience with premium flowers for gifting purposes.

This is one of my favourite posts on this blog, published in the last six years. If you too liked this look, do let me know in the comments below! 

PS : I love how this association with Aditi Jaggi Rastogi - Pret Couture, Jyotika Mirpuri Aroura Makeup, Buff and Shiny (Nails) by Tanya Arora, The Trillion Roses and Zeeshan Khan (photographer) has turned out. I proudly scream, "we are a happy team, doing happy work, making the world a happy place to live in."

Until next, lots of love!

~xoxo~

Wild Bloom Editorial

Hey loves, I hope you are reading this post in good health! 

The last post has been enormously viewed by you readers and it's an overwhelming feeling to see the traffic on the blog. My team and I are extremely thankful to you for loving the post so much. Today, I've got yet another edit from the Avant-Garde series in collaboration with international fashion designer ADITI JAGGI RASTOGI along with celebrity makeup artist JYOTIKA MIRPURI AROURA.

Today's look is a dedication to the editorial fashion industry, where it's all about creating drama in our outfits and telling a story through all the garments we wear. For the story to be coherent, the different items must be in dialogue with one another, whether we choose to play on contrasting cuts, complementing accessories, or contiguous lines of tailoring, and that's where Aditi came into the picture when I first discussed the idea of doing innovation fashion with her.

We decided to artfully compose this beautiful maroon flower top which is a twisted drape in textured silk, made skilfully by cutting and crafting several layers of fabric. It's a tube on the back that can be tied, and the huge flower in the front that'll surely make some eyes pop. We started with a mood board that helped us put together the entire outfit where we opted to pair this gorgeous top with plain white pants and sequinned heels!

Avant-garde and editorial fashion is about innovating through chaos and I learnt this from the fabulous HMUA (hair and makeup artist) Jyotika Mirpuri Aroura. She explains, "The body is our canvas and any flattering makeup or elaborate hairdos we incorporate in the styling should convey a story." Hence, we decide to go really quirky with our look. The geometry favours on my face with a splash of colors till my neck. Every color plays its part, even the bold yellow lips, that add a friendly touch to the candies popped in my hair. Jyotika becomes super enthusiastic when it comes to editorial looks and that's one reason she twisted my hair into a spiral to match the twisted drape on my body.

Since this is a very colorful, angular and clean look, we thought of not adding much jewellery or anything in-between, except for these fashion nail extensions that give the entire look the much needed glam. These are a must-have for every female who likes to don pretty nails but cannot keep up with manicures. Nail artist TANYA ARORA provides sets of quirky nail extensions that can be easily applied and removed. You can check out the entire range at BUFF and SHINY.

I hope you now have a fair idea of what is avant-garde and editorial fashion. These are elegant but out-of-the-box looks we see in magazines. Editorial work is all about experimenting and being creative, so don’t be afraid to try new things. If you do decide to make a statement with your make up, mix up your textures as they photograph beautifully and further enhance the look of the skin!

Before I end, please take a look at the stunning roses below, sent to me by THE TRILLION ROSES. They have a wide range from square boxes to round ones, heart shaped and more! You can choose to add your favourite colored roses in it and order to send a box of love to your dear ones. Spreading positivity never runs out of fashion, eh?

Photographed by : ZEESHAN KHAN

If you liked this post, do drop a comment below and let me know. Until next, lots of love!

~xoxo~

Dressing Avant-Garde at BMW Lucknow

Hey stunners, I hope y'all are doing good! I know these times are unexpected and extremely tough for many. It's been over 3 months that I've personally been locked in my house and all that I've done during this time is Eat, Sleep, Netflix Repeat!

However, one good thing that happened meanwhile is that I got time to re-evaluate this blog and think of some avant-garde ideas. And, now that we're discussing 'Avant-Garde', let me present to you a heads-turner in this post, in collaboration with ADITI JAGGI RASTOGI - PRET and COUTURE, and celebrity makeup artist JYOTIKA MIRPURI AROURA.

I was introduced to this term about 2 years back and I realised many people choose to wear avant-garde clothes because they want to break free from daily expectations. Just like I want to define myself outside the social norms that dictate how I should decorate and clothe my body. Hence, Aditi and I thought of up-doing our fashion quotient and creating a fabulous piece to don! We took inspiration from high fashion staccato art done by various designers in the last couple of years and experimented with variety of fabrics, cuts, textures and accessories.

This neon green outfit is super chic and can be worn for a cocktail night, or a reception party, or any grand occasion one could think of. I paired the outfit with white cross strap heels from SHEIN. On the other hand, I love how the green fabric blossoms (fabric craft - fabric origami) were used not only on the dress but on my hair as well. Jyotika indeed did a fabulous job with my hair using the magazine paper fans in line with these blossoms. For my makeup, we kept it funky yet pretty, making the colors pop on a canvass. Jyotika just picked all my favourite colors from the rainbow and painted my face, and we loved how it turned out. 

My perfectly done nail extensions by TANYA ARORA also give an edge to the whole look. These are so easy to apply and remove (just stick them on your nails using peel-off stickers and you're done). You can get your set from BUFF and SHINY.

Now, this look wouldn't have come out as grand as it appears if it weren't for BMW to let me use the new BMW series 3 (GT) Gran Turismo. This car is a stature defined through its muscularity combined with the flowing roof line of classic coupes. Precise contours and expressively sculptured surfaces from a fascinating interplay of light and shade. It's a versatile character full of ideas and destinations; with is sporty design, its exciting dynamics and its generous space, the BMW - series 3 Gran Turismo brings together an unique vehicle concept. Now, who wouldn't want to drive this beauty? If you're in Lucknow, buy your BMW GT from BMW Speed Motorwagen - Chinhat.

Lastly, you see these beautiful roses from THE TRILLION ROSES. These are such fine piece of art! Roses symbolise love, humility, innocence, friendship and joy. You can order premium rose bouquets from The Trillion Roses instagram & make your loved ones feel special. They've got quite a variety!

All these photographs have been clicked and edited by ZEESHAN KHAN - who is definitely my favourite in the city. He is a wedding and fashion photographer and I love every bit of work he does!

The entire idea behind this look was to distract ourselves from the pandemic thoughts and our monotonous lifestyle. We went as crazy as we could to crawl out of the Covid fear. If you liked this post, do share it on your social media handles with your friends and family. I'd also like to read your feedback so don't hesitate in dropping a quick comment below. Until next, lots of love!

~xoxo~

Wedding Style : Part 4 - Marriage / Reception

Hey everyone, how are y'all doing?

It's been 4 years that I've been doing the wedding fashion series on this blog, and the kind of response I've received in terms of the views and messages all across, is commendable! Thankyou so much for always encouraging me to keep working on the series, every year.

As for 2019, we've come to the end of the series - with today's post - the last part of the Wedding Style. And, I have something interesting to show you guys with STRAWBERRY FASHION STUDIO, so keep scrolling.

I've been avoiding attending marriage functions, and reception parties because all I got was a box of questions from all aunties "beta shaadi kab kar rahi ho?" But, what I've come to think of is I shouldn't be worried, and the best answer can be "aunty, jaise hi aap koi meri takkar ka khoobsoorat ladka dhundh do!" And now that I've brought up "khoobsoorat", let me just tell you, I'm quite impressed by how beautifully my makeup artist SIDDHI CHAUBEY has decked me up with such a glam look, and a super pretty messy bun, on top of this pre-stitched saree from Strawberry Fashion Studio.

You know, these days most of the girls struggle in draping a saree. So, to save the time and from the hassles of draping a saree, an amazing rescue has been designed called "pre-stitched" / "ready-made" sarees. These ready-to-wear sarees have pre-stitched pallu and pleats. And these can be worn in just 30 seconds; sounds some sort of a wonder! Honestly, these pre-stitched sarees provide for stunning grace once it is worn. 

I'm currently in love with this particular piece in fuchsia pink - with diamond embellishment as the belt (clinching perfectly o the waist). It's a perfect drape style to be worn at any marriage function or reception! I just feel this saree has the majestic quality of garnishing and enhancing the looks of any lady up to acme. Falls exactly at the right length, and the blouse with that deep cut on the back looks mesmerising enough to get all eyes on you! 

To complete my look, I added a sleek diamond bracelet, a set of diamond earrings with ruby in the centre and a bold finger ring in the same design to compliment the color and style of the saree, and elegance it provides! The makeup and hair are just perfect for the occasion, isn't it? Let me know your thoughts on this look. Until next time, love & hugs.

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan

~xoxo~

Wedding Style : Part 3 - Sangeet

Sangeet, the most fun-filled event amongst the wedding ceremonies, is the most looked forward to occasion! It's that ceremony where everybody brings their 'A' game, and dazzle all throughout the performances, games, some dancing and singing.

But what matters the most is the look and style you decide to carry at such a fancy event! If you're a guest, especially from the close friend gang, you've got to top your Sangeet Attire Game. And definitely, deciding on what to wear and what makeup look to carry at your friend’s Sangeet is not as easy.

Well, that's exactly why today's designers & makeup artists come to your rescue, just how ASTHA AGARWAL (designer at Astha's Designer Hut) and KRITIKA RASTOGI (makeup artist at Kritika Rastogi Artistry) came to mine. 

To start, let's bring your attention to this gorgeous lehenga set in yellow and emerald green.The embroidery and the mirror work look fantastic, and can make anyone stand out in the crowd with such simplicity yet the elegance it has to offer. I love the knots on the back of the choli, and the long tie-up attachments on the lehenga, falling on the side, along with the heavily bordered dupatta. It's really quirky.

Correct me if I'm wrong but in my opinion, lehengas have always been crowd pleasers. It just suits everyone. But with my advice, you should always pick the right texture, design and color that suits your body type, along with the right designs and quantity of the accessories that you want to add. Just like how I opted for these super elegant, but heavy gold earrings studded with green emeralds, a simple gold hand cuff in my wrist, and gold heels in my feet to complete my attire.

ASTHA'S DESIGNER HUT - Located at Gol Market, Mahanagar, Lucknow

The next step to take care of is your makeup! Just see, how beautiful I look (OMG! I'm self-praising, and also thinking in my head "mujhe meri hi nazar naa lag jaye'). Kudos to Kritika for painting my face so beautifully, and keeping it all natural. I told her my personal style is subtle and elegant, and that's exactly what she gave me. I love the green eye lids - have been blended so well, and the crisp eyebrows, and my cheek bones and the entire face with just the right amount of highlighter and contour and the little blush she wanted to add. Also, my lips - that's my favourite lip shade and doesn't even make my lips appear thinner. All in all, I'm getting all my makeup done by this fabulous lady for all occasions - and mostly because she understands my skin - knows her techniques well, and uses the best skin friendly products!

KRITIKA RASTOGI ARTISTRY - Located at Shalimar Gallant (Mahanagar, Lucknow)

It's actually that time of the year when you're all looking for outfit inspirations and makeup artists suggestions, and I really hope this post helps you! If it does, so share it ahead with your family & friends :)

~xoxo~

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~

Wedding Style : Part 1 - Cocktail

Howdy fellas? it's again that time of the year when we girls are hooked onto instagram, swiping and scrolling through outfits with speed 10x. We have tons of weddings lined up and we're going crazy selecting our outfits, isn't it? And to top that, we have not one or two but four functions to attend because damn, it's for our best friends. As for you, like every year, I've got my Wedding Fashion Game on and I'm sharing the first part of it with this post - The Cocktail look. 

When it comes to weddings, let's all be honest it's never about the COCKTAILS literally, but all about the cocktail outfits. And, the 'cocktail' dress code is arguably the most hyped for the bride, but of course you being the "dulha dulhan ki saheli" have to look gorgeous too! Frequent though it may be, it's also the hardest to navigate, with the lines between 'too formal' and 'too casual' often blurred. Cocktail wear for me is one of the most popular dress codes and I have seen it become the default. And, guess who came to my rescue once again - STRAWBERRY FASHION STUDIO by Aditi Jaggi Rastogi.

Aditi designed this beautiful 3 piece set in candy mauve  - with a multi tiered sequinned skirt, an off shoulder corset top with ruffled sleeve, and the stunning ruffle stole like a cherry on the cake! I love how the entire skirt is filled with shimmers, sure to leave heads turn! In terms of accessories, I haven't really put on anything, but you can simply add a sleek diamond necklace, with a diamond bracelet and you'd be good to go! PS : Don't forget your shimmer heels, just to help you stay in good posture & make you look taller than ever.

As to end, I got my makeup done very seriously, 'coz it pretty much affected the entire look. Thanks to Siddhi Chaubey for decking me up with her brightest makeup products,  and truest skills, and for curling my hair to perfection & adding the fairty tale touch with the hair pins from Shein.in. Absolutely dreamy, eh?!

If you're looking for a pretty cocktail outfit for yourself or for any of your friends, you must check out the new collection at STRAWBERRY FASHION STUDIO - located at Shahnazaf road, Lucknow (right opp. Sahara Ganj Mall. And you can thank me later! ;-)

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan

~xoxo~