Affordable Fashion : Class & Charm in less than Rs. 5000

"You don't have to be rich to look fashionable!"

As fashion lovers, we'll admit to busting the bank for some purchases. But we're not crazy. There are some items that don't need to be designer. Beyond that, it's actually better if they're not, especially when you're talking basics that will see a lot of wear and tear. You cannot imagine the number of messages I get on a daily basis from girls who want to read about affordable fashion that's trendy, comfy, classy and charming at the same time! Of course, you'd say street style is the least expensive, but what about other trends that are more girly and chic? I've got you today's post with exact prices as picked from different brands put together in my #ootd for less than Rs.5000. Read below more details!

dress : AND | bag : Ni & Sa Bags | heels : StreetStyleStore | bow : Oony by Anab

bracelet : Auhna Creations | belt : Jabong | ring : Blinglane 

It's no secret that shift dresses are easy to wear and are universally flattering as they compliment just about all body shapes. My first pick was this cute ombre peach dress from AND which was for Rs.1699/-. For a pear-shaped, petite woman like me, this dress is a perfect piece which covers my knees, has full length sleeves, and can be donned at a casual brunch or a dine out. Along with that, to give it a more polished look, I secured the waist with a skinny belt from Jabong that I bought for Rs.200/- on a sale. Belts are edgy and fun to accentuate the lose waists, and can be twisted to form pretty embellishments at any time!

Coming to the accessories, I opted for a cute pair of peach heels that are enclosed and pointed from the front, looking posh. These are versatile footwear, can be styled with office wear, party gowns, or a simple dress like mine. I got it from StreetStyleStore for Rs.699/-. I've gotta say this that my accessories all put together are way more than all my money spent on the dress, but that's the fun part, you get too many things for cheaper rates. Like how girls want it, eh? Anyway, to add some funk to my look, I wore a twisty bracelet in silver and orange on my right wrist which is worth Rs. 150/-, sold by Auhna Creations. A pair of studs in my ears for Rs.10 from a local market. The ring on my left little finger for Rs. 499/- from Blinglane, and the cutest part of my look - the blue bow in my hair is from Oony for just Rs. 150/-. To finish off my look, I opted for a quirky tassel bag from Ni & Sa that costs Rs.1499/-. And I'm done!

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No matter what age group you belong to, trendiest fashion in the best prices is a dream for every female. There are so many brands out there, waiting for you to grab their pieces on sale (especially the ones I mentioned as above). Know your shape and find your style, and you can always thank me later! If you liked this quick tip post, do let me know in the comments below. Until next, much love.

Photographed by : Madhukant Tripathi  |  Makeup : Divya Vishnani  |  Shot at : Rollarappa Lucknow - Episode 3

~xoxo~

Curves that Flatter with LastInch

"A smile is the most beautiful curve on a woman's body!"

Someone quoted the above correctly. But there are women who love their entire curvy body rather than just the smile, and I'm glad they do. We're progressing! True it is that curvy women are special, but that's considered because they're classified differently. Not all curvy women are the same. Maybe you're a triangle or an hourglass, a diamond or an oval, a figure eight or inverted triangle. Whatever your shape, you're beautiful!

For plus size women who love taking risks with fashion, there is no word more groan-inspiring than the word "flattering." There are plenty of plus size styles you may choose from. In fact, some of them have nothing to do with your shape at all. Well, a few days back one of my plus-size friends told me, she's afraid to buy clothes online due to fit concerns, and that's what makes me pen down this article today, to help all plus-size women refer to LASTINCH.in where they would find everything they need in terms of fashion clothing! I came across this site while searching some oversized dresses for myself, as I too have started feeling bloated at times and in those moments I love throwing up 2 size plus to my actual.

The trendy collection on LastInch is inspired by young enthusiasts who always want to look in-style and fashionable. From the right outfit for bed time, business wear, to a perfect date night outfit, the website has all types of plus size outfits for your every special occasion. I got myself a pretty dress that I chose to wear at a party recently accessorized with various stuff shopped from different brands. You may want to check out all details below.

dress : LastInch.com | heels, earcuff : Jabong | bag : Ni & Sa | bracelets : Zotiqq

If you'd told 13-year-old me that 23-year-old me would one day be sitting on a computer discussing plus size fashion as an actual, thriving industry as opposed to a teenage dream, I would have told you that 23-year-old me must've taken some pretty serious hallucinogens. Ten years ago, plus size brands certainly existed, but they didn't exist in quite the same way they do now. Thanks to the efforts of body positive activists, bloggers, models, celebs, and designers, the plus size industry has grown rapidly. And that means that today more than ever, plus-size women have options!

Scrolling through the dress section on LastInch, I stumbled upon this gorgeous looking piece in pink with lace all over that fitted curves exactly, pre-layered with an oversized see-through georgette top. Its basically for women who have a heavier upper body but love to wear body-fitting dresses and still look graceful! Since I had chosen to wear the dress to a hep party, I accessorized it with some shimmery jewelry to compliment the look! A golden dangly earcuff, silver hand cuff in one and a stack of tassle bracelets in the other hand, with my new obsession in bags - the round black one with multi-colored tassels that matched my dress and the shimmery black heels!

PS : I'd take a moment to appreciate how artistically that bag has been crafted. I got it from Ni & Sa, a brand by two magnificent ladies who want to bring an evolution into the fashion industry with faux leather bags that speak both of class and bohemian culture. If you're intrigued by their collection, you can find it on facebook, instagram and also on lovethisstuff.com now! 

For a long time, "having options" seemed like such a huge aspect of the body positivity movement's efforts, at least to me. But, plus-size is a fashion victim no more! As newcomers jump into the space and established retailers expand their offerings with new collections and collaborations, this category is finally having a moment. You've got LastInch.in giving plus-size women real options in fashion — not just clothes that feel dowdy or oversized but trendy clothes that are made for them. TBH, If I had it my way, I would never call it "plus-size". Though, we use it as a term because it's something to help classify!

I hope all you women out their liked reading this post. I've given so much of substance here, and after a really long time I feel so happy to have possibly shared it with y'all. Do make a move and share this post with your friends too! #ShareToCare

Photographed by : Outlook Doodle by Supriya & Devina Rastogi | Makeup by : Divya Vishnani


~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! ;)

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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~

Twinning Long in StalkBuyLove

Hey there, my gorgeous girls! Hope y'all are doing good. This month has been crazy and I've literally gone bonkers managing events, travelling to places and a lot more that you've been seeing on my social media. With that, it had been really long since the last time I collaborated with one of my blogger friends for a post, and I just wanted to get a new girl on board this time. Hence, I teamed up with Saakshee Khosla from The Style Veda for a quick new outfit editorial.

A lot of you had been requesting me to show you different looks with the trend that's taking over fashion — the Amber Skirt from STALKBUYLOVE. Literally every second girl you see on instagram has been wearing it since it came out on sale and my mails were flooded with look posts for the same. Saakshee and I while scrolling through our inbox finally came up to a thought of sharing our personal styles twinning in the yellow buttoned down skirt, and below you can see the pictures and read some fun details about our collaboration!

She's wearing - skirt : StalkBuyLove | top : Zara | shoes : StreetStyleStore

necklace : Amore Couture

I'm wearing - skirt, shirt dress : StalkBuyLove | dupatta : Old Buy

heels : Jabong | necklace, earrings, bracelet : Auhna Creations | ring : Myntra

Its true that everyone has a personal style of their own and we hate to play favorites, but if we were to pick one ‘70s trend to adopt, it would have to be the button-front A-line skirt. This season, strong iterations in both denim and suede have been spotted everywhere and since we've been searching the perfect piece, StalkBuyLove like always came to our rescue.

Yellow has been my love color since forever and pairing the bright long skirt with a long black shirt dress from StalkBuyLove itself, to give it a structure was my main move I say. The skirt is made of cotton linen with partial lining and inverted waist. You can wear it all the year round with tops and layers. As for this post, styling the skirt and shirt dress with a red dupatta inwardly from one side and gold necklace and earrings with a metallic handcuff made my look appear sleek and gave a hit to the Asian fashion I believe. The cream heels I wore, merged into the skirt color making the look appear super classy and fad. You can really try this look for evening parties and Indian functions as well!

On the contrary, Saakshee went in for an off-duty look, teaming up her skirt with a casual lined crop top from Zara and pairing it with her current favorite sneakers because she's more of an informal wearer. As I know, she's one crazy lover of accessories but for one thing goes at one time for her and hence she only chose to add a silver coin necklace to give the whole an edge and vibrancy. PS : The tattoo choker is like a permanent settlement there. You can carry this look in the day as well as in night by exchanging the pair of shoes with heels! Yeah?

Hope you all liked reading this post as much as we liked working on it for you. If you ask me, both the looks are my favorite as both Saakshee and I have created different styles to showcase. Being different body types we both enkindled the skirts in our own way creating surprises! — Do let us know in the comments below which look do you like more and if you have any further suggestions, do mention those too. We'd love to hear your take on our first collaboration :)

Photographed by : Mrinal Khatnani

~xoxo~

Walking Fancy in a T-shirt Dress

Hey guys! How's it all goin'? So I've been super inactive in posting a blog for quite some time and it was only because I'd been travelling with some amazing people around the hills in Uttarakhand. I will be very soon posting my whole travel experience about the trip but today I've got an outfit editorial for you on a special request!

A lot of you saw and appreciated my looks in t-shirt dresses in my previous months' posts and a few amongst you girls asked me to show another look as to how we can style a simple t-shirt dress for a posh outing, so this time I teamed up with BEWAKOOF to show you exactly that! Read below, all the details and check out some pictures that may please your eyes..:p

dress : Bewakoof.com | heels : StreetStyleStore.com | bag : Stalkbuylove.com

belt : Jabong | earrings : Old Buy | bracelets : Auhna Creations

I've been saying this since forever, and now all of you must know it by heart that I am someone who always puts comfort over fashion. So, those days when it’s super hot and you’re feeling extra lazy (or both), there’s nothing easier than a t-shirt dress because you can dress it down with sneakers for day and elevate it with some heels and jewelry at night, and you're all set to go. Since the time Bewakoof launched their section of t-shirt dresses my life was half sorted. This dress is one of the best things I own, like it's oversized and comfy but also really cute. The detailing on the sleeves looks crazy AF and the WTF on front took away my heart. I now love being able to throw t-shirt dresses on and go because it's always a win-win, really! So why not stock up? Especially when they're the best quality and absolutely inexpensive, you know you'll be wearing it at all times. 

You know I typically go towards the casual side, so I wanted to surprise you today with something a little unexpected, which are the Red velvet Mules from StreetStyleStore. Wearing a dress and heels is not my favorite way to dress but with something as casual as a simple t-shirt dress and funky block heels, I’m totally willing to make an exception. And when sale season brings you these badass footwear, you just have to say Yes! To top it all off with a StalkBuyLove sling bag matching the belt on my waist from Jabong and my favorite brand for spunky jewelry, Auhna Creations that creates magic everytime with their bracelets, especially. This look is my personal favorite with that little knot at the end of the dress too! Chic, no?

I hope you all liked this post the way you've liked my previous ones. Do let me know in the comments below as to what part of this look is your favorite or you would like to try! Also, do checkout Bewakoof.com for their new range of T-shirts, Vests, Full Sleeve Clothing and Joggers. I highly recommend some high level shopping from there, so go grab your favorites now!

~xoxo~

Oriental Food Festival at L-14, by Renaissance Lucknow

Hey everyone, hope y'all are doing good! 

A lot of you already know that I've not been keeping well past a few days as I told you in my last post, and also as my Snapchat was filled with all kinds of sickness melodrama all this while, if you noticed! What more you must have noticed there, were glimpses of an evening from last week that I spent at L-14 of Renaissance Lucknow Hotel, enjoying the dinner buffet at the on-going ORIENTAL FOOD FESTIVAL.

L-14 is the 14th floor of Renaissance Hotel, the tallest building in Lucknow city, and thus has the best view for the visitors to experience! Also, its a fine-dine restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is of the most beautiful places to dine in town! So, as I attended the first day of the Oriental Food Festival serving the amazing Asian cuisine here, I thought of sharing the entire escapade with all of you.

Mesmerized to see this lady at the reception, dressed up all Asian and stuff, I don't think she's Chinese though, Japanese maybe?

Well, Asian cuisine has become increasingly popular all over the world, and being an Asian myself, I felt its high time I should know my own native flavors. This cuisine refers to any of several major regional cuisines, including East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern. Ingredients common to many cultures in the East and Southeast regions of the continent include rice, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, chillies, dried onions, soy, and tofu. Stir frying, steaming, and deep frying are common cooking methods in this cuisine!

So, the Food and Beverages department at Renaissance Lucknow Hotel has brought together the diverse and authentic flavours from the far East in its ongoing Oriental Food Festival that aims at serving delicacies filled with a variety of oriental tastes that extend beyond the traditional Chinese and Thai food to Japanese, Vietnamese and South Korean dishes. This time it promised food connoisseurs a culinary expedition, rustling up favourites like Singapore Chicken Rice, Satay Ayam, Tofu Satay, various Thai Curries, Schezwan Stir Fries, Pok Choy and Shittake with Burn Garlic, Malay Coconut Curry, Vietnamese Pho, Spinach Tomato Tossed Noodles, Crispy Corn and Black Mushroom, Aromatic Chicken and a lot more regular Indian dishes as well!

I was invited to attend the festival, along with my friend and photographer Mrinal Khatnani, and we made sure we didn't miss it as for my previous deals with Renaissance have been so amazing! 

PS : The fest is UP TILL 31st JULY, so you can actually go and experience it yourself. 

The buffet presentation was beautifully laid, as everything appeared so colorful and elegant. You just can't resist getting up from your chair, picking up a plate, and start pouring in the food. I too couldn't resist myself, you see! ----------- Scroll down to take a look at all the food pictures and drool. :p

Aromatic Chicken

Sliced Lamb in Massaman Curry

Curried Indonesian Vegetables

Crispy Corn & Black Mushroom

Slice Fish

Shrimp with Lemon Grass Rice

Murgh Awadhi Biryani

Indian Dishes : Dal Makhani, Yellow Tadka Dal

Thai Vegetables Tossed in Mild Garlic

Indonesian Fried Rice

Spinach Tomato Tossed Noodles

Both Mrinal and I were swayed by the extravagant preparations already, and not just the main course, this Oriental Food Festival introduced us to an extensive range of dips and sauces like red Thai curry paste, green Thai curry paste, Khow Suey paste and Japanese mayonnaise. Apart from a sumptuous culinary presentation, Renaissance L-14 also offered various salads and side dishes (both veg and non-veg) along with all the essential herbs, spices and necessary ingredients required to prepare these Oriental dishes. My mind was blown with excitement, tbh!

Veg sides/Salads

Non-veg Sides/Salads

Plain Sprouts

Salad Leaves, Seasonings and Dips

Asian Noodle & Soup Station

Oriental Pickles

I picked a few vegetarian dishes to try, which included noodles, an Indian curry dish, Indonesian fried rice, crispy corn with mushrooms, roasted eggplant and fruit salad. Whereas Mrinal being a non vegetarian, tried the biryani (which he absolutely loved), chicken satay, sliced fish and shrimps! It just won't sound true if we say we didn't like even one of the dishes. It was all super yum and flavoursome! 

If you thought that was it with the food pictures above, you'd be surprised when I tell you the Oriental bakery section was bomb! The appetising savoury breads made me drool literally! Such wholesome it looks, eh? The freshly baked buns and bread loafs took away my heart. So soft and delectable! (see pictures below)

When it comes to deserts, I just feel they should let the entire section to me. I can literally finish all the sweet dishes all by myself. They look purely scrumptious at the buffet table as well, during the food festival. And the best part about attending the buffet is you have no limits! Watch what all ate in the pictures below. Please don't curse me for not taking you all along, and please.stop.drooling! (haha)

Coconut Tart & Phirni (topped with fresh date)

Fresh Fruit Bread

White Chocolate Barfi

Mango Cake

L-R : Chocolate Truffle Pastry, White Chocolate Coconut Pastry, Fresh Fruit Savarin, Mango Mahalabia

Banana Bread

Halwa, Gulab Jamun

The best part about L-14 is that it has this open kitchen for the customers to see how their food is being cooked. Renaissance displays it all unique, I tell you! Also, I interacted with the Director Culinary Sandeep Pande and Chef Sachin who being the sweetest as always, made sure that I had a comfortable and the most wonderful evening, tasting some of their inventory preparations.

For all those who've been to this place already, know how pleasant the ambience is. But for those who haven't visited it yet, let me tell you L-14 is a high top floor, and has an amazing view (like I already told you above) covering more than half of the city on a wide scale and the nearby structures like the eminent Ambedkar park, Sahara States, Gomti River, etc. And other than that, the interiors are truly prepossessing as well. From the marble counter tops, to the wooden textures, the glass walls making it look glamorous and graceful, I feel like I'm sitting at some restaurant in the states. Renaissance L-14 has evidently raised the bar of luxury dine-ins in town and is liked by many! A jam packed corner is a proof, say wha'?

I don't really go and pose at bars at restaurants, but this one called for it loud! Just look how minimal and elegant it appears already. With some wine & martini glasses on the side, I compelled Mrinal to click a picture of me sitting here, while our mocktails were being prepared! Its was a chilled lemonade refreshment, after drinking only which I caught tonsillitis and am still on abstinence with hot water to cure the throat. But I must mention, it was delicious!

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Nothing like dressing up the theme, but I just wanted to keep it stylish and look my best as the typical Asian woman! Quite rare you see me in long slit tops, but I really like this floral one from Missa More. Paired it up with the lustrous, beige cigarette pants and a pair of green heels. Accessorized the whole look minimally with just a bronze hand cuff, over sized ring and a pair of long black earrings and I was good to go!

Photographed by : Mrinal Khatnani

If you liked this post, do visit the Oriental Food Festival at Renaissance Lucknow Hotel (running till 31st July, 2016) and experience an array of toothsome dishes from the most exquisite Asian cuisine, yourself.

 

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~xoxo~