TV shopping

Another challenge/Remix from IN-FB and exciting as ever…Black and White! There are infinite possibilities with this combo ..black pants, white pants, dresses, scarves, bags..OMG the list goes on and on! It was pure madness when I sat down to think about a look for this challenge. Well, but I had sorta decided the guidelines for this challenge for myself - pair items that were never worn before or even items that were never paired before. So there it was now, much simpler and focused.

With the criteria narrowed down, I decided to go with my new purchase black tiered chiffon skirt that I shopped on TV. Yes you got it right, shopped on TV!! Well ok, I bought it online but I was TV shopping for sure on a network called ‘HSN’. I discovered HSN I think sometime last year while flipping through channels, and since then I have been switching to HSN on and off. But since the down time (got off the work grind) I could watch some of their interesting shows and this is where I spotted this skirt. I was looking for one and decided to take the plunge – looked it up online and ordered it to be shipped to our new apartment in Virginia (well I was in between shifting to our new place, but I was not going to let go of such a good deal:)) I was happy with the skirt when it arrived, it fit me great, and I can already see it worn 100 different ways. It is definitely - a wardrobe essential! It was not trans-p so no needs-of-the-skirts-slips ;)

I went with the skirt and my fav polka dot blouse n black vest. Polka dot blouse/top is another wardrobe essential – who doesn’t love polka dots, man!! I threw in some accents with a cute red wristlet and red pumps. For jewelry, I went neutral with silver n white. 

The black skirt was a catch, and it’s a boon on those days of summer – when you are too lazy (or busy) to shave/wax but hell, you don’t want to miss out the fun of wearing skirts!! ;)

Well peoples, what do you think of this look? Do share your tips for dressing up a black skirt.

Tiered Black skirt - Antthony Design Originals via HSN

Polka dot blouse - H&M

black vest - NY and Company

Red wristlet - Shoppers stop

Jewelry - local boutique

Watch - Casio (Husband's)

Ring - Inorbit, India

Red pumps - Kelly & Katie, DSW

Glasses - Burberry

Filmy Friday - Filmy Fashion -1

Heylo peeps, how you been? It’s very hot here today, literally H.O.T. ..like a burning oven/ tandoor. So I am not even going to try to step out during the day hours. And yeah, also that I have to pack for our 5-day trip to CALIFORNIA!!!..oohhh yeah baby, do I love that place or what!

This will be my second visit to the Sunshine land, and this time J and I are visiting the heart of Hollywood – LA and the land of beaches n Mexican food – San Diego. Hell, I am excited as a kid who is visiting Disneyland for the first time ;)))

Anyhow, back to the theme for Fridays – Filmi Fridays..i gotta be honest with you here..I was not able to catch up on any movies this week; mainly ‘cause I was not keeping so well and secondly J was busy with work. But hey, don’t ya worry – if I say Filmy Fridays then, Filmy it will be ;)

I have been watching out for Indian actresses lately and there designer wear looks. Some of them are really working hard to look presentable and I should say smashing in the western brands/outfits. And one of these damsels I have been stalking (online of course!!!) is PC aka Piggy Chops or Priyanka Chopra if you will.

She has got the perfect bod for any type of clothing – Indian Lehengas, Sarees (how can we forget her ‘Desi Girl’ bikini blouse n sari), skirts, dresses, minis, smashing evening gowns; the list goes on and on. There are really minimal of her outfits that have ever put me off, ‘because most of the times she really looks elegant in all of them with make-up and hair-dos spot on.

Now that I am a fashion blogger, where dressing up and posing for pictures is part of the deal, I gotta hand it to PC for looking elegant every ‘freaking’ time – its effort, a lot n lot of effort to look that good (good is an understatement here) every time – be it tired from work or jetlagged or even not feeling ‘it’. No such excuses on her face..Damn!!! (I want her makeup artist and stylist ;)

It’s a lot of hard work to have the perfect frame day in day out – when travelling, between work schedules and film promotions (hell, it’s difficult for me here in my normal routine to stay fit, I would say she’s doing a herculean task there). Let’s just say – some people are god-gifted ;)

So I take a break from my ramblings now and let you enjoy a collection of some of PC’s best looks.

Love the high-low hemline of this Lanvin dress and the belt is just fabulous!

Perfect summery look in ZARA, PC knows how to look cool ;)

Looking suave in Versace, I am digging those bangs and ponytail!! I want those bangs like right now!!

I am with PeeCee – shes rocking the D&G evening gown

It’s such a cute look, I love those coral pumps, they are just the right amount of color to the neutral outfit. Completely loving the braided look on PC.

Desi/Indian looks - she is looking elegant in Manish Malhotra!

Airport looks – she looks effortlessly chic, how does she do it after hours n hours of air travel, cabin pressure, dehydration?

Love PC in VB, fits her like a glove!

Hmm, probably one look of hers I am not a fan of, she needs to cut short the minis from her closet!!

 (* All pictures from www.pinkvilla.com*)

so, who’s your idol/favorite (movie star pls) when it comes to Fashion? What is the one best quality you like about that person?

have a great weekend!

Ashwini

P.S.: I couldn’t help but slip is some bolly-masala into my post…so here’s the new trailer for Salman-Katrina starrer ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ Their pair looks ravishing (‘cause I think Salman looks younger somehow) looking forward to this one ‘cause hopefully it makes some sense (unlike Dabanng and others) …so you see peoples – you can take out the filmy from my post but you cannot take out the filmy in me ;)

Indian Fashion Bloggers - VIBGYOR challenge

Recently I have joined the fashionable bandwagon at INFB and couldn’t be more contented about it. I have discovered a whole new world of Indian fashionistas who are true to their love for fashion, are pros in what they do, have interesting tips and blogs going on the INFB website and continually keep inspiring me to do better..I am glad I found this treasure of people from my homeland who I can share my love of fashion with :)

They have interesting challenges coming up and lately I participated in my first challenge –    the VIBGYOR challenge! This definitely was a bold challenge for me.. I am not usually the daring types; I tend to stick to the styles I know I can pull off or look better on me, and of course are comfy! So keeping in mind these boundaries, and creating a look for VIBGYOR challenge had my brain cells working overtime (throughout the morning, noon, night ..Even when I am peacefully snuggled in my blanket, I kept on dreaming of the perfect look for this challenge), so finally a day before this challenge it struck me, tadaaaaa…(*drumroll please*) “why not accessorize like a rainbow!!!”

I decided to go with a LBD (little black dress) as my blank canvass and used up 6 colors of the challenge to accessorize it (I don’t own a LWD so LBD was an obvious choice u c :))

I went with my bold green earrings (recent purchase from the Northern Virginia arts festival in Reston), blue beaded necklace from F21, and orange belt from target as basic accessories. For bracelet/cuff, I tied up my yellow beads necklace (my bessht buy from Colaba street shopping) on the wrist and added another multi-color beaded cuff (from Vegas strip shopping) for that extra zing ;)

Finally I rounded up the outfit with a red Envelope clutch and red pumps..I wanted to coordinate at least two pieces, so it doesn’t look absolutely whacky (well, it does look whacky, but that was the point of the challenge for me, to come out of my comfort zone) I actually wore this outfit to a dinner with J and it rocked!! I am also considering this as one of my evening looks on my upcoming trip to SoCal (southern California).

Last but not the least; I had to come up with a caption for my entry to the challenge. And my brain that was already processing, re-processing and over processing for this challenge, derived this crazy caption – “When feeling low, accessorize like a Rainbow!”

Well, I will leave you, my readers, to judge this look, what do you think works or does not work here? When feeling low, would you accessorize like a rainbow? ;))

a quick recap of all the accessories n dress: 
Violet eyeshadow - F21
green earrings - NoVA Art Festival, Reston
blue beads necklace - F21
Orange belt - Target
Yellow beaded necklace (worn as bracelet) - Colaba street shopping
Multicolor beaded cuff - vegas strip shopping
red clutch - JC Penney
red pumps - DSW
LBD - Urban Outfitters

When feeling low, accessorize like a Rainbow!

Filmy Friday - 2

I took a brk last week from ‘Filmy Friday’ (busy packing for our weekend trip to West Viriginia) and now I am back with a bang!

This Friday is gonna be busy for me (again!!), friends coming over and I have planned a chaaat spread of crunchy but not-so-filling sev-batata-puri and then hot feisty paav-bhaaaji..with dollops of butter and crisp buttery paav, and of course some accompaniments with salad, cukes and fresh slices of lemons..n then finish off the meal with yummy goodness of fried dough soaked in rosy sugary syrup…yes friends, GULAB JAMUNS  indeed!! The best part is that GJs are already done and soaking in their hot bath of syrup..so I shud say the difficult part is over!!

I just need to prep for main course n apps so I gotta hurry up and finish this post and get back to my cooking and mixing masalas n cutting veggies ..haha

Well, I caught up with ‘Snow white and the Huntsman’ with my girlfriends last week – 

My review - it’s a interesting spin on the classic story we all know from our childhood but for me it was a so-so movie..Charlize Theron really really lights up the screen with her strong presence..i gotta admit I was actually smitten by the witch queen than snow white herself..I am not a fan of Kristen Stewart and I don’t think there were any major dhaasu (kick-ass) dialogues to her credit..she was lets say ..blehh!!

Though the movie was a let down I enjoyed being out with my girlfriends for a movie night, n popcorns..and wat better that it was a weekday (need some breath of fun in the humdrum) and, and ..it was a 6$ movie night at the theatre..I would say score!!!!

Over on the Bollywood side, I watched ‘Aarakshan’ at home (ofcourse!!). 

Movie review – it was too long, but I didn’t mind it ‘cause I was surfing net for inspirations, working on my blog and also online window shopping..when you have so many things going on, I didn’t mind Aarakshan going on in the background ..haha! It was actually perfect :)

Deepika acted very well in certain parts only! AB was good as ever, Saif was okish..n worst was Prateik Babbar ..i was disappointed there, he has done really well in Dhobhi Ghat and this movie was a total shocker and a blotch on his career..story wise it did start off with its tag line – reservation system based on castes but lost the steam I think almost half way down the road..at the end I didn’t even think it was a fight about reservation or caste system, just a fight between a good vs evil (as usual)

Which new movies did you watch? Im looking fwd to ‘Ferrari ki sawari’ and ‘Madagascar 3’..Hope I can catch up with them, will keep u posted, until then have a fun-tastic weekend!

Beat the Heat!

Heylosss there amigos..today is officially the first of summer here in the States aka Summer Solstice and hell yeah does it feel like one!! its scorching, raging, freakiiinggg 34 degrees C (93F) outside (I cant stress enough the heat of the heat!!) I am running the AC in full speed and well, that’s also making me kinda drowsy now. aaah..the side effects of ‘stay-at-home-on-a-sunny-afternoon’ phenomenon. 

Its officially impossible-eeaayyy to step outside the house, so here I am ...typing away my first-day-of-summer-post. To 'beat the heat' (and of course my laziness blues), I made this citrusy concoction with bitter, sweet n salty notes…watttt u didn’t get it yet?? Duhhh ..its good ol’ limeade aka nimbu pani in Hindi..

Its quick recipe for a refreshing drink with no side-effects..hmm or lets say, it may lead to an exceptionally good mood!! It the best remedy for heat-beaten soul …hmm, well then there r margaritas that come in the big bowl-shaped glasses (*drooling*), but that’s another story for a time when I have a company to enjoy..for now lets stick to talking about safe n harmless (and mayb one side-effect) limeades J

So heres to summer, scorching heat, exponentially growin’ AC bills, shorts, skirts and many more such limeades …I am working on writing up the recipe (brrr, its complicated than actually making the drink..I am the trial-n-error sorta cook) so hoping to have it out soon in another post.

Well peoplesss, today is officially the longest day of summer too so have fun, go out, chillax-n-relax, enjoy an al-fresco lunch/dinner/drink or just laze around at home.. ‘cause well days r gonna get shorter after this ..(#fact, #winter)

Wat are your remedies to beat the heat? Do share your most-fav-drink of all times….

Until next time,

Tadaaaaaaa

Red denims with a sprinkling of Florals!

First of all, thank you so much for your appreciation of my first travel post!!

I did try to fit as much as info I could from as much as I could remember – well ‘cause it was like seven years back!!! I really loved writing about my travels (aah... reminiscing the beautiful moments) and posting the pictures that go so way back..Friends look out, 'cause I hope to churn out more such posts :)

well, well..back to dressing up …This was a quick, simple, no-brainer, and most important comfy outfit.. it’s getting hot here as the days go by, and I need more such outfits with cool comfy cotton shirts, my turquoise blue cross-body bag and my colored denims n I am all set for a whirl around the town

This is a very relaxing outfit for groceries, movies, a stroll around the farmers market , brunch, or well to a cutesy arts festival in your town (u guessed right, moi wore this one to the 2012-Northern Virginia Arts Festival)

I got this shirt from Old Navy, last year, so it’s a little on trans-p side and needs a cami underneath. I like the floral print on it and it pairs well with all contrast color bottoms and denims go wonderful with it. (I paired it with denims last summer when colored denims were still yet to knock on my closet-door ;)) )

So friends, now I leave you to the pictures to do the talking…hope u and they have a good time with each other :)

have a great week ahead, 

~ashy

Top - Old Navy

Red denims - NY and Co.

Watch - Michael Kors

White ring - Inorbit mall Vashi, India

Cross-body bag - DSW

Glasses - Vogue

Art on display at the festival 

this was a million dollar worth art!

cute figurines :)

Northern Virginia Art Festival 2012 @ Reston Town Center

To the Danish countryside..

First of all, welcome to my new readers and thanks to all of you who left comments on my previous post. It was fun reading through them and thank you for encouraging words. I have found new friends in the blogging community and couldn’t be happier about it!!

Yesterday nite I was going through the old snaps on my hard drive and it kinda got me into a nostalgia mode…aah good ol’ days! Well, I hit on this album from my trip to Denmark – a Scandinavian treasure. I was in Denmark in 2005 summer on the client-side. I love love n absolutely love to travel…there is no other thing in this world that makes me happier than to plan my next travel …waataa a feeling it is to book tickets and then spend the rest of the time day-dreaming and making travel plans :) So ya back to the nostalgia mode :)…I lived in the suburbs of Copenhagen (capital of Denmark) and took weekend trips in and around Denmark and to Berlin, Amsterdam and Malmo in Sweden.

That was one memorable time..I was by myself (I had never travelled alone before or for that matter even lived on my own).. so you can imagine this was a life altering experience for me living in the Danish countryside. I learnt a lot about people, living alone, met different (read weird!) type of people..and of course dearly missed my family and friends.

I had curious experiences living there..got to see how people live in Europe, had my first trip to a Gurdwara, participated in my first ever walkathon (it went all around the cty of Copenhagen), pluck-n-eat juicy cherries directly from the trees, have dinner (at 9) while the sun shining high, exchanged letters with my parents (tat was soo sweet and emotional, I still have those letters and read them once in a while), walk in the freaking-freezing fall mornings, foggy n snowy winters..well you c there were too many firsts on that trip.

And of course nothing can beat this - living in a country where they don’t speak the language you do :P ..well I can’t complain much, cause the Danes are very well versed in English n spoke it very fluently (without any reservations)..the Danish are very helpful, caring and warm bunch of people..never once made me feel like an outsider. Well, I also made really good friends (we were five gals) who I cherish even now. We had some memorable dinners, shopping trips, touristy things n ya chit chatted for hours n did all things girly…fun times!!   oh ya and I was introduced to two fashionable brands - H&M and Debenhams. H&M carried superb skirts, I remember getting a couple of them - brown corduroy n black velvet. We used to hop over to this huge shopping complex called - Fields - something that was huge, huge and even more huge!! i dont think I have ever seen something like that here in the states. Fields had every shop, every European brand and super huge food court.

well, sharing with you some pics of my time spent in Denmark…the pics brought back a lot of memories and I was transported back to the summer of 2005 …I had real good time engulfed in nostalgia n reminiscing the small unseen things in the pics..!!

I plan do separate posts on my visit to Amsterdam and Berlin!..well till then, as they say in Danish “Fortsat god dag” (Have a good day!)

Copenhagen Town center

temps were always below 20C

Danish Parliament

Walking street in Copenhagen

Opera House

Copenhagen harbor 

beautiful countryside in Roskilde, a town near Copenhagen

Vikings Museum

World Famous 'Tivoli Gardens'

Danish author Hans Chistian Andersen - creator of 'The Little Mermaid' 

Tivoli Gardens

Dinner parties :)

One serene morning in Fall

Fall in Danish countryside

Neon is sooo On!

Theme of the day, month, this season – tadaaaaaaaaaaaa…its Neon!!

Neon pink, Neon green, Neon orange, Neon yellow – Neon on everything and in every store!! and I couldn’t resist picking up a neon pink tee and add a bit of Neon to my closet. 

Neon pink looks great with blue denims but I thot of giving it a quirky twist (like wearing neon pink wasn’t quirky enough for me!!) by pairing it with aqua blue jeggings and voila!! Wat a cute combo..this is gonna definitely perk up my low mood days..

I did another neon look with a relaxed pair of shorts ..funny thing about the neon green tank , found it hidden in my closet – I had picked it last spring while shopping for our vacay to Puerto Rico (more details on the vacay coming sooon!! I promise) I was hunting for a closet essential – black tank and American Eagle had the perfect one. Incidentally they were running a deal for 2 tanks, so along with the blank tank, the neon green got yanked from the pile… and friends, that’s how I met this neon green tank J

Back to the outfit, adding the the brown vest was a total last min decision and I think it’s working very well.. 

Neon Tee - Old Navy

Blue Jeggings - Gap

Cuff - Budday'12 gift from J (Kate Spade)

Necklace - Valentines gift from J (Nordstorm)

Ring - India

Watch - Diwali gift from parents (Michael Kors)

Tan pumps - Payless

Bag - Target

Neon Green Tank - American Eagle

Shorts - JCrew

Vest - JC Penney

Glasses - Vogue

Bag - Shoppers Stop, India

would you add a vest to a tank-shorts outfit??  Have you welcomed NEON in your closet?? Do share tips for dressing up with Neon..

Cya n tc,

Ashwini 

P.S.: The pink tee outfit is my submission to EveryBody EveryWear contest and DSW contest on FB.