Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Shimmer glimmer


Sequins, sparkles, glitter, shimmer - all scream festive season, don't they? I am just back from a trip to Target and a walk by the accessories department gave cue to the fact that festive season will be upon us pretty soon!

Be it the Indian festivals (Diwali, Dassera) or Christmas or New Year’s Eve, these two months are going to be one big fanfare for everyone with invitations for get-togethers, office shindigs, family parties, pot lucks and what not.

With so many revelries lined up, dressing up, especially for us ladies, is a huge thought process. 'cause let’s get this straight, we don’t want to shop for every party that we have to attend and of course it will be a crime to repeat outfits, wont it? ;)

I would not be totally wrong in saying that, we all crave to own that one glittery piece in our wardrobe! That one shimmering piece – top, skirt, blazer, jacket, tee, scarf or even shoes - just adds the right amount of zing to a neutral colored or even a color-blocked outfit.
When the festive season is over, that shiny clothing piece gets stacked or pushed to the back of the wardrobe - maybe to be remixed in the next season or donned on that occasional Saturday party with your friends (who, mind you, were not on the guest list of the party that you wore it to!)

But hey, sparkle, shimmer, glitter is not just a thing for that weekend night out. Well, times have changed, and a little shimmer to your day/work outfit is totally acceptable. In reality, it drives you to be a little more creative with your party wear tops/skirts and certainly helps you get the most 'Bang for your buck'!For work appropriate styling, I love hints of shimmer especially during winters - a shimmer belt to your neutral colored work outfit, a sequined scarf that keeps you both warm and chic, or even a little path of glitter on your booties can be an instant cynosure. For me, shimmer/glitter is a cheerful accent to my outfit; it declares 'I am going to have an exciting day ahead ‘cause well, that’s the state of my mind today! :)’
This time I am introducing a different concept in outfit blogging; one that I have seen so many of my blogger-friends explore and personally I love it too. Creating ‘sets of multiple outfits’ gives a free hand in creativity without undue pressure on oneself to dress up and look pretty.
Today I have resigned and decided to be lazy but still create sparkling work-appropriate outfits from the comfort of my couch :)
Presenting you some of my day time looks with a hint of sparkle ;)  


Look 1: In this look, the sequined top is the center of attraction but not too much thanks to the black cover up (could be a sweater/blazer/jacket). Nude make up and hot red lips complete the look.


Gold shimmer for work

similar top here and here; similar watch here. similar black bow tie pumps here

Look 2: This is more of a Friday office look /weekend look; the tan accessories (bags, boots, bracelet, watch) pair well with the shimmer on the top. 
I have placed two choice of shoes - tan boots and tan sandals 'cause personally I think anyone of them will look great! Again, I have skipped necklace to avoid taking the limelight away from the sequined top. A rosy blush will look perfect with this outfit. 

day look- weekend

similar sweater here and here; similar bag here; similar boots here

Look 3: Out of all the looks, this is my favorite! And I think this is probably for a more creative office/work place (magazine, publication, fashion house,etc.). The sequined skirt is just WOW! But when paired with a crisp white shirt and nude pumps the glitzy look is toned down. I have skipped on all accessories except for a pair of studs. Kohl-ed eyes, blush gloss, and brown eye shadow will enhance the look. 

sequin skirt for work
similar skirt here; similar watch here; similar pumps here



Look 4:This is more of a partayyy look! We are talking about Sequins, shimmer, glimmer, sparkles and how could I not do a disco look ;)
I did something new here, by adding a sequined vest; really loved this unique piece! For a night look, smokey eyes and red lips raise the hotness quotient to another level! I loved all 3 different types of shoes to go with this look; metal cap-toe, black sequin, or silver shimmer - anyone of them would look perfect!

sequin night look



similar sequin-studded vest here and here
similar pumps here and here; similar pendant necklace here

I am submitting this post for the InFB Remix: Sparkle 

P.S.: On another note, I am ecstatic! I just checked the blog views and they have crossed the 10,000 mark!! Woop! Woop! Its nothing about the number but, the thought that the blog has gained substantial readership in past 6 months makes me super happy :)
a BIG 'thank you' to all my friends, family and readers who continue to support and appreciate my work on the blog. It wouldn't have been possible without you, so keep it coming :)

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Avocado Corn Soup - Healthy & Tasty series


With the cooler season upon us, I thought of sharing some of my favorite soup recipes..the ones I have tried and tested last winter and are going to be repeated this season too!

We almost have a couple of avocados in the fridge every week 'cause well, we both are crazy guacamole (guac) fans! yes, we have guac n chips almost every weekend. A spicy creamy guac n chips is definitely our go-to snack for a movie night. The best part (of course, for me) is that hubs is more than happy and loves to make guac. This means I get a day off from the kitchen! Win-win scenario, won't ya say? :) So there you have it; it never crossed my mind to try another recipe with avocados.

But once upon a time, there sat a lone avocado in the veggie drawer of my fridge and it dawned up on me - hey now that a 2-person bowl of guac is not possible, why not google a nice recipe that I can try with this avocado? So, that's how I discovered this healthy soup, which goes perfectly with our 'salad-dinner' nights. The soup is a quickie - takes less than 30 mins to whip-up and no cutting-shutting required, so that qualifies as a keeper in my weeknight dinner books. The soup can be spicy (with green chilies) and tasty (garlic and fresh coriander gives it a nice aroma)  and the corn kernels provide an interesting and flavor and texture contrast to the velvety soup.

Avocados are rich in proteins, beneficial fats, Carotenoids (i.e. high quality source of Vitamin A) and has heart healthy and anti-inflammatory properties. No wonder its termed as a healthy super-food!
Another good thing, I realized, about avocados is that, they are bland by themselves - no home grown taste at all - which really works to a cooks advantage. Because now you can dress it the way you want, savory or sweet or spicy or garlicky. Its all yours to dress up the way you want, fashion-blogger style! :)

Like most of my recipes, I have adapted this one from here.

Ingredients:
Ripe avocados 2 medium
Corn kernels,boiled and crushed 1 cup (I used frozen corn)
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tablespoon
Garlic,crushed 2 cloves
White pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 2 tablespoons

Method
1. Halve the avocados, remove the pit and peel.
2. Blend them by adding water (you can use vegetable stock for added flavor), lemon juice and salt in a blender until smooth.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan, add garlic and sauté for a minute and add the avocado mixture and mix.
4. Add corn and cook on medium heat until just steaming.
5. Season with salt and pepper powder.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and tortilla chips and serve hot.







LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...