Chiconomical

Bowties are cool! So said my favorite fictional character (ahem, Doctor Who, ahem) and I can't help but agree. Especially when the bowtie is in such a funky print. I had my eye on this particular Quirk Box print right when the brand was exploding onto the fashion scene and I knew I had to get it for myself. While these bowties (yes, I have two) have been in my closet for quite a while now, they somehow never really made it onto the blog and that's something I though it was time to remedy.






This look is all about being funky without looking crazy. Yes, you can wear nerdy things like suspenders and bowties together without being an actual geek. I personally love the idea of suspenders with anything and think they are such a cool statement piece that they go with literally everything. Ok maybe not evening gowns, but then I don't really have occasions to wear those so its quite awrite. And yes, dress like a nerd, but lets just say your a cute nerd.

I decided to pair my grey suspender trousers with a simple white shirt. Actually, this is the kind of outfit you can wear to work just like that. Of course, that was a little too normal for me, so I decided to add a bowtie in a fun print and also a bright pink bag. With my normal sunglasses and open hair, I was ready to toe the quirky line.

Working in an office in India usually means seeing a uniform of shirts, trousers, kurtis and sometimes ill-fitting blazers. If you've got a particularly important meeting or engagement,or maybe you're just feeling adventurous you'll wear a formal dress or skirt. Usually, the endless parade of pinstripes, black, blue and whites makes you just another person in the office crowd. This is exactly why I thought of starting a workwear series where I'll be sharing tips on how to make everyday office outfits interesting and not boring and part of the usual fare.

Today's Boring to Interesting Tip:Take Risks!





Today's outfit has my most favorite tip for workwear. I usually see girls shying away from prints when it comes to choosing office wear. Don't! There are a number of office appropriate prints that you can wear without looking like you're going on a casual date. In this outfit, I paired a simple black top with printed trousers to add an element of interest to what would have otherwise been a regular boring black and white outfit. You can even pair a printed blouse with a suit to add a bit of your own personality to a regular outfit.

So what are some other office appropriate prints? Well, virtually any print that is not loud and big works for office. Workwear is all about muted individualism in my book and so your best bet is to look for small, repetitive prints that aren't in your face but still add a bit more quirk to a regular outfit.

Fashion Blogs, when I first heard about them were a source of inspiration and sometimes, aspiration for the everyday girl. Honestly, I started blogging because I googled till my fingers bled from different search combinations but I simply couldn't find an Indian Fashion Blogger who blogged regularly about affordable fashion. What I found, even back when I started around 3 odd years ago, was that most of the "big" bloggers had mostly sponsored posts. I didn't quite understand how it all worked but I dove in head first anyway.



Through this year, I've found more and more bloggers maybe posting about completely unachievable (for the regular folks anyway) products or getting invited by brands simply because they have a few million followers on social media. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of them have worked hard to reach where they are today, and this is in no way a jealousy post. However, having said that, I feel that somehow, the more "editorial" a blogger's style becomes, it loses its connect with the regular folks on the way. Personally, I want to read a post where the blogger is excited about buying a pair of shoes for Rs. 200 or buying a lipstick that's Rs. 300 but still looks amazing. I squeal with excitement when I read about such things. I want to know how I can wear my Rs. 500 skirt to work and look like a model off a ramp, not where I can buy a Rs. 5000 skirt that's got gold on it. If we look at India as a country, I think we'd realise that most people live a life on a slim income. Is it right then, that the people who have the power to shape young minds tell them to buy a dozen new things every week?

I find myself unfollowing a lot of the bloggers since the content is purely commercial. Many bloggers seem to be nothing but walking billboards for brands. Yes, you're looking brilliant in your Rs. 100,000 shoes but will the girl who read your blog when nobody else was be able to buy it? Its true that we put our best face forward on social media but its not okay for a girl in her 20s to be jet-setting across the globe. Honestly, a girl in college does not have the means to buy business class tickets every month and if she did, I doubt the girl reading her blog does. While its great that you've grown over the years to reach a point where maybe you could afford such trips, but then I don't think the income of your audience has grown in the way. She probably still works her regular 9 to 5 job, comes home and takes care of her bills and looks to you for some form of inspiration.

Somehow, instead of focusing on the essence of it, blogging these days is all about earning a few thousand bucks per post and getting free stuff. I remember how shocked a girl I spoke to was (she was starting her own blog and wanted to know how I do it), when I told her I buy my own clothes for most posts on the blog. " Wait, so you don't get free clothes if you're a blogger?!?!" is essentially her reaction. This is what many people who blog these days feel. No, I don't earn big bucks from being a blogger. I do earn sometimes, but it always goes into the blog. I'm not saying you can't do it, just that its still a pretty bold move filled with uncertainty. I almost always spend a lot more on the blog than I ever make from it.

Everyone deserves a second chance. This applies not only to people but also to inanimate objects. This is exactly what "Once Again Store" offers. How many of us have clothes in the closet that we hold on to purely out of sentimental reasons. Or maybe that impulse buy that we just haven't gotten around to wearing because secretly we know it looks horrible on us? Me? I've been like that for ages and I think it just isn't fair! As I said previously, everything deserves some loving!


Once Again Store is a platform for people to sell their pre-owned, gently loved clothing so that they can go to someone who will truly care for them! I tried out their store a few months ago and recently they got in touch and asked me if I could review the store for them**. Of course, for something that supports recycling fashion (more on that later) I was more than happy to agree! So lets break down the review in two parts, buying and selling.

Buying:


Once Again has a very clean website which I rather like. The products are divided neatly into separate categories like Clothing, Bags, Shoes, Accessories. There's also a dropdown that offers you listings according to occasions so as to reduce your search time. The items are listed with images and there are helpful filter options on the side like usual fashion stores which again, help you narrow down your perfect match. One thing that bothers me is that the listing shows SOLD products by default unless you explicitly filter them out. I wish these would show up at the bottom because its a little disappointing when you get excited looking at the image only to then see the "SOLD" sign below it.

I ordered a Bag (check out the image below) from the store. I've recently started wishing for a red bag again so when I spotted one on the store, I was more than happy to get it. The delivery was extremely quick and takes a couple of days if everything goes smoothly. I however don't like that the site doesn't list anything about sanitation and from what I've received, it seems that the responsibility of ensuring a clean laundered product falls on the seller. I would be much more comfortable if there was a proper sanitation process done by Once Again instead of leaving it upto the seller.

While I absolutely love that the collections are quite extensive and lots of new items get listed everyday, I am a little miffed at their recent return policy change where you may not return an item that costs less than Rs. 400. I do get it's probably a logistics issue, but I still feel this limit shouldn't be imposed especially when it come to a pre-owned e-commerce portal. One other thing I've noticed is that the product doesn't come packaged in the Store's packing but depending on the delivery parter, the packaging is different each time. However, overall, I am happy with the listings and believe they do manage to offer some rather competitive prices as well as unique things. Plus with a wide range of prices there's something for every thrifter out there!

Selling:

Now, if you're a seller on Once Again, they do try and make things simple for you. You start with taking clear pictures of your product and upload them on the site. They have nine major categories of items they accept and also a list of brands they accept and its a simple interface where you can upload the images of things you wish to sell. Next, you need to price your items and the page will automatically calculate the listing item after adding the 15% commission that Once Again charges. Next, well, wait for the product to sell people!!

Once the product sells, its upto you confirm the pickup, launder and neatly pack your item. This is something that you need to ensure at your end and then package it well enough for the pickup agent to collect it. After this, once the product reachers the buyer, the store waits for 3 days to see if the buyer has issues with it and wishes to return it, and if not, you're good to go. The store transfers the money to your bank account (You need to add this when you're listing anything) and this transfer happens every Saturday. This means if your buyer receives the item on Monday, you'll end up getting your payment the following Saturday.

I find that the selling process is pretty smooth. Like I said before, I still find the fact that the seller has to manage the sanitation of the product a little problematic. However, if it doesn't bother the buyer, I don't see it being a problem for most people.


And that's the gist of it. Personally, I've bought a couple of things from the store and overall I think they try to provide a simple platform to satisfy all your fashion needs. There's nothing wrong with giving some love to something that's pre-owned in my humble opinion. Honestly, its a good idea to swap your old clothes that probably won't ever see the light of day with something that you would use today. Don't hold on to those old dresses with the tags still on people, give them life once again in the world. They deserve to be seen, not rot in the back of your closet! Don't you agree?

Nature's Co is one of my absolute favorite subscription box and I always look forward to getting it with much enthusiasm. Every month, these guys come up with new innovative ways to deliver their product and honestly, I haven't once been disappointed in the products, or the "box" or as I like to call it, a faux box. This month' the "box" was a beautifully wrapped basket filled with goodies. It was orange and looked like a wedding present more than a beauty box which made me smile to no end.



Let's break down what I received in this month's Nature's Co Beautywish Box:

1. Rose Hydrating Face Mist: Rs. 42.5 for 10 ml
Face mists are pretty much on everyone's summer list and this little travel friendly sample is probably going to come with me on weekend trips. It's something for those summer days when you feel tired and sleepy. I haven't used it yet (I'm still on my jasmine face mist from last month's MSM Box) but its a nifty little thing to have in your arsenal against summer heat.


2. Aloe Vera After Sun Gel: Rs. 425 for 125 ml
Sunburn is the free prize at the end of long weekends at the beach where you just forgot to apply sunscreen again in all your merriment. The benefits of Aloe Vera are no secret and this full sized product is perfect for soothing those sunburns. I like the idea of gel that gives you the benefits of aloe vera in a tube. Also, if you don't have sunburns, it says it helps with tan too.


3. Apple Guava Hair Cleanser: Rs. 101.5 for 35 ml
I really don't like natural hair cleansers in the sense that sometimes they just don't cleanse enough as compared to regular cleansers. Somehow, they aren't potent enough so I always keep experimenting. This little bottle is the perfect size to judge if this particular product will live up to my expectations. I'll keep you posted on that!


4. Watermelon Exfoliating Body Wash: Rs. 101.4 for 30 ml
Watermelon is the summer wonder fruit and honestly, using it as a body wash is something I've always dreamt off. First, it will help in re-hydrating your skin and second, its antioxidant properties will help pull out toxins and fight free radicals. I've used their Cranberry Body Wash before and I'm expecting great things from this one aswell.


5. Corn Exfoliating Face Pack: Rs. 331.6 for 35 ml
I've never heard about using corn as an exfoliator before. It promises to gentry remove excess oil, de-tan and make the skin softer and brighter. Something I think every girl dreams off. I like this product for its novelty and look forward to trying it out.


6. Orange Bath Salt: Rs. 107.15 for 35 gms
This is a new product by Nature's Co and it smells amazing! Yes, I've had it in my head to pamper myself with a long luxurious bath. I can almost image the fresh feeling that this bath salt will produce and its orange rind will probably make me a happy lady. I'll let you know once I try it out!


I also received a voucher to buy "Unlaunched" Stay Quirky nail colors with a personalised name etched on the bottle. Since I'm not a very big fan of nailpaint, I haven't used it yet. I'm happy with the products I got this month. Most of these are very relevant and can be used to beat the heat this summer. The face pack and the body wash quite literally fit into the detox theme this month.

This month, I received all three of India's Top Subscription boxes and when I saw them all together, I thought it would be a good idea to have a faceoff between the three and see which one is actually better.
I feel that most subscription boxes at the moment follow a system where the products fall in three broad categories: Beauty, Makeup and Others. There's also a bunch of other things such as appearance, delivery, overall customer care and I've listed those too. All the individual ratings are on a scale of Meh, Yeh, Brillinat where Meh is the lowest, Yeh is Average and Brilliant is well, brilliant! So lets see how each of the boxes scored on my various scales.



1. Looks: While all three were in shades of pink this month, here's what I thought about each.

Fab Bag: The most useful box of the three, because its not really a box but a bag that can be easily reused, I think this month's bag is quite lovely with its bright pink color as well as the almost woven texture. This was a Yay for me!

MSM Box: Its a pretty box, I'll give you that, but then they use the same box every month and there aren't a lot of interesting things to see or get excited about how its gonna look when you open it packaging each month its decidedly boring. A definite snooze and a Meh for me.

My Envy Box: While this is still a box, I absolutely love the pink packaging. As this month's box was curated by Bipasha Basu, maybe she had something to do with the distinctly girlie yet pretty box design. (I think the Label Life logo helped make it prettier too). Honestly, it's brilliant its month!

2. Makeup: For beauty boxes, the April boxes did have a good number of makeup products, lets take a look.

Fab Bag: This month, the fab bag gave not one, but two full sized makeup products! There was a lovely catrice eyeliner in copper and a Makeup Revolution concealer. Thankfully, this time everything was in shades that suit my skintype and can be used immediately. A big Yay for me!

MSM Box: The MSM box had one hard core beauty product (okay, so maybe you could consider the cleansing moisturiser as a beauty product but I think of it more as a skincare product tbh). It had the Inveda BB Cream that I've been using since the day I received my box and honestly, while its only one, its multiple ticks such as Parabens Free, Cruelty Free and all natural ingredients make it a yay product for me. However, since its a beauty subscription box, I expect more makeup products So it sadly comes out as a Meh for me.

My Envy Box: Okay, so this box had the Fran Wilson Moodmatcher lipstick in Orange. I've never used the Moodmatcher lipstick before, so while I'm excited about it, I still think they could have added another makeup product sample if they'd tried. A Meh for me.

3. Skincare: Skincare is something that seems to be big with all subscription boxes and this month's no different. For beauty boxes that usually show images of makeup products, they always seem to have more skincare products. Let's take a look.

Fab Bag: Fab Bag gives you Soul Tree Cleansing Milk and a O3+ whitnening mask as its skincare this month. I like the Soul Tree Cleanser but I've already received the O3+ whitnening mask before. So its just a Meh for me.

MSM Box: From the sinfully fragrant Rose and Almond Body Bar, the Jasmine scented face mist to the luxurious Fuschia Cleansing moisturiser, I love the skincare in the April MSM Box. It is sure to make you smell like the queen of Egypt with its floral scents and luxe feel. A big Yay for me!!

My Envy Box: A Milk scrub is something I haven't tired before so it definitely intrigues and excites. The Rene Furterer Parish is also another brand I haven't tired before, so in terms of wow quotient, it definitely was a Yay for me.

4. Other Benefits: These days, most subscription boxes come packed with other than beauty products too. This month, we had some amazing products (looking at you there BBlunt) so lets quickly list them down.

Fab Bag: We got some goodies from Style Fiesta this month and also a pair of use and throw lenses! Definitely something unique. I got a pair of golden earrings which I'm a little on the fence about but the lenses are gorgeous and I'll hopefully wear them in a post very soon! This is somewhere between brilliant and yay for me!

MSM Box: The MSM box gave a lovely makeup brush this month and while I may be quite clueless about the perfect way to use it I'm sure makeup enthusiasts will love it. For me, its a little Meh.

My Envy Box: My favorite of the lot, I love love love both the other things in this box. The lovely BBlunt Hairspray and the smells better than sin Roberto Cavalli perfume sample are absolutely Brilliant!

5. Overall Satisfaction: So lets sum up what I felt about each this month and of course, the winner!

Fab Bag: A good mix of things, this month's fab bad didn't disappoint me and was a overall Yay for me.

MSM Box: While it had some sinfully fragrant products, I wish it was better somehow. An overall Meh Experience for me.

My Envy Box: From the gorgeous pink box, the good variety of products and the overall happiness it got me, I think this month's My Envy Box was pretty brilliant! If you must get one of the three, I'd say go for the My Envy Box this month!

A very Happy New Year to all my lovely readers! I don't know where 2015 has flown away and while there have been many big life changes, I'm still happy to welcome the new year with enthusiasm.


I also thought that its a good idea to begin the new year with a new outfit! Yes, I thought the best way to celebrate was to share one of my favorite buys from last year. This little dress was on my wishlist for the longest time. I'd been lusting after it for ages and then finally decided to indulge after getting my salary. It's yet again, not my normal style but then that's what the new year is all about, pushing yourself to become better. In my case, it involves making a few cliched but personally important resolutions. Wanna know what they are, read on....





I love the gold and red in this outfit. I've recently turned into a fan of gold and this dress with its shimmery gold detailing is a winner. The origami style skirt is a definite plus for me and since its a little too bold, I decided to add a blazer for warmth, modesty and a pop of color. Combining two of my favorite things, surprisingly this is new territory for me! Also this new year, I've definitely made a few new and classic resolutions that I hope I can stick to!

So what are my 2016 Resolutions you ask?

Get healthy! 
The most cliche of all resolutions, this one is still top of my list. I've recently started gaining weight in all the wrong places and feel like my current lifestyle is extremely sedentry and hence, this is a top priority.

No Shopping! 
Yes! I have put myself on a shopping ban (WHAAT!) for atleast  the begining of 2016. I've decided I need to add to my savings and that means no getting swayed by the pretty bargain online or the shoeseller with shiny baubles. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this up but I'm definitely going to try and make my current wardrobe work instead of hoarding more things.

Travel!
Another cliche point on my list (hey, I'm a classic lover, what can I say?) over the last few years, I've never had enough money to travel, so I thought since I've started earning a little bit, I might aswell invest in travel. I haven't yet planned it all out, but I hope I can go to all the lovely places, atleast in India and learn a little from their cultures.

Network
One thing I'm absolutely rubbish at, is making new friends. Of course I'm also equally rubbish at staying in touch, but I plan to change that this year. All part of pushing my boundaries, I hope I can make at least 10 new friends through the year. Yes, that may not seem like a big number to you, but for someone like me, accepting someone as my friend is hard...so here's hoping it works out.

Side slits. The current "trendy" thing to wear. Well, technically, we've been wearing side slits for years now in India. No? Don't agree? Think about all those long kurtis and salwar kameez sets. Yep, slits aren't something that's new to us. However, take a long tshirt with slits, and you've got a new trend everyone's currently excited about.


I personally wanted a front slit top, but since I haven't found one that rocks my boat yet, I decided to treat myself to this chic one from Spring Break. Now, as this is a trend piece, I decided I'd try and style it in a few different ways so that you can figure out if it works with your personal style aesthetics.

1. Side Slit Top + Shorts

Probably the most widely seen look at the moment, this is a great idea for all the end of the year music festivals that we've got lined up (yep, I wish I was in Mumbai for a few events).

2. Side Slit Top + Palazzos

Not ready to reveal that much leg at the moment? Why not pair the top with a pair of comfy palazzos for a covered yet trendy look?

3. Side Slit Top + Denims

Yep, another blogger favorite, all you need is a pair of denims and heels. I personally like the idea of cuffing the jeans to add to the laid back vibe

4. Side Slit Top + Prints

Give your denims a break and wear your side slit top with printed floral trousers or a floral skirt. Florals in darker colors and a pair of heels add a fresh new twist to your winter weekends.

So those are my looks using a simple side slit top. It just needs a little imagination and you can wear it for any ocassion. While in its tshirt form, it may not be very work appropriate, you can look for structured side slit tops if you do wish to wear it to work too. I personally think its a great addition to your weekend wardrobe. If you have doubts, you could try a quick cheat. Take an old boyfriend t-shirt and rip the side seams and re hem them separately. While this may not be as long as the conventional ones, you'll still get an idea if this is your style.

During my undergrad years, my wardrobe consisted of mostly dark tones. Greys, blacks and lots of blue. While I still own most of those pieces and tend to veer towards these colors whenever I go shopping, when I saw this scarf, I felt like it was the perfect piece to give my wardrobe that little bit of bright sunshine. Its such a beautiful yellow color that I think it would probably manage to make a bin bag look glam aswell!

Okay! No, I haven't completely lost it. Its the 'New year' (Saal Mubarak == Happy New Year) according to our traditions. The tradition in my house says I should wear all my new clothes and go seek blessings from my elders...and that's exactly what I did today.

If you follow me on Facebook  or Instagram (and if not they why????) you know that I had a little dilemma about what to wear. Contrary to what everyone suggested, I ended up listening to my mum (the only person in favor of my outfit) and wore this custom made kurta and churidar set that was gifted to me by my uncle and his family.






While I was slightly unhappy with the absence of visible neckline (I'm mildly obsessed with my collarbones) I still like how the outfit looks. As for the other choice, oh, I might just wear it tomorrow (there's one more day of festivity left you know!), provided I can finish a couple of assignments before I have to leave to for a family function.

Talk to me in the comments about how you celebrated Diwali. You can also join the converstaion on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.