Chiconomical

The ocean is my muse. It makes me smile and dream. From the time that I understood what life was, I've always been attracted to the beach. When summer comes round, I can't help but want to spend some time in the sun and enjoy the slow life. If you're like me then you definitely want to look fashionable at the beach but can't quite manage to invest in the fancy trimmings needed to look like a beach babe. That's why I've got you covered with my look for dressing for the beach for less than Rs. 1000!

Music festivals are a big deal in the West in summer. While it's almost completely opposite for us since India has extreme heat and you'd probably collapse of a heat stroke if an artist performed in the summer here, its still crazy how inspiring the bohemian styles of Coachella can be. I have a slightly quirky, gypsy sense of fashion when it comes to personal style so it's easy to see why coachella fashion is my favorite kind of fashion. So while I will in no way be going to the music festival (sorry, don't really have the funds or the visa) I can still dress like I'm there. That's almost the same thing right?





Today's outfit is a more demure styling of coachella style, a little clashing of hillbilly with high street. I've had this blue kurti for almost a year now and while it was an online buy, it was so affordable, I didn't quite blink! Its such a unique cut and literally is a huge circle that just makes you want to take endless twirls all day! An oversized kurti is always a life-saver when it comes to bohemian dressing simply because it has so many ways it can be styled. For this post, I wore it as a tube top and then layered with my embroidered denim top that was a random find while shopping recently.

Overall, this outfit is an amalgamation of all the things I'm currently crushing on. Assymetrical hemlines, embroidered and tassels. Of course, lets not forget the twirlability of this outfit! Seriously, I couldn't stop twirling when I shot this outfit.

It's crazy how a single line and a single image can make you feel the strongest pangs of wanderlust. I personally haven't been much of a traveller until recently. Somehow, the wanderbug has bit me hard over the last year so much so that I have a whole section on my phone dedicated to "wishlist" places. Indeed, when I'm not working you'll find me looking up trip stories and dreaming up a million pictures I could be taking right then in some heavenly hideaway instead of sitting in a room without windows working on some code. One of the top searches I always end up with seem to be Himachal. There is just something rather attractive about this little piece of heaven that draws me there. I was dreaming of endless valleys with rivers long before Kasol with its now infamous Parvati Valley became a fad. Yes, when the world is dreaming of holidays in the Alps, I'd much rather dream about holidaying in Himachal.

A few months ago, a friend took a short trip to Kasol to recharge her batteries. She posted the mandatory holiday pictures on Facebook and these just made me yearn that much more for a holiday in the hills. The beauty of visiting a new place isn't just about taking a flight and getting there. Its's about walking a trail that's seldom taken, its about finding joy in the simple things, its about discovering lost secrets of a place that were lost in the ripples of time. Indeed, this is the journey that brings true joy.

A random find during a friend's recent trip, truly there are stories all around us, waiting to be discovered..

So let's say I somehow get magically transported to the Himachal, what then? I think what I want the most is to wake up with the sounds of nature, the beauty of finding yourself in a place that's new but still feels like home. I always end up booking myself into places with the best views when I travel because I think its rather important to experience the best when you're in a new place. I remember I traveled with my family to Goa for the first time and I did the posh version of Goa. Since we were a mixed age group, we ended up staying (incidentally) at a Club Mahindra resort in South Goa and ended up having a beach holiday without the cliche Goa sights. We woke up to the sounds of the Goan beaches, we wandered on beaches that weren't yet populated with crazy tourists, we walked tiny bylanes that led to tinier yet enchanting houses of the people there and we lunched with the locals. Truly, I think the resort with it's gorgeous location was one of the key factors that helped us discover all this. This trip set the idea of what a holiday should be like for me. I'd wander in the wild unknown as long as I had a chance to sleep in luxury. I want to dine with the locals but still have an option to try local delicacies in luxury. Maybe it's just me, but that's how I imagine all my trips. Honestly, Himachal has been a wish upon every star I've spotted this year, take me to the valley!
I dream of waking up in an unknown land, I dream of walking a new road, I dream of finding joy in nature, I dream of a Trail less taken....I dream! I think my friend is right, we all want to travel, fall in love and be happy. And sometimes, you can do this all at once, without even looking for another person! Travel, fall in love with a place, find yourself and your happiness in the wandering. And yes, after writing this, I'm packed and halfway out the door, and you??

A couple of months ago, I got an email asking me if I would be interested in reviewing Book 3 in Shubha Vilas' epic rendition of the Ramayana. Now, seeing as I had already read book 2, I agreed willingly. If you've read my previous review you know I was less than impressed with the last book. Somehow, I felt it was a little too preachy and didn't really add any value to the original. So was I happy with the third? Read on to know...



First off, this book starts exactly where the last book left off and that's something I felt happy about. However, for some reason, it didn't feel like an abrupt or a disjoint start and the story flowed. This book deals with Rama and company travelling through the Dandakaranya forest. The story about how this place found its name grips you right from the start. The trio meet some interesting people and frankly for a person who's primary source of the Ramayana story was the classic television show (my aunt is a huge fan and followed it religiously) this book offers some very interesting insight into the intricacies of the story.

We meet many important characters as we progress through the story and the author does a good job of fleshing out the characters and makes you like most of them. Thankfully, this book has fewer footnotes and it seems that they are a lot more relevant this time round. I remember almost completely skipping over them when I read the last book but this time they seemed to be a lot more relatable. This book also contains the infamous abduction scene and I love how the author has protrayed it. Especially the bit where Jatayu tries to save Sita was by far my favorite part of the book. It is brave, heartbreaking and a evocative story of martyrdom. Even when you feel for Sita and worry about the horrors that lay ahead, you are captured by the love and devotion that someone who met them but a few times shows. This is what true leaders are, after all, and somehow this part was relevant even now.

The book ends with the heroes, now bereft of the company of their guiding light Sita, searching for a way to bring her back and advancing towards the Vanar kingdom. Yes, I'm certainly excited to see how the author deals with this particular part of the story. Honestly, for me, Rama and Sita have never been a couple to emulate. They seem too flawed and bound by traditions when they could have changed things for the better because of their position, atleast in my personal opinion anway. However, this book brings forth the good characters instead of these two. While they may not be my person favourites (and yes, i'm being rather controversial here) there are so many characters in the story I never took the time to think about before. Yes, there is Jatayu as I already mentioned who is someone I truly admire after reading the book. At the same time, there are numerous others, who seek to inspire and guide you and I think I finally realise that these are the reason why Ramayana is such an epic.

In my opinion, this is a book you should definitely get. As long as you know the overall story, you wouldn't even need to buy the other books although that's recommended if you like to maintain continuity.

No matter how many pretty and trendy dresses I wear, I'm always a uber geek and crazy fangirl at heart. My love for Doctor Who is something that all my friends know and if they don't they're probably not good friends in the first place! (I'm not kidding, if you don't know I want to make little Matt Smith babies after talking to me for over a day, I don't think we can be friends).

Anyway, one thing I face now that I've slowly transitioned into the corporate world is that I can't simply wear my old tshirts even on casual fridays without looking like a child. (damn, its a pain being a grown up isn't it!) Of course the fashion lover + crazy fangirl in me has found a simple way around this! Honestly, I've steadily been building my blazer collection. The simplest way to look grown-up yet keep the child in you alive is to just shrug on a blazer! This look is just a casual Friday look when I'm feeling the love for The Doctor (that's what you call the doctor who lead character in case you didn't know) but still have to go be a grown up at work.



I love red blazers since I believe they instantly make a look brighter, and everyone needs a little brightness at work right? Plus, this tshirt, that was a present from a friend is pure love! I almost don't wear it as much as I want to in fear of ruining it. Honestly, I'm pretty sure Matt Smith (okay, and Colin Morgan too, but then that's a whole other story) could turn me into a puddle if he ever appeared in front of me IRL so this tshirt is precious. (Pretty much everything I wont that's doctor who related is extremely precious). Oh well, fan-girling aside, this look can be replicated by using all your favorite pieces from your wardrobe with little or zero investment and still give an interesting twist to that funky tshirt you never wear to work.

Another post on stripes? Yes please. I think we all know by now that I'm a sucker for stripes. Vertical stripes are very flattering and I think we all know that. Horizontal stripes? Well, I know a lot of women who wouldn't be caught dead in these! And this is exactly why I decided to write about this seemingly taboo print.




I had bought this little dress a couple of years ago and while I haven't gotten much wear out of it, I still thought it was a great piece to show the versatility of a nautical striped dress. I know horizonal is supposed to add more pounds instantly to your physique but its still something you can wear. Well since I'm skinny I sometimes pick such styles intentionally to look a little bulky (yes, you envy me, I've heard that before but I don't exactly have it easy either). I think this dress can be used for work as well as play. Style it with a satchel and heels for work, or wear it with a sling and flats for a nice evening by the beach.



If you're not exactly on the skinny side and want to wear horizontal stripes, I suggest going for thinner stripes. The material should be flowy so that it doesn't at volume to your look. I personally went for a very structured dress but replace this with a flowy kaftan in stripes and you've got your beach look sorted, no matter how un-skinny you are. Believe me, its all about choosing the right cut and fabric for your body!

So a few months ago, I was contacted by Santosh, who is a writer to see if I would review his books. He has written quite a few and was gracious enough to send me 4 of them for review. Now I know its been long overdue, but the last couple of months have been hectic and it took a week of fever to get me to finally sort out all the old posts I've had lined up. Oh well, enough personal drama, lets talk about the first book I read, called Surrogate Author.

Now, I say book, but its almost like a little play. The premise is, the famous story of Devdas and his Paro (made rather mainstream by a certain Mr. SRK and his leading ladies) but instead, told from the point of view of a struggling writer. The book unfolds as a play over nine months (I love this little nod to how writing is almost like giving birth to a child), with each character having their own lines, and even a narrator. I really like the premise of the book. Truly, every struggling author has an almost poetic romance with his first book. Right?

While the premise held me till the end, the writing almost made me feel like throwing the book at a wall. I abhor incorrect grammar, especially in books and this book has a lot of issues in that sense. I cannot stand dialogue that is riddled with mistakes.

Onto the characters, I find it a little difficult to accept that one of the characters is a book. Yes, this would be fine but the fact that the book speaks, moves about and fights with the lead character, which all the other characters can see too (its not just in his mind, mind you) makes it a little weird for me. There is a scene where the book is described to be running through the house in joy. I cannot relate this to any real life scenario. I do understand that the writer has a certain creative liberty, I still wish it was a bit more realistic.

All in all, the book is a quick read (finished it on a single train journey to work) and an interesting take on the classic. If you can manage to ignore the writing issues, you should read it. If not for anything else, then just for the romance between a writer and his first book.

We start off with cutting open the new Ariel Matic pack

And then its onto business, albiet with a big smile!

I'm not really sure he understood the clothes to detergent proportion, but oh well...

Sorting the clothes and loading the washer

And finally, switching on the machine! Phew! Half the job is done!

Machine at Work, while he goes about working

After a few minutes, its time to see the results!

Unloading the laundry from the machine, notice the distinct reduction in smile

When in doubt, do the smell test! Yep! All clean!

And off we go to the final leg of the challenge!

And it all ends with hanging the clothes out to dry! Task complete!!

Today on Stripey Saturday, I thought of doing something different. Instead of the usual outfit post, I thought it would be a good idea to do a sort of striped round up. While I have quite a few striped things already, I still have a lot few on my wishlist that I hope to check off soon.

Here are my top wishlist things! Almost all pictures are from Pinterest or Instagram!