Chiconomical

Nope, I won't be talking about the book that has become famous over the last couple of years. I'm talking about literally wearing shades of grey. Somehow, I seem to gravitate towards clothes that have shades of grey as I think they give a welcome break from wearing monochrome and still manage to look good with almost all other colors.

While a pair of grey trousers make workwear a little interesting (I still haven't found my perfect pair, mind you), grey doesn't mean boring! Yes, I know, those grey clouds that seem to hang around these days may make you think otherwise, but it isn't true. All you need to do is, add little pops of color and you're bound to get a fun look.








I got this grey skirt because of its embroidery. Its absolutely lovely and inspite of being jersey, its thick enough not to have awkward VPL moments. Ladies, if you don't like wearing thongs or seamless panties, I suggest doing a quick VPL check before buying any skirt.

In case of street shopping (like me) where you may not be able to try the item out, do the tissue and hand test (yes I just made that name up). All you need to do is, hold a handkerchief (a folded facial tissue also works) in your palm, stick your hand under the skirt, pull it tight over your hand and see if you can spot the lines of the napkin. If you can, its probably too thin and you may want to consider a different skirt.

The top is an old oversized vest that was bought initially as a beach cover up. I added a pop of color on the lips to keep the look fun. Well, turned out, when I shot for the look, the weather Grewas quite grey too, so I ended up taking quick shots indoors. The heels are from New Look and were bought on sale from Asos as an indulgence item and add a little subtle color too.

Tips to Wear Grey without looking boring:

• Grey doesn't have to be boring, add pops of color with your accessories. A bright statement necklace or bag, will make all the difference.
• Don't like accessories?Add a bright shade of lipstick to make your outfit more interesting, without adding any cumbersome accessories to the look.
• You can also add a pair of neon heels to make your outfit pop. 
• Have a grey office dress that just never makes you smile? Add a bright scarf, a pair of red pumps and a beige bag to make it interesting.
• Finally, mix and match your bright tops with grey bottoms, or vice versa to break away from boring black matchers. I assure you, you won't be disappointed! 

Prints. Prints haven't really been my thing for a while now. I'm more of a solid color outfit that can be styled a few different ways and can be worn everywhere depending on the pairings. However, recently, I've been drawn to tshirts with quotes, or a cool animal print. That's exactly how I ended up with this gorgeous top. I've been mentally pairing it with everything I own! (Sometimes even when it doesn't go all that well!)

My last birthday wasn't exactly exciting, unless you count all the shopping and brilliant presents from my family. Honestly, as the years have gone by, my family has always been my birthday constant. However, this doesn't mean that I didn't get any presents from my friends. One of my dearest (shocked aren't you boy?) friends wasn't in the city on my birthday and he bought me the gorgeous neckpiece that's seen in this post.

Now anybody who knows me knows how much I love accessories. However, recently, for reasons I can't quite fathom, I seem to be going for increasingly simple, accessory free looks, and as such, I haven't been able to show this new necklace on the blog before. I loved it so much, I wore it on the same day that I got it (it was dad's birthday!!). Somehow, it still hasn't been seen on the blog after about two odd months. Oh well, better late than never.

The rest of the outfit is fairly common. A maxi skirt is something I love wearing, no matter what the occasion. I bought these gladiators on a shopping spree on Valentine's day and I think they're going to be seen a lot on the blog in the future. They did give me a couple of shoe bites though, so I shall have to take preventive measures the next time I wear them. Still, they're absolutely gorgeous!

I hope you guys have been enjoying the looks ideas I've been posting for Valentines. You can see the first two posts here and here. I thought it would be a good idea to do a classic valentine's outfit. This dress always makes me think of an extra romantic date with candles and candies. I decided to show this dress because its such a pretty piece that can work well for both day and night. A candle light date or a fine dining lunch booking, this works in both settings. I styled it for a daytime look but swap the block heels for stilettos and the sunglasses for a sequinned bag, and you're all set for a party.






I added the red statement belt for giving the dress a little structure kept the look minimal and just added my new 3 Mad Chicks bag to add a little color. Honestly, I seem to be taking this piece everywhere! I like how the technicolor print makes it compatible with almost every outfit I decide to wear. And surprisingly, it is extremely spacious. I've managed to fit in all my usual stuff (sunglasses, lip balm, money purse) as well as a bottle of water and my latest read (A Ruskin Bond compilation which is absolutely lovely!). Other than that, I didn't even get time to run a comb through my hair before the shoot, so please excuse the messy hair! Another thing I'd like to add is that, while I bought this dress in a store, its extremely easy to make. See the DIY idea below. I'll try to include a video tutorial in a future post. You can always ask me if you have any questions.

DIY for making a similar Dress: 

• Get a simple long slip in the color you like. 
• Find an old dupatta or any chiffon cloth that goes with the color of the slip. 
• Cut the dupatta in half and drap it on the slip so that it crosses at the front. 
• Stich the dupatta at the ends at the shoulder and the bottom of the slip.
• A simply shift dress with an interesting drape is all ready!!

 Everyday, I see hundreds of ladies travelling to work, wearing outfits that could very well be call the "uniform" of the working population in India. A shirt and trousers is what qualifies as formal wear, leaving little room for a woman to indulge in her feminine side.Blame it on the Valentine's day paraphernalia around, I seem to be putting together increasingly feminine outfits recently and today's outfit is just a little nod in the direction of what office wear should be. You don't need to sacrifice your femininity in order to look chic and put together. Haven't you seen those fabulous ladies on Suits that define power dressing? Well, I'm nowhere near close to them in any respect, but I still feel this is an outfit that would work well in many situations. A bright skirt, simple top and minimal accessories with pulled back hair make it a look you can replicate with most of the things you have in your wardrobe.

• Ruffles are extremely distinct and feminine by nature, so if your clothing item has loud ruffles, try to pair it with a more severe piece to make it more work appropriate.
• Don't wear something that has big ruffles all over to avoid the you know, cupacke with icing look.
• Pair a structured pair of trousers (or a skirt like the one in this post) with a ruffled top to get a balanced look
• Keep the accessories minimal, this applies to most office outfits as you don't want to be distracted by jingling pieces while working.
• If you are uncomfortable with wearing ruffles, wear a blazer with the top to add structure to your look. 
• Wearing a ruffled skirt to work is fine, but only if you manage to pair it with the right pieces, so as to avoid the tiered wedding cake look. Be careful, if the skirt has big ruffles, then the look can descend into juvenile very quickly. Its better to stick with a little but of ruffle at the end or small accents. 
• Finally, don't be afraid to experiment! You may need a few tries to find the perfect piece that balances work and off duty! Till then, keep trying!! 

This dress was a garage sale buy. I loved it instantly but little did I realise that it would be a pain to wear in real life. Sometimes, you see something and then imagine a situation it would be perfect for. Of course you (read 'I') forget the fact that such situations really don't come in the life of a poor postgrad who spends more time in a dusty classroom than an opulent ballroom. So yes, it was a struggle to style this dress. Its my 'on a dance reality show' dress and this is the very first time I've worn it in public.









I couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures with only the dress on. It honestly feels a bit too much on its own, and I don't think I'd be comfortable wearing it without a blazer or a cover-up of some kind to hide the 'exposed' bits. I love the asymmetric hemline (I'm a big fan of disharmony when the mood strikes) and think that everybody should have atleast one piece of clothing that has a crazy hemline for special occasions.I mean, you never know when you'll be invited to do the tango on that dance show you like right? No? Okay, maybe it's just me then.

What do you do with your impulse buys? Tell me in the comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts!