Bombay by Night

How can you love bombay and not love the humid breezy bombay nights? Well, you can't! The only time when the streets aren't overloaded with cars and auto rikshaws. The only time when people aren't walking in herds trying to push each other over to get from one place to another in a hurry. Nights are the only time you get to admire the city lights that cast a little spell of sorts against the pitch dark sky. When little bicyle vendors are surrounded by Big cars trying to buy the last cigarette of the night or sipping a hot cup of coffee before passing out.

How can you miss all that?

My friends dragged me to a place called Kino 108, a quaint looking exterior for a buzzing lounge, tucked behind the crazy metro construction and between two very shamelessly unkempt buildings. The tiny elevator takes you to a really dark room bustling with some very trendy hipsters grooving to the blasting house music while sipping some seriously yummy cocktails. The night was perfect as was the idea of going back in an auto at 3am, wih rain gods showering us with their blessings(or wrath!)

A perfect night called for a perfect outfit... since, simplicity is NOT my middle name.. I ditched my boring denims and tees to slp into a newly found dress. When you pack light, you end up finding yourself without any accessories to match your outfit of choice. this is the exact situation where a lovely little magic trick comes to your rescue.

If you haven't figured out already ... I mean a red lipstick. If you've ever used one, you know the power it posesses.. it makes your skin look flushed, your eyes darker and your smile... well, only stunning! Okay, okay I'm sure you get the picture.

Dress - Dark Waters, Shoes - Bata, Hairband - Twisted, Lip Color - Nina Ricci

This was also the night I was supposed to catch up with two lovely blog buddies ;)

.

Hope to see you soon girls as soon as our schedules magically align :D

.

PS - I'm so thrilled that you guys liked the hair cut...!!! It was first time in a long time I decided to grow my hair only to get them brutallly cut (once again!). With the thickness of my hair, its very hard to even imagine the amount of shampoo, conditioner, leave in, serum expense it would require to maintain... and then the hours spent taming those tresses... ha, this haircut is totally wash and wear :D

.

Much Love,

.

Pink, Really???

The only thing that i like about pink is... well, mmm... the namesake singer?

Okay, no, well its not like I hate pink or anything... its just that I've never been one of the pink Ladies, if you know what I mean.

Fuchsia though somehow has been trying to intrude my wardrobe... damn, that color has no place amongst the blacks and greys and purples...


my clothes are rebelling they are trying so hard but the univere is NOT happy till the time I wear PINK!!!!

UNIVERSAL INTERVENTION #1 :

How can you ignore this sign? How cute does that girl look? How bright is that color against grey roads and cloudy skies?!


UNIVERSAL INTERVENTION # 2

How can one ignore when one's OWN sister puts on this shade that shall not be named henceforth?

that too so ridiculously well?

What is one supposed to do?

Resist?

Really?




UNIVERSAL INTERVENTION # 3

What's a girl to do when? Its the universe, I tell you! I hate you pink... I hate you.

You Dont believe me?

Dress - Janpath(modified), Jacket - Groggy, Bag - Nainital, Shoes - Not Visible ;)

Much love...

Style Quickie - Sapna Bhavnani

So, this is a new segment I'm adding to my blog : Style Quickie

This segment will include people with inditiualistic style that I admire.

I'm so glad that the first person to be featured here is one of the most funnest, quirky and independent souls i know - Sapna Bhavnani, Hair stylista par excellence. Love her, hate her.. dude, you can't ignore her (Not that she cares for your approval :P) Her hair salon, very rightly named 'Mad O Wot' has become like a refuge for the crazy Stylish hipsters from across the city.

If you've been to this salon, you know how much creativity has been put into it. One look at Sapna, and you know the atmosphere resonates her inner exuberance and style. Bright, Young and Crazy - same words I'd choose to describe Sapna!

Anyway here's a quickie shared over a Ciggy:

1. Why Mad o Wot?

SB - When I started with my career, everywhere I worked I had to wear a uniform and cut hair with a mellow music playing in the background. I hate uniforms, I love hair so I started Mad o Wot. Its not a salon, its a home for everybody who enters. We listen to music, we bond, we share those few minutes being a part of each other's life.

2. You've just inaugurated your second salon? Whats in store.. any more franchisees?
SB - No WAY!! Its my second salon and I'm very conscious to make it just as quality strict yet relaxing and fun like the first establishment. I don't Intend to be the next Mc Donalds of Hair salons. I believe in quality and contentment. There's more to life than just making money.


3. Tattoos - Fashion or Art?
SB - Art, most definitely. It can't be fashion, tattoos aren't like a fad. They are not for everybody. They are not the new 'black'!




4.Best place for Tattoos?
SB - Getting inked is a very personal experience... comfort is of utmost importance. I don't get tattooed in bombay, I haven't come across any good tattoo artists here. My favourite experience would definitely be at the Koh Phi Phi islands in Thailand. Getting a tattoo made using bamboo sticks in the peace and quiet, next to the splashing sea waves was the most fulfilling experience for me. I hate the drilling sound of tattoo machine. Bamboo tattoos are so beautiful and real. Arunanchal pradesh is a great place for bamboo tattoos.



5. Your first tattoo?
SB - My back, Chicago, 1990, My boyfriend was a tattoo artist and I was his canvas. Its still a work in progress!




6. Your favourite Tattoo?
SB - The one on my upper arm - Daddy's little girl.. Its very special to me!

7. What is Style for you?
SB - In one word - Comfort!

Sapna lives everyday like it was a work of art. Even though I've never really got my hair cut from her personally (I'm forever broke and she is kinda expensive!) I always find my hair in the wacked-out shears of Sushil !!

Swapnil on the job!

He's adorable, totally in love with those scissors and the biggest Madonna fan ever. He could put Sue Sylvester to shame (ref - Glee for the uninitiated) You just have to feel the atmosphere at this place.. the vibe is so infectious and the haircuts are like botox... beautifying and age-defying(in my case ;))!!!

Oh, Oh, OH almost forgot.... Sapna is also a really awesome, new age social activist - her ways of making change are inspiring and interesting. You must be a part of this kickass new initiative she's introducing - Project Unite

and here's a really random haircut pic - i know, I know... will put up nice ones soon!

Whaddaya think??

Much Love,

Update:

The salon is located in Bandra and Versova only! know more at www.madowot.com

You Are FAT!

The three words that could wreck anyone's day! hell, even their complete self confidence. I became a victim of this powerful weapon last evening when an anonymous person left a comment on my last post Turbanization. My immediate reaction was to delete it and down it with some rum and wake up next day with even more 'fat' to last me till the next attempt.

But I stayed mortified and actionless. I shut down the browser and looked in the mirror. Yes, I'm fat. Yes, I could lose 15 kgs and feel awesome. Yes, I could actually stick to my diet for once. Yes, I hate 'anonymous' and hate it even more that he's actually quite accurate in his description. But is that all that matters? Should I hide behind anonymity and run a treadmill till I'm perfect???

HELL NO, I'm not gonna stop loving fashion or dressing up or posting my pics just because One random prejudiced and myopic person thinks fashion's all about skinny girls. Its my blog, Its my space, Its my decision that matters. I'm me. I'm unique. I'm beautiful. I'm stylish. I'm unaffected.

and blog buddies.. don't let such assholes steal your sunshine either. I'm beautiful.. no matter what they say.. words can't bring me down!

Haters, boo ya!
Here's some Bombay love :

Autos, Autos everywhere...

Love the quilted blue on the top... very sartorial auto wallah! though that's my sis in the pic:)

AUTO ART!

AUTO ART!

DONT OUCH ME! (T fallen off!)

Me.. blurred, tired, back from work!

Much Love,

(T)urbanization!

Special days call for special efforts. Today I received an unsuspecting little parcel lying in my bedroom. Assuming its another official letter or something, I opened the envelope rather indifferently. Out came a teeny tiny net cloth tied into a bunch with pretty little red bow. Me being me, got super excited and ravaged through the packaging to reveal the mysterious item lying beneath. What was it?? hmm... well... ... okay can't create anymore suspense ..
It was a pretty little colorful ring!!! total oh my god moment... I'm being proposed to in the most unusual style!! (without a rock and candle light dinner and the kneeling and the wine... arrgghhh!!)

Well turning over the envelope, I read a familiar name scribbled - Koshy.

My answer is Yes, Yes, Yes!
So what if you're unemployed and younger and still a female? We can make it work, I promise

haha, okay jokes apart, it totally made my day receiving the precious little ring I won on her giveaway. Well, since Drama is my middle name henceforth. I used the ring in an absolutely unconventionally dramatically rad way (adjective overload!).

This post is also an ode to the lovely blogger sisters at Republic of Chic. I have tried turban before here, but this time with way more finesse thanks to their kickass tutorial!!

Check it out, y'all!















Top(worn inside) - Oldnavy, Crochet Tunic - Colaba Causeway, Leggings - Chunmun stores, Shoes - Soft n Sleek, Turban (made with dupatta) - W, Ring (on forehead) - Koshy's giveaway, Bangles - Colaba Causeway, Necklace - Janpath.

Also, if this day wasn't enough exciting, middle of my shoot I got a call from my head office and I'm going down to Bombay for a week starting this Sunday ... yipeee!!Although I'll be working day, night, midnight and beyond shooting a Furnishing trend story I'm compiling for the magazine... I'd love to meet some of you Bombay bloggers and get access to your haunts on the weekend!! Help me plan my Bombay itinerary ... places to visit(non touristy ofcourse), places to shop, eat, party, drink, pass out (okay, may be not the last one).... !

Much Love,

Mixology

Top - H20, Skirt -Mela, bandra, Shoes - Surajkund Crafts Fair, Short glass necklace - My friend sizil's gift from Rome, Turquoise necklace - Mcleod Ganj, Bamboo weave Clutch - Mum's buy from KL, Bangles - Linking road, Bandra

Is there ever such a thing as too much fashion? Can you ever be satisfied, much less be suffering with an overdose of fashion? As a self proclaimed insightful fashion writer, I have a theory to present : There's just so much fashion news and ideas bombarding through magazines, blogs, live fashion streams, youtube, even music videos, blah, blah, blah, its become essential to conform to the sartorial rules. In today's HT City, the so called fashion gurus were rating Indian Sports star's wives and GFs on their Glamour quotient. They were suggesting that Victoria Bekhams of the world are way ahead of the Indian Wives. What has world come to? Why is it not okay to be 'you'? Why do you have to be anorexic and Prada clothed to be fashionable?

In all this rat race to be the trendiest, we forget how much fun dressing up used to be. To have your own signature style. What's my style? I think about it really long and deep. I don't want to wear some wide leg pants just coz some fashionista says they're 'in' or blindly follow the flesh tone trend. I'm not a buffet person, I prefer À la carte! i wanna order what I like, exactly how I like it.

I want to grow up discovering style, like my mother, like all the other non-conformist divas out there. I love Fashion, but I hate feeling like I owe something to everyone watching :)

So, this blog is my quest to find 'me' through one thing that I enjoy the most - experimenting!

ha, so now that I have you all believe that I don't just want to wear all pretty clothes, click some funny pictures, waiting to receive some very sweet comments, I do it for greater good of mankind - to protest for Personal Style promotion... Who's joining me?

Mournful Chic?

I've had this dress for a long time. Its a traditional tibetan dress I got custom stitched at a tiny boutique at Mcleod Ganj. the traditional seamstresses stiched this dress in a day and so perfect!

I had a morticia addams inspiration in mind when i wanted to style it... black nails, black lips... but somewhere along I found mom's gorgeous fish brooch. I really don't know if it looks more Retro Glam or Gothic Morticia. Either way I know this is what I'm wearing to a next evening out!













Or is it just Mournful chic (if that can even qualify as a term)?

Nail paint - Revlon Black Beauty, Lip Color - Nina Ricci - Rouge-A-Porter 03 Satin, Inglot Black gloss 99, Eye shadow - Incolor 820.


Much love,