Ishaan's current project is in Bangalore these days. After spending an amazing last weekend in Bangalore gorging on pancakes and waffles in Sheraton, shopping both Ishaans and my wallet off in Orion mall (which btw is just a stone's away from Sheraton) and swaying (if not dancing) in the rain, I landed in Delhi on Monday morning and immediately caught a cold. The whole week I was a good girl, not complaining that I was sick, was missing Ishaan and there he was in Bangalore and did not come back to Delhi until Friday, 11:55 PM.

Though I never made him feel guilty (I didn't have a reason :P), he did. So he himself offered to click blog pictures this weekend :D Me=Happy. I am still down with that horrid cold btw :/

Anyway, how much ever I want to be the stylish one in these winters, I have realized I can't afford to not properly cover myself. Hence, I am trying (my best) to look stylish in these winters, practically.

In these attempts, few things I have realized about winter style.

1. Two is the optimum number of colors to have in a winter outfit. I have narrowed it down to black, navy blue and maroon to be the base colors and mustard and green to add a pop of color.

2. Black boots are the more practical buy. So if one is thinking of spending a good amount of money on a pair of boots, I would recommend black.

3. A fedora hat can do wonders to your winter wardrobe.

4. Polo neck. Buy a new black polo neck every year. Because who are we kidding. Pilling is for real. A good woolen polo neck will protect fully and looks very stylish. The longer your neck, the better :D

5. Palazzos, wide pants etc. etc. are all very much wearable in winters as well. Just wear a shorter length slack underneath to protect your legs from the cold.

 

 Polo: H&M
Blazer: Zara
Trousers: Dorothy Perkins, Jabong.com
Shoes: Steve Madden, Amazon.in
Bag: Zara
Shades: H&M

Its wedding season girls!! I know, I know. Off late all my posts seem to begin this way. Actually I have been going crazy about the whole wedding thing since last year when I started planning my own wedding. But its just so much fun. And I miss the crazy shadi planning days of mine so so much. I still keep adding wedding pictures to my Facebook wedding album :P and posting them on Instagram too. Call me crazy :D

Anyway, since I can't help my excitement (craziness for those around me), I thought I might as well use it to help some tense to-be-bride with some gyan on where can she shop for one of the most important days of her life!

Following is a list of stores I think are must visit for anyone shopping for their wedding lehenga, trousseau, jewelry etc. etc.

Frontier Raas

Image source: Google

Best for: First copy of designer bridal lehengas and silk sarees. Sometimes featured in WedMeGood, usually for outfits of bride's sister, mother etc.
Prices: Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra copies are available in the range of INR 1.5-2.0 lakh. Good wedding silk sarees available in the range of INR 35-50k.
Where: South Ex II
More information: https://www.facebook.com/frontierraassouthexII/

Asiana Couture

Image source: Google

Best for: First copy of designer bridal lehengas and heavily embellished floor lengths. Gets featured a lot in WedMeGood.
Prices: Bridal lehengas start from INR 50k and can go upto INR 8 lakh. Floor lengths usually cost around INR 1 lakh.
Where: 652, 655, Katra Hardyal, Nai Sadak, Chandini Chowk, New Delhi
More information: https://www.facebook.com/asianacouturedelhi/, https://www.wedmegood.com/profile/Asiana-Couture---Chandni-Chowk-1548/

Gazal Gupta

Best for: Raw silk lehengas and sarees for pre-wedding functions. Designs are quite refreshing and upscale. Featured on WedMeGood :D. I got my sangeet lehenga from here and I love it more than my bridal lehenga!! The store also has gota patti jewelery for Mehendi function and items for venue decoration.
Prices: Lehengas are in the range of INR 50-70k. Sarees in the range of INR 20-40k.
Where: Jungi House Lane, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi
More information: https://www.wedmegood.com/profile/Gazal-Gupta-14173/

Aza Fashions

Image source: Google

Best for: Luxury designer lehengas, sarees and dresses. Good for pre-wedding function shopping. The store also has some good imitation jewelry.
Prices: Since these are original designer pieces, a simple dress can cost INR 20k
Where: South Ex I (Opposite to Frontier Raas)
More information: https://www.azafashions.com/, https://www.facebook.com/AzaFashions/

AUM: Ashima & Asit

Image source: Google

Best for: Multi colored suits, quirky jackets, blouses and sarees. The wife (Ashima) designs and the husband (Asit) handles the store. Both of them are a pleasure to talk to and go out of their way for fittings, re-fittings, courier etc. etc.
Prices: Fully ready and customized suits (including dupatta and bottoms) are in the range of INR 10-20k, blouses < INR 10k, sarees between INR 30-40k
Where: Jungi House Lane, Shahpur Jat
More information: https://www.facebook.com/AUM-Ashima-Asit-265175103508810/

Liz Paul

Image source: Google

Best for: Pre-wedding lehengas
Prices: Lehengas appropriate for sangeet/ mehendi cost around INR 40k
Where: Jungi House Lane, Shahpur Jat
More information: https://www.facebook.com/LizPaulDelhi/

Ogaan

Image source: Google

Best for: One stop shop for all luxury designer wear including Sabyasachi, Payal Khandwala. They have really stylish jewelry as well. The store is very well designed and is a delight to walk through!
Prices: Given its all original designer wear, a wedding lehenga can cost you between INR 3-5 lakh. Jewelery is in the range of INR 4-5k for a pair of earrings
Where: Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi
More information: https://www.ogaan.com/, https://www.facebook.com/ogaan/

Apala

Image source: FB page

Best for: Celebrity worn gold plated silver jewelery. You will often see Vidya Balan, Sonam Kapoor, Malaika Arora wearing the jewelry.
Prices: A pair of jhumkas costs around INR 20k, a heavy kundan necklace costs around INR 1 lakh.
Where: Galleria Market, DLF Phase 4, Sec 43, Gurgaon and Hauz Khas Village
More information: https://www.facebook.com/apalajewelry/, http://www.apalajewels.com/

Noorah by J

Image source: FB page

Best for: Stylish handcrafted earrings, necklaces and sets.
Prices: The necklace in the picture above will cost around INR 6k
Where: They only do exhibitions. Follow them on instragram by the handle @NoorabyJ for updates
More information: https://www.facebook.com/noorah.by.j/

Winters are here. The days might not say so in as much sunshine, but the mornings and nights most certainly do. Come winters and I start thinking about the sun-less days and the gloomy feelings they sometimes bring. I am not a big fan of winters. I think I say that a lot.

But like with any other thing, winters have a silver lining as well. They let you layer up. Wear a lot of your favorite clothes together :P But I have always found it hard to put something really stylish yet good enough to protect me against the very common "common cold" which keeps hovering over my nose the moment it starts to get a little chilly!

No matter how much I want to make the winter season colorful, I think blacks and greys and blues serve winters the best. Colors are best for summers. And I believe things should be where they can be the best.

Top: H&M
Trousers: Zara
Brogues: Clarks (click here)
Shades: H&M

Black and white. And grey. For nothing in life is just black or white.

Too bad Bollywood has chosen Bombay as its base! And too bad winter outfits in movies are way too impractical to even consider replicating!

Despite the challenges of lack of Bollywood inspiration for practical winter styles, I have managed to put together a list of 10 styles I want to copy. Thanks to my supernatural Bollywood stalking skills. I can't be blamed. I drive 1.5 hours, one way, to the client site these days!!!

Here goes the list :D Make sure you have the following 10 things in your winter wardrobe and you will not run out of styles to flaunt. If you mix and match of course!

1. Trench coat, Beige/ Tan and black: H&M, Zara

2. Oversize pullover: Try here

3. Long dress: Next on Jabong (click here)

4. Leather jacket: Here, here, here, here and here

5. Long skirt: Try this

6. Short skirt: Try this

7. Cape: H&M, Zara or Koovs

8. Long boots: Next on Jabong (click here)

9. Tights: Buy them here

10. Tote Bag: Mac & Gitts on Jabong (click here) or Thelabellife

One: Classic trench coat, trousers and heels

Winter formal inspiration much?

H&M, Zara and Mango are the best stores to get trench coats from in India. In that order.

Two: Black pullover, tights and knee high boots

Nothing but "Black" can be the new "Black"

Boots: Next on Jabong (click here)
Bag: Mac & Gitts on Jabong (click here)

Three: Black leather jacket, grey jeans and a satchel

Trust her to look unconventionally stylish!

Leather jacket: Here, here, here, here and here

Satchel bag: Here and here

Four: Pullover, jeans, brogues and a tote bag

Why should boys have all the fun?

Brogues: Also worn here. Bought them from here.

Bag: Thelabellife

Five: Black top, leather jacket and bomber boots with classic denims

Leather much?

Boots: I bought the same pair online on Steve Madden. I got them for half the price from the US website as opposed to stores in India.

Six: Cape, jeans and long boots

Cape: H&M, Zara or Koovs

Seven: Long dress, front cape and long boots

New way to Cape

Long dress: Next on Jabong (click here)

Eight: Short dress/skirt, tights, leather jacket and long boots

I love my short skirts in Winters!

Short skirt: Try this

Tights: Buy them here

Nine: Shorts, long coats, stockings and long boots

I like my shorts short and coats long!

Long overcoat/ trench coat: H&M, Zara

Ten: An assortment of colors

I am classic. Aren't I?

Beak cap: I got a beige and a green one from local markets in Vietnam. You should try local markets in your area too!

Long skirt: Try this

Its that time of the year. Dussehra long weekend is just two weeks away, Ishaan and I want to go someplace nice, but tadaaa!! We are too late. All cozy, wintery, quaint, rustic cottages are gone gone gone. Being ditched this way, I am reminded of those heavenly places which didn't ditch us. Which were available in their full charm and beauty. Just like the way we needed them. Just when we needed them. One such place was Jilling Terraces in an almost non-existent town called Matial near Nainital.

It was end of June. We were celebrating Ishaan's first birthday after The Wedding. Needless to say, I wanted to do something special for him. And LBB Delhi happened to have just the right suggestion. Jilling Terraces is the perfect place to go if you are bored of the same kind of tourist destinations, having too many people around. Its so far away from the hustle bustle. Literally in the middle of nowhere, atop a hill with only clouds and trees to keep you company. Though it takes a minimum 2 hours of steep hill trekking to reach there but the Aloo parathas and Maggi which welcome you make it worth it!!

Below are some useful tips to plan for Jilling Terraces.

Website: http://www.jillingterraces.com/

How to reach: By car (9 hours from Delhi, with car parking available at Matial village. Jilling staff picks up your luggage and accompanies you on the trek towards Jilling). By train (Jilling will provide transfer from Railway station to Matial)

Price: ~INR 10,000 per night including all meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Maggi, Chai and cookies) and luggage transfer from Matial

What to do when there: Just be. There are hundreds of books in the common area, many board games including "F.R.I.E.N.D.S.". The caretaker and his family have been there since ages and are a delight to talk to.

Caution: It takes minimum 2 hours for the trek to Jilling and its quite steep. Sport/ trek shoes are recommended for both your way up and down. Jilling staff provides you with Nimbu pani to help you with the trek. 

White Dress: Topshop, Jabong.com
Blue stripe dress: Tailor made from a skirt from Forever21
Sandals: London Rebel UK, Jabong.com

When to go: Months of July, August, September. Good sun, good winds, not the peak of tourist season. Spend at least 4 days, 3 nights.
How to reach: Land straight at Thira airport or seaport.

How to go about on the island: Rent a car. Preferably before you reach so that the car is there at the seaport/ airport. There are many cars and scooter shops in and around Fira centre but last minute availability might be an issue.

What all to see: Oia (Preferable to just spend the entire day from sunrise to during sunset and after sunset there :P. Again and again), Amoudi Port at Oia, Megalochori (beautiful, quaint streets, shops and restaurants), Imerovigli (a more spohisticated version of Oia), Akrotiri (Red beach nearby, ruins, Light house etc.), Fira centre (hustle bustle of tourists and street artists).

Where to eat: Sea food at Amoudi Port. Many many restaurants in Oia. India food at Jaipur Palace near Fira. Economical Chinese and Doner Kebabs at Fira Centre (cheaper than even McDonalds)
What to wear: August is very sunny but windy. White helps you keep cool in the heat and it looks amazing in pictures. Blue is good too. Go for flowy clothes, e.g., Kaftans, maxis, bell sleeve tops with shorts. Don't wear flowy short dresses as they can be uncomfortable in the winds. Jazz up your outfit with strappy sandals (make sure they are comfortable as you have to walk and go up and down steps a lot in Santorini). Long, tassle colorful earrings are a good-to-have to jazz up white outfits!