enigmatic

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