Window Seats

We all have that one spot in the house towards which we are naturally drawn to. Spending time in that place kind of re-energizes you or takes you into a calm peaceful place. For me that spot has to be the Window Seat. Missing one in my current home, I long for it almost always.

That cozy cushiony bench right by the window sill, that seems to be custom made for just one special person. With the warmth of the sun-light on a bright day or the the romantic glimmer of the moonlight on a clear night, it screams Charming!
It works great on those rainy days too. Sitting by that window and watching tiny droplets of rain trickle down the window pane, with lush green as the backdrop and the fragrance of the wet soil instantly cheers me up.
All I can think of then, is a cup of coffee or a warm soup along with some soothing music or an interesting book.
Aahh...the pleasure!


Check out some window seats that I wish I could incorporate in my living space.

Window Seat in a Kitchen Nook

My Favourite! - Window Seat with a breathtaking view

Cozy Window Seat - love the foot stool.

Stay charming!

Teal Blue dress

I have owned this teal blue dress for quite a while now. Its 3/4th sleeves, umpire waist and knee-length hemline make it a perfect shift dress (shift from office/formal to weekend/semi-formal). Over here I sport a more formal look, but during the summers, I'll probably get rid of the sheer leggings, boots and scarf and maybe cinch it up with a belt and pair it with ballerinas. Hope you like it.

 

 

Teal Blue Dress: Forver21 (Love 21 line)
Boots: local store (sale for $10, fab find :))
Scarf: Gift
Bag: Primark (£7)

Quick and easy Black Lace Top

Happy New Year everyone! Lets hope 2012 fills our lives with happiness and great health! 

Even though 2011 is over I am still holding on to lace :).

The black lace top is pretty versatile and you could wear it over almost any solid color. Crimson, gray, nude/beige and different shades of these colors would work great under the black lace top. Black on black is your safest bet and if you do stick with that combination you can experiment with colored bottom wear. Avoid doing another print under the lace top since you want the details of the lace to stand out and not clash.

I was stepping out for a couple of hours, so wanted to put together something quick yet above the regular t-shirt-jeans combo. This is what I did:

I teamed a black lace top with a sea-blue tank for contrast. My dull gold accessories completed my look.

 

Black Lace top, blue cami, jeans : Forever21
Blue stone necklace and 2 finger rose ring : Charlotte Russe
Black boots: Primark

Stay Charming!

Holiday Shimmer

The Holidays are here and its time to bring out the shimmer, sequin and shine! A lot of our Indian outfits usually tend to have a fair amount of zari, sequin, beading etc. to satisfy our need to glitter on occasions during the year. The holidays ( Christmas and New Years), though are that time of the year when wearing sequin is almost like a tradition here in the US of A.

However much I love the glitz one has to learn to tame it (glitz-tame...sounds like an oxymoron :)). Its easy to get carried away but knowing where to draw the line is what distinguishes a fab glam from a drag queen.

Check out a sequin outfit I put together for a party I attended recently. I went easy on the accessories (with a pair of dangling diamond-pearl earrings) and wore a set of cobalt blue suede shoes to add a pop of color. The rest of the outfit stays neutral with safe shades of dark gray and black.

The silvery-white pouch was to dump my cellphone, hair brush, chapstick and the works,  else if I had my way I would totally skip a purse.  I tried to avoid a clutch because its such a pain dancing with it so atleast with this one I was semi hands-free.

I am still working on getting better pictures but I hope you can see the little bit of what is visible of the earrings.

Gray sequin top: Forever21.com ($20)
Black skinny pants: Black Skinny pants: Papaya (Sale: around $10) seen here as well.
Cobalt blue suede shoes: Primark, London
Shimmer pouch bag: Gift
Earrings: Gift

HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone!

The Pixie cut

Talking about hairstyles, growing up I have always always had a "Boy cut" (as my classmates would call it) or if you like, the "Princess Diana cut" (as my mom would fondly refer to it as). It was some thing I hated and promised myself that once I grow-up I will have my hair long and flowy and allow myself all the girly pleasures of 'The Tresses'.

I did pretty well sticking to my promise but I have to admit that some where deep down I am drawn back to my childhood's "Pixie cut" (that's what I would like to call it!). Every time I see someone adorn that look, I smile in admiration for her confidence. Its edgy, chic and yet so adorable.

British super model Twiggy blazed the trail for the Pixie hairstyle and since then there has been no looking back.

Twiggy's adorable Pixie

Rihana, Kiera Knightly and from the blogger community Karla (Karla's closet) totally own this look.

Rihana's sexy Pixie

Kiera's carefree Pixie

Karla's statement Pixie

I always believed that you need to have a great jawline or atleast one striking feature (eyes or lips) to sport this hairstyle. 
But check out the Genifer Goodwin. Not to say she doesn't have great features but with her roundish heart shaped face cut I think it takes courage to go for for a hairstyle like this but boy she made it work!

  

She looks so innocent and cute! Aah the many sides of the Pixie...

Enjoy!

The Not-so-Obvious Furniture

Whenever I see something quirky it instantly lights me up. It challenges how I view everyday things and inspires me to find potential in all that is mundane and lying out there. 

Check out these interesting pieces:

Suitcase Chair

Ladder Towel stand

Tree Book Stand

Tree wall-mural with shelves

To keep my creative juices flowing I randomly pick up an item from my closet and jot down all possible ways I could re-purpose it. Even if I don’t get too far it’s a good exercise.  It helps me shop smarter and better. Now I am not only focusing towards buying items that I need but also justifying the price I pay for if I know a particular piece is going to go a long way.

Although I do follow my repurposing guidelines more often than not but honestly even I do have my moments of impulsive indulgences, which I think are okay if its once in a while.

Hope you enjoyed...Stay charming!

The Indian Saree

There has to be something about this piece of cloth that drapes around a woman’s body so perfectly to enhance her best features and hide her flaws (okay there are exceptions to that statement…but then… there are always exceptions) that it has been written about a million times to date. 

I couldn't have been left behind especially since sarees are pretty high on my list of fab-classic garments, every woman (okay at least every Indian origin woman) should own.

Love the color! The net fabric and the beading details work great.

The combination yellow and pink is a such charming one. Bright but not loud.

I think the above picture may not be a saree but a lehenga-choli (long skirt with a blouse), but I still think its super pretty.

Yes thats me in the pink saree.

Go get yourself a saree!

Winter Layering

When I first moved to the US from warm and humid Bombay I simply dreaded winters! I would wonder how does one look fashionable when all bundled up and packed inside bulky jackets and coats. The thought of looking like an Eskimo for almost 4 months of the year would throw me into the blues.

But then gradually I learn the art of LAYERING and realized the numerous unique outfits you can come up with using the same pieces of clothing and still look chic and charming. It was like an “aha” moment when I figured this out…and since then I eagerly look forward to this time of the year to experiment with my pieces.

But then as destiny would have it, not that I am complaining, I moved again...this time to Sunny California!

Although, northern California is not as warm as the south but its pretty cool and I love the change in seasons without the need to experience the extremes.

The pictures below are from one of my trips to snow covered Mt. Rainier.

 

Layering is all about mixing colors, lengths and textures. Layer it such that each piece is visible. There is no point in wearing a cropped print top only to be covered with long polo neck sweater.

Layering allows you to adapt to the varying temperatures during the day. Its easy to throw off the jacket, gloves and cap like I have, as it gets a little warmer during the day and put it back on towards the cooler evenings.

 I love printed socks! Simply adorable.

Beanie : Borrowed
Military green jacket: Primark (£13)
Yellow Sweater and socks: Forever21 ($11 and around $1 respectively)
Black sweater top: Ross (don't remember)
Blue Cami: Forever21 ($3)
White Shoes: Local Store (Nu Pair) ($10)
Lavender bead necklace: Corning museum of Glass. (don't remember)

The lace skirt

You may not see me in skirts as much as I would be in jeans, slacks/pants or leggings but once in a while I go the extra mile for 'The Skirt'.

When I bought this one I was in love with it. This is one my favorite skirts! I love the black lace detailing on magenta silk. The slight bloom with a pair of those pockets is sweet.

This is a great example of incorporating animal print. Since the rest of the outfit is pretty much one color, the leopard spot scarf, not only adds visual interest but also has room to stand out on its own.

 A pair of black leggings and thigh high boots completed this look.

Lace Skirt: Forever21 (Sale: < 10)
Magenta Dress Top: Forever21 ($11)
Scarf: Love Culture ($3)

Shades of Brown

Growing up, the only two colors I knew in the neutral family were black and white. I would consider the browns, khakis, beiges, grays etc. drab and boring. I would obviously avoid them and judge those who adorned them as frumpy. I know! That was absolutely stupid and naive of me.

But I think with time, exposure to the wider world and diverse cultures I have found a new appreciation for the “Neutral” category. In fact I think I am gradually falling in love with them. Their versatility, simplicity and subtlety are worth noting. I believe they effortlessly balance outfits and add the touch of sophistication and class.

Below I have combined shades of brown with a slight pop of pink.

Brown Sweater: Forever21($11)

Pink Top: Local store ($7)

Brown and Gold Belt: Primark (£3 I think)

Brown Skinny Pants: H&M ($12)