Winter Funk

I never tire of saying “I love winters”! Well, moderate winters to be precise – not the ones which leave u bunny faced (pink nose & red eyes :)) There’s no greater joy than sitting in front of a crackling fire with your family, or snuggling up with a good book under a cozy quilt or sipping endless cups of chai and eating piping hot food with sinful amount of ghee & butter. Hailing from a winter heartland but settled in a place with maritime climate (read: Mumbai), a vacation in the north every winters for meeting family & experiencing some chill has become a tradition of sorts (the former activity driven largely by the latter!)

I’m off to Delhi this weekend for this season of Meet the Parents (his & mine –in that order) which usually makes me nervous and excited at the same time (for obvious reasons :P!) However, this year the news of unprecedented cold is making me li’l nervous and sending chill down my body already. But on the brighter side, a hope of getting a chance to don my wintry best is leaving me far more excited...

I enjoyed this long weekend to the hilt. I’d been on a shopping frenzy for last two days primarily scouting for gifts to carry home and also to arm myself for the winter fashionably. The mall hopping was both exhausting and exhilarating as I ended up picking up some stuff for myself at almost every store I shopped at, which I obviously did not need but what the heck! Its festive season and time to cheer :)

Winter clothing wasn’t on my shopping list this time around. I have accumulated a fair amount of winter clothing & accessories which can last forever considering the rate they come out of my closet. But more accessories, definitely YES!


Here are a few of my mention-worthy picks from the shopping haul

Leg Warmers - Thrift
I got a wee bit carried away while shooting :)

Cape -Globus

A cape has made a comeback this season and how!



Scarf-Shoppers Stop

 

Clutch - Cherokke

Purple is HOT this season !!!



  Doesn't this clutch look good without the chain too?



Kewl, isn’t it? And to add a dash of delight to an already fabulous day, I spotted Akshay & Katrina promoting their latest flick in one of the suburban malls and got locked inside the mall with the berserk mob. Katrina looked quite a stunner but my heart went out for Akki, looking dapper in a classic combo of white shirt & blue jeans. I couldn’t help smiling the rest of the day for reasons more than one…



P.S. How did u find my buys? Any suggestions what I can team up that black cape with? 



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Bloglovin' & Christmas Cheer

‘Tis the season to be merry! Christmas is just around the corner and I’m loving it. Don’t we all just love the feeling of Christmas?! With the streets dressed in the reds and whites, the Santa grinning from hoardings, the shops boasting stockings and bells, the colorful lights and cheery aroma pleasing your senses, this Christmassy feeling sure gets me moony-eyed! It brings back my childhood memories where Christmas would spell the start of winter vacations and I seem to have stuck in that frame of mind forever.

Like every year, my contribution to the festivities will be restricted to putting up & decorating a Christmas tree in home and office, eating to my heart’s content, decking up in the colors of the season and taking a break from work this jolly season. There’s abundance of merry-making at work so I’m enjoying this paid vacation of sorts and looking forward to the upcoming long weekend (and to the shopping extravaganza I’ve planned!)

I took this opportunity to catch up on the blogs I’d been wanting to read but never got enough time to spare, comment on fellow bloggers’ posts, discover new blogs and follow them. In the process, I introduced myself to Bloglovin’ and found it incredibly handy to keep updated on the blogging front.

I’ve gotta claim my blog on Bloglovin’ that’s the reason for this out-of-the-blue post but stay hooked for the updates from my shopping haul.

Follow my blog with bloglovin

The facebook freaks can follow me on facebook here

Merry Christmas to all of u !!!

Picture Credit : My friend & follower - Mili (http://www.tclphotography.com/)

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Baggit Blues

I had been mulling over the idea to post a review on Baggit but could not find the reason compelling enough to ramble – neither had I bought a Baggit bag in the recent past nor had I been following the trends too closely.

But a column in yesterday’s newspaper about their latest Autumn Winter’10-11 Collection grabbed my attention. The teaser was enough to rouse in some curiosity and I made a quick dash at the nearest Baggit store (in a bid to grab the best one before they run out of stock…Gosh! What a hoarder I’m turning into! ) I didn’t pick up anything, though (did I hear a sigh of relief?) ‘cuz a just-in-time SMS reminder of my credit card dues convinced me I don’t need another bag right now and definitely not a blue one ( alrite, atleast not NOW!) Nevertheless, it definitely merits a mention. Baggit’s new collection of bags is called True Blue range and is funky, functional and VFM as always.

From what I read and saw the Baggit True Blue Range is glamorous and high on style with exquisite detailing and superior craftsmanship in variations of color - blue: navy, marine, turquoise, electric blue and light dusty blues. The designs range from crisp tailored, sophisticated silhouettes to casual slouchy bags to cater to a wide array of fashionistas. Elegant and fun - this true blue collection will surely beat the winter blues away. This value for money collection from Baggit is available from Rs.1,500 onwards.

Images : Baggit Website

Baggit is a premium brand of Bags & accessories for women that is designed and manufactured in India and leads the pack in the non-leather category. The brand came into existence in 1990 in Mumbai and today it is retailed across country in all sales channels. The offerings from the Baggit brand includes Handbags, Wallets, Mobile Pouches, Belts, Caps, Scarves and Footwear. Baggit’s objective is to merge design with social and environmental consciousness, to provide stylish, functional, and durable products that people will love to own.

Baggit unveils exciting new ranges every month as part of its AW ’10–’11 Collection and with each range within the collection, the brand introduces an assortment of trendy new designs and styles in rich color palettes to create perfect bags and accessories that are voguish and exciting each season.

Now these are some blues you’ll love to bring to work instead of Monday morning blues or make your friends at college ‘blue-green’ with envy! : P

Would u buy a blue bag?

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Nubuck Newbies

I'm SO in love with my new nubuck ballerinas that whenever someone tells me "I like ur shoes", without sparing a moment pat comes my reply immodestly " Me too!". And wherever the ballerinas go, they evoke a fair amount of reaction and discussion -“Is it velvet?”, ask most of the people.“No.Its Nubuck”, I reply. “Oh, its suede?”, remark others. “No. Its Nubuck”, I repeat. “But what is Nubuck?? Is it leather or fabric?” When I saw myself answering that more than twice, I realized that it deserves a post. So here it goes…

Nubuck is a type of leather with a soft, velvety surface. Both nubuck and suede have the same look and feel but there are basic underlying attributes that differentiate one from the other. Both types of leather are sanded to produce the desirable velvet like soft feel. The main difference is that nubuck is sanded or buffed on the outer surface of the leather, essentially the part that would have been the exterior skin of the animal, while suede is sanded on the inner layer of the skin. The sanding process gives a slight nap of short protein fibres, producing a velvet-like surface. The nap is finer in nubuck than in suede and is very soft to touch.

Nubuck probably gets its name from new + buck (skin) [Source:Wiki].Though nubuck is generally more expensive than suede, it is far more durable, lasts much longer and wears well with time. However, on the flip side, it is susceptible to easy staining and does show imperfections in the exterior layer of the skin much more easily Therefore , it must be treated with dyes or colors to disguise any significant flaws from the sanding & stamping process.Nubuck is used in a variety of applications – apparels, furniture, footwear and other goodies.

Ballerinas from Catwalk

Now to justify why these ballerinas are my current favorite - I find the velvety look pleasing and the bows very cute. And,ofocurse,the comfort these flats offer makes them an instant hit! Every time I wear 'em, I often find myself wondering if I should have bought two pairs instead of one to make them last as long as the nubuck does :D

So did you like them too? Lemme know...

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Old wines in new bottles

I absolutely adore this particular time of the year. There’s a lovely nip in the air and the mood is upbeat as the festivities come rolling in one after the other. My birthday and wedding anniversary being less than a fortnight away pumps up the happening quotient even further as we consciously plan for a vacation every year around this time for a twin celebration. Though this year a long, idyllic vacation is on the cards for a later time of the month, we sneaked out from the city to bring in our anniversary this weekend.

Being the diehard travel junkie couple that we are and largely of the road tripping kind, we’d been itching to hit the highway and with indulgence on our mind, a road trip to Sula Vineyards fit the bill completely. Sula Vineyards in Nasik (180 KM from Mumbai) is India's most popular winery that churns out India’s leading premium wine brand, Sula Wines and is developed to be world-class. The winery is open to visitors, who can enjoy a tour, tastings, courses, and fun events. Read more about Sula Wines here

Wine has evolved into a lifestyle staple. It plays diverse roles as a conversation starter, a romantic prop, a style statement, a dinner delight and a heady beverage that gives health benefits when had in moderation. And one of the rare things that get better with age! Experiencing the multi-faceted wine at its full glory was an absolute joy. We packed in a tour of the vineyard, a process demo of grapes from plants to wine bottles, a tasting session, a lip-smacking spread of kebabs, a sumptuous Italian meal and a sinful walnut brownie and loads of pictures – all in a day trip.

The wine tasting & appreciation session was quite informative. Here r a few things from the session that all wine lovers must know:

• All types of wine fall into one of these six categories: White Wine, Red Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, (including Champagne), Dessert Wine, and Fortified Wine.

• Generally, bigger round bowled glasses for reds and tulips (standard wine glasses) for whites. Champagnes can be served in flutes (tall, long, thin wine glasses) so that the bubbles don’t escape or in tulips.

• Always hold the glass from the base or the stem so that the warmth of your hand doesn’t affect the temperature of the wine

• There are four stages to tasting wine – look, smell, taste, savour

1. Look : evaluate your wine’s appearance for color (both hue and depth), and clarity. Move the wine around in your glass by tilting it from side to side. Hold it up to the light or in front of a white background.
2. Smell : evaluate your wine’s nose, aroma, and bouquet. Swirl the wine gently in your glass to open it up to more surface air. This will release more of its aromas. Take a few moments to let it breathe. Dip your nose into the glass and inhale deeply.
3. Taste : evaluate your wine’s taste or palate . Sip a small amount of your wine, but do not swallow it yet. Let it roll around inside your mouth for a few moments so you can detect its flavors. Note the body of your wine, or how it feels in your mouth. Wines will be light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied.
4. Savour : evaluate your wine’s finish , the sensation left in your mouth after swallowing. The longer the flavors linger on your palate, the longer the finish.

While I was faking enjoying wine like a connoisseur but being an utterly poor drinker, I got tipsy in just a few sips of wine. What a perfect way to end a great day! They say “Love makes the world go round?” Not at all! Wine makes it go round twice as fast. Hic…hic…hic

P.S. Images by Inky Pinky & Mr. Husband

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Juice-y Times!

My hair desperately needed a makeover (read my sob hair story here) so this weekend I decided to do something exciting with my otherwise boring straight-ish, long-ish, brown-ish hair. Mumbai’s hip and funky Juice Salon opening near my place could be more than a coincidence; I like to believe its universe’s conspiracy (a la Paulo Koelho)! Though Juice has been working its magic on the celebs and plebs of Mumbai for years now, I never really got to experience it for the lack of drive and energy to commute far distances. So when their new salon opened at closer distance, it got me all excited and eager to try out this ‘Juice’!

Juice, for those who don’t know, is one of India’s trendiest salon with branches in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Dubai and cater to the beauty needs of celebrities and fashion forward folks alike. Juice has been in existence for over a decade and it shot to fame particularly when its ex co-owner Adhuna Akhtar (Farhan Akhtar’s wife) worked her magic on ‘Dil Chahta hai’ cast giving birth to a nation of spikes and goatees !The dream run of cult hairstyles and look makeover continues to rage on ever since which has catapulted Juice as a brand synonymous with extremely stylish, funky, international and cool!

A cloud of not-so-pleasant experiences in the past continues to reside in my memory and plants a seed of doubt whenever I think about trying out a new salon. I stepped into the newly opened Juice Salon with the same frame of mind but all doubts vanished in thin air looking at the swanky interiors and the level of professionalism.

A bunch of energetic young stylists greeting and welcoming you sends out positive vibes and it did make my maiden visit a pleasant one. When asked during the consultation what I wanted to get done, “a makeover”, pat came my reply with the risk of sounding like a wannabe-cum-desperate 30-something! Before my hair stylist could roll her eyes in confusion, I added with a grin, “a haircut”. In return she offered me three choices of stylists and their respective charges – junior level, middle level and senior level. Without hesitating I chose the senior level hair stylist to wave the magic wand.

Contrary to my belief that such upmarket Mumbai salons charge a bomb for their services, the haircuts were reasonably priced at 500, 700 and 800 bucks for junior, middle and senior level stylists respectively. And shampoo, conditioning and blow dry come complimentary. Now isn’t that deal a steal?!! (I’m getting good with rhyming :))

So the ordeal started with me snuggling into an uber-comfortable backwash with a back massager to get my already washed hair another wash with professional hair care products as the massage chair continued to work its spell on me. In the meantime, Ms. Senior Stylist introduced me to hair spas and TIGI’s range of hair care products but that’s a story for another day. After the wash, I was seated into their chic-looking hair lounge and my stylist took a brief from me of what I’m exactly looking for and it read:

• Wash-n-wear cut

• Layered with a slightly long fringe

• Retain the length

• Make it look voluminous

And with that I left it to my stylist in whose hands lie my looks and locks. She went snip,snip,snip as I looked on my hair transform. After a good 20 minutes of showcasing the power of her scissors , she wielded the blow dry with élan. A round brush here and a paddle brush there.. EE-I-EE-I-O. After lot of gushes of hot air and movements of brushes all over, she brought her hands to rest and Voila, I had indeed transformed into a much younger looking and more stylish self!!

Just when I was about to leave after getting myself snapped by my stylist, they offered me another freebie on nail care and with that a cross-selling of their unique nail care services that included a wine manicure. Wine Manicure?!! With that they just secured another appointment on their calendar very soon…

P.S. Highly recommended by Pink Diaries :)

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Go organic with Nourish

I am fast becoming a 99Labels aficionado. What came across as a chance encounter in the form of an email is evolving into an addiction and I can’t imagine going through a day without peeping in at the current sales on their website. Though I’ve always been averse to the idea of online shopping, 99labels made it seem like a breeze. And with the extra mile they are walking in customer service, this shopaholic is likely to be hooked for life :)

Today I am mighty pleased to place my first order with them. Pleased because I did shopping while at work and mighty pleased because I found a product I’d been searching all over and that too on sale! I’d been looking for Nourish Organic Soaps for quite some time now. So when I received a mailer on Nourish Bath & Body Care products on offer, I promptly snaffled it up!

If you are confusing the above image as any kiddo’s toys or stationery items (which I initially thought!), look again. These are some of the handcrafted products from Nourish’s delectable array of luxurious and fragrant high quality organic products. As claimed, all the products are handmade, with the purest of ingredients like honey, Aloe Vera, olive oil, almonds, cocoa butter and more natural goodies and can be used across all ages.

My order of bath & body care combo looks delicious and the product names are as fascinating as they look – Café Latte Body Bar, After 8 AM Body Bar, Madras Coffee Madness Almond Coffee Scrub, Sweet Almond Lotion and a complimentary Beech wood soap dish. Isn’t that a bountiful of goodness to kick back and enjoy life’s simple pleasures? I’m anxious for my order to arrive and I just hope it’s totally worth the wait!

P.S. For more exciting offers on 99Labels, get onboard now! Here's the referral invite http://www.99labels.com/v1/Become-Member.aspx?re=anamikasingh28@gmail.com

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Breathe away to good health

The past week has been quite eventful for me. By eventful I do not mean happening. I had been lying low for most of the time last week. My usage of the words lying low is intentional as I intend to covey multiple meanings through these two words (Don’t we just love the English language for that!). Firstly I was lying low means I was inactive on my blog – a single post in 8 days qualifies for a self –explanation. Secondly, I slipped off a staircase and lay low on my bed nursing the blue-black patches on my body and the last and final meaning of lie low is literal – I was undergoing The Art of Living course so I’d been lying low ‘breathing in and breathing out’ all of last week !

Few of my family members had undergone this course some time back and they did recommend it to me but being the lazy lump that I am, I lacked the drive to search, enroll and endure what they had to offer. However, there were a few concerns that were playing on my mind – like my ever-increasing girth on an otherwise lean frame and poor immunity (so poor that I catch cold when someone sneezes ever meters away) and even poorer stamina (I’m like a total zombie at the end of the day!). I knew the answer to all my concerns was exercising and activity but they don’t call sloth a working woman’s vice for no reason! :)

A morning of activity is often followed by several mornings of snoozing. A productive thought of practicing yoga is often greeted by several counter-productive ones. Without proper knowledge of warm-up and an experienced instructor, the effort ends before it begins. And the amount of variety of yoga available in market today makes the effort more daunting - Power Yoga , Baba Ramdev Yoga, B.S. Iyengar Yoga, Bharat Thakur Yoga, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Kareena’s size zero Yoga and latest in the list Lara Dutta’s Yoga..phew!

A doc’s recommendation to follow the Art of Living helped me sort out the confusions in my mind. I had just a wee bit of idea that it involves breathing exercises and meditation but I decided to take the plunge (After all, we like to believe doctors are always right!) Oh boy! Was I in for a surprise! The Art of Living basic course that I enrolled for was a tedious, breath-taking (pun intended! :D) and enriching process spanning six days. It involved Yoga, Pranayam, Meditation, Detox, Diet Control, Stress Management and a host of other processes. Their most popular and proprietary process Sudarshan Kriya, is an immensely powerful healing process and detoxifies you completely and rejuvenates you in ways more than one. I’m not much of a religious person, I’m slightly spiritually inclined but my reasons for joining this course were far from spirituality. I was expecting health benefits and overall well-being from it and it did fit the bill completely.

Today, I’ve returned to work fully rejuvenated and recharged. Though the processes left me gasping for breath on a couple of days and with lack of sleep on others, I’m not complaining! Courtesy: the shine on my face and the vanishing inches on my waist. Detox did work and how !!! Now the only challenge is to inculcate the routine in my daily life which going by my past record looks like a Herculean task.

Just in case, this post has inspired you to be an Art of Living follower, go ahead and do it. It’s a sure shot way to health and stress-relief and to washboard abs too. May be shortly we can give Sheela a run for her money ;)

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I Won! I Won! I Won!

A big thank you to all you lovely people who took time out to read and comment on my post which was my entry to the 'Wedding Week Blogging Contest' by 99Labels. Your good wishes and kind words of appreciation have earned me a prize in the contest! I am humbled! 

The reward is purchase credits for shopping (more!) at 99Labels and though I was keeping my fingers crossed for a first or a second prize for bagging every extra credit considering what a hopeless shopaholic I am, a third prize isn’t a bad deal either!

Just when a third prize was dampening my spirits a wee bit, along came another prize surprise. I've won a FIRST prize in 'My Kodak Moment Photography Contest' by 99Labels (again!). The combined reward looks quite delicious! Double delight, wow! SETE (Smiling ear to ear) :D

While not being a blogger, I love to try my hand at photography and this prize-winning picture was the outcome of a trigger-happy-me and some free time on a beautiful Saturday morning.

Thank God It's Saturday!

If you are wondering what 99Labels is, your curiosity ends right here. 99Labels is an online shopping site that offers private sales of high-end brands and labels –national as well as international – ranging from fashion-wear, accessories, lifestyle products, sports wear and gear, electronics to furniture. They are the pioneers in this innovative concept of ‘event based’ online sales for a limited time period and it’s a members-only community. Members are offered sales up to 70% off label prices!! There’s something for every taste and every budget, so you’re likely to find something worthwhile especially if designer label is your vice.



Membership is by invitation so if you’re game for some irresistible deals, here’s the referral link for becoming a member:

http://www.99labels.com/v1/Become-Member.aspx?re=anamikasingh28@gmail.com

With the prize money in my kitty, the designer splurge will definitely be a rewarding experience this time around ;)







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Handbags : The Complete Reference

A close relative coming down from the US shortly has given me a relatively (pun intended!) tough task that I constantly try to evade – to suggest a gift for myself! Nothing beats the joy of unwrapping a surprise gift but some of such gifts have left me surprised in the past instead, considering the debacles they have turned out to be –like the dresses that are gathering dust in my closet ‘cuz two of my size can easily fit into them and the booties that remind me of the blisters more than how fabulously they team up with my denims. Such items end up being the major contributors to the mess I have garnered at home…I know, I know I must give ‘em away but I still hope they’ll fit me someday :P

So in an attempt to salvage my wardrobe from being further inundated with ill-fitting pieces, I chose a much safer option – a handbag. I call it a safe option for two simple reasons – one, there’s not much scope to go wrong unless its grossly printed or full-on bling and two, the more, the merrier. Just when I was sighing a breath of relief from the accomplished ‘task’, along came another one. I was asked to indicate my preferences by trolling the net. I was astounded (in a good way) by the ridiculous amount of variety those American shopping websites offered. After few days of straying all over, I restricted myself to the handbags section and in the process, picked up some gyan that I have been positively looking forward to share with you.

Can u tell a tote from a satchel or a hobo easily? If you often find yourself lost in the purse lingo (like I do, too!), here is a ready reckoner that I have tried to put together. Though there are many types of handbags, all handbags, more or less, fall under 10 broad categories that I’ve listed down in the alphabetical order below:

1. Backpack

2. Clutch

3. Crossbody

4. Hobo

5. Messenger

6. Satchel

7. Shoulder

8. Tote

9. Wallet

10. Wristlet

Backpack - a bag that is supported by the shoulders with double handles and lies across the back. Backpacks are supported on either one or both shoulders.


A Backpack

 Clutch - a small, yet long (rectangular), bag with no handles that must be carried clasped in one hand or under the arm.

A Clutch

Crossbody - a bag with a long strap to be worn diagonally across the body; great for those times when you don’t need or want to carry a ton of stuff with you

A Crossbody

Hobo - a soft, large bag that has a zip top and shoulder strap. Tends to crunch down when carried or laid down. It's defined by its crescent shape and small handles which are just big enough to carry by shoulder. These are popular for their ease of use for any occasion, while still looking great and is one of the most popular styles out there today.

A Hobo

Messenger - a type of sack, usually made out of some kind of cloth that is worn over one shoulder with a strap that winds around the chest resting the bag on the lower back; increasingly becoming an urban fashion icon.

A Messenger

Satchel - a bag with a wide, flat bottom, zippered or clasped top, two handles or straps. This is a kind of handbag which can also be used for carrying books. The satchel style was inspired by a piece of luggage (briefcase) and can be various sizes such as the doctor’s bag which is very much in trend these days.

A Satchel

Shoulder - any bag with a shoulder strap; a shoulder tote is a massive tote to be carried almost exclusively by shoulder.

A Shoulder Bag

Tote – a large handheld bag that is used to carry things, such as books, papers, or everyday items ; usually has long handles and often has a strap and some totes come with a zipper compartment that divides the bag into sections. The tote bag style is the perfect variety for someone on the go yet wants to look trendy and fashionable. It’s the largest bag among those different fashion handbags and is quite a rage for many years.

A Tote

Wallet – a small pocket size purse, hard or soft, with zippers or snaps, has compartments for coins, bills, credit cards etc.

A Wallet

Wristlet – a small handbag quite similar to clutch; with wrist bands or removable straps that can be secured to the wrist. Wristlets are usually the size of a large wallet.

A Wristlet

Not all handbags are created equal, they say – some are classics, some are trendy, some are practical, some are simply arm candy. A handbag for every occasion is the least any fashionable girl can ask for! It is also necessary to know the differences of these different handbags in order to carry the right handbag for the right occasions. So I hope this post would have helped you with that to some extent.



Armed with this information digest on handbags, I told my relative seeking my gift suggestion, “I would prefer a tote, not a hobo or else a crossbody would do but pl ensure it does not look like a messenger “: P I guess this suggestion will keep those ‘tasks’ at bay for next time :D



P.S. Which one’s your favorite?

Image Courtesy: JCPenny.com

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My wedding shopping spree!

17 years and still going strong, that’s precisely how long my love affair with weddings has lasted. It triggered at a cousin’s wedding just when I had barely entered my teens when I realized there so much more to weddings than my childhood game of ‘gudiya ki shaadi’. I was left completely smitten and I knew the fascination was gonna last life long. That shows in the scratches of my favorite DVDs which happen to be all wedding movies - 27 dresses, Bride Wars, Father of the Bride, The Runaway Bride et al. With such a sound foundation in mush, no wonder I grew up to become a sucker for weddings.

Love for shopping was natural but that assumed deadly proportions with each passing year. Being hopelessly romantic at heart and shopaholic by passion was enough to throw me in frenzy when my wedding date was announced. Getting married to my boyfriend was comforting enough for me to channelize all my energy in shopping. And out I went like an untamed Bridezilla ready to devour anything and everything that even had the remotest possibility of being of any use in my wedding. This Bridezilla also spit fire occasionally on those who tried to talk her out of that frantic shopping spree. After all, it was MY wedding and like every bride, I also felt that I’m the first and the last bride on the planet!

Six months of gap between engagement and wedding was a good time frame to stock up my regular dope of shopping. With due regard to the countless spa & salon treatments I endured, a retail therapy was a far superior way to soothe my senses and satiate my soul. Living in a city that is a shopper’s paradise threw up endless avenues for loosening my purse string at the drop of a hat for anything that could be a part of my bridal trousseau.Everything had to be perfect and of course, the best!

My shopaholic alter ego in an overdrive ran berserk piling up goodies from an endless list of must-buys - bridal accessories, jewelry, lingerie, makeup, fragrances, toiletries, bed linens etcetera etcetera, although I knew that most of those will never see the light of the day a second time – but then “my wedding and reception outfits are special to me”, my mind would trick me! After blowing up the booty kept aside by my parents for my wedding shopping, I resorted to my credit cards. Credit card payment cheques departed as soon as the salary cheques came in. After bringing home the most expensive labels I’d ever worn (and the most blingy accessories too!), my bank account hit rock-bottom but that didn’t deter me from further shopping. I transformed into a bargain huntress on the prowl!!

The four-lettered word ‘SALE’ had a hypnotic effect on me and gave me an excuse to accumulate stuff for post-wedding times as well. The choicest Victoria’s secrets for the honeymoon, the itsy bitsy dresses for beach vacation on Valentine’s, the LBD for one of the many candlelight dinners to come, the killer stilettos for clubbing-dos, the ethnic chic for first diwali… the list was endless and so were my excuses. My wardrobe was on the verge of bursting at seams but my shopahol hangover refused to get over easily. The eclectic mix of designer wear and bargain buys offered me a little solace when a bit of sanity set in.

The D-Day tiptoed amidst this madness. It brought the curtains down to the days of hysteria I endured for those six months and the atrocities I subjected to my family and BFFs by those crazy jaunts and numerous dress rehearsals and ushered me in the next drama titled ‘The big fat Indian Wedding’! I put my best foot forward in my handpicked outfit and makeup. The admiration I garnered as the blushing- beautiful- radiant bride made me feel so much better for my feet gone sore from those endless shopping spree. The effort seemed to have finally paid off well!

Three years into marriage, I can’t really recall if each item of my bridal treasure has got a chance to venture out of the closet even once. But whenever it does, it sure grabs some attention. A compliment or two on that wedding special collection item –a pair of chandelier earrings or an ornate outfit or flashy footwear or a bright clutch, lessens my guilt for the sinful indulgence. As I sit flipping through my wedding album today, I walk down the memory lane and re-live each moment of the shopping frenzy that has become a part of these wonderful memories. I feel that’s the best wedding gift I could have given myself! And to all the brides waiting to walk to aisle, my two cents – you get married only once (ideally!), so go splurge!!!

P.S. This post is my entry to the 99lables's Wedding Week Blogging Contest. (Category - My wedding shopping spree!)

99lables.com is a members only 'event based' online shopping community. To become a member, click on the referral link below:

http://www.99labels.com/v1/Become-Member.aspx?re=anamikasingh28@gmail.com

Rules for participating in the contest:

1. Become a member of 99labels (If you are not a member already) by clicking on the referral link at the bottom of this post. (You get Rs 100 worth of credit free to shop!) .
2. Create a log-in preferably using the email id attached with your blog. This is to protect the anonymity of some bloggers as the referral link (read rule 2) displays your email-id.
3. Post your referral link on the post (This means that whoever becomes a member clicking on the link gets Rs 100, and whenever you referral buys an item you get Rs 500). To find your referral link
1. Log in on www.99labels.com
2. Click on “Invite friends” on the top menu.
3. Go to bottom of page and look for “Copy and paste your personal invitation link” and paste the link at the bottom of your post E.g . My Referral invite – http://www.99labels.com/v1/Become-Member.aspx?re=xyz@gmail.com
4. Copy and paste all the rules in your post.
5. Leave a link to your post in the comments section of the contest page of 99labels http://blog.99labels.com/2010/10/25/wedding-week-blogging-contest/.
6. Copy and paste this image at the end of the post and the category under which you have posted.

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The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum : Product Review

By and large, the reaction to my post on my hair woes was unanimous – TBS products will do you good and waiting for the product review. Though its too early to judge a product in which I put so much trust in, I just couldn’t wait to post a review.

Hits:

It would give a reason to cheer for the hopefuls – The Body Shop’s Grapeseed Glossing Serum is an instant hit! Honestly speaking it hasn’t really improved the pathetic condition of my long-ish straight-ish brown-ish hair but it does make the mess on my head look quite presentable. A couple of pumps of the serum and few gentle strokes is all I need to get sorted before stepping out. Now isn’t that good enough?

The product claims to add great gloss and shine to the hair and I quite agree to that. It also helps to moisturise the hair and can be easily washed out.

It also protects hair from heat styling as claimed and unlike Livon, does not leave hair looking oily.

Misses:

Though I have really liked this product , the only thing about this product that mildly puts me off is the fruity smell. I don’t really dig fruity fragrances –floral is my type but then its not so strong that you cannot bear it.

Ingredients: *

Grape seed oil - Is very rich in essential fatty acids. Helps to protect the hair shaft from moisture loss by coating it, which also helps to smooth the hair.

Sesame Oil - Moisturises and helps condition the hair, aiding combing and adding non-greasy shine.

A high performance formulation - Contains oils which do not cause build up on the hair. Does not contain silicon found in many competitor products, which with regular use can coat the hair making it dull and lank.

*Source: The Body Shop Website

Price: Rs. 545 for 75 ml

So the TBS Grapeseed Glossing Serum gets a seal of approval from Pink Diaries. I would definitely replenish it when it runs out of stock !!

P.S. Pl share your experiences if you have tried this product.

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A Short Hair Story

I can qualify as a model for a commercial on dull and lifeless hair. Trust me, I can offer a lot of variety in hair woes – dry, weak, frizzy, limp etcetera etcetera. The only thing which comes next to glowing skin on my secret wish list is shiny black hair and the overwhelming response to my post on glowing skin proves that we all girls share the same wish list, well, more or less, don’t me? Its comforting to know that someone out there empathizes with me as I embark upon the forlorn hope of shiny black hair.

I have been a tom boy for nearly half the time I‘ve spent on the earth. A tomboy with long hair is so uncool so I sported short hair during my tomboy hey days. The adulation for my mushroom hair cut combined with zero maintenance was reason good enough for keep short hair for 15 good years. When the sweet sixteen bug bit me, I decided to break the monotony and grow my hair long. And then came along the frenzy of hair care regime which, I thought, would to make up for the lost time.

I wasn’t genetically wired to have very long hair so the collective wisdom of mummies, aunties and didis came to my rescue. The ubiquitous items on their list found their way to mine – amla, reetha, shikakai et al. Ignorant of the proportions in which each of these have to be mixed before application, I applied a generous amount of only amla on my head and my hair ended up looking a shade of crow! That was the first and last time of my tryst with traditional hair care. Sooner, mehendi became a hair conditioning staple. I would pull all the ladies in the household for the mehendi regime and Sundays would turn out to be a day of green domes where heads belong. Full marks to this one though. It turned out to be quite effective and I would rejoice at the sight of an extra mm of length.

This bliss wasn’t meant to last long. I got carried away and went it for a perming treatment. My long-ish straight-ish (neither long nor straight) tresses which I had laboriously grown reduced to half its length. My curls evoked mixed reactions – some liked it, others were polite in saying straight were better. But when my bratty nephew described me with curls as a maverick scientist, my heart broke. I couldn’t wait for my straight hair to grow. Salon visits for a trim became as regular as groceries shopping. I ended up cutting off every bit of my curled locks and that brought me back to square one. I was left with bobbed hair, roughly the same amount I had years ago.

I put my hair through a more rigorous grind this time around. My hair would let out my eating preferences and I would end up covering it up with an explanation – vinegar – chinese? Yes, I love chinese food .So what, if I occasionally apply on my head too?!! ; egg – ofcourse, I am non-vegetarian ; beer – sorry, I don’t booze , its adds bounce to hair I’ve heard, so m just trying. Persistence did pay in terms of length but the shine was elusive.

Along came the streaking and coloring trend. Before I decided to take a plunge, my friend who went for a burgundy look started turning red with every wash and I just thanked my stars for not being too hasty. My long-ish and straight-ish hair needed a change and rebonding was an ‘it’ thing. After the perming fiasco, I was wary of any chemical treatment so bought myself a hair iron. It came handy in giving my hair a rebounded look but I had no respite from chemicals as I had to rub in a copious amount of hair mousse every time. In hindsight, it added a new attribute to my hair – brown-ish! :D

Whenever I enter a shop for buying skin care products, the sales assistant invariably tells me, “Ma’am, can I show something for your hair, too?”!! It leaves me confused whether she’s trying to hard sell or suggesting me to do something about my hair. “No, thank you. I’m just looking for something for my skin”, I retort.

I have grown comfortable with my brownish hair. Infact, I like it bcoz it look somewhat naturally colored. But I hit the panic button when my niece’s sketchy description – my hair is a color of branch. BRANCH??? Can u beat it? I headed straight to the Body Shop and this time when the sales assistant offered me to show some hair products, I told her to bring it on! I bought Grapeseed Glossing Serum and Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter.

The Body Shop's Hair Serum for dull and frizzy hair  ;)
Picture Courtesy : Inky Pinky

I’m sacrificing 10 extra minutes of my morning sleep to follow this new hair care regime. If I notice any visible changes in my hair texture in a couple of weeks with application of this serum and butter, I’ll definitely post a detailed review. Until then, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the betterment of my long-ish, straight-ish, brown-ish hair…

P.S. What’s your hair story? Any tips for me?

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What the F!

Wanna test the power of the human mind? Read this:
I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor fdreins can raed tihs too.

Freaky, isn’t it? Well, in nutshell it says that the human mind does not read every letter by itself, but the word as a whole, irrespective of the order of the letters. In case you are wondering why I’m writing this on a predominantly fashion blog, that’s bcoz the brand in question has used this mind game to their advantage and created an extremely popular clothing line: FCUK!

If your mind is repeatedly reading this as the F-word, the branding is a success as it has served its purpose of grabbing enough eyeballs and creating a recall value. I myself fell into this word trap and the realization that it stands for French Connection United Kingdom dawned upon today after seeing a billboard with their latest advert of watches that read FCUK – French Connection for Time. Silly me! And I found this a reason good enough to blog about…

French Connection is a British fashion brand known for its edgy and high street styling. It has its presence in more than 1500 outlets across 25 countries worldwide. Though French Connection was found in early 70s, it was introduced in India only in 2007 and is available in over 20 stores across 10 cities.

Anything French has a stylish connotation, which could be the reason behind this fashion-forward brand’s name. Apart from churning out chic clothing, accessories and skin care products, French Connection has always created innovative campaigns – the controversial ‘fcuk’, Fashion vs Style and their latest offering The Man and The Woman through which French Connection unveils its new collection.

The key looks for ‘The Woman’ this season are dresses with sequins and corset detailing ; cropped military pants; cigarette pants with ankle zip for a more refined look ; ruffled shoulders, shorter cropped and clean collarless designs in winter wear and knitwear with beading, stripes, military shoulders and flowing styles.


Autumn Winter Collection 2010
Image Courtersy: French Connection Website

 Browsing through their website was as refreshing as their collection. Their official blog has interesting sections like trend alert, who wore what, outfit builder, best sellers, look book and the dish for you to rustle up a quick healthy low cal meal. Now that’s what I call a bagful of goodies!

Here a few of the recommended picks from their bestsellers list:

Image Courtersy: French Connection Website

As I wind up this post, I recall that I had bought a French Connection top in bargain shopping from Bandra last year. I had dismissed it as just another European brand and tucked it somewhere at the back of a pile of clothes in my closet. Now I realize that FCUK at that price was a STEAL. I can’t wait to go home and search for fish for my prized catch. Some days turn out be days of realization and how!

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Pink Diaries: Facebooked!

Facebooking is my vice. And so is blogging. But for last few days, I was finding it difficult to keep in tune with both at the same time so I decided to whip up a sinful concoction and ta-da, a ‘Pink Diaries’ page was born on FB.

It was unnerving to see the text at the bottom that read “0 people like this” so in a cursory gesture of my wandering mouse, I became the first 'like-r' myself. Few more clicks followed suit in different pockets of the virtual world and that was enough for the text to rise to the top. I am mighty pleased to read “27 people like this” and would like to thank each one of you for joining the pink bandwagon. It, sure, is gonna be a fun ride!

Inviting those of you who haven’t joined the fun yet, please join my page on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pink-Diaries/164858450206634

Lets celebrate girliness, collaborate and think pink ! ;)

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Partying made easy with Remanika

A shopping jaunt this weekend acted as the perfect retail therapy that I was dying to endure. Apart from soothing my senses and satiating my shopaholic soul, it helped in upping my brand awareness. Among the places I shopped at, one of them was Remanika . I always find their stuff enticing – partly because of the unusual palette of mauves and greens and partly because of the jazzy look of their exclusive stores. And when I took a sneak peek at their campaign for the latest collection - Pink Martini, I couldn’t help but notice…partly bcoz of Remanika and party bcoz of my natural inclination towards anything Pink :)

Born out of the need to be a differentiator in apparel brands by creating experimental styles for youth at affordable prices, Remanika has graduated to a a well recognised youth clothing brand in metros. From a single store in south Bombay selling 'Go-sexy'-trendy youth wear and club wear for women in 90s, Remanika has come a long way.

Another draw for me to Remanika, though it might sound silly, is that it rhymes with my name…my real name, that is ! ;) But it is interesting to know that the brand was named 'Ramnika'-a Sanskrit word meaning a woman who is appealing to eyes but people called it Remanika so over the years it has been rechristened to its popular name.

Edgy style, sexy cuts, and lean fits have become Remanika’s signature style and blending in western cuts with traditional Indian embellishments lend a unique touch to their apparels. With target segment being young women between 18 to 35, there’s something for every young hip thing in town. New collections are introduced every season and their names are as interesting and vibrant as the collection itself : 'Lipstick Jungle' for the urban educated woman who has seen a sea of changes in her character and role ; 'Go Getter' for those fashion conscious who are on the move ; 'Plan it Earth' and 'Chemicals Between Us' eco-friendly collections ; ‘Open Road’ for youngsters facing varied choices and my favorite Pink Martini ! 

A dress from the Open Road Collection

They have a couple of new ventures under brand name 'Ruggiero' and 'Rachel' that are slated to become as popular as the flagship brand. Ruggiero is into bulk wear-cargo pants, trek wear, layered clothing- for go-getter women and Rachel is exclusively for Reliance Trendz fashion stores. I checked out Rachel clothing myself and am delighted to tell you that with Rachel, Remanika goes quite easy on the pocket without compromising too much on style.

Remanika is available through exclusive outlets and multi-brand outlets like Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Central and Reliance Trends in 90 outlets across 27 cities. So next time when party wear worries play on your mind, don’t look further – Remanika is just a mall away! :)

Photo Credit : My good friend Shweta (alias Mili)
Shweta is an IT professional-turned-photographer, a style queen, a yummy mummy and an ardent follower of my blog who scores very high on the pink quotient !
For more of her fabulous work, do check out her photography website http://www.tclphotography.com/

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