There's something about December

I don’t believe this! Its New Year eve, already??!!! Feels just like yesterday when I made this post on this season’s festivities and holiday cheer.Time sure flies…but I’m loving it anyways!

There is something about the month of December that brings with it a sense of joie de vivre, as world over people get ready to celebrate the festive season and the beginning of a new year....celebrations at home and the workplace...and a general air of happiness and excitement that pervades the air.

So living up the high spirits, here's wishing the season's greetings to all you lovely people out there..I know I'd been a bad blogger this year.. but promise to be good  the coming year. This would go as my first resolution for the new year...atleast that will give some food for thought to kickstart the new year with a blog post :P

How are you celebrating this new year ?

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That Girl in Yellow Shoes

Color Blocking. Hot trend. Nuff said. And if I start writing about how cool the Color Blocking trend is, I’d have to bear the risk of sounding like Flintstone! Bad analogy, I know but hope the message is clear. I’d been a late-riser to this trend. Not that I follow all trends as soon as they hit the runaway but at least I consciously ‘try to try’ the ones that I fancy.Color blocking had been on my mind but I walked the extra mile in trying it when I bought myself a pair of yellow shoes.

These yellow shoes (aren’t these cute??) fit so snugly on my feet that I instantly fell in love with them and these have been my savior this monsoon season. Yep, they r waterproof! So I’d been wearing them a LOT (hope they last another season:-S) and they’ve travelled far in a short span. I recently holidayed in Kerala and they proved to be great traveling partners as well :)

So these yellow charmers inspired me to try a color block look and I made a few modest attempts and here’s one of those which I found somewhat worthy of finding a room on this blog. Using the bottom up approach (shoes upwards),I teamed them with a cobalt blue shirt from Chemistry and basic blue jeans and accessorized with an oversized bag (in another shade of blue, totally by chance!)

Shirt: Chemistry; Jeans:Levi's; Shoes:Catwalk; Bag:Baggit

Whatever might be lacking in my color blocked outfit, the surroundings made up for it. What say??? :)

Thumbs up or Thumbs down??? Let me know…



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And I'm Back!!!

Hello girls! Have u been missing me?? Puhleeez say u did (even if u didn’t!). I had been extremely busy for the last couple of months that was keeping me MIA…business travel, role change and harrowing work load didn’t leave me with any time for blogging. Now that I’ve got a breather owing to a few public holidays (I love India for its religious sentiments ;)), I’m hauling myself from my dormant state to active blogging. I’m sure I’ve got loads to catch up on your blogs and I’ll do that very soon…

Some travel stories, snapshots from the wedding shoots and ample food for the fashionista soul coming up soon...Stay close, lovelies ! :)

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Of Fragrances and Apples

I have been donning a Cheshire cat avatar for last two days. The weather in the city is just  perfect for outings and now that the semi-annual sale season has kicked off, I had  the perfect excuse to paint the town red. Who needs an excuse, anyway?!! I had been literally living at the malls all this weekend and cannot help boast how fabulous are the discount deals I got! I raided the Baggit store and bought 4 bags which merits a dedicated post later, picked up some stuff from Mango, only sniffed stuff at Nine West & Aldo (:P) and hauled a Nina Ricci assortment which is a winner hands down :) 

Trust me I am trying to curtail my shopaholic streak and consciously avoid hoarding unwanted stuff but sometimes my weakness for freebies makes me fidgety and I give in…I’m only Human!! Frangrance was not on my shopping list(not that I go with one all the time!) but a whiff of freshness made me spend 2 min extra at a Nina Ricci kiosk in the mall and that was time enough for me to get lured. No doubt Nina Ricci’s universe shells out stellar products all the time and I’m a big fan of her fragrances, but this time around more than the scent, it was the freebies that stole the show.

With my purchase of ‘Ricci Ricci’, came this amazing assortment of scents and a charm that left me totally in jitters. Saying no would have been downright stupid! The freebies included a non-descript 50 ml fragrance for daily use, two pocket scents (Premium Jour & L’Elixir), a miniature dab-on of their new fragrance L’elixir in an apple-shaped bottle and an apple-shaped charm which can be used as a pendant as well. Now isn’t it irresistible?!!!

The complete freebie assortment

L'Elixir miniature

Apple charm-pendant

The apple is a part of their new campaign for L’Elixir…apparently implying the forbibben fruit in Eden. Sinful indulgence,hmmm…..

So wouldn’t you have grabbed this up? 

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A Love Affair with Weddings

My fascination for weddings is no big secret. Having pulled a Bridezilla act myself (about which you read here), I always knew it was more than just-a-passing-phase. If not an engineer, I would definitely have been a journalist. And I even harboured a secret ambition of becoming a wedding planner! So when my growing passion for shutterbuggery gave me a chance to combine both of these and find my true calling, I succumbed. In simpler words, I combined my love for weddings, photography and journalism to pursue Wedding Photojournalism.

Photojournalism, in plain words, is a genre of photography where each picture tells a story. In new-age photography, the same concept is being applied to wedding photography and is gaining popularity by leaps and bounds. The days of the overbearing  photographers bullying you into awkward poses with your spouse on the wedding day are slowly on their way out and making way for more candid photographers who do their job discreetly and let the couple enjoy their own wedding!  

Personally, I always disliked the concept of ‘posed’ and ‘filmy’ pictures. I mean who wants to see oneself cupping her mehendi-ed hands to see a moon formation or two friends pretentiously holding ur ‘jhumka’and to top it all, such pictures are blown-up and printed into a BULKY album which gathers dust all its life (at least mine is !)

So with the wedding photography undergoing a sea change with the increasing emphasis on candid pictures and more and more new-age couples taking confident decisions for their weddings, I took a plunge in this sea (see my talent for finding apt words all the time :P) and now I’m a part of this noble effort to redefine the way we have known our wedding pictures all this while.

I publish my work under the name ‘Anamika Singh- The Memory Keeper’ (yep, that’s Inky Pinky’s real name :)). Believe me, its so much fun being a part of so many weddings, sharing the emotions, seeing pleasant smiles and moist eyes through the lens, creating beautiful memories for a lifetime AND the joy you see on their face on seeing the pictures – its PRICELESS!

All images are copyrighted by Anamika Singh-The Memory Keeper

For more of my work on wedding photography, check out my page on facebook and LIKE it if u like what u see :)

P.S. All you lovelies waiting to walk the aisle, trust me hiring a good wedding photographer can be the bestest thing you can do for urself! It can make a world of a difference to the most special moment in ur life and you will surely thank me for these $0.02 and if u need help, I'm just a call away ;)

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Fashionista for less - Rooja

Talk about coincidences! The other day I was listening to the song Fashionista by Jimmy James and was appreciating  how well he has read a fashionista’s mind. Here are a couple of lines from the song which I’m sure you can relate to:

“Kenneth Cole, Michael Korrs
Mr. Ford I can't afford
D&G and BCBG
Looking good is never easy”

“I wanna be Delgada
To fit into my Prada
Oscar de la Renta
Louis Vuitton
Imitation of Christ, beauty has a price”

And almost the same time I got an invite for this luxury online shopping site, Rooja which offers designer stuff at 60% of their retail price! What a coincidence, isn’t it?

Are you also like me? Have you ever desired a bag or that pair of heels which is wayy too expensive and would leave a huge hole in your wallet ? Fret not ! Fairy Godmother has made it easier for us to get our hands on that bag or that pair of shoes we have been longing for!

Based in India, Rooja is India's truly luxury online shopping experience. However the prime reason behind Rooja is to give you a say in what you wear, and what you buy- most importantly empower the "original you". Membership is exclusive and by invitation only, and their sales will only last 2 to 3 days.

Rooja plans to bring to you amazing brand names like D&G, Missoni, Versace, Gucci, Juicy Couture, Michael Kors, Burberry, Diesel and many more at prices much below the Indian retail prices.

Thanks to Raj at Rooja, they have given me an invitation for Readers of Pink Diaries. Signup Now for an exclusive early invite when they launch.

Check out their website (here) and Facebook page (here) to be a part of the goodness they promise to unleash shortly.

Stay stylish

XOXO

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And the winner is...

A big thank you to all those who participated in the Tangier Giveaway...I really had a whale of a time keeping track of the entries here, there and everywhere and now the aftermath of the counting  is the giveaway winner announcement. Oh btw, my choice of the word aftermath is far from its literal meaning ; its just that it involved a good amount of maths after :P

 Out of the participants who scored 10/10 (well 5/5 actually!), we have a lucky winner

And the winner is Mini of Mini's Musings

Congratulations Mini. Pl email me your address for shipping the outfit to you. Enjoy the moment!!!

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Glad-iators Weekend

I had my plate full this weekend. Unlike the past few languorous weekends, there was so much to do and watch. From being a part of the awesomeness that Kungfu Panda in 3D is to LMAO in the side-splitting Hangover2, the last two days were mostly 70mm centric interspersed with shopping and dining out(as usual those came as add-ons with movie night-outs :))

I also caught up with an old-time friend after a long time over coffee and cheesecakes (slurp!!!) and thoroughly enjoyed this girls’ time-out. I decided to throw in some fun in dressing which otherwise is all nudes and pales under the influence of the sweltering heat.

I took out my colorful gladiators and a thrifted shimmery blue bag and then picked my outfit to go with these. (Accessories maketh the look!!). Here are the pics:

 





Tunic -Globus; Capri- AND; Gladiators -Catwalk ; Bag- Thrifted from Goa

This mutipurpose bag can double up as a shoulder hobo or a regular hobo by a slight adjustment of the straps. And can even be folded and slipped inside ur purse if you may. Isn't it cool?!! I'll look forward to such fun & glad weekends with or without the glad-iators :D

What is ur summer staple?

P.S. Enter The Tangier Giveaway if you havent yet..its closing soon.

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The Versatile Blogger Award

I am delighted to receive yet another blogger award from a fellow blogger today. Bhusavali of Fashion Panache has passed on ‘The  Versatile Blogger’ award to me. Thank u sooo much, Bhusavali ! It feels great to know that your two cents do get noticed, duly appreciated and suitably rewarded :)

Now as per the rules of this award, I have to tell 7 things about myself and pass the award on to 7 bloggers. Also, I have to leave a comment on their blog to let them of this award and link back a post to the blogger who passed it to you. (I did that already!)

So here are 7 things you don’t know about me (Gosh! How I love talking about myself…I could have gone on and on but keeping the rules in mind, I’ll restrict to just 7 random ones). Here it goes:

1. I’m a business consultant by job profile, an engineer by qualification and a freelance photographer by passion. New-age wedding photography is my forte (check out my work on my facebook page here and here)
2. I’m a compulsive shopper …the amount of stuff I’ve accumulated far exceed the storage space in my home which makes housekeeping the most repetitive activity every single day!
3. Pink is NOT my favorite color :P (White is…I never tire of wearing white and my wardrobe has atleast 10 outfits in white :))
4. I have a fascination for polka dots and ribbons
5. I’m a travel junkie –have travelled extensively in India mostly on road trips..the longest road tripping we did was from Mumbai to Himachal across 8 destinations over 10 days (Hell lotta fun!!!)
6. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies(don’t we ALL love ‘em??)
7. I wish I can get home a Birkin someday (Amen!)

I’m passing the award on the following bloggers who I think dish out a lot of variety through their blogposts.

1. Tanvi of The fabulous life of not-so-rich and infamous
2. Prutha of Don’t Shoe Me
3. Geeta of Occasionally Chic
4. Chic & Cliché of The Chic Cliche
5. Chandana of  The Girl at First Avenue
6. Karishma of Purple Peeptoes
7. Tanveer of Addicted to Blush

Congratulations gurlz…share the love!

P.S.  The Tangier Giveaway is on till 31^st May. A gorgeous outfit is up for grabs so hurry up and participate! For details, go to http://huesofpink.blogspot.com/2011/05/tangier-giveaway.html

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Chemistry in your Closet

May be its just me, but don’t u too think that this week is snailing on way too slow. Yawn!! Anyways, weekend is just round the corner (what a relief!) and I’ve already got into the groove. An unexpected wardrobe crisis sent me to a mid-week shopping spree to a nearby mall. My formal black trousers necessitated a replacement ASAP. So I had to scurry and make that quick purchase with just about minimal time during alteration for checking out other stuff. I utilized this time in exploring some chemistry or rather ‘the’ Chemistry!

The collection at the Chemistry store was fabulous but I didn’t have enough time to pick & try .I forced myself out of the store but my mind kept going back to it. As usual I set out today to do my bit of research on the brand but hardly found enough resources online. I googled and googled again and finally found good amount of information which I’m compiling and dishing out for u.

Chemistry  is one of the fastest growing Indian brands for the fashionable urban woman . It was launched in 2005 by Esjay International which is primarily an export-based company supplying to brands like Zara and Armani and is renowned for its women's apparel both in formals and casual wear. The USP of Chemistry is forward high street design at affordable prices. They offer trend-driven fast fashion to the Indian woman and the range includes western casuals, party wear and accessories. The store is known for its feminine and stylish tops, floral skirts and dresses.

The brand whose main target is the young city-bred woman recently launched a line called Miss Chemistry which is targeted at the 18 to 16 year olds  and has a range of dresses, tops, tunics, T-shirts and the like. The uniqueness about Chemistry stems from the fact that it brings out a new collection every two-to-three weeks that is in sync with the season. And with every collection, Chemistry shows you how breaking away from conformity can be fun!  Here’s a peek at their collections in line with the latest trends - Pull-on Pegs, Stripes, Bucket Bags and Summer Jackets.

Image Source: Chemistry India website

With stuff like that , isn’t some chemistry with Chemistry bound to develop ?!!  Mine is assured, how abt u?

P.S. The Tangier Giveaway is on till 31^st May…rush in ur entries if u haven’t yet!

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Tangier Giveaway

I am extremely delighted to be hosting my first ever giveaway on Pink Diaries and it being a sponsored by Tangier -an avant garde brand of clothing is the icing on the cake. Oh btw, the cake reminds me to tell you the reason for this giveaway is Pink Diaries first anniversary (about which you read here). Yay! Lets pop the champagne now!!!  Enough of merry-making, now I must get down to serious business and shift the spotlight to TANGIER. 

Tangier carries exquisitely designed clothing and accessories for fashion forward ladies. Their flagship store is now open in New Delhi. The collections are an eclectic mix of one of a kind designer wear as well as regular clothes in a variety of colors and patterns. They are fashionable, wearable, colorful and are synonymous with quality, value and unique design. Tangier’s target segment is “customers who make revel in their individuality and make confident purchases”. Check out www.facebook.com/ShopTangier for all your fashion cravings!

Tangier offers coordinated head-to-toe western wear collections for teenagers, ladies and plus-size women.The products (ranging from tops, dresses, party gowns, shorts, capris, accessories etc.) are wearable,colorful and exude originality, great quality and a consistent fit. And all that at a pocket-friendly price tag! Walking the extra mile in customer delight, Tangier offers each customer personalized styling in store. Now that’s a value add service you can’t say no to!

Image Source : Tangier (All images are copyrighted by Tangier)

So,my dear readers, here’s your chance to win Tangier merchandise of your choice and size (conditions apply). Create your own unique Tangier experience, all you have to do is enter this giveway…

Rules:

1. You MUST follow Pink Diaries blog through Google Friend Connect

2. You MUST follow Tangier’s facebook page and leave a comment on their wall.

Bonus entries:
a. Receive 1 Extra entry for replying & polling (both) on Tangier's Discussion forum on facebook page (here)
b. Receive 1 extra entry for liking Pink Diaries facebook page (here)
c. Receive 1 extra entry for blogging about this Giveaway

Pl leave a comment on this post with ur name and blog url/email address and do mention what all you have done for extra entries.

This Giveaway is open internationally and ends on May 31^st, 2011 midnight. The winner will be decided by a lucky draw. May Lady Luck be with u :)

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Fitness is Fun again

I was smitten by Reebok EasyTone sneakers the moment I saw their first advert of their new campaign. The gorgeous bronzed, toned thighs and calves on the lifesize posters and billboards and the tagline ‘helps tone your butt and leg with every step’ did more than just leave me drooling. No, I’m not exactly a fitness ‘freak’ and I don’t get carried away with advertisements easily but this time around I just gave in! 

The Ad that HAD me!

Even the remotest possibility of toning my bod with normal walk in those shoes was too tempting a proposition but I didn’t need another pair of sports shoes. So I went ahead and purchased a pair of Reebok Easytone sandals (Reebok EasyTone NVEE Sandals ,as the box reads) and those have been firmly on my feet for the past two weeks! “Carry the gym with you”, isn’t a meaningless tagline after all !!   

My Reebok EasyTone NVEE Sandals



In case you are wondering, what’s EasyTone all about , here’s a bit of trivia. The EasyTone technology used in these new collection from Reebok is claimed to improve muscle tone in legs upto 28%. The basis for this claim apparently is the patented sole technology which mimics walking on sand, causing a higher resistance for your legs against the floor – which makes your legs firmer – even if you are going on simple walks. These incorporate stability balls under the heels and forefoot to create a natural instability to force muscles to adapt and encourage toning. 

Increased muscle activation in butts,thighs and calves



Stability balls under heels and forefoot

Anyways, back to my EasyTones which I wouldn’t make a judgement on if they are as good as the claims but I just love wearing them as they are sooo comfy! Its like gliding on a cushion of air and that is encouraging enough to walk, walk and walk. I feel that they’ve been working my calves a LOT since Moov gel’s consumption has gone up in my home! :D

For those of you feeling inspired to make that purchase of EasyTones, I would suggest you to go ahead…its definitely a superior quality shoe in its class  but do not expect your rear end to magically morph into what you’ve seen in the ads. It might not change your body but it’ll will give you reason to walk more and stay fit. On that note I sign off and get on with my new favorite activity of the day…I’ve got miles to go before I sleep !!!

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Fun to be One!

Pink Diaries turned ONE this week and though I had planning for a special post and a giveway, I really couldn’t do all that I intended to owing to my harrowing work schedule offlate which threw me in an unprecedented writer’s block as well. Nevermind ! Its never too late to raise a toast to this milestone.

The feeling is great and as a nurturer, reaching that first birthday is a high point,isn’t it?  I’ll like to take a moment to acknowledge each of my readers and followers for being a part of this journey and sharing the love . It had be a pleasure to bring that smile, to anticipate that sigh , to share the passion and talk of fashion (wow, it rhymes!) J

Thank you so much for being part of my blog community, sharing these posts and commenting !!! Wish the connect we share with each other sees us through many such celebrations...

P.S. I’ll be announcing a giveaway shortly...Stay close!

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Vanity Size does matter!

We are confused species. Humans in general and women in particular. Especially when it comes to sizes.We want our laptop screens smaller and phone screens bigger knowing the purpose each serve, our torso bigger and derrerie smaller, our rings larger and chains finer..the list is endless. An online shopping order gone wrong has made me rethink how confused exactly I am about sizes.

I am not exactly an avid online shopper and my latest online order hasn’t done much to bolster my trust in online shopping (no points for guessing which site I ordered from!) The item is question was a ‘free’ size Kaftan dress with attractive prints and a chic belt to team it up with but what was delivered to me was a XXL size dress sans the belt and much more sheerer than it actually appeared online. I can accept no-belt thing assuming I missed to read the fine print but a XXL size in which two of my size can easily fit and still leave space for more is certainly NOT done! Free Size does mean ‘One Size Fits All’ but pushing a XXL size as free size hoping that it will fit all isn’t right! Or is it?

I was grappling for a term to describe this experience and Vanity Sizing came close but ‘Inverse Vanity Sizing’ is what it would be best described as. Vanity Sizing or size inflation means the garment is actually bigger and more accommodating than the label suggests. That means clothes sizes are labeled a size or two smaller than actual by shops and designers to flatter the customers. In a nutshell, vanity sizing, as its name suggests, is designed to satisfy buyers' wishes to appear thin and feel better about themselves.

That made me think Vanity Sizing isn’t a bad thing after all. Well who doesn’t want to feel slim and fit and if a label can massage your ego, no one’s complaining. A wardrobe full of XS, S and M sizes is such a joy but the moment the letter start reading L, XL, 2L and what not, you strike the panic button.

Knowingly or unknowingly, all of us at some point of time must have had picked a wrong size and still feel good about it. I have done it many times…like the waist 24” hot pants I bought ages ago – forget about the pants fitting me , the button and the hole are more than 4” apart today ! Similarly, like the time I went shopping with my ‘apparently large’ friend where we both picked a size M – she unsure if she’ll wear it but afraid to admit she is large and me amused at her suicide attempt by asphyxiation! :D

So I’ll let this particular oversized buy pass as a compensation for the undersized ones and I think I should probably gift it to a pregnant friend!!!

P.S. What has been your vanity sizing experience?

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A LILY and her Fireballs

I couldn’t have been happier for my friend Anita for her feature in Bangalore Times for her innovative home décor ideas and that qualifies her to be my Limelight Lady (LILY) this month. I owed her this feature on my blog and it’s been looong overdue but her Fireballs left enough spark to wake me up from the slumber. In case you are wondering what on earth is this LILY, read here. And those who aren’t wondering, lets shift the spotlight. So Anita, my LILY, bask in the glory of your Fireballs!

Anita has launched her own line of handcrafted home lighting and markets them under the trade name – Fireball. She is an IT professional with a penchant for crafting that inspired her to create this unique hand-made piece of art which draws its inspiration from ‘The Sun’ and it reflects in all her designs.

Fireball translates to the shades of light that the Sun brings to us. At the first glance, it is tough to comprehend how this beautiful yet intriguing piece of light is made. I’m given to understand that it is made out of PVC sheets that are cut to shape like Star, Round, Oval and brought to life in the backyard. The use of Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) within the lamp ensures the product is eco-friendly. Fireball is modern, classy yet affordable lighting that perfectly blends into any décor.


Depending on the design, making a piece of Fireball can take anything between 3-6 days. These are available at Mother Earth outlets in Bangalore at affordable prices ranging from 450 to 2500 bucks. And if the Fireballs have caught the fancy of others residing at different coordinates, just drop in a line at diya.anitha@gmail.com and get it shipped home in no time!

Collection @ MOTHER EARTH, Domlur Store - Oval , Round & Pentagon

Featured in The Times of India, Bangalore edition

Check out her facebook page for more...

www.facebook.com/pages/Bangalore-India/Fireball/145053492208810

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