Resolutions & A Garage Sale

Hola ladies and the few gentlemen who occasionally stray to my blog! Compliments of the season to all of you..Now that the new year frenzy has settled and we are back to our sober selves (or may be not? Hic..hic..hic..), lets talk about the most staple thing of every new year – Resolutions. Apart from the usual favorite- a resolution to keep the resolution for the whole year, I am resolving something fun this year...to LET GO! Let go of my inhibitions and and let go of my happy-go-lucky side….I will travel even more, shop no less and act responsively but not restrain myself by other things.

Speaking of shopping(my favorite-est activity ), this new year starts with a great shopping event my buddy is hosting –The Shopaholic’s Closet Garage Sale. She is stocking a huge collection of brand new stuff contributed by the compulsive shoppers & fashionistas (we all know there’s always a plenty with peeps like ‘em!) and also an unnerving load of once-worn stuff at throw-away prices. You have fair chances of laying hands on a Zara top or a MNG skirt along with the usual brands like Vero Moda, UCB, Remanika, Biba, W, Tommy Hilfiger and many more…

The sale is on only for two days this weekend – 7th & 8th Jan’12 at Nirmal Lifestlyles Mall at Mulund, Mumbai. So my fashion blogger friends, this is your chance for making the most of your half-filled wallet(I presume half-empty owing to the party season :P) and may be we can touch base with each other while attaining a discount sale ‘Nirvana’. I’ll definitely be there, will u ???

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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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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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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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KISS : Keep it Short & Simple!

Although I'm truly madly deeply in Valentines mood, I don't intend to freak you out with overtones of PDA. The title is solely meant for my recent Goa trip (about which u read here).Packing for a beach vacation is always eeeasyy. Just throw in ur skimpiest outfits and a pair of flip-flops and you are sorted. And just in case u want to add panache to those formal dinners which are quite likely to come your way, pack in a LBD and a set of killer heels. Disclaimer: This is usually my idea of packing for beach vacays and are subjected to change as and when the situation demands :P

Traveling light is more of a misnomer for this trip. Though I adhered to my packing guidelines, it wasn’t light by any means. Driving down in your own car gives you all the room in the world to carry your household. Well, sorta! I didn’t plan in advance what all I intended to wear but I tucked in outfits with special attention to the hemlines and coverage and ensured that I don’t run out of choices.

After all, Goa is one place where every one dares to bare unapologetically. Even with a spaghetti top and a capri , I felt like the most clothed in female in the whole of Goa. Fine, I’m exaggerating it a wee bit more here but my feelings were somewhere close to that. So I jumped at this opportunity to show off my freshly waxed arms and legs. The excess baggage that I carried along came handy in my modest skin show.

Here are a few of my favorite looks from the trip:

Attitude?? SO !!!
Top- Marks & Spensers ; Shorts- MTV Accesories ; Bag - No Dimensions(bought online) ;
Accesories - Bandra ; Ballet Flats - Bata

Dress- AND ; Accesories - Peora ; Sunglasses-Fastrack

Top - Jealous ; Hot Pants - Globus; Bag - Bangles(store in a B'lore mall); Flip-flops - Hypercity;
Accesories -AVON ; Stole- Bombay Stores

 

Jumpsuit - Bargain buy from Goa flea market; Spaghetti - Thrift ; Accesories - Forgotten !!! :D
I just cudn't resist the temptation of wearing it !


So how did u find these? Which one did u like best ?If at all :D

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Eat.Shop.Love.

These three words quite sum up my current state of mind that is still reeling under Goan trance. A mid week break was the perfect excuse to sneak out from the city for an idyllic getaway and what could be better than Goa at this time of the year. It turned out to be such a crackerjack holiday that even a week-long break left me salivating for more!

Goa has become a second home of sorts for us and we rarely go through a year without holidaying in Goa…at least once and sometimes even twice. This was our fifth time there so sightseeing wasn’t figuring on my wish list at all. I’d rather planned to laze around the beaches and soak up the heady mix of sun, sand and surf. In midst of doing lot of nothing-at-all, I indulged in making the most of Eating, Shopping & Loving! The eating and shopping bit will get a room on this post and I’ll reserve the details of the loving bit :D

The gastronomic journey that I experienced had some stellar pit-stops which deserve a respectable mention. Had the best brick-oven pizza ever, gorged on cheesecakes and banoffee pies and savoured a delectable array of seafood. Here are a few of the images I clicked to keep the awesomeness alive in memory…

Seafood Pizza at Magic Italy (Palolem -South Goa)

Cheesecake at a German Bakery (Baga -North Goa)

Apart from being immensely hip & happening, Goa never fails to surprise me with the effortless style in clothing. A nip here, a tuck there and ta-da u have a beautiful gown made from a traditional sari or few seams conjoined to make a wraparound out of almost anything. Barring a few items that cater to the ‘Butter Chicken & Dal Makhni’ crowd like block-print kurtas, cotton dresses, straw hats and souvenir t-shirts to name a few, the flea market can churn out highly interesting stuff if you have the eye for it.

The flea market is also the pulse of latest trends and this time around I found few things dotting the market

• Scarf Dresses

• Harem pants in all dimensions (short/medium/long) and different fabrics (cotton/ tie-dye/silk)

• Jump Suits

• Hot Pants

• Shimmer Bags

• Ruffle Lamps

Flea Market at Palolem

The colorful ruffle lamps in the flea market

I grabbed a whole lot of stuff from the flea market which gave me a head rush and made me feel good. And at those prices, it’ll make me feel less guilty even if I don’t use them more than once.

I will post some pictures of outfits I wore and those of my flea market buys in subsequent posts…after I figure out how to manage 2.5 GB of pictures spilling out of the folder on my already saturated hard disk and each one vying for my attention. Damn these digital cameras!!!

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Holiday Tales and a Tote

First things first. A very happy new year to all you lovelies. I was MIA on the blogging front for over a fortnight as I was vacationing in Dilli ki Sardi but I’ve been missing blogging terribly. I was hoping that I’ll have exciting holiday tales to dish out but I’m afraid those are bordering on disappointing :(

My wintry excitement went for a toss the moment our flight got cancelled due to heavy fog. Train tickets that I’d booked as a backup plan came handy but I was in for a rude shock when the overnight journey was completed in double the time due to abnormal weather conditions. Landing in 2 degree celsius at 2 in the night on wasn’t really my idea of winters!

Anyhow, with our itinerary gone awfully haywire there was little we could do except eat, drink and be merry! I needed minimum 3 levels of layering to withstand the extreme cold and my winter fashion was lost somewhere between those layers. Now that I’m back to my warm snug zone and the teeth chattering and mind-numbing cold is behind me, I’ve got lot to catch up on and a series of posts to make.

Between the traveling, the dinners, and the in-laws, the holidays turned out be a stresser but the saving grace was quality time with family and a gifted Liz Claiborne Tote (about which you read here).

It’s a nice BIG carry-all tote in which I can practically carry my household, apt for a GOG (girl-on-the-go) like me and since the big, big bag is in fashion, I’m delighted to have it. The tag details read that it is from the Liz Claiborne Paige Signature Collection and comes with a 10 year warranty! The fabric is signature jacquard in a cotton/poly bend with LC initials dotting the exterior and hardware detailing is quite distinct.

It has a separate padded section for laptop which was my preference. Though a 14” laptop compartment was what I was looking for, this one can carry a 17” one which is also fine.

Apart from this, the most vital feature that I noticed in few days of usage is that it manages to fit it anything and everything from a laptop to a bulky camera to a spare set of dress and a pair of shoes and still carry it comfortly. Ok, I haven’t tried the shoe bit yet but I did fit it my fluffy jacket inside so full marks for dat! Overall, I think I like it and its just perfect for my ‘heavily loaded’ workdays.

Let me hear from you what do you think about it…

P.S. Hauling myself to the shopping malls seemed to be a difficult task in the chill but I managed it somehow. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! More posts on that coming up…Stay connected :)

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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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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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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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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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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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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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