New Year's Party Looks (ft. ONLY)

Hola people! With just a few more hours left for 2016 to end, I hope this year has been great for all of you. Many of you must have made plans to attend new year eve parties, and many of you have already put reminders for different award shows flashing on TV tonight, I know. Well, whatever you have scheduled, one thing you can be sure of is a great welcome for 2017 in high spirits!

Having said the above, let me tell you that I've planned for an evening out with my friends to celebrate NYE in passion, and have got 2 different looks up for you in this post using the same short sequin dress I bought recently from ONLY, and plan to wear tonight (well of course carrying just one of the looks myself).

ONLY, as a brand needs no elaborate explanation as it holds a prominent name in the fashion world for all style enthusiasts! While strolling in the brand store, I found this eye-catching blue and black sequins dress hung on a mannequin and I knew its going to be in bag within minutes. Its widely said that sequins can take any outfit from 0 to 10 instantly, but full-on sequins isn’t everyone’s cup of champagne. Below are two different looks I've created by adding different layers and accessories to my dress, proving that I'm definitely one of the enthusiasts to sport sequins in style, so scroll down below to check them out now..

Look #1 - Sexy Mania

dress : ONLY  |  jacket : StalkBuyLove.com  |  heels : FactoryRush.com

watch : Fossil  |  earrings : H&M  |  rings : Myntra

Its quite cliche but also very attractive when comes to wearing flashy clothes for parties. Many of us eschew the quintessential glittery cocktail attire and want a look that’s eye-grabbing and festive. And there’s no shortage of strategies for composing such a thing — after all, sequins were one of 2016’s standout trends.

For my first look, I layered my cut sleeves sequins dress with a black leather jacket (essential to keep me warm) with intricate gold mechanisms. Hung a pair of black tassels from H&M and threw in a pair of black peep-toes that are way too comfy for a dance night! Sporting a black metallic wrist watch was a last minute decision because it just gave a wild and sexy appearance as complimenting my jacket!

Coming to my makeup, I wanted something bold and outrageous, so my dear friend and an amazing MUA, Divya Vishnani gave me a striking blue eye shadow with winged liner, little blush on my cheeks and bright red lips. We did a mix of straightening and curling with my hair and I was all set to step out for a gala night!

Look #2 - Fun Fancy

dress : ONLY  |  shrug : Fashion Big Bazaar (FBB)  |  shoes : StreetStyleStore.com  |  clutch : StalkBuyLove.com

bracelets : Auhna Creations  |  earrings : Colaba (Mumbai)  |  rings : Myntra

You may call it unrealistic, but you gotta believe me when I say that a glitzy sequins outfit can be worn even for a day party. For many of us who prefer sleeping off the new year's eve, often plan for a day out with our dear ones, and mostly for an extravaganza where all of want to look our best! This new year, pick a swanky shimmer dress like mine and layer it with a full sleeved, sparkly black shrug to keep it light and comfortable. Sport your favorite metallic slip-ons to jump around freely!

You can get away with some large, flashy jewelry for the occasion, but there is still such a thing as "too much of a good thing." Instead of wearing several large pieces of jewelry, find one piece that can take center stage like round chandelier earrings and stack a few finger rings & bracelet lines to keep it simple and subdued! 

PS : I carried the same showy eye-makeup for this look too, as was seen above in the first one, and also the same hairdo. Though, you can always go ahead and experiment with your ideas!

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I really hope you liked this post. Count this as a quick present from me to you for the last of 2016. This year has been wonderful for me with a little tit bits here and there, but I'm grateful to each one of you for always appreciating my work and motivating me and helping me do my best each time. As we bid goodbye tonight, let's all make a wish for a bigger and better 2017 for everyone around. 

Keep in touch with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and follow me on Snapchat for my daily madness. Until next time, lots of love and best wishes!

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan  |  Location : Cappuccino Blast Aishbagh

~xoxo~

FBB Store Launch in Hazratganj, Lucknow

Hey everyone, hope y'all are doing amazing as always! The last week had been so much fun and you've been seeing all the jazz on my Snapchat and Instagram stories and loving it! One major event I attend recently was the new FASHION BIG BAZAR store launch at Hazratganj in Lucknow which is Future Group's 8th FBB store in town! Located in the main Hazratganj area, just opposite the very famous Capoor's Hotel and Royal Cafe, FBB was surely a much need addition amongst the other upmarket fashion stores in the heart of the Lucknow city.

I had already shared some glimpses of the store during my visit at the launch on my social media but I really wanted you all to take a full tour of the grand store sized in 7000 sq. feet with three levels dividing the entire women's section on the 1st floor, and the men's section into two floors (ground and bottom) comprising of different styles and brands! Below is a detailed description about all of it, scroll down now to take a look..

WOMEN'S SECTION

Women in Lucknow love to shop and with the changing fashion trends on a regular basis, we need something new everyday. And, that's when FBB comes to our rescue with all the latest clothing styles and designs in the most inexpensive price range! From brands like DJ&C to Shrishti and Ateesa, FBB has stocked casual wear (crop tops, boat necks, oversize tees, blouses, etc.) for college going girls, to work wear (pants, jeans, shirts) and athleisure wear (tights, and tank tops) for all ladies. 

Since the time I've known about FBB (which is like since years back), its been the most affordable store I step into and grab my favorite ethnic wear (short and long kurtas, cotton skirts, coaties, etc), casuals and trendy winter wear (blazers, jackets, hoodies, etc) during the chilly months under one roof! I feel with the expert quality products they sell, the magnificent prints they inlcude in the collection everytime is unmatchable, and that's exactly that FBB has comprised their women's wear section in the new FBB store too! 

MEN'S SECTION

Unlike the women's wear, menswear usually involves fewer clothing templates (or patterns) because they offer fewer style options. But FBB stores have always had the best of men's collection under different inclusions of national and international fashion labels. With an addition to the old international brands like Champion USA and Lee Cooper, FBB introduced a new one, the Buffalo brand which is a German brand best known for its jackets and jeans and has become the recent favorite of the youth of today, promoted by none other than the style icon Varun Dhawan.

Apart from the casual collection available, FBB also sells some enthusiastically fabricated clothes for the middle aged men of the working class as well. Premium quality formal shirts, trousers and suits makes FBB store a perfect destination to shop at! FBB - Hazrtaganj, as I mentioned has divided the men's section into two floors with a division of different brands offering different styles. From brands like Spunk, that has an amazing active wear range, to Denim Hub and Chinos that supplies the best jeans and trousers respectively, to DJ&C for casuals, Champion and Lee Cooper setting standards for the supreme winter wear, Studio NYX and Knighthood offering the exquisite colors and designs in formal shirts and pants, and Shatranj comprising of a stylish ethnic wear collection, the store is basically set to consummate all fashion needs for Lucknow's men now!

After exploring the newly launched FBB store at Hazratganj, I must mention that the range of clothing they provide both for women and men is exceptional and chic. The trends are latest and comprise of the best quality products and there's literally no reason you would want to not step into the store and check it out yourself! Go guys, get your hands on some in-house labels at FBB offering you clothes at the best prices in town.

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Tons of thanks to Mr. Punit Katiyar, category head at FBB, Hazratganj, Lucknow. He was extremely helpful and took us around the store introducing us to all the brands and the USPs of the store and the products at FBB! It was amazing to also interact with him about the techniques FBB uses to produce clothes which makes it a hi-end fashion brand for us to witness!

If you liked reading this post, do share it ahead and don't forget to subscribe to this blog by entering your email ids on the right side column as mentioned. I promise you'll never be spammed. You can also follow me directly on instagram HERE, facebook HERE and twitter HERE. Until next time, lots of love and best wishes!

Photographed by : Saumya Kumar

~xoxo~

My favorite corners at Planters Tea Bar & Cafe (ft. Funkfeets)

Hey fellas! I hope you all are doing good. I've been so excited to publish this post today as its a dedication to the amazing work of art and the creative minds behind two successful ventures I absolutely adore! One being FUNKFEETS - the ultimate e-commerce shopping portal for customised t-shirts and shoes, and the other one being my most favorite hangout spot in Lucknow - PLANTERS TEA BAR & CAFE. These two projects as I mentioned, define the true meaning of creativity and design aesthetics and hold a very special place in my heart!

In 1956, Mr. Roop Narayan Gupta started Planters Tea Shop which was Lucknow's first tea shop selling loose Darjeeling tea and serving thousands of tea lovers in town. As progressing with the years, his grand son Vasu Gupta along with his father Mr. Rajendra Kumar Gupta and mother Mrs. Sunita Gupta continued the legacy by expanding Planters with a cafe they recently opened in the Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow which is one of the most popular cafes not only amongst the youth but the middle aged men and women as well. From self-customized interiors, to unique, handpicked cutlery makes Planters different from other cafes and restaurants in town! Since I myself have been a part of the making of the cafe, I have some of my personal favorite corners there which I'm sharing with you below. Scroll down to take a look now..

The Singer's Spot : I won't be wrong if I say this spot is everyone's favorite who has visited Planters Tea Bar & Cafe at least once. The multi color wall sends out such positive and energetic vibes that you can keep looking at it all day without getting bored! And, this is the corner where Vasu (the owner and an amazing musician) sits with his guitar every single day and plays LIVE for all his guests at the cafe, entertaining them personally. Also, its an open spot for all the people who have a hidden entertainer in them and like to share their talent with others.

PS : The next time you visit Planters, do try singing some songs and trust me, you'll feel amazing by the encouraging response!

The Reader's Nest : While Planters was under construction, Vasu told me once he wants to gift a Library to all the book readers in the town who could have a free access to the books they love and read it without any time boundations sitting there. During the launch of the cafe, I saw hundreds of Lucknowites donating books to the library at Planters to share the love of reading, and I being a non-reader have started loving spending time there reading some of the coolest authors as well!

The Galaxy Wall : Along with the library, there's an attached study room for students and anyone who wants to sit in peace and work a bit. And, right there, on a black wall you find this magnificent piece of art which is a graffiti designed by artist Ayushi Singh making not only me but every single visitor pose in front of it leaving us to dream about the heaven above!

The Tea Lovers' Wall : Planters tea bar does not serve any drink except different varieties of tea, and you should've understood that by its name by now! Serving over 150 types of tea, Planters dedicated a special customised corner for tea lovers to sit at, and that's a very creative tea cup and saucer wall which you see in the picture above. Its one of my favorite decorations there and make me feel so homely.

The Unmovable Counter : This is my ultimate favorite corner at Planters Cafe, and anytime you see me there, you'll find me sitting here only (until I'm with a bunch of amigos wanting to sit on a couch like lazy). I love sitting at this wooden setup near the window because I can always get a view of both the in and outside world and you gotta believe me when I say, this corner is the best you'll find there! - Also, you must try the pizza at the cafe because its just too good and truly irresistible. 

Coming to why I love Funkfeets so much, its solely because this brand has always surprised me with their top-notch collection of hand painted clothing and footwear. What else surprised me more was that the three men behind this amazing concept were a mix of an engineer (Sanatt Srivastava co-founder), a banker (Shubhendu Shukla, co-founder) and a dentist (Sachin Kumar, design head) who had passion for graphics and designing more than what were actually pursuing!

Started in February this year, Funkeets first gifted me a t-shirt from their minion collection that had #PickerAtPace painted on it, and they won my heart with that in the first go itself! With all the pictures you've seen above of me wearing different tees, are all the ones I've got from this super brand. I just had to tell them a little about myself and they delivered the wackiest hand painted designs every time. The Crazy Insomniac Lady tee, the Fries Before Guys tee, and my favorite PEACE-ZA tee, I love each one of them! Also, not to forget the customised shoes they made for me. The coolest of all, the Pizza Freak sneakers and the Laughing Minions, both these pairs are an exquisite part of my footwear collection. ------- PS : The quality of all the tees and shoes is excellent so if you're thinking to get something designed for yourself, please go ahead guilt-free!

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Just because I feel really excited about it, I'd share with you that Planters Tea Bar & Cafe was launched on my birthday this year and Vasu made sure we had the craziest party of all time with the best decoration and I cannot complete this post without stating that the little corner beside the kitchen/near the stairs where my photo booth was set up is something I'll recommend to all if you're hosting your party there! You can literally do magic with that little space.

To end, a lot of you keep watching me hanging out here quite often and ask me on social media how economical this place is. To be honest, its the most inexpensive cafe with the best food, tea variety and ambience in town currently and also offers LIVE music every day free of cost! If that invites you, please do visit it and you can always thank me later.

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Photographed by : Shubham Bhasin

~xoxo~

Indian Wedding Fashion : Part 3 - Marriage

Hey stunners, hope you all are enjoying attending all the weddings and its pre and post ceremonies! Many of you who follow me on social media, already know that I recently attended my brothers wedding and enjoyed being a part of all the related functions as well. It won't be wrong if I say, Indian weddings are gala affairs replete with pomp, show and colour, and to prove that I posted two different outfits for two different pre-wedding ceremonies on this blog recently. You can check out the Engagement look HERE and the Tilak/Sangeet look HERE.

To close this year's wedding collaboration series with Jyotika Mirpuri Aroura, today I'm here to share with you the last part of the series being the ultimate Marriage ceremony look! We all dream of looking our best at a family or friend's wedding and the season of glitz and glamour demands you to look your best and bring out the best outfits from your wardrobe. 

Scroll down below to take a look at my outfit pick for a family wedding and how beautiful the team at JMA MAKEUP & FASHION STUDIO in Lucknow made me look with their makeup skills!

outfit : JMA Fashion Studio | heels : Steve Madden | maang tika : Aetee Designs

 makeup : JMA Makeup Studio 

Wedding season in India is no less than a festival with so many events to attend, but the marriage ceremony being the most important, we all want to don some red-carpet worthy styles. Whether you are the blushing sister, doting sister-in-law or a happy bridesmaid, you are allowed to dress up extravagantly but without overshadowing the bride! Many of us tend to wear heavy lehengas and lavish anarkalis at weddings because they form a regular style. But as wedding fashion keeps on changing every now and then, one shouldn't fear experimenting!

For a recent wedding I attended, I opted for a straight fit, body hugging Indian suit comprising of a long brocade kurta in creamish-gold color with yellow silk-lycra churidaar bottoms. The spoof buttoned kurta comprised of long sleeves that helped accentuate my arms under the cut sleeve black velvet jacket with prepossessing zardozi embroidery on its high neck collar and front. The jacket looked quite artistic with its design and ankle length cut that helped me look taller than usual, though along with the smashing glittery heels I wore in my feet! Also, if you notice in the pictures above, at the back neck of the jacket there are tassels (latkan) hanging which make it more decorative. And, similar tassles were added to the yellow net dupatta that came along with the suit with the same embroidery as on the jacket as well. The whole designer suit set looks magnificent and helped me look graceful!

Since this was a wedding look, I wanted something spunky and exquisite, and Jyotika just gave me the most magical makeup and hair do with heavy foundation, smokey black eyes with dark lining and false lashes, along with pink blush on the cheeks and rosewood pink lips. For my hair, she separated my hair on the front and rolled them up on either sides while creating a bun on the side and a queen's pouf on the rear part of my head, attaching hair pins to avoid fall off. We also opted for a statement maang tika and a bindi on the forehead to complete the look and I must mention, I could've never imagined myself look so pretty if I were not dressed my best by Jyotika!

With this, we come to the end of the wedding fashion series for year 2016. I would like to thank Jyotika and her entire team at JMA Makeup & Fashion Studio for making me look stunning as ever in her creative, designer outfits and the amazing makeup on my face and different hairstyles every single time! I would also like to extend my gratitude to the very kind hospitality team at Renaissance Lucknow Hotel for allowing me to shoot at their venue and help me with everything that was needed. Last but not the least, a big thanks my friend Zeeshan Khan for the super gorgeous pictures he clicked for me and made this series attention worthy!

PS : Like I mentioned last year too, I might or might not come up with a new series next year but will keep posting different outfit looks at different occasions, so keep following me here and on social media! Until next time, lots of love and best wishes.

~xoxo~

Indian Wedding Fashion : Part 2 - Tilak/Sangeet

Hey girlies! Hope you are all doing fine. Firstly, I would like to thank everyone out there who took out time and read my first part of the wedding collaboration series which was an engagement party look. It was indeed overwhelming to see your comments too, so thank you very very much! And for all those who missed checking it out earlier can do it now by clicking HERE.

Coming to today's post, its the second part of this year's wedding fashion series with JMA Makeup & Fashion Studio, where I'm going to share with you a beautiful outfit totally apt for the Tilak & Sangeet ceremonies as we have in the Indian culture. I would request you to now scroll down and enjoy the pictures and all details about my look! 

outfit, head accessory : JMA Fashion Studio | rings, bracelets : Auhna Creations | silver bangle set : The Trinket Shop

handcuff : Hill Road (Mumbai) | makeup & hair : JMA Makeup Studio

To be honest, my most favorite ceremony out of all other functions is sangeet because first you get to dance madly and second you get to wear your best outfit because then's when the groom's and bride's families compete the most, so you know you want to look your best! In a recent sangeet function I attended, I chose to wear the lehenga skirt & top attire that you see in the pictures above, comprising of a black cold shoulder crop top made of raw silk fabric and slight ruffles on the sleeves with a long, flowy skirt with mesmerising floral prints on the satin silk fabric that makes the skirt really comfortable to dance around in!

This outfit is designed by Jyotika Mirpuri Aroura under her own fashion label and I love how gracefully it stands out on a gorgeous silhouette. Now, since we wanted to keep my hair lose and long, Jyotika simply gave me bouncy tongs with a pouf and accessorized it with a metallic head chain to give a bohemian touch to dazzle! I also added a few bangles and bracelets on either wrists to give a party finish to the look. And, with my makeup we didn't play a lot this time, because smokey eyes pink lips and a fresh face did wonders as it is!

So guys, that's it for today. I hope you liked going through this post and loved watching the pictures as much as I loved getting them clicked. If you're looking for some sangeet outfits soon, you must check out JMA store once at least and I'm sure you'll drool over their collection. You can check them out on facebook and instagram for more!

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan  |  Location : Renaissance Lucknow Hotel

~xoxo~