Pop Fashion 101

The fashion industry is at once the most visible and overlooked of cultural sectors where fashion statements are often both influential and philosophy-laden and, therefore, often need to be considered, analysed, or challenged. When we open our closet doors each morning, we seldom consider what our sartorial choices say, whether we tend toward jeans and a well-worn concert t-shirt or wingtips and a three-piece suit. Yet, how we dress divulges more than whether we crave comfort or couture; our clothing communicates who we are and how we relate to our culture.

Today, as I write this post for you, I feel my style and sense of fashion has evolved into popular culture by mixing both western and traditional clothing in my dressing often! Its been long that I have been combining fashion theory with approaches from literature, art, music, advertising, media studies, and sociology, which seems to have the capacity to both influence and be influenced by popular culture, and its meaning is also contingent upon context. Well, as the fashion that appears in "pop style fad" imagery too closely resembles the constructs found in the creators of high fashion, I am here to share with you a look that might act as a medium for self-expression covering a host of stellar designs!

Fashion-conscious youth like me pay attention to minute details such as color and design while buying clothes, and when you are in a creative field, anything and everything inspires you, which could be nature, architecture, colors or just anything around! It took me a few days' time to figure out that there are still some fashion-girl trends that even the most style adept have trouble mastering with total confidence. A mix of westernised clothes with Indian cuts still needs a lot of stylised blends may it be in fabric, patterns or draping, and while my recent shopping included a lot of solos (which means that I bought them not because I needed them, but only because I liked their cuts, prints and colors), I thought of creating a pop culture look which might help you solve the trend turmoil!

kurta : Anouk | leggings : Kook n Keech | dupatta : Aksara | bag : Old Buy

heels : StreetStyleStore | necklace : Shopnineteen | watch : Cheapo

When we talk of pop culture fashion, most of to what I've been reading since years is majorly constituted of the Japanese styles incorporated from the U.S. at one time. But darling, when I say fashion in Japan, its not confined to Kimonos! There's a lot more to it like skinny bottoms with long flowy shirts or dresses, astonishing platform shoes and radical makeup. Taking inspiration from the same kind of popular fashion culture, I chose to team up a pair of black Marvel leggings from Kook n Keech with a modernised short kurta from Anouk, that has the trending cat print on it, brought down straight from the runway inspired by Marc Jacobs' latest cat design collection, and a bright floral bluish-pink dupatta from Aksara, giving it an Indian twist!

Swiftly gracing this summery outfit, I added a fussy looking fringe necklace from complementing the fringe bag I hung as a cross body in brown color. By looking at the pictures you must have noticed I tried to keep the color scale of my outfit on a brighter tone as compared to the earthy accompaniments like the leather platform heels matched with a leather strap wrist watch in brown along with other accessories as mentioned. I must tell you that my heels might appear to be impractical or uncomfortable but these are one of the most comfy pair of footwear I've ever owned to look taller!

To finish off, my MUA chose to pin my hair up in a side bun, color my lips deep pink simply to match the kurta and add a few defined lines of kohl creating a checker box near my eyes making it look unconventional, and if you bump into me only to fine me sporting it on a regular day, you'd probably think I've become a wackadoo! But you'd also agree that it does look cool. Well, now that I've shown you a way to style an eccentric look, I hope y'all will try to incorporate it the next time you're fanatic over a pop fashion style, and oh, just to mention if you kept on thinking pop fashion means discovering and replicating pop star fashion, you should probably just laugh it off! :p

PS : This entire look contains all clothing from Myntra, and I really hope you liked it, and if you did, do let me know in the comments below. Also, if you have a personal pop fashion style to suggest, please drop me a message and we can cover it up in the next post maybe! Until then, lot of love.

Photographed by : Yash Athwani  |  Makeup by : Divya Vishnani

~xoxo~ 

VLCC Style Statements Session at Hazratganj, Lucknow

Taking good care of our skin and hair is very important and also a very difficult task. We're always looking for remedies and products that work well on us without requiring too much effort. Upon my recent visit to VLCC Style Statements session at the Hazratganj branch in Lucknow, I got the opportunity to interact with the beauty category manager at VLCC, Ms. Sushmita Verma, who had come down all the way from Gurgaon to the city of Nawabs to help us clear our doubts about how could we better our beauty concepts while striving through a busy life! I, along with my blogger clan in the city teamed up to ask a lot of questions that concerned us and most of you who had shown interest wanting to know the answers about your hair and beauty related problems during the LIVE session, and the expert team at VLCC was kind enough to answer them all, out of which I'm sharing the most requested ones below.

L-R : Mrs. Neelima, Me, Ms. Sushmita

VLCC has brought a new dimension in the Indian beauty world. Presently it is one of the leading cosmetology and beauty centres in the country offering various effective beauty treatments at reasonable prices. There were 5 basic questions that most of us wanted to know so that we could better our beauty regime, or if not then take necessary treatments. Find below (questions by us, answered by Ms. Sushmita and Mrs. Neelima)

Q.1.) How to get rid of acne?

A.1.) Breakouts are caused by one thing only - combination of oil and dead skin cells that block bacteria and clog hair follicles. The best defense against pimples is to find a cleansing routine that works for you and stick with it. Also remember to remove your makeup every night and don't over exfoliate — twice a week is fine. And use an oil-free moisturizer with added SPF. 

Q.2.) How to get rid of stretch marks?

A.2.) There really is no way to get rid of them or prevent them, but they do fade over time. A dermatologist at VLCC can, however, speed up the fading process by prescribing a cream or gel with retinoid, which helps cell turnover and stimulate collagen growth. The few VLCC dermatological methods include : Lasers, Chemical Peeling, Electro Cautery, Botox, Microdermabrasion, Fillers. These are are little costlier but highly effective!

Q.3.) How to get rid of bags under your eyes?

A.3.) Try a cold compress first thing in the morning. Clean potato or cucumber slices that have been refrigerated will also work. Another option is, after your morning cup of tea, place cold tea bags under your eyes for a few minutes for the same effect.

Q.4.). How to minimize pores?

A.4.) Try using a cream or gel with retinol nightly. And in the morning, apply a moisturizer with added SPF to prevent sun damage. A few days a week you should also exfoliate to remove dead skin and deep clean your pores.

Q.5.) What's the best way to deal with age spots - and keep hands from ageing?

A.5.) VLCC offers several anti-ageing treatments which prove to be very effective on the skin. But if you're looking for natural remedies, you must avoid exposure from the sun. Doing so will not only reduce the risk of age spots, but also reduce collagen breakdown so your hands will wrinkle less. If you use sunscreen from early in life, you will reduce the risk of age spots in later years. But its never too late : using sunscreen after age spots develop will help prevent more from appearing. While skin lightening products will help diminish some age spots, only permanent treatments, such as lasers or chemical peels, can remove them completely.

The wide range of beauty & hair products available at VLCC

Coming to hair problems, ofcourse we all have them a lot. And, I'm sure you must have already guessed the 5 biggest and the most basic hair related queries I might have shot at the VLCC expert to answer. Read them below.

Q.1.) How to tackle frizzy hair?

A.1.) One should firstly get his/her scalp and hair checked and on the basis of the problems, decide a hair care routine. One of the sure ways to tackle dry hair is their newest "Medivita" range, which takes care of the frizz. 

Q.2.) How to combat hair fall?

A.2.) Take a proper, nutritive diet. Sleep well. And, use VLCC Hibiscus Anti Hair Fall Shampoo, as it shows visible results in controlling hair fall, making your hair soft, shiny and healthy because of the natural ingredients it contains. It’s pocket-friendly and the quantity is also very good. You may choose to use VLCC Wheat Protein Hair Conditioner which is silicone-free, along with it. Try and see the difference yourself!

Q.3.) Why do anti-oil shampoos seem to make hair oilier?

A.3.) The problem is known as "rebound" oil production - a condition that occurs when you strip so much oil from your hair that it sends a message to your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. The greatest offenders are harsh shampoos, some of which are formulated for oily hair. To combat the problem, choose a shampoo for "dry", "sensitive", or color treated hair. These products are designed to give the most thorough cleansing without stripping the hair. So not only will you effectively remove all the oils, you won't trigger the "oil alarm" when doing it.

Q.4.) How to reverse grey hair?

A.4.) Natural remedies such as a good hair vitamin, mental relaxation, having a balanced diet and maintenance of cleanliness have considerable effects in preventing grey hair. Or you could visit a salon and ask about your hair coloring options. If a major portion is affected, then you can try a new style or hair cut so that you can look younger. Finally, if the distribution of grey hair is uneven – or if your hair color turns out to be darker and duller due to ageing, then you can use highlights to bring the youth and lustre back to your mane.

Q.5.) Why does hair color fade, and what can one do about it?

A.5.) One cause of fading hair color is oxidation, a natural process that occurs when oxygen molecules in the air attach themselves to color molecules in your hair. The end result dulls and fades hair color. While there's not much you can about it, you do have power over one contributing factor : sun exposure. Indeed, the sun fades hair color much the same way it fades your living room drapes. Keeping your head covered will dramatically reduce the sun's fading power. To reduce fading, choose a quality shampoo with gentle ingredients, and look for products for color treated or damaged/dry hair. You might also want to try a color enhancing shampoo, a temporary product that revitalises hair and pumps up color between salon appointments. However, be sure to tell your colorist if try these shampoos, some can impact the performance of permanent hair coloring!

To end, it was quite a fun and interactive session that we had the VLCC centre and I look forward to using the services that they had suggested me personally to try sometime, related to my skin & hair issues; and would recommend you guys to try them as well. With that, I hope this post was helpful. If it was, do let me know in the comments below, and also if you have any more questions that you think I can help you get answers of, please drop them down! Until next, take care of your health and skin, and let your hair sway. Lots of love!

~xoxo~

Food Soirée at JW Club Lucknow

Hey everybody, hope all's going great! I know the heat's almost killin' most of us in the inside with the temperature that crossed 40 degree celsius in the past days, but we just have to keep it going, right? So, amidst the crazy sunburns I've got you a fresh new post with the launch news of a brand new bar restaurant in Lucknow, named as the JW CLUB, that has opened in the Indira Nagar area. Its one of the very few pubs/clubs in the town which has hit it big in the market just in almost a month! Yes, JW Club was launched on the 17th of March, 2017 by the versatile bollywood actress Mugdha Godse and since then the club has been striking it well for the party hoppers!

Well, I personally got the opportunity to attend the pre-launch of the club along with my fellow bloggers where we were gracefully welcomed by the chef who offered us to pick a welcome drink or two from the menu, and I opted for Festival of House and Kiwi Melon Love from there! The first drink was a refreshing combination of muddled coriander with cumins added to fresh tomato & lemon juice, tabasco and rock salt to give it a punch. Whereas the kiwi drink seemed more on a sweeter end with a blend of fresh kiwi and melon, along with added fruity crushes! 

Festival of House

Kiwi Love Melon

APPETIZERS

Next up we had an array of delicious starters prepared by the talented team of exquisite chefs by JW, and to my surprise it was way presentable than I ever thought it would be! A bowl full of Khow Suey soup that was pretty good both in texture and taste. Unlike the regular khow suey, this wasn't too spicy and also was a bit thicker than usual which made it even better to be slurped! We were also presented two types of salads, Greek (combination of feta cheese, black olives and capsicum) and Caeser (combination of fresh lettuce, parmesan cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, lemon) and I preferably would recommend the Greek salad at JW. Its an outstanding preparation!

Coming to the more filling appetizer list, we had Mushroom Duets, Fried Onion Rings, Dahi Kebabs, Pan Tossed Paneer and Cheese Garlic Fries in the menu where my ultimate favorites were the delectable dahi kebabs and cheese garlic fries that tasted so yum. My friends liked the onion rings as well, and you'd be a fool to say no to paneer so that was one came in repeat! I must mention that I loved how beautifully the dishes were decorated and the dips with each of the starters tasted pure bliss.

Khow Suey Soup

Greek Salad

Classic Caeser Salad

Mushroom Duets

Fried Onion Rings

Dahi Ke Kebabs

Pan Tossed Black Sauce Paneer

Cheese Garlic Fries

MAIN COURSE

While the main course arrived, most of us were already had our tummies filled but we definitely were up for a sizzler trial as was presented to us! They say there aren't too many options for vegetarians but apart from the Americano Sizzler that I picked, they also have a mexican Cottage Cheese Sizzler in their menu which too looked good while I saw my friend hogging on it! Though I felt mine was better as it had more of rice and sauted veggies with a tangy sauce to top. The hot sizzling plate full of aromatic sizzler made my day!

Americano Sizzler

DESSERT

We all know, no meal is complete without a dessert. And, what would be better than a dish full of Sizzling Hot Brownie with chilled Vanilla Ice Cream to get done! The chef brought each one of us a separate brownie dish because even he knew we would never share the sweet bites. The crunchy brownie tasted heaven and the ice cream left me speechless and if they only allowed me to pop in some more mint, I really wanted to order another dish to consume that all by myself!

Sizzling Hot Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream

--------------------------------

JW Club, located at the 5th floor at Shalimar Plaza, Indra Nagar is one of the most happening clubs in Lucknow at the moment. For people who like to party hard, and drink at high class bars, and dance to the tune of charismatic DJs on spacious disco dance floors, it is the place to be! Tastefully done interiors with comfortable couches, dim lighting and cozy ambience makes JW Club a fine destination for a perfect hangout with friends, family and corporate delegates. Let me know your experience if you land up there soon!

If you liked this post, do comment below and share it across to spread a word about JW Club in Lucknow. Also, check out my social media handles (facebook, instagram, twitter) to know more about some cool new hangout options in the town!

 

Photographed by : Azmaan Khan

~xoxo~

Swag Bharat with Myntra - Part 2

Hey everyone! Hope y'all have been good throughout. Well, I've been doing great here and tons of thanks to you guys for liking the first part of Myntra's #SwagBharat theme that I posted on this blog last night. Thanks for the unconditional love, really! With that, today I've got you another fusion-boho-inspired look to continue with the #SwagBharatFashionGig in collaboration with MYNTRA, which is extremely comfortable and easy to assemble! Check out all details below.. 

top : Sassafras | skirt : Soundarya | boots : Mochi | bag : Diwaah

necklace, bracelet : Myntra | black ring : Jabong | triangular ring : Blinglane

Today, the revival of this aesthetic has come with a new meaning to the word 'Bohemian'. The present-day Bohemian girl represents a free spirit, who is well-cultured, loves to travel, and is known as adventurous because of both her clothing choices and her lifestyle! Just like a painting, or a song, fashion also plays a main role in the fusion of different cultures and influences. Season to season, we see fashion face some radical changes, but the east and west mixture is inescapable, resulting always in a beautiful, artistic and also commercial masterpiece representing a multicultural society of fashion savvys!

Now, as we know, long kurtas with skirts are the quintessential boho outfit. The combination is casual and looks suave, and the rad thing about this amazing duo is that it can be easily dressed up or you can keep it slouchy chic as well in the spring-summer season, and pondering over the same thoughts, I recently shopped for a beautiful hand printed, cotton wrap-around skirt from Myntra's ethnic skirt collection under the brand Soundarya. To me, skirts appear as a timeless trend and my A-lined pick looked nothing less than a stunner, when teamed up with a bright orange fringe top with bell sleeves and a low slit on the back, bought from Sassafras on Myntra! A dash of multi-colored jewelry, a cute bandhni print bag with red tassels from Diwaah and black western boots from Mochi were my perfect accompaniments!

My experience while shopping my favorite fusion-boho look on the Myntra app was extremely fun and so affordable! Do join in the #MyntraBigFashionGig from 8th - 10th April on Myntra and enjoy shopping from tons of brands there. Also, did you notice the eccentric eye makeup that my friend Divya Vishnani did there? Its one of the most amazing parts of this look and I cannot stop gazing at it. I hope you liked it too! :)

Photographed by : Shubham Kesarii

~xoxo~

Swag Bharat with Myntra - Part 1

Fashion is an ever evolving and vibrant segment and we Indians are getting more and more conscious regarding our looks, while our preference grows toward ethnic apparels with a touch of modernity. A contemporary fashion getting popular in recent times is 'fusion wear' which is a creative blend of styles of any two or more cultures! Silhouettes are basically from Western influence, and are blended with Indian textiles and styling, but in today's time its a preferred choice of people of all class and ages.

Hence, I partnered with MYNTRA under their #SwagBharat theme to showcase a fresh new fusion look for you that not only consists of an elegant and trendy appearance, but also makes it suitable for wearing at all kinds of occasions. Below is a detailed description as to how I shopped from the website to create the whole look! 

shirt : Lokal South | patiala salwar : Ira Soleil | footwear : Gifted | earrings : Aarna Designs

Online shopping has always excited me, because bruh where else can you shop even at midnight wearing your jammies without having to wait in ques and crowds picking up from more than lacs of stylish pieces? Thousands of brands to choose from, Myntra has been my on-the-go shopping portal since the age of 16 when I use to buy all latest clothing that popped up my ad feed with so many price offers! Well, the love has continued since then and with my recent shopping experience at Myntra, I only have to say that its just the one stop destination for all.

Coming to my look, it took me a while to decide that I'd like to keep it quirky yet subtle with my picks! While scrolling through the women's shirts section on the Myntra app, I came across this swanky looking shirt from Lokal South with a chandra bindu print on it with multi colored base including bright orange borders! I just had to get it because it looked so quirky and also complemented the gold-toned shimmer patiala that I opted for from Ira Soleil under Myntra's women's ethnic-wear salwar collection. The bright colored shirt add so much grace to the easy to wear and breathe-in (stretchable pull up), dusky patiala when I styled it, and to up the look a bit, I added a pair of spunky pompom-loop earrings from Aarna Designs and authentic punjabi juttis from Sunita Collections with a cute pompom on it as well that looked nothing less than magical!

Well, I really prefer the Indo-western fusion garments since they've now become 'the in thing'. These garments are gaining acceptance in the our mindsets, and are becoming the choice of apparel at formal and informal events, while my version of Indo-western styling seems a combination of westernised shirt and Indian patiala salwar with summer friendly fabrics that appear quite chic! So, if this post excites you, you should go be a part of the #MyntraBigFashionGig starting from 8th April - 10th April, and shop your own Myntra looks at amazing prices, and of course you can thank me later!

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan & Shubham Kesarii  |  Makeup by : Divya Vishnani

~xoxo~