“You call it madness, but I call it love”–Don Byes

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“Sometimes, my mind battles with my heart. And often my heart loses the battle. Because what’s winning when we haven’t known a little love or loved back?”

I know you probably came here expecting my weekly fashion post and even assuming that I would have some date-night outfits or other such inane stuff. The truth is I just do not get Valentine’s Day-a day apparently to celebrate love, wear sexy underwear and prance around with fluttering eyes (really, only one day in 365 days???) Do not get me wrong, sometimes I do get sucked into this giant marketing ploy and in my head make elaborate plans for the day.

But when the St. Valentines arrives, knocking mightily on my door, instead of it warming the cockles of my heart the whole thing sends me into a WTF frenzy!! Admit it: Valentine’s Day is one HUMONGOUSLY overrated day in which we are expected to show our love by exchanging a string of undesired gifts (because we are material people living in a material world and all that )and fancy surprises (because love is nothing if does not come with a huge price tag). It’s not reality. It is  another commercialised facade and we are expected to conform. 

And conforming is something that does not come naturally to me.

Hence, this year instead of even pretending to celebrate it, I am going to throw caution to the wind and concentrate on the rest 364 amazing days of love, laughter and friendship because at the end of the day it is the little things that matter. And if you are in mood to celebrate then here are some ways that WILL warm the cockles of your heart no matter what.

Cooking: 

When the husband man without expecting or being told cooks a scrumptious meal. Cooking, is the new candlelight dinner for most parents, add a lit bit of wine and a lot of chatter and you will have a memorable recipe in hand, no matter what is cooking. Any man worth his charm would know that a way to a woman’s heart is definitely through her stomach.

Re-creating the first date: 

Valentines Day unique ideas

Anyone can go to fine dine dating place but why not add an extra zing to it by re-creating your first date atmosphere. This is especially true for those couples who have been together for a while and know everything about each other. This is guaranteed to warm anyone’s heart and give you more than one reason to smile and be thankful for.

Go Outdoor:

Valentines Day unique ideas

No one said Valentine’s Day has to celebrated in an expensive place with expensive shit around. Get out of your comfort zone and go adventurous and pick up an activity you love: be it hiking, a long walk, skydiving or bungee jumping. Outdoor activities take out the pressure of perfection and you would end up having more fun than anticipated and speaking from experience there is nothing more romantic than getting lost up in a mountain or in a woodland.

Get physical:

Valentines Day unique ideas 

And I do not mean the Fifty Shades kind but something more fun (and perhaps less painful) if you and your partner are gym rats or fitness lovers then why not bond on that? Pick a really interesting challenging, head to the gym, compete and see who wins.

Dress Up:

Valentines Day unique ideas

Now this is an activity you can do whether you are single or celebrating the day with your friends. Dressing up is an expression of self-love and self-love is the foundation of any kind of love.

I hope now you realise that it is not about soppy gifts and pricey experiences but little things that go a long way to fill you with love and happiness. I wish, all you people Happy Valentine’s Day.

Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed this post. Have a lovely week🙂 Don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who used to rush to the salon every first week of the month to get a pampering facial done. Then the girl became a mum, went back to work and realised the only luxury she could afford was—sleep!

Welcome to the world of busy mums and working ladies who are spinning several different plates and often have no time to take off for themselves. The girl in the above story is me (no prizes for guessing) and like most of busy mums I hardly have time to go and get a proper facial done but that however does not mean I cannot take care of the situation. Like any resourceful mum, I would say the answer is home bound facials. Perhaps not as pampering as it sounds but definitely worth the effort.

L'oreal Paris Clay Mask Review

 

Few days ago, I tested the pure clay mask from L’oreal Paris. The range comes in a pretty glass jar and has three varieties: Purify & Mattify Mask (Green mask), Detox & Brightening Mask (Charcoal) and Exfoliate & Refine Mask (Red). I opted for the Red one due to my skin issues but you can use all three together as well. The masks are made of three mineral Clays: Kaolinite, Montmorillonite and Ghassoul. The mask with red algae is heaven sent for oily skin.

My skin is also prone to breakouts. This helps in gently exfoliating it and giving it a nice natural glow. My skin also starts resembling an oil field after few days hence this is helping me in balancing it and giving it a sheen without any fuss. It also passed the husband test–when you test something and your busy husband sees the difference without you a dropping a hint! This is not a made-up test but a great litmus test for major products in my home. Lol! Needless to say, I am ecstatic about finding this product.

My second favourite is Indian healing facial clay made of fuller’s earth (taken in a different pot in the photo) Fuller’s Earth is an age old beauty/ facial ingredient from the sub-continent and is known absorbing excess oil, removing scars and treating acne. I mix a small amount with rose water, apply for 15-20 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. The result is clearer and healthier skin in minutes.

Last but not the least is the Ultimelt by Soap and Glory. This creamy mask comes with a towel. For getting the maximum benefit out of this, apply some of the cream and massage it. Next, warm the towel a bit using warm water and keep it on your face. Leave it for five minutes and gently take the cream off. If you wish, you can also steam your face before putting the towel on your face.  For £10, this is definitely a good value for money.

So, you see ladies so what if you are crushing it in the boardroom as well as the drawing room with your kids. There is definitely no reason for you not to feel and look like million bucks even though you feel shattered and exhausted for most part of the day 😉

Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed this post. Have a lovely Friday and weekend 🙂 Don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

 

Why fit in when you were born to stand out- Anna Wintour

Happy Thursday my beautiful friends. I hope you are waiting for the weekend just like I am.

One of the tricks, I have learned in my short life as a style blogger is that to create unforgettable and stand out looks, what you really need is a few key pieces that can be mixed in million ways. I have always had a soft spot for embroidery. There is something so earthy, quirky, colourful and striking about decorating fabric with thread and yarn. A seemingly humble process that can completely transform a plain piece of fabric.

Winter Fashion Ideas Romwe

Why seemingly you ask? The truth is I have been trying to get the knack of it since childhood but after all these years I have managed to realise that I simply do not have the talent or patience for it. It is sad really because I remember my grandmother turning simple pieces of fabric into exquisite art. Clearly, talent skipped a generation (at least in my case).

Winter Fashion Ideas Romwe

Winter Fashion Ideas Romwe

Skirt: Romwe, Boots: Ego, Satchel: Zatchel, Jacket: New Look 

Fortunately, we have few retailers who have some really interesting embroidery pieces that can up the ante of any wardrobe.  I am of course talking about Romwe. This perfect piece of embroidered mini skirt should become a wardrobe staple. It can easily be dressed up with an exquisite blouse and statement earrings for a night out or dressed down with boots, tights, sweater and a hat. My winter uniform, really.

Winter Fashion Ideas Romwe

Winter Fashion Ideas Romwe

This is the kind of thing I would wear to enjoy a sunny wintry morning with the hubby and child. I have accessorised it with my pink satchel, turquoise blue cocktail ring and tassel earrings. See lunch date outfits need not be boring but with few interesting pieces (like this skirt in my case) you can elevate the simplest look and make it unforgettable.

Thank you for reading. Hope you liked the post. Don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Thank you Romwe for sponsoring this post.

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face—Victor Hugo

When I was in Bombay (Mumbai) I could never understand why the tourist friends I made from UK spoke so much about weather. Talking about whether so regularly is a very quintessential British tradition. Only after making Britain my new home have I realised why. It does dictate every facet of your life. Be it your activity, your clothes and whether or not you should carry a brolly (the answer is yes, carry it always). No doubt in guessing that this post is also about weather or rather British winter.

When it comes to winter dressing my biggest rule of thumb is—comfort. I especially get drawn towards big, chunky knits that I can practically hide under. Indeed, it is my fashion de rigueur. So, when I got a chance to collaborate with Romwe once again, I naturally picked this oversized sweater in the prettiest shade of blue.

Oversized sweater from Romwe winter fashion

Oversized sweater from Romwe winter fashion

Now, don’t assume that just because we are talking about winter dressing and chunky sweaters it would mean grand mommy fashion. This pretty blue thing comes with a pretty back lattice design and can be worn as an off-shoulder top. I have paired this with black ripped jeans and ankle booties. I have used nifty little accessories like beret, a red bag and statement necklace and earrings to give a boho touch.

Oversized sweater fashion from Romwe

Oversized sweater fashion from Romwe

Oversized sweater fashion romwe

Sweater: Romwe, Jeans: DIY, Accessories: India street shops, Bag: Next (old) like this one too, shoes: Marks & Spencer 

This is the kind of thing I wear on a busy winter morning when I want to be comfortable, colourful and free spirited.

Thank you for reading. Hope you liked the post. Don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Thank you Romwe for sponsoring this post.

The yellow-orange leaves that you collect for no reason, the pain that you hide in your laughter, the first love letter, now crumpled and lost in the pages of an old book, the peck on the cheek that you get after a hard day, the hug that you give when your own strength is ebbing away, the helplessness hidden in your sigh and the dance in your step that doesn’t die away. These are just some of the things that make you, that complete you. That tells, carry on soldier, you are doing great.

At times I am convinced that I am full of paradoxes. I am calm and the storm, the black and the white, the vice and the virtue, the mess and the harmony. Most of the time (especially of late) I am trying to find myself amidst all the haze and the chaos. What has all that got to do with fashion you ask? I hear you. As I have often stated in this blog, fashion or style is not an entity existing alone in an ivory tower. It is personal, political and everything in between. Above all it is a way you express yourself (and your various moods to the world).

Of late I am all about experimenting with colours, textures and unlikely combinations. In my previous post, you saw me wearing Gingham blouse with Indian style jhumkas. In here, I am mixing two unlikely colour and textures. Although I love colourful ensembles, I would have never thought of wearing pink with olive green. I literally threw this look together when I was dashing for work early in the morning. But I was surprised how well it came together. Another experiment I have done here is combining leather with knit wear. Once again, I never thought it could be done but as I have shown you here it can be. Paradoxes, you see.

leather skirt style

leather skirt style

To bring out the look in its completely, I have gone for black accessories like polka dot tights, knee high boots and bag. But once again to give it a dash of sass, I have used quirky and colourful earrings. If you are still unsure of colour blocking, I would suggest to start small. Pair bright colours with a muted ones, add colourful accessories and voila you would have a look which is easy to pull yet make you stand out of the crowd.

leather skirt style

leather skirt style

Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Skirt: Amazon Fashion, Boots: Ego, Bag: Osprey, Earrings: Independent designer 

So, next time if you are bogged down about paradoxes don’t be after all a bit of variety hurt no one.

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful weekend and hope you liked my post. Don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. 

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