My goal this year was to wear as much Indian as possible - only because I am tired of fast fashion. That is not to say that I am not a fan of the regular Zara, H & M etc - but I slowly want to take my wardrobe to the place god intended it to be - a place where conscious fashion exists and slow fashion takes over.

Masaba is one of my favourite designers - I like the prints and the bright colours. Only sometimes I wish the saris had a better finish. The dhoti pants though are my eternal favourite, they fit any silhouette and are affordable. At Rs 3700 on sale, they fit my pocket very well and you know me, designer wear with a deal, that’s my thing!

I love the green and the fit!

Maybe I’ll carry my Indian obsession into 2013. My mind is already making bg plans.

It’s been a while since I posted, but I was busy and life was crazy in the last few months. Almost every weekend I was off somewhere - from family engagements to work things to unplanned trips, there was no time for anything else. Though in the past few weeks, I did travel a lot more than I thought I would. I even tried to document my journey - and I’m still yet to mark my pictures, download them etc etc. So I thought I’ll start off with the ones I already have in my kitty - The first NH7 Weekender I ever went to. My husband and me have always planned to go to the Weekender the previous two years but always failed to end up there. The excuses were many - traveling to Pune being a hassle, social commitments, work issues and family visits.

And this time too, it was dicey. But a window opened up last minute and we took a big chance - to just go there, do our thing and see how it goes. Boy, am I glad we did that? It might seem petty to many but to Bob and me, Weekender was a definite to-do on our list. I’ll be honest, I am not a music buff - sure, I like some bands but I am not the ravenous music lover. Though I am married to one who is not just open to everything, but is enthusiastic, informed and very excited about each and every artist. He would take time out to take me through artist bios, their past, their ideas and practically draw a visual picture of what I can expect at each concert.

Which is exactly why I enjoyed the Weekender so much - because it was really beautiful, managed well and mostly, the artists and performers really blew my mind. And for all those who want to go, there’s only one advice from me - DO NOT HESITATE. MAKE A PLAN NEXT YEAR. JUST GO!

Weekender is what you make out of it, it’s your space - and every year it has been getting better!

My Pictorial Journey is here:

Gaurav Jagwani rocks it on Day One. I have never heard him, this was my first time and I loved what I saw.

A bag that showcases a journey - this is Bhayank Maut lead singer, Vinay Venkatesh’s backpack.

The waters, the lights, the music! I liked the teeny-tiny ideas that stood out!

The lights and the energy!

The flags!

I loved the style at the Weekender. Infact, you should totally check out a piece done by Dipna, a blogger on Strut120 on fashion at the festival. Totally mind-blowing! I liked this girl’s flower hair band and the heart-shaped style.

Beautiful voice and a charming presence: Vasudha Sharma and her boho style!

A few gathered to dance to some dandiya steps. Real good fun!

Pinwheels!!

Shoes, shoes! I was spiked at the fest!

Fun names - fun places!

Two girls trying to take a stylish picture!

No Nasties stall where I bought a tee shirt. I can’t wait to show it off - the fabric is so good.

My husband was practically eyeing everything here - we already have four at home and I definitely don’t want more guitars in the matchbox house. The red one, maybe that’s what I’ll let him buy if we ever move out of Mumbai. *smirk

And oh, the Royal Enfield showcase where once again, Bob went nuts. Bikes and Guitars - toxic combo I tell you!

I really liked the stalls at the Weekender - such cool fashion.

The Royal Enfield bike I actually drooled over!

Amanora at Night!

Half the time, I was sleeping on the grass. The walks up and down did get me too tired!

More lights, more crowds and more magic! This was the one place I parked myself on all 3 days - ate, drank, met some really old friends from Bangalore who melted my heart.

Night time awesomeness!

One of the nicest performances I’ve seen - The Manganiyar Seduction

Of all the food stalls I liked two - The Lassi Te Parronthe stall which sold the fattest aloo paranthas and the yummiest gur ka lassi in earthern pots. The second was the plumpest beef burger + pork ribs from Gaia Home Chefs. I am gonna go back to them even after the Weekender.

Hazy picture, but nice colours! The path to the outside was paved with bright colours!

The view from the guest house we stayed at - aptly called Hermes Heritage. It was affordable, 20 mins from Amanora and well-maintained. Must.check.out.the.poha. #yummbrekkie

What I wore: Neon Lace Top, Forever21; Bling Necklace, Blur Designs, _uck Badge, NH7 Stalls, Cha Cha Tint on my cheeks, Benefit Cosmetics; Wayfarers, Evolv; Pink Sling Bag, H & M Shanghai

I remember Yohji ( the word) as a kid. My uncle worked with a perfume company and gave me a bottle called Yohji Yamamoto. I was 14 and I had no clue who this man was, worse, I didn’t realise his icon status nor his relevance. I just liked the bottle - it was minimalistic, simple and black. Years later, I knew of HIM. And with this quote, he stole my heart!

WWD: After your Y-3 10th anniversary show in New York, you said that “in the world right now, fashion is shit.” Can you elaborate on what you meant by that?

YOHJI: Let me talk like an old man. Young people, be careful. Beautiful things are disappearing every day. Be careful.…You don’t need to be [shopping at fast-fashion stores], especially young people. They are beautiful naturally, because they are young. So they should even wear simple jeans and a T-shirt. It’s enough. Don’t be too much fashionable.…The brand advertising is making you crazy. You don’t need to be too sexy. You are sexy enough.

This is one of the most important things I have read recently.

(via conceptnoir) (via http://aliciahannahnaomi.tumblr.com)

At Rs 65 each, they were a brilliant deal!

Bought at the Aza sale. Joyful allowances!

Perhaps the most unique, most underrated of Indian accessories, the Maang Tika is now being revered as the next big thing these days.This picture by Tommy Ton brings out the casual-ness with which this ornament works on any outfit on any given day.

I’ve always loved it - it’s one of my favourite accessories as well. It’s an integral part of my culture - in Andhra Pradesh, wearing it was a mark of beauty, especially at weddings. From kids in pattu pavadais (silk blouse and skirt) to teens in Langa-vonis (half-sarees) and from brides to bridesmaids, it’s always been part and parcel of our jewellery boxes.

And now, I see that the world has finally taken notice of it. Pretty much!

Chanel’s Paris-Bombay Collection has brought the Maang Tika much applause this year. The silver and gold jewellery is the star of the entire collection and the bold eye make-up only added to the charm!

I shudder to think how the show would have looked without the beauty that is the Maang tika? Can you?

Manish Arora’s Paris Show this time also sported pretty jewellery from Amrapali, albeit with a bunch of Maang Tikas.#love

Alicia Keys seems to love it - she’s seen here at two seperate events bearing the Tika.

Other celebrities who sport a Maang Tika beautifully: Kareena Kapoor

Britney shows it off a few years back at the Circus tour!

All I can say: Wear it and Show it off, it’s probably just the right accessory for this season!

I’m a lover of pink - but not this pink, usually! It’s those softer tones I go for but this one’s a surprise. I bought this tunic in a rusty old shack with no name in the bylanes of Goa. For Rs 150, it’s a steal!

Pure silk with the right amount of bling ( stones + beads)

If there are two things am afraid when it comes to fashion, it’s these - Mhttp://www.tumblr.com/new/textatching your shoes with your dress and Wearing the wrong bra. Clearly, when it comes to living it out in style the second one is more crucial to the way we all finally end up looking. Note, the black dresses that show everything at the flash of a camera at movie premieres - that would be tolerable if you wear the right undergarments.Or better yet, don’t stand in front of a light bulb at all. A beautiful dress worn with the wrong bra spells disaster and I understood the mathematics of the deal on a wayward trip to La Senza recently.The brand invited me to take a look at their new collection and to get a nice little fitting done.

La Senza has always been a favourite brand of mine - the kind of fits, colours and variety the brand has - there are very few others who can compete with that in the market. Which is why on a rather low day, I end up making a trip there to check out their latest collections, buy a night dress or two, run my fingers on the beautiful silk and ogle at the cute colours!

This day, I was introduced to a very sweet lady, Rihanna who was the store manager and official bra fitter at La Senza. So you think you know all about fits and tapes and sizes? Meet her and you’ll realize what you have been missing out on. She measured me, took notes, answered all my crazy queries and gave me a few things to try. And boy, all my pre-concieved notions flew out of the window - sentences like ” I do know my size”, ” I don’t wear padding”, ” I hate those foam inserts” and “Underwires are painful” - yes, all of those vanished. After a few more discussions and questions, I emerged from the store a winner with my hands on a cute little green number ( right size and all) from their newest Show Off Collection.

Psst, you guys must get a fitting done. I absolutely recco it - especially for those of us whose size changes every few years or those who are struggling to find the right size and fit. Fabrics, padding, sizes and fits - there’s a fit for every dress type ( backless, sleeveless, tee shirt). You name the dress and there’s a good one that will fit the bill and make your dress even more awesome-er. So put it on your to-do list for this week - A nice Bra Fitting Session at La Senza. It’s free and makes you feel fabulous!So book an appointment or simply ask the store manager for a fitting.

And coming back to the Show Off Collection that had me at hello!

The store’s newest collection Show Off playfully reinstates the fact that it’s been designed for the ultimate party girl. Note, the crazy colours, the animal-prints and the laces. The collection has three kinds - The Balconnet, the Plunge and the Demi. Plus three lingerie styles - The Babydoll, the Bustier and the Merry Widow.

Now if you’re drooling, do check out their collections and exclusive deals on their FB page and shop the collections here