Embroidered Denim

The Bohemian era of the 60s and 70s saw denim coming to life with the help of colourful threads. Denim, known for the comfort it always offers, also became an aesthetic garment. 

The customisation of denim has resurfaced in the last few years. With Alessandro Michele, Gucci Creative Director, unveiling the Gucci Pre-Fall 2016 embroidered denim collection, it has become a major rage on the runways. "I want men and women to feel authentic and free in the expression of themselves," quotes Michele. 

Kelly Connor, Vogue editor, says, “In the way that women are moving from their skinny jeans to their old vintage Levi’s, whether they were hand-me-downs, an Etsy or eBay vintage find, it is nice to have some personality in your jeans.” 

Mary Daly of Vintage Etsy boutique explains that denim's sturdy yet forgiving qualities are the reason why it lends itself so well to embroidery.  The philosophy behind this is that embroidered denim stitches the past to the present. Denim certainly is the garment that knows no generational and temporal barriers. 

Take a cue from these picture to wear these aesthetics. 

ASOS

Ralph Lauren

Abercrombie and Fitch

Levi's

GAP

The Palette

"But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean." - Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

Being a fashion enthusiast, The Devil Wears Prada is one of my favourite movies. I was watching it again today and these lines by Miranda Preistly made me wonder how many shades do I actually know! It would be so prosaic to call cerulean, lapis and turquoise the nitty-gritty blue. I don't want to be one of those blasphemers. This knowledge of names is just like your vocabulary which needs to be improved with time.

I would like to recommend colorhexa.com for this purpose. This website is the palette of all the hues possible and is literally the color dictionary! pantone.com is another perfect stop. Whatever way you may choose, make sure that you don't extricate yourself from this world of shades and step into a mundane red-blue-yellow one. 

Get ready to be Bombed!

Being comfortable and versatile, bomber jackets are nowadays playing monopoly. You don't have to be cautious when you wear a bomber jacket because it looks best when it is imperfect. It works both with the dress that lets you flaunt your figure and the pair of distressed jeans you wear on the streets. They are simultaneously sporty and sexy, the perfect intersection of street-wear and high-fashion. There are a lot of hues and designs to experiment with but below I have chosen the basic black one to highlight the versatility of a single bomber jacket.

Nail the street-wear style by wearing a bomber with ripped or skinny jeans and a loose, tucked-in tee. This look is casual yet chic.

 Look effortlessly sexy on the streets by sporting a pair of shorts with the jacket. This ensemble makes the daily-wear edgy.

 Look all adorable by pinning up some quirky brooches on the bomber jacket because these jackets are not  only for looking sexy or cool.

Neither are they only for the streets. Refurbish your work-wear wardrobe and walk with aplomb in a skirt and a bomber jacket. 

Bomber jackets are perfect for dressing down a formal outfit. The oversized jacket is a counterpoise to the tight dress, flitting the line between high-fashion and casual.

So Indian!

A saree is the most recognised garment from the Indian fashion space. The look of a sari essentially depends on the manner in which it is draped. But that's not it! Wearing accessories with a saree is the perfect intersection of culture and fashion. Today, traditional drapes have been modernised by embellishing with accessories both new and old. Scroll down to see how to create a beautiful, Indian ensemble.

If you want to flaunt your waist, there can be no accessory better than a kamarbandh. Kamarbandhs have stood the test of time and add a high voltage of splendour to an attire like they have always traditionally done.

Brooches can be used to hold the pallu together and adorn your sari.  The picture below shows an elaborate brooch chain-the perfect example of the basic being revamped.

 Whether it is an Indian or a western attire, wearing statement jewellery always takes it to another level.If you wear a simple, monotone sari, statement necklaces or earrings are perfect for giving you the attention you deserve.

Not many outfits give us the opportunity of wearing armlets. But they look perfect with saris. If you don't want to wear heavy bangles, armlets can be the single alternative. Armlets have come a long way, from being worn by monsters, deities and men to finally becoming a fashion accessory.

If you don't wish to go overboard with statement necklaces, head accessories can do the magic. The traditional maatha patti or the contemporary head chains certainly set you apart from the crowd.

Ethnic clutch boxes or clutches are a vibrant play of colours you will love to indulge in!

Neck-Lines and Laces

A necklace is an accessory which can enhance or ruin your look. Here's something to help you choose the right neckpiece for different necklines:

Turtle neck: A simple, long chain with a pendant might sound like an understatement but less is more in this case!

 

Boatneck: A long necklace, preferably a beaded one, draws attention vertically and balances the look of the almost-horizontal, unassuming neckline.

Scoop: A voluminous statement necklace that covers most of the skin exposed by the scoop line and mirrors its curve is apt. 

Strapless : The straight cut of the top is perfect for showing off a choker with intricate detailing. You can also keep it minimalistic and wear a collar necklace. You 

can also twin up a statement necklace (not reaching upto the neckline ) and a long chain. 

Square: An angular necklace disturbs the symmetry of the neckline but only to make it look better and vivacious.  

Halter neck: The edges of a halter top are shaped like a triangle pointing towards your face. A triangular pendant pointing downwards or a V shaped pendant can be worn as a counterpoise. 

V shaped- A drop pendant on a chain which should be short or long enough to make the pendant look like it's emanating from the v-neck. Or if the top is draped, a set of no-pendant, long, tiered chains that flows clear off the v-line can be worn.

Collar: Play it subtle by wearing a choker or statement necklace under the collar. The way the choker glints off at the bottom of the choker: grace and class. 

Crew neck: this neckline is replete with choices. Adorn it with a long necklace or a broad choker or a statement necklace but do not use a neckwear which is shorter than the neckline itself.

 

The Girl I Am

I am a silly girl 

With hardwired flaws.

Recently I let my curls unfurl.

I contemplate lyrics while the song's on pause.

 I can be a feather falling down,

But a momentary gush of wind 

Can make me fly again over the town.

I can be a grown-up and a kid.

Small things can make me happy;

Small gestures can win my heart.

My style is simple and not sexy or wacky;

I am too dumb for a tongue sarcastic and tart.

I have love for all things sartorial.

In judgement I am often incorrect:

It takes me long to understand what's right and who's real

And often it's too late to resurrect.

I dwell on my mistakes and fears.

I capture moments in snapshots.

When I am alone I succumb to tears,

I run away instead of disentangling the knots.

I am a silly girl 

With hardwired flaws.

But I hope to amend them as my world does whirl,

To move on; to start a new clause. 

Spec-tacular

There is a need for leaving behind those times when girls wearing spectacles were wickedly called "four-eyed" etc. It's time to clean negativity from the glasses of those girls who thought that wearing specs would make them mundane and fashionably backward.

Everything in the fashion industry has been revolutionised and specs haven't been neglected.

Now there are a myriad of styles to choose from for every face type.

Famous and favourite celebrities are upping the game by wearing spectacles on and off the red carpet. Here are few of them:

Anne Hathaway looks uber cool wearing the Aviator-type specs

Jennifer Lopez keeps her voguish side intact wearing the classy cat-eye specs

Hilary Duff looks adorable wearing the oversized horn-rimmed spectacles

Jennifer Aniston looks sophisticated and suave wearing the tortoise spectacles. 

Kendall Jenner recreates the Harry Potter look, adding a tint of freshness and sexiness. 

Because Brooches are Back!

The brooches adorning old ladies' lapels can never lose their classic appeal. But the winds of change spell a new mood. With winter around the corner, it is time to rediscover the charm of brooches. This fall, pin up a brooch when you wear your favourite jackets, scarves or caps.

A brooch is a timeless and artistic piece of accessory. What you don't realise is that a handful of brooches is laden with possibilities.

Let's have a look at the overwhelming versatility of brooches:

This is my favourite way of wearing brooches. Amp up your old denims and Blazers with  a cluster of funky or elegant brooches and redefine the basic. 

Cover up signs of wear and tear on your purses with golden brooches or those studded with Swarovski. 

If you wish to keep it minimalistic, you can go for the timeless way: elegant brooch on the collar or on the lower part of the shoulder.

Or you can revamp the conventional look by wearing a bunch of brooches on the shoulders or pinning up a brooch chain on the two collars.

Scarves are often left alone but you can pair them up with a classic brooch, to adorn them and also to hold them in place. 

If you were wondering how to style your chapeaus, here are some ways!

Sport a shoulder brooch with intricate detailing, one of the most voguish accessories in the fashion space.

Take a cue from the Indian fashion icon, Sonam Kapoor and adorn a saree with a brooch chain.