Floral Fashion is Forever

Ah, the alliteration is unintentional. While browsing online stores to shop for some new additions to the wardrobe, I was left smitten by the collection of pretty floral dresses in a variety of cuts and designs - every single one of them competing for my attention. Tiered dresses, shift dresses, peplum cuts, flowing maxis, sheath dresses and layered gowns...all in eye catching floral prints! The display had variety huge enough to get me into a frenzy of saving item after item in the wish-list! While an off-white and peace coloured floral print tiered dress with flared hem and three-quarter length and this 'pick-me up' aura about it, a multi-coloured floral print maxi too vied for my immediate attention.

Both these went into the shopping cart right away!

Floral Tiered Dress

Floral Maxi Dress

You must be wondering - why invest in floral dresses when summer is on its way out? Well well, did I not say above that floral fashion is forever! The concept of florals being a summer staple is now a thing of the past and more and more fashioned designers and acclaimed fashion pundits are incorporating these prints in their autumn and fall designs. Jackets, blazers, woollen tops and knit suits -  florals prints are a hit everywhere. While I am already sold to the idea of wearing pretty florals all through the year, reading up various fashion trend reports ranking florals high up on the trend chart is of course a huge boost to my sartorial sense.

Interestingly, floral prints are now not just limited to traditional flower designs, but have also gained new dimensions in the hands of modern day designers who are experimenting with their own take on the regular patterns. Abstract floral prints and motifs on dresses, shoes and other fashion accessories are gradually becoming attention magnets perfectly capable of holding their own in the evolving fashion trend scenes. 

So if the 'floral prints' fan in you was shying away from allowing blooms on your dress in seasons other than summer, then now you know better. Embrace your florals, up your style quotient and romance this trend all the year round, for them flowers are not going anywhere. 

Review: Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Oil-in-Cream

I am not much of a user of fancy lifestyle products but I sure love experimenting with them every once in a while. Besides the experiment part, I am also not much of brand loyalist, and keep moving from brand to brand and product to product - sometimes out of boredom and other times out of curiosity. Say even if shampoo A is working fine on my hair, I am prone to checking out shampoo B after a couple of months, just to break the monotony of using shampoo A for so long.

While boredom and curiosity veer me towards buying new products, attractive packaging too plays a big role in pulling me towards certain shelves. And bright yellow packaging was one reason why I picked up the product at hand today - the Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Oil-in-Cream.

I love using hair oil. More often than not, I use it for head massage and not for hair massage - you get the difference? Nothing relaxes me better than a good head message and a hot cup of tea! While the oil massage soothes my strained nerves, the oil also helps keep my frizzy mop of hair in place. The only catch here is that the sticky texture of the oil makes my hair go limp after a while. And if I have to go out on a short notice, shampooing and getting of all the oil becomes a annoying chore.

So while the bright yellow packing of Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Oil-in-Cream tube attracted me towards it, the words 'non sticky texture' ensured that I give the tube a good look. The oil replacement cream also offered triple nourishment with the goodness of hair oil, and with curiosity piqued, I decided to give this one a shot.

I have been using Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Oil-in-Cream for more than two weeks now and it sure feels like a decent alternative to oil. I have been using this alternatively with my regular hair oil - sticky oil when I am home for longer hours and non sticky oil-in-cream when I am out and about. So let's start with the ingredients first and then I can move on to the performance part.

Ingredients - Photo says it all, lots of chemicals in there.
Though there's also apple fruit extract, coconut, almond and olive oil.

Packaging - That the packaging is attractive is a given - the very reason I glided towards this bright yellow plastic tube. Also flip-flop cap secures the tube opening neatly, so there's no fear of leakage. The size of the tube is such that it easily goes into the toiletry bag.

Price Tag - Rs. 35 for 50g, Rs. 60 for 100g, and Rs. 100 for 200g

My two cents - Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Oil-in-Cream has a light texture and easily gets absorbed in the scalp. A few times I have used this cream as a massage cream and even after applying a generous dose of cream to the scalp, my hair remained non-greasy. It has a subtle fruity fragrance so this is one area where it scores over quite a few hair oils that come with strong fragrances.

I have used the cream both before hair wash and after hair wash - as a massage cream before the wash and as a styling cream post hair wash, and it works fine both ways. When used as a styling cream, it does not weigh down my hair, while keep the frizz in control. So far as the cream's claim about triple nourishment is concerned, it sounds a bit far fetched for I have not not felt any change in the texture or quality of my hair. Also, this cream is loaded with chemicals, so I am sure leaving it in my scalp overnight is not a good idea. 

In all, Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Oil-in-Cream is  a decent alternative to sticky hair oil. The product's shelf life is 36 months and the price range for different quantities - Rs. 35 for 50g, Rs. 60 for 100g, and Rs. 100 for 200g- too is affordable. So if you are looking at replacing your hair oil, with something that gives the benefits of oil sans the accompanying sticky mess, then you can give this cream-in-oil a good try.

Product rating - 3.5/5

Going the Sneakers Way!

After spending almost a month of travelling in harsh summers in flip flops and getting my feet tanned a fifty shades of brown, I have finally decidedly to follow a fashion trend – a trend that has been around for a few years now and going by the current fashion scene, this trend does not looks like fading out anytime soon.

I am trading in my flip flops for the more comfortable and protective (and of course fashionable!) sneakers.
Yes! High time! And here are my top 3 reasons to go the sneakers way!

1. Fit for the fashionistas and fashion noobs alike

I will be honest that initially I was a wee bit apprehensive about dress and sneakers combination, wondering whether this pairing is everyone's cup of tea, err, fashion. But after seeing relatively non-fashion conscious people taking to this trend, thanks to the perfect fusion of comfort and style factor, I too am convinced to give this trend a shot!

2. Trendy AND comfortable!

Fashionistas and celebrities have been rocking the dress and sneakers combo both on and off the ramp shows. And now in peak summers, this trend again seems to be the most popular one on the streets - for when flip-flops seem ultra-casual and also give you those ugly tan lines, sneakers are the perfect alternative to not just keep the feet covered, but also give you the sporty chic look. 

Photo courtesy: Bloglovin

Photo courtesy: Popsugar

3. Array of styles and colours!

Paisley prints, glitters, neon, multi-coloured, sporty, sleek...ah the array of styles and colours these sneakers are available in is just unbelievable to a fashion noob like me. I was browsing a few popular online shopping websites a while ago and I am left amazed at the sneakers collection that is listed on them! From immensely popular brands to the relatively unknown, there's a plethora of options to pick from!

So as I place my order for a couple of pretty Adidas shoes that will go superbly with my sporty dresses, I am regretting why I did not come around earlier. Too bad, it took an ugly pair of bad tanned feet to realise that a fashion trend and comfort can go together! But then, as the wise men say - better late, than never! So for summer travels, bye-bye flips flops and sandals, AND welcome sneakers!

Stock Up on Your Ethic Wear : It's Raining Discounts at Craftsvilla!

When it comes to festivities, nothing can steer us Indians away from our choicest ethnic wear collection. Dressed in our finest sarees, lehengas and suits, we make the festivities come alive with our bright and beautiful desi attire. No glamorous western wear can match the inherent charm and elegance that our ethnic wears exude and this is the reason they will never go out of fashion.

A few days ago, while browsing through the many online stores to buy a couple of ethnic dresses for a close friend's wedding, I was overjoyed by the exquisite collection at Craftsvilla - a leading platform for ethnic products. From salwar suits, sarees, lehengas and other ethic clothing items to matching jewellery, footwear bags and accessories, the website is a one stop shop for all things ethnic.

To say that Craftsvilla's collection is stunning would be an understatement. In the salwar suit section, there's whole range of styles to pick from - from regular party wear to uber luxurious designer suits, there's a whole lot of options to pick from and that too from under Rs. 500 to over Rs. 5000 as per their budget.  There's also a category of semi-stitched suits, so if one has size issues, one can always opt for a semi-stitched suit rather than going in for alterations which sometimes mars the look of the design.

The saree collection on Craftsvilla is no less enticing. Browse through them and I am sure the exhaustive collection would leave you confused about which one to pick, for from Banarsi, bandhani, silk, cotton silk, Kanchivaram and Jacquard to handwoven and heavy work sarees, all popular varieties are listed on the website.

I was particularly awed by the stunning Half Half sarees with their striking colour combinations and easy to drape fabrics. and the icing on the cake is the heavy discount that is offered on most of the items! There's more than 50% discount on some stunning designer sarees and with a Rs. 4999 worth of saree available for as low as Rs. 999, it was a steal actually! So if you are looking at stocking up on ethnic wear for the festive season ahead, you know where to shop from. Make sure you make the most of the attractive discounts on offer.

Happy shopping!

Review: Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil

Hello dear readers! Today I am here with a little review of Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil moisturiser that I have taken a fancy to. I am not too fond of make-up products, barring lipsticks and nail-paints, but I absolutely love hoarding up skin care products. Specially body lotions, face-packs, body butters and oils interest me a lot. Though I am not regular with them because of my erratic travel schedules, but if I really like a particular product and find it convenient to carry along, then it definitely finds a place in my travel kit. These days, I have been using this gel oil moisturiser a lot and love how it keeps the skin soft and smelling good all day long.

I discovered the Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil in my mother's handbag when she returned from her trip to London. Since it was pretty cold there and she has dry skin, she said she used this gel oil a lot there and it helped keep the skin from shrivelling up. Since it smelled really good, I used it after shower and found it refreshing as well as easy on the skin, though it took a few minutes to absorb. The cocoa fragrance was an added plus as it left me smelling like chocolate for the whole day! Haha!

Now coming to the texture of Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil  - well since it is gel based, it is slightly thicker than the regular oils, and you need very little amount to cover an entire arm. It spreads out easily and evenly but like I mentioned above, it takes a little while to get absorbed into the skin. But wait a few minutes and it's all soaked up, leaving the skin feeling rich and supple.

Ingredients: Coming to ingredients used in Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil, well the information on the pack mentions a few chemicals besides pure cocoa butter, so this can be a concern for people who are particular about paraffins and chemicals.

Price Tag: £6 for 200ml pack (Not sure if it is available in India)

My Say: I loved Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil's moisturising properties. It keeps the skin looking supple and the cocoa butter fragrance is a bonus. While it can be tricky to use in humid months, it makes for a must-have moisturiser for winters. So if you have friends or family coming over this festive season, ask them to bring along!

Product Rating: 3.5/5

Trend Alert - Saree Gowns Going Strong

The wedding season has just gone by and just as I am done packing up the huge dry-cleaned anarkali that I wore for my cousin's wedding, I get some incredibly good news! A very close friend's marriage just got fixed! So, yay, some more dressing up to look forward too! The D-Day, I am told, is a few months away, but of course that does not deter me from checking out the latest trends. So far as wedding fashion is concerned, I am absolutely done with heavy anarkalis and lehengas for a while! They are  everywhere, so a big break from ethnic please, and time to pick up some chic fusion wear or perhaps something else that is more smart and trendy!

So with my heart and mind set on picking up something trendy for my friend's wedding, I had been browsing not just random showrooms but peeking through online stores. And it was during one of my random website browsing sessions that the same friend suggested that I check out Kalki Fashion, a fashion house popular for their expertise in not just crafting exquisite wedding trousseau, but also creating and stocking a huge variety of outfits that carry traditional Indian sensibilities. And trust me, one look at their collection and I knew I was on the right shopping track!

Photo Courtesy: kalkifashion.com

Photo Courtesy: kalkifashion.com

What say, are not the designs and the intricate detailings super gorgeous! Right on the first page of the website are listed some of these ravishing saree gowns and one look at them and I am hooked! Precisely the kind of outfit I had in mind, a perfect coming together of traditional saree design and contemporary silhouette! And if my fashion knowledge is anything to go by, saree gowns have been quite in vogue for some time now, with many top notch celebrities  wearing them at glamorous events.

Photo Courtesy: kalkifashion.com

A saree gown does not just makes for a fashionable and trendy outfit, but is also super comfortable and easy to carry. If, like me, the idea of wearing (and holding intact!) a traditional saree gives you hiccups, then saree gown is just the thing for you - traditional to look at, and easy to zip up, for we know it's a gown really! Plus to top it all, one wouldn't really have to worry about the outfit coming undone in case they decide to hit the dance floor! Bonus!

And guess what! In between giving all the gyaan on saree gowns, I have actually short-listed a few saree-gown designs on kalkifashion.com that I want to explore in detail.  It's good that there's a dedicated chat support on the website, so I can get my queries addressed right away! So while I go and chat with the support staff on the website, I leave you with one of the designs that I have been eyeing! Do let me know what you think of it? :)

Photo Courtesy: kalkifashion.com

*Cross-posted from My Fashion and Food Diary 

Pearl Academy Portfolio 2015 - Decoding Fashion (Part 2)

Portfolio 2015 - Pearl Academy's annual graduating event was not just about designer clothes, the students had also put up on display an incredible collection of furnishing products, stationary products, items designed from recycled products and lots of engaging art installations. While these exhibits won many a compliments and accolades from from the visitors, another highlight of the event was ace designer Manih Malhotra's visit. He congratulated and wished success to the graduating students and also spent time at a special fashion show organised by the students.

That's all from the Portfolio 2015! Hope you enjoyed both the posts, and if you did, then stay tuned for I will be sharing all lifestyle related posts here! Thank you for your time! :)