This is my winter song

So, I sense some winter in the air. A perfect excuse for us to get those forgotten scarves and lovely cardigans out. Bombay may not be cold enough for a proper jacket (Oh, what I would give to wear a soft, buttery leather jacket) but it IS chilly enough for a cardigan in the early mornings and evenings. Ditch the feminism and pretend to be a dainty little woman and bring out cardigans in pale, fresh colors. Save the blacks and browns and greys for December. My personal favorite is the fuchsia pink. Love the pop!



(Picture Courtesy- Google Images)

To bring some summer in the air, dress up your outfit with a printed cardigan. Add a quirky print to a plain jumpsuit and you're doing the casual route right without being frumpy.


(Picture Courtesy- thestylemogul.com)

Another trend I am dying to add to my wardrobe and which I think is a blessing in disguise for us not so fit-ordinary-ladies-with-normal-legs is the long skirt. Ankle grazing, calf grazing, whatever works. Prints, colors. And seriously I am not talking about cotton, wrinkled skirts. They went out as fast as Preity Zinta's hairstyle in Lakshya. Think Jil Sander. I have my heart set on this geometric print mustard skirt from Promod. and a long sequined one from Mango, although I doubt with my very minimal social circle where can I wear a sequined long skirt? Anyway, here are some lovelies for you to look at. I love how the skirts add instant height and slim you down. Try just plain colored skirts instead of prints to look slimmer. I have been lusting for the Jil Sander white tshirt- colored long skirt combo ever since I set my eyes on it.

Love the olive green skirt in the second picture. So simplistic yet well put together. And doesn't the girl look a little like Alisha Chinai? Or is that just me?



(Picture Courtesy- giasaysthat.com)



(Picture Courtesy- internationalstreetstyle.wordpress.com)

P.S- I know the long skirt trend has had its moment in the sun since summer but I think its perfect for winter too. Boo you fashion Nazis!

The Frugal Fashionista-

“Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity”

-      Coco Chanel

The world is suffering some tough, financial times. The gloomy predictions claim that the recession could be worse than the ‘Great Depression’ of 1929. The looming trouble affects everything from real estate to retail. How does a true-blue fashionista deal with it? Do we dump the Leibers and Legers and scourge for high street buys? Fashion, couture, designers, these words usually spell ‘decadence’, ‘extravagance’, splurging rather than spending on anything from a hair pin to shoes. Is the industry equipped to survive tough times? Are the fashion-lovers, the celebrities, the first row occupiers at Fashion Weeks all over the world ready to economize?

The signs have been present since early 2008. Prices got steeper and surviving became a priority. In an article written by Sabrina Tavernise, Lawrence Katz, an economics professor at Harvard stated that it was the first time since the Great Depression that the middle class household income, adjusted for inflation, had not risen in such a long time in the US. (Tavernise, New York Times, 2011) Economizing is the call of the day.  

A very simplistic and holistic solution that is becoming evident in the collections of various designers is to – re-use, re-invent and reduce. Repeating an outfit which was the biggest faux pas a celebrity can commit has now become a necessity. Spending thousands of rupees on something you are likely to wear once is not luxury, it’s an utter waste. Re- invent your wardrobe. Mix, match and use your creativity.  Fashion or style is not buying expensive clothes; it’s about your personality, channeling your attitude and your preferences. Reduce the excess. Buy classic silhouettes. The white shirt, the little black or the white dress, nude pumps are some classic items that can never go wrong. Dress up a white shirt with jeans, skirt or khakis or shorts and you have three looks with one same item of clothing.

Designers and retailers are becoming more aware of the dark times we live in. Fashion is affected by life and the recession, the need to simplify and diminish the extravagance is evident in our clothes. Skirts have become longer, OTT outfits are becoming rarer and magazines encourage us to mix and match high street buys, vintage outfits and the odd designer dress. Shops like H&M, Mango are tying up with designers to provide a platform for the struggling retail industry.

Jil Sander showcasing the long skirts and the white tshirt. 

There is another side to this coin. Fashion as an industry survives on an ‘image’, ‘reputation’ ‘attitude’, words that imply faking an identity. Trends, shows, magazines, markets, journalists all work towards creating trends in every season, instructing the fashion lover to ‘buy’ something that shall not be ‘fashionable’ after some months. It is very ‘uncool’ in the fashion industry to be conservative, to save and to economize. And this has been the downfall of the fashion industry for quite some time. During periods of strong economic growth, the fashion industry went from understated, style conscious to a trend driven, label loving, money spending market. There was no space for individuality or creativity. In an article written by Benjamin Schwarz, he mentions “Consumers of fashion are undergoing a ‘value correction’.” His article shows us the other side of the Fashion industry which has been readying for the post-crash era, the ones who believe that fashion or what the makers of fashion (buyers, magazines, sellers) want or promote, the exorbitant, dizzying spree of buying clothes trend after trend has to make way for fashion that is just yours (Schwarz, The Atlantic, June 2009). Magazines inform us to buy ‘investment pieces’, something that shall last.

Calvin Klein- a fluid, timeless and classic collection. 

It is very easy for magazines, fashion designers and journalists to say ‘Buy one piece and wear it in versatile ways’. But it is for the average, fashion-loving woman to understand her style, her needs, her age and create her own rules. The recession is spawning a new industry, one that gives us the freedom to play with the creations, to use it in ways we can think of. It is giving us classic, timeless pieces instead of just mere trends and it is urging us to create, innovate and rebuild. As the fashion lover, it is up to the people to stop being lazy and stick to textbook silhouettes and tones. Bring out the camel, the mustard, the olive. It’s our time.

Picture Courtesy- Google