Sunday 27 July 2014

Paint it Black

Someone who has had a life long love affair with bold and bright colour and all things bling, black has been a distant love of mine. I have never doubted its slimming powers and timeless appeal, but when given a choice, I have mostly gone with colour over neutral shades.
While black is not the ruling colour of my wardrobe, it is safe to say my wardrobe is not 100% devoid of black either.
As much as I love colour, I think it is time for me to update my wardrobe with what I refer to as, ‘must-have blacks’. Not only is it a necessity but a much needed change in personal style as well.
When I decided to pen down my black lust list, I came up with endless options. However, I finally managed to narrow it down to these 5 black beauties.
Here's my lust list of 5 black things that I wish soon become mine! The hunt has begun.


1. Classic black BORDER SAREE: I have always considered the classic black border saree an Indian alternative to the LBD. They both have that same ageless, timeless appeal. From a 16 year old girl to a 70-year-old grandmother, from a business meeting to a wedding reception and from petite to curvy, the black border saree complements women of all ages and sizes.
It is one of those rare pieces that can easily be passed down from one generation to the next. A black border saree is not only a stylish pick but a wise investment as well.

2. Quintessential am to pm TOTE: I am a major bag hoarder. You name it and I have a bag in that shape and colour in my collection. However, thanks to my colour obsession, I never really got around to investing in a black tote. Especially one that is ideal for any time of the day as well as multiple occasions. My idea of a quintessential A.M to P.M black tote is one that can be carried to a working brunch and dinner date and can be easily paired with Western and Indian wear. 

3.The perfect jet black EYELINER: You think finding Mr.Right is hard? Try finding the perfect jet-black eyeliner (eye pencil/kajal) for oily skin. Now, that my dearies, is the real challenge!
From pencil, liquid to gel, I have more than my share of black eyeliners, but I am yet to find that one eyeliner that does not smudge and run even on the most humid days and oiliest of oily skins. Throw in long lasting and I have literally found what I am looking for. Till the day I find my kind of perfect jet black eyeliner, I ain't going to stop looking!

4. All eyes on me STATEMENT SUNGLASSES: From Jackie Kennedy to John Lennon, ever one had their signature sunglass frames. Mine are cat eyes. While I have managed to find a pair of regular cat eye frames, what I am really look for is, one of its kind, all eyes on me, black cat eye statement sunglasses.

5. Dainty WATCH: Lost amidst the chunky metallic and big dial watch craze, I had forgotten how elegant a dainty black watch looks until recently I saw one of my fave actress flaunting her black watch. Since then, I have been looking for just the right black watch that is the perfect blend of style and class.

Here's the thing-Along with these 5 being on the top of my lust list, these 5 pieces are fashion must-haves as well. Ladies, time to invest in these 5 black beauties.

What do you think of my black lust list? Share your views with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
       Amena!!
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Friday 18 July 2014

Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week 2014: Anju Modi and Rina Dhaka

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Indian couture fashion is incomplete without statement Indian jewellery.
When FDCI announced, that for this year's India Couture Week they were teaming up with Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers, one knew with certainty that this was a match made in couture heaven!
From the past few days, Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week has taken over the fashion world.While every collection at ICW2014 is a masterpiece in its own way, these two collections, by Anju Modi and Rina Dhaka stole my heart.

Known for her elegance, Anju Modi always finds the perfect balance between vintage and contemporary. Inspired by the painting of Ajanta-Ellora Caves, she presented her collection titled  ‘Manikarnika’- that reflects a woman of the past, reborn in the present.
A rich colour palette of navy blue, old rose, grey blue, burgundy, sand and ruby were ideal to show case the new favourite silhouette, asymmetric kurta with dhoti and full sleeve blouses paired with high-waisted lehengas and saree.
The embroidery was derived from the architecture and the paintings of the Ajanta-Ellora caves. 
The entire collection beautifully interweaved classic Indian fabrics, embroidery, motifs and textures with contemporary silhouettes.
Actress Kangana Ranaut was a vision in black as she turned showstopper for the designer and walked the runway in a black raw silk high-waisted lehenga paired with a boat neck long sleeve blouse.
An essential adornment in Indian weddings for centuries, Anju Modi decided to accessories her collection with ethnic gold jewellery from Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers.
What really caught my eye was how the designer had artistically styled neckpieces around the models’ hair, showing versatile and novel ways of styling Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers’ bridal pieces.
Bridal chokers and kadas in innovative designs and earrings in traditional gold that showcased the skill of Indian craftsmanship were also seen.
The jewellery included exclusive pieces that have been designed by Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers very own, designer extraordinaire and CEO Praveen Goel.

Inspired by the gota patti work of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Rina Dhaka, presented this traditional embroidery with a modern twist.
Rina created her own style of gota patti using thin doris that were hemmed on surfaces like tinsel sheers and lace-like fabric, so that the garments are light and easy to carry.
Along with gota work, other embroidery elements such as zardozi, ari, kamdani, lace and floral embroidery were set against a lace-like background, contrasted by Mughal animal paintings shown on fur-lined velvet capes. 
Skirt saris, lehngas, shararas, paired with embroidered kurtis, cholis and capes were the dominating silhouettes of the collection. The collection also has a whole lot of separates; pieces that can be mixed and matched with other garments. Deep red, mustard, soft pink, and dull gold dominated the collection's colour palate.
The showstoppers of the collection were actresses, Malaika Arora Khan, who looked stunning in a nude pink gota patti saree, and Nimrat Kaur.
Rina chose a pearl theme contemporary look for her Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week 2014 show.
Opting to pair her ensembles with exquisite nath, kalgi, toda and jadau pieces from Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers’ ‘Svara and Sondaraya’ collections.
Meenakari and polki jewellery along with pearl earrings, bracelets and diamonds from the Sondaraya collections were just the perfect accessories for Rina Dhaka’s collection. 
The jewellery showcased in this collection is a perfect amalgamation of traditional Indian craftsmanship and western design. Designer extraordinaire, Praveen Goel, CEO, Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers, has created these beautiful pieces.

India Couture Week has been know to be a larger-than-life, extraordinaire affair. However, this year, with Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers teaming up with them, ICW2014 has taken Indian couture fashion to new heights by presenting the best of 
couture and jewellery under one room.

With festive and wedding season round the corner, this year's 
Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week has something for everyone.

Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!
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Wednesday 16 July 2014

Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014 Top 10 Trends - Part II

Like I mentioned in Part I of my Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014 Top 10 Trends post, instead of a generic rundown of the collections I decided to highlight the top 10 trends seen at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014.
Here' is the second part of, Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014 Top 10 Trends.

Trend VI: 90's Minimalism
From the looks of it, fashion is still high on all things 90’s. However, this season punk and grunge have given way to the crisp, clean minimalism of the late ‘90s.
Delicate spaghetti-strapped slip dresses made an appearance at Sailex and Nishka Lulla, while Dhruv and Nikhil Thampi opted to go with the season’s new minimalism in simple and structured suits and separates. 
 Trend VII: Drapes Du Jour
The humble drapes have come a long way this season. While fashion week regularly gets its share of sarees and dhotis, this time round, designers have chosen to present the classic drapes in new avatars.
From exotic saree gowns by Sonaakshi Raaj to Arpita Mehta’s dhoti pants to Karishma Jamwal’s funky cowl skirts, the traditional drapes have been modified and wrapped around in a variety of novel styles and silhouettes.
Trend VIII: Make A Statement
There is nothing that makes my heart beat faster than a pretty statement jewellery piece. This season of LFW was a bauble lovers dream come true. 
While Preetika and Heeresh Zagjivan of Pretty Stoned tried to seduce us with their ‘Egyptian Princess’ inspired pieces, Nitya Arora’s jewellery collection for her Valliyan label took us on a whimsical journey, as her designs moved from reality to fantasy. And as much as Mrinalini Chandra insisted for us to ‘Please Have a Seat’, her cleverly crafted accessories had us jumping out of our seats in awe of these beauties.
 Trend IX: The New Motif
Ever since quirky became mainstream, offbeat, non run-of-the-mill motifs have been making regular appearance. From cars to houses to anime to pretty much anything that catches a designer's fancy, the new motif is all about being different and making a statement.
Seeking inspiration and finding it in the colours and motifs of Snakes and Ladders and Ludo, Digvijay Singh showed a whole new chic side of our beloved childhood board games. While Rixi Bhatia and Jayesh Sachdev of Quirkbox, choose to stay true to their quirky roots and continued to woe fashion denizens with their eccentric ‘Quirk-E-Sultanat’ collection. 
Trend X: Metal On My Mind
This season of LFW was crushing on all thing metallic- gold, silver, bronze, copper, gun metal- ever shade of metal known to man was welcomed with open arms. From Kommal Sood’s ‘Champagne Bubbles’ to Jyotsna Tiwari to Rajesh Pratap Singh’s ‘Illusion’, metallic made its glittery presence felt.

Which of these Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014 trends has your name written on it?

Do share your thoughts with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!
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