Tuesday, 26 June 2012

Style It Thrice: Neon Stone Necklace

It is quite obvious that I have what is otherwise know as a neon hangover! I just can't seem to get enough of these vibrant shades. Being born in the 80's I guess this unhealthy obsession is part of my DNA! Anyhoo, this love for florescent shades is not going to go away anytime soon. Plus, with the monsoons soon approaching, neon colours are a perfect way to brighten up those wet morbid days.
Personally, I do neon the safe way- preferring to wear them as accessories or shoes or bag. So ever since I saw this piece, I have fallen head first in love with it. With sale season just round the corner, this necklace is the first one on my 'must buy it' list.
For this week's 'Style It Thrice' segment I have chosen a neon stone necklace by Zara {$20, INR 1190}. It is a statement making neck piece without being-over-the-top. Plus, due to its elegant design, one can wear it for multiple occasions as well as pair it with with a variety of colours and prints.
For those who are looking to experiment with neon shades for the first time, this necklace is a good place to start. Here are a few of my styling suggestions to help you along.


Family Lunch Look: Summer 2012 has been a summer of two things-colored jeans and neon shades! For a trendy casual look pair the necklace with your fave coloured jeans, tribal print top-currently the IT trend- and neon bag and bangles for a lunch with the family. To make this look a monsoon friendly one, choose a top that is not in white or light colour based and slip resistant footwear.
[MANGO Colored Jeans; DIANE VON FURSTENBERG Blouse; MARC BY MARC JACOBS Bag; MANGO Sandal, ASSAD MOUNSER Bracelet; BOTTEGA VENETA Earrings; CHANEL Lipstick]

Fashion Week Look: Fashion Week is that time of the year when the best of fashion is seen on as well as off the runway. To make a significant statement- create a colour block ensemble. Match your neon necklace with a contrasting {colour} coral pink dress and floral print clutch. To up the chic quoitent polish the look off with neon sandals and watch as heads turn your way.
[ALICE + OLIVIA Dress; JIL SANDER Floral Clutch; ZARA Sandal; KANUPRIYA Earrings;  REED KRAKOFF Ring; TOM FORD Eye Shadow; CHANEL Lipgloss; GIVENCHY Eyeliner Pencil]

Date Night Look: Bored of wearing the necklace again and again? The best way to funk up the look is by layering a bunch of chains and necklaces together and create a multi-tiered necklace. To make your necklaces stand out wear this look with an all black {or any solid} colour outfit. Complete the look with metallic heels and a cute shoulder bag.
[JIGSAW Tank; VIVIENNE TAM Skirt; REED KRAKOFF Sandals; NINE WEST Bag
JUICY COUTURE Link Necklace; ORLY GENGER BY JACLYN MAYER; BALENCIAGA NecklaceYVES SAINT LAURENT Cuff; KENNETH JAY LANE Earrings; SEPHORA Eyeliner; YVES SAINT LAURENT Lipstick]

Once in a while it is good to let the accessories take over and do all the talking. Don't you agree? And with a necklace as versatile and trendy as this, one can rarely go wrong with it.

What do you think of neon necklace and how would style it? Share your views and opinion with me in the comment section.


Till then, tra-la,

 
Amena!!
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Thursday, 21 June 2012

New Brand On The Block: Salt 'N' Pepper Footwear & Accessories.

I love discovering new things. The joy I had when I first introduced my friend to the words of Haruki Murakami or the delight  when I took my family for the first time to a newly opened Indigo Deli.
As of recent, I have developed a love for online shopping. And in my pursuit for finding something new, something trendy as well as pocket friendly, I stumbled upon a newly launched in India, Italian footwear and accessories brand called Salt ‘N’ Pepper.
True to their name, they have a variety of products to offer. Primarily focusing on all kinds of footwear and bags-for men,women and kids- they also offer other accessories such as belts and jewellery-necklace and bangles and bracelets.
Currently being retailed in over 10 countries across the globe, the company has decided to take the e-commerce route to find their feet in India. Not only is the company excited about the launch in India, but has also chosen it as their first destination for an attempt at e-commerce as a brand. They believe that e-commerce would give consumers greater access to their products in a market like India. This way allowing customers to choose and pick products of their choice at their own convenience {They do not retail in India as of yet}.

They first ventured into the Indian market by participating in the India International Leather Fair (IILF) 2011 held in Delhi. Upon receiving an overwhelming response to their products, the company is confident their uniquely designed products will capture hearts and feet of Indian consumer. 
The company’s philosophy is: “High quality leather footwear and accessories which are uniquely designed to make them stand out from the rest is our USP”.The brand's variety of choice and versatile designs makes them stylishly wearable for any time of the day or occasion. Using Salt 'N' Pepper footwear and accessories {only}, here are few of my styling suggestions.
[Price details of Salt 'N' Pepper products used in the above set]

Do visit this newly launched brand, Salt 'N' Pepper's website for some trendy footwear and accessories and let me know what you think of it.

Till then, tra-la,
 Amena!!
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Monday, 18 June 2012

Dressing-Up For The Rains!

Here’s a fact-I hate the rains!!! (I think I heard a collective gasp from all the rain loves out there!) Fact is, I just hate them! With all the insane traffic, water puddles, pollution and muck around, monsoon is my dark period, where I oscillate for serious mourning and sulking to major creative blocks and depressive ideas. Like I said not my best season!
Since I love everything else about Bombay, I have learnt to survive these 4 mad months on my own terms. As much I hate the rains I never let it get the best of me, especially in the dressing-up department. I make sure I am damn well dressed and prepared to combat the torrential downpour. 

Whether you love or loathe the rains, everyone need to be appropriately dressed to survive the monstrous monsoons! My mantra for the season is ‘keep it simple, keep it short, and keep it colourful’. Here is a list of my monsoon must-haves.
[More information on these pieces here]

Styling Tips for Monsoon.
Office Wear: Opt for sleeveless or short sleeves shirts or tunic instead of full sleeves ones and preferably pick knee length skirts. If pants are a must, then go for blended fabric that dry quickly and don’t crumple easily instead of pure cottons and linens. Wearing white or very light pastel shades is inviting disaster, so pull out your summer brightest- tangerine orange, neon green, electric blue and fuchsia pink. Avoid layering as much as possible, cause once it stops to rain it becomes crazy hot and humid. 

Ethnic Wear: Say no to all form of summer whites and neutrals. Flaunt your most colorful and liveliest kurtis, and pair them with snug-fitting churidars/ leggings. Ideally swap your dupattas for scarf or stoles. Heavy salwar kameez with trailing dupattas can altogether be avoided during monsoons.  
If you must wear a saree, stay away from cottons {as they will crinkle up in no time}, and  translucent and flimsy fabrics such as chiffons and georgettes {not only do they become completely see-through but also lose their sheen when wet}; instead go for light weight silk ones.

Casual wear: Maxi skirts/dress and light colour tops are not monsoon friendly attire at all. Instead opt for capris, shorts and tops in bold and happy colours. Remember, whatever you wear; make sure you have enough legroom to make a quick dash for cover when caught in a surprise downpour.

Footwear: Not to self: All monsoon footwear at all times must be slip-resistant.

Navigating those crazy puddles your footwear can barely be seen, but believe me, it is the most important part of your wardrobe. Seriously, you don’t want your chappals/ slippers {however cool you may think they look} plunging you nose-first into a puddle; neither do you want your heel breaking while you are crossing an uneven road. This is the season of sensible shoes. Opt for flat ballerinas with rubber soles {or made out of Neoprene or PVC}, rain boots, waterproof flip-flops or floaters. If you must wear heels in monsoon, then choose ones with heels no more than two inches high and having a firm base. 

Make-up and Hair Style: Use only waterproof and smudge proof makeup. Apply soft shades with rosy undertones for your cheeks, dramatize your eyes with coloured eyeliners, and give your lips a matte look – in bright or soft shade.
Since hair is almost always a problem during the monsoons, don’t choose styles that require your hair to be straightened, blow dried, crimped or curled. All that humidity will make it limp and shapeless in no time. Make sure you get a haircut that helps you style your hair with minimum fuss. Also, avoid putting too many hair products in your hair as the humidity may make it greasy.

Accessories: Lock away your cloth, leather and straw bags for dryer season and go for the trendy water resistant bags. Umbrellas are a must have for this weather, so pick one that is sturdy yet chic to make a style statement. Avoid wearing pure silver jewellery, cause they tend to turn black when in contact with moisture, instead pick some funky costume pieces to spice up the look.
Summer Styles That Should Never Been Worn In Monsoons.
Summer whites or very light pastel shades.
Clothes in translucent and flimsy fabrics such as light weight cottons,'chikankari' and lace.
Maxi skirts and dress.
Raffia wedges.
Pure leather or suede shoes and bags.

How do you deal with the monsoon season? And what is your fashion mantra and must-haves for the rainy weather? Share them with me in the comment section.


Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!
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{Featured On Links À La Mode: IFB Weekly Roundup (June 21st)}


Wednesday, 13 June 2012

Mixing Art: Pretty Pastel

I have been creating collages and mood boards even before I started blogging. They are a fun way to creatively mix up different arts forms-fashion, photography, paintings, quotes. Since collage making is one of my major USP {I can't cook and I am not ready to share my poems and fiction work yet} I finally decided  that every month I will share one artistically stylized  collage of mine.
For my first "Mixing Art" section I  have chosen a pastel theme collage. B
etween my {unhealthy} obsession for neon and try-out session with tangerine, I actually forgot about these delicate shades. 

[More information on these pieces here]
Also, do check out my full fledged post on pastel colour trend.
P.S. I am  finally on Twitter. Yaaaayyy!!!! Feel free to drop me a line there.
Let me know what you think of this section? Share your views and suggestions with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
 
Amena!!
 Connect With Fashionopolis on FacebookTwitterPinterest, Bloglovin' & Subscribe
email me- 
a.fashionopolis@gmail.com

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Style It Thrice: Tangerine Clutch

Every since I got into blogging, I have stopped using fashion magazine as my go-to style guide. Don't get me wrong- I do read them, but they are no more my only source of inspiration. In fact, major of my fashion and style inspiration comes from street style and personal style blogs.
So, when I saw these stunning looks, I decided adding a tangerine clutch would be the perfect way for me to include some trendy colour pop into my outfits as well as a great way to experiment with a new trend.
[Images Via:1234]

The beauty of a tangerine clutch is it can be used for any-time-of-the-day occasion. As well as it matches well with most colours and prints. Incorporating current trends and classic styles here are my styling suggestions.
 {Ideally, 'Style It Thrice' would have the same piece styled in three different ways. Since I wanted to create looks catering to different budget groupes, I have taken three cost appropriate different clutches. The clutches may not be same, but they are very similar in shape, colour and over all effect.}

Look 1: Pretty. Have a date on a working day? Then trade your office bag for this lovely clutch, add some lipgloss and a statement necklace and no one would know you walked straight out of a boardroom.
[Steal-All products under $50.0 {Approximately INR 2,765}: Top, Necklace, Skirt, Clutch, Pumps, Lip Gloss.]
Look 2: Boho. Add dangling earrings and chunky bangles and bracelet to your tribal print maxi dress for a boho chic look. Polish the look off with neon sandals and a tangerine clutch.
[Spend-All products under $100.0 
{Approximately INR 5,540}: Maxi Dress, Clutch, Sandals, Friendship Bracelet, Wrap Bracelet, Colorful Bangles, Earrings.]

Look 3: Sexy. Up your sexy quotient by adding a tangerine clutch to your dressy shorts and printed halter top ensemble. Complete the look with platform heels and cuff bracelet.
[Splurge-All products over $100.0
{Approximately INR 5,540}: Halter Top, Shorts, Clutch, Heel Sandals, Sunglasses, Cuff, Eye Shadow, Eye Liner]

This post of mine is a submission for INFB Remix-Tangerine. Do check out how everyone else has interpreted and styled tangerine.
I have previously done a detailed post on 2012's it colour-Tangerine Tango which was featured on Independent Fashion Bloggers' Links À La Mode selection{Click here to read that post}.

Till then, tra-la,
 
Amena!!
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email me- 
a.fashionopolis@gmail.com

Monday, 4 June 2012

Make A Statement!

Here’s a fact- I love, love, L.♥.V.E statement necklace. We go way back and it is one of my oldest and best relationships. Along with being my plus one on may ocassions, they never become too tight for me and can perfectly complement my not-so-skinny body type. Plus, I have never once heard a jewellery sales person saying sorry Ma'am we don't keep them in your size ”. I don't know about the rest of the world, but here in India, statement necklace is always in fashion. Last but not the least, they have the potential to make an outfit go from blah to wah in 60 seconds! (Last week, I repeated the same outfit to three different wedding while pairing it each time with different necklace. True Story).
Since most of us at one time or the other has worn or styled a statement necklace, I decided to a piece highlighting the different types of statement necklaces available. A huge variety to choose from-length, shape, colour, texture, material, style- here are a few pieces that caught my attention!

As much as I love this kind of body adornment and bauble, not everyone is a fan of statement necklace. And honestly, these babies are not for those who don't like the attention. The reason they are called 'statement necklace' is because they make a style statement! And nothing says all-eyes-on-me quite like a spectacular statement neckpiece. 
Whether you like chunky or fringy, neon infused or tribal inspired, there is a statement necklace to grace every neck. Check out how our fave fashion ladies are styling their statement necklace.
[Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

3 Reasons why every girl must have at least one statement necklace in her wardrobe:

I. Keeps It Fresh.
Lets face it-we all repeat our outfits. Sometimes twice in a week. One of the best ways to make a repeated outfit look fresh is by adding a statement necklace to your ensemble. This miraculously won't make your outfit look completely anew, but it will add elements of freshness and render a different look from the previous one.

II. Transforms A.M. to P.M. in Minutes.
 There are day when you need to go straight from corporate meeting to cocktail gathering. With no time to make wardrobe changes, statement necklace lets you improvise your A.M. look to a P.M. setting. Just throw on a statement neck piece, add a bold lipstick shade and let loose the day bun and you are all set to enjoy your appletinis.

III. Forever In Style.
Just like our white shirt and LBD, statement necklace too, can 
never really go out of style. It is an essential piece of formal Indian attire and can be incorporated with most western looks as well. Like your classic jeans, the same necklace can be worn for years and not look dated. Plus, one never really has to fear (physically) outgrowing it!

F.Y.I: Even though statement necklace is the focal point of the outfit, one does not have to dress in neutral shades only to make the look work. You can easily pair your necklace with bright colours or bold prints. With unlimited styling option, here are my suggestions on how to style different types of statement necklace.

Statement Necklace Look Book 1
 [More information about these pieces here]

Statement Necklace Look Book 2
 [More information about these pieces here]

Statement Necklace Look Book 3
[More information about these pieces here]

Are you a statement necklace kinda girl like me? And what style is your fave? Share your picks and views with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!
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