Prep School Pretty

Houndstooth is a very common winter print. A few years ago, we used to see only fitted jackets or winter coats with this print but nowadays, we get dresses and tops as well. I bought mine last year and it is perfect for work especially in the winter season. Combined with a deep red cardigan I can almost pass off as a Prep school girl. LOL!

Since this look is so formal, I teamed it with with the classic multi stranded pearl necklace. I also added a pearl ring. Pearls are my least favorite jewellery. My sister loves them but I never did, even though I have worn pearls all my life. When I was younger the only necklace I had was made of pearls. I still haven't warmed up to them. This necklace has two strands of black leather woven through gold which adds a certain edginess. I like the combination of pearls and leather. This statement piece completes the whole look making it classic as well as contemporary. Do you agree with me ? Do let me know ?

Hounds-tooth dress:  Target $29.99 (similar here and here)

Pumps: Target $24.99 (similar here and here)

Clutch: Gift (similar here and here)

Necklace: Forever 21 $9.80 (available here and here)

Rings: Forever 21 (similar here, here, here and here)

Celebrity Style - Keira Knightley

Kiera Knightley has very classic tastes when it come to clothes. She goes for elegant cuts and has a lot of white in her wardrobe. She is also not shy to mix and match. Surprisingly, for a celebrity, she re-uses most of her clothes. The key is to buy timeless pieces which last through several seasons and trends. Today I am showcasing one such look that never goes out of style. Each individual piece in this look can be paired with something else and used multiple times. Check it out below.

White Pullover - Almost everyone has this in their wardrobe. If you don't, better get one soon. This can be worn with jeans, cords, skirts, pants - practically everything

Leather Jacket - Motor cycle jackets have been in vogue for time immemorial. Remember Jon Travolta in Grease ? It doesn't look like they are going out of style anytime soon, so you might as well get one. Pronto!

Black Tights - I'm sure all you ladies have at least one pair. I should know. I visited four continents this year - Asia, North America, South America and Europe and everywhere I went I saw ladies in black tights. Just in case you don't have them you can find a nice pair at H&M

Black Booties - These pretty shoes can be worn with jeans as well as dresses.

Floral skirt - No need to rush and pack your summer clothes just yet. You can use your summer skirts and dresses in winter as well. Still in doubt ? Check out Keira's outfit below.

Jacket: Aeropostale $40.00

Sweater: Lauren Conrad $36.99

Skirt: Forever 21 $8.80

Tights: H&M $9.95

Boots: Kohls $47.99

Clutch: Gilks $9.95

Celebrity Style on a Budget - Reese Witherspoon

Everyone knows that celebrities have stylists and personal shoppers who maintain  their closets with the latest fashions, so all they need to do, is wear the outfit put together for them by their stylist and step out looking like a million bucks. Unfortunately, the rest of us are not so lucky and have to work hard to look good. But hey, there is no rule against being inspired, is there ? So why not borrow some of these ideas put together by the best in the industry ?

This new series showcases celebrity looks which can be replicated at a fraction of the budget. You can look just as fabulous as your favorite star without breaking the bank! First up is Reese Witherspoon. I picked Reese because her style closely matches mine. She is often seen in fun flirty looks with lots of prints and colors. 

A few days ago she stepped out in sexy crop jeans and high heels. Take a look below for my suggestions on how to achieve the same look at a much more affordable price.

Top: H&M $17.95

Jeans: H&M $29.95

Shoes: Lulu's $24.00

Bag: Target $39.99

Shades: Unique Vintage $ 15.00

Bracelet: Daily Look $ 9.99

Fashionable in Fall

Its finally begun to cool down in the Bay. Unlike the east coast, we do not get to see the beautiful Fall colors in California. I have been thinking of doing the scenic drive upto Seattle for the past four years but it hasn't happened yet. Oh well, maybe 2015 will be my lucky year.

The cooling temperatures have brought their own set of problems. For one, the days are shorter and there is a high tendency of rain and wind. I struggled through most of the shoot as the weather tried to get the best of me. Thankfully, the photos came out pretty good.

Today I am showcasing my idea of Fall fashion. Basically its a combination of summer and winter just like the season :) For this look, I have chosen a retro lace dress with long bell sleeves and a deep neck. I added a bright red scarf to keep the chill away.  A pair of brown boots with gold buckles completes the look. Everyone who knows me, knows my love of bling, so I have a beautiful faux peach diamond pendant and matching ring.

 

 

Dress: Ross $ 14.99 (similar here and here)

Boots: Sears $ 39.99 (similar here and here)

Scarf: Gift (similar here, here and here)

Ring: Forever 21 $ 3.90

Pendant Necklace: Forever 21 $3.90

Bracelet: Gift (similar here)

Traveling in Style

My recent trip to Italy exposed to to a completely new continent and also a new way of travel - walking. When I was growing up in India, temperatures were so high that we would board a bus or auto rickshaw even to get to short destinations. In the US, everything - mall, shops, school, work is so far off, that driving is the only way to to get to your final destination. Public transport is available but takes a long time and you would have frequent stops and multiple changes. 

Living in California for the past decade has definitely spoilt me. Since I drive everywhere, I never need to walk and since I don't walk that much I only wear 4 inch shoes to match all my lovely outfits. So when I booked my trip to Italy, I was in a serious dilemma - how do I look stylish while wearing walking shoes ? Because let's face it, there was no way I could wear heels on the cobbled streets of Europe and walking is the best way to to explore the continent. So I started hunting for the perfect walking shoes - those that are comfortable and stylish. Here is what I found.

Sandals

A cute pair of low heeled sandals should do the trick for both dresses as well as jeans. The straps gives you additional support and the low heel provides cushioning to the balls of your feet. Check out this beautiful pair from Clarks. These shoes are pretty hardy and will last for a long time.It retails at $ 69.99 but is definitely worth the price. 

Converse Heels

Converse shoes are very trendy this season and whats better than converse ? Heeled converse of course :) These shoes come with a 2 inch heel that provides you that extra oomph while allowing you to be comfortable. Pair them with jeans or a short dress. The denim material will match with most of your outfits.You can find them here for $64.99

Sneakers

If you are not a fan of the heels, then by all means go for the flat footed keds but choose something patterned/colorful . Check out this pair with the black rope design. Aren't they just darling ? At $39.99, they are extremely affordable and a must have for your vacation.

Boots

If you plan to travel in fall or winter, boots are the best option. They can keep you warm and comfortable as you explore ancient towers, dungeons or medieval cities. Besides, they look so good with pants and skirts. I recommend this lovely pair in red. Just the thing to make you stand out. They retail at $ 54.99

Oxfords

I have a confession to make. Although I love oxfords, I have yet to find a comfortable pair. I have been eyeing these cute cream colored ones from Modcloth for a while now. They look superfun and the light color will complement most clothes. At $34.99, they seem like a steal.

Mary Janes

No explanation needed here. They look adorable on anyone. Order your pair now! - Clarks $69.99

 

Pumps/ Wedges

Last but not the least, you have to have a pair of low heel pumps or wedges. They come in all shapes colors and patterns. Pick your favorite. I have provided two options here. 

• A nude wedge that would go along with most of your travel gear
• A dramatic blue cutout, that would add that extra zing to your look (especially if you have packed clothes that are predominantly of solid colors)

Jungle Cat

Oh how I love Jennifer Lopez! She is so effortlessly beautiful and rocks that killer body without being skinny. I wish more of our celebs looked healthy and fit like her. Along with a great body JLo also has a fabulous dress collection featuring figure hugging sexy numbers which can take anyone from blah to va-va-voom in seconds. This is my third animal print dress from her collection. The other two received rave reviews so I jumped in and bought a third one. Although I did not need any encouragement. I am an animal print enthusiast. There is no other way of putting it. I have tops, shoes, bags, jewellery and underwear with animal prints. I don't differentiate between the animals. I love all prints - Leopard, snake, tiger, crocodile.  You name it and I have it. 

Now that I have revealed my embarrassing animal print fetish, lets move on to the shoes. I found these adorable blush colored booties at TJ Maxx, that are so on trend this fall. I was very skeptical about booties to start with. I have really skinny ankles and thought that these shoes would make me look incongruous. After taking a look at the pictures, I'm glad I was wrong. Do you have any fall favorites ? Let me know.

Dress: Jennifer Lopez $49

Shoes: Jessica Simpson $ 39.99 (similar here, here and here)

Clutch: Gift (similar here and here)

Bracelet: Gift (similar here and here)

Earrings: Forever 21 (similar here and here)

Ring: Forever 21 (available here and here)

Black and White

I did promise you that I would have another post on color blocking and here it is. This fit and flare dress has a printed black and white panel running through the front. It is stark and simple yet breath taking; perfect for work or an evening out. I know I say this in many posts, but the truth is that I select outfits that I can wear over and over again. I do not want to make a distinction between work clothes and party clothes so I search for pieces that can be transformed easily from day to night.

Since the outfit has only basic colors I decided to go with a scarlet clutch to add contrast. Don't miss the red lips. And I have to mention the retro cat eye sun glasses that I'm wearing. Cat eye shades have been so popular this season, a throw back from the 50's; remember Marilyn Monroe with these shades and a head scarf ? I was so excited to find these sunglasses at the Gap store. The black and white detail on the side panel matched perfectly with the color blocking on the dress.

Dress: Mossimo $ 29.99 (similar here, here and here)

Pumps: Rock and Republic $ 19.99 (similar here and here)

Clutch: Outrage Fashion $ 38.00

Bracelet: Outrage Fashion

Ring: Forever 21 $ 5.80 (similar here and here)

Shades: Gap $ 9.99 (similar here and here)

Earrings: Gift (similar here and here)

Pretty in Pink

Sometimes its fun to mix it up a bit and step outside your comfort zone. I'm very uncomfortable with big pieces of jewellery. Always have been - I just don't know how to wear them, what outfits would look good with  big necklaces or bracelets. Like everyone else I tend to stick to my tried and tested looks. Talking about tried and tested, blue has been such a predominant color all this year and I'm heartily sick of it. Every time I see something I like, its in Royal blue. That color has been done to death and I am waiting very impatiently for its exit and some new shades to come in.

On a recent shopping expedition, I was in a rebellious mood and got this bright pink dress just  because it was not blue. Well, lucky me, for this dress turned out to be a hidden treasure. It is so simple and elegant in cut and design, it provides a wonderful canvas for experimentation. And experiment I did. I paired it with a really chunky necklace and jeweled bracelet. I also added a bright turquoise clutch into the mix. The final look is so fun and flirty but also sensual. Next date night I'm wearing this one. Keeping my fingers crossed that my date will be bowled over. :)

Dress: Forever 21 - Tulip Sheath Dress $22.80

Shoes: Nine West $ 49.99 (options here, here and here)

Necklace: Outrage Fashion - Larter Necklace $46.00

Bag: Outrage Fashion - Garner Convertible clutch $42.00

Ring: Forever 21 - Faux Turquoise Ring $2.80

Bracelet: Outrage Fashion - Carla Aqua Bracelet $12.00

Hot in Leather

The fashion magazines are full of pictures of skinny models wearing hot black leather pants or tight leather pencil skirts. They look so good, and the pictures tantalize us, and make us believe that we could look like that. Unfortunately, leather is not a very forgiving fabric. If you don't have a perfect figure then leather will show off every crease and bump and flaw. 

A few days back, on my usual window shopping spree one early Saturday morning (I like to get in and out before the hordes descend), I chanced upon this beautiful faux leather circle skirt in burgundy. It kept calling out to me and I got sucked in. I don't have burgundy in my wardrobe and felt it would be a nice addition to my fall collection. It would also give me an excuse to buy one of those sexy crop tops I have been eyeing all summer. I don't really know where I am going dressed like this. The look has a very LA/NY vibe to it and is over kill for the Bay. But hey, isn't it always better to dress up rather than dress down?

Top: Papaya $15.99 (similar here, here and here)

Skirt: LC Lauren Conrad $36.99 (similar here)

Bracelet: Gift (option here and here)

Necklace: Gift (option here)

Purse: Papaya $10 (similar here and here)

Shoes: Nine West $ 49.99 (options here, here and here)

Rings: Forever 21 $2.80 - $4.80 (available here and here)