Thinking of Alber E

He is not only one of the finest designers of his time, he is also absolutely adorable. This quote from him made me chuckle.

Alber Elbaz on women

Lanvin <3 H&M

Easy Peasy DIY

Remember my buckle-less belt?

Well, I never did manage to find a buckle I liked and imagine my surprise when I found the perfect thing to salvage my belt on a 'mithai' box that came with some wedding invite!
This is the gold fastening, it looks really good with the brown leather. I'm not much of a silver guy anyway.

So with the help of a pair of scissors and a screwdriver, I have successfully revived my precious belt.
Five minutes and I had successfully re-created a minimalist, chic, versatile accessory!

Nice, yes?

Also, new header. Tell me!

Dearest.

Everyone has favourites in their wardrobes right? A tie with an interesting story behind it. A belt that goes with everything. 

These things get special loving, and you always reach for them when you want to feel good about yourself. Here are some of the things that I'm partial to. It's a collection I've curated over the past few years and one I hope to keep adding to once I bring home my own paycheck (which should be soon hopefully!).

These Ray Bans were given to me by my grandfather. He wore them and then my uncle did, and now I wear them! They're the perfect size and shape and there's something about the gold frames that gives them a cool vintage vibe.

Chunky watches have always been my go-to and when I saw this watch looking up at me in the display case, I had to buy it. You can see how well worn it is from the discoloured belt. I love the aeronautical vibe and wearing it makes me feel a little bit better everyday. Next up, a rose gold brown-leather strap beaut.

My favourite scarf is also my only one. This HE by Mango crushed muslin scarf makes a great accent for everything from blazers to T-shirts and even a kurta. And the best bit is that the messier I tie it, the better it looks.

 

I don't have too many pocket squares but I love these two silk squares I had made. My next one will be white linen with black piping and rounded edges.

I'm usually too picky when it comes to ties and these three are some of the very few I have liked, to date.  Presentations, events or parties, these have never let me down. The black tie is my go to when I want to go minimal and when I'm looking for some whimsy I head to the paisley. The dotted tie is my in-between/when I can't decide tie. My next purchases are decided: A slim knitted silk tie and one from Giraffe Japan.

If I'm picky about ties, I'm approximately 2322^6767 times more picky about the shoes I wear. Believe it or not, I went to 8 stores in under an hour before I found my pair of black dress shoes. After what felt like hours, I walked into a store I wasn't even planning on visiting and serendipitously found these. When I bought these I was desperate but I've grown to love them. I love the classic, traditional feel wingtips lend to a look and the fact that they're slightly long adds length to my frame. As for Kolhapuris, I have to say it's a relationship you have to build with them. The first few times you wear them, your feet are left smarting and bitten but over time, they become more comfortable than everything else you own. I usually buy the darker, oiled versions with no embellishment, but I bought these because the store didn't have a dark pair without the gold and not before long, I couldn't imagine wearing them without it!

Isn't there something wonderful about the way leather ages? I bought this belt at least five years ago and it's stuck with me all through my waistline/style fluctuations. I can't bear to let it go even though it's stretched out of shape and buckle-less now. The colour and texture are spot on and I haven't found a worthy replacement just yet. To think I picked this up from a Benetton factory store for only र 600.

My favourite scent changes fairly frequently, I guess I haven't quite found my signature yet, but it's always light and citrus inspired. Right now I'm loving La Bateleur from the D&G Anthology. I always appreciate minimalism and for me, just looking the bottle was half the battle won. I've been using it very generously and I must decide on what I'm trying next.

I couldn't go without posting a couple of shots of my paints, mostly because they're so colourful but they're also really good quality, I've been using them a lot of late.

It is obligatory that I say that all the photos were taken by me and the ones set against a magazine were taken on a copy of French Elle from 2005, when they celebrate 60 years of the magazine. I still remember when my dad brought it back from his trip, I pounced on it and read it every day after school! Well, I can't really say read, it was in French. Beautiful, beautiful magazine though.

So those were some things I love and treasure, what are your favourites?

Some work in the meanwhile.

Posting's been a bit of a bother recently and coupled with the laziness, not much happens. I know, I'm sorry.
I've been doodling recently and this time I broke out my *GASP* water colours.
That was a silly gasp, most of mine are. Pfff

Anywayyyyy, here's some stuff. Some of it is nice, some not so much. Have a gander and tell me what you think?

Sorry for the picture quality, they were taken in poor light with an iPad.

The search for that perfect white shirt.

I am constantly in the search for that perfect white shirt. The perfect shoulder fit, crisp, pristine cotton, fit that skims your body, perfect collar length; finding that shirt is pure ecstasy. I found my most recent soul-shirt at Cottonworld in Calcutta. It's perfect, we're very happy together.

Trawling Net-a-porter.com like I usually do while absconding from exam prep, I happened to stumble onto many, many fantastic tops. So I decided  that doing a post might be a good way to end my bloggers block.

This DAY BERGER ET MIKKELSEN number incorporates heavy lace and sheer cotton. Recipe for awesomesauce, I say.

Try this contrast piping DKNY blouse with a tiny silk tulip skirt to look like the perfect Stepford wife gone rogue.

This Donna Karan tunic would be perfect against a sparkling Maldivian horizon.

Oh Alber! You're such a tease. Lanvin keeps it whimsical with a bow-embellished silk tee.

Wear this draped white Michael Kors top for a night on the town. White is one of those few exceptional light colours that I feel look as good at night as do they in the day.

Miu Miu is one my newer favourite labels and ever since I saw this sequined-collar top on a mannequin, I can't stop thinking about it. 

Miu Miu smashes it with another great white top - loving the tiers!

Another Black/White beauty, this time from Sandro. I can just imagine it being worn with a bright pair of tailored shorts.

Temperley London makes the most whimsical, exquisite shirts and this here is no exception. The lace and pin-tuck panels make for a perfect day to night piece.

Not a fan of the Pell, but give me a peter pan collar and I'm on board. This is from The Row.

To end on a high note, here's an absolutely AMAZING Prabal Gurung embellished-tulle blouse. Could it be more perfect? I think Prabal is one of the greatest designers of his generation, his designs are effortlessly chic and oh-so pretty, without ever being boring. I have a feeling he's going to hit a Marc Jacobs level high soon enough.

Miss me, I promise (again!) to post more often.

Happy Endings!

GO HERE!

Stuff.

So I've been in a bit of a slump lately and haven't really been in the posting mood. But here's some obligatory stuff.

Firstly, I didn't win the FFF Style Scout title. =( I know, right? Ha, no worries though. Maybe next time!
But I thought I'd show you guys my outfit and my inspiration write up, so here it is:

Yes, those are leggings under the shorts!

Inspiration:

Although I wouldn’t call my style antifashion, it’s comfortably afashion. I love pairing clothes I bought seasons ago with pieces I find in unexpected places. My personal style is eclectic and thus that translates into the outfit I crafted for today. A lot of my inspiration comes from street style and I think Italian men are the chic-est men in the world. Their sensibilities range from perfectly tailored and curiously whimsical to effortlessly complex. My favourite season is Spring, the time when there’s still a chill in the air but the sun shines bright and that is the season my outfit channels. It doesn’t want to let go of Winter’s rich, deep neutrals but embraces Spring’s flashes of colour.

This is exactly what I would wear in Milan on a sunny Spring afternoon. The nautical stripes are reminiscent of the sea and the layering creates an interesting silhouette. The bird pin, bow on the trilby and viscose shirt add the element of whimsical androgyny and the juxtaposition with the heavy canvas of the overshirt and tights generates textural depth. The Italian love for ‘luxe’ obligates the inclusion of the woven leather belt and the deep, rich tan compliments the colours perfectly.

In essence, this outfit embodies my aesthetic sense. It is simple yet complex and it retains a subtlety which whispers,” style” instead of screaming “trendy.” It is carelessly cool. It is me.

And secondly, this is just something I did when I was bored the other day. Everything is from Net-a Porter. I'll put in the product deets another time.