Fashion Meets Skin Care w. Fiama Di Wills

Pause for a moment and count how many personal care products you’re using? I’m talking about everything from your makeup bag to your shower rack. Surprised? Now, read the ingredient labels on those products. Even better, look them up at EWG’s Skin Deep database and see how they rate for things like cancer, immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity. Do those same products feel sexy now? If not, you’re certainly not alone (Even I am sailing on the same boat as you) You’ve been using the same moisturizer, shower gel and toner for a decade and they work—end of story. If that’s your mentality, I hope you’ll reconsider (I have started to).

Also you spend time showering every. Single. Day. so there's no wrong way to shower, but don't you think you should do it in the smartest way possible? A shower is a sanctuary. It’s the only place we can feel truly alone and focused on ourselves. And beauty is about feeling good as much as it is about looking good. Those minutes of peace and quiet are as important to your beauty routine as the products you choose. Since a month now I have been using the Fiama Di Wills Shower Jewels by Masaba and I am absolutely loving it. 

The gel- rich formulation of these Shower Jewels retains the moisture which is much needed in this gloomy weather leaving my skin soft and supple. This luxury bathing collection is inspired by gemstones like ruby, diamond and aquamarine which is also infused with real gemstones dust. Who would be able to resist the temptation of youthfulness, especially when its coupled with the lure of powerful gemstones? :)

Also always remember to keep your showers short- not more than 10 minutes. My dermatologist told me that this decreases the odds of stripping skin of its essential oils. So even though it may feel luxurious to treat yourself to a long shower, you'll want to save those for rare occasions—otherwise, you'll likely end up with dry and itchy patches of skin.

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#LakméFashionWeek Spring/Summer 2016

The celebration of fashion style and magnanimity came to a glorious end after 5 days of non stop fashion and a downpour of celeb power yesterday. From the look of things at the Lakmé Fashion Week, we can safely say that Indian fashion has truly come of age.
Well! I missed out on the first two days but yes, I went for the last 3 religiously. Since it was a SUMMER RESORT collection, designs were very summery and free. Flowing silhouettes, vivid prints, cuts and sheer, whites and colour blast was most prominent amongst all the design lines. Here is what I wore on the last day.

Jump suit: H&M; Blazer: Top Shop; Bag: Tory Burch; Shoes: Zara; Sunglasses: RayBan

Picture Courtesy: Aayushi Bangur

My favourite show from the ones I attended had to be the grand finalé by Rohit Bal! What a show it was! Not exaggerating but one of the best fashion shows I have attended by far. The set up was moved to St. Xaviers College from St.Regis Hotel. The collection was overwhelmingly vast and magnificent, the models looked gorgeous and of course the showstopper (Kareena Kapoor) was the lime light of the night. I was so engrossed in watching the show that I didn't manage to click photos to share but you can see their whole collection here or view this short clip which I posted on Instagram here.

Also sharing few snippets from the rest of the fashion week. Wanted to give a fusion touch to my look for the third day so decided to pair this Missa More floral cape with a short dress from top shop and accessorized it with this green emerald studded choker from PipaBella and a gold cuff topping it up with these Dior look a like shades from Lola's Closet.

 

Camisole: Zara; Net Cropped Jacket: Forever New; White Skirt: Platinum Mall(Bangkok)

Magnum came up with an interesting and engaging activity at their pop up at the fashion week! I was asked to pick a personality which I could relate my self to, options given were: Classy, Indulgent, Sophisticated and Flirty and thereafter the Magnum team created an ice cream which matched my trait type. So I picked up the classy personality and they presented me a delectable chocolate magnum coated with brownie crumbs, almonds and pistachios. Literally everyone who came in for the LFW have taken part in this activity, so good job Magnum :)

Wrapping it up, overall it was a great experience as this time I went to work and not just watch shows like I did every time, so got to know how the whole event functions. From the chaotic media center which I didn't even know existed and plays such an important part to meeting different people, watching the shows not only on the terms of how beautiful the collection is but also on the basis of what content and coverage should be covered and shared. Looking forward to the next Lakmé Fashion Week Season. Also for daily updates you can add me on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Feeling 22!

Birthdays always tend to provoke a time of reflection for me. It seriously feels like yesterday that I blew the candles for my 21st and was on my way to one of the biggest ‘turn-ups’ of my life. While growing up all this while, birthdays were eagerly anticipated by me because they meant change. Another year older, another grade higher. A year closer to some idealized fantasy birthdays with all its imagined privileges: closer to 13: "Hey I am a teenager" to16 :"Well! I go to college" to 18 : "Oh, Yes! I can drive" to 21: "Legal & Free" Now, when I am turning 22 it seems like birthdays are more about how much time has passed rather than how much time is ahead.

Dress: Forever New; Shoes: Aldo; On My Lips: L'oreals La Vie En Rose in the shade Katrina

Picture Courtesy: Sanjana Das

Life changes day by day and you don't even come to know what's happening until you sit down one fine day and browse through those memories or that impromptu reminiscence strikes your head out of no where. Sometimes we control the change, sometimes it totally blindsides us, but either way, we are always in control of our *attitude* towards change. I have been thoroughly lucky with the major changes which took over me over this passed one year. I never wanted to do a 9 AM -5 PM desk job ever since I was in college. I stayed adamant on that fact, letting not the peer- pressure take over me and here I am today; being the #GirlBoss which I always wanted to be. A happy free lancer, a full-time work-a-holic constantly juggling between brands and projects. Ah!! what a journey its been and still a milestone to achieve!

To be honest, what you wear on your birthday really depends on what you’re doing. If it is something casual, obviously dress accordingly. However, if you’re going to be the belle of the ball at a party, I think a chic short dress with some unusual but interesting details is the way to go. Just like the one I am wearing in this blog post. Its such a simple yet versatile short dress but I love the lace work and the turtle neck details. And I also believe that dressing up does make you feel special so make sure you do it right on your most special day!

Also sneak into what I am upto today by adding me on snap chat, username: neha.vora ;)

Pastels & Polka

We’ve all been told that before you can find a healthy, happy & a loving relationship, it is essential to love yourself. But how does one cultivate such a love? Finding love, peace and happiness in life does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no challenges, and no hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things while remaining calm in your heart. It’s about letting go of the pictures in your head about how things were “supposed to be.”

And in today’s always-connected world it’s even harder to keep things in perspective. Our lives are literally unfolding on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. We use these social technologies, to showcase the best parts of our lives: the beautiful weddings and enviable vacations, the finished projects, and the best smiles. But we forget that we’re only seeing everyone else’s highlight reel too – not the sleepless nights, the failed attempts, the moments of grief and self-doubt, isn't that true? Well! Think about it :)

Top: Asos; Nude Camisole: Zara; Skirt: Forever21; Earrings: Platinum Mall, Bangkok; Shoes: Zara

Picture Courtesy: Sanjna Urval

One of my favourite recurring Spring/Summer trends is pastels. Pretty pinks, pale blues and soft lemon shades are feminine and flattering on almost all skin tones. I wanted to create a simple but chic look using my wardrobe basics. Adding a neutral colour to pastels is always a good idea so I paired this gorgeous pastel skirt with a polka crop and a nude camisole followed by these gold block heel sandals. I am a sucker for good co‑ord and hence matched my accessories on point. Now that you know, flounce out those pastel outfits and swipe off your favourite lipstick across your face, some sunglasses and get off to that stylish brunch this weekend!

Candy Coloured!

 Pink Blazer: H&M; Yellow Top: Only; Denim Shorts: GAP; Sunglasses: Fancy Pants; Kors; Shoes: Zara; Bag: Michael Kora

Picture Courtesy: Sanjna Urval

Fashion has taken a minimalistic approach. With a lot of colour palettes steering away from intricate patterns or fabrics, majority of women are using basic colours to make their outfits visually interesting. Inspired by the more vibrant and warm weathered seasons that are approaching us, I feel that now is an appropriate time to talk about one of the most basic principles of fashion design and styling: colour. Spring and summer garments hold a great deal of colour possibilities. A new colour combination can add innovation to a seemingly dull wardrobe and can completely transform a look from winter to spring, spring to summer, and so on. Colour theory is relevant to several aspects of style besides clothing as well. For example, hair colour, makeup choices, interior design, and more are all types of style and design that revolve around colour choice. To get that colour block on point, you have to know which colours complement each other best. As fun as it sounds, you can't just pile on every colour you find in your wardrobe, you will end up looking like the human rainbow. While it may seem intimidating at first, it really is easy for piecing together flattering and unlikely colour combinations. To be great at anything, you first have to know the rules so you may test them and break them, if you so choose to. Here are a few points you should keep in mind while Colour Blocking:

• Stick to 2 – 3 colours
• Pair it with plain neutrals
• Don’t wear the bright pieces on your trouble areas, it will make pooches, poofs and padding look 10x worse.
• Use separates to build an outfit, not just a single garment with 3 stacked colours built in
• Play with it!

If you're still a little colour shy, you can start off with a bright handbag, necklace, head band or belt. This is such a fun and exciting way to experiment with different colour combinations. It's up to you to interpret it according to your personal style.

Reminiscence

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Top: Custom Made; Skirt: Styldrv for Spring Break; Sunglasses: Charles & Keith; Shoes: Zara; 

Bag: Anaya by Akruthi

It might be that the holidays are drawing nearer, or that flu season makes me long for my green sea weed soup, but for whatever reason I have been feeling a sense of nostalgia of my childhood. And this nostalgia has been inspiring some of my clothing choices in an interesting way at the moment. If I dig deeper to my childhood fashion memories, it’s easy that I am recalling dungarees, cute skirts, mini dresses, petite accessories, colourful outfits, and just more cute things we would wear as a child. I ditched bows back in high school, as they usually look a bit too cupcakey sweet for my age as well as taste. Yet lately, I am completely drawn to elements of these pieces in my wardrobe-just a touch here and there. Celebrities also have been on the “little girl fashion” boat for years. Blair Waldorf made bows cool back in 2007, and Lady Gaga brought some edginess to the trend by making her bow out of hair in 2009. I don’t really recommend showing up to work decked out in pink and bows, or wearing overalls on a date, but I do think there are cute, fashion forward ways to bring the childhood inspiration to your outfits.

When I put this outfit together, I got a reminiscence of how my mother used to dress me if we had somewhere fancy to go. The version I had back in those days would probably include puffy sleeves and a scalloped hemline with stocking and ballet shoes. Cute right? And here is this grown up version without all those bells and whistles where I am wearing this ensemble inspired by my childhood, just modified it by popping those sunglasses and a hair updo with bold lips.

So the next time you're browsing through your old photos and looking for a perfect #tbt, don't forget that your childhood self actually had some serious style credibility, you just need to modify it here and there and you're all set to go :)