The Fleamarket Queen

Tendance Boheme

Tendance Boheme by ilawise featuring Pavers England,Debenhams,Marie Claire,Promod,Daniel Wellington

Hello, Fashionistas!

This is yet another holiday set that I will be wearing on my next vacation . You saw the first one here. Everytime I explore places, I reveal the styling only after I am back from the vacation. This time I decided to do it the opposite way! Thanks to POLYVORE, a fashion website where you can upload your product images or search from a huge selection and create your own collages.

These collages will also ensure I do not forget to pack all the accessories along. Whenever I travel, I tend to pack a certain style together unless I wish to repeat it due to luggage constraints. This time, I am visiting a place where Autumn will set in and the temperatures will range from 10 degrees to 16 degrees. The place is a surprise , so that you don't lose track of my TWITTER and INSTAGRAM accounts for regular updates! Wouldn't it be exciting to see this collage when I actually wear it? What do you think?

Till next set, CIAO!

Liberating the Prints

Photos by the Lovely Surabhi

Mixing prints comes as second nature to us Indians. The best example of print mixes are on the Indian streets, where women effortlessly wear patterned jacquard blouses with printed sarees or kurta pyjamas with mixed prints pattern.

For people like me who find comfort in western attires, print mix is seldom common . When I entered the Max store, my eyes were stuck on all things PRINTS! And they did have amazing variety. I knew it was the right time to do the PRINT-MIX with MAX!

Their AW 14 collection is a surprising trend festival of sorts. Not the usual blacks or greys but much more color.They have Jerseys in sporty letter prints, reminding me of Archie’s comics. For the hipsters at heart- floral culottes, signature velour hoodies and for the classy -parisian cardigans with gold buttons - A lot of Vintage classics!

For me Max was always a one stop shop for lounge wear and warm hoodies. But now I see there is a lot more to choose from! The Autumn winter collection has a certain 70s vibe with oversized floral jerseys which can be teamed with jeggings/leggings/warmer tights or balloon skirts like I did.

KNOW HOW TO MIX YOUR PRINTS

There are no absolute rules , but if you like to be cautious, you could follow these observations

from the runway trends over the years:

1. Always try mixing the same color family. Its effortless.

2. Polka dots/Stripes with any other print is a usual suspect for Print mix- quite safe too.

3. Patterns in Black and white make for a great print mix

4. Geometric patterns also go well with floral prints

5. If you are petite, avoid large prints . You could print mix your scarf with your blouse!

Isn't that simple? Lets liberate the prints! And yes, mixing prints is a liberating experience! You can surprise yourself each time!

MY PRINT-MIX LOOK

My first print mix is the family-PINK-my favorite! Besides being a refreshing mix of prints, It is also a fusion of cultures. The indian block print skirt almost falls in harmony with the watercolor print jersey from the West. I am loving the vibrant colors and the fact that its warm for light winters and perhaps can be layered for lower temperatures.

My second look is the safest- Polka dots with floral print. I am sure you have tried this too! The floral green culotte is one of the surprising finds at Max, never saw this trend before in Max. Green is something I don't like wearing, but this combination surprised me and I had to pick it for its freshness!

Would you dare a print mix? Have you mixed prints in the past? I would love to see.

A walk in Montmarte

A walk in Montmarte by ilawise featuring a red skirt

I will be sharing my style sets for the upcoming vacation! Would you wear this for a romantic vacation?
My flavor for the season is hippie. And I love feathers, tassels , boots and beads! My partner in crime is mostly my Promod purchases as this brand has everything for the free-spirited soul. And all of those bought in SALE!
Stay tuned for more such sets. Tell me if you like them!

Till , next set,
LOVE
ILA

{INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY} Win a Daniel Wellington watch of your choice[CLOSED]

DANIEL WELLINGTON Classic Canterbury Lady

Daniel Wellington Classic Canterbury

Daniel Wellington Classic St.Andrews Lady

I have a liking for all things vintage. From the Victorian chandelier in my living room to my classic leather brogues, I seem to incline towards trends from the yesteryear. Most runway trends also reflect the ideology of bringing aspects from the past with a modern flavor.

I came across Daniel Wellington, the swedish watch brand when they wrote to me.The design was an outcome of an accidental meeting with a British gentleman who wore a similar watch. That sudden minimalism appeals because of the sleek 6mm statement dial .Their interchangeable straps transform these beauties from formal to casual. You can change the straps easily with just a little tool they give along. I ordered the Classic Canterbury lady ( Red/blue/white NATO strap) and then I changed it into Classic St.Andrews with the strap in 2 mins!
The NATO straps in nylon are inspired from the British navy and each strap created by Daniel Wellington has something to do with the British Isles. Just read their names!

I was pleasantly surprised by their dual nature,yes, the Classic Lady series looks perfectly fine on men's wrists too. How awesome is that!

One awesome Blog reader gets to choose a DANIEL WELLINGTON Watch of his choice. They deliver internationally in under 5 days! Yes, this watch reached my doorstep in flat 5 days from SWEDEN! This giveaway is open WORLDWIDE. So you can participate and win this watch no matter where you are!

Before you enter the GIVEAWAY , these are the must-haves:

1. You should have an INSTAGRAM account & you should be following us for updates on @ilawise26
2. You should have a twitter account, so you can keep track of our Giveaway updates on @ilawise26
3.You should be following us on Facebook, for updates.

HERE ARE THE RULES:

1. Like Daniel Wellington on Facebook and follow them on Instagram (@danielwellingtonwatches)

2. Comment below my post with your e-mail and link to the Daniel Wellington watch you like the most.Here is the website link.

3. Contest open for both men & women across the world.

4. Multiple entries not allowed. If you post more than 2 comments, you will be disqualified.

5. Contest ends on 15th October 2014.

*WINNER to be chosen via RANDOM.ORG*

What are you waiting for? Spread the word and embrace classic minimalism!
Don't forget to thank Daniel Wellington for being so nice, do visit their instagram page for pictures of watch owners across the globe!

CHEERS!!!!

WINNER: Comment no.13: KIRTI BASAL

{REVIEW} BATA: Hail the Shoemaker to the world!

Every school going kid knows Bata. For most of us, our love affair with the 120 year old brand started with our school shoes- Oh how we hated school then! But the delight of buying new shoes each time we outgrew the previous, was such joy!

BATA , as few would know was founded in Czechoslovakia in 1894 by three siblings. On the occassion of their 120th anniversary, BATA has released founder Tomas Bata's audio biography for free public viewership. Also available on google books,the history of Bata will intrigue you. Read more here.

On my trip to Italy, I was astonished to see the huge BATA hoardings across various cities. BATA's drool-worthy italian designs also made me wonder why we couldn't have those stylish footwear in India. When I was invited to visit the flagship BATA store at Thane's Viviana Mall, I felt like Alice in shoe-land.Its gigantic and has the most stylish pairs to choose from. You can get lost in this huge store, and there's more than something for everyone in ASIA's largest BATA store! I spent 4 hours just looking at the women's section and trying the shoes styles. From award-winning bio-degradable beauties to the recently launched pure leather cushioned pumps, twinkly ballerinas and sexy heels, BATA has it all!

MEET THE NEW-COMERS :

-SUNGLASSES from Marie Claire/North Star
-LEGGINGS from Marie Claire
-BAGS from Bata/Marie Claire/Hush Puppies
-SCARVES from Marie Claire
-BELTS from Marie Claire
-SHOE-CARE - A plethora of shoe care products , to care for your prized possessions

In the pictures below, I am only wearing BATA except for my top/trousers/neck-piece. See how the BATA accessories take me from Ms.Nobody to Ms.Fashionista!

Sunglasses,Scarf,Bag,footwear,Belt : ALL BATA

Sunglasses,Bag,footwear,Belt : ALL BATA

Photos by : Surabhi

Which Look is your favorite?
Would you like to see more of BATA?

Letter from a friend...

Few days ago, I got a call from my old friend who used to study with me in school and was a very good friend. We became pen friends after she left for a different city. We talked for hours laughing at all the silly letters we wrote to each other. We used to share our photos with each other showing our new toys and new books in those postal exchanges. Sometimes, we even shared newspaper cutouts showing what we want to try next- I once sent her a cutout of some cream biscuit brand I badly wanted to try!

We just said it almost at once- Lets write back again!

Excited about the idea of writing through postal exchanges again, I went to the photo-studio after what seemed like ages and asked the guy to customize a postcard for me with a photo. That was from my birthday when I was 10. Sounds old right? But that was the only picture I had of hers. I wanted to write to her on that custom postcard.

She received it and was delighted, while I patiently waited for hers to arrive. I came home to this huge A4 size envelope. God! I couldn’t be more happy, thinking of all the things it contained. I opened it and saw my poster size photo from the blog - Khoobsurat moments. She signed below, FRAME IT!

P.S : I also want khoobsurat hair like you, coloring my hair with casting crème gloss tomorrow .Your Khoobsurat friend, xxxx.

Khoobsurat moment # 4: Taming the Bird’s Nest

What is a fashion-blogger’s life like?

Ideating/writing/blogger meets/shoots/events .These 4 words pretty much sum it all. No matter how glossy it seems because of the various Front-page & page-3 events we mark our presence with, it is equally stressful.

On weekdays, after-work hours generally end in events hosted by various brands. Last Friday, I was invited to style myself for a stylish event and it was post 6pm. I took a phantom rickshaw ride to the place which was about an hour away. Yea, and you thought we always get pick-up drops!!!

By the time I reached, the rickshaw guy had almost killed me with his amazing braking skills at the speed of 100km/hr on 100 meter stretches! I got out of the phantom ride with hair looking like they were planted on my head by pigeons while I was cooking that famed Birbal’s khichdi for hours outdoors.

I walked in without caring how I looked, as if that was the latest hair trend I drank some water ,filled my tummy with hours de vours and styled myself in my favorite Pakshi dress which had sparrow prints on it. While in the trial room, I brushed my hair with patience & love. They were tamed to my surprise in 5 mins. No gel used!

When I came out for the shoot, the first thing the photographer told me, “I can’t believe you fixed that nest on your head inside the trial room! My God, was there some magic wand to make your hair look so bouncy?”

I felt amazing because it came from Bollywood paparazzo, who takes pictures of all Bollywood celebs at various events. Yet another #KhoobsuratMoment. While I happily posed for the shutterbugs, I quietly thanked L’Oreal Paris for having me try the Casting Crème Gloss . You have given me gorgeous moments!!!

Next step: Trying some of the season’s latest festive hairstyles on Get The Look

{FASHION} MiMaMo Gypsy girl with GLOBAL DESI

Global Desi , is a brand that cannot escape the cupbard of the Indian boho-chic girl. I especially love the brand for its affordable runway fashion made available to the masses. Global Desi has sizes suited to the Indian frame. So I luckily fit into an XS. Petite girls might need some tailoring to get fitted. Every global desi piece is a story. I love how much thought they put in every collection. Remember last season, this collection was inspired by MELA and had motifs from the indian melas.

Here's what the A/W 14 MiMaMo collection has in store:

"Fashion meets timeless art as Global Desi celebrates the ancient art of Madhubani fused with kaleidoscopic elements of mosaic with the launch of its Autumn Winter 2014 collection – MiMaMo. Enhanced with symbolic images such as the lotus plant, moving fish, birds, turtle or sun gods that symbolise wellbeing, luck, prosperity and have been an intrinsic feature of Madhubani art- this boho-chic collection highlights the innate beauty of Indian heritage and the vibrancy of medieval art. Mithila, Madhubani and Mosaic are the three main inspirations behind the MiMaMo collection making it a sartorial marriage of tradition and global fashion, a seamless mélange of contemporary styles with a unique Indian stamp."

I totally fell for two maxi dresses- One with a mosaic pattern and other- PAKSHI DRESS with bird motifs on it,featured here. Check out their collection on their Facebook page or website!
Which one is your favorite?

{GIVEAWAY} Win L'OREAL PARIS goodies

Hello Ladies & Gentlemen!

I announced on TWITTER yesterday, this month of September is full of giveaways! Here's bringing you the first one for the week!
(Also, remember to login to TWITTER tomorrow, 18th September between 12pm-5pm to participate in the #KhoobsuratMoments contest.)

THE TRENDY DIVA CONTEST

So, L'Oreal Paris has finally launched their exclusive SAY YES TO COLOR FLIPKART store!
Their 3 luscious, rich chocolate shades of Casting Créme Gloss all boast of a distinct personality that we all can identify with. Based on these shades, they have created looks as they believe every girl will find herself in one of them. These looks have all that you need from clothes to shoes to accessories! How cool is that? !!! I LOVE IT!

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO?

1. Visit the FLIPKART store and Choose one personality that matches yours the best & tell me why in the COMMENTS SECTION.
2. Share the link of an item you love best in the chosen personality's store.
3. Spread the word on TWITTER,INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK. SHARE THIS:

" WIN A L'OREAL PARIS HAMPER ! Participate in the TRENDY DIVA contest on www.thefleamarketqueen.com & tell us which personality you resemble most & why? Best answer wins! "

The person with the best answer wins a hamper!
*CONTEST ENDS on 19th September 2014*

NOW TO HELP YOU MORE ON THE CONTEST:

1. Use these links to visit their FLIPKART store and see the 3 personalities

Chocolate Chic: http://bit.ly/ChocolateChic

Golden Goddess: http://bit.ly/CCGGoldenGoddess

Iced Diva: http://bit.ly/CCGIcedDiva

Store Homepage: http://bit.ly/WaTmJs

2. WHAT ARE THESE CASTING CREME GLOSS PERSONALITIES ? KNOW MORE...

For Iced Chocolate - We bring to you Iced Diva! She is bold, she is stylish and she shimmers brighter with every step. She loves a Saturday night out or a lavish shopping spree with her girl friends. Jet Black dresses, stilletos are her absolute favourite!

For Dark Chocolate - We bring to you a traveller, a wanderer, a dreamer - Chocolate Chic. She is spontaneous & loves an occasional long walk on the beach and dresses wild and free with crop tops, harem pants and bold jewellery.

For Golden Goddess - she is poised, she is elegant, she is classy, she is perfect! Your girl next door with a gorgeous smile and a sense of style. Golden Goddess loves her Sunday brunches and quiet dinner dates. She wears timeless colours and shines with the exuberance of Gold.

ALL THE BEST!!!! ROCK ON TRENDY DIVAS!

{JEWELLERY} My SWAROVSKI Looks

Hello ladies and gentlemen!!!

I have been wanting to share these pictures with you from a while now! Swarovski did a little contest with fashion bloggers across three cities: Mumbai,Bangalore and Delhi. I was part of the Mumbai edition and was a runner up. I styled myself in Swarovski for 2 looks: TRAVEL and PARTY. I kept a classy theme throughout both looks . Vintage elements like brogues, Side Chignon, winged eyes and leather saddle bag were part of my signature looks! Hope you like this.

Photo: Courtesy Sheehan

Photo Courtesy: Sheehan

To my right: Masoom, Rhea.

Till Next time,CIAO!!!

No Bad hair days, Welcome #Khoobsurat hair

Hello Guys!

The weekend was spent writing hours and hours for the blog. I was compiling the wonderful moments from my trip to Vienna, Austria last year. I remember how on the 2nd day of my trip I had a bad hair day, thanks to the chilly weather , (5 degrees!!! ) and no hair dryer! My hair doesn't stand more than 2 days after hair wash. It turns oily and sticky. I felt almost dejected that my photographs wouldn't turn out well and my travel journal would look crappy! And it did! Bleh!

Yesterday, I was suddenly invited to an event and I was an hour away from it!
It was like a de ja vu! I was disappointed as I hadn't washed my hair for 2 days. I looked into the mirror. And I looked into the mirror again. I ruffled my hair in disbelief. Who would believe my hair were as behaved as the day I washed them? Its the humid Mumbai weather and the hair looks happy and shiny! Not sticky!

Ok. Miracles do happen. I breathed a sigh of relief. Did a little happy jig. Combed my hair and put on the moist mat lippie. The Casting Creme Gloss from L'oreal Paris has done the trick. Where were you all these days?