The Fleamarket Queen

{ F.A.S.H.I.O.N } Land of abundance

Hello beautiful people

I am back to India and what better than a style post with indian wear to start this new innings.

As much as i missed the wonderful Indian spices, i missed the overflowing cloth markets!

In countries outside india, malls are the only places where you get clothes. Its only in India that we have such a huge variety of locally made clothes, fleamarkets , fashion boutiques and the likes!

Whenever i did see designer pop-ups in South africa , the clothes made from cotton were at a premium. We don't realise how we take our lovingly cultivated cotton for granted which otherwise comes at a premium price tag in other countries. Its because we live in abundance !

Synthetic fabrics are everywhere and easy to work with , but the real gems are these handwoven fabrics. India not only has an abundance of cotton, but also skilled weavers who create wearable melodies out of them .

Putting their work on the forefront and creating slow fashion pieces you'll treasure is what i love most about JUANITA.

Just about everything she creates is simple yet regal . As always she picked this Khadi linen Kurta from her latest collection and it was a surprise until it reached me. Those who have been following me for a while know that i wear indian styles only on festive occasions , but Juanita makes me fall in love with Indian-wear irrespective of occasions ! Remember the chanderi silk suit? See here if you haven't.

I have cinched this burgundy Kurta at the waist with a belt and i totally love this silhouette . The pants look regal in their Bananas silk weave and i can totally see myself wearing them with a white blouse too! I have not worn any statement pieces in this look because the statement sleeves and the silk pants are a statement in themselves !

When you wear a Juanita , everything looks effortlessly chic ! Hope you love the look as much as i did !Also , can you tell I shot this in a funny 13 degree weather with a strong sun!

Location - Pretville, Hartbeespoort , South africa

Shot by Nik on my Sony RX100Miii

Till next time, CIAO!

{ E.D.I.T.O.R.I.A.L} Caravan Diaries - II

Hello beautiful people

Here is the second look of the Caravan diaries editorial . It was so much fun talking about the lesser known Caravan culture of South Africa in the first post of this series. If you missed it, don't forget to click here . This series is a take on the modern traveler who loves to travel the gypsy way, stopping at every beautiful sight ( Just like we did during our shoot in Dullstroom , South Africa ) and soaking in all that the senses can experience . Dressed in their overused T-shirts /cargo pants/denims you can spot them from a distance , but we at TFMQ would love to share some ideas on how you can be a CHIC backpacker- the gypsy way !

The modern WANDERER's wardrobe
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If you are a backpacker , its likely that you love " messy " and wear whatever you carry in your backpack. I am about to break the myth that a backpacker or a "CARAVAN TRAVELER" cannot be
stylish. The trick is to carry a lot of pieces in thin fabrics to create a variety of combinations instead of one HEAVY DENIM /cargo pants + jumpers and some STATEMENT accessories .
The statement accessory : my " Flower hairband "is all it took to create an eccentric yet dressy vibe in this look !

ABOUT THIS LOOK:
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To imitate the wardrobe of a backpacker , I have used a pyjama pant and a semi-formal blazer- both super light-weight and breezy. Also, they were both bought a couple of years ago . The blazer is a gift by Nik which he picked up on his trip to China and the pant is a flea market find.

Now lets come to the star pieces of this look - The embellished net Bralet ( picked in last ZARA sale) and the flower crown hairband ( WOOLWORTHS). Both the bralet and the hairband instantly make this look super chic. There is barely any weight these two would add to the luggage and yet they pack so much punch. Look for embellished or sequinned crop tops which you can use to layer for a trip like this! For accessories, hair accessories are having their moment right now and every high street store is full of choices right from scarf scrunchies, pearl barrettes , embellished hair-pins to oversized hairbands. Take your pick and don't forget to pack them for your next backpack travels !

Photography : Dali
Edits : Yours truly
Location: Dullstroom, South Africa

Bralet, Leather Pumps- ZARA| Flower crown, Hoops - WOOLWORTHS | Pants- Fleamarket finds | Blazer- From Guangzhou | Kolhapuri chappal- Colaba Causeway ( Pioneer)

Till next time, CIAO!

This post was featured on Links à la Mode fashion roundup by Independent Fashion Bloggers.

{ E.D.I.T.O.R.I.A.L} Caravan Diaries - I

Hello beautiful people !

Firstly thanks to my instagram family who voted for the name of this series because i was really confused . This series has two looks and both are bohemian in nature. I love bohemian styling and this was the style i wore extensively in my graduation years !

When you hear the word "bohemian" OR "gypsy", you instantly conjure up images of someone who wanders or travels on long journeys by road and wears a mish-mash of accessories. The looks i created in this editorial series are subtly bohemian and very wearable . This look is shot in johannesburg while the other is shot in Dullstroom- my favourite village in South Africa!

THE CARAVAN CULTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA
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I have been wary of road travel all my life but ever since i came to South Africa , my idea of road travel took a U-turn! The roads here are some of the best in the world, sometimes rivalling those in Europe. Those who are still confused - South Africa is a country in Africa and not the southern region of Africa ! So yes, this country is very different from the rest of Africa and resembles life in europe albeit a bit cheaper!

Most tourists who travel to South africa wouldn't even know what I'm talking about until they see it for themselves ! Caravan culture is huge in South africa. Road travel is the most common mode of transport between cities and holidaying the old world style is as natural as breathing for the white south africans . I did try unearthing some articles on the history of caravans in this country but unfortunately not much is written about it. Its as if, this was as normal as owning a house !

I had never seen real caravan carriages in my life . But in Johannesburg , towards the end of the year - caravans are the most common sight ! Camping is huge in this country and the lack of a train network for public transport or buses has people taking up holidaying to an all new level ( OR shall i say old level?) . For me caravans existed in history and story books . But its only here i realised they are as common as having your own car ! The love for camping also stems from the fact that this country has the most faboulous outdoors and most importantly its clean!

Every family goes on their annual holiday in their cars tugging along a caravan unit. At first it was a bit overwhelming when i saw every other car tugging a little luggage unit behind or a small caravan. I do see it as a road risk but then so many of them going their way made me comfortable with their sight ! I did feel like i was living in the 50s, such is the charm of south africa ! And this editorial series combines my bohemian styling with the experience of Caravans as an observer - not a user . I still traveled without caravans because it took me a while to digest this was real! So if you are someone who'd love to enjoy this kind of travel , this whole equipment is available for rent in major cities - Go for it!

ABOUT THIS LOOK:
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Now , this look here is perfect when you want to look feminine and be comfortable at the same time on a road journey. I got this dress on sale in H&M, johannesburg . Lately i am loving dresses from H&M. I love the ruffles and the vintage floral print, not to forget the fabulously ruffled V-neck ! The boots are all over my instagram handle and my favourite recent buys from Delhi's famous Sarojini nagar fleamarket. The earrings are ZARA. I tied my hair to draw attention to the lovely details of this dress and i think it worked. Also, watch out for the next look as it features a real caravan ! Yoohoo!

*Photography : Four sixty
*Edits : yours truly