Month: April 2018

Hey Peeps! In response to queries on my Instagram stories and requests by you lovely people out there, I have decided to share a list of the best clothing stores for affordable shopping – both online and offline.

As most of the girls out there, I love wearing new outfits and cherish styling them. Being a frequent traveller, fashion blogger and a stylist, it gets kind of odd for me for to be seen repeating outfits (sigh!).

You know, my bestie teases me about the kind of social pressure celebrities (I guess she was being sarcastic) face to maintain themselves and how much do we have to spend every month on upkeep.

Yes, it’s true that I hate to be seen in the same outfit and that too in the same style. I either style them differently or end up buying new ones. I have illustrated different ways to style outfits, recycle old clothes and also how to reuse old/pre-loved clothes. I promise to come up with more such posts in future as well.

Once upon a time, I was a frequent shopper at Myntra and Jabong, however, over time I have lost interest in those clothing stores. Myntra used to be my favourite shopping destination.

Now I find difficult to buy trendy clothes on Myntra; their inventory is so huge and even if you sort by new, you get to see mostly the same stuff that has been lying around in their warehouses for ages.

With this post, I am going to reveal my secret of where I buy all my affordable clothes from. Definitely, I was not born with a silver spoon and I cannot dare to wear expensive outfits always. Let’s quickly check my all affordable shopping destinations and clothing stores I prefer.

Forever 21

After globalization, we are so fortunate to have access to quite a few of the popular international fashionwear brands in India. I love the basics by Forever 21 especially when it comes to t-shirt dresses or denim jackets.

All my denim jackets have been bought at a single outlet which is Forever 21. I am not saying other brands don’t have good denim jackets, it’s just that I feel denim Jackets by Forever 21 are a class part and are affordable at the same time.

Tips: If you want to collect only timeless pieces by Forever 21, wait for their biennial flash sale or buy F21 products from Myntra on weekends, you might get at least 21 % off.

Stalk Buy Love

If you are someone who loves chic, snazzy tops and dresses, SBL is your one-stop online apparel outlet. If you remember my Thailand trip outfits, I am wearing Stalk buy love outfits in most of the pictures.

I bought the outfits with the intention to use for the trip and afterwards discard them. The outfits were quite reasonably priced and I was amazed by the quality; besides the fit is just perfect for me. I don’t have to fret over the fit when I am shopping at SBL, yes, it’s seriously that well tailored. In fact, the top I was in the last post is by SBL.

Tips: Stalk Buy Love’s end of season discount starts much more before the actual season end. They usually give flat 50% off on weekends, again, the weekend is the right time to shop at SBL.

P.S. They have a bit limited range of outfits. You cannot rely on this brand for shopping in quick succession.

Shein

I have been using Shein since long now and I love the enormous fashionable collection they have. I have already shared blog posts over Shein’s quality and complete review of their website. I can proudly say my spring summer 2018 outfit collection is full because of Shein’s latest sale.

I got 7 outfits for just Rs 3,300. I am not kidding. You will see my posts in all of them really soon. I might wear them on my upcoming trips too.

I have special coupon codes for you all in case you want to shop from theirs. Use the coupon code MYCLOSETDIARY20 or CLOSETDIARY20 for additional 20% off on anything you buy.

Tips: Their sizing varies from standard Indian measures a bit, always read customer reviews related to sizing before you buy from Shein.

H&M

I was the happiest girl around when H&M started operations in Bangalore. The first store was in Pheonix Market City mall and it’s quite distant from where I live. You might call me crazy if I tell you I went to H&M store continuously for 4 months every fortnight (Honestly!).

If I had to pick just one out of all the clothing stores I am recommending, I would blindly recommend H&M.  Appart from the latest fashion, affordable price and quality; we get weekly deals in H&M.

The weekly deal is not only valid for old outfits but fresh arrivals as well. The best part is that the deal changes every week, which means the outfit which is at a regular price today may be available on discount next week. Isn’t it awesome?

Tips: If you want to come home with a bag full of clothes without shrinking your purse, stuff your shopping bag from the weekly deals section.

Max India

Apart from these, sometimes I do shop from Max India when I’m looking for latest street style at bargain rates. Honestly, I feel the tops and blouses out there is a good deal for the price paid.

In fact, lately, I have even noticed Max changing offerings very frequently, as low as every 6 weeks! You would be spoilt for fresh options.

Note: I usually drop into the retail outlets (except SBL of course) of these stores to feed my shopping bug. However, if your city doesn’t have them, fret not, all of these brands are available online as well!

Hope this post was helpful for you to decide what to buy from where and how to buy. Stay tuned with me for more such posts and don’t forget to check out my Spring Summer Looks  ( SS 2018 LookBook) – a showcase of my shopping treasures this summer.

Until the next time! Stay fashionable!

Hey Peeps! How have you been? I love athleisure and one of my favourite fashionable summer colour is white. I found this all-white co-ord set at Shein India website and couldn’t resist ordering one. This looks just about right to me for a retro yet fresh summer look.

White-On-White

Knowingly or unknowingly I end up buying mostly whites during summer. Nothing can beat whites in summer. Don’t you agree?

The athleisure trend is something I love for my travel. I opted to wear this minimalist co-ord set during my travel from Delhi to Udaipur.

I have clubbed it with all white accessories right from my shoes, sunglasses and bags. The all-white ensemble is always clean, modern, smooth and refined.

This basic t-shirt and trouser combo look so polished when clubbed together.

The athleisure trend

For those who were reluctant to try workout wear at leisure thinking it might go out of the trend soon. Stay assured, it is not going out of the trend any soon.

It’s the most prominent trend since last 2 years and 2018 summer will be all about comfortable fashion. Athleisure has already taken the fashion world with a blast.

This crop top and wide legs pants with stripes are so in vogue now. If you are new to the athleisure trend and are loooking to test waters this set is perfect for you. Keep it minimal and classy and you can pull it off with ease.

How to create a similar look from your closet?

Tired of stuffing your wardrobes with unnecessary outfits and no mood to shop these trendy clothes? Don’t worry, if you are my regular reader I know I always come up with ideas that might help you to recycle or reuse your outfits.

Being fashionable is an art. It’s not mandatory to blow away your moolah. Fashion can be curated always.

Things you need to curate this look:

1. Tee(crop or normal) in white
2. White culottes/palazzo/ trousers
3. White sneakers
4. A pair of white sunglasses

• P.S. I have used a maroon beret to break the colour monotony, you can still wear a white cap to stick to the monochrome scheme.

Do let me know what you feel about the outfit and my styling in the comment section below.

BTW, don’t forget to check out what’s hot this summer in the NEW SS 2018 LookBook section.

Until the next time! Keep Slaying

Hey Peeps! As promised I am back with another Spring Summer 2018 Lookbook. Hope you have already checked my take of reusing old clothes this summer and Indo western dress. This month I am trying to give posts which you all have requested instead of imposing my style on you. A lovely girl messaged me on Instagram saying anything looks good on famous bloggers and they can pull it off easily, please share tips on how can she look like a famous blogger.

I am sure that there are many girls who want to look like leading bloggers.  Being a girl who came from a small town I have struggled a lot with how to look like a celebrity or a stylish influencer till I moved to Bangalore. Even today when I go back, finding a crop top and high waisted jeans is difficult over there.

How do famous bloggers get the look?

Watching FTV at midnight or early morning when parents were not around was our(me and my sister) well-kept secret. Years later, I believe, that craving made me a fashion blogger and her a fashion designer.

Initially, I used to feel that we should wear short dresses and tight-fitting clothes to look hot. I was partially wrong. Since the time fashion has evolved and we have so many options to look glamorous.

All the fashion bloggers in the country are trying different ways to show how can we style certain outfits. Few of them are indeed difficult for a common woman/girl to carry.  Before I talk about this look, I want to share few tips which can help you to look chic always.

Understand your body

Don’t buy an outfit just because famous bloggers or social influencers wore it for an event and they nailed the look.For example, if you are quite tall and you try you dress up like Alia Bhat, you will never get the look what she created unless you get a customized outfit as per your height.

Try out the basics

Basics can never go out of style and even famous personalities wear them for the airport look etc. Now you would feel that we all wear basics but we don’t end up looking like them. While selecting a tee, go for pastels instead of something like a bright red one.

Invest in few pairs of good well fitting denim, be it the ripped or boyfriend fit trend. Wear lighter shades to make your legs look fuller and darker shades for a slimming visual.

Accessorise it right

Just buying an outfit is not enough. I know you are obsessed with lots of us bloggers and styling, just admit it. If you get inspired and buy few accessories we own, it is not copying. Styling is the key to fashion, always wear right accessories like sunglasses, watch, handbag, hat etc.

Be open to experiment

Just outfits and accessories are not enough. You need to try out different makeup, hairstyles and haircuts too. In past 1 year, I got my hair trimmed 5 times, hair coloured twice and I don’t even remember lipsticks count I have collected.

I totally get it, these demand a huge investment everytime you plan a change your look. Try to do it in bits and parts. Let’s say you went out to buy a regular shampoo and then you liked this trendy lipstick. I am sure you can afford to buy one at a time.

My high waisted jeans with a crop top

I will start with how I decided to buy this particular crop top. I am always in a rush to attend events, brand launches and client meetings. Sometimes I feel like going easy without compromising on my style. This ruffle crop top is a pure girly top and completes my look without fuss. It can be paired with any simple bottom wear. As the top has frills and fuss I like to keep the bottom wear simple.

My mantra for street style is always ” Keep it simple silly”. I chose to wear black high waisted jeans with the ruffled top. I have been a fan of high waisted jeans for a long time. And this is why I find it easiest to create a style with high waisted jeans.

Since my teenage years, I love wearing high waist bottoms. The high waisted trend is evergreen and gives an illusion of a slim waist and long legs. Nothing is as flattering as a right fitted denim. If you look at any of famous bloggers, you will find their denim is always well fitted.

By the way, I have added a new section on my blog which is SS 2018 lookbook do check it out and let me know what do you want to see next on my blog.

Until the next time! Stay Classy 🙂

What I Wore:

Top by Stalk Buy Love

High waisted jeans from local market Bangkok

Heels by Zara

Watch by Seiko

 

 

Hey Peeps! I have been using Insta Cuppa lifestyle products for over four months now. I have shared my views and tips in my previous post here.

I am a complete fitness freak girl. Though I am not regular to the gym, I try to workout every day at home and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Insta cuppa has helped me a lot to reach my fitness and nutrition goals.

Of all the products I use by Insta Cuppa, I love their insulated water bottle the most. I have lots of reasons to use it, but I am going to share five of them with you. I can bet that you will start loving insulated infuser water bottle just like me.

First of a kind: Insta Cuppa insulated fruit infuser bottle

All of us have used insulated flasks to keep our beverage hot or cold for longer (somehow it reminds me of water bottles of our school days). Infused water bottles have been in vogue since last few years. A health freak person likes to maintain liquid intake as much as possible.

But hey, what if a product presented the best of both the worlds? Now you can relish your fruit infused water for hours just the way it is supposed to be in summers – ice cold.

Temperature control in your hands

Yes, you do not need to choose between healthy and refreshing. You can and should enjoy ice cold fruit infused water all through your work day, commute or even travel.

Ditch the off the shelves sugary drinks for taste with health. Carry this insulated fruit infused water bottle with you. Believe me, your body would shower praises when you crave for an ice cold beverage this summer.

Versatile: Use the way you want

The industry’s first and only insulated infusion water bottle includes 1 flip top lid with handle, 1 wide-mouth insulated lid, 1 full-length Tritan fruit infusion rod (Only flip top lid will work with infusion rod). Use it for hot or cold beverages, use it with the infuser rod or without it, you are the boss. Use it just the way you like.

Say no to BPA

Haven’t all of us come across this term BPA? Bisphenol A is an additive in the manufacture of plastic bottles which leads to a host of diseases including cancer. In fact, the US FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has ended its authorization to use BPA in infant bottles and baby food packaging.

This Insta Cuppa insulated infused bottle is made of top quality 18/8 stainless steel and is BPA free and rust resistant. Sit up and look out for seemingly safe products which may harm you in the long run.

Get your fruit benefits all through the day

In an ideal day, we must have two to three servings of fruit. How many of us could actually admit to following the practice? It is simply not possible on account of the mad rush our lives have turned into.

Frankly, the second best thing is fruit infused water, which can realistically be at your side all through the day. I’m sure you could at least sip a few gulps of this enriched goodness in a meeting, in your class or even in a crowded metro compartment.

Yes, I am not preaching it as good as or a replacement for intake of actual fruits, but believe me, this is the second best and a practical thing to do.

Until the next time! Stay fit & stay healthy.

 

Hey Peeps! How are you doing? I hope my last post about Alleppey houseboat experience was helpful to plan a Kerala vacation. With this post, I am going to share my second and third-day experience in Alleppey Resorts and help you to select the best resort in Alappuzha in your budget.

Alleppey resorts exude an old world charm unique to the God’s Own Country and when we were looking for one we wanted the best at a reasonable price. Also, we had lots of things in our mind as five of us has slightly different expectations from the trip.

Travel with like-minded people

Everyone plans a trip in sync with their mindset and has different expectations from any trip. For a group trip, always be transparent and share your expectations with your friends.

Like we were very clear that instead of roaming around in the city in the hot weather, we wanted to sit back and enjoy the resort in Alleppey, an overnight houseboat stay, backwaters and the famed Malayali cuisine of course.

Having said that, I was aware that each of us is different and we wanted out space too. We made a checklist before we started hunting for Alleppey resorts.

Always be clear on the budget

When going for a group trip, do not hesitate to discuss the budget. For example, I was clear I love going on budget trips and at the same time enjoy to the hilt. We were looking for two rooms in a beautiful heritage resort of Alleppy. Our initial plan was not to go beyond Rs 10,000 for backwaters resorts in Kerala.

While looking for resorts in Alappuzha backwater resorts we bumped onto many beautiful properties. Any resorts in Kerala is booked through an email conversation. We did negotiate a bit with 5-6 best resorts in Alleppey. While deciding on the resorts in Alleppey backwaters, we discovered that all of them own houseboats and other tourists facilities too.

We settled for Shanthitheeram Resort in Alleppey. They gave us the deal for 2 and half day in which houseboat for 1 night, resort stay for one day and 3 times meals were included.

Total cost of resort and houseboat stay for the group of five was Rs 19,000. Not a bad deal when you realise that it came up to less than Rs 4000 per head for two nights and three days stay including everything.

Category of Alleppey Resorts

Deciding on the resorts are tricky at times. We get all catgories for hotels and resorts every tourist place right from budget hostels to a luxurious 5-star property. I always prefer a scenic location rather than going for 4 star or 5-star resorts. The properties in and around tourist places have really amazing services.

Location Matters

Even if you are on a budget trip, do not compromise on location. Good location makes your travel an everlasting memory. We wanted to enjoy the lake view as Alleppey is known for it’s backwaters and lake, how could we not have had enough of it!

Flexibility in Check-in/Check-out times

Be it flight, train, bus or our own transport, there are chances of getting delayed. I have already mentioned in my previous post about Alleppey that we reached late. Also, our train back to Bangalore was on the evening of the last day.

We didn’t want to pay extra for a day as our plan was to go for Backwaters tour again. We had requested the resort owner to give us some space to keep our luggage and a guided tour of the backwaters. As our checkout was on a Monday, the resort was not so crowded and the management allowed us to keep our luggage in our rooms itself.

P.S. Check in and check out flexibility was discussed while taking the resort deal itself.

What kind of foodie are you?

All five of us were from different states and are adapted to a different palate.  A few of us were open to try exotic Malayali cuisine whereas others preferred to stick to safe pan Indian cuisine. Food is a highly personal selection, don’t you agree?

Our resort meal charges were included in the total fee. The food menu of the resort had a mix of Malayali, Hyderabadi and North Indian spread. Even breakfast the buffet had both Malayali savouries and standard breakfast items like bread, jam and omelette.

Amenities available at the resort

While visiting a place like Kerala, you would want to forget about your daily grind, soak in the natural sights and just lay back to relax. For such trips, amenities do matter.

I was particular about few things apart from the natural vistas and the lake view. I wanted a clean swimming pool and a decent functional gym. Facilities available at the hotel/resort is always an important criterion in my checklist.

Do you check reviews or just check the pictures of properties

I have noticed many of my friends getting excited looking at the picture of properties. I must admit I have made that mistake in the past. After having a bad hotel experience back in 2016, I have never repeated this mistake.

I totally understand few of the reviews are bot-assisted nowadays, both for positive and negative marketing. I request you to read a minimum of 4-5 articles of both positive and negative reviews of the properties.

Also, check customer’s pictures rather than professionally clicked high-resolution pictures shared by resorts/hotels.

Our Experience in Alleppey Resort

We had booked our resort keeping all the above pointers in mind. Being extremely blessed, the property, its amenities, the service and even the food surpassed our expectation. I have shared a mini video of the resort entrance to our room, don’t forget to watch that.

Well it being Kerala, you’d expect it to be hot and humid. However, the resort being engulfed in plentiful vegetation was pleasantly cool. On top of it, we were lucky to get a lake facing room. In fact, we could enjoy the views of both the lake and the swimming pool from our room.

But that really doesn’t mean the other rooms were not worth it. This property was a class apart as it has both modern looking rooms along with heritage rooms done in classical Kerala style. We were shown both the rooms and we settled for the lake facing rooms.

The Conclusion

Truly it was a short and sweet trip with my girl gang and it’s going to be etched in my memory for a long time to come.  Kerala was truly a refreshing experience and I’m sure I’d go back there to explore other lovely places.

However, life goes on and I’m headed soon to a completely different part of the country. Stay tuned for my travel diary from a fresh locale.

As always, do shower your comments and feedback. It keeps me going.

 

Hey Peeps! How have you been? I have created a new section on my blog, the Spring Summer 2018 Lookbook. I have so many outfit ideas for spring summer 2018 that I just had to present it to my lovely readers.

You can also leave a comment below and ask for the new styling ideas or anything related to spring and summer fashion. My lookbook for summer starts with this Indo Western Kurti.

The wedding season is going to linger on until May end and the young crowd like is definitely looking for Indo western Kurtis and Indo Western Dresses for those fancy occasions.

 

My love for versatile outfits is endless. But when it comes to Indian outfits, honestly, I am absolutely clueless at times.

You would have noticed me preferring Indo western dresses over a saree many times.

Who doesn’t like to walk carefree and look glamorous like celebrities?( Isn’t everyone a celebrity in their own right?)

I am a total sucker for Bollywood movies when it comes to wedding looks.

I love watching these celebrities walking on the ramp in Indian wear too.

Honestly, even after oodles of fandom, I fall back on wearing very lightweight outfits during any summer traditional function.

My take on Indo western kurti

Kurtis to me, are always the most comfortable Indian outfit. Hassle freestyling is the key and secret to my go-to look.

I found this kurti on an Instagram page Hiva Lifestyles. Frankly, I hadn’t taken Indo western kutri like this ever before. Believe me, it’s light on your wallet too.

I got the kurti dress at just Rs 1,100 and the best part is that I don’t even have to bother about bottom wear (Yes!). A lot you have asked me on my Instagram post today to cover budget shopping websites and places. So, this page is my new love for budget Indowestern kurti.

Hope you liked the outfit. Stay tuned with me at www.myclosetdiary.com form more affordable street style summer looks.

 

What I Wore

Kurti by Hiva Lifestyles

Sandles by Soles

Hairstyling by Hair speaks family salon

Makeup by @myclosetdiary.com

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