Winter Outfit Styling Tips

There’s something about the winters that makes you fall in love with the season. The hot cocoa, snuggly nights by the fire place, Christmas, the snow and winter wear which makes the season special. But winter fashion can be tricky. You can easily look like a mess or freeze to death if you don’t get your outfit right. Many of us sometime think that winter fashion is boring and you have to replace your cute floral dresses with grey and dull sweaters. But winter fashion can also be interesting with a few tips and tricks. This winter let’s transform your winter wardrobe with these styling tips:
Skinny Jeans: Skinny Jeans are a must have for this season as they are extremely versatile, keep you warm and give a slender look to your outfit. Be it ripped or leather, one can never go wrong with skinny jeans. Team up a pair of skinny jeans with ankle booties and a cashmere sweater for a casual look. Skinny jeans or straight cut pants also look great with oversized coats without making your outfit look bulky. If you prefer wide legged pants then opt for a more structured coat and wedges for a chic look.

Wrap/Scarves: Wraps and Scarves can be your best friend this season. They can make any outfit stylish and fun in minutes. So invest in a variety of colorful and textured wraps and scarves. Also don’t be afraid to experiment with the different styles of wearing a scarf. Make the scarf the hero of the outfit by looping it around a plain black dress and transform your look.

Last day of Holidays before going back to work #throwback #londondiaries #happynewyear

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Boots: Boots are a must have this season. Ankle boots are great for daily wear; you can pair them with almost any outfit. Be it a maxi dress and a jacket or turtleneck top and skinny jeans. Over the knee boots are also extremely stylish. Pair them with a printed skirt, a knitted dress or even over your skinny jeans for a trendy look.

Turtlenecks: Turtlenecks are great for winters. They keep you warm and can be worn for office wear as well as casual wear. Tuck in a turtleneck top with your favorite pair of trousers and a well fitted blazer with loafers for a stylish office look. You can also wear it by itself with a pair of jeans and some long necklaces for everyday wear.

Leather Jacket: A leather jacket is a wardrobe essential. Create a biker girl look by teaming it up with a pair of knee length boots, skinny jeans, and a graphic tee. Or pair it over a floral dress for a cool and casual look. You can invest in a basic black jacket or opt for colors like brown, tan, maroon or camel.

Jumpers: Cashmere jumpers are vital for winter. You can dress them up or down easily during the season. They are also extremely versatile, classy and look great with jeans, midi skirts, or dresses. For a formal look wear it with a collared shirt, a pair of trousers and a trench coat. You can also wear them with jeans, a statement bag and peep-toe ankle boots. For windy days you can team it up with a wrap to keep yourself warm.

Hats: Hats are like scarves. They add an element of fun to your outfit instantly. They can transform a boring black sweater to something chic if paired correctly. Team up a beanie with a formal dress, a trench coat and heels for office or pair a fedora with wide legged pants, loafers and a cashmere sweater for relaxed look.

Suede Dresses: Suede, Wool or velvet are the fabrics of the season. Style a suede dress with a cropped jacket, ankle length booties, leg warmers or stockings and a fedora hat for a boho look. You can also invest in suede or velvet skirts in bright hues like red, blue or maroon and create fun looks.


Statement Coat: Add a pop of color to your neutral wardrobe by investing in a statement coat. They can be oversized in vibrant hues like pink, orange or red or be textured and in neutral shades like black and grey. I have created a look with my statement coat by teaming it up with a pastel pink blouse, straight cut jeans and peep-toe boots for a casual look.

Ringing in 2017 in style @newlandmanor #nyedress #london #nye2016 Happy New Year!!!

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 What’s your favorite witer look? Let me know in the comments below.

Spring Outfit Ideas for Romantic Look  

When cold winter days pass we all look forward to spring. That’s usually because you can finally take those three hundred layers of clothes off and get free from those shawls, caps and gloves that have been burdening you for the past two or three months. Spring is the best time for romance, your blood boils, you feel nature’s liveliness and you envy the beauty of gentle, soft flowers that bloom all around. Join the show and put on a romantic look for this spring following these great ideas.

Lace

LaceThere’s no romance without a little lace. Or a lot. Your choice. Lace gives a very feminine touch to your outfit. Whether you’re wearing a lace covered dress or have just a decorative detail on your leggings or a sweater, lace is essential for a gentle, soft look. Put on a white lace dress and spice it all up with a stylish brown belt. Or wear a sweatshirt with lace details. Match a lace shirt with skinny jeans and you’re ready for a nighttime spring walk. When the day is warm, put on a sleeveless lace top and peach-colored shorts. Just keep the colors bright, we’ve had enough of those grays and blacks throughout the winter.

Floral print

What better way to give out a spring spirit than wearing floral print? Celebrate flowers by wearing them. Flowers are gentle, colorful, cheerful and fragrant and everyone loves them. Just remember how happy you were the last time you got a bunch of flowers for present. That’s the symbolism of wearing them. Welcome the new season by wearing floral leggings with a single-colored slouchy shirt. There are so many beautiful floral print dresses available so go out and get one. If you want feminine yet bold try floral print shorts. Here’s an idea for a very clever and stylish outfit: white shirt, peachy blazer, jeans and floral print pumps. Just remember not to get too carried away – if you wear floral print piece of clothing you should only match it with single-colored clothes because you don’t want too many patterns screaming off of you.

Tulle skirts

Tule skirtJust like beach kaftans are essential for summer, so tulle skirts are a must-have for spring. The word comes from a city in France which was a centre of lace and silk production in the 18th century. Parisians were the first to wear it in their ballet costumes. Nowadays they are available for everyone and are certainly a major trend. From shorter to longer models, you can wear them on any occasion. Match them with flats and you’ll look innocent like a ballerina. Match them with pumps and you’ll look like a glamorous princess. You can even match a tulle skirt with a black-and-white striped top for an exciting combination of sporty and elegant.

Accessories

Firstly, remember that a romantic look requires soft, pastel colors like white, pink and blue. To complete your perfect spring outfit, wear a simple silver necklace. Pearls are also a very clever and classy idea. When choosing bags, clutch purses are the right choice for a romantic-looking lady. Be creative with belts and be sure to include ribbons and flowers to your outfit ideas and you’re ready for sping.

Image credits: AnnieAnniePancake

Contributed by Sophie Andersen

Sophie is a design lover from Australia. She’s interested in fashion and photography. Sophie is also an editor of new lifestyle blog HighStyleLife. Beside fashion Sophie is fan of home design. Follow her daily trendy tips on Facebook.

India Bridal Fashion Week 2013- Delhi Edition Review

Here is a quick review of the collections that stood out to me at India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 – Delhi Edition

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Shantanu & Nikhil
Shantanu and Nikhil’s titled “To Die For” in India Bridal Fashion Week, 2013 lived up to its theme.
This collection was all about delicate grace and elegance, everything that a new age Bride needs to look chic but still create flutters in hearts. I loved the use gold leaf booti embellishments and the pastel colors giving the whole collection a very dreamy look.

Jyotsna Tiwari
Jyotsna Tiwari’s ‘ELOHIM’ rocked fashion week with her collection inspired by the fun and festivities associated with weddings. Fun, vibrant colours, flirty cuts and prints all made an appearance on the runway. This collection was perfect for those brides who want a modern look with a pinch of culture.
Jacqueline Fernandez was the star of the show as she graced the runway wearing a strapless hot pink gown with detailed embroidery on the skirt and a flirty slit down the middle to reveal black-cropped trousers with pink fringing.

Kotwara by Merra Muzaffar Ali
‘The Mughal Bride’ by Meera and Muzaffar Ali was a mix of detailed classic nude colours, finished with some traditional bridal bling. The traditional gold plated frocks and long kameez showed elegance and beauty and made for a crisp and clean collection.

Rohit Bal
Designer Rohit Bal showcased a regal collection with cream coloured lehenga choli’s with gold embroidery and kundan jewellery. His ‘MulMul’ collection had simple yet majestic designs with emphasis on full-length Indian Silhouettes.
Actress Sonam Kapoor looked great in a gold and white lehenga with a dupatta along with matching accessories. The plain colors worked beautifully together giving her a look of seductive indulgence.

Adarsh Gill
The collection showcase from Adarsh Gill was a vision of glamour and fusion were displayed on the catwalk along with geometric patterns, bold colours and statement motifs.
The gold plated corsets and simple trousers, which wrapped around the models and held together with a large motif showed a strong and empowering woman who wanted something very modern yet glamorous.

Suneet Varma
Suneet Varma’s collection was inspired from ancient Roman Empire with traditional headpieces and embellished lehengas. The collection was a regal mix of golden embellishments and was right fully called ‘The Golden Bracelet’.
I liked the silhouettes in this collection as it was a refreshing change from all the anarkalis, and flared lehengas in other collection, giving a bride to change to experiment with other dress forms.

Tarun Tahiliani
As the grand finale show at India Bridal Fashion Week in Delhi, Tahiliani’s show was epitome of elegance and understated bling. The collection mainly consisted of pinks, ivory, beige’s and understated reds, as well as a few modern ensembles.
Bride-to-be model Lisa Haydon closed the show. I Loved the usage of veil in last few ensembles which was a mix Indian and western influence.

All in all a great week with lots of new trends for the coming wedding season and lot of new ideas for all the brides-to-be.

Fashion Trend : Digital Printed Sarees

Light yet Chic

digital print sareeThe winters are almost over and the last thing you would want to wear is a heavy, embellished saree during the sweet spring weather. But if traditional is the theme for the party, a Salwar-suit would make you look underdressed while a plain saree in a bold color would be too understated. That’s where digital printed sarees come to the rescue.

They are perfect for spring to summer season

Digital printed sarees are usually made of faux fabric or georgette. Both the fabrics are really light and airy. Not too body hugging and yet, conforming to the natural contours of the body, these sarees look really chic as party wear.

There are a lot of interesting patterns to be had

There are limitations as to what an artiste can print by hand. But when it comes to technology, sky is the limit. There are a whole range of patterns available in digital printed sarees. Floral patterns as well as patterns inspired from nature are the hottest trend right now in digital printed attire. A stand out in this trend is patterns which depict a whole scenery on this nine yard wonder.

However, if you don’t want to look too last season, avoid going for printed sarees that use disjointed colors. Rather, the trend this season is prints which have colors that flow in continuation. For example, a combination of blue and grey.

They are ideal for women who are slightly heavy too

Women who are slightly on the heavier side can also benefit from this light and chic fashion trend. The lightness of the fabric used in digital printed sarees has a slimming effect on your appearance.

Don’t forget to accessorize it well

Like any fashion trend, getting the accessories right is important here too. If you are going for a minimal print, you can jazz up your look further with digital printed handbags. However, if you have an elaborate print on you, keep your accessories to a bare minimum. A solid colored handbag in a complementing color and minimal earrings complete the look in that case.

 

Black and white: Timeless chic

While the trend of hot neons and bright tangerines may come and go, there is one fashion trend that is forever- the combination of black and white. Simple, elegant, sophisticated, fun, mischievous…there are a whole lot of looks you can achieve with this classic combination which been around for ages.

Black and white is for every season

Unlike pretty pastels and bright neons which are season centric, black and white can be worn regardless of the season or time of the day. For a hot day out in the sun, a white top with a black skirt works fine, while for a night-out, you can always reverse the combination.

Works for every occasion

The evergreen combination works well for every occasion. For a formal dinner with clients, pair a well fitted white shirt with tapering black trousers. Complete the look with a black jacket thrown on top. For a more glamorous look, you can never go wrong with an evening gown in black and white. If it is a little fun and in-your-face look you are looking for, geometric designs in black and white can create the desired optical effect.

black-white-dressWhen worn right, it can be slimming or add volume

Bright colors may not be for everyone, since they create the illusion of a wider frame. However, the classic combination of black and white can be tinkered around with to create the right illusion. If you have an apple-shaped body, black on top and white at the bottom gives you a symmetrical look. For a pear shaped body, the combination should be reversed.

Almost all accessories go well with the look

You don’t need to pull out your hair in order to accessorize your black and white look. While crystal and gold work best with this look, almost anything looks good with black and white. It depends on the appeal you are looking to create and the occasion you are wearing it on.

A pop of color is so in vogue

And if those reasons are not enough for you to go the classic way, here is another one- the pop of color that is trending these days. Pair your understated ensemble in black and white with a pair of bright heels in orange, burgundy or similar colors. Celebs around the world are going for the understated look with a dash of surprise.

Lakme Fashion Week 2012- Day 5

 

Day 5 of Lakme Fashion Week 2012 was a mix of everything, from Prague inspired collections to an Indo-Western blend, the swinging 20s, chunky accessories and a whole lot more. While the finale was reserved for Rohit Bal, as is the case most of the times, there were plenty of other highlights of the day as well.

The swinging 20s by Sougat Paul

Sougat Paul drew inspiration from kites and the funky 1920s for his collection titled “Flyaway Kites.” Generous use of vibrant hues and the right amount of pastels was seen in his collection, as was garments with dropped waistlines. Flapper dresses were the highlight of his collection.

Chunky accessories are in

Going by Malini Agarwalla’s collection, chunky accessories seem to be the trend this season. There was plenty of bead work to be seen in her handbags apart from large pendants with hand painted masks.

The gypsy look by Payal Kapoor

Payal Kapoor showcased a collection titled “The Wanderer” which was inspired from the architecture of the Mughal era and that in South Asian countries. Her collection had gowns and dresses with geometrical designs, sequin work and a mix of chiffon and georgette. Ruffled saris were the highlight of her collection.

Of braided buns and harem pants

Archana Kochar’s collection “Kathputli Kathak”, was inspired from just that- the puppet shows. Her collection included harem pants, pleated dhotis , kurtis and kameez apart from an interesting combination of lehengas with jackets. The color palette consisted of bright hues of orange, blue, lime et al. The braided buns sported by models in her collections were another highlight of her show.

Feminine is a trend too

Apart from certain bold style statements, there were feminine silhouettes to be seen too on day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week 2012. Jatin Varma used it in his elegant and formal collection of gowns and dresses which had sequin and cutwork.

Arpan Vohra’s collection too had body hugging garments, with corsets that accentuated the waistlines and highlighted backs with sexy halters and strands in place.

The finale by Rohit Bal

Rohit Bal is known for doing lavish finales to fashion weeks. The finale of Lakme Fashion Week 2012 was no different. With an opulent setting in the lawns of Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, Bal’s collection was inspired from the modern Indian woman. His collection consisted of opulent embroidery in crystal and zari on most pieces, apart from bold jackets and bandhgalas for men.

Lakme Fashion Week 2012- Day 4

 

Like the other days of Lakme Fashion Week 2012, day 4 too saw quite a sizeable turnout of Bollywood celebs, which included A-listers such as Kajol apart from other known faces. Showcasing on day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week were designers such as Payal Singhal, Siddartha Tytler and Swapnil Shinde apart from young names such as Nupur Kanoi and Ruchika Sachdeva.

Trend which was seen across collections

Much like the other three of the event, day of LFW 2012 too saw a combination of neutral shades such as whites and grays with vibrant hues such as yellows, greens and oranges. Tranquil blue, inspired from ocean life, was also seen across collections, that by Nupur Kanoi being the best of all.

The unusual factor by Ruchika Sachdeva

Ruchika Sachdeva was one of the four young designers showcasing her collection at Day 4 of the event. While she drew inspiration from marine life, her collection consisted of a mix jackets, dresses, tops as well as jumpsuits. What caught our eye were the drop crotch pants which were definitely unusual as well as chic.

There as bridal collection too

One of the highlights of day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week 2012 was Payal Singhal’s show. Payal showcased bridal wear, which was a blend of resort style clothing and Indian bridal wear. There were lehengas, saris as well as salwar-suits on display. And they were designed in a whole color palette, ranging from green to purple, navy blue, pink et al.

Patchwork ruled too

On day 4 of the event, patchwork and appliqué was also seen in generous doses. Young designer duo of Shashank and Prajwal used it in their collection, which had an interesting 3D feel to it. Patchwork and cutwork was used against the backdrop of white and black, which combined with angled silhouettes, created an interesting style statement.

Patchwork was used by Siddhartha Tytler too, who did the finale on day 4. Siddhartha’s collection was about his signature style, use of colors and appliqué. The highlight of his collection was the printed lace which was noticed by all.

Eclectic and individualism by Rimi Nayak

While there were far too many good collections to name any one stand out of the day, it was Rimi Nayak’s collections which drew the most stares. Her collection was inspired from insects. The clothes had insect motifs and digital prints on bugs which almost brought them to life. There was interesting use of silhouettes too, with a mix of layering and structure.

What else was there?

Apart from all that, there was the Karmic Show on day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week 2012. The show had celebrity designers such as Rina Dhaka, Falguni and Shane Peacock, Ranna Gill, Neeta Lulla and several others walk the ramp in their own collections.

The show was a part of the effort by designers to make designer clothing accessible and affordable for a large population.

 

Lakme Fashion Week 2012- Day 3


Day 3 of Lakme Fashion Week 2012 was about subtlety and paying homage to Indian textiles. The day opened with collections from Purvi Doshi and Vaishali Shadungle. And the collections of the two were in complete contrast to each other.  While the former’s collection was more about whites and greys, the latter’s collection was more about bold greens, golden and other bright shades.

Stealing the show

While most collections throughout the day were interesting, it was Anita Dongre’s collection which stole the show. Her collection titled Waves was about laidback comfort and a very resort feel. Using Indian fabrics such as Benarasi silk, brocade, hand painted silks etc., her collection comprised of comfortable silhouettes and bright colors like yellow, oranges and pinks teamed up with shades of pastel.

Her collection had a retro feel to it, with flowing silhouettes, cinched waistlines and bustier style blouses.

Flared pants were there too

Like the first two days, flared trousers were seen on the third day too of Lakme Fashion Week 2012. While most collections had certain pieces in flared silhouettes, it was Debarun Mukherjee’s collection which showcased the silhouette the best. The designer created flared trousers for men as well as women, along with short tops, churi pants and draw string trousers.

The designer’s collection was predominantly white with subtle hints of gold, green and other colors. His showstopper Shahana Goswami stole the show in a beautiful white sari with a golden border.

Silk was the most used

While different designers on the third day of the event used different Indian fabrics, it was silk which ruled most of the day. Farah and Fridos’ collection used Bhagalpur silk in white, red, brown and other colors. Their collection used silk as a base for creating textures and weaves.

On the other hand, Sashikant Naidu made use of ahimsa silk along with khadi and ikkat to create a very folksy collection. Other than that, Matka silk and Benarsi silk was seen too in some collections.

Paromita’s street magic

While other designers’ collections were about laidback luxury, Paromita Bannerjee’s collection was high on wearability and street fashion. She worked with a combination of Indian muslin, khadi, ikkat and other fabrics to create a bohemian collection with a blend of indo-western culture.

Colors to look forward to this season

Going by the third day of Lakme Fashion Week 2012, the color trend for the coming season is likely to be at two opposite ends of the spectrum- subtle in whites or grays on one side and bold in oranges, yellows and greens on the other.