I was in a really maverick mood today and wanted to dress silly.

Top: Floral Topshop spaghetti top from FS for Rs 200. I cannot tell you how much I adore old lady floral prints. You should have seen my teenage wardrobe. It was constructed out of English upholstery.

Pants: Faithful Sykes from Levis. Regular fit, nothing fancy. I can roll them up to “boyfriend jeans” or just wear them as decent pants that let me ride pillon.

Jacket: Vintage Men’s blazer from Etsy. This completes my set of blazers. Ironically, it’s cheaper to buy a blazer in The Abroad, with shipping, than to buy a decent one in India.

Shoes: Black Mary Janes from Tel Aviv 2008.

Accessories: A rose pink/fawn silk scarf from Causeway for Rs 75. My hair cannot be held down by bobby pins anymore, so I have to find new ways of helping it grow out. A brass dog pin for whimsy. Instead of a belt, I used the adjustable belt of a bag, interlocking the brass clasps. Because I could.

Square G-Shock watch, green stone earrings and insouciance.

Top: My new basic white tee with looser sleeves and a waistband. For 150 bucks from Causeway. I wasn’t sure how this silhouette would look on me and now I regret not buying every available colour. Woe!

Waistcoat: Burnt sequin spangled Zara waistcoat for Rs 200 from Causeway. I went back the next day to buy some for the SaM shop, and poof! they were all gone.

Pants: Another pair of funny pants. I bought these in summer and they have been a dream come true (if you dream of pants) — linen, pockets, elastic waistband, loose, allowing freedom of movement. They are like culottes but with a lower crotch. Cost: Rs 350. They even work in the monsoons as they stop above the ankle and dry fast.

Shoes: Red jelly flats from Bata, two years ago. Rs 200.

Accessories: Bowler. Yes, I love hats. I do, on some days, even brave ridicule on account of them. I do not wear them indoors, though. The bowler was missing from my collection.

Apart from the hat, men’s Casio watch and possibly some dangling earrings. Who can remember when you have such a fabulous hat?

Kurta: Men’s kurta from OMO. Rs 345
Churidaar: Nice Looks. Rs 350
Accessories: The woodcut pendant again, silver bangles and tiered silver filigree balls earring.
Shoes: Jello flats for the rains

Another result of not being able to resist the colour. I wanted to wear something easy and flowing, but not dull.

Tee: Rs 550, from Zara
Pants: Anokhi rider pants for Rs 990. I love Anokhi’s prints and was really surprised that their pants are good too. They are made of thick cotton with lycra and fit like tights, but will outlast that trend.
Shoes: Rain boots from the A Broad.

Jacket: Finding this jacket on FS was one of the things that pushed me to start SaM and it was also one of the first things to be featured there.

Accessories: The woodcut pendant which I wear almost every day. The red pops up against my mostly neutral wardrobe. A Seiko watch and two bobby pins to tide over ugly growing-out phase of my pixie cut.

I am not very happy with how this jacket looks. Maybe I should retire it for a while.

—
Lunch with parents

Pants: Safari shorts from Baga in Goa. Think I bought these on my honeymoon for Rs 150. What I do remember is that the store next to where I bought these served fresh doughnuts.

Blazer: You remember my dad’s blazer? Bought for BD 10 in 1979.

Shoes: Hand-woven kolhapuri huaraches. These are my wardrobe essentials. People never notice them but I always feel a bit more smug when I wear them. Plus, I can feel the ground through the thin sole.

Accessories: My father’s sling bag, the woodcut pendant, Casio men’s watch and silver hoops.

I wore this to lunch with my parents to celebrate my father’s birthday and our new car. While my paunch shows no signs of abating, I have pretty fantastic calves to divert attention with. And since I am married, my parents can frown, but not lecture. Watching them try to keep a tirade in is just a happy side-effect.

This is how T-shirts should fit.

***
New things on Nauroze

My husband’s mother is Parsi and I’ll celebrate any festival that requires new clothes. This is a classed-up version of the first outfit.

Pants: The Anokhi rider pants in beige. I wear a lot of pants since my day involves riding pillion with photographer, getting into trains, jumping over dividers, etc. When I find a pair that allows movement, I snap up two — one in each colour.

Jacket: A beautiful men’s three-button blazer in linen for Rs 3,450. Women’s jackets rarely encase my trunk or cover its length so I shop for in the Men’s section. I wanted a linen one I could wear to work in the day, but couldn’t justify the price until I reminded myself that it was in my husband’s (hard-to-get) size, so technically, I was paying only Rs 1,725. I’m still waiting for the money.

Accessories: Silver hoops, Casio Men’s watch, this very journo/literature student satchel for Rs 4,500.

Shoes: Mary Janes from Tel Aviv. I think about NIS 200

I just realised that the combined cost of this outfit is more than what I spent on my wedding dress. I’m moving towards collecting classic pieces to wear with my SaM maal, and like to know that each element of this outfit will last a while with care. Is this what they call investment pieces?
Also, has my style got a little androgynous after that haircut? I thought so too.

From Style Per Diem

The skirt: Previously posted, much adored grey, kind of tweedish, panelled pencil skirt with rouching on the hips.

The Top: Lovely sheer top with lace panelling on the yoke, flutter sleeves and pin tucks – H&M.

The Jacket: My favourite spring/fall crop jacket – its a little faux leather, double breasted biker jacket with a slight puff on the sleeves and a tight fit on the waist, fully lined in soft satin. I absolutely LOVED pairing this jacket with the super feminine outfit underneath.

Shoes: These awesome ruffled t-straps.

Accessories: I put on these stockings for MORE fun, and since my hair was still long I slicked it back with a black hair band and wore some small dangly sparkly ear-rings.

I don’t know WHERE I thought I was going. I was going in to edit news. Yes its for TV, but its not like I get to be on it!

I must have just felt like playing dress up!

Tights: Bijoux in Bandra, 160 bucks
Shirt: Rasta Zara, Rs 200.
Scarf: Colaba Causeway, Rs 90.
Gumboots: Amazon, courtesy Ketaki
Accessories: (water-proof) ASOS bag (GBP 18), silver studs, Casio men’s watch

I’ve taken to tights in a big way this season since they dry off easily, fit into my gumboots and cover my legs. Monsoons mean I can’t wear white and tights leave me with a choice of two-three long shirts I have. I am not much into the keffiyeh trend, but loved the dull colours and tassels on this one, so had to have it. I like how all the colours of the ensemble would have clashed with each other had they not been so dull (except the tights, of course). If you thought the blue was bright, wait till I show you my yellow ones.

Dress: Esprit. Come fall and I’m going to wear this dress with full length black leggings just like the model did
Shoes: Patent leather slingbacks from Naturalizer
Watch: Guess
Bag: Givenchy. This suede leather bag came with a perfume set that was my husband’s birthday present for me back in 2005. Its nice and big enough to fit my Thinkpad work computer. To take a closer look at the bag, hop on over to my photo stream.( Anyone know how to add multiple photos using Flickr blog?? )

no kidding!
anyway, this one is from Macy’s.
Shoes: Naturalizer. These are my fav and believe it or not, most comfy work shoes. They are lovely plaid with thin red stripes…I love them. They are more than two years old and I take good care of them..as in I don’t wear them when I’m driving because it ruins the back of the shoes.
Watch: Guess. I was looking for a big, chunky, glitzy watch and found this one at Macy’s last fall.

Jacket: Dark denim basic from Cotton World.
Dress: Anokhi’s Ltd Edition line. I don’t remember how much.
Bag: Hidesign’s doctor’s satchel which was a promotion gift. I adore the brass fittings.
Shoes: Dansko’s
Accessories: A flat silver cocktail ring, huge silver balis and a Seiko watch.

I was going to a multi-designer store opening and expecting to hob-nob with said designers. Obviously, I had to up my game.

Jumpsuit: By DEPT from a store in Bandra for Rs 450. I wanted a jumpsuit but hadn’t found one that I liked at a price I liked. This one works for me, even if it is a bit car mechanic. Unfortunately, jumpsuits are not bladder friendly.

Shoes: Jello rainy flats. Off season, I’d wear kolhapuris or sandals.

Accessories: I went with a formal watch so that I looked less like a petrol pump attendant and wore koli balis in my ears. In hindsight, I could have worn a woodcut pendant.