Five kinds of clothes you will find in Sarojini Nagar

Im quite sick of people with extreme views on Sarojini- some think its absolute trash, while the others feel its candyland. Honestly, it’s neither. Sarojini Nagar is like a loosely curated, vintage-cum fashion departmental store that requires its customer to have some sort of sartorial reference, a lot of patience and bargaining skills. Now these might come to you in time, but we can start with an idea of what you can actually purchase at the market.

Please note that Sarojini doesn’t bring with it the need to negotiate or compromise on quality. Do not waste your time and money purchasing something with bad stitching, itchy fabric just because its ‘cheap’. Keep your hopes high, and you will find what you’re looking for.

If you do maintain good standards, here are a few archtypes of what you can find:

The Multipurpose dress

When I say multipurpose, I mean a dress that is easy on our Indian curves and smoothens out the problem areas. I have a slim waist but a big hip, so I go with the cotton dress with a clinch in the middle. If you would like it simpler, go with something like the pink shirt dress, with the quirky blue piping. The body specific dress gets by with a little help from its friends:

• Dressy Pumps+ Statement earrings=night out
• Tailored black jacket+ brogues= Formals
• Large shopping bag+ cute broach= day out

The Quirky statement piece

This is the piece your mom warned you about- the one that makes you look a little stranger than usual. Don’t sweat- check its tailoring and pick it up! These pieces are one of a kind and will make you stand out in a crowd. Just make sure you stand out for the right reasons- for which you will need:

• A Plain Cotton tee (that suits your body type)
• Basic jeans
• Neutral coordinates (please go for dresses that don’t have too much of button/strap/print details about them)
• A chunky/statement necklace that compliments the outfit. Once again- this should be a strong block piece… not something with a lot of detailing

Classic coordinates at Cost price

Saw an amazing white shirt at ZARA that is too expensive for your daily dressing? Want to hop onto the pyjama brigade but can’t bear to buy a cotton pyjama for 2500? Welcome to the high street of all high streets. Carbon copy coordinates from Vero Moda/Forever 21 are sold here for 1/14^th the price, if you bargain well. However, once you do get yourself a classic thrift, wear it only with your high scale splurges:

• Fancy Tan bag from Charles & Keith/ your aunts hand me down bag from Hong Kong/London
• Leather oxfords from ALDO
• Shiny trinklets/ elegant brooches

Good on Paper investment

We have all heard of,  seen and obsessed over the cool maxi dress or  the funky jumpsuit pasted over fashion glossies. Only some of us (the more fortunate ones) go and buy these. The easiest way to try on an experimental look is to source some cool ones from Sarojini. How do you know if you’re rocking a look? By the number of times people ask you where you bought it from. Your answer to that should be- Oh, a ‘vintage’ shop in {Enter name of most exotic holiday} HA!

Not one-get two. It’s time for you to pick a shoe!

I recently bought a pair of brogues for around 2K which were very charming until I came face to face with shoe heaven- this store called RK Accessories (In the Gopalsons lane) from where my friend ended up buying super practical, leather flats.  For 650 a pop, these stunners are definitely a steal. Considering the beautiful, rose laden roads in Delhi, these can be your best friends. (Provided you put in an insole)

Dressing Lessons from the Photo Booth

Move over the Mirror, mirror dilemma and skip a few decades to the personal computer's very personal front facing camera. God knows how many hours I've spent ravaging my cupboard, followed by 'documenting' the hits from the misses for every time I go out.

The long Eid weekend called for a clean up- of the room, the cupboard, the book shelf and the computer. Which is when I found these treasures- records/ documentations of every look I tried before I reached the final outfit on Indiestylerush. Don't mind the awkward face expressions/poses, but these are some of my finest wardrobe additions being tried on for the first time! 

Trial outfit for NYE 2011

Noida Days 2010: Interning at Suneet Varma Design

Shreya's birthday night out; 2011

NYE 2012 outfit

Fashion Week 2012 followed by cocktails

Mango's First AW 2011 Crazy Sale

When Guetta hit town: 2012

Favorite Summer Outfit: Forever 21

Pretending to work at SV Design (2010)

Post work meetings stress: 2010

Happiness(2011): Your boss doesn't show up for work. Leaving a day of unapologetic narcism. 

My favorite brooch: Gifted by mother dearest (2009)

Fancy SV Brooch: Sourced by Yours Truly 

The wannabe social climber look I call it

Well thats where I'll stop with the self inflicted embarrassment! hope you enjoyed the sheer random xx

What boring office girls wear

Google search 'Street Fashion'. Wait for a fraction of a second. Be witness to multiple webpages of perfectly styled lean ladies, standing with  Crawford-ish swagger, with a beautiful background to boast. It seems like the photographer happened to venture out on the very same day as some dangerously decided editorial looks, straight off the runway.

Close browser window. Step out in the sticky wet stuffiness of New Delhi, look around. 

In a city where its a crime to wear a comfortable pair of heels to office, there is no way fashion can exist. No, not YSL (Now Saint Laurent Paris) inspired suits and Chanel Jackets- we're talking about essential coordinates, simple styles, individualistic styling.

So here's a few of my 'Office frineds' and their looks a good day. They can't tell a trend from the other but have a few interesting elements on their special days!

Ayushi in her basic blue skirt (She got a tailor to stitch her size!)

Im obsessing over this light coral top I got from Forever 21 recently. The bag's Louboutin FW 2012

She got this dress from Sarojini-but the cute ballet flats really stand out

Super Quirky super senior. She bought this blouse somewhere in Jaipur for about 100 rupees

Dressing lessons: If you have a non existent wardrobe

It was that time of the year, New years is long gone, your boss flinches at even the mention of a 'summer holiday' and you just can't wait to escape. Then comes that weekend of uninterrupted music, art and sleep (much to the delight of the sleep deprived) and the one place I have to be year after year.

The Escape Festival takes place in Naukuchiatal, so it would be stupid idea to carry my lovelies. (Read: fabulous clothing from the likes of high street/ high priced clothes), so we take to my staples: Sarojini, Pyajamas and as my mum defines it, my 'bhikari colors'- blue, grey, blue, green and blue.

Here's what you missed, at the lovely mini indian version of the woodstock

Sun down at the lake resort

Our favorite; Menwhopause

And if you missed a bit on the packing for that big trip like I did, use those coordinates again, with that one statement piece that all attention gravitates to.. check out the guys with the crazy hats and otherwise classic looks.

The girl's drooling over the hat, I'm telling you

The artist with his indie- people tree hat

Thats comfortable dressing right there

My mum's brooch from the 80's 

 7

My Dino bag from F-2. If you notice carefully, you will see the similarity in our expressions

If you happen to be on the other side, and pack too much into your bags- try Shruti's jungle mein mangal look- I love it 

Coulda Shoulda Woulda

When looking up fashion magazines, blogs and the umpteen facebook updates one has subscribed to- you often wonder whether any of them even work. Personally, I look up a million outfits, decide they are absolutely perfect for me, save the images for future reference... and 7 minutes later, I forget. 

Then there's the investment issue. Its not that clothes are too expensive, its just that you often wonder which is the right look to invest in. If its a great color, it'll stand out each time you wear it.. if its a certain cut, the coordinates are restricted. There's always that question- Whether you can carry a look, whether you should invest in it and finally- would it even look nice?

In the words of one Ms. Bradshaw- Coulda woulda shouda?

I've ignored the Maxi dress for a long long time- until this easy, pleated one came along. the simple ivory white gave me the exciting opportunity to turn it around every time I accessorize. Few things to keep in mind if you buy a Maxi:

• Make sure the hemline is not tooo long- that makes you look like a curtain
• Short Girls dont need to shy away- just invest in a light pair of wedges, or be crazy like me- floral pumps!
• In case you're a little chubby or stout- DO clinch the dress on your high waist- it gives the impression of long legs.. Take cue from Scarlett Johansson and Adele, you'll always see them clinched at the waist

Out of all the trends I haven't given heed to- Print on Print is the funnest!This summer is out of control I tell you- mix and match all those prints in a playful manner! Things to keep in mind though:

• If you're wearing prints, DO NOT over accessorize. The accessories have to be a subtle, one color. Its about having fun with prints, not going over board.
• For the fainthearted and careful, start with basic prints, Polka Dots with stripes, strong prints with prints-hardly there.. take it slow
• Even though its fun to mix them up- take a moment to set a contrast and coordinate colors. 

I wouldn't even come close to a girly, frilly/peplum sort of top. Just not my thing. But considering this one was Topshop and the color was sort of endearing, I decided to take it up. When you wear a certain genre that you're not too fond of- mix it with genres that you like.. my bohemian beads, casual shorts and chappals a plus- I think this is my favorite look of them all!With a top like this, be careful NOT to:

• Do girly earrings/ an interfering necklace.
• Belt up to ruin the shape

The all white, splash of color look. Frustrating to achieve and coordinate but just so Zen like if its a success :) Quite frankly, it was the beads I was dying to wear- the white on white clothes are just a coincidence. When planning a white look, keep in mind:

• The lining of the dress/outfit. There is nothing more embarrassing than your chaddis going peek a boo 
• CLEAN WHITES. period
• Instead of the safe nudes and browns for accessories.. try lime/neon/coral to dress it up

These are just ideas that I decided to experiment with- there are a MILLION other looks you should try on! In case we're actually dying this December, you might want to live a little.

XOXO

(Okay maybe that was too experimental)

Because I’m slouchy and oh so sloppy

I’ve had many people ask me why I just stopped writing, why there weren’t new pictures or posts. So here it is, I plead guilty. I’m lazy, I got lazy and I will continue to be so J

The good news is that I’m back and I’m going to start this time, with a tribute to the lazy girl- the procrastinator, the fuss hater, no comb no pin dresser.I ganged up with fanciful Kadambari at a playground in Gurgaon, our nutribars and us, dressing up, talking endlessly and clicking away.

Reversed Cape dress

A cotton cape I bought a year later is now a shift dress, clinched at the back in a no fuss way

Cape: Sarojini

Banjara Jewelry: Lane next to janpath

Shoes: Kadambari’s personal collection; Forever 21

Not so prim, prim skirt

We all love Ms. Berry’s feminine style on Glee, but face it- you can’t walk prim that way in scorching Delhi. Time to swap her holiness with a simple, casual tee.

Tshirt: Zara

Skirt: An erstwhile dress from Sarojini

Belt: Forever New

Earrings: Forever 21

Pastel Perfect Pyjamas

When you think pastel, you think sheer dresses, cute jumpsuits and those dainty accessories. And then you think Pyjamas, airy, breezy PYJAMAS. The rest is self-explanatory.

Ganji: Sarojini

Pastel pyjamas: Sarojini

Feather necklace: Forever 21

Metallic mix ups

This has to be my kind of statement piece- mixing oxidized silver and copper gold. The green dress has an over exposing cut, and hamaare India mein toh nahi chalta. So I layered it with a matching kurta for a tunic look. Love the colors on this style!

Dress: H&M

Kurta: Cottons

Jewelry: From all around Delhi

Boring Black

I can hardly remember the number of years this black shirt sat in my closet. I loved the oversized classic shirt, but you can’t help but sense its moroseness. Lack of many options called for desperate measures and the shirt was soon dressed up! My dad’s cotton scarf bow made a gentleman out of the shirt!

Shirt: Hand me down

Shoes: Forever 21

Denim shorts: Kadambari’s pair

Hope you girls are as excited as I am! waiting to hear from you on the new post x