Wednesday 30 May 2012

Did You Know?

Last week I was suffering from an insane ear infection. And at the peak of my pain I get this amazingly fab invite asking me to attend the launch of a denim brand’s spring-summer men's wear collection. Now on any give day I would have avoided a men’s wear launch on such a painful day, but ear ache or not, when the denim brand is dENiZEN and the invite is from non other than hottie actor Imran Khan {Bollywood actor} the brand’s ambassador as well as designer of the new collection, wild horses could not stop me from attending this event.
Before I share some Imran anecdotes, let’s talk about the collection he has put so much effort to design and create.
*The theme of dENiZEN Spring-Summer 2012 line is “Modern Crafted”. It combines a contemporary and modern look that is easy to wear and consist of casual wardrobe essentials.
*They have used Japanese Selvedge fabric, which is considered as the world’s highest quality denim. Clearly, there has been no compromise on quality.
*The colour palatte of the collection is classic red, navy, natural white and grey heather
*Since it is a Spring-Summer collection, the pieces are more on the casual side. Tee shirts and chambray shirts along with classic blue jeans and canvas shoes.

The Imran Touch.
*Know as ‘Imikipedia’{Imran +Wikipedia} by his friends. The tee’s have Imran’s fave catchphrase “Did You Know” printed on them.
*Red is Imran’s fave colour. The entire collection has red accents in them. There is a special Imran Red Rivet on the coin pocket; the last button of all the shirts is red (which looks super cool BTW), along with red overlocks on the busted side seams and red zipper tape in front.
*Raw canvas has been used for the back label. Imran said the old canvas shoes severed as an inspiration and was added to this collection on Imran’s advice.
*Imran loves to have an authentic and natural feel, so a special vintage wash is given to the tees to give them a buttery feel.
*Each piece under this collection had Imran’s signature on it. It does not get more personal than this!
During the Q&A section, we asked Imran to give us his styling suggestion, and he very smartly added the chambray shirt to the host's ensemble. Nothing looks hotter than a woman in a man's clothes!
This event was special on many reasons; firstly I got to meet Imran. He’s not just eye candy, the man’s got some major grey matter too. Plus, he likes to dress up. He loves to wear ties and change his shoes according to the occasion. Yeah go figure!{But, he is not an accessories person}. 
Beauty, brains and a sense of style *Sigh* God, we need more men like these. ASAP, please!

He was wonderful to interact with, very easy-going and no starry attitude, answered our question well and posed with us for photos. It’s very obvious from his answers that Imran has actually put efforts and contributed to the collection more than just his name and face. He has done his share of research and added his personal touches to create a fresh and trendy spring-summer collection. Must say, Imran turned out to be a complete gentleman in jeans!!!
[That's me with the new designer]
The other amazing thing was meeting with fellow bloggers and getting to interact with them. It was great time chit-chatting with Ila, Rachana & Diana, Gargi, Ritcha and Bhavna. Do check out the blogs of these lovely ladies.

FYI :Imran and the team of dENiZEN are working on a women's wear collection, which should hopefully be launched around fall-winter. Can't wait!

This was an extremely very well organized event. The entire team did a stellar job and all in all it was a brilliant launch for dapper new product.

Till then, tra-la,
 
Amena!!
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a.fashionopolis@gmail.com



Saturday 26 May 2012

From Runway To Real Way

While most fashion bloggers have other day jobs, my day job is fashion too! I have studied it, work in it, and pretty much know the nitty-gritty of the business. And, like every professional, I too, constantly get bombarded with question regarding my profession: “Why is high fashion so unwearable?” “I wonder if people actually buy that?” “How come it look so good on celebrities and not me?” And my all time fave: “Do normal people really wear something like that?”

 The truth is, couture and high fashion is often eccentric and over-the-top but it is not always unwearable.
 Here are some easy–breezy tips that will help you  transform runway trends 
into real way looks and make them into your individual style statement.
[Images Via: 1,2,3]
I.Deconstruct The Look.
While most {non-fashion} people look at a style/trend-runway or editorial- as a whole, fashion denizens-editors, stylists, buyers, merchandisers- deconstruct the entire look. You’re wondering what is ‘deconstruct’? In simple language, deconstruct is basically breaking down a piece of art-books, movies, poems, paintings- into smaller parts and understanding how that thing was created. Rather than seeing the object as whole, it  focus on smaller, individual elements. What appears as far-fetched and unwearable by many, when broken down into smaller parts-colour, print, texture, silhouette, accessories, era- becomes unique and trendy in the eyes of the fashion illuminate.

II.Interpret It Your Way.
Your individual understanding and interpretation of things plays a significant role in everyday life. That is why even in the 21st century people discover new aspects of Shakespeare’s plays and Freudian philosophy.
For example the 90’s high-school rom-com ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ was inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’. But instead of staying true to the original time frame, location and character names {16 century Italy}, the director’s choice of the location, time frame and names {20th century America} was apt to appeal to a modern and younger audience.
Similarly, in fashion, an individual’s interpretation of a trend is of paramount importance.
Lets take the neon trend. Everyone loves it but a lot of people find its boldness very over-whelming. I too love this trend. And since I don’t wish to wear it in all its bright glory, I opted to interpret this trend the best way it would suit me.
[Images via 123456,]
Instead of doing a head-to-toe neon, I prefer to add a neutral colour to balance my outfit. Personally, I love the combo of white and neon. It looks amazing with western as well as Indian wear. This way, I get to wear the trend and not be too self-conscious about it.

III.Make It Work For YOU!
The final step is also the most crucial one. How you interpret the trend and then style your outfit can actually make or break a look.
It’s like our board exams. We all study the same stuff and give the same paper, but some will score better than the others. The reasons varies from whether you liked the subject or not, your understanding of a tricky question and how well you could perform in the given time. A combination of all this plays a significant role in the end result.
 In fashion too, certain key items and trends are common to all, but the way we relate to a trend and style it makes all the difference.
[More information on these pieces here]
{Look I: A-line silhouette mini dress is apt for someone with a petite, delicate frame.
Look II would ideally work well with a pear shape body type. Depending on your personal preference, the length of the skirt can be adjusted. For those who don't like sleeveless, you can always add a jacket or shrug to compliment your look.
Look III is plus size chic. Pair a well-fitted tunic/kurti with ivory/cream jeans. This way you break the all-white monotony and still manage to get the desired white-ish look.
Accordingly, women of all shapes and sizes get to wear the same style in a look favorable to their body type}

Ever so often, I get a comment from readers asking me to style looks more wearable by plus size woman. The truth is every look and trend works on anyone and any body type as long as it is styled correctly.
Since I don’t do style post, I create collages. These collages mainly function as visual aid and style guides. In all honesty, most of the clothes in then are unaffordable, but the idea is to find similar pieces within your budget as well as according to your body type.
Someone who has struggled her entire adult life with body issues, I can understand the reservation people have to trying-out certain styles. Here’s the trick-you can always trade one piece of garment for another. Not a skirt person, swap them for a pair of pants in the same colour, or add a shrug if you’re uncomfortable in sleeveless. To hot to wear a scarf, wear a necklace instead. Or if a silhouette is not for you’re body structure, then just work with the suggested colour palette and accessory picks. All you need to do is keep your personal preferences and body type in mind and you too can achieve aesthetically stylish results.
Always remember, fashion is for women {and men} of ALL sizes, shapes, ages and social strata, and not just a privilege of the thin, the young, the rich and famous.

How do you interpret a trend? And what are you self-styling tips? Share your views  with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!
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Wednesday 23 May 2012

Summer State Of Mind!

I love summers. Ideally, I like to say I love spring, but we in Bombay don't experience spring. So between a 5 day winter and horrid four months of monsoons, I am one of the few who actually enjoys the heat. Don't get me wrong, the warm weather gets to me too, but I any day prefer it to the rains. While most of the world is just getting ready for summer, for us out here, more that half the season is almost over. So before I bid adieu to my fave season, here's a round up of some of my fave summer style and trends- all under $100.00 {approximately INR 5,490} 
[FOREVER 21 Bangles,1928 JEWELRY Necklace, NARS Nail Polish, CLINIQUE Lip Gloss, MANGO Sunglasses, MANGO Lace Dress, VICTORIA'S SECRET Body Lotion, CLINIQUE Sun Block, ZARA Clutch, DOROTHY PERKINS Tee, MISS SELFRIDGE Floppy Hat, TOPSHOP Neon Sandals, NINE WEST Floral Wedges, NINE WEST Straw Tote, DOROTHY PERKINS Headband, TOPSHOP Ombre Shorts]

Well, for me summer is all about taking mini-breaks to costal beach towns or a near by hill-station, attending tons of social events and catching up with friends and family who are in visiting the city.
Mixing on trend styles with classic summer fashion, here are some of my all time fave summer looks.

What fun thing did you do this summer? And what is your ideal summer dress code? Share your views with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
 
Amena!!
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a.fashionopolis@gmail.com

Monday 21 May 2012

Street Style Inspiration: Floral Jeans

Personally, I feel there are a somethings that are awesome by themselves. But when they get paired with another remarkable entity the end result could be anything from brilliant to bonkers.
That's exactly how felt about the floral jeans trend. I love jeans, I love florals but will these two work together?
So, before I decided to buy or suggest a pair to anyone, I needed to be 100% convinced about this trend myself. Is this trend just for the runways and red carpets and will they look as good on me and you as they look in an editorial spread?
Lucky for us, since the invasion of social media, we are now getting inspired by a whole new breed of fashion icons. Everyday girls like you and me are taking high fashion and giving it a whole new wearable look. And honestly, not until I saw a few of my fave fashion bloggers wear this trend was I convinced that floral jeans is a real-way trend too.

[Image Via: 1234567, 891011]
While selecting floral {or printed} jeans for the first time, keep in mind:

1.Choose Correctly: First off, you need to pick a floral print in a style and colour you are most comfortable in, as well as one that suits your body type and structure.
 If you’re not a print person; and want to try this trend, then start with small floral motif instead of big cabbage roses or colourful tropical flowers. If print is your thing, then there are a variety of floral patterns to play and experiment with.
2.Must Fit Perfectly: The same rule of picking a pair of good, well-fitted jeans apply here too. They must fit very well on your waist, hips, butt, and crotch. No bulging, sagging, hanging, please. Remember, an ill fitted floral {or printed} jeans will not only look bad, but also attract unwanted attention on places you don’t want to flaunt. The fit is of paramount importance.
3.Balance is Key: Lets face it, this trend is not for those who are print shy, and if not styled correctly one may end up looking like grandma’s bedroom! But, don't let it's novelty and statement making quality scare you off from trying it out.
Thanks to our fave fashion bloggers, we’ve learnt different ways to style this trend. Since floral jeans are a statement piece, the outfit should be built around it. From print-mixing floral with stripes to pairing then with solid colours and adding statement jewellery, floral jeans can easily be mixed with key-items and current pieces from wardrobe.
The beauty of floral jeans is that it is an any-time-of-the-day friendly item. Be it family brunch or shopping trip with the girls or dinner date, floral jeans can work its way through different social occasions. With unlimited styling options, here are some of my suggestions to styling summer’s blossoming trend.
[More information on these pieces here.]

Well then ladies, are you ready to adorn your legs with some trendy floral bouquets? And how would you like to style it? Share your views with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
 
Amena!!
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a.fashionopolis@gmail.com



Wednesday 16 May 2012

PIN-spiration!

Hi, my name is Amena and I am an addict. A Pin-addict. And in all honestly, I don’t see any reason why I should let go of this addiction! 
For those who don’t know what Pinterest is (really?) -it is a virtual pin board. Where you can pin pictures and now videos of your liking. For may of us, Pinterest has become a virtual go-to friend. It’s a great place to discover as well all learn new things; plus it functions as a great source of inspiration. Most people who join it instantly become addicted to it.
All-in-all it's fun, creative and a great source of traffic building for your blog {but, I have not yet benefitted from this aspect} and over-all not a bad addiction to have.

What I learnt from Pinterest.
I have always turned to the internet to teach me new stuff. Circa 2010 I learnt how to do smokey eye make-up and a French braid courtesy of YouTube.
Now, thanks to Pinterest, I have learnt how to do some trendy nail art and a chic hairstyles. Plus, my mom is totally using it to discover new recipes. A lot of new creative ideas can be picked up from Pinterest.
Pinterest is one of the best places online to learn as well as share creative ideas from across genres- fashion, beauty, cooking, arts and crafts, ect.

How has Pinterest helped me?
Other than learning new things and discovering people -I discovered Taylor Tomasi Hill and her awesome sense of style from Pinterest- places and cultures, Pinterest also helped me by providing ideas for some of my blog post.
While randomly pinning away, an idea comes to me and that eventually become a full fledged article. My post on coloured jeans trend was totally inspired by one of my pins.
It is also one of the best platform to showcase your personal talent. Be it personal style, art work, DIY, ect. Plus, it has proved to be a great marketing tool. From designers to TV shows everyone is using it to promote their product.
Finally, there is a feel good factor attached to it. Every time your pin gets repined, or liked or someone leaves a lovely comment, it has a positive effect on you.
[The above collage is an amalgamation of all my Boards on Pinterest.
Everything from fashion to DIY ideas and from my blog images to celeb and street style to inspiring quotes and much more.]


Who all can use it?
The best part is anybody can use it. I got my brother and a close friend of mine hooked on to it. Pinterest can be used and enjoyed by people from all walks of life.
It is a very user-friendly site. Once you join it, all you need to do is install the 'Pin It' button to your bookmark bar and you are good to go.

Why did I do this post?
Firstly, Pinterest is not paying me to do this (but it would be so awesome if they did!). I am currently going through a mother of God creative block. Not just the run-off-the-mill writer kind. More like, I-have-no-creativity-left-in-me kind! And in my darkest days, Pinterest has been very therapeutic as well as inspiring.
I highly recommend Pinterest to anyone who is currently going through a much-unwanted, pesky writer's/creative block. One of the finest places to look for inspiration.

Are you on Pinterest? And have you discovered or learnt something new from it? Share your view with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
Amena!!

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Monday 7 May 2012

Live Life In Color with Ralph Lauren's Big Pony Fragrance Collection For Women.

They say you never forget your first time. I was recently invited to my first ever blogger event. The occasion was to introduce us to Ralph Lauren's 'The Big Pony Fragrance Collection'. True to its theme- it was vibrant, colorful, interactive, overall a full-filled Saturday afternoon. And like many first, this too was a memorable one. I had a wonderful time interacting with fellow bloggers and sampling some uniquely devine fragrances. 
The collection is for today's multi-faced women, who no longer can be defined by a single aspect of her life. Ralph Lauren celebrates her many facets and accomplishments with The Big Pony Collection for Women, a series of four fragrances embracing dynamic femininity.  A new generation of women is leading the way and they now have a fragrance collection to call their own.  
Scent is an essential accessory for all of the roles a woman plays. The Big Pony Collection for Women explores four of her vital attributes; Sporty, Sensual, Free-Spirit and Style. Today’s woman should have a fragrance wardrobe to match her multitude of passions and achievements. She coordinates her fashion according to mood and occasion; now she can choose a scent to compliment her every desire.
All four colorful fragrances are bright, playful and energizing, and set upon a floral backdrop, yet each expresses a clear point of view.  Based on a duo of ingredients, each fragrance pops with a unique accent of Citrus, Fruit, Green or Oriental to establish a clear identity with a distinctive twist.   

The duo structure of The Big Pony Collection for Women is a new and exceptional way to build fragrance. The construction is clear and distinctive, while playing with lively ingredients. The simple lean, translucent and modernized flask bottles of The Big Pony Collection for Women are infused with vibrant and lush ultra-feminine color, contrasting with vivid oversized polo pony icons and individual numbers – assigned according to scent and personality.
A woman’s opportunity to express her character is critical in today’s emerging social values. These four new fragrances give every young woman the chance to live a colorful life and demonstrate all facets of her femininity with a vibrant repertoire of scents. Now she has the fragrances to enhance experiences, compliment her style and inspire her passions with The Big Pony Collection for Women.
Prices:  50ml- Rs. 2900 & 100ml- Rs.4100
Available at all leading department stores and perfumeries across India.
Personally I quite like the Pink{2} and Yellow{3}.


[Check out the Big Pony Fragrance video and the brilliant song 'Life in Color' by the band OneRepublic]
You must take this fun'Life In Color Quiz' and share your results with me in the comment section.
Here are a few pics from the event.

{I feel so happy looking at this pic, and seeing my self with a group of fellow blogger. Yay!!!}

 {As you can see, I am totally engrossed with the quiz while Shrilata from Sparkles Unlimited enjoys the outcome of it.}
 {The colourful ambiance perfectly complimented the theme of the event.}
{Naturally posing for a pic is major hard-work!}
Share with me your views and your quiz results in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
 
Amena!!
 Connect With Fashionopolis on FacebookTwitterPinterest, Bloglovin' & Subscribe
email me- 
a.fashionopolis@gmail.com
[Images and Text via PR Release]


Saturday 5 May 2012

Trend Spotting: Colored Jeans

One fine day, the quite boy who has been working with you for the past 3 years, shows up looking like a corporate version of Ryan Gosling! Shocker!!! What do you do, other that stop in your tracks, stare and take notice of him like you're seeing him for the very first time. Well, that’s exactly how this new trend has taken-over and made its impact on the world of fashion. For years and years we all have worn jeans like second skin, but for the first time we are actually giving them insane amount of attention {Almost at par with Kate and William’s wedding coverage}. Why so you ask? Because designers’ world over decided to add some serious colour to our otherwise uniform indigo/blue jeans, and offer us a complete new way of wearing a classic piece of garment.
So, the next time you're off to buy a new pair of jeans, make them a coloured pair.[Images Via Top:1,2,3,4,5,6 Bottom:1,2,3,4,5,6]

While selecting colored jeans for the first time, keep in mind:
1.Pick a color you're most comfortable in. There is no point buying one in a colour you won't wear and that will eventually been seen adorning your closet instead of you! If you’re not a colour person; and want to try this trend, then start with shades similar to classic denim like navy or dark brown. If you are a colour lover like me then the world is your coloured denim oyster. From in-your-face neons to soft pastels the colour variety is endless.

Note to self: Pick a colour you will wear more than five times.
2.The same rule of picking a pair of good, well-fitted jeans apply here too. They must fit very well on your waist, hips, butt, and crotch. No bulging, sagging, hanging, please. Remember, an ill fitted colored jeans will not only look bad but attract unwanted attention on places you don’t want to flaunt. The fit is of paramount importance.


3.Colored jeans are a statement piece, therefore the cut and style should be flattering to your body type. Finally, make sure along with the colour and fit, the fabric and the overall finish of the jeans is up to your liking. 

For the colour experimenters, here are some of my styling suggestions for bright and bold coloured jeans.
[More information on these pieces here.]

Different ways to style Colored Jeans

1.Mix it with Neutrals:
The safest way is to pair your colored denims with neutral shade-black, white, grey, nude, beige, ect. Any coloured pair-bright or light- would look amazing with a white button-front shirt or a tan blouse or a black tank. For a night out you can spice up the look by pairing it with a metallic top.
For example, I have paired scarlet red skinnies with silver grey beaded top- it is a regular grey and red outfit, with a trendy twist! Glam-up this look with a complimenting purple clutch and black and white earrings and stilettos. Or if you're in a mood for soft shades, then pair lime green jeans with a light brown pussy-bow blouse. Because the base of the outfit is so classic looking, polish the look off with bold accessories such as printed bag and cuff bracelet. Throw on a pair of bright coloured sandals and your good to go!

2.Pair it with a Print:
Prints are having a major moment this summer-ranging from classic floral to nautical stripes to funky tribal and many more. The beauty of prints is that they can be styled  in a casual as well as formal way.
The cobalt blue jeans plus colorful stripe top and a contrast colour shoulder bag and bangles is perfect for a casual outing. While for a more sophisticated or semi-formal look combine a tribal print blouse with lilac jeans, chunky jewelry and taupe wedges. The beauty of coloured denims is that they work very well with western as well as Indo-Western wear. Style an embellished ikat print tunic {kurti} with salmon colored jeans and gold earrings and sandals, and you have the perfect ensemble for a dinner with the in-laws.

3.Try Colourblocking: Another fun way to rock your colored jeans is to pair them with another colour piece. You can pair colours from the same harmonies-cool colours, warm colours, pastel on pastel ect- or you can pair contrast colours. Opting for a colour combination that works well, pair canary yellow jeans with a pink {floral} top for a brilliant colour-block look. The outfit is a statement on its own, therefore finish this look with classic jewelry and bag.
 If bright colour is not your style; have no fear, you can always opt for soft and candy coloured jeans.
[More information on these pieces here.]
Whether you like to wear then bright and bold or soft and light there is a coloured pair that is bound to whet your style appetite! 
{For some more coloured denim styling options check out how to style tangerine, mint green, pale pink, neon yellow and neon pink jeans}

What's your take on this trend? And which coloured jeans has your name on it? Share your views with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
 Amena!!
 Connect With Fashionopolis on FacebookTwitterPinterest, Bloglovin' & Subscribe
email me- a.fashionopolis@gmail.com
{Featured On Links À La Mode: IFB Weekly Roundup,May 10th}

Tuesday 1 May 2012

In Full Bloom

“Florals? For spring? Ground breaking.” Remember Miranda Priestly’s {The Devil Wears Prada} infamous words? But in reality, what is summer without its fair share of flowers? So this summer; like every other summer before it, you would not be fashionably incorrect to wear florals. The trick though; is to avoid looking dated or out-of-style in your floral selection. Lucky for us, fashion designers, editors and stylist world over have offered us some trendy style bouquets. Pick a floral style of your liking-all over print, embroidered motif, flowers inspired from paintings, floral accessory, ect...- and accordingly style your look. Due to its popularity and versatility, this trend is multi-functional as well as multi-occasional. A floral piece can easily worn to work or a weekend away.To college and cocktail party. It pretty much goes with every dress code. With limitless styling, variegated color palette-from neon to pastel- to pair with and print mixing as the flavor of the season, one can hardly ever go wrong it. 
Here are few of my floral styling suggestions.
The print mix trend has made a follower out of me. Mixing floral pieces- dress, clutch and statement flower necklace- this is my version of the modern 'English Rose' look. Ladies, you are all set for your tea party.
If you have been reading my blog, by now you must know I am a colour-holic. I love colours in all their tints, tones, shades and hues. No post of mine is complete without a colour happy look. Combining on-trend bright colours-tangerine and hot pink- with Boho elements-maxi skirt and chunky jewelry, you can easily wear this look for a working brunch or weekend party. {If large or statement floral prints; as the dress above, are not your thing, you can opt for small over all floral spray print, like this maxi skirt}
If print is not your thing, then you can choose floral embroidered pieces. Pair a floral {appliqué} embroidered skirt with an embellished tank and contrasting jacket for a casual night out or a dinner date.

Personally, I love this trend. One of the reasons being it works very well with Western as well as Indian wear. Plus, a floral piece is a staple of every girl's wardrobe. All in all it is one of those eternal fashion trends that can never really go out of style.
{For more floral styling options click here and here}

What do you think of this trend? And how do you like to style? Share your views and suggestions with me in the comment section.  

Till then, tra-la,
 Amena!!
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