Locating lighthouses

Right across the sea in Colaba, the Strand Hotel is a poorly maintained, almost heritage site with old-school elevators and a rustic vibe. The rooftop of the hotel though is a whole different story. Little chairs and tables clutter the terrace that overlooks the ocean, lighthouses, sailboats and the vastness of the sea. Sitting by shore, we were chatting over some cold coffee and paneer tikkas as we spotted some lighthouses. This is sure one hidden jewel of Mumbai you must visit.

Jasleen wore a quirky beret bag with a neon shirt and sweats

 Shirt, Fashion Street| sweats, Lifestyle| owl ring, gifted by Tina bhabi| footwear, Pavers England| beret bag,  Pret-amoda

 (Left: Jasleen's left over mehendi with Pavers England sandals| Right: Sonu's loafers from Colaba Causeway)

Sonu wore a statement neck piece with purple denims and a beige top

Tunic, PAX (last worn here)| jeans and loafers, Colaba Causeway| bag, gifted Promod| watch, gifted La Mer| bracelet, Pret-amoda & Curio Cottage| bib necklace, Kala Ghoda Festival (last worn here)

Speaking of quirky, we realise that the easiest way to add spunk to your outfit is by carrying a quirky bag. We particularly like this one we got from Pret-amoda, it is small yet big enough for all essentials. Muted shade but the shape stands out, it's a simple and affordable and a great way to make a statement even the shier ones can start by experimenting with this one.
 To make optimal use of your statement piece, try and wear a statement piece differently. For instance, wear a brooch on your bag instead of your clothes or wear your statement scarf on the head instead of around your neck or tied to your bag.
How do you add that extra spice to your outfits?

Colour me wild

Firstly, a very happy Diwali to all our friends and supporters. We wish you all a lifetime of health, wealth and style.
Now back to work, our outfit post: Concentrating on colour.
People spend so much time and money investing in shades of blue denims over and over again. Instead try something new and buy a pair of denims in a candy colour shade like powder blue, mint green, candy floss pink or a deep shade like a red, blue or green.

Coloured pants are a simple way to add fun to an outfit. Also unlike what one might believe, coloured pants can match with a number of things. You can wear them with contrasting colours, mix prints or keep it chic with a basic beige, black or white blouse.

Here's a coloured pants chart for your reference:

COLOURED PANTS	MATCH IT	MASH IT
1. Pinks, blues, greens	With a plain white shirt or blouse	Polka dots and nautical stripes
2. Maroons, burnt reds, blacks, cobalt blue	With a cream coloured top	Florals and polka dots
3. Green, Pink, Red	With a plain black or grey top	Geometric prints and Stripes
4. Pastel shades like pink, powder blue, sea green	With a dark beige blouse	Florals and checks
5. Orange, dark green, ink blue	With a bleached white shirt	Paisleys and checks

Sonu wore a mashup with her red pants

Pants, Zara| tank & shrug, Fashion Street| bag, Dharavi| cuff, Swarovski| flats, Crimzon

Jasleen wore her pink pants with a checked shirt and scarf

Pants, Colaba Causeway| shirt, courtesy Guru Clothing| bag, Dharavi| flats, United Colors of Benetton

See this post on Vogue.in here

Shopping bags

Tired feet and aching limbs are worth it at the mall. Shopping for our second winner Ruchi Bubber was a simple task since this young, vivacious girl seemed to look good in almost anything.

At Guess:
We like that Guess makes some timeless dresses in styles that are pretty much everlasting. With and without lace, flirty and young, we had plenty to choose from for Ruchi. However, given her thicker midriff we took the attention away with a frock style dress that hides the problem area.

Trial 1 & 2

Trial 3 & 4

At Pavers England:
The quest for the perfect shoes is an ongoing one. To match the dress, we didn't want the usual suspects in hot pink or red. Given her age we kept the romantic feel with a nude pair of wedges that didn't look too grown up. After trying some closed styles, we arrive don this one for its freshness and again classic appeal. Ruchi also agreed that she didn't have this style or colour in a wardrobe, making it a value addition.

Final results:

Girls' day out with winner 1

Nothing compares to a pampering day at the spa. But before we headed to the newly opened Saks Salon in Bandra, we decided to give our first winner Apurva, a mini makeover at Guru Clothing, Bandra. Apurva, who flew down from Delhi to be part of our anniversary celebrations, was open to change and a makeover with us. She is a tall girl and an apple shape. Although she looked great in the many dresses she tried, she really liked the brown jumper we picked out for her.

Apurva in her natural avatar, before the makeover

Trial 1

Trial 2

We decied to make it more fun by adding a pop of colour with an orange studded belt and a denim shirt (worn as a jacket). Arunima was a little conscious about her arms so we decided to layer with the denim shirt. The resultant look was young and vibrant.

Trial 3

Leaving Guru

At the salon:
After a tiring 2 hours spent shopping, we let ourselves go at the Saks Salon. Sonu got a new haircut, Jasleen got a Kerastase hair treatment while Apurva enjoyed a makeover with a hair cut, mani-pedi and makeup. The salon staff was very helpful too. After a couple of hours we all came out looking like mini celebrities with hair all done up in style.

Jasleen's Kerastase treatment: Jasleen loves to colour her hair and since she doesn't cut or trim them at all, the ends are fried and dry. The Kerastase treatment at Saks was a 30 minute ritual involving a relaxing massage and products from Kerastase that left the hair visibly shiny and soft for a couple of washes. After having tried various hair spas, this one was certainly the most effective.

Sonu's haircut:
Sonu's hair is fine and silky often resulting in loss of volume especially in the humid Bombay weather. At Saks, her hair stylist Darshan made sure to take into consideration this fact, her lifestyle, face shape and body type before deciding on adding volume with layers. The long bangs ensure length to her face and are also a low maintenance style that she prefers. 

Makeup, hair and pampering c/o Saks Salon

This jumper is so versatile, she can wear it will a blazer or any bright shirt. High heels, gladiators and Brogues or peep-toes should be the choice of footwear.

All in all, we had a great time with Apurva, hope she enjoyed her pampering makeover with us as well. Stay tuned for our second winner coming soon. Once again, a big thank you to all of our readers and friends for participating.

The antithesis

We both landed up wearing our current favourite trend -- palazzo pants. We thought we'll share a mini guide to wearing these wide-legged pants:

•    An absolute antithesis of the skinny jeans trend, palazzos are just the thing you need to invest in this season.
•    Billowy and comfortable, these wide legged pants may seem intimidating at first but are actually easy to incorporate in your daily outfits.
•    Wear these modern-day luxurious pyjamas with a tank and a blazer or add a wide belt cinched tightly at the waist.
•    You could wear get a perfectly tailored palazzo jumper with a shrug or layer with some quirky accessories.
•    Petite shapes should miss this trend or pick a solid colour. Also make sure you hem your palazzos to your height or add heels for an extension in height.
•    If you are heavy on the hips get a dark coloured high-waisted palazzo pants to accentuate your waist.

Jasleen wore a printed palazzo jumper

Jumper, Fashion Street| bag,Dharavi| flats, Charles & Keith| watch, Guess| glares, Ray Ban

Sonu wore palazzo pants with a blazer

Pants, Zara| blouse, Forever 21| blazer, H&M (last worn here)| bag, Dharavi| watch, Guess| ring, Amrapali| bracelet, Aquamarine| flats, Crimzon

Location courtesy: Guru India

Savvy shopper

With the dot com boom, we have recently gotten comfortable with the idea of shopping online. The Internet has transformed our lives and the way we shop and why not? They have umpteen offers and sales literally at your fingertips.
There are no queues, no struggle to find a car parking and most of all it eliminates the need to sift through the multiple products all slung on one rack. Online shopping transactions occur instantly, saving you time to get your other errands done! Additionally, unlike a store, most online stores have a friendly customer service who is available 24 hours all days through the week. What more can you ask for!
We recently shopped on Pret-Amoda and kept a mental note of a few points and thought we’ll share them with your lovely friends: 

1. Do a recce:
Comparison shopping is essential to ensure that you get the right item at the best possible price. Scan at least 2-3 websites before you make your final purchase.
Make sure you scrutinise the garment: fabric, fit, silhouette and do read the detailed description of the products to know extended information.

2. Offers and deals:
Be on a look out for online coupons, vouchers and offers, especially during the festive season. The idea is to get a good deal while enjoying a cup of coffee on your couch.
Another way to stay updated is by following the website through its social networking channels. So, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or any other medium, stay in sync with the latest offers or newly launched products on their sites.

3. Ask for Help
Don’t be shy to send an email or make a phone call before you place an order. Every online store has a customer service department to make sure all your queries are answered. All websites include a FAQ section with detailed information about their shipping, returns and all issues related to online transactions, make sure you it carefully.

 Sonu wore bright hues in her skirt-blouse combination 

Blouse, Fashion Street| skirt, Cotton Color| clutch, Aldo + DIY| flats, Bandra| ring, Aquamarine| bracelet, Karmic Kabira by Vandana Dewan @ Pret-Amoda

Jasleen wore a printed dress with cropped denims

 Dress, Fashion Street| jeans, C/o Calvin Klein| brogues, Bangkok| bag, Dharavi| watch, gifted Guess

Time Travel

The beautiful structures and bylanes of Colaba remind us so much of the ear gone by. We decided to do a series in sepia tones dedicated solely to the heart of old Bombay.

We both decided to wear over-sized shirt looks for a comfortable and chic output. Wearing the oversized shirt is fun. Pair with jeans, jeggings, long skirts with or without belt or wear as a jacket with jeans or a pleated skirt. The over-sized shirt is versatile. A solid colour or fun print is what you can pick from. Pairing it with a bib necklace or funky collar takes it up a notch.

  Jasleen wore an over-sized checks shirt with high-waisted pants

Shirt, Colaba Causeway| pants, Zara| booties, Woodlands| bag, Paul Smith, Malaysia

Sonu wore a scarf-print shirt with jeans

  Shirt, PAX| jeans Bangkok| bag, Oberoi Shopping Mall| heels, Bandra| pearl bib, Curio Cottage