Inspiration for some Perspiration!

March 10, 2015March 11, 2015 Shilpa19 Comments

While I have dabbled in some sort of physical activity from when I was about 6 years old (yes my mom claims she caught glimpses of the dancer stowed away in the depths of my cranium right when I was SIX YEARS OLD. Can’t you beat that can you?) I have never focused so much on how what you wear plays a significant role in your performance as I am realizing now. Ever since I have taken to running I’ve started taking a conscious effort to dress appropriately. Now let me tell you, this post is not going to make you fashion-wise any wiser because today baby its all about COMFORT!
So, as I was saying, dressing appropriately for running means wearing something which feels like your second skin, which you are super comfortable in. Five basic rules of thumb (is that the correct plural form? Never mind!) include the following:

1. Choose that outfit which involves least hindrance. While we might like nothing better than to wear a sports bra and sprint on the street we know that that’s not happening in India anytime soon. So your alternative would be to be smart and choose a climacool sweat absorbing pair of shorts or tights and T-shirt which isn’t too loose or tight.

2. Put a leash on that mane. Don’t forget you are preparing to sweat it out. Keep your hairstyle as fuss free as possible. A simple high – out of your face – ponytail is the best hairstyle for workouts.

3.Fluorescents for safety. Become a living siren. Go all out fluorescent if you plan on working out on the roads especially before dawn or after dusk. Safety and grabbing eyeballs at the same time? Yes please! 🙂

3. Restrict the gadget freak in you to the bare minimum. Personally, even my watch is a burden for me when I run. While deciding how much is too much is totally up to you, do realize that these gadgets take away the beauty of the workout itself. After all, that might be the only time of the day you can stay completely clear of calls and the social media. Make the most of that time concentrating on your body and mind and not on gadgets.

4. Brand consciousness is a good thing. The only place where being brand conscious actually makes a difference is sportswear. Be it shoes, tights, t-shirts or shorts, out of personal experience I’ve realized the hard way that good brands last way longer than thrifty buys and it is definitely worth every penny investing in good quality sports wear. Think about it. You are not setting fashion statements in your gym or on the roads. So buy minimally, but whatever you buy, go branded!

4. Footwear faux pas. Read up extensively on the signs to look out for, for footwear wear and tear and be observant and mindful of the same. I cannot and need not stress the importance of good footwear. This point goes beyond just looking good. Shoes used is like the make or break of your fitness routine so be wise. (It might just deprive you of two months of shopping for the regular boring t-shirts and tunics. And honestly those t-shirts and tunics aren’t sprouting legs and running away anywhere anytime soon so footwear people footwear!!😂)

5. Just to make it to five points. Finally, know that working out is the happiest thing you’ll probably be doing that day. So go crazy, be yourself and have some well deserved fun the fit way!

(Love the burpees T-shirt…dafuq burpees go away. We all hate you! Lel!)

All pictures from pinterest

Hope you enjoyed the post. While I have told nothing you probably havent already heard a dozen times before, I hope they motivate you to stay suave trendy and safe while working out. Hope the week is panning out well so far! Have a great rest of the week. So long!🙋

P.S. I decided I could come out of the closet (lol) and tell the world about my blog. So I have opened a Facebook page and linked my Instagram account too! So much for taking the blog to the next level!

Shilpa Does CropTop!

March 6, 2015 Shilpa26 Comments

Hi y’all! A recent thrift shopping haul ended with me buying my first ever crop top. Technically its more of a cropped laced overcoat than top, but whatever!
It is a beautiful peachy pink laced box fit cropped overcoat and needless to say, I loved it the minute I saw it.

I bought the top with much confidence and gusto about being able to pull it off because I’m known to throwing body shape related caution to the winds and dive headlong into clothes and all that (didn’t you actually imagine me diving headlong into an imaginary tub full of clothes? I did. 😜). However, I come home and realize this over coat is not cropped enough! Have you faced such a situation readers? Where your cropped top is just too long?

I would like to think and explain with flair and grandeur that I thought and pondered about the issue in hand for long before an idea struck me. But meh..that however ain’t true guys, it struck me almost immediately that the simplest way out was to stick to a same color tone for my T-shirt and jeans so that the torso appears longer and hence the crop top shorter! Voila!

With my black T-shirt and skinnies, I wore the peach statement necklace which has appeared once previously in this post!

I completed the look with a pair of earrings in a shade close to that of the necklace. I have, in more than one occasion been able to get away with accessories not exactly in the same shade because somehow the colors reflect on each other and look more or less like the same shade and that’s good enough and the world can live with that!
I…er…also…may or may not have used my gold eyeliner to fill in the triangle formed by the corner of my winged eye makeup and the inside edge of my eyes to look all glittery and shimmery. May or may not have guys….just giving y’all the benefit of that doubt. 😂

As per popular request, I have also decided to specifically mention where each part of the outfit was picked from which is a format almost every non-lazy and non-Shilpa blogger follows, so here goes:

That would be all from me folks. Have a great weekend! I sure am having one !💃

I got my Neon this – Part III

February 28, 2015February 28, 2015 Shilpa30 Comments

Well hello all you lovely people! In a rather brave bid to resume my rather braver attempt to document how to style neon in a four post series, I bring to you post number three!!! Incorporating neon into workwear if you please ladies. 😎 (You can also check out parts One and Two here and here)

While its easy to incorporate neon accessories into work wear; which I gather from Pinterest, is a commonly done thing, I wanted to figure out a way to bring neon into the actual outfit. Some pinspiration before I show you the real deal maybe?

So on sifting through the fashion encyclopedia that is Pinterest, here’s what I realized. Repeat after me “neon is not over the top.” 💅 “Neon is our friend.”👠 “What do we love? NEON! When do we wear it? NOW!”💝😂

With all that zest and enthusiasm I did just what needed to be done *rubbing palms and giving evil grin emoji* I neon-ed my office bright and clear! 🙌

I chanced upon this totally cool really small shop in Chennai which sells export rejects at one tenth the price. It was there that I fell in love with this silk neon blouse.

While the brightness of the neon doesn’t reach you through these pictures, some jokes my stupid gang of work friends cracked about its neony-ness might just help you get the drift!

1. NASA heard back from its Mars mission. They spotted Shilpa. #ShilpaRoast #Orangestellar (yes ShilpaRoast was a running hashtag in our WhatsApp group the whole day!😐😝)

2. A blind man walked up to Shilpa today and asked “Mam don’t you think that top is too bright?” #BlindingBright #FaDuq #ShilpaRoast

3. The whole office assembled at the safe zone area because the fire alarm went off. The all clear signal was at last issued at six in the evening. #Shilpaleftfortheday #ShilpaRoast

So you get a rough idea of how things went don’t you? 😂😂
Anyway, coming back,

I maintained the bling and the rest of my look to a restricted minimum. With a pearl pendent on a gold chain and matching pearl earrings and my gold Tommy Hilfiger watch.

I completed the look with my dark orange pumps and my M&S fitted trousers.

That brings me to the end of my post. So what do you think bloggers? Is neon worthy enough of getting a place in your work wear closet? If you ask me, I would say, “you gottto get your (k)nee-on this!!! Goodbye! Have a lovely weekend. 💝

Chambray and Anime!

February 22, 2015 Shilpa15 Comments

I was feeling creative this Friday and wanted to wear something fashion blogger worthy to work; but standing in front of my closet I was as lost as a kitten on a tree. That’s when I remembered Pinterest! So I chose one item in my wardrobe – my animal print shirt and looked for inspiration on Pinterest of course! And….. Tadaaa!

I have read this on a couple of blogs where they knew one piece they wanted in their outfit and turned to Pinterest to create the look with it and that’s pretty much what I did too!

So I paired animal print top with my chambray shirt and blue jeans. I was so not in the mood to wear my animal print over chambray and jeans because I realized that outfit by itself kicks ass so well! 😍 But but but.. A fashion blogger is as a fashion blogger does so I cajoled myself into creating this look! 💅💄👠

Don’t you agree? Light blue dark blue and and tan belt.! Killer! #omgdidIjustcreateanoutfiinanoutfit ?? 😋

For a good part of the day my chambray was peeping out only on the collars and cuffs but for sometime I unbuttoned my first layer because my friend felt I wasn’t doing the chambray enough justice. Covering it all up and everything 😝😂

The rest of my look was brown and gold..my earrings, watch and shoes!

Oohh I love my glitteroos!! 😍🙌

Have you mixed trends and textures? Have you tried this particular one? Do try it out and have a happy weekend!! 😘

Plain Jane OOTD

February 16, 2015February 17, 2015 Shilpa20 Comments

A Sunday fun dinner with friends called for a comfortable yet mildly dressed up look. I decided to pull out my lint-free skirt (Read this post to get what I mean 😉 ) and pair it with a warm pastel top. And this is what I looked like 😀

Of course my favorite Mr.Big Beads had to be included. This is one necklace which I haven’t gotten enough of!

This skirt, a navy blue plain one goes well with any light colored top and the fact that my chain is made of the very same light onion and navy blue beads just sewed the whole look up together! About that, I’m a happy-puppy 🙌🐕
Pairing lights with darks is a no-brainer for sure but its often the accessorizing which really completes and seals the look!

I love the way this Promod skirt has a gentle fall to it..it pleats up subtly and has a beautiful sway to it when I walk. It probably has something to do with the thick hosiery material it is made of!

The OOTD was done with my precious nude pumps..gosh I never get enough of them 😀

Have you ever kept an outfit so simple to make a piece of accessory the hero? If you haven’t, it’s always the perfect time to try. Do it and tell me how you fared! Have a great week ahead! 🙂

Plaid and Simple!

February 5, 2015 Shilpa9 Comments

In an attempt to address the elephant in the room I set about gathering and laying out all the varieties of checks, plaids and ginghams I own. To ads to the drama i added my sister’s shirts too! And guess what? We had emptied half our wardrobes O.o

What’s it about plaids and gingham? Why do they dominate most girls’ and EVERY boy’s wardrobe?

Then I realized! They are comfy, frumpy, cozy and easy all at once and that works wonders for most of us, most of the days 😛

Though I never consciously took pictures of my plaids, (they weren’t post worthy I thought!) I do have some random pictures of me in them! And this post is dedicated to all that randomness!

(Please ignore them antics by my friend and me. 😋)

Plaids are so versatile that you can wear them upon a pair of colored shorts and head to the beach and change to a pair of chinos or trousers and strut to work in them too!

By the time I finished sifting through my humongous pile of pictures for these ones I’m tired and sleepy. Perils of the forever-sleepy! So off I go! Stock up on your plaids because they are here to stay!! Wait was that rhyming? Oh never mind…!!! 🌜🌆😴!

Of Blazers, Blacks and Blues

January 14, 2015January 14, 2015 Shilpa20 Comments

I bought a blazer! I bought a blazer! Naanananaanaa 💃🎤🎵🎼🎶
Hahaha! I bought a really cool red blazer recently from ONLY! I was pretty undecided between a yellow and a red blazer when I left home, but when I saw the way this red one fitted me, I bade farewell to the yellow idea. 😜

I wore it over an all black outfit. Also, for the first time in a long time, I had the guts to sport my blood red lipstick💋!!

That would be me, trying to give my edgy, deep look (note to self : deep looks right after stifling a giggle makes you look so not deep 😝)

I thought the black really brought out red of the blazer. I also wore my new and first aldo purchase! I bought this pair of blue-black aldo loafers around three weeks ago and I’ve been wearing only that for the past three weeks! Are slippers allowed to be this comfortable!?!😍

So how’d you like the look guys? Aren’t blazers the perfect way to dress up any outfit instantly.! So when are you buying your funky blazer? 🙂

P.S.: the lipstick I used is the color bar ‘sensuous red take me as I am’ lipstick! Though I’m a zero in make up, it’s my suggestion that no one buys this lipstick because it makes the lips really dry and instead of fading out evenly as the day progresses, the red in the middle fades out first, leaving you looking really creepy with just a red outline on the edges. 😐

Open this post and read it! – A heart wrenching story!

January 5, 2015January 5, 2015 Shilpa17 Comments

Yes that was just an attention seeking technique my post title. 😝 But I couldn’t afford you guys not reading my post because it’s a small, quick, easy and ridiculously helpful tip that I wanted to share.
So, have you guys had to put away entire outfits because they became lint-ridden? Here’s an easy as hell sure shot way to get rid of the lint.

Step 1: Lay the lint ridden outfit on a flat surface

Step 2: Take a wide width tape and stick it on the lint area and pull. (Pst..it’s eerily similar to something we do to ourself too… My skirt wants to tell you what it’s similar to.)

Step 3: Keep repeating step two till all the lint is ripped off. You can use the same strip of tape for as long as its adhesive. Once it becomes non sticky, cut out a new piece and repeat!

Simple and highly effective tip eh? You can thank me later guys. 😝 Hahaha have an amazing week. 💝

Paisley (S)Carving!

January 2, 2015 Shilpa8 Comments

Question: What do you get when your fashion challenged boyfriend feels exceptionally generous and he knows he struck luck when he once bought me a scarf and I loved it?
Answer: Buy me another scarf of course silly! Haha

Yes! He felt very giving and hence splurged on a scarf and boy do I love it 😍
It’s a satin paisley patterned scarf and it’s beautiful.

I tried wearing it with one outfit today. I’m going to try and do more with it soon!!
I have tied this scarf three ways.

Type one: The simple loop and through

As simple as folding the scarf breadth wise into two, and draping it around the neck and pulling the loose ends side into the loop on the other side.

Type 2: The very simple muffler style

Get a square (I had to fold this scarf twice to get that, but many scarfs are naturally squarish). Now make a triangle by joining opposite ends and let the triangle face down and tie the loose ends at the nape of your neck.

Type 3: The slightly complicated loop-de-loop!
Yes I named that style myself because try as I might, I just couldn’t figure out what the normal world calls that type. 😜
So here’s a step by step for this type.

Easy eh? Just a case of loop once , around the neck, one end goes inside loop, loop again, other end goes in next! Ta-da!!

Its fancy too!!!! See??

Honestly, there are exactly two million, nine hundred and twenty seven thousand, six hundred and forty three (2,927,643) types of wearing a scarf. Duh! That was totally NOT a made up number! Look it up on pinterest and google you guys, you’ll be amazed how well a scarf can compliment your outfit.
So how do you scarf yourself up? 🙂

The Day my Illustration Came Alive!

December 26, 2014 Shilpa10 Comments

I gave you guys an update around two months ago about an illustration I tried when I bought a black and white stripes T-shirt. Guess what? I achieved that exact look.! Are you proud of me or what 😝

I bought this skirt from Oasap recently but had written it off as ill fitting … But I decided to fit into it and make it work all the same and I decided it did work out pretty fine after all (whether everyone around me thought the look worked is another issue all together 😜 )
“You look like a munchkin”
“You look uncoordinated”
“You look clownish” were some of the comments I got. But hey, I’m the fashion blogger, not you guys! And a fashion blogger is as a fashion blogger does. So I decided to sweep all that negativity under the carpet and walk tall in my envisioned look all the same! 😁
I wore my jeweled black heels and a black and white pair of earring to complete the look.

What do you guys think? Red-black-white combination for life eh!?! 👍😎👊

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