Top 5 favourite websites

Here are my top 5 favourite websites at the moment that I go to for inspiration. I waste a full hour every morning just looking at pictures and reading posts on these websites! But I also learn a lot in the process and sometimes come across fresh new ideas and concepts. What better way to start my day?

www.brit.co

This website is now one of my favourites! This pretty website is a one stop destination for articles on living, food, health and tech. It is a place where you'll find inspiration, news, tips and tricks, diy and some amazing tutorials.

www.instructables.com

For all you crafters out there, this is the encyclopedia of all things DIY. Are you are one of those people who like to get their hands dirty? Do you try to repurpose or find uses for common everyday household junk? Yes? Then this is the one for you!

www.michellephan.com

Michelle Phan is a phenomenon. She started off uploading makeup tutorials on YouTube and is now a full time blogger and makeup guru. if you are a makeup and beauty enthusiast like me you'll find this website extremely addictive and resourceful. 

www.pinterest.com

Pinterest is an online scrapbook of sorts. You can create your account and "pin" your favourite pictures and create your own "boards". You can follow your favourite boards and others can follow you too! For me this website is like a gallery of colourful pictures and reminds me of my childhood when the only reason I would be interested in any kind of book was if it had nice pictures in them. I am hooked to Pinterest big time!

www.facebook.com

And last but not the least, how can we forget our dear old Facebook? Now what can I tell you about Facebook that you don't already know? Sometimes I feel like Facebook has taken over my entire life. All my work happens on Facebook. It is the number one marketing tool for my jewellery (SHOHINI), all my friends are there, all important meetings and appointments are fixed through Facebook, games on facebook. And when we have absolutely nothing to do don't we all instinctively log in just to check what everyone else is up to? But, is that such a bad thing?

Trends: An ode to Fashion Bloggers

When we were young, apart from all the wonderful and valuable things that our elders taught us, we were also fed a whole lot of biased views and concepts. And one of them was that one should not be too involved with ones looks, clothes or spend too much time in front of the mirror. These were things that earned you the label “vain” or “shallow”. And though most of us did try our best to follow these principles and moved on to different areas of work, the tendencies remained. No matter how much we tried to portray ourselves as plain janes to the world, deep within, a lot of us were closet Carrie Bradshaws. 


How many of you girls out there can cross your heart and say that you’ve never done the following: enjoyed shopping for clothes, dressing up, matching shoes and bags with your clothes, open the wardrobe door every other day and think “I have nothing to wear”, wish to lose weight (or gain), like to look beautiful in photos, never happy with your hair and the only reason you went for a family function was to dress up like a tart? 


I wish I had this epiphany a few years earlier but I have come to the conclusion that it's time to come out of the closet! And this has come about because of some brilliant people out there who have elevated their sartorial obsessions into their life’s work! These inspiring individuals are called Fashion Bloggers. They have changed the face of fashion and the perception of fashionistas in the eyes of the world. They have transcended all labels.


 I came across the first of these blogs some years ago, it was called What Katy Wore and since then I’ve been hooked. Katy has stopped blogging a few months back but I think you should check out her blog. It's one of the first generation fashion blogs. Everyday since then, I have been pontificating about starting my own and delaying it for reasons I just mentioned, scared of being labeled! But not anymore! 


These people mix and match the stuff that they have in their wardrobe and create interesting new looks and then photograph themselves and share it with the rest of the world. It’s like creating new designs and patterns with clothes and accessories and sometimes this is achieved with ordinary and cheap thrifted stuff. You don’t have to spend millions to become fashionable, all you need is the perception and you I can create amazing fashion out of ordinary everyday stuff.  I wanted to highlight a few of my favourite blogs in this post. So, here goes:


lazymanxcat

thehiddenbutton


republicofchic

stilettosdiary


stylishbynature


wearabout



These people take their fashion seriously and dedicate a lot of time and effort to their blogs which is why a new kind of social media has come to life. Have you come across Lookbook, Stylepile, Pose, Chicisimo or Chictopia yet? These are just like facebook where you can add friends, send messages and have a profile but only if you have a new outfit or look to show off every other day! It’s really a proof of the fact that fashion is now serious business. So the next time somebody walks in on you while you’re posing in front of the mirror for an imaginary photo shoot, don’t get embarrassed, better still, take it to the next level and join Lookbook or Stylepile and become a self proclaimed fashionista!


As for me, I've already started off in that direction. This could also be a great way to promote my jewelry! Here's my first attempt to photograph myself with the help of a tripod and self timer. The clothes which I am wearing are nothing special, just a few unmatched items from my wardrobe. This attempt was basically to understand the light conditions on my terrace and the placement of the camera. As for the poses and expressions, I really have to work on that!

Salwar: Fabindia, Shirt: Husband's, Tank top: Street stall on Khao San Road, Necklace: Made by me

Studio Bulletin: My online beads haul

Some of you might remember a post I wrote about jewelry findings sometime ago. Not long after that, someone read my post and got in touch with me. Thanks to Shopo’s Saturday Superloot, which is a giveaway in which I participated, where she found me! Widad Moral is a jewelry maker herself and stocks and retails jewelry findings apart from selling her amazing handmade jewelry on Shopo! She directed me to her Facebook page: Wee Craft Corner, from where I bought a load of amazing beads and findings! I’m so glad that you helped me out Widad, looking forward to more great stuff from you!