Showing all posts tagged Puma

In 2013, Fashion

Chic Holiday Guide: Top 12 Stylish Summer Vacation Essentials

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment
Chic Holiday Guide: Top 12 Stylish Summer Vacation Essentials

Now that you know how you should be packing for your summer holiday, here is my list of holiday essentials- things you must carry for your vacation– from clothes to accessories. You will need a linen shirt to keep you cool, stylish sneakers to keep you on your feet all day and a bag large enough to hold your travel docs, among other things. For your swimwear needs, check out Speaking Chic’s recommended places to buy your bikinis and swimsuits.

So get packing, folks. It’s time for the holidays! šŸ™‚

PS– You can buy some of the products featured here by clicking on the picture. The ones available online are marked with an asterisk (*).

In Fashion

Chic Swimsuit Guide: 7 questions to ask yourself when you go shopping

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment
Chic Swimsuit Guide: 7 questions to ask yourself when you go shopping

Summer time = swim time! Whether you’re going to your neighbourhood pool for a serious water workout or to an exotic island for a holiday, you need the right swim wear. But great swim wear is as easy to find as a needle in a haystack. (Drop in to your neighbourhood store or sports shop to verify).

Swimwear picture

You should ask yourself just SEVEN questions before you buy your swimsuit for the season. Here they are:

Question 1: Maillot or bikini (aka one-piece or two-piece)?

You don’t need a buff bod to wear a bikini. As long as you’ve got a proportionate body with some flaws (all of us have them) and you’ve got the confidence to carry it off, don’t feel shy!

Question 2: What’s my body type?

If you’re top-heavy, you need swimsuits with great support (not bandeau tops). If you’re worried about your thick waist, cover it up with a high-waisted bikini bottom, a tankini (tank top + bikini) or one-piece (maillot). If you’re plus-sized, look for a swim dress or skirt.

Question 3: Where will I wear it?

You need a “covered-up” swimsuit for the local pool, while at a foreign beach everyone will be in bikinis, and you don’t want to be the odd one out.

Question 4: What activities will I be doing?

If you’re planning to swim laps like a pro, then skip the halter necks with deep necklines (chances of nip slips and undone ties). If you plan to just laze by the poolside, then a bikini, printed or lightly embellished swimsuits are just right.

Question 5: What do I want to hide/ reveal?

Swimsuits with cut-outs at the right places can help enhance your curves while covering up the problem areas. (See Question 1).

Question 6: What size am I?

Here’s an important fact you didn’t know– sizes for swimwear are different! Several brands follow sizing that’s completely different from their regular tops and dresses. So if you wear a Small top, you might need a Medium when it comes to swimwear from the same store.

Question 7: Striped, printed, single-hued or colour blocked?

Either of these is fine, as long as it looks great on you (not your friend)! For instance, a pink bikini would be perfect for fairer skin tones, while a striped or printed piece will work for glam divas.

In 2012, Fashion, News

Chic News: Junglee is here, brings limited fashion choices

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Amazon.comā€™s Junglee is here! I was quite excited to know Amazon.com had finally made a foray into India so Iā€™ve spent good amount of time over the past few days on the website.

junglee-logo

Junglee.comā€™s got over 1.2 crore products to choose from with over 14,000 brands selling books to electronics to clothes to garden furniture. But of course, Iā€™m more interested in the fashion. šŸ™‚

Brands, brands, brands

On the fashion front at Junglee, thereā€™s not-so-good news- the fashion choices on the website are still limited.

Junglee-clothing

While there are quite a few big fashion and accessories brands on their seller list, Junglee still has a long way to go to make a mark. Especially if you compare it with amazon.com and amazon.co.ukā€™s brands- theyā€™ve got some really cool brands like Mango, Desigual, Diesel, Gas and Esprit, among others.

Currently, the fashion (clothes and accessories) brands on Junglee.com include Label by Ritu Kumar, Satya Paul, Fab India, Hidesign, Gitanjali, Bata, Puma and a handful of others.

Facing the fashion competition

Junglee will have to face competition from the fashion and flash sales websites that have been around for a while (Fashion and You, 99 Labels, Myntra) along with the more recent launches (Freecultr, BeStylish.com).

I would love to see Jungleeā€™s fashion section acquire a strong local flavour with focus on Indian brands and designers like Latin Quarters, Wills Lifestyle, Metro, AND, Seven Eastā€¦ you get the drift. Junglee could even seek to carve out a niche in this area as a supporter and an online store for several Indian brands.

Some cool international brands would be fun too! It would be good to see top brands on Amazon during the season throughout the year, instead of just seeing old maal on flash sales sites.

In terms of user experience, the website is easy to navigate, clutter-free and has a good range of filtersā€”like price, colours, sellers and brand.

Junglee-clothing-filters

Waiting to grow

Of course, itā€™s still the early stages for the site and for Amazon in India (someone told me Amazon has big plans for India and Junglee is only a beachhead for them). I assume the folks at Junglee will be working hard to expand their fashion brand baseā€¦ fingers crossed!

What do you think of Junglee.com?

In 2011, Accessories, Fashion, Shopping, trends

Chic accessories for every budget: ā€˜Coz itā€™s still summer!

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Even as the first rain showers pour down in Mumbai, weā€™ve not forgotten that the hot weather is still around and most parts of the country will continue to bear the heat for a few weeks. And we summer accessories continue to rank high on our shopping list.

Alas, if only there was plenty of dough to buy every accessory we ever wanted! Well dahlings, there ainā€™t enough, so weā€™ve carefully picked the coolest summer accessories, based on price!

The accessories are affordable, and will keep you well for the next few weeks. šŸ™‚

To make things simpler, weā€™ve broken up our prices into categories: Rs 500-1000, Rs 1000-2500 and Rs 2500-5000. And hey, the accessories labelled ā€œChic steal!*ā€ cost less than Rs 500!

So take a take a look at our accessories of choice. Enjoy! (PSā€”refer to the guide below the fashion board to know where you can buy them).

Chic jewellery, hats and sunglasses

Chic summer accessories- jewellery, hats, sunglasses

Guide:

  1. Necklace from Marks & Spencer
  2. Cuff from Marks & Spencer
  3. Necklace from Aldo Accesories
  4. Flower burst Ring from Toniq
  5. Sunglasses from Fastrack
  6. Bleicher sunglasses from Aldo
  7. Sunglasses from Puma
  8. Hat from Aldo

Chic bags and shoes

Summer bags and shoes (accessories)

Guide:

  1. Two-tone fabric messenger bag from Zara
  2. Floral quilted messenger bag from Mango
  3. White handbag from Mango
  4. Betsy clutch from French Connection
  5. Red sandals from Tresmode
  6. Pumps from Tresmode
  7. Plaited sandals from Zara
  8. Flats with floral fabric from Catwalk
In 2011, Accessories, Fashion, Shopping, trends

Chic accessories for every budget: ā€˜Coz itā€™s still summer!

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Even as the first rain showers pour down in Mumbai, weā€™ve not forgotten that the hot weather is still around and most parts of the country will continue to bear the heat for a few weeks. And we summer accessories continue to rank high on our shopping list.

Alas, if only there was plenty of dough to buy every accessory we ever wanted! Well dahlings, there ainā€™t enough, so weā€™ve carefully picked the coolest summer accessories, based on price!

The accessories are affordable, and will keep you well for the next few weeks. šŸ™‚

To make things simpler, weā€™ve broken up our prices into categories: Rs 500-1000, Rs 1000-2500 and Rs 2500-5000. And hey, the accessories labelled ā€œChic steal!*ā€ cost less than Rs 500!

So take a take a look at our accessories of choice. Enjoy! (PSā€”refer to the guide below the fashion board to know where you can buy them).

Chic jewellery, hats and sunglasses

Chic summer accessories- jewellery, hats, sunglasses

Guide:

  1. Necklace from Marks & Spencer
  2. Cuff from Marks & Spencer
  3. Necklace from Aldo Accesories
  4. Flower burst Ring from Toniq
  5. Sunglasses from Fastrack
  6. Bleicher sunglasses from Aldo
  7. Sunglasses from Puma
  8. Hat from Aldo

Chic bags and shoes

Summer bags and shoes (accessories)

Guide:

  1. Two-tone fabric messenger bag from Zara
  2. Floral quilted messenger bag from Mango
  3. White handbag from Mango
  4. Betsy clutch from French Connection
  5. Red sandals from Tresmode
  6. Pumps from Tresmode
  7. Plaited sandals from Zara
  8. Flats with floral fabric from Catwalk