Chic Video: Ladies, here’s the best excuse to shop!

A distraught husband can’t fathom the circumstances of the robbery at his home. With the wife in the shower, the robber sneaked in, stole all the wife’s clothes,  but left behind some expensive stuff.

Or so the wife says.

This video posted by Shoppers Stop on their YouTube channel will make you smile if you’re a shopaholic woman, or hold your head in despair if you’re a man. Either ways, you will enjoy it just like I did. 🙂

Now go shop your heart out!

How I am fighting the SALE shopping temptation

How I am fighting the SALE shopping temptation

The mall is a bad, bad place to visit these days. The SALES are extremely tempting, and my upcoming wedding has given me the best reason to shop. So the question I’ve been asking myself is – should I shop during the end of season sale? I mean, everyone shops during sale, right? (And the cool gif from Hidesign below makes it even more alluring).

Hidesign Sale

It’s not an easy answer, so I’m just going to put you through a YES and NO debate that went on in my mind for the longest time ever.

YES, a bride should totally shop on sale, because:
She will get the best prices so she can shop on a budget. And there is so much choice because all brands stuff their stores till they overflow.

NO WAY, a bride should not shop on sale, because:
It’s old season stuff, honey. Not the right options for a stylish trousseau. You don’t have place in your cupboard to hold all the lovely new clothes. She will end up splurging on clothes and accessories she doesn’t need or want.

Still no answer to my original question. So here’s what I did:

Step 1: I made a shopping list of things that I need to buy. (The key word here is need, not want).

Step 2: I then struck off those things that I don’t need immediately, like a watch, clutch etc. (I own these accessories and can use them for a while).

Step 3: This left me with just a few things on my list, such as a pair of office shoes, a good moisturiser, casual slippers (for the house) and similar stuff.

Step 4: And then I went and bought these things– they were all important because I didn’t have a good pair of work shoes and my home slippers broke.  And what of the rest?

Step 5: I went back to my original list, pondering each item carefully. I figured out the things I didn’t need immediately, but would be a good price during sale, and were unlikely to change with “trends”. This included staples like black pants, classic white blouse and a pearl necklace. And oh, lingerie.

Step 6: Meanwhile, my mom added a few things to the list- gifts! Mom’s wishlist can’t be ignored, so it got added to my list.

Step 7: I will be heading to the mall as the discounts go deeper, armed with this list. And I intend to stick to it! (I know I will).

Now, is that the path to being a smart, stylish and financially-savvy bride? I say YEAH!

PS—Do try this at home (and the mall)! No expert guidance needed.

Chic Guide: Top 5 things to do this week

Chic Guide: Top 5 things to do this week

Watch: BE BLUNT with Adhuna Akhtar

Every fashionista loves a makeover show. This time, celeb hairstylist Adhuna Akhtar, along with Osh Bhabani wield their styling tools to transform girls from across India. The women get a fab hair makeover and a new look in this six-part series. And they get to meet their fave Bollywood stars too. 😉

BE BLUNT with Adhuna Akhtar 2

BE BLUNT with Adhuna Akhtar will air every night, 10 pm starting July 16- only on TLC.

Buy: Batman tees

Batman fans are in for a double treat this week. First, The Dark Knight Rises releases this weekend, and second- exclusive Batman tees! French Connection’s limited edition range of Batman tees feature comic book illustrations that fan boys will love (sorry, girls- tees are for guys only).

FC City Scape Bat universal teeBatman FC Fight Universal Tee

Batman tees are available at select French Connection stores across India for Rs 1699. Limited stock available.

Look After: Your leather bag

A wet leather bag is never good news. Here’s what you can do to keep it looking as good as new in the monsoon:

  • Pat your wet leather with a soft cloth.
  • Let your bag dry out in a naturally dry place or air-conditioned room. Don’t leave it under direct sunlight!
  • Invest in an appropriate cream or wax for your bag- choose one that actually “moisturizes” your accessory. Use it after the bag is completely dry.
  • Store your leather bag in a cloth bag to protect it from dust and moisture. Do remember to air it once in a while.

Hidesign leather bag

(Tips from Hidesign).

Shop till you drop: 50-50 at Oberoi Mall

This Wednesday, Mumbai will head to Oberoi Mall for its bi-annual 50-50 sale. During this one-day-only offer, 50 brands at the suburban mall will offer FLAT 50% off on their merchandise. There’s fashion (Jack & Jones, Wills Lifestyle, Jashn), beauty, department stores (Lifestyle, Central) and even food counters participating!

50-50 sale is on Wednesday, July 18 only at Oberoi Mall, Goregaon.

Talk about: Superdry coming to India

Superdry is not a new dry cleaning service. It’s a casual wear brand with unique urban clothing that’s set to enter India in partnership with Reliance Brands. Superdry fuses design influences, from Japanese graphics and vintage Americana, with the values of British tailoring, and has got unmistakable branding. Superdry offers mostly casual wear- t-shirts, jeans, sweaters, joggers, shirts, rugby shirts, polo shirts as well as bags and accessories. They have a premium approach with vintage detailing, tailored fits and bespoke fabrics- so expect higher pricing than other casual and sports wear brands Jack & Jones, Levi’s, Puma, Adidas etc. BTW, celeb fans of Superdry include David Beckham and Zac Efron.

Superdry in India

What are you planning to do this week?

Shopping News: Sales everywhere

Discounts, offers, deals… you’ve seen the SALE sign everywhere. So what’s on sale right now? Here’s a short list by category:

Fashion

  • Vero Moda (upto 70% off): Liked the winter wear (light blazers, shrugs and cover-ups)
  • Guess: Saw some crazy discounts on denims, tops and dresses.
  • Chemistry: upto 50% off
  • ONLY: Upto 7o% off, great for affordable jeans and casual wear
  • Levi’s: upto 50% off
  • French Connection
  • Esprit
  • AND

Sportswear

  • PUMA: End of season sale, upto 60% off on sneakers, sweatshirts, track pants, swim wear and more.
  • Adidas: Flat 40% off

Department Stores

  • Reliance Trends
  • Central “Happiness” Sale: upto 51% off across brands
  • Marks & Spencer: sale on selected items

Beauty

  • B:Blunt: Flat 50% off on all colour services (till end of January).

Know any other sale in your neighbourhood or nearby mall? Tell us!

Related Posts:

Zara Sale

Mango Sale

It’s raining sales!

Zara Sale: Disappointing, but worth a visit

No girl wants to miss a Zara sale. That’s apparent from the crowded store and the queue at the cash counter. But my weekend visit to the Zara store at Palladium (Phoenix Mills, Mumbai) made me wonder why people were shopping like no tomorrow.

Zara sale shopping There were racks and racks of tshirts and casual wear, and I have enough of those already. Even in the Zara Woman range, there were very few worthwhile “womanly” blouses, shirts and tops. A number of printed tunic-style shirts I spotted were what you will get for half the price at a local or Indian brand store. A rack of formal shirts behind the cash counter (Rs 1190 each) was overpriced. However, there was a sizeable range of trousers and pants.

Unfortunately, when I found something I liked, it wasn’t available in my size (but I don’t blame Zara for that).

And then the size inconsistency. So while a black-and-white dress I liked in size S was too big for me, another dress in size S was just right. I know that the right size often depends on the garment’s cut, but I’ve experienced this often with Zara clothes, including skirts. I didn’t see this size inconsistency at Mango.

A relative who had visited Zara last month told me that several tshirts that seemed to fit her well had very loose shoulders and made her look quite awkward. I noticed the same with a tshirt I tried.

Overall experience: Disappointing, but there are still some great steals!

Despite all this, I did manage to find some clothes that fit me well and were wearable. My goodies: multi-purpose dress and skirt, and a somewhat-stylish tshirt.

  1. Printed dress: It gives the leopard print look, though it’s not. Luckily not made from wool, so I can wear it even in warmer weather. 🙂
  2. Printed brown tshirt: With net and buttons on the neckline.
  3. Grey skirt: The lace trimming adds a trendy touch.

Zara printed dress Zara brown tshirt Zara grey skirt

Advice: It’s raining sales!

[tweetmeme source=”spkngchic” only_single=false]

It’s the Independence Day weekend, and even after a long month of sales, it’s raining sales all around. (Is it just me or has the monsoon sales run lasted longer than usual?)

I’m sure there are plenty of us who are in the mood to empty their pockets this weekend, what with the apparently irresistible offers by our favourite stores. But here’s the big question—with so many awesome great deals and bargain prices, what’s a girl (or guy) to do?

DSC02135

Speaking Chic has put together some simple questions pointers to help you go easy on the sales shopping so that you don’t regret your purchases later.

  • What do I need? Make a mental note of what you really need before you head to the mall. Check your wardrobe, shoe rack and jewellery box; and assess your life. Maybe you’re being invited to lots of parties, so you need an LBD. Or you don’t have the very trendy statement rings.
  • Will I wear this in the next three months? Ok, so an awesome tee’s on sales for Rs 300 only! Ask yourself: will I wear this t-shirt? If your cupboard is bursting with unworn tees, then keep it back on the rack. 
  • Who else is wearing this? When I was shopping a few months ago, my friend pointed out a great Zara bejewelled tshirt at a great price. Wearable, comfortable, convenient, the works. But did I buy it? No! Why not? Because every Pooja, Priyanka and Payal is wearing it! Do you really want to wear exactly what everyone else is wearing?
  • Can I experiment with this? Always look for one garment or accessory that can overhaul your wardrobe, something you’ve never worn before. It could be a new silhouette (slouchy pants), colour (electric blue) or garment (pencil skirt). Word of caution: Experiment, but don’t look like a clown.
  • Can this item replace something in my wardrobe? If you’re throwing away your office shirts, you need new ones. If your favourite office bag is in tatters, you need a replacement. Look specifically for these about-to-be-discarded garments and shoes while sale-shopping.
  • Does it fit/ suit me? Get real, everyone has a different shape and size. You don’t want to look like you’re wearing someone else’s tunic, or get painful blisters, do you? If it’s not in your size, or it makes you uncomfortable, move on. You’ll find something better.

Do you have any more sales shopping tips? Share them with us! Have a great Independence Day!

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