summer

If you’re bored of chugging down only nimbu pani or aam panna this summer, it’s time you tried the brand-new Summer Slam drinks at your friendly neighbourhood Café Coffee Day. #CCDSummerSlam is a range of ultimate summer refreshers- a mouth-watering (and colourful!) mix of chilled smoothies and slushes with some great flavours.

These delectable smoothies and slushes not only look good (fuchsia! canary! violet!), but several of them are winners- you’d want to have them again and again.

There are some innovative drinks on the #CCDSummerSlam menu, the more unusual ones being Rasmalai Smoothie (a burst of sweet rasmalai in your mouth) and the Tropical Spice Slush (a fruity drink with a touch of jalapeño).

(Below: Mango Peach Smoothie and Rasmalai Smoothie)

I sampled all these lovely drinks and here are my favourites. I took the liberty of naming their colours:

Pink Lemonade: My absolute favourite from them all! It’s a lemonade slush with the right amount of sweet touch of pink grapefruit. (Colour: Misty Rose)

Mango Peach Smoothie: True to its name, the drink’s a mango overload with hints of peach. A delicious combination! (Colour: Golden Yellow)

Strawberry Blast Slush: I’m partial to strawberries and this drink reminded me of the pink slush we had in our school canteen, but way better. (Colour: Hot Pink)

The Summer Slam range of beverages is available at all Café Coffee Day outlets across India.

In Accessories, Fashion, News, Shopping, trends

SUMMER CHIC: 20 pretty pieces you will love

Speaking ChicApril 24, 2015April 23, 2015Leave a comment

Pastels, pops, prints and pinks,

All these chic choices make me blink,

In wonder I look at these summer faves,

Twenty reasons to make me rave!

Enjoy these drool-worthy picks for summer. 🙂

Pretty Prints

Dress from French Connection, Peplum top from Trendy Divva, Sling bag from Toniq.

Pretty Pinks

Tunic dress from Label by Ritu Kumar, Shorts from Elle, bra from Amante.

Pretty Palettes

T-shirt from Being Human, Dress from Superdry, Bag from Holii.

Pretty Pops

T-shirt from Ed Hardy, Studs from Fida.

Pretty Pastels

Polo from US Polo Association, Pencil skirt from Miss Selfridge, Shoulder bag from Viari.

Pretty Pairs

Heels from Clarks, Ballet shoe from Melissa, Sneakers from Superdry.

Pretty Purses

Tote from Hidesign, Tote from Accessorize, Cutwork bag from Lavie.

Which pretty piece are you buying on your next visit to the mall?

In Fashion, Men, Shopping, trends

5 men’s summer fashion tips for newbies

Speaking ChicApril 16, 2015April 15, 2015Leave a comment

This blog post is dedicated to all men who hesitate to experiment with their look (you all know who you are!). These mini-lessons will show you the way to an updated look for the season without stepping too far away from your comfort zone.

Ladies, if you know such hesitant, reluctant and boring men (and I’m sure you do!), use this guide as an inspirational piece to experiment on the men in your life, or push them to try out something new. 🙂

PS: Don’t miss the newbie tips, specially written for very reluctant men.

Think beyond checks: Printed shirt

So, printed shirts have been around for a couple of seasons already. But of course you’ve been sticking to solids and checks, right? You know something? Prints are not bad. Chosen carefully, the right prints for your personality and body type will make a strong statement about you.

Newbie tip: Florals freaking you out? Opt for “safer” prints like little dots and squares, or tiny abstract patterns. Just make sure the prints aren’t too big, too colourful or too eye-catching.

Shirt from 16stitches.com

Get summer-ready: Linens

Linen blazers are a no-brainer for summer. They can look formal, and can be dressed up for an outdoors wedding or dressed down for a summer soiree.

Newbie tip: Choose a light, neutral shade that will go with almost all your shirts- such as off-white or light beige.

Look from Arrow

50 shades and more: Coloured shoes

Too many men have only black and tan shoes in their wardrobe. It’s time to add some colour—greens, beiges, blues… they’re all there!

Newbie tip: Start with a colour that’s already in your wardrobe, such as blue. Select a pair of shoes that’s similar or goes well with the chosen colour…. And you’re set.

Shoes from Mochi

Be playful: Round sunglasses

Aviators are a classic statement, but everyone’s wearing them all the time. If you’ve got the pizzazz, you can carry these off. And no, it won’t make you look girly. But it might just make you look like the cute teen you were once. 🙂

Newbie tip: Play safe with a round-ish frame with neutral colour rims.

Sunglasses from Fastrack

Go retro: Bow tie

Maybe it’s to do with the Downton Abbey craze (of course men love the show too). Bow ties are making a comeback. And not just with tuxedoes or black tie events. The 21^st century bow ties are quirky, cheeky and easy to wear. It’s perfectly alright to wear the “readymade” ones.

Newbie tip: To start with, choose a no-frills bow tie without patterns or prints. Wear your bow tie with a light-coloured solid shirt (such as white or baby blue), and stick to a similar colour scheme.

Bow tie from The Bro Code

In Celebs, Fashion, News, Shopping

The fabric you need to wear this summer- Liva

Speaking ChicApril 2, 2015April 6, 2015Leave a comment

I have a whole list of summer clothing pet peeves- no denim, no clingy clothing, no itchy fabrics for me please. Of course, this doesn’t leave me with too many fashionable choices for summer.

Hopefully, this summer will be better because I’ve discovered a new age fabric that will make my summer (and other seasons) easier. This new age fabric is called Liva, made with natural fibres and developed by Birla Cellulose.

Fit for ‘Queen’

Liva’s ambassador is the talented actor Kangana Ranaut who wore this statement-making outfit at a Liva fashion show last week.

Oh, Liva!

The fabric has got sheen, feels cool and soft against my skin, and is super comfy. Thanks to Liva’s fluidity, clothes won’t stick or cling to my body, nor make me feel warmer than it is. Luckily, several brands are already using Liva, and I got a closer look at the clothes.

No more boxy looks! No more discomfort!

So what’s common among these dresses, kurtas and tees? For starters, they fall well, so no more weird fits or square shapes. And they’ve got a nice sheen that adds a luxe touch to any look.

Liva is being used by several fashion brands such as Van Heusen, Global Desi and 109 F (among others) and all Liva garments would be specially tagged so you can identify them while shopping.

New designs

Moving from high street to high fashion, fashion designers are already using Liva in their collections. Last week designers Anita Dongre, James Ferreira, Puja Nayyar, Sohum Dave and Narendra Kumar presented capsule collections made entirely of Liva. Their looks varied from easy flow to complex drapes, bold colours to vibrant prints. And the clothes? Tops, tees, tunics, kurtas, saris, pants… you name it, and it can be made with Liva.

If LIVA has you intrigued then please do get in touch with Media Moments for further details!

In Accessories, Fashion, Men, trends

Chic Picks: Hot leather travel bags for a cool summer

Speaking ChicMarch 27, 2015March 26, 2015Leave a comment

Summer time is vacation time, people! And every summer I get on the hunt for cool travel accessories since I believe in travelling stylishly. This season, I’ve found some great bags that will last you many many trips.

For travel, I strongly recommend a spacious, sturdy, durable bag to stash all your stuff- whether for an overnight trip, a weekend getaway, a cruise, a flight or a very long vacation. These leather bags from Viari are roomy, good-looking and multi-purpose. They even come with a shoe bag, so you can later carry them to gym or work.

For women: Soho travel bag, Rs 11,900

Lots of colours to choose from, but the tan one is an all-season classic.

For men: Camper Bag, Rs 6000

Gotta love the rugged look.

Happy holidays!

In Fashion, trends

5 awesome fashion ideas from The Grand Budapest Hotel

Speaking ChicMarch 1, 2015February 28, 2015Leave a comment

Among the spate of Oscar films this season, I enjoyed watching The Grand Budapest Hotel. Even though it wasn’t my Best Film favourite (that was Boyhood), it was a delightful comic and visual treat. The film’s Costume Designer Milena Canonera took home the Academy Award for this film. Me being me, I see fashion everywhere and in this film as well. And here’s how I thought we could use the film as fashion inspiration in our summer wardrobe.

Soft Colours

The visual theme of The Grand Budapest Hotel is soft, warm and fuzzy (production and costumes). Agatha wears light camel, pastel green and similar hues. With the arrival of spring / summer, it’s the perfect time to embrace pastel colours like salmon pink, sky blue and soft green. Luckily for us, plenty of brands will be stocking these lovely hues in their collections this season.

Luxe Fabrics

Velvet, fur and silks—all luxurious fabrics in The Grand Budapest Hotel to make you feel like a queen (or king). And Milena Canonero worked with Fendi to design fur coats and stoles sported by the actors, including Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton. I especially love Swinton’s hand painted, Italian silk and black mink cape- it’s gorgeous! (Disclaimer: Nope, I don’t advocate fur though it looks great).

Slicked hair for men and women

If Ralph Fiennes can get away with slicked-back hair, so could regular men! And as for the ladies, it’s great to keep the hair away from the face especially during the summer. An easy tip for the girls: Skip the hair gel, just pin up the front layers and keep the rest of the hair flowing. Great summer look!

Purple

The bright eggplant-coloured uniforms of The Grand Budapest Hotel staff stand out against the soft background. Purple is not exactly everyone’s cup of tea, but it can look awesome when you wear it, and purple is available in a range of tones- from eggplant purple (aka baingan) to soft lilac.

Details & accessories: Buttons and hats

The hotel jackets look like something straight from the high-fashion ramp, and those shiny buttons can be used on tops, blouses, shirts… you name it! Of course, the lobby boy cap is not exactly appropriate for daily wear, but I love the idea of stylish berets and fedoras for the upcoming summer months.

What is your fashion inspiration from The Grand Budapest Hotel?

In trends

Chic Trends: Spring summer recap in 2 minutes!

Speaking ChicJuly 30, 2013July 29, 2013Leave a comment

It’s SALE time everywhere, which means the fashion season is coming to an end. I thought it would be the right time to look back at the fashion highlights and trends of spring summer.

Hottest summer colours: Neons
Almost every fashion brand had a hint or more of neon. I even spotted Indian wear with neon touches, from Masaba to Namrata Joshipura. They are such fun colours for saris!

Last summer hangover: Sorbet shades
The average girl on the street wore mostly pastel and sorbet shades, the delicate colours from last year. I was bored of the soft feminine look already, and it’s still around. Sigh.

Predictable summer trend: Sheer
We would have liked to see some cool options beyond sheer for summer. When a friend and I went looking for nice tops for work, we came home empty-handed because all we saw were transparent tops. Not cool for office, and layering is time-consuming.

Magazine and street faves: Lines
Thick, bold vertical stripes caught on and every gal wanted to wear black and white lined pants, tops and blazers.

In the mags, not on the streets: Crop tops, sporty chic
How many of us have the abs, confidence and the right audience to flaunt our midriff? And as for sporty chic pieces, I am still getting over the Juicy Couture track suit fixation (remember that fad?). So sporty looks for regular wear is not happening.

Old trend with a new twist
Florals with fresher prints like daisies and blossoms. From flowers, the focus shifted to leaves, grass, the garden, or the forest. And all very Oriental and tropical.

Most coveted fashion piece
Printed pants. I spotted floral, tropical and even animal prints on trousers and denim.

The new animal print…
Birds! The winged creatures flapped their wings on tops, dresses, pants… you name it.

In Accessories, Advertising, News

Chic Ads: Deepika Padukone makes boring specs & stylish shades look sexy for Vogue Eyewear

Speaking ChicMay 8, 2013May 6, 2013Leave a comment

Deepika Padukone always looks good, and this summer of 2013 she’s rocking the Vogue Eyewear campaign wearing everything trendy in eyewear- from cat-eye sunglasses to square-shaped opticals.

Dressed mostly in the hot neon colours of the season by Anaita Shroff Adjania, Deepika is showing off sunglasses to be worn at a stylish afternoon soiree, for a day of shopping and an early evening party. But she also sheds her glam image for a geeky stay-at-home look with plain ol’ glasses (aka spectacle frames) with a book by her side.

The campaign has been shot by fashion photgrapher Prasad Naik in a variety of settings and looks. BTW, Deepika is the first Indian face of Vogue Eyewear and I think she’s the right choice! I can imagine her wearing the flirty shades in Cocktail and Race 2, and the geeky frames in Jawani Deewani. And maybe girls like me won’t feel too embarrassed about wearing specs anymore. 😉

What do you think of Deepika Padukone’s campaign for Vogue Eyewear?

In 2013, Fashion

Chic Holiday Guide: Top 12 Stylish Summer Vacation Essentials

Speaking ChicMay 6, 2013May 6, 2013Leave a comment

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! 🙂

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 trends

Chic Trend: Take a bite of your favourite citrus fruits!

Speaking ChicApril 18, 2013April 18, 2013Leave a comment

Orange, lemon and sweet lime are juicy, sweet and the right of sour. And this summer, they’re delicious enough to wear. An easy balance of colour between neon, sorbet and pop shades, the citrus colours of orange, green and yellow can easily be worn as dresses or separates, and can be paired with each other.

Take a look at Speaking Chic’s citrus picks and read some handy style tips below:

Some tips to wear citrus:

These colours should be worn with a light neutral shade like beige, white or khaki. So if you’re wearing an orange top, try on a pair of beige slim fit trousers.
For citrusy pants, you could wear a contrasting coloured top or printed blouse.
Citrus + citrus = Yummy! (Warning: Take your husband/sibling/ mom’s opinion before you step out in a top-to-toe citrus ensemble).
If you’re wearing a bright orange or yellow dress, make that the key piece of your look. Which means your bag, shoes and earrings should be subtle. Nude pumps or a tan belt would look great!