A pampering experience by Green Trends Salon

As they say, there's no better solution to bad mood than a self-pampering session. So, an invitation from the PR person in Green Trends Salon to participate in a beauty and skincare talk with their hairstylists and skincare specialists where we can avail free services as well sent all kind of feelers to my soul. Ever since I started working, pollution, sweat, humidity, irregular schedules and depression have been a part and parcel of my life. And what better way to cheer myself up than a pampering session like this?
                         Now, other than the above-mentioned problems, working poses another difficulty. One has to reach office(in time, if I might add). So, an event like this being held on a weekday, that too after 12 p.m., makes it difficult for poor me to attend itself. And the venue being Saltlake doesn't help either. Half of our time went in roaming about the alleys of Saltlake- asking clueless pedestrians for directions.
                     When we finally reached the venue, sadly, the event had already started. But we made ourselves comfortable and joined the discussion in no time. After the Q&A session, we were asked to choose the services we'd like to avail from the array of options they were offering. Again, since poor me was in a hurry to reach office before EOD(End Of Day, silly!), I opted for the quickest and easiest option- nail art. I wanted something in black and white with a hint of floral. They wanted to do an iridescent pattern first but since that'd have also taken a lot of time, we finally did white floral patterns against black background. My luckier friends, of course, got to get their pedi-mani and facials done along with haircuts and hair smoothening. Anyway, I know I'd like to go back there and get a haircut done as soon as I save up a little, what about you? If you are scared of Saltlake like I'm, no worries. They have branches at Bangur Avenue and Golpark also. So, suit yourself. Also, DO try out their hair treatments for controlling frizzy hair. The way they transformed my friend's hair from frizzy to Rapunzel-ish, I'd highly recommend it.

The setup for the Q&A session

Some of the products they use

Yes, I tend to be a picture of concentration personified when I get my nails done since I'm exceptionally good at ruining it.

Work in progress...

Ting!

The maxi-hitchers and the like... :-P

And the royal posers... :-D

And the mixed reactions!
Picture Courtesy-Poorna

I'll do an outfit post on what I wore to this event very soon even though you can see most of it. Call it my undying love for this blazer if you want. Till then, take care and keep it stylish.

Rebel turned disciplined?

All my life, I have been a rebel. The art of discipline never appealed to me. I always enjoyed breaking rules instead of obeying them. Therefore, all my friends thought I had gone mad when I told them about my disciplined lifestyle these days. And my family was pleasantly surprised.
                                                                                                         One of my closest and most special friends had told me something long back that I couldn't appreciate fully. He said everything(or most of the things at least) holds their charm only when they are forbidden. Once the ban is lifted, one would hardly crave it. According to him, the key to the success in relationships lies in this simple fact. As long as couples can come up with ideas that make their relationship feel forbidden and illegitimate(and adventurous), the fun would be there. The moment both the persons know that they are supposed to be together and they love each other and nothing can separate them, they'd have no passion left and it'd be the death of the relationship(feel free to draw parallels with 'Death of poet' in this context).
               I've mixed feelings to his theory for various reasons best left unsaid. However, if I apply this same logic to my lifestyle, it perfectly explains my painstakingly disciplined lifestyle these days. Back in my childhood, rules were all I was taught to adhere to. There was a rule for everything-when to wake up, what to have for breakfast, what to wear, who to play with, when to do my homework, when to watch TV, what all channels to watch, how long to talk over phone...and of course when to start dating and how far to go with the boyfriends. In the presence(and enforcement) of so many rules, all I wanted to do was rebel. But as I started growing up, my otherwise rigid parents(to my relief and surprise), started loosening their grip and I got to do exactly what I wanted. I believe it was partially because of the regular fights at home and partially because of my mom's belief that teenagers adopt the right values if they are given freedom in small doses. Nonetheless, the result was delightful. All throughout my student life, most of my friends were envious of the freedom I got from home. "No curfew hours?","Your mom knows that you drink?","Your parents would let you go on a trip with your friends?","You talk to your boyfriends in front of your parents?","Your parents allowed you to move out?" were some of the very few questions I used to be bombarded with by the zealously protected rich kids in class.
                                                      To be honest, I had my fair share of fun. Despite financial constraints, the kind of liberating experiences that I've had in my age would be rare to come by, I dare say. However, after ten years of no rules, being a rebel didn't seem to be as glamorous as it had when I was a kid. I secretly wished my parents made angry calls every time I was staying out late instead of a somewhat worried but supportive "it's okay, take your time, come safe". I found myself feeling guilty and irritated at the same time when everyone in class was scolded for performing poorly in the exam while my parents said nothing. I wanted to be the good old protected child again. Life seemed to be so much easier when someone else makes the rules for you!
                                  But, one can't have the best of both the worlds. And since my parents weren't about to turn into overprotective monsters overnight, I decided to make rules for myself. I got the first taste of a disciplined lifestyle while I was doing my first internship. I used to wake up at 5 a.m., make my pre-workout meal and lunch, workout for an hour or so, come home and make my breakfast, catch the 8:50 Volvo, read the morning newspaper on my way to work, work till at least 8 p.m., come home back and make my dinner, watch TV while having dinner, put my facepack on and go to bed. I went out with friends during weekends but I didn't drink or eat out more than once in a month. I also made it a point to note down one stimulating thought every month. I continued this lifestyle during my next internship despite going through a very emotionally difficult time. And I'm back to the same lifestyle now that I'm working(the only concession being a maid for making the dinner, thanks to the salary at the end of the month). And I can't tell you how satisfied and rejuvenated it leaves me! There's a certain feel good factor associated with sticking to a routine and it helps me fight all the frustration in my personal life. There are days when I don't cry just because I'm supposed to be arranging my fresh clothes from laundry at that point of time as per my routine. And pushing the tears away for the sake of something more important makes them go away at least for the day and I couldn't have been more thankful for that!
                                                             Speaking of being thankful, I wish there were a single person to thank for the emergence of maxi dresses and skirts. They are an absolute life-saver and I absolutely can't do without them! They are chic, comfortable and super stylish! What more could a girl ask for? Yes, a phaatugraphaar to capture them in their maxi-mum glory but then, I have even that! I truly am a lucky girl!

Maxi skirt- Jabong, dress(worn as a blouse)-B.K.Market, gladiators- Metro Plaza, cuff- New Market, rings- B.K.Market and Park Street, sling- Simpark Mall

Being truly independent...

Independence is easily one of the most abused words in today's world. We use it to justify literally everything we do(or don't)in our daily lives. While saying hurtful things to others, hurting someone else's sentiments, harming animals or nature aren't things that we should do just because we are capable of doing them, everyone should know what being independent means for them. As a woman, the only aspect of independence that had been emphasized to me throughout my life was financial independence. Coming from a family where most of the women had to ask for money from their husbands even if they wanted to buy their children a candy, the women in our family, specially my mother, always wanted to make sure that I don't commit the same mistake that they had, years back. I've a job today that pays enough to cover my expenses and maybe a little luxury every once in a while but am I independent? Definitely not. I still freak out if I have to book my tickets, go to the bank, talk to the bored and hostile officials sitting at various Government offices,kill cockroaches and spiders, move my furniture around and so on and so forth. There are a hundred tasks required in our daily lives that I'm not good at. Therefore, I depend on my near and dear ones to do these for me. So, despite being financially independent, I'm definitely not independent in its true sense. Also, should we call someone independent if they have a job but only because others forced them into it and given a choice, they'd rather pursue their hobbies that didn't pay? This is an issue that one of my all time favourite bloggers Tanvii brought to my notice for the first time. Pursuing or not pursuing a so called career should be a conscious choice for all of us. And the decision to take care of the household instead of sitting at a cubicle in front of a computer deserves an equal amount of respect because we should have the freedom to choose whether we want to be employed or not. Ever since I started looking at things this way, my approach towards the so called housewives has changed drastically.
                                                    There's another aspect to independence that we often choose not to explore. Being a citizen of a free country means we have the right to take personal decisions until and unless our decisions go against the law of the land. Yet, how many of us are brave enough to embrace our true sexuality? How many of us are comfortable talking about their curiosity towards everything sexual during our adolescent years? Our body is a mystery on its own and not acknowledging its complex behaviours only shows our desperation to run away from the truth and nothing else. Calling a broom anything other than a broom won't change its true identity. Likewise, if parents choose to have an open discussion about the sexual curiosity accompanied with adolescence, many of the unhealthy sexual habits people grow as teenagers can be prevented. Topics like masturbation, unprotected sex, sodomy, homosexuality, incest, erotic fetishes and BDSM(to name a few) should be clearly discussed with teenagers instead of leaving it to their imagination. And who can be a better teacher for a child than his/her parents? I, for one, was always very clear and vocal about my body and its desires and considered myself sexually independent. However, despite my best attempts, any discussion with the elders regarding this always ended in a fight. I used to take things personally even five years back. These days, I'm wise enough to come out of the discussion after giving them the required information instead of turning it into a nasty fight. But the scores of homosexuals trapped in heterosexual marriages or forced to live a life of tired loneliness tell a different story.
                                                              So, this independence day, instead of hoisting another national flag and singing the national anthem once more, think about what true independence means to you. List down ten things you'd have done had there been no societal rules and no inhibitions. Then ask yourself why you aren't doing those. I'm pretty sure there'd be at least five things that you can do any day if you stop being so afraid. And if all of us end up doing five such things every year, we'd know that we are heading towards a truly independent country.

And now, say 'hi' to one of the most independent girls I've ever known! If you have been following ze blog for a while,Anu is no stranger to you. She happens to be the best and most inspiring fashion designer, a surprisingly observant amateur photographer, a celeb content writer, the most dedicated fashion blogger and my greatest source of inspiration. She has always lived life on her own terms. She has never done one of those so called rebellious things, true but she has broken almost every rule our society tries to impose on women in her own way. Studying Fashion Designing despite being a Science student(I'm sure the prospective doctors and engineers spared her no sneer), quitting her job to start her own brand, not succumbing to peer pressure, continuing with equal jest even when her dreams didn't exactly find wings to fly...I can talk about how she inspires me all day long! So, what better time to show you how she breaks the myth of not being able to be cool in ethnic wear? She rocks it and how!

Tunic- Max, leggings- Shoppers Stop, chappals- Linking Road, Bandra, watch- Dresslily, ring-Dilli Haat, neckpiece- New Market

The wanderer's musings

The wind on my shoulder,
the aching muscles ponder,
was love a blunder?

After a hectic trip to Mumbai-Indore-Gandhidham-Mumbai, I'm back home! Home is where the heart is but home is also where my favourite phuchkawala resides. Home is where I can smell the festive spirits a little more with every passing day. Life is anything but what I had expected it to be. Getting paid is kinda cool but doing things that one hates to no end in order to get that money pretty much sucks. Meanwhile, I'm busy trying to remove the layers of charcoal from my skin, thanks to the purposeless plant visits and shopping for PUJO! The past one month hasn't been easy and hardships won't slow down before at least three more months. My body is close to giving up and I haven't been this sick in years! But I'm also trying to focus on whatever positives I happen to have in my life. And the memory of this day is one of those. And the theme Roaring 20s of course helped. Let the pictures do the rest of the talking while I cuddle up under the sheets with a book.

Maxi dress, kolhapuri- Emami, bag- New Market, neckpiece(worn as a headgear)- Chandrani Pearls

Picture and hair Courtesy- Anu

"...Some rain must fall"(First guest post on ze blog)

It’s monsoon time, girls! And it’s time to put away those shades and take out your umbrellas. That’s right, it’s the gloomy season but don’t let it get to you so be the savior and brighten it up! Be the one to bring in colour and fashion to the rainy days! Here are a few must-haves you should embrace this season-

Image Courtesy- Glamcheck.com

1. Coats: Well, this only counts for those girls who live in places where it gets really cold during the monsoons. It becomes so cold that you’re shivering, so it’s best to get the layers on. Wear a sweater or a coat. But brighten it up by wearing some bright coloured jacket with jeans or shorts, whichever you’re comfortable with. Find some great ones at Flipkart, Jabong, Myntra, Tradus, Yepme with brands like Arrow, Wills Lifestyle, Fort Collins etc.

Image Courtesy- Aliexpress.com

2. Flat Boots: NOT leather ones, leather does not fare well in the rain, so don’t take those out of the closet no matter how great they seem to look with your outfit. If you don’t have boots, then wear sneakers. They are your go-to shoes and you can wear it anywhere. Make sure they have rubber soles to prevent your fanny from hurting when you are hitting the pavements. Find some great ones at Flipkart, Jabong, Myntra, Tradus, Yepme with brands like Alberto Torresi, Carlton London, Steve Madden, Clarks, Shoedeal, CAT etc.

Image Courtesy- Yebhi.com

3. Shorts or Capris: This is a time to protect the lower half of your body from getting wet, so wear your shorts or capris when you step out. Wear dark colours to give you warmth or bright colours to make you happy. Either way, you’re not going to escape the puddles, so wear whatever colour you’re comfortable with. Find some great ones at Flipkart, Jabong, Myntra, Tradus with brands like UCB, Global Desi, People, Only etc.

Image Courtesy- Lyst.com

4. Shirts: Wear loose and big shirts because if you get wet from top to bottom, then god help you from the pervs on the streets. Wear some awesome graphic tees with your shorts and sneakers! Find some great ones at Flipkart, Jabong, Myntra, Tradus, Yepme with brands like UCB, Vero Moda, Chemistry, UCB, People etc.

Image Courtesy- Mec.ca

5. Hoodies: Hoodies look great with jeans or shorts. And it’s best to wear them when it’s just drizzling and you know it’s going to continue like that the entire day so you don’t have to carry an umbrella, just wear a hoodie over your shirt, put the hood on when you step out and you’re finished! You look cute too! Find some great ones at Flipkart, Jabong, Myntra, Tradus, Yepme with brands like Campus Sutra, Espirit, Yepme, Puma, Lee etc.

All these sites have great discounts, especially during the monsoon season! So make haste when the season arrives! But if you want more discounts, coupons and offers, then check out this and find your ideal price with deal of the day!

Disclaimer-This is NOT a sponsored post. I came across Dealstan and quite liked their collection, specially paired with their unbelievable prices! If you have been following ze blog for a while, you must know how broke I'm. So, when I suggest a website for great discounts, you know it's the next best thing to getting it for free. So, what are you waiting for? Click away!

Breakup shorts and another blogger meet

I considered myself to be pretty much superstition-free for the first eighteen years of my life. But as soon as I turned nineteen, I found out that I wasn't superstitious for all these years simply because I didn't have an option to. I needed to wear the school uniform, eat the same food every day, go to the same place et cetera et cetera.but once I went to college, I suddenly started imagining that my exams won't go well if I didn't wear the same blue and white striped tee every day with the same pair of denims and wait for it, the same underwear too. Consider eight exams back to back in the heat of April. Let's observe thirteen seconds of silence for those who survived these semesters sitting around me.I think they were the happiest lot when we discovered that we had only four papers in the final semester. I also made sure I took the same bus every day, had the same fish spring roll from Monginis(it had to be second from the left) and sat at the same place for studying(I even refused to move if someone asked me to shift a little so that they could sit). Are you thankful that you didn't go to the same college with me? I thought so. So, moving on to my MBA, I got over this absurd dressing rule partly because I was growing up(feel free to replace the word 'up' with 'old', I really don't mind any more) but mostly because I was dating and there was high probability of any of my boyfriend(s) turning up to surprise me after my exam. Instead of feeling liberated, I was paranoid and tried to make up for it by having the same breakfast, waiting for the same rickshaw wala and metro no matter how long it took, sitting with the same crowd and not wearing a watch. Given the examples, I don't think you'd be surprised if I tell you that these are my breakup shorts and this is my breakup blouse. I've worn these twice(both of them together once and only the blouse another day) with a boyfriend and we broke up on that day, both the times. The most suspicious part? On both the days, we started the day in a great mood and were having one of our good days(relationship-wise) and hadn't fought in near past. Still, we broke up. Since then, I've decided to wear these only with my girlfriends because the best part about your girlfriends is that they never break up with you. I also suppose I could call these my breakup shoes since they have been there during both the breakups but I've had more than ten happy days with them. So, I'd assume I don't have a breakup shoe and thankfully, I was carrying different bags during different breakups and wearing different accessories too. So, I don't have a breakup bag or a bunch of breakup accessories either and I couldn't have been any happier about it!
                                             Now, if you are done explaining to your younger brother in great detail how education has failed to enlighten me in true sense, let's move on to the next part, shall we?
                                                                                                                                 To much chagrin of bloggers from other cities(if I dare say so), we Kolkata bloggers are a tightly knit community and with the kind of bonding that we have, we could jolly well have opened a sorority house or something equally pink. Of course with yours truly leaving for Mumbai in a month, it would remain a dream. Let me just wipe a tear or two. Yes. So, given the perfect hosts that we Kolkata bloggers are, no blogger from any other city leaves Kolkata without meeting a few of us, if not everyone. So, when this lovely beauty blogger Sheetal came to Kolkata for a visit, we all decided to meet her at Wise Owl-this nice little cafe near Golpark that is crowded and charming at the same time since they take ages to bring your food and therefore, you can sit for ages without any disturbance, other than the shouting of course. And thanks to the kind of gossip only we can imagine of, it was definitely an evening well-spent. Just spare my fat legs for a month or so. I promise to get back in shape. Soon.

Striped shorts, bag, spiked loafers, neckpiece-B.K.Market, shirt-Miss Chase, lipstick- Orange Punch from Colorbar

Picture Courtesy - Anu

I hope to start the Sisters of the Travelling Pajamas post that I couldn't stop gushing about by this month. Till then, take care and keep it stylish.
                                                   Much love,
                                                                   Soumi

Crossroads...

You know those over-hyped, cheesy yet somewhat significant junctures of your life that you can never be prepared for? Like going to school, starting college, losing your virginity,getting started with alcohol, getting married, having a baby et cetera? Well,putting an end to one's academic career(read leaving college)is one of those too.You think it'd be some grand affair with graduation cloaks, recalling funny stories about each other and shedding tears about not being able to re-live those days again, promising to stay in touch no matter what and all but unless you are some leader in your batch being equally popular among students and teachers, always organising cool events, helping your friends out with the most impressive job in your pocket, it's another one of those days when you don't feel like dragging your ass all the way back to that pathetic campus where you have been bullied or discriminated against, yawning through another set of lectures from the faculties you so hate from the bottom of your heart and finally getting drunk with a bunch of acquaintances over how this institute has failed you and your dreams. And I needn't turn up at my farewell to know that.
                                   As far as I'm concerned, mediocrity has always been my middle name. I'm not pretty, I'm not extraordinarily ugly either.I never topped my class but never came last either. I'm nowhere close to having my dream job but I DO have something to fall back on for psychological comfort(yeah, I don't think I'd be any less broke or dissatisfied if I go to Mumbai for this job but I couldn't survive the pressure
of seeing others get placed and scoring a zero for a week, let alone so many months),my love story would never go down in history but it's definitely my favourite.
                                                                          Given all these grand examples, it's a no brainer that I was never any teacher's favourite anywhere. I didn't make friends who'd die for me either. Basically, had I not been there in the class,people won't have missed much. I was pretty much invisible.So,I'm having a really hard time coming up with one good reason for showing up at the stupid campus one last time where no one cares much about me and the feeling is very mutual. The thought of pretending to be having a good time while boredom gets the better of me just doesn't sound appealing. And even though I shared a very personal bond with my students during my short stint as a private tutor, none of the teachers in my schools or colleges ever inspired me enough to delve deeper into the subjects they were teaching. Besides, my career has suffered a lot at different times for not sharing a personal equation with any of my teachers.
                                                                                                                      But,at the same time,unlike many of my other friends,I'm not angry at anyone. I have studied Leader-Member Exchange Theory and believe in it wholeheartedly. I find it very normal to accept that everyone would have a favourite and I calmly accept this fact also that I'm no one's favourite. It doesn't bother me at all. I'm thankful to God for making me normal,allowing me to have a normal life,giving me results worth at least thirty percent of my hard work and blessing me with this beautiful heart that stretches like rubber and engulfs the person I love once I love them. I'm thankful to God for making me sensitive enough to feel every ecstasy, failure, disappointment, hatred, heartbreak, passion and still not be overwhelmed by it(okay,maybe I should have excluded the heartbreak part but never mind). Moving to an alien city with an unimpressive job,leaving my family,friends and the love of my life behind,scares me beyond imagination and I'll try to fight it for as long as possible. But when I sense the end,I'll just let go and surrender to fate completely. The tears won't stop but there'd be no regret.
                                                   Speaking of regrets,poila boishakh(The Bengali New Year)is known to be a family affair among us Bengalis and my family being one of those where no one seems to be agreeing with anyone else over anything,it has always been a quiet day at home having bhetki paturi(bhetki fish steamed with mustard paste), chingri shorshey(mustard prawn) or mangsher jhol(mutton curry) for lunch.My parents don't see any logic in going out to fancy Bengali restaurants and have Bengali delicacies that are no more cooked at Bengali households and I've always regretted spending an uneventful poila boishakh. But with my bunch of girls making plans on that very day, it was anything but quiet this year. We met up at this quaint little place called Cafela near Rashbehari and boy, did we have a scandalous evening! The pictures are more than a month old but you can still see the sparkle in my eyes, right?

Anarkali gone wrong and worn as a maxi dress-tailor-made from Gariahat Market(not from my regular tailor,duh!), shoes, pouch- Simpark Mall, denim waistcoat- New Market, rings- B.K.Market and New Market, lipstick- Maybelline Bold Matte MAT 4

Picture Courtesy- Anu

P.S. I'm almost getting over multicolored outfits and I have to admit that Anamika Khanna hating them has helped accelerate my decision. So, expect a lot of monochrome and tone-on-tone on ze blog in the coming posts. Till then, take care and keep it stylish.