The Lazy Girls Guide To Amping up Jeans and Tees

I’m not as obsessed with clothes as I should be. Don't get me wrong, I'd love having a walk-in closet full of stylish threads, but I'm sure I'd head for the comfiest, softest pieces every time! As you can probably infer from my photos, the jeans-and-tee combo is my go-to-simple-style because it needs no over-thinking.

That’s  one of the reasons why I don’t blog about fashion very often. Taking 371046 minutes to dress up take the dog out for a walk, change 28 times before going out to catch a movie, or taking pictures of every outfit I wear – I fail to see the glamour of it all. Also, when it comes to things like these, I'll confess, I'm lazy!

Ok ,maybe I do take pictures SOMEtimes… but that’s about it. Seriously!

Through college and jobs and from vacations to parties, I’ve gone through all phases of tops - the off-shoulder ones, the formal shirts, cowls, peplums (which I still wear occasionally for weddings and funerals) and the crops (that I sometimes pull out of my closet and wonder how I ever fit into them.)

I could literally live my life in a plain cotton tee and jeans, and since I work in advertising, thankfully, that’s the dress code. But there's a fine line between fashionable and frumpy. When your day involves impromptu business meetings, catch-ups with friends and random events, this ensemble has made me look and feel under dressed.

To avoid such scenarios, I'm regularly wearing chic-er, more versatile tees with trousers or distressed denims for a low maintenance, yet elevated look. . Gotta love it when all it takes is 3 pieces to create a complete outfit. If you're style is low maintenance too, welcome to the club! Here are some tips you can try:

Master The Half-Tuck – Whether it’s a brightly striped shirt, long knit sweater or a graphic tee, I love how tucking in the front makes it looks so much cooler. It gives you the comfort of wearing something over-sized in a polished, sophisticated way. Keep it effortless by tucking it in haphazardly in the front

Add some headgear – A beret or hat can make a boring outfit look super stylish. But my favourite is the bandana – it simply exudes confidence, freedom and a laid-back attitude. Wear it around your forehead, your neck or simply loop it through your jeans!

Nail Nautical – The navy blue-and-white striped print is a fashion miracle! It goes with literally everything from cutoffs to high waisted skirts, they’re super smart, fresh and clean cut. Invest in a classic one (as big buttons and embellishment look cartoonish) and wear it with a chunky neck piece. Simple!

Trade Blue for Black - Replace blue jeans with a coloured pair. You can't go wrong with sleek, black denim, either! It looks so much more formal when paired with a necklace.

Wear it with heels - Sometimes, all it takes to make an outfit dressy is good heels. Three pairs - black, red and nude will save an outfit every time, especially ones that involve jeans and a tee. Not a heels person? Pick up some embellished flats.. they're totally worth it!

Roll your sleeves – When wearing a button down shirt, a long sleeved tee or even a short sleeved tee, try rolling up the sleeves. You’re probably wondering how much shorter can the sleeves of a short-sleeved tee be. Well, a little longer than the arm holes of a tank top. A subtle change like that can change the whole vibe of your outfit. It’s one of my favourite things to do on those rare occasions that I wear a shirt. Fold the sleeves in half, then fold them again and let a little of the cuffs stick out of the folds (especially if the cuffs are a different colour!)

Belt it - They aren't just for holding up pants, they're stylish too! Tuck in your tee and accessorize with a contrasting or jewelled belt. 

Layer – Layering with a summer jacket or a denim vest is summer friendly. They give an outfit a lot more depth. Another thing I like to do is to wear a long, striped or contrasted spaghetti under a top to give a simple outfit a much needed boost.

Tie It - A stylish way to make an over-sized tee look amazing is to tie a knot at the bottom. But the trick here is to not show too much (or any) belly. Choose a really long, loose fitting tee shirt and then make the tie on the side above one hip, or at the back.

Cuff your Jeans – There’s not much (quick) style tricks you can apply to a simple top and jeans. But this one is the easiest of them all – it takes less than minute. Neatly folded legs of your jeans with heels (ballerina shoes/quirky socks and sneakers, in my case) is very celebrity-like!

Over to you.. what tricks do you have to amp up the tee-and-jeans combo? Oh.. and should I write about fashion more often? What do you think of this post? :)

Talk later xx
Don't forget to drop by my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages to say "hi!"

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India Beach Fashion Week - Goa

 Gionee India Beach Fashion 2015 week is all set to steal the hearts of Indian Brides, and for the second time this year, they’re doing it in Goa! 

Centred around the theme ‘Resort and Destination Bride,’ the power packed launch had guests meet the best fashion designers of the country.

As an invitee to the blue carpet event, I got a glimpse into what’s going down from October 29-30-31 2015 in Candolim. The sizzling launch party showcased a stunning preview of beachwear collections by designers James Ferreira, Asmita Marwah, Anupama Dayal, Sonaakshi Raj, Rocky S, Babita Malkani, Ken Ferns and Riddhi Siddhi.

I personally loved Asmita Marwah’s collection inspired by the ‘Bindi,’ This sheer white garment featured a bold red spot in the front, which was an interesting use of an iconic bridal symbol. Babita Malkani’s black flowy design was uber chic! 

And it's hard to stop staring James Ferreira’s design! OMG that skirt!

Gionee India Beach Fashion week plans to focus on the people and talent of Goa this time and so a special addition to the event called “Made in Goa” will be introduced this year. 

There was also mention of the Gionee E8 which is to be launched soon.

Seen at the party were TV celebrities like Rithvik Dhanjani (Hot!) and DJ Aqueel (Hotter!)

The launch kicks off a Pan India Style, Travel and Music Party tour. It brings together the best of fashion, music and glamour to 11 chosen cities. 10 more cities to go!!

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Summer Scarf Lovin'

Summer is here *sigh*.. again! So I just had to figure out a way to cover my head before the dry wind gets my hair poofy and all over the place. 

My latest obsession is the head scarf. Yes, I know it looks daunting but trust me, sometimes, a scarf is all it takes to make a style statement. The trick is to select the right scarf and tie it up as neatly as possible. Choose to look cool, bold, glamorous or chic simply by tying a scarf differently. 

By the way, here's a tip for my Mumbai folks: stock up on Aztec prints from Bandra's Linking Road. There are some great one of a kind finds out there...

Oh, and to the girls from everywhere else, let me know where you get yours!

As I was saying, check out these hip looks that you can try with the Head Scarves.

I'm still trying to do them all. But here's a simple DIY Head Scarves guide will have you tying like a pro in no time. As a beginner, try these 3 super chic styles:

 The Naughty-Nautical wrap:

Fold a light flowy scarf horizontally to make a band that's around 3-4 inches wide.

Center the scarf at nape of neck, cover your ears and then tie a knot just above center of your forehead. I like adding one more knot to enhance the look.

Take the loose ends behind and tuck it in to get the layered look.

This style is perfect for the pool party or for simply hitting the beach!

The Twisty-Turban Wrap:

Center the scarf on your head.

Cross the ends at the back of your head and bring the sides over the ears.

Bring the ends above center of your forehead and twist it once.

Now tuck in both the loose ends together on just one side (start tucking from one year to the nape of your neck and then to your other ear) Then leave the end loose.

This style is sported by most celebs for a glamorous evening look, and is one of my personal faves! Adorning it with a glittering broach in the centre.

The Bow- Me Wrap:

I love this look and so will you, once you try it for yourself.

Take a small square scarf and fold it diagonally to form a triangle.

Center it at the nape of the neck and then pull it over the ears bringing it just above the forehead.

Double knot the ends and then slightly tuck in the ends below the band on your head to create a puffy bow.

Your girlfriends will love you in this new look. It’s best for the playful events and outings with close buddies.

My favorite TV show is starting in about 5 mins so I gotta run! Send me selfies once you try them out. 

Comment below or tweet to @Thandi_Baat 

Ciao! 

*I claim no credit or ownership for images posted on this blog post. If you find an image appearing here that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear here, email me with a link to the image and it will be removed ASAP.

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A Fashion Love Affair!

If you watched the Oscars that went by a few days ago, you must have noticed that it was a literally a Pastel face off!! That’s right, the biggest fashion icons walked the red carpet in sherbet colours, setting the trend yet again.

Pastel Hues are perfect for the summer months. I’ll show you how to make a style statement
that’s soft, girly and feminine. You can indulge your sweet tooth as you pull of these candy coloured
outfits. Once again, this style is easy to carry no matter what your body type and style preference is.

While wearing pastel, let the subtleness shine through. Leave the bright red leggings and orange
spaghettis behind. The only colours you should complement pastel shades with are beige and
brown.

    
• Too much white or cream in your outfit runs the risk of looking too sugary. Accessorize your mini dress with a nude neckpieces, bangles and a jacket. 

• Mint green is doing the rounds once again. It’s extremely lady like and adds a bit of vintage charm to your wardrobe. Mint dresses, bags and jackets are a must have this summer. Top it off with a head-band for extra edge. 

• You would be making a classy summer statement when you team up pastel hues with pearls. It could be pearl earrings, necklace or even a pearl clutch. Beaded neckpieces are just as trendy.

• Going top to toe pastel adds that dash of sass to your personality. But if that’s not your thing, I have a solution that’s right up your alley. Team your black skinnies with a white top and add the bubble gum pop of colour with a sky blue/rusty rose blazer.

• For obvious reasons, pastel shades are perfect to accentuate your facial features. Go wild with smoky eye-liner, red lips and blush coloured cheeks. Brighten your complexion with a mouth-watering punch of colour. Go sweet with the girl next door look to a full on Boss!

• Pair a lemon coloured top with a bold printed skirt in black and white for an ultra-trendy vibe

• No matter what pastel colour outfit you choose, a white blazer will always pull the look together and give you a summer-ready ensemble. You could also pair blue and white for a refreshingly cool colour scheme

Have any tips up your sleeve? Comment below or tweet to me @Thandi_Baat becasue I'd love to know!

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Black and White and Chic All Over

Ever been invited for an event where the dress code stated Smart Casuals? If you're anything like me, you've spent hours wondering what to wear to strike the perfect balance between formals and casuals?

Smart casual is just a polite way of saying, “dressy attire for this event isn't required, but please 

don’t wear what you would to go grocery shopping or visiting your grandmother on the weekends.” 

Trust me, I know pulling off a casual look can be tricky for work and for weekends because giving a casual outfit a little extra polish, does require some styling. Another thing, you CAN'T go wrong with black and white. Hence, monochrome smart casuals! That’s right, you can wear absolutely no colour and still look completely stunning.

Black and white is an eternal combination— it's one of the few trends that never seems to go out of style – like denim, checks and an LBD. From the traditional “B & W formal attire,” Monochrome is 

now making its way into the Smart Casual wardrobe. And while I'm all about the classic formal 

look, it’s time to experiment with it. 

Monochrome – the Casual Way

Whether it’s for college or Casual Friday, I'm letting you in on some of my favourite tips to amp up your Monochrome ensemble, and make it as interesting as any rainbow-worthy style. 

Let white take center-stage.

I know it's hard to get used to wearing a lot of white. Try highlighting white in your smart casual wardrobe… I promise once you try it, you won't look back.  Start out with staples like black  leggings, jeans or a skater skirt, and then go bright with a white frilly blouse or pullover. Accessorise  with a white hat, wedges or a handbag. And accentuate your look with chunky black jewellery to bring it all together.

Layer Away!

The key to making a muted or monochrome outfit work is all in the layering. If you're going black and white, try to incorporate a pattern or two like a button down jacket with a contrasting tank top. For college, a T-back with a B&W checkered scarf and leggings would get you an A+ in style. 

Accent with grey.

Pairing black and white with reds and neon colours is old school. There’s a smarter way to add a shade to your monochrome look that’s modern and refreshing: A light, chalky grey. Accent your outfit with a grey belt, scarf or shrug. 

Play with texture.

Getting casual is not just about donning cotton clothes, try out new fabrics and textures with the monochrome scheme and never go wrong. Experiment with leather jackets, lacy tops, Georgette 

blouses, and suede shoes.

So girls, next time you get an invitation that says “Smart Casuals,” try going monochrome with these handy tips and notice the heads turn ;)

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