A bit of Sale shopping

Circumstances have led me to require new clothes for my wardrobe. And when there's a sale. I use any excuse I can to acquire clothing (in this case, moving out).

I'm really trying to build a good capsule wardrobe, and these five items honestly check off some of the boxes that have been left empty for years!

Let me share/enable some of you #spreadtheguilt.



1. Black sweater - MANGO (890 INR)
    Mango on sale is heaven. It is one of the only stores that actually stocks my size, and is brilliant for workwear. I've been on the lookout for a lightweight black sweater to throw over things for ages. Everything I seem to find is either really questionable quality, or has some absurd embellishment/graphic situation going on. But this one is perfect.

2. Jeans - Vibe - (1529 INR)
    Finding a pair of jeans that aren't hideously expensive and fit me well is quite a challenge. I've been slightly obsessed with this brand called Vibe. The wash and fit of their jeans is amazing. They're also super soft and last ages. Would definitely recommend the petite ladies of the world to check them out. They retail at Shopper's Stop, as far as I know. But I'm sure they're at other places too!

3. Purple lacy bra - Loveable (Zivame) (500 INR)
    I have been on the hunt for a lacy bra like this one to wear with low armhole tops for ages. It's also ridiculously comfortable.

4. Maroon top - Insense - (450 INR)
    This was on sale. And it looked nice. And my friend made me buy it - YOU KNOW WHO YOU    ARE.

5. Black high waist treggings - MANGO (1290 INR)
  Another wardrobe gap that I had to fill. I have quite a few cropped tops and I think this is a brilliant basic to have, anyway. Fits like a dream.

6. Black Moccasins - Carlton London (1248 INR)
    Whenever I put on a smart/work outfit, I feel like I'm really lacking work shoes. I really cannot be bothered to wear heels on a day to day basis, so I wanted some slightly dressy moccasins that I can slip on and feel really put together. Plus Jabong was on sale...

Happy sale shopping!


A little plain speaking



This blog is used for the sole purpose of having a big old girly (and guy-y) fashion conversation with people I both know personally and don't.

And I realize that a lot of people who either are in fashion/design school or are graduates spend their time reading my little product/fashion rants and raves (which, by the way, makes my day. And month. And year). I've been getting a lot of questions over the past few years about fashion design courses, grad schools (not like I know much about that, but I'll be able to tell you all in a bit), freelance work and jobs.
In no way am I saying I am some guru who just imparts wisdom and information to the masses.
I'm still young, and in no way have I 'made it' in any way that my Life Check List prescribes.
But.
I realize that there are some many experiences that I have gone through that have taught me a LOT. And I want to share some stuff with you guys, especially people in and around my field.
This is not a rant, just a post I feel like I need to make to be able to help you guys make better choices. If you want to disregard this and make new mistakes, PLEASE DO. No one ever learns, otherwise. I, for one, listened to no one about anything, made some really interesting choices and ended up going WTF after most of them. It's okay. At least it helped me make this blogpost :P

Where I am now: Now, I graduated in 2014, and I've held only one proper day job and an couple of internships, so no, the job market is not my area of expertise :P. 

So, over the past 5 years, studying and working (sorta) in fashion, graphics and illustration, this is what I've learnt.

1. Always set your boundaries and terms before a job starts.

    This is something that I think I totally had the wrong end of the stick for. I've been freelancing in some way or the other since I was 15-16. And I realized that the jobs that usually go the best, are the ones where a timeline, direction (if it's an art or illustration job) and pay is discussed before you even open the Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop/whatever else window. This means that your employer has allocated some sort of budget towards this job, and knows when he/she wants it. Don't go into a job over enthusiastically and then sit and whine when the payment is late when nothing has been discussed before hand. If you can get them to write an email, so that it's all in writing, nothing like it. 
There are a lot of people who do not take design grads seriously, because it isn't an 'academic' field. Make sure there's clarity BEFORE the job. It's very hard to negotiate after it, because people change what they've said, say 'See, we never discussed that...'. And will say they'll get back to you and never will. If you're an employer and you've ever done this, shame on you. But design/art peeps - don't set yourself up for this. 

2. Graphics are not a joke, and also, should not be done for free just because you said you find drawing fun/easy.

  I am lucky enough to have worked, and hopefully work even more in the future, at something that I find extremely enjoyable. Fashion and Illustration are things that I do not find to be work at all. This doesn't mean that any of you should work for free, just because people know you've converted your hobby into a career. You still have bills to pay!

3. Freelance doesn't mean free.

This does not mean however, that you do not have the right to help your friends/family if they want some stuff done for free. Remember, the skill set you possess is yours alone, and if you want to use your powers for the good of mankind a.k.a free work, then so be it. Some random startup/employer cannot come to you and go, 'Hey, but you did their stuff for free? Come on, man. Not cool!' and expect you to extend everyone the same courtesy. I've personally done a lot of free work, and regret none. I do it out of love, or friendship, or because I know the company simply cannot pay me. And this cannot happen every single time, or I can never pay my parents back for anything. And I'll be financially independent when I'm 80.
  
4. 'We're a startup, we can't really afford to pay you this time. Maybe next time?'

   I get it. Startups are on a tight budget. It's probably a lot of money out of your own pocket/borrowed cash. But never employ someone unless they understand YOUR situation and offer to help you out at a reduced rate, or for free. That is completely the decision of the artist/designer. And they have the right to reject the job, also. Don't promise them an amount, then say sorry, no can do because we're broke right now. Your credibility will go down to 0. And honey, there will BE no next time.

5. Legalities and shit.

    No company is allowed to alter/use your graphics for something else other than what they've paid for. Especially alter. This also means they can't SELL your graphics. Sharing AI/source files involve an extreme amount of trust. So don't be an *insert explicit here*, employers. It's illegal, but it's very hard for someone to prove that that heavily altered thing on some other site was theirs initially. So don't expect justice or compensation. You can only hope that the person on the other end has work integrity.


6. Don't let your employers take you for a ride.

    So let me lay it down for you. For whatever reason - *cough* media - fashion designers are looked at as a bunch of bimbos who have trust funds (and therefore don't need to be paid for work), an IQ of about 20, are confused by big words and party day in day out. 

People who are just starting out at work - make sure you get the respect you deserve. But also make sure you actually earn it. There are a lot of employers who will really pile on the work just because they want to see how well you perform under pressure. And when you prove yourself, it's smooth sailing. They know what they're doing. If they keep doing it because they can, and just want to extract even more work out of you, they're just being unfair. Know the difference. Always know who you're working for, and don't let people cloud your judgement just because they had a bad experience at a certain place.


7. Having said that, don't expect a 6 figure salary at your first, second or even third job.

    In a field like this, experience really is invaluable. It's all about on the job learning. Make sure you take the best things you can from every company you work with and never stop learning. You're not going to turn into Anna Wintour in a year.

8.. Lastly. Don't be afraid to quit.

    If you're in a bad job, where you're treated badly, and are not given recognition for your work ( 'It's all for the company' , 'there is no I in team', etc), and are not being given a decent pay for what you're doing, do not be afraid to quit. I am not encouraging you to be a quitter.  If you don't like your situation, change it. But only after you have done EVERYTHING you could to make it work.

A Bronzed face and Berry lips




I recently had the pleasure of  having my makeup done by my best friend and MUA Shrutilaya a.k.a Shlaya - visit her blog here. Okay, no one really calls her that but any of you who read her blog, you'll know who I mean.

This whole situation was for some work that she needed to get done, so as I have absolutely nothing to do these days, I was like OK PROFESSIONAL MAKE UP = SELFIES.

Clearly, I have my priorities down.

But I ended up being absolutely obsessed with the look she did on me. It was this clean bronzed face, with some strobing (basically a highlighting technique that is very much in vogue, you end up looking like someone lit you up from within. So glowy and pretty) and a nice berry lip.
I think this is something that I'm going to be wearing a lot, perfect for both day and nighttime makeup, depending on what kind of lip you go for.

She used a bunch of pro products on me, which I am probably never going to own, but I thought, for the benefit of myself and my readers - I asked her for breakdown with products that you can definitely find in and around your area/online.

Foundation - L'Oreal True Match - I've used this personally and they have the most amazing range of shades, so the chances of getting almost an exact match are pretty high. I love the finish. Definitely try it in stores before you buy it online, though.

Highlight - To highlight under the eyes, cheekbones and forehead, use the Maybelline Dream lumi Touch Concealer a.k.a the broke girl's Touch Eclat.
Use the Revlon Highlighting Palette in Bronze Glow as your bronzer/highlight mix on your cheeks and for any contouring that you need.

Also, use setting powder only under the eyes and around the nose. We don't want that dewy glow to go away! 

Eyes - Use the darkest shade in your Revlon Highlighting Palette on your eyelid, and the lightest shade on your inner corner. Finish with some generous coats of mascara to really open your eyes up, on the top and bottom lashes. (I personally love L'Oreal Paris Volume Million Mascara)

Lips - There are two suggestions that she gave me that'd work with this look, MAC Rebel and the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush. But you can literally wear any berry lipstick/balm/stain that you think would work!

I know have additions to my 'Things to buy when I'm not broke' list.
Sigh.

Have a great weekend!

All you 20 somethings...

Till I turned 19, I was a face-wash and moisturizer girl. I (touch wood) never really dealt with acne or break outs. Sure, I had the oil build ups and the big fat zits that would grace my face during school and college. But I think having eczema most of my adult life really got me into 'grown up' skincare a little earlier than most girls did. Lengthy consultations with dermatologists and loads of internet research taught me that the skin on our face is so different from the rest of our body and requires that much more care. And when my 19th birthday rolled around, I decided to build a simple beauty regimen for my face.

Also, your face goes through 'skin cycles' which change every 7-10 years. From a pretty oily faced person in middle school, it went pretty dry during college, and now it's transitioning to combination. But it's been (dare I say it) pretty well behaved over the past couple of years. And I've been giving it a simple, yet strict regimen in terms of what I do, even if I switch up products along the way.

Here is what I learned along the way. And I think because of the regimen, I am cautiously enjoying skin on my face that behaves. Most days.



*Disclaimer* I am not a dermatologist in disguise. This is just what I've been doing and it has worked for me :P

1. Know your skin. Go to a dermatologist. Or a friend that is skincare savvy. Or the interwebz.
The first step to being able to build a skin care routine revolves around knowing your skin type. Don't be afraid to ask around!

2. Remove makeup before bed. Always. 
Even if it is mascara and kajal/liner. Take a cotton pad and baby oil and take it off, even if you don't have makeup remover. Sleeping with chemicals in and around your eye is toxic.

3. Use a cleanser every night.
 A cleanser is an essential step that I have forced into my routine post 19. Face-wash is sometimes not enough. You need to go in and cleanse your pores to remove any impurities. If you use a night     cream after this, and haven't cleansed, you're essentially locking in all those pollutants, oils and impurities in your skin for the night.

4. Find a facewash that is right for YOUR skin
There are a gazillion face washes on the market these days. And some of the budget ones do a          
brilliant job, rivaling the more pricey buys. Don't go for the prettiest bottle, or the nicest smelling liquid (guilty as charged). A lot of face washes have active natural ingredients that really target the   problem spots on your skin. Make sure you do your research! And don't be afraid to invest in a good one.

5. Exfoliate
Thrice a week, exfoliate. It'll help circulation and take off the dead skin that your face-wash wont.

6. Take the time to do masks (natural home DIY ones or store-bought) once a week
Always, always make time for yourself. Maybe on a weekend, or a midweek session. To pamper yourself and indulge in some extra skin-care time. There are loads of really fun face masks you can   make at home. Invite some girlfriends, rope in your boyfriend, get your mum involved! It's fun, I swear.

7. Invest in a good, basic day cream with SPF
Day cream for you ladies is a must. Sure, when we were younger, slapping on whatever moisturizer we used (if at all) on our bodies on our faces was acceptable but now...no. A day cream is lighter in formula, most target imperfections and brighten your complexion. And SPF. Always.

8. Sleep and hydration, people.
I am not the poster girl for either of these things. My college schedule was probably the most   demanding thing I have ever gone through, and sleep was a luxury. And I know, that that isn't something that we can control sometimes. But try and get a good night's sleep when you can. That next PLL/GOT episode can wait till tomorrow. And I thought the whole hydration thing was a myth. Till I realized just how much of a difference it makes. Water flushes out your system and keeps it nice and hydrated. Trust me. Set a reminder on your phone. Get a tattoo. Get that app. Hydrate.

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