2012 in Outfits

Hey lovies - I can't believe another year has come to an end! Here's a montage of my outfit posts from 2012 - and some outfits that didn't make it to a post!

Aaaaaaaand that's a wrap! Thank you SO much for all your love and support - means the world to me! Hope you have an amazing time partying this New Year's Eve!

Here's to a fabulous 2013 - May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows!

xo

Dhruvi

Lovely Blog Award

I am so thankful for this blog because it's allowed me to meet some really incredible women. Recently, I received the Lovely Blog Award from one of these women. Richa, along with her sister Shruti, blogs at Urban Mantra. Urban Mantra is a lifestyle blog chronicling their adventures living in two different cities - Richa lives in NYC and Shruti in DC. I wanna thank them for giving me this award  - y'all should check them out for more about food, fashion, travel, reviews and more!

The rules for the nominated blogs are the following:
1) Thank the person who nominated you.
2) Add the One Lovely Blog Award to your post.
3) Share 7 things about yourself.
4) Pass the award onto 15 nominees and let them know.

So, here are 7 things about me -

1. I learned classical Indian dances - Kathak & Bharatnatiyam - for several years, as a kid.
2. I love paneer (Indian cottage cheese).
3. I'm slightly obsessed with leopard print.
4. I went through a phase where I thought sneakers were the coolest things to wear - with everything.
5. I have a particular dislike towards satin.
6. At some point in life - hopefully, soon - I want to be fluent in Spanish & French.
7. I feel very strongly about Android > iOS.

And now, passing the award on, I'd like to nominate - 

• Hogger & Co
• City & Burbs
• Marionberry Style
• Penny Pincher Fashion
• Profresh Style
• Don't Shoe Me
• The Fabulous Life of Not-So-Rich & Famous
• Style Delights
• A Little Bit of Lacquer
• Shoes N Booze
• Roots, Wings & Other Things
• Love Laugh Mirch
• Scarlet Stiletto
• The Zing Of My Life
• Renew It

And that's it! Hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! Happy Holidays, lovies!

xo

Dhruvi

My Current Wish List

As a full-time grad student, I've been on a tight budget for so long! But now that I'm graduating in a few short months, I've been dreaming of shopping again! I figured what better than a wish list, to motivate me to focus on my job search, right? ;) The best thing about all the items, on this list, is that they're good year-round and work with, well, everything. Basically, they're all closet staples - yep!

Also, I'm a firm believer in "Ask and you shall receive" so, universe (and whoever else wants to know), here are the items I'm currently coveting!

Michael Kors Leather Sleeve Trench
J. Crew Classic Pavé Link Bracelet
Alexander McQueen Scalloped Modified Cat-Eye Sunglasses
Sam Edelmen Scarlett T-Strap Sandals
Burberry Haymarket Check Fabric and Smooth White Leather Watch
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Shark Embossed Satchel

All I need now is a big, winning lottery ticket! You guys like?

xo

Dhruvi

10 Holiday Party Clutches

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

As I mentioned here, I always get in trouble when I do these "What To Wear" or "What To Buy" posts because I end up wanting to buy everything for myself! I am in love with every single one of these clutches and I want every single one of them! If I absolutely HAD to pick one, though, I think I'd pick #3 - the large glitter bow is everything!

What do you guys think of these? Do you have a favorite - one of these or one of your own?

xo

Dhruvi

10 Holiday Party Baubles Under $50

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

So, I have a confession to make - this year, since I'm in school full-time and not working, I didn't have a holiday party to go to. I was sad enough about that because that meant no fun holiday party dresses but, I wasn't nearly as sad until I started looking for baubles for this post. Every one of these pieces is a show stopper and the best party - they're all under $50 each! Add sparkle and glam to an LBD or any other dress!

Do you like these? Which piece is your favorite?

xo

Dhruvi

Holiday Party Hair Trends

It's that time of year again! With the year winding down, and the workplace becoming more empty day by day, partying is the only thing on everyone's mind. My work holiday party is this weekend and I am so excited. Over the last few years I haven't had a chance to attend any of my work holiday parties due to travel, but this year I'll finally be able to go! In an attempt to break my hairstyle rut I decided to narrow down my favorite holiday party hair looks.

OOTD: Red & Bows

What to wear to a holiday dinner(ish) when you don't have time to go shopping? You guys know, by now, that I'm a huge fan of color and sparkle and try to avoid LBDs, whenever possible. However, sometimes, you just have to let an LBD rescue you! That doesn't mean that you can't add some fun elements & colors with an LBD. This coat is one of my favorites - mostly because of the leopard lining - and it's perfect for the holidays!

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers Under $25

Gift shopping is always complicated because you're looking for someone else and you end up shopping for yourself! No? Just me? Well, anyways ....! When it comes to holiday shopping, I feel like the element of surprise has gone missing, especially now since the holidays have become so commercialized! We always ask our friends and family what they want or need, and they know exactly what they're getting. That's just why I love stocking stuffers. They're little trinkets and you can make them a total surprise! I've picked out some great stocking stuffers that will cover everyone on your list - all for $25 or less!

Holiday Gift Guide: Beauty

Hello Loves! Hope you're having a wonderful winter and staying warm! It's been forever since my last post- between my crazy work schedule and wrapping up my first semester as an MBA student it's been hectic! With the holidays around the corner, online shopping has become my new best friend (sorry Dhruvi :P)! I love this time of year - spending QT with my fam and friends snuggled up at home, baking yummy goodies and of course GIFTS! There's nothing better than watching your loved ones' eyes light up as they open up a surprise. Sephora is my go-to store during holiday season, every year they put out tons of special edition sets that not only feature some of the hottest products but offer an amazing value! I love that I can pamper my family and friends with indulgent gifts, without breaking my budget.

OOTD: Red & Snow Leopard

I found this sweater the other day and am kind of obsessed with it. It's super cozy and I love the animal print! When I was thinking of what to pair it with, I realized I hadn't worn my favorite colored jeans in a while. Between the print sweater and the bright pants, the outfit already has a lot going on so I decided to keep the accessories simple. This was also my first time shooting with Reggy Stainfil, which was a super fun experience - check him out!

OOTD: Pink Polka Dots in Paris

Ok, so I didn't go to Paris but with my stockings, it's the closest I've ever been! :) A couple years ago, I wore these stockings and shoes to work and one of my then co-workers Instagrammed a pic of it. I hadn't worn these stockings since. I just recently came across that pic again and that picture inspired this look!

Thanksgiving Eve

A shot of Times Square, NYC, from Skyroom

Last night, I went to NYC with a few people, to a Thanksgiving Eve party. Being a grad student, this has become a rare occasion. So, of course, I was super excited and this venue is beyond stunning! I was super confused about what to wear and then I found a peplum dress I had bought a while ago and never worn! I think this was actually my first time wearing peplum!

OOTD: Blue & Neon

Lately, I feel I've been drawn to B&W outfits and then either pairing the outfit with bright colors (here) or keeping it mellow (here). Either way, I think B&W outfits are the perfect blank canvas, no?

What To Wear: Holiday Party Remix

During the most recent StyleCaster #StyleChat on Twitter, someone asked "Little Black Dress or colorful attire for your Holiday Party?". I, of course, said color! As cliché as this sounds, it is the most wonderful time of the year. So, why not wear color and sparkles, and celebrate? And with that, I've picked 3 beautifully chic looks, that don't require an LBD!

OOTD: Black, White & Grey

It's finally boots season again .... yay!! Yesterday was an especially gorgeous fall day so it was the perfect time to bring out my fave boots! Typically, I would've thrown in a dash of brighter color with this outfit but, I really just wanted to wear the grey boots .... hehe! :)

Through the Storm

Empty streets of my town, hours before Sandy hit

As I'm sure most of you know, the Northeast was rocked by the devastating super storm Sandy, last week. If you were in Sandy's path, I hope you're safe! Though I didn't suffer much damage at all (only lost power for 2 nights), I know that the loss is very real.

Down trees in my neighborhood.

I spent 2 days making calls and driving to shelters, offering donations and my time. However, it was impossible for me to do so and I was so frustrated. Then, a friend of mine sent me a link from the City of Hoboken's website saying they were welcoming all volunteers. So, on Saturday, a friend and I drove out to Hoboken to volunteer! We spent a couple hours going door-to-door, checking for people, to see if they needed medical attention, hot food, etc. Then we spent about 3-4 hours sorting all donations so they could be distributed or sent out to shelters.

Tons of donations!

Walking around Hoboken, after we were done volunteering, it was heartwarming to see how the community comes together in the midst of a disaster -

Charge your phone and grab some chocolate!

Volunteers picking up garbage.

"Save your food on our BBQ"

We saw a group on strangers, charging their phones on the side of the street, playing "Apples to Apples". So, we decided to join them! These experiences are so priceless!!

While we were walking around, talking to some locals, we had an interesting conversation with a guy - He said to us "I got up today and didn't even shower. Just left and went to the city. I can see how people just start to give up and lose it." He was referring to the fact that at that point, most of Hoboken was without power and it was virtually empty because residents had left. Eerie, huh?

It's the resilience and the sense of community that's going to help us get through the devastation caused by Sandy. It's really important, however, for us to help out as much as we can - whether it's through donations or volunteering, or both. I, for one, am really looking forward to volunteering over the next weeks/months!

How did Sandy affect you?

OOTD: Wedge Sneakers

I had been on the hunt for a budget-friendly pair of wedge sneakers for a while and eventually, I gave up. Over the summer when I was interning at New Balance, I had to do store visits and during one of those store visits, I saw this pair at DSW and my search finally came to an end! Well, I finally had a pair of wedge sneakers and then came the million dollar question - How on earth do I style these things? Of course, I Googled it but it was all pictures of celebrities wearing em and clearly, I'm not tall and skinny like them so that didn't help much.

OOTD: Crochet Shorts

Pardon the look on my face - it had just started raining! :(

Over the years, I've seen many a shorts that I loved at first sight, but they never loved me back. When I laid eyes on these shorts though, they look back at me and I knew they loved me back! So, I brought them home with me. I was dying to take them out on a date but it's been too cold the past couple weeks. Yesterday, however, the weather was warm enough so, we went out together to run errands.

The 5-Minute Face

With Fall setting in and the days getting shorter and shorter, my motivation to get up in the morning has become non-existent! I catch myself hitting snooze over and over, not wanting to get out of bed.

In an attempt to save precious time in the morning, I have tried my best to simplify my make-up routine to just the basics - a technique that takes just 5 minutes!

                 

10(ish) Shoes Every Woman Should Own

So, a few weeks ago, I "rotated" all my shoes. I think I own over 60 pairs, not including sneakers, flip flops, and sandals; and I rotate them twice a year to prepare for spring/summer and fall/winter. Anyways, as I was in the middle of this project, I realized that there are some shoes that I wear ALL the time, but most of them have been worn a few times, if that - I'm sure this is the case with a lot of women! That's where the motivation of this post comes from. So, from my personal experience and feedback from my awesome twitter followers, I've come up with the 10 shoes that every woman should own -

End of Summer Rehab

Hello Fashion Lovers!

I’d like to start off by thanking my bestie- Dhruvi Brahmbhatt for convincing (and nagging me :P) into the world of blogging. Not only is she an amazing friend and my partner in crime, she has been a great support and influence in my life and even in my fashion sense. Her ability to effortlessly put together trendy colors, prints, and textures that I could never even conceive has helped me evolve and develop my own individual sense of style. Thanks boo <3

By profession I am a Biomedical Engineer for the U.S. Army (Yeah- im kinda a nerd) but to any of those who have walked into my office, you’ll find more copies of Cosmo, Glamour, Lucky and Allure than any scientific journals or papers. I’ve always had a great interest in fashion and beauty for as long as I remember. I recall sitting around with my cousins – dressing them up with different outfits, trying new hairstyles, makeup trends and playing “spa”. Looking your best on the outside is definitely a reflection of how you feel on the inside- when you look your best, you feel your best. I also don’t believe that one should hide behind clothes and make-up, they are only accessories to highlight your true inner beauty!

Big Announcement

You guys might have seen my tweets and facebook posts about an exciting announcement coming to the blog. I have been dying to share this with you guys and finally, here it is ....

Random Epic Moment

So, I just recently started using Spotify and am still trying to figure it out. I searched for some song today and this whole playlist starts playing .... or something like that. I don't even know how this all went down.

Anyways, I'm sitting here listening to this playlist and it's playing a good mix of all genres of English songs and Bollywood songs. So, I tweet - "Idk who's playlist I'm listening to on Spotify but I like it. A good mix of English and Bollywood music." So, one of my follower tweets me, asking what the playlist is called and I tweet back saying I'm not even sure if it's someone else's playlist since I'm still trying to figure Spotify out. Now I'm curious too coz I wanna find out what this playlist is - it's a really good playlist so I wanna share it. So, I start scrolling up and when I scroll all the way to the top, I see this - 

That's right, I was listening to my own library! How am I supposed to know Spotify does that?

Here's the tweet that followed - "This is going to be the MOST #epic of all my tweets .... EVER! The Spotify playlist mentioned in my previous tweet is my own iTunes library."

I don't always have the most epic moments, but when I do ....

xo

Dhruvi

Fall For Flats - Fall 2012

Yesterday, I re-organized all my shoes - something I do twice a year. I put all my summer shoes in the back and brought my fall/winter shoes to the front of my closet. I love doing this because it almost feels like I just bought a ton of new shoes - since all these have been out of sight for about 6 months now!

As I was re-organizing, I realized that for someone who's a major shoe addict, I've never blogged about shoes *gasp*! It's time to change that! So, here are my picks for flats that are right on trend for this season -

Cap-Toe

Splurge / Save
Added Bonus - Leopard is always sexy for fall/winter!

First Bloggerversary

At 10:16 am, on Monday 9/26/2011, as I was sitting in my Finance class in the first semester of my MBA, I posted my first blog post .... ever! That was a year ago. Now, a year later, I'm sitting here trying to write this first anniversary post and I can only think of 2 words - THANK YOU!

Yes - to everyone that's reading this post now and to everyone that's ever been on my blog - A big ol' THANK YOU!

OOTD: Oxblood & Leopard

Let me just start  by saying that in my world, the stars were perfectly aligned today!

Emmys Best Dressed

As I'm sitting here, watching this year's Emmy's .... I started thinking about some of my all time favorite looks! Here are my top 3, of all time -

January Jones in Atelier Versace, 2009. I am absolutely in love with the architectural bodice and the stark white! (Photo Credit: Just Jared)

Spring 2013 Trend Report

New York Fashion Week has come and gone, like a whirlwind! I spent the past couple days looking at all the collections and figuring out top trends for next season. I always find it so interesting that even with all these designers creating independently, we are able to find trends that are common in their collections!

Also, as a budget shopper, I love the timing of NYFW. You get to know about next season's trends, just in time for the end-of-season sales! So,  take advantage of the fab discounts and stock up for next season!

That said, here are the top trends, emerging from the NYFW runways, for Spring/Summer 2013 -

Black & White

Elizabeth and James, Naeem Khan, Bibhu Mohapatra

First Bloggerversary Giveaway!

Hey lovies! So, two weeks from today, on September 26th, is my 1-year bloggerversary and I've decided to do a fab giveaway!

I met Tanvi, of Crazy & Co, at a recent Blogger Meetup that she had organized! She has a plethora of stunning accessories on her website so, when I decided to do a giveaway for my anniversary, I immediately thought of her. I reached out to her and she is offering a $25 Crazy & Co giftcard for 1 lucky Stilettos & Sequins reader! My favorite thing about Crazy & Co is that "most pieces in the boutique are one-of-a-kind, scouted from international travels, flea markets, independent designers and local exhibitions." So, any item, that you decide to use your giftcard towards, will be completely unique! Here are some of my favorite pieces from the boutique, all $25 and under -

1. Crazy Rifle Ring
2. Crazy Heirloom Ring
3. Crazy Grecian Bracelet
4. Crazy Neon Sparkle Earrings

Blogger Meetup

All the lovely bloggers

Tanvi was in NYC, from San Antonio, this weekend and organized a meetup for Indian Fashion Bloggers. I actually hadn't even heard of InFB until one of the ladies I follow in Twitter told me about this meetup. So, last night I met these fabulous ladies at 230 Fifth in NYC. I hadn't met any of them before, except my best friend who accompanied me. When I met them all, though, it was an evening filled with laughs, stories, jokes and tons of fun! It was great to meet accomplished, ambitious and stylish women, and talk about what motivates and inspires them to blog.

Let Your Necklace Make A Statement

I'm linking up with Marion for her Trend of the Month challenge. The trend this month is  - The Statement Necklace! I absolutely love statement jewelry so, I was super excited for this challenge .... and I did two different looks!

As you may know, I spent the summer in Boston and just got back to Jersey on Saturday. Now, I'm leaving for LA today so, I spent all day yesterday running errands in this basic B&W tee and skirt, my favorite neon necklace, and glitter flats!

Neon Necklace: Aldo's, Pyramid Bracelets: Forever 21, Tee: H&M, Skirt: Old, Glitter Flats: Spring

The outfit is really versatile so I decided to do another look (for pics) - with a bauble necklace and heels - which I feel is more of an evening look.

Sandals: Bakers, Bauble Necklace: Express, Bag: Aldo's

So, which look do you guys like better?

xo

Dhruvi

Also linking up with - The Pleated Poppy and Rolled Up Pretty

The Little Black Dress

So, a couple weeks ago, I got this email from my friend - 

Hello My Personal Style Expert :)!

So I bought this dress. Now I know it looks like a simple black dress but it looks really nice on! Very fitted yet figure flattering. My question to you is how can I dress it up? Accessories? Hair/Makeup?

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated,

Sheela.

Then she suggested I do 3 different looks I thought it was a brilliant idea. So, here are 3 different ways to style your LBD! I picked an Asos peplum dress. Peplum is one of my favorite silhouettes and I think a black peplum dress is a closet essential. 

This is just a simple look with a little dash of color and pattern. The optional blazer can make it even more formal.

I Think It's .... LOVE ....

Zakim Bridge and TD Garden - Sunset Cruise.

You see I've spent many a weekends in Boston, a few years ago. I have friends who went to Harvard and while I was stuck at my job from hell, weekends in Boston were my escape. It was then that this love affair began. Everything about this city, is wonderful .... everything besides the winters!

So, in April, when I was offered an internship in Boston, it was a no brainer! (Read more about the internship here and here.)

I've been here for over 7 weeks now and I've done some (not nearly enough) sightseeing. So, this post is mainly just all the pictures I've accumulated from my random exploring/sightseeing of Boston.

Halfway Mark - Part II

Here's my follow-up to Part I ....

Oh, you know - just a patio in the front of the building - where we have lunch. No big deal

Because New Balance is an athletic shoe (& apparel) company, there's a huge emphasis on promoting a healthy lifestyle. They have yoga and bootcamp classes, during lunch and after work! They also have bikes that people can rent.

OOTD: Stripes, Pink, & Denim

Dress: Belle Du Jour from Macy's (Old)
Wedges: Kenneth Cole
Bracelets: Lucky Brand and Forever 21
Necklace: Loehmann's

Ever since I moved to Boston, I haven't had a chance to do outfit posts. It's just that my apartment has terrible lighting, for selfies and I have nobody to take pics of me! :(

Halfway Mark - Part I

I still remember the morning of 4/9/2012, like it was yesterday. That was the day I got the call from New Balance, offering me my current internship. I got the call, just as I was waking up, at around 8 am and I ran downstairs, screaming, to tell my mom. I was happy, elated, thrilled - not just because I had finally landed an internship, but because I had landed THE ONE. Before I got this internship, I dealt with months of applications and rejections. It was tough, at times, to have any faith. I thought I'd spend the summer, without an internship, maybe working at a retail store to save up some money. When I got this internship, however, I felt like it had all paid off. The rest of April and the entire month of May just seemed too long. I was supposed to start my internship on June 4th and I couldn't wait!