The Bali Gang

I’ve always been a budget traveler at least that’s what I like to believe but my bank balance says otherwise. And I’m the geeky researcher when it comes to planning and drawing a blueprint for my travel. Not that I really follow every bit but I really just like to keep myself updated with all the information I can gather. Can I also let you another secret of mine, so I always try and catch up with locals on bumble( or any other dating /networking app) Trust me you get the sic.-est ides on food and nightlife.

I’m going to indulge you to my itinerary and roundup on all my outfits I wore in Bali. So we were there for 8 days and It certainly wasn’t enough there is certainly an array of thing you can choose to do. Now this is for any single girl traveler that is traveling solo or in a group(sans the partner)

Feel free to adapt yourself to any situations here, I’m not much of the sportsy kind-if you know or want to try your hand at surfing you must try the dream beach at Nusa Lembogan island and of course Gili island.

Let me just do this pointer wise and make life easier, well for all of us:

STAY

I stayed in an Airbnb –now for me, I find an apartment or artisans home the best place to stay. I legit shoot half my stuff hence I really prefer staying in aesthetically designed local homes.

Our villa was in Seminyak, this seems like the safest and the centrally located to tons of homegrown boutiques, food chains or days you don't feel like Nasi-goreng or fish & chips. It's towards the south of Bali -had the perfect secluded yet not disconnected to the outer world. You should definitely make your bookings via Airbnb for safety purposes and so you get the rightful protection-although I must mention i have lawfully found really sweet hospitable hosts all the time.

We had a help in the house- Ketut who needs a special thanks for making our stay super comfortable. The house has 3 bedrooms, a lounge area, a common living room, pool-sunbeds and a dining hall. You also should mention your flight timings so that your arrangements are ready to the T, you can easily check in with the doorman. Benjamin & dolla kept a constant check on us and everything was legit on speed dial(they keep a common phone for our needs).

I'm going to list down the link for easier access. If you are someone who wants to live a more secluded style villa away from hustle bustle good recommendation is to stay near Patang -Patang beach on a hillock side villas. I know I would next time.

THINGS TO DO

Now everybody has a very different style of exploring a city. For me, I personally look for a mix of good nightlife, a place where I can spend an entire day (that was covered very carefully by my villa-we hung out 2 days entirely at villa soaking the sun in the villa with just the local brews & nasi gorengs/satays)

I was traveling with my best friend Sanky and another couple who are expecting. Now why I feel the need to explain the kind of travel partners 'cos it changes the entire equation on what you can do.

Sanky is naturally more vivacious to exploring an really a night owl. My couple friend were vivaciously moody and well pretty hormonal (no complaints they are handling parenthood like pros )now this leaves me to be almost like Solo go pro out on her to explore the city, which I honestly enjoy. And like I mentioned the bumble tip this can work really well for single female travelers (obviously exercising safety measure).Biggest tip here would be to buy your drink and always keep your beer covered with your thumb, even more so careful with your cocktails. Date drugs pills are real ,there's no kidding around with those and a big possibility anywhere in the world.

I'm a person who can legit with less sleep but wants to be on every plan naturally.

So day 1 & 2 were best spent in Villa, we cooked our own food, got the groceries from the nearby supermarket and lived the homely life. Stepping out in evening for long walk on double six beach.

  

 We hadn't even hired a scooty by then. Next day we wanted to extremely touristy and hence booked a whole day tour to the extreme south of Bali. If you are lazy ass like us and do not want to drive around in the sun-get a luxury wagon and you are soo sorted. Our driver Wayan charged us 6 lakhs in Indonesian rupiah but had chilled beers and water bottles sorted for us for the entire day & also pretty epic deep ocean playlist. We saw 3 beaches and carried changes along with us-first being Pandwa beach, second the Patang-Patang and the third being the Jimbaran for the most romantic sunset. We also saw the Uluwatu temple and Garuda Vishnu .

  

 

                                                                          

After that we got our own bikes and explored Bali freestyle really! We started with Tegunan waterfall which is certainly very touristy but absolutely worth it, I would definitely recommend aling -aling for the wonderful hike it has to offer along with the scenic waterfall if you want to dive freestyle.

There are ample rice & coffee plantations that you must visit for a good photo op! Keep two day for the islands especially Gili and Nusa Lembongan-cenigan, which I and sanky did by ourselves. You can get here by either ferry boats or speedboats. We opted for speedboats which was way faster and extremely fun. You just need to plan your day early on and go with the vibe. Forget your footwear at home if you are on island all day. We also hired a bake here to get around.

              

 

Last days we kept for our massages and quick shopping. Now you need to make a mental note and treat this as any street market you would in India. At least that's what I did. Bargain for anything and anything and you will end up with a satisfied deal even at the amazing boutiques for really amazing homegrown talents in Kuta and Seminyak.

I tried scuba diving for the very first time and being a non swimmer it was inadvertently scary. But you have the trainer who legitimately trains your for 10 mins and takes you through a trial run. One can also opt for sea walking or snorkeling as per their convini8ence. There are also adventure sports options like paragliding, parasailing, floor walking and banana boat rides.

Again key here is to bargain for and get a sweet deal, they usually have the complete gear and pick up and drop off services available from your hotel/villa. It's made extremely for the tourist convenience and liking, so one can really rest assured of the services they provide. Now Bali is the surfer's paradise you can always try renting out a surfboard and make a fool like us but the key here is to experience, so you must try!

           

                  This is our pre scuba diving faces, we looked like freaking tele-tubbies.

NIGHTLIFE

If you are the kinds that enjoy letting their hair down for wild night Bali has something for everyone's taste. Now I heard a lot of good things about Skygarden but I found it too sleazy and overbearing for my liking. I preferred La favella because it really had a wide array of playlist that I'm finetuned too if you like a really classy setup I enjoyed Rooftop Rock bar. Also, one of our nights was spent at Arboon beach bar for the pretty trippy night. It's always a good idea to be in your comfiest clothes and flip-flops at such bars( any color that glows like white don't forget to imbibe it on your outfit).

Now potato head is obviously the most overrated and overheard things one does in Bali.I would say it 's like the Thalassa of goa in terms of the vibe but only better with the overlooking pool by the beach and pool bar. Nothing quite like watching the sun go down from the pool, even at evening the pool is well lit. You can choose either the cabanas or sunbed by the beach, a good time to visit is certainly the noon. Also, you have a minimum spend on the table so even if you are getting your drink at the barkeep a cheque on the receipts they always can be counted on far.

It is expensive by every other standard of Bali day club but the cocktails are to die for, we do not end up eating at all! There are also day clubs like Mrs. sippy and loop bar that you should try if you are staying for longer.

WHAT TO WEAR

In spite of being a place that is submerged in tradition -you will see Hinduism clearly imbibed in their temples and traditions of every day and burka-clad woman, it doesn't warrant a strict dress code. It is advised to exercise your due diligence when at the temple and wrap a sarong that one can easily rent-other than that I had a free will to wear everything I wanted to even as plus size woman sans the glares.

Now, most of my outfits are from Shein, H & M, Zara, Koovs, Lulu & sky, label life, Sarojini & Colaba really. I have been shopping for months and putting together outfits in my head. Will try and list most of the names here but you can definitely write back to me if you have any doubts.

maxi dress from LULU & SKY

Midi sundress by VAJOR perfect for lounging 

Monokini by Prettysecrets

So boiling it down Bali is the destination for -World-class scuba diving, beaches, surfing, temples and lush-green landscapes. What more can you ask for on a trip of personal discovery? It’s also a yoga, meditation and health haven for those who need a clean break from all the distractions of the outside world.Ishall write again,see you in the next post!

xoxo

Victorian Candyfloss featuring StalkBuyLove

There have been so many inspirations throughout history that I strive to try on my blog. Yes, I 'm much rooted in the history of fashion like that but unable to translate the entire look.

Also one of the reasons I don't do it is not to make it look entirely costum-ey! Is that even a word?

Here's my mood board for this post,I always make one before I write my posts -hence decided must post it too!

My love for history has actually enabled me enough to be a lecturer at a design school in Mumbai- this gives me unprecedented access to lots of books. So while I was teaching my classes about Queen Elizabeth I swelled deep into not books but documentaries/ movies. We see the influence time to time in different variations but what if I had to make it my own, how would I do it. I wondered.

Story's second part goes on to how much I surf online shopping websites before doing anything else on the web is not even a joke. To get me in my zone I need to know what's happening with the e-com retailers. So I stumbled upon a pink shirt dress with beautiful collar. Now okay, I have very little or no neck(m no hate there) but I wondered if I could carry the dress. What the heck, I ordered it anyway-the things pink can make you feel. Cut to Goa and on last Day I knew how perfectly my Intoto heels matched my dress and my clutch from Kunst. I had to do something about it.

And could I have found a better location with a better name---PINK CHILLI

We started to shoot the look and Sanky did the most wonderful tight curls-Well I do look like somebody caught up between the kitsch time machine of today and Victorian era really. This looks however put together may not be what I imagined it to be but this is why I started the blog really. To feel unsettled, to take more fashion risks and not know what result I had wished upon.

My eye makeup is really a simple winged liner and pink lipstick to complete the overdose. You can get this dress from StalkBuyLove, heels(absolute love) from Intoto and beautiful sequinned clutch from Kunst by Diksha.

Happy Spaces With Vajor

As a creator, I often myself deriving inspiration around me to weave a story. I had kept this dress as a memoir 'cos it looked like something my grandmother would pass on to me and when I happen to visit maternal home I was more than happy to flutter it around.

So come Thanksgiving and I know we are not an American family but nevertheless, we wanted yet another reason to be thankful for everything we have had and things that were yet to step in our lives.

What is unique about the space is its beautiful sepia-toned lighting and cosy spaces that make you want to bundle up with a book and chai and not interact with anyone but yourself. I say pretty similar to what the dress does to me too-the beautiful hand block printed along with foil detailing is as bit comfortable as it is festive.

Enough room for that yum food on the table and realm with tassels and pockets,

the right amount of ruffles this dress will keep you more than engaged.

I'm wearing a size XXL which is a lil loose for me given its silhouette but honestly, the dress needs absolutely zero accessorizing and you guys know how big I am on maxis that need minimum styling-this is your go-to dress. Here's a glimpse of my family time sans the familia from the picture but I will definitely show you space around.

I will see you on my Instagram feed waiting for your suggestions and feedback for my next blog post, till then Xoxo

What home feels like...BomBae

I definitely can't take the credit of coining the term BomBae but most certainly attain rights over the word as any other of my counterparts breathing in the humid air here. I can be completely confident there are many cities world that one explores in their lifetime. When one travels they come back with tons of memories- some good while others a new learning to the way a city/town/village treats you. You recall them for a couple of days and then get back to your regular routine in your own city to which you belong. But, then there are some cities-the people you meet there that leave more than an  impression on your life. Travel teaches you something which you’d never experience anywhere else. One of those cities is Mumbai! For me, Mumbai is home. It has been a fascination not only in terms of the fact how the city has a perfect zine of balance amongst itself. If you know me my perpetual quest has been finding and making that little nuance of the city my own. During my styling finals, I breathed life into the inanimate objects of Mumbai-everything from cutting chai to local trains that speak the length and breadth of the city to me.

For the post, the intention was to collaborate with

1.the friendship I genuinely harbor with my fellow blogger, which is extremely rare for me to find a safe space beyond the virtual wall. Here there was some instant connect with Vishakha. She has written beautifully about us and I wouldn't ruin it for you, so let me redirect you to her here

2.Our relationship with the cities-Delhi and Bombay: What I instantly connect and agree with Vishakha is that we don't tend to compare both the cities. It's every kind of home for both of us-one that we were born in/lived in and one that we chose. I quite can't wrap my head around the fact how the tiff never ends.

3.To get onboard with a brand that our sensibilities match with. A very important aspect of our speaks about who we chose to partner with, what is the message being propagated through our blogs. We both can promise that we duly look after the quality content. Vajor has been a beautiful brand not only in its sensibility but its sense of designs, aesthetics, and inclusivity. I absolutely adore their collection and how particular they are about their collection update. I genuinely could live in Vajor for decades. The amazing thing is they extend to XXL which is an absolute boon for me!

Here's a glimpse of what we wore for our first look. They are definitely the most comfortable dresses. Also, have I ever wore 3 different kinds of stripes in a single dress and look flattering? Hell no! Vajor is capable of creating that magic. I would wear it (in fact I have been ) to brunches, to work and even casual dates nights with my girlfriends. I paired it up with my Mustard block heels and pearl drop earrings. Vishkaha is sporting a beautiful floral print twirl spree. It's even gorgeous in person.

Happy to be finishing up the second draft of t his series as I post this on the blog. Let me know what do you think about our collaboration.Don't forget to checkout  Vajor's festive collection!
Looking forward to seeing you in the next posts
XoXo

Breaking Myths With Afamado

I personally think there has been so much rue about what a Fat girl shouldn’t wear but time and again and we a plus size community have been trying to break the shell. It’s honestly very heartbreaking to see that as a community whose very members are we, levy such rules upon what to wear and what not to wear! The dress custom made by me defies all the rules that as plus size woman I’m supposed to be following.

The dress has my favorite trend off shoulder, a cinched waist, and a slit. I don’t want to be a hero but just normal person who wants to exists and do her own thing, eat what she likes, dress up as she likes and be  in this community just as anybody else.

One of the biggest style trends to emerge from  the very beginning  of summer 2016, without a doubt,  the off shoulder trend- is also  known by the name“Bardot  .” As a curvy girl, I remember baring my shoulders felt like a throwback to another time(being a vintage pinup fam), but also felt more comfortable sporting this trend.

To me these styles are flirty and the appeal lies in the fact that we can show skin but you got your upper arms covered. And that is a complete summer win for me. For colder weather, I would wear it with a button up plain shirt with prominent collars. 

You have seen me embrace the trend quite a few number of times on the blog.

It’s not hard to wear off-the-shoulder dresses – they make a statement on their own hence they really don’t need much else.

For this blog post, I have a beautiful geometrical print dress from Afamado. The dress is an off shoulder baby in Non stretch rayon woven fabric that can be either worn cinched or loose. The elastic on the shoulder and neck line enable a better fit. The dress was customized to my size and preference and that is what I loved about Afamado that ensures that each of its garment is made to the customers sizing’s.

For me my biggest accessory thanks to Sanky has become my Hair. We made it fun with tight curls. I have paired the dress with my pastel drop earrings from ALDO and block heels from Truffle Collection.

I really like the pop of color and the patterns of the dress. You can check out their curvy collection HERE and honestly these are all the dresses I would genuinely want to wear catering to different occasions.