eStylista

My Style: Sun and sand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dress: Emilio Pucci

Sunglasses: Chrome Hearts

Toes: OPI Charged-up Cherry

This photo was taken at Soneva Kiri, a Six Senses resort on Thailand's Koh Kood island. It was perhaps the most idyllic holiday I have ever had. The resort was eco-chic with serious luxury thrown in. The food was beyond superlative and they take their 'No news. no shoes' policy very seriously!

Packing well for a beach holiday is a study in minimalism. Swimsuits / Bikinis plus coverups, t-shirts and shorts, flip flops, sunglasses and an outfit or two for the evenings is purely optional! 

Its lazy, bright, colourful dressing that does not take itself seriously. Less is definitely more. I tend to favour the classics of beachwear - Missoni for its bikinis and coverups and Pucci for its wraps. 

A beach holiday is the best time to embrace simplicity. Everything is pared down. A light tinted moisturiser and a heavy duty sunscreen are pretty much the only beauty potions you need. The same goes for the makeup kit. My holiday routine is limited to putting on some lip balm and lining eyes with kohl (MAC's 'Smolder'). 

Before you jet off, all you need to add to the mix are a few weeks of serious work-outs in the gym plus a wax and a heavy-duty pedicure (I swear by Bliss Spa).

Fabulous photos for Facebook bragging are guaranteed!  

My Style: I love McQueen

 
Dress and Corset: Alexander McQueen SS2009

Shoes: Sergio Rossi

Bag: Hermes; Birkin 25 cms

Readers of this blog know that I am partial to Alexander McQueen. This particular dress has a special place in my heart as it was one of the last ones I bought designed by McQueen himself.

Strangely though, this is the first time I have worn it. Vogue Fashion's Night Out was the perfect excuse followed by the launch of the Global Party at the Natural History Museum (which was rather spectacular!). I felt a tad over-dressd for FNO but it was the perfect choice for a OTT black-tie gala.

I love the pretty florals playing of against the strong leather corset, the origami like folds of the heavy silk, the exaggerated drama of the silhouette.

More importantly, wearing the dress was oh-so-special - like Cinderella off to her ball. The fussiness of the skirt added that frisson of je ne sais quoi - it mimicked a shortened ball-gown. Fashion is special, but sometimes it is transformative.

There are few dresses that invoke that kind of magic. I am privileged to own what was one of the artist's last creations.

My Style: Party, party

 

Dress: Missoni SS2011

Shoes: Alaia

Pacha in Ibiza is the best night club in the world. On my annual pilgrimage to this legendary club, I wore this little Missoni sequinned slip. It was an inspired choice. It was tiny - which always works, it was not totally fitted - so much better for dancing. The bright colours, the sequins just puts a girl in a party frame of mind. 

It was a Thursday "F*** me I am Famous" night, David Guetta was on the decks - the club pulsated with the collective energy of thousands of people. It was one crazy, memorable experience.

I wore my trusty Alaia heels - and they lasted like pros. After 7 hours of prancing about, my feet were perfectly fine the next morning. Now I am worried what will happen when they wear out!

 

 The before shot!

The crowd..

Me … tweeting away!!

 The light shows…. men in gigantic laser body suits….

My Style: Summer in the city

Shorts: James Perse

Top: Comptoir des Cotonniers

Shoes: Alaia

For a few magical days in the year, the weather gods deign to shower their bounty upon London's characteristic grey climes - for that short time the city is transformed.

It's sunny, happy - people smile and make eye contact. Everyone empties into its gorgeous parks, onto the roads and walk around luxuriating in its luminescent glory.

Picnics, barbecues, kids playing in the parks - the outdoors are embraced with a feverish tenacity - we know all too well that all this is short lived!

Sartorially I revert to shorts and a tee - classic summer attire! These James Pearse ones are slightly girly, a subtle play on this season's neutral palette. I can see my self getting a lot of wear with them on a beach holiday or a sunny city break.

The holy grail of casual dressing for me is finding the perfect white tee. It has to be light but not too see-through. The cut around the arms should not be too deep - it camouflages the slight (impossible to shift) flab that is stubbornly lodged there. The neckline must not be too deep or it results in gaping when you are reaching over for that last bread roll across the table.

I think I am almost there with this one. 

Now only if I had the fore-sight to have bought a couple more of them!

My Style: the long and short of it..

Top and Shorts: Missoni SS2010

Shoes: Alaia

Shorts as cocktail-wear are a new twist to the LBD saga. I am victim to the 'dress' syndrome as an easy (lazy) solution for evening dos. It is the simplest thing in the world to slip on, a dress and a pair of high heels, the tricky part for me is mixing it up a little.

Shorts add an element of playfulness and fun - these Missoni ones are extremely versatile. The mini-length coupled with a dramatic over-sized top adds that smidgen of glamour that is perfect for Louis Vuitton's Fine Jewellery launch.

This particular Missoni collection has been one of my favourites - it's a departure from their usual knits with the added drama of embellishments and sequins. The colours are more vibrant, there is a slight tribal influence whilst still sticking to the Missoni ethos; it's good to see brands with such a strong 'look' innovate and come up with ways to ensure their client's continuing interest.

I extract maximum bang for the buck with my Alaia shoes - they continue to be my absolute favourites and perfect partners-in-crime for events where standing around in high heels is on the agenda.

Finally add to all this - an oversized bag. It makes for an interesting contrast with shorts, and you have (what is for me) a fun way to enjoy fashion and the oft-elusive and fleeting London summer.

My Style: Night out….

(photo credit: Abha Housego)

Dress: Missoni AW 2010

Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti

As I get another year older - I have realised one of the best ways to begin celebrating is to do a small dinner with close girl-friends. I ended up at Zuma for one of the best night outs I have had in a while. There is something to be said about bringing in the birthday with a fun bunch of girls! 

If you follow my blog you know that Missoni is one design house I love. The affair (!) began as a practical option to pregnancy style - I spent almost one year exclusively in Missoni - the dresses stretched as my belly grew. Over that year - I got to know the wonderful staff at their Sloane Street boutique really well, which is the perfect recipe for inducing brand loyalty in clients.

There are intangible reasons why customers will spend their fashion bucks with one brand as opposed to another. Especially with the high spenders - being intimate with the store, the product lines and having an on-going relationship with the store associates is of paramount importance. 

I rarely shop in Selfridges or Harrods unless I'm in a hurry, I much prefer to walk into the store and buy, building relationships with brands - doing this as a client is better value for money as it comes with a whole host of benefits like invitations to special events, previews and fashion shows. The brand gets to know you and your preferences.

Smart brands realise that if they support the client, clients stay put. One of the classic ways is through charity causes that clients endorse. Charity galas are the sum total of relationships the organisers have with brands. Harnessing such relationships is a symbiotic win-win. 

Missoni is one such label. They support my charity Pratham UK and I continue to shop! Not only do I pick up great additions to my wardrobe but also pick up good karma points along the way.

They in turn get access to a whole host of wonderful women who are equally passionate about shopping and giving back through charitable causes. Creating 'stickiness' in clients is an art. Brands that do it well have customers for life...

My Style: Gala Glam

Dress: Versace AW 2009

Shoes: Versace

Dressing for a black-tie event is a lot of fun. One gets to indulge theatrical instincts and wear fairytale confections.

No one does glam better than Versace!

For the Harestyling Gala I picked one of my favourites - I confess I have worn this gown several times (thereby justifying the investment in 'pay-per-wear' point of view! 

The one rule I try to follow for such events is never wear black - its cliched and every one right down to the hostesses and staff wear it. A gala is an opportunity to express with colour and bling, so go for it (within the confines of style!)

For makeup - I took my cue from today's leading fashion icon - Duchess Catherine Cambridge herself! Like Kate Middleton - I did my own makeup -which is actually a first - as I don't really wear makeup and am rather hopeless at it!

But after the makeup artist from Dior botched up my face (I looked like a drag queen gone bad!) - I washed it off, applied the Organic Pharmacy serum followed by a couple of pumps of the revolutionary Nubo foundation - used YSL's Touche Elact sparingly on the dark circles and voila - I actually managed to do my own base! 

Eyeshadow, liner, mascara, kajal and lip-gloss followed by a touch of blush and in 5 minutes I was ready. Revolutionary (for me)!!

My latest beauty find is the website Cult Beauty - they have been around for a while but I recently stumbled upon them. They are (for me) the Netaporter of beauty - a carefully curated collection of the latest beauty products with a focus on what really works.

 

 

My Style: Art Attack

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Dress: Jay Ahr

Shoes: Alexander McQueen

Often the answer to the perennial 'what do I wear' question begins with a pair of killer shoes. Thats exactly how I arrived at my outfit for the Harestyling preview.

The booties are absolutely gorgeous - interesting shape, studded, with the trademark skull - they define the 'statement shoe.' And McQueen is definitely flavour of the season. (So worth the aching feet and numb toes at the end of the evening.)

My new 'find' is Jay Ahr. Whilst looking for the Matthew Willamson section in Selfridges, I chanced upon his racks and ended up buying a few of his dresses. They epitomise easy style. Ahr has cottoned on to the fact that most (real) women (except for the anorexic, carrot nibbling variety) carry dreaded extra inches around the midriff. His cut drapes intelligently and as a result camouflage the tell-tale bulges admirably.

Invariably, if one is looking for a short dress, it turns out to be a body-con, Herve Leger-esque unforgiving garment that requires a mandatory starvation diet for days before one can even contemplate wearing it.

But not Jay Ahr. He flatters and makes a lots of women very, very happy - he is one designer to watch out for.

Now only if it meant I could stop the punishing visits to the gym...

My Style: Black Beauty

The colour black is the cornerstone of most wardrobes. When in doubt, wear black - right?

It's chic, its slimming - it never goes out of style.

So as the sun seems to be shining brightly in London - I look fondly at my light, bright summer dresses and pick a few black staples from my wardrobe for the eStylista ode to my favourite colour - they will (optimistically) be put away till autumn comes!

Black beauty by estylista featuring hermes bags

Lanvin top
$795 - barneys.com

 

Citizens of humanity jeans
170 GBP - net-a-porter.com

 

Alaia cut-out suede heels
$2,085 - net-a-porter.com

 

Yves Saint Laurent Square-frame metal sunglasses
229 GBP - net-a-porter.com

 

Balmain jacket
weareprivate.net

 

Hermes bag
bagsofluxury.com

 

My Style: Little Black Dress

 

Dress: Balmain AW2010

Shoes: Alaia SS2011

Bag: Pucci

A Little Black Dress is like a best friend - the right one virtually changes your life. It's there for you when nothing else seems to work. You rely on it in times of dire emergency. It lifts your spirits and is guaranteed to make you feel great. 

The LBD is the instant answer to the dreaded "I have nothing to wear" dilemma.

Style goddesses have embraced it with a passion - from the legendary Coco Chanel (she is credited with its invention in 1926 - prior to that black dresses were only worn in times of mourning) to the oh-so-stylish Audrey Hepburn (remember Holly Golightly's divine Givenchy dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's - it was almost a character in its own right and it has been voted the top female outfit in movies of all time!).

Finding the right black dress is mixture of skill and luck. A few basic principles are best kept in mind. The LBD should not be too tight - it will not work when you feel fat or bloated (unless of course you have the figure for it).

Jersey is a smart chioce - it drapes beautifully, hides tell-tale bulges, hugs in the right places and most importantly flatters. I have an Alice+Olivia dress that is usually the first thing I pack when I'm going away - be it for work or holiday. It's my fall-back option and definitely the most worn dress in my closet - a fantastic investment from a cost-per-wear point of view! I have worn it clubbing in New York, for a New Year's eve party in Goa, to a karoke house party in London and to more dinners than I'd care to remember.

The LBD must be well cut and simple - it is like a chameleon that changes according to the accessories you wear. On a winter's day you might wear it with stockings and boots or pumps, if its warmer - with strappy heels. If it is too detailed it looses versatility.

It should ideally be short - makes your legs look endless. The only exception this would be business attire. The LBD for work is a great option - as long as the hemline skims the knees.

The right black dress, a pair of killer heels, a well chosen accessory - thats all you need to be stylishly dressed for most social occasions.  

The LBD is iconic, perennially chic and a universal wardrobe staple. Styles may change, fashions and trends come and go -  but an LBD is always in vogue.

Little Black Dress by estylista featuring dresses

Helmut Lang | Twisted draped jersey dress | NET-A-PORTER.COM
275 GBP - net-a-porter.com

 

Paul & Joe Sister | Lucile ruched silk-chiffon dress | NET-A-PORTER.COM
240 GBP - net-a-porter.com

 

IRO | Clemence washed-silk mini dress | NET-A-PORTER.COM
255 GBP - net-a-porter.com

 

My style: High heels and other matters of the heart...

(Picture credit: Carola Syz)

I begin by stating the obvious. I love shoes. More specifically super high heels - pure works of art and feats of engineering.

Louboutins may not be the most comfortable things to walk around in, but they look  and make you feel like a million bucks! The bright red sole is a badge of honour worn by fashionistas around the world; there is something to be said about suffering for fashion. 

The intricacy of Rene Caovila shoes, the sparkle of Gina heels, the sheer beauty of McQueen boots, girly yet edgy Lanvin wedges - my list of brands to covet is endless. 

Apart from adding height (how I yearned as a teenager to be at least 5.8 - I stopped growing at 5 foot 4 and a half inches - the extra half inch is crucial!) The right heel totally completes your look. You may be dressed in all black, but the statement shoe is an outfit in itself. 

I was asked once how many pairs of shoes I own. The fact that I hesitated and then fudged paid testimony to the fact I have far too many. Wikianswers says the average for a woman for my age is 40-60 pairs. I have (a few) more than that.

Storing shoes is a whole other challenge. They used to be all over the place. in various cupboards, some in boxes, others in shoe bags. Any woman who has scrambled around, all made-up and dressed trying to find the precise pair she bought a month ago (with an impatient partner glowering at his watch) will sympathise.

For a long time I grappled with the conundrum - what you can't see you won't wear. The problem was solved by the Practical princess team. They photographed, labelled, boxed and stacked  - Voila!  I could see (and wear) my shoes again!

Finding a pair of high heels you can walk comfortably in is (almost) like falling in love, it's nothing short of a miracle. Walking around the fabulous, fabulous shoe hall in Selfridges, I saw an assistant walking around in beautiful 6 inch Alaia heels - and she claimed they were super comfortable. She was right, and I found my (current) sole-mate. A match made in fashion heaven!

 

 

My Style: transitional looks

Dress: Missoni AW10

Shoes: Gina for Selfridges

Jacket: Balenciaga

Dressing for transitional weather is challenging, especially in temperamental London.

Winters are easy - many layers, big coats. But come March and your brain is shouting (wistfully) spring but the thermostat can't make up its mind, leaving you in total wardrobe dilemma.

My solution to such quandaries is to fall back on favourite staples. In this case - the Balenciaga jacket. I bought it years ago in New York. It has seen me through everything - pregnancy, travel and seasonal changes. Over a pair of skinny jeans, with a lace top and boots , or to toughen up a dress - super soft, made of buttery leather, very comfy and I love it!

Another fall-back for me is the Italian label Missoni. Its the lazy person's answer to stylish dressing. A Missoni dress, stockings and heels - and you are set for almost anything. Lunch with friends, a spot of shopping, dinner or for meetings teamed with a well-cut jacket. Its perfect for those crazy days when your diary is crammed with assorted appointments. 

Missoni was a life saver when I was pregnant with my daughter - it looked good and stretched in the right places. 

Knit dresses also make great travel pieces - don't crease and easy to pack. 

As for the shoes - they are Gina special editions for Selfridges. Super high but on the comfy scale (one is "I can walk all day" - ten is "my feet are killing me") would be a seven - perfect for car to restaurant and back but definitely not for walking all over town. 

Lets see if you can guess where this photo was taken :)

My style: Sari appeal

Designer: Manav Gangwani

There is no garment that celebrates a woman as much as the sari. It clings in the right places (and hides the tell-tale bits). Its slinky, its sensual and it is very, very chic.

For black-tie do's the sari is my first choice. You stand out in a sea of black gowns and there is little chance that someone will be wearing the same outfit.

I don't have a whole host of Indian designers fighting for space in my closet - I have a some by Tarun Tahiliani, Suneet Varma, Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra but the majority are by Manav Gangwani. 

Manav's USP is fit. His blouses are well cut and look amazing on. He is definitely not for the shy-hearted, but I am assured (by him) that he caters to clients of all sensibilities.

I wear his saris for impact. I get them 'pre-stitched' which means the pleats are stitched in and you can wrap the sari, almost like a skirt - I never really learnt how to tie the six yards of fabric with the elegance it demands. And now I opt for convenience over authenticity

I started wearing his designs a few years ago, and over time he became a friend. He did a fabulous fashion show for the Pratham UK Gala 2010. I can assure you all (male) jaws hit the floor when the models began walking the ramp.

 

Facebook Photos of the Pratham UK Gala

 

My style: the colour Green

Emerald green is my favourite colour. As it was Diwali, I wore a polki necklace. The dress is possibly one of my favourite dresses :) It may be time to take it out of the closet again...

In the picture with me is stylist and wonder-woman Elika Gibbs and her friend Tamara Mellon - I don't know her very well, but I hear she loves her shoes ;)

Dress: Balmain

Shoes: Rene Caovilla

Jewellery: Rakyan's Delhi

My style: glitter and gold

What do I have in common with Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer and Hayden Panettiiere?

I wore this special edition Versace dress to my birthday in June 2009. The theme was Burlesque - bling was mandatory! The party was at Home House - fab space and Janina in their events team is super helpful! Caroline Hurley at Quintessentially Events produced it beautifully...

DRESS: Versace (SS09)

SHOES: Versace (SS09)

STYLED BY: Katy Scarlett Taylor

The dress got a lot of attention! It was a runway piece and it certainly did the rounds..

It made its appearance on the cover of Tatler UK with Elle Macpherson, Vogue UK with Claudia Schiffer and Hayden Panettiiere with InStyle, it was also Gwyneth Paltrow's choice for the Grammys!

I loved wearing it…