Metro Musings!

My journey to the office is always interesting and I see different people and their unique style or behaviour and I am hooked! Offlate, I have seen a lot of women do their makeup on the Metro! Once, I saw a woman do her entire face with just a simple lip pencil and I looked at her wide-eyed and filled with awe. Another time, I saw this college-going-girl do her makeup too. But she had the entire paraphernelia - brushes, foundation, bronzer, blush, eyeliner, lipstick, gloss, mascara - it was like a magic pouch , things kept comong! The result was beautiful....and I had a hard time behaving like "Oh! I am so used to this, I see it everyday" expression while inside I was excited and eager to stare at the whole process.

Personally, I think it requires a lot of courage and self-confidence to put on make up in fornt of a bunch of strangers!!! I can't put on a simple eyeliner properly even if a friend is at home, or for that matter if anyone is watching me. I feel very self-conscious...or maybe, its just me! Applying makeup is an art...its not very easy and not everyone gets it right. Just like cooking or designing, it requires quick brush strokes like an artist, mixing the right colors...of course, as it may apply to any aspect of life, obsessing about makeup is not good either...but it can be a lot of fun. Sometimes, when I get bored, I do it even now, I 'play' makeup on my poor Amma or a willing cousin who will agree just to humour me. I know it sounds silly but its a lot of fun and it makes me happy. Amma often compliments the make up artist too! :)

Recently, I have been reading some fashion blogs and even seen some tutorials on youtube. I am amazed at the effort bloggers/people put in to it and they are absolutely very professional and detail-oriented. Its not easy to post pictures in every angle and its quite a huge task to update it everyday - and to make a good job of it!

I have always loved MAC cosmetics but never bought them coz they are super expensive. So recently when I decided to buy one, I was so excited and felt so grown up!! :) I have to admit that though they are slightly expensive compared to other brands, they last for a long time...more than a year and are good quality cosmetics.

Back home, LAKME is a good cosmetic brand that is affordable and offers a lot of variety at the same time! Their innovations are neat and you can try it out without burning a hole in your pockets. When I was in college, I used to save money to buy their lip pencils coz it was a huge rage THEN, and I used to sneak out and hide them everywhere like a treasure. Amma did'nt like me wearing lipsticks so she would find them all and hide them somewhere else. (of course, I did'nt know she did that). I would assume that I had misplaced it and would save again to buy another one!!! In this kide-n-seek game between Amma and me, not only did LAKME acknowledge me as a loyal customer, I had accumulated more than 20 lip pencils!!!! Finally, when I got married I found out my Amma's antics and she gave me all the pencils. Of course, I don't use lip pencils NOW. Murphy's Law!

My friend Sangita from school taught me how to apply eyeliner with your eyes open...:) Thanks babe! All makeup stories and tips are welcome, please share!

5 pictures are worth 5000 words?

All these pictures were clicked on a Canon S2 IS.


I am participating in the Travel photo contest by Blogadda in association with Pringoo. (Click on the links for all details)..this is a first for me, and something I love - both travel and photography! Living in Paris is such a great advantage for me, coz S and I have been able to explore so many beautiful countries in Europe! Enjoy the beauty!

This is a picture taken in Milos, Greece. Breathtaking scenery as you can see, like this view of the mesmerizing blue Aegean Sea - the reason why locals promote the island as 'Milos is for Lovers'! A rare find - our holiday in Milos was very relaxing, serene and considering its remote location , we felt extremely welcome and loved the hospitality of the islanders!

Looks like an optical illusion? Its a lovely concept...while wandering the streets of Prague, we saw this lovely painting in a gallery. Its the painting of the "The Twin Tower" as seen as a reflection in water! I could just not take my eyes off the painting. We sat there, right in the middle of the road and stared at it! What a work of art and an innovative view! :)

We had this unexpectedly different holiday in Goa, India in this lovely resort called Wildernest up in the little-known hills of Goa! A couple of hours from the popular beaches of Goa, set in the midst of thick green forests, we stayed in wooden log huts with fantastic views of the valleys and a literal walk in the clouds! Oh! and we had to hike about 10 minutes just to have breakfast! ;-)

One of our most memorable holidays was our trip to Austria. This is just one of the gorgeous views around Schalming, a small picturesque village tucked away in the heart of the Dachstein Mountains. A lucky find, it was one of those rare places where you didn't need a special setting - every click was like a picture postcard!

I am sure this will leave you speechless...let me add, this is the view from my living room (Paris, France)! Need I say more?

Longing for...

SUNSHINE!!!!!
Finally, we can see some sunshine here in Paris and I can't describe how happy I am!!! Coming from the land of abundant sunshine (India), I never imagined I would long for summer like this, having gone through the scorching heat and summers back home!

Apparently, sunshine and heat is directly proportional to the temperament of people. People who reside in tropical climates are often more friendly and warm hearted. In a way, I can relate to it coz prolonged periods of winter does make you feel depressed. How true is the proverb "Adigam amritham visham" which roughly translates to anything in excess is harmful!
I am sure I will crib about how hot, sweaty and clammy it is...in a month? ;)

My two cents...

I look at some old pictures and cringe at a mistake I made; could be my hair or the wrong clothes or the wrong color or bad choice of make up and often wish someone had given me tips on what suits me. Anyway, over a period of time, I have learnt some quick-fix thingies or tricks that may help other women like me and I would like to share my 'fashion wisdom' and be that 'someone'!

I am a classic dresser and don't really update my wardrobe with every change in fashion or season.I am not a manic follower but believe in looking smart & presentable or cheerful & fun, depending on the occasion! You are blessed with features that you have no control over but I think anyone can look good if they wear the right clothes/accessories that best suits them! If it does not suit me, no matter how trendy it is, I do not buy or wear it.
1. If you have a broad structure or broad shoulders like I do, refrain from horizontal stripes! They end up making you look broader than you actually are...So stick to buying horizontal stripes for the MEN in your life!

2. Avoid kajal if you have small eyes. They make your eyes appear smaller. A thin line with an eyeliner helps define your eyes. Or you can draw a line from the corner of the eye to the middle of the eye as seen in the picture! It makes your eyes look bigger...
I remember staring at my mom apply Gala eyeliner as if she was dipping a brush into a magic potion and insisting on applying it on my eyes. My mom would humour me on some days and I would keep my eyes closed for a long time lest it gets smudged! Amma and her younger sister would treasure the rare Gala eyeliners they would need to get from abroad, in those days!

Now, I don't think I prefer Gala coz its shiny and does not have a natural matte texture to it!

3. If you are short or have short legs or simply someone who wants to look taller, wearing long garments make you look taller. The length of the garment adds length to you as well. ( By God's grace, I am blessed with good height, yet I wear clothes in such a way that it highlights my height...cheap thrills!!)

4. Adding a waist coat to a plain top adds a lot of sophisticated fun element to a garment. Don't wear chunky jewellery along with it. We want to highlight only one element in the entire ensemble! A waistcoat camouflages any flaws in the midriff area...( My signature style to work on Mondays!)

5. Chunky jewellery looks great on most people and needs to be combined with plain dark clothes. You just need to experiment and be bold and try some new things. After all, normal can be boring some times! The jewellery makes a 'statement' with plain garments. If you are wearing prints, stick to a thin chain or no jewellery at all. ( I have an interesting collection of chunky, colorful jewellery and thin dainty stuff too...in a big box! I hope to pass it on to someone later on who will value it as much as I do when I am pushing daisies someday! ) Its my biggest treasure, sort of a hobby and means a lot to me!

6. Low-waisted jeans make you look slimmer. They apparently split the midriff and create an illusion of a waist! I guess it works coz the explanation sounds kind of logical, eh?

7. Experiment with colors. Wearing dark and bright colors not only brightens your day but also highlights your vibrant personality. Of course, as we all know, black is a slimming color and I tend to look at only black when I go shopping like a horse with blinders! I am banned from buying any more black-colored clothes at home! I am trying to wear pastels and summery colors that is considered feminine ;-). I experiment quite a bit, to the extent that I have saffron colored cargo pants!! :)

8. You can add a touch of color to an otherwise bland outfit by wearing an interesting belt, chunky bracelets or interesting beads. Often, I have seen really old women wear garish makeup or over-the-top accessories that looks downright cheap. Its vital that you dress age-appropriately. Too much bling or studded belts only look good on college girls or very young girls. Definitely not MY style :)

Most importantly, I think its very important to feel comfortable with who you are and your body type. It is definitely important to stay fit and be healthy but sometimes it becomes an obsession. You often feel disappointed with yourself mostly on account of unreasonable expectations from yourself more than anything else. There are certain things that look good ONLY on petite women and vice versa! Learn to accept and enjoy who you are....If you have the confidence to carry a particular outfit/accessory or style...then just go ahead and wear it. Don't think too much about what others may say or comment...it does'nt matter!

Enjoy all the attention and your confident stride as you take on the world!! :)