Author Archives: Shloka

Shloka Spots #4: Autumn Transitions

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Welcome to my latest weekly series, Shloka Spots! Every week I’ll be sharing my favourite (and coolest!) finds so that you can stay ahead of the curve with what’s worth it and what’s not. Share your thoughts, purchases and love with me by tagging me in your posts and using #ShlokaSpots!

I admit it’s been a bit silent on the #ShlokaSpots front but I’m back and although I’m not actually going back to class, that back to school feeling has well and truly hit me. I can’t help but be excited for a new season, a new month and hopefully a much brighter (and freer!) future. That being said, the weather is still in a very strange place, and we are still battling that “is it autumn? is it summer?” feeling. With that in mind, I’ve curated some pieces that are must haves for transitioning your style into autumn 2021. I’ve also added in some of my recent beauty additions that have really helped my skin regenerate and glow! At the end you’ll find a vote that I’m so interested to hear your thoughts on! Share your vote in the comments and le’t chat!

Fashion: Autumn Transitions

Every transitional wardrobe needs certain staples. Make sure you have the perfect striped jumper, statement sweater vests, tailored pieces and some dark denim to stay up to date with the season. Personally I am loving the idea of a striped jumper, an oversized blazer and some tailored shorts. Shop my selection below.

3 Autumn Fits To Try Now

Beauty: Keep The Glow

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Organics Pharmacy for a facial (gifted experience). I have very sensitive, acne prone skin so I’m always a little hesitant about new products, especially peels and masks. After the facial I noticed a huge difference in my skin and over the following days, I could see visible differences in my scarring and acne. I even started to get complements about it. I decided to add some of the products to my routine and I am so happy with the results! If you are in London, I highly recommend visiting the Organics Pharmacy for a facial and getting a personalised consultation. If you have skin like mine, try these products!

Check Out My Facial Experience Here!

Find Of The Week

Shearling is very much an autumn/winter favourite but here’s an interesting one. We all know (and love) the Prada re-edition and this shearling one is adorable, but is it worth the investment? I spotted the same design from H&M this season as well. So, is it worth grabbing or is this too trendy to splurge for? Vote in the comments below!

Prada Shearling Bag

H&M Shearling Bag

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Colour With Shloka: Green

I think my favourite trend to emerge post pandemic, is simply finding the joy in dressing up again. Whether that’s choosing to wear sequins in the day, or dressing top to toe in your favourite colour. I have embraced colour a lot more in the last year and I love adding that pop of my favourite hue to my look. One of the colours that’s really grown on me this year is green. From the super saturated neon green taking the runway, to Bottega green for the coming season, here are my top tips for styling green.

Denim, Neutral or Blue

Denim or neutrals are always a great option to style your favourite saturated shades with. If you’re ever unsure about a bright colour, you can always rely on neutrals like black, white or beige, or denim to carry it off. If you’re feeling a bit bolder though, why not try your green look with a beautiful blue colour pop like I have above?

Lilac

Although this may seem like an unlikely combo, lilac and green are a beautiful combination together. The pastel shade with this bright and bold hue make for a fashion forward look.

Pop of Pink

Probably one of my all time favourite combinations, pink and green are a match made in heaven! I love any of the shades of pink with green, from pastel to bright! It always works!

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3 Under Eye Concealer Hacks To Try

One thing I can’t do without in my make up arsenal is concealer. Recently, with the home move and all the things happening around us, my under eye concealer has been the one step in my routine that I just cannot miss out on. That being said, there is a right and a wrong way to apply your under eye concealer and I’ve learnt three hacks to make sure that it always looks flawless and natural! Scroll down for my three tips or watch my video on it here!

1. Apply Upwards

Apply your concealer on the outer corner of your eyes and the inner corner in an upward direction. This gives your eye an immediate lift.

2. Dab, Never Rub

Always dab the concealer in with your fingers. It’s the best way to make sure that it’s blended naturally and seamlessly. I like to use my middle finger as this does not apply too much pressure to the under eye area, where the skin is thinner and delicate.

3. Translucent Powder Is Your Friend

To make sure my concealer looks as natural as possible, I like to finish with a translucent powder. This blends everything seamlessly and keeps your concealer in place.

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Shloka Spots #2: Get Your Greens

Inspiration can strike when you least expect it – this week, I was most inspired by my surroundings. Every time we come to Holland, I am overwhelmed by how beautiful and green it is, so of course, green is what I’ve been vibing with this month. From colour blocking with my favourite colour, pink, to lusting after Bottega green, I’ve put together the best green pieces to add to your wardrobe. Style your greens with neutrals (so impactful with black or white!) or go bold by pairing with pink, lilac or my personal favourite, cornflower blue.

Style: Get Your Greens

Beauty Must Haves

I recently did a workshop with the NARS team, and my biggest question was, how do I find my ideal lipstick shade? It all came down to finding your undertone and going from there. It takes less than a minute, and you can see how here! Below are some of my go-to lipstick shades.

How To Find Your Undertone

Luxe Piece of The Week

I am in love with this playsuit from River Island! The floral print is so Zimmermann and it looks so chic paired with a pair of sneakers or a sleek pair of sandals.

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How To Find Your Undertone

This post contains affiliate links which do not affect your experience in any way. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

When talking about the best make-up for your skin, we often discuss undertones. So you might be sitting there and wondering, but what is my undertone? Lucky for you, there is an easy way to figure out what your undertone is, and once you do, you’ll be able to choose the perfect lipsticks, blushes and more for your skin.

Finding your undertone will take you less than a minute. Here’s how you do it.

Look at the veins in your wrist. What colour are they?

If they are green, you have a warm undertone. Most Indian women do!

If they are blue, you have a cool undertone.

If it’s somewhere in between with no distinct shade, then you have a neutral undertone.

If you have a warm undertone:

Opt for orange-based colours! Shades with orange, peach or coral will look amazing on you!

If you have a cool undertone:

You are looking for shades that have a blue base! Think more cherry red and less orange. You can also opt for deeper shades.

My undertone is warm! What’s your undertone? I’ve highlighted some of my go to lip colours below!

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How To Add Bright Colours To Your Wardrobe

This post contains affiliate links. This does not affect your experience in any way. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

From bright pink to Bottega green, 2021 is setting us up for very colourful wardrobes, and I am not complaining. However, if you’ve never experimented with colours before, or have a closet full of neutrals and classics, adding something bright and bold like a yellow or purple might feel intimidating. Believe it or not, if you’ve been following me for a while, I was one of those people. Black and white were my go to’s when I was in doubt, and in the summer, denim was my best friend. That’s all changed.

I started to experiment with my style in the lockdown and delve further down the rainbow of bold colour combinations, and statement pops. But, mind you, I also learned that bright colours don’t always look modern if not done right. So I’ve picked up some tips and tricks to help you add bright colours to your wardrobe while making sure you look trendy and super luxe. Let’s do it.

Start with a Colour Pop

The best way to add a bright colour to your wardrobe is with one statement piece. Whether that’s a handbag, a pair of shoes or a shirt, start with something that you can pair with everything else in your wardrobe and challenge yourself to wear it a few times. Lucky for you, any colour will match with a neutral so go with your favourite. My favourite is pink – you can see some of my favourite pink pieces here!

2. Work With Shades

So you’ve found a colour that you love, but you want to incorporate it more seamlessly into your wardrobe? Look at shades! I love a tonal look (which also happens to be the coolest new way to colour block – I mean, did you see Hailey Bieber’s outfit?) For example, if your colour of choice is blue, try pairing it with denim, navy and a touch of white. Going for red? Look for deeper neutrals like brown! The whole look will come together seamlessly.

3.Work With The Colour Wheel

Ready to go all the way with colours? Then you’re ready for some colour blocking! The easiest way to figure out which colour goes together is to look at complementary colours on the colour wheel. Identify the colour of choice and look at what is directly opposite it! This is a great way to create an unexpected combination. You can also look at colours next to each other on the wheel – for example, blues and greens look fabulous together and are a super high fashion look.

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Shloka Spots: Think Pink

I am so thankful that Shiv & I could drive down to Holland to be with family this past week. Packing for this long of a road trip was quite the feat, but I knew I wanted elevated pieces that were versatile but also chic. I packed a lot of colour with me and this week was all about pink. Pink is my all-time favourite colour, so there is a lot of it in my wardrobe. Does it help that pink is also trending right now? I think so. Pair with neutrals, or go crazy and colour block (stay tuned for next week for more on that or see my video below!)

Style: Pink Finds

How To Colour Block Like A Fashion Pro

Beauty Must Haves

We’re all venturing out a bit more now, whether it’s to your favourite restaurant or a different country. I’m all about products that last long and take you far – here are my beauty essentials right now.

Click Here For How I Use These Products

Luxe Look Find of The Week

I’m always looking for pieces that are super luxe looking without the price tag. This week’s find is this fantastic rattan handbag from Arket. The shape is similar to a Fendi Baguette, and the leather buckle details make it look, designer! Grab it before it’s gone.

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How To Look Chic When Travelling

I think it’s safe to be cautiously optimistic and say that holidays are back on the cards. Mrs Rona is finally (hopefully!) taking a hike, and as we see countries start to open up for tourism again, many are planning the holiday we’ve been waiting for. Whether it’s a quick road trip to the countryside or jetting across the continent, it’s time to start bringing back one of my favourite kinds of outfits; the travel outfit. You have to admit, you’ve missed the customary travel fit Instagram at the airport terminal with your suitcases. Here are my top tips for looking chic while travelling for your next 2021 holiday.

Mix & Match with Lounge Wear

I think we have all built up quite the selection of loungewear over the last year, and many of us are not quite ready to give up our favourite tracks. I love wearing loungewear to travel, but I also love to make it extra chic by mixing and matching with some more elevated pieces. Pair your favourite joggers with an oversized blazer and hoodie for the ultimate cool-girl look. (PS: This is a great outfit for running errands too)

Layer

It’s all about looking cool but feeling cosy when creating the best travel outfit. You want to be ready to go no matter what, so I always love to layer. I love to add interest to my look with either a textured duster coat (think suede!) or a cropped leather jacket. Not only do they look amazing when you travel, but they are also great pieces to style when you arrive at your destination!

Add Colour

Last but not least, I love an all-black look as much as the next girl, but there’s something about a pop of colour that immediately takes your outfit to the next level! Opt for colourful hoodies or accessories to create an effortless travel outfit that still is cool!

Are you planning any getaways soon?

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Trending or Classic? How To Tell If A Handbag is Worth the Investment

I always believe it’s worth waiting and investing in accessories, but how do you know if a designer handbag will last the test of time or die out as a fad? From the Bottega Mini Jodie to the Prada Cleo, the options are endless, but through my experience, I’ve figured out how to tell if a bag is a cop or a drop. So if you’re looking to invest in your next designer handbag for your collection, or maybe this is your very first one, here are the essential questions to ask yourself before you take the plunge.

Is There History?

You know how everyone says fashion is cyclical? You can see it with the return of all your favourite (or not so favourite) 90’s and 00’s trends, but you can also see it with handbags. From the Dior Saddle Bag to the Fendi Baguette to even the re-invented Mini Jodie from Bottega, brands tend to recreate or “edit” their classic heritage pieces and bring them back time and time again. When I was looking at buying my Mini Jodie, I remembered that my mom had the original Bottega weave tote in a larger size, without the knot. The weave is a symbol for the brand, as is the shape, so I knew it was worth investing in. It can be argued that those bags are more “iconic” than they are “classic” (great article about that here), but they are still worth the investment if you love one of these heritage bags.

How Wearable is This, Truly?

From ultra mini to larger than life to the craziest shapes you can imagine, there have been all sorts of handbags that have been trending. One of the most significant ways to tell if a bag is here to stay is to judge its functionality. Is it usable? What can you fit into it? Yes, the Jacquemus mini bags are adorable. Yes, I have more than one. Can I fit anything relevant into them? Nope. I know that they are a bit more tongue & cheek and not for everyone, so although I love them, I know they are not classic pieces. On the other hand, my Chanel classic flap or my larger Jacquemus can fit everything from my wallet to my mini notebook. I can wear it pretty much every day for any occasion. Versatility and functionality equal a classic piece.

Is it A Part of the Permanent Collection?

When a bag is a part of a brand’s permanent collection, you know it’s a classic for the house. You can usually tell this when they continue to make the same shape or model but in various colourways each season. Think the Classic Chanel Flap, the Hermes Kelly, The Dior Book Tote, or the Louis Vuitton Capucine. If you’re looking to invest in a designer handbag, it’s always good to look for a bag that the designer brings back season after season, year after year.