From The Archives

Just because a new season is upon us is no reason to rush out and buy, buy buy. Yes, I know that I've been yammering on about the new stuff in stores, and the latest trends. But we often forget - in today's disposable world - that we can wear clothes more than once. Heck, we can wear them year after year if we feel inclined. So in that spirit, I thought I'd show you the things I'm going to be reusing this autumn/winter season. Some of them were bought last winter; some several years ago; and some just a few months ago. They all have one thing in common: they'll be gracing my person this season.

If you're browsing through Zara, you might notice that they're stocking a ton of linen dungarees aka overalls this season. I'm not really sure why, cos I didn't see any evidence that dungarees were a trend. However one can't deny that Zara has every trend first. Whether or not they happen to be a trend, I'll be using my fave Vero Moda linen dungarees once again. If you follow me on Instagram, you're probably already fed up of seeing them. But I have loved them for the entire year and a half that I've had them. They are a size too large, but the cut means that aside from looking tiny, it doesn't really matter. I'll most likely be wearing them exactly like this: with a long sleeved, tight top underneath.

Cropped sweaters, jerseys and cardigans are all the rage right now. Most of you should recall this cropped cardigan that I picked up from Zara this spring. I'll definitely be reusing it this season. Hopefully we'll have a decent bout of cold here in Mumbai. (I'm praying! Seeing as how the UK is supposed to come in for four months of snow, I hope it'll be an extra cold winter everywhere!) Which will mean that this will be perfect layered up over or under something. And if there isn't any kind of chill, well, I'll just wear it on its own on late winter nights.

Also all the rage are metallic flecked sweaters. I've had this Mango one since 2012 - I think. It might date to a little before that. And I love it! Although you can't tell from this picture, the white stripes have silver threads running through them. It catches the light beautifully. As a bonus, it's very thin and lightweight. Which means that I'll be able to use it regardless of whether or not Mumbai gets chilly. Bonus!

I will have to wait and see what the weather's like before I drag out this silver sweater from Forever New that I bought circa 2014. I love it, but it is meant for colder days. I usually use it when headed into air-conditioned environments in the winter. It's got a very cunning back - a bit of a keyhole style. It's a bit oversized, which is exactly what you want on those chilly, winter days. It's the 'something cosy to cuddle up in' that the weather calls for. Fingers crossed for a chilly winter!

In fact, I won't be buying many jerseys, cardigans or sweaters this winter. As you'll see in Part Two, I bought out the stores last winter and I intend on using them all this season. Let's hope that the weather cools down fast!!

Till next time,

MumbaiGirl.

IG: @maryannecp  

The New Bags

For most of us, accessories are a fun way to update our wardrobes without having to spend too much money or redo everything from scratch. It's also an easy way to buy into a trend that may not necessarily be our colour or our style. Plus it's great for those short-lived trends. Who wants to be stuck with clothes that are unwearable or horribly dated after just one season?

Which is what I thought when I bought my  - now infamous - raffia bucket bag back in March. 

"It's just going to be one season," I reasoned.

Was I ever wrong!

As you can tell from the title pic, bucket bags are still going strong. In fact, as we veer into autumn and winter, they're everywhere. 

From the extremely structured like this very solid one.

To a slightly more relaxed feel, like this circular one.

To an almost hobo-like feel, as this slouchy one suggests, they are in every store and every collection.

There's even a crocheted one, should you want something with a summery touch for the October heat.

While I shall definitely be giving up my Zara bucket bag, I am still on the fence about purchasing another. I am kind of fed up of the style, but I will admit that it can store stuff like no other. The amount of junk I can cram into mine!

Following on the Instagram moment that was the Shrimps bag, beaded bags are everywhere. This little number comes in white, should you want to go as Shrimp-like as possible. But I really like the uniqueness of these colours.

This bag is a great dupe for the Shrimps one, should you feel like having an Instagram moment too. Given that this is the festive season, you don't really need an excuse for splashing out on a pretty, beaded bag to go with your dresses, gowns and Indian-wear.

Much to my sorrow, that blasted bum bag - or belt bag, as they now call it - is still around. But only just. If you made the unwise decision to purchase some, make sure that you get all the use you can out of them. I have a very strong feeling that they'll be long gone come next Spring.

Till next time,

MumbaiGirl.

IG: @maryannecp

Photo Credits: The bags are from Zara, Mango and Forever 21. All pictures taken are from the brands Indian websites.

Autumn/Winter 2018 (Part Trois)

Now that we're all clued in as far as the bigger trends of the season go, let's not forget the smaller ones. This is autumn/winter, and naturally, sparkly, shiny things are a part of it.

Sequins & Metallics

Don't pretend you're surprised by this. Winter means Christmas, and that means parties galore. Parties mean shiny fabrics and sparkly embellishments. This season, it's all about sequins and silver metallic threads. They're on this Zara jumper.

They're running through this one. Mango has a herringbone coat with metallic thread running through it. 

And just take a look at this sparkly top! While sequins will work in any colour, make sure that your metallic threads veer on the side of silver. That's the metallic of this season.

As you can see with this skirt, even though the colour is a warm champagne, the threads that make it sparkle are silver. As you might also note, sparkly jumper plus sparkly skirt do not add to up overkill in this season.

Should you not want to go overboard with the shine, you could opt for something like this skirt.

It's got a sheen to it, but certainly doesn't require the use of sunglasses!

Green

As you can see with some of the earlier pieces, green is also one of the season's colours. From khaki olives to kelly greens to bright parrot colours, any shade goes this time round. And since green usually flatters most Indian skin tones, this is good news. Choose your shade and enjoy flaunting it. If you did your buying wisely, you will probably have some olive or darker shades from last autumn/winter. These can easily be reused. They (and most of the cuts they represent) are still very trendy.

I'll be tackling accessories in the next post.

Till next time,

MumbaiGirl.

IG: @maryannecp

Photo Credits: All pictures are from the 'New In' sections of the Zara India and Mango India websites.

Fishy Business

We're always told to 'go back to Nature' after stressful days. And what could be more stressful than returning from London and heading to Singapore immediately after that? Not to mention that thanks to some odd winds or other, the turbulence during the flight was insane. I mean, the wings of the plane were shaking!

When my sis and I landed, all we wanted to do was destress. So we chucked our bags, and headed to Sentosa Island to wander the peaceful halls of the Singapore Aquarium.

You walk through an excellently sculpted arch. The entrance floor has models of ships and ships' holds.

As the aquarium is on the lower level, I suppose this is done to make you feel like you're going undersea. The models are very well constructed, and worth a good look.

Once you enter the basement (??) area, you really feel like you've entered a marvellous undersea world. The walkways are darkened. The only light comes from the massive tanks full of fish of all kinds.

As you can tell from this pic, we're talking huge tanks. The reefs through which the fish swim are very realistically done. You honestly don't feel like they're man-made at all. It feels like they've just picked up a piece of the ocean floor and put in in a tank.

Should you have kids, you can take a guess at which one of these might be Nemo. Frankly, they all looked alike to me!

It's not just the fish that catch the eye. The beautiful corals and the colourful anemones make the tanks look like something out of the Avatar movie.

Just look at this, and you'll understand what I mean. How otherworldly does it look?!

They have a vast selection of species, even the jellyfish had a lot of representation.

Thousands of crabs of all shapes and sizes scuttled past. Some were in with the fish, to make it really feel like the ocean. Others had tanks all to themselves.

And let us not forget the seahorses. Can you spot them floating around in this pic?

There were a few main rooms, each with one massive tank about four to five stories high and full of all kinds of fish. There are levels of steps - kind of like an auditorium - where you can sit and watch the fish swim. The rooms were extremely crowded. There is something incredibly relaxing about watching fish swim when you're in a darkened room. You really feel like you're in a submarine, looking at fish through the portholes. If you've ever read Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, you'll begin to understand why they (Aronnax, Land and Conseil) really enjoy themselves with Captain Nemo.

All in all, it's a great day out, whether you're young or old. If you do happen to be in Singapore, I would highly recommend a visit.

Till next time,

MumbaiGirl.

IG: @maryannecp.

Photo Credits: All pics are my own.