Wishlist: Michael Kors Tote

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

bag spotting

I have a confession to make – I have never bought a designer handbag before. In fact, the most expensive purse I’ve ever purchased was a Nine West crossbody bag that cost $49. The reason for this is two-fold; I’ve never been convinced of the value of an expensive bag, and I don’t purchase leather goods. (Since I don’t eat beef for religious reasons I’ve always felt a bit strange about carrying around leather).

The last few months though I’ve been wearing out my inexpensive bags at an alarming speed, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I often carry my DSLR and my iPad, and they just can’t handle the weight. So ….. I’ve decided to invest in a new sturdy bag, and I’ve even let myself off on the leather restriction a bit. I had a long chat with my mother about it and she’s assured me that I won’t be carrying a giant karmic debt because of it. That’s not to say that if I find a non-leather alternative I won’t be jumping for joy (the hunt is on).

I’ve only just started to look around and my criteria is basically this; must come with arm and shoulder strap, fit my iPad and camera comfortably, be a colour but not in your face or jarring. Simple enough right? I’ve visited the Michael Kors store and Holt Renfrew boutique and am really leaning towards the Selma (with no studs) in this beautiful purple.

selma store

No decisions yet though – still lots of window shopping and research to do. Would love to hear your suggestions and favourite brands for investment bags though, leave me a comment!

You Can’t Force Fashion

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

coloured pants, cropped pants, pink chai style {Pants: Banana Republic Factory Store, Shoes: Winners}

may 22 2 {Shirt: ? – seriously old, Necklace – Winners}

I’ve had two seperate conversations today about my desire to write really good content for the blog – and yet I’ve been staring at a blank screen for nearly an hour now. I guess good writing doesn’t come on demand, you just can’t force it. The same can be said about style preferences, you can’t really force them on someone, they either like them or they don’t.

I’m painfully aware of the above fact, yet I forced myself to buy pants a few weeks ago. Even though in the back of my mind I knew I don’t like how they look on me and I’m going to be uncomfortable in them. Basically, the only two legged bottoms I like to wear are jeans or jean shorts; me and “dress-ier” pants have never gotten along. For one, they are always loose around the waist because my hips are a size or two bigger than my waist, and then there is the puckering around the crotch area. No matter how many pairs I try on, they always wrinkle in highly inappropriate spots. The lovely associate at the store I bought these assured me that it happens to everyone’s pants, but I’m having my doubts on that. Long story short, I’ve bought these pants and removed the tag and I don’t really like them (on me), so now I’m stuck with them.

What did we learn from this experience? There are certain things each of us doesn’t like when it comes to fashion and we should just follow our gut, and if we don’t love it 110% in the dressing room we shouldn’t bring it home. Thankfully these pants were on sale for $35 so we all learned a valuable lesson without really breaking the bank.

On a side note – does anyone want to swap a pair of blue pants for a pencil skirt or something?

Travelling Teacup: Good Things Book

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

The Travelling Teacup is a weekly post where I step away from fashion and talk about things that I’d normally discuss with a girlfriend over a cup of chai. This is what’s on my mind when I’m not thinking about what to wear, eat, or DIY. I hope you’ll leave a comment and join the conversation.

gratitude quotes, acknowledging good things in our life, pink chai

This week I’m all about gratitude and good things. For the last few weeks I’ve been off – a little grumpy, sometimes weepy, and very argumentative. In fact, my son told me last week that I’ve been ‘word fighting’ a lot with Dad, and he doesn’t like it. (Ouch!) A part of me wants to blame it all on my auto-immune issues. I do have good days and bad days, and sometimes it’s hard just getting through my day, but it’s really not that simple. It never is.

Since the end of last year I’ve been in transition (again). I’ve gotten really serious about growing this blog and building my writing portfolio, and have been intensely focussed on big results; so focussed in fact that I’ve been missing all the little wins along the way. It’s hard to stay motivated, happy, and on task towards a project when ‘nothing good ever happens’. But is it really that nothing good ever happens, or is it just that we don’t acknowledge it? That seems to be the problem in my case. I’m always looking outside of myself for validation and encouragement rather than stopping to reflect on the good things inside my life.

The irony of this scenario came to me after I spent hours looking for the perfect tea cup. I had this vision of travelling to amazing places with my teacup and taking stunning photographs; imagine it on the Great Wall of China, or resting on a windowsill in the Agra Fort, beautiful right? I dragged my husband from store to store looking for “the one” but nothing came of it. Then I came home totally defeated, made myself a cup of tea and found that I had the “perfect teacup” in my cupboard already. My kids gave it to me three years ago for Mother’s Day, foreshadowing maybe?

gratitude, good things book

The whole teacup episode got me thinking about other good things in my life that I might not be acknowledging. All the self-help and law of attraction books say that we bring about what we think about right – maybe nothing good happens, because I don’t think about the good stuff? Aha moment my friends! So, the Good Things Book was born. I found a little notebook that I can carry with me all the time and make note of random good things that happen in my day. Some examples that I wrote down last week; had a super productive Monday, won a risotto pan on a Twitter party, and best conversation ever with Mr T on our anniversary. Those are my good things – maybe they wouldn’t matter to someone else, but they make me feel blessed (and happy).

I felt so good in fact that I took the entire weekend off to fill up my cup and enjoy my friends family and city! Now that my cup isn’t just full it’s overflowing with happy thoughts, I’m ready to tackle the task of getting dressed and making this a great week. Cheers!

PS: On the theme of Good Things – my statement necklace update was featured on IFB’s Links a la Mode last week, honoured!

Links à la Mode: May 16th

Cherie La Mode: Ways to Wear Black Lipstick
Coco and Picasso: DIY: ASOS Fantasia Sweatshirt
Couture Crush: Cat Ears… it’s a hairstyle!
DIY Doyenne: DIY Marc Jacobs Inspired Shoe Re-Do
Eight Days a Week: Barcelona Bridal Week 2014: Top 5 Details
Emphatically Elle: Style Editorial: Everybody Loves Vintage
Fashion is Evolution: Warby Park Home Try-On Program Review
Incognito: Be machiavelic or how to be part of the blogging community
Inspirations & Celebrations: What To Wear To Go Wine Tasting
Kat Skull: What to do After Purging Your Closet
La Vie en Couleur: From Blogs to Books
Lesimplyclassy: Loving right now: Red Shoes
Look Sharp Sconnie: Why Irony is the New Cool
Pink Chai Style: Update a Statement Necklace with Nail Polish
Rose & Pine: Five Stylish Items for Your Perfect Vacation!
The Curvy Elle: 5 Tips for Finding Your Individual Style
The Urban Lioness: Style Guide: Graduation Dresses
Undercover Dress-Up Lover: Pinafore dresses
Voguette: Is it the end of the neon era?
We Are Ready Made: Shoes are Boring, Wear Sneakers!

SPONSOR: Shopbop Finds Paralux, Anine Bing, Graf & Lantz, Nocturne, Eddie Borgo, L’Agence, Knight$, KJL, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, & Kors Watches

Taking a Long Weekend!

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

happiness Hello lovelies! Just popping in to say that I will be giving myself a bit of a long weekend and won’t be back until Tuesday. Sometimes we just have to put our feet up and put ourselves first – that’s where I’m at right now. It’s been a hectic few weeks with work, and this momma just needs to lounge around, sleep, eat, and read this weekend. Chat soon!

Freshen Up Your Look for $20 or Less!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

This is a fun little post I did for Masalamommas.com last fall – perfect for a budget friendly fashionista!

I know what you are thinking; there is nothing you can buy to update your wardrobe for under $20. While it’s true that making a big change at that price point is pretty tough, there are plenty of quick but noticeable fashion fixes that won’t cost you much. Here are my top tips for budget friendly outfit updates:

A Colourful or Printed Scarf

scarf-collage1

This simple statement piece can brighten up and complete pretty much any outfit. Go for a bold monotone, or printed scarf that compliments your outfit. Play around with the easiest way to tie it around your neck for a slimming effect, or even hang it off of your bag for a quick pop of colour. My favourite place for finding budget friendly scarves is the Indian bazaar or little kiosks in the mall.

A Statement Necklace

pink chai style {DIY Statement Necklace}

A big necklace can dress up even a basic tee shirt and jeans without looking over done or pretentious, and be paired just as easily with a dress for an evening out. If you don’t want to do one big piece, you can layer a few different necklaces together. Or skip the necklace all together and go for a statement ring, or a few broaches pinned together. If you are worried about going over your budget, head straight to Forever 21 or the Banana Republic Factory Store. I’ve scored the most amazing statement pieces there for next to nothing.

A Cute Trendy Pair of Flats

leopard flats

I’m usually pretty opposed to buying cheap shoes because they aren’t exactly comfortable, but sometimes you just need a pick-me up. Every season there are a few bright colours or interesting prints that make their way down the runway and onto inexpensive flats at big box stores like Target and Wal-Mart. So go ahead and drop $19.99 on a cute pair of leopard print flats with a red bow, or sparkly pink ballet shoes.

Big Bold Sunglasses

There’s sort of an automatic coolness factor with big shades, even if you are just using them to cover up the bags under your eyes after listening to a toddler scream all night. I say go for big oversized Jackie O kind of frames, or a classic aviator in a metallic finish; but avoid childish frames in colours like bubble gum pink and bright yellow.

Nail Polish

Pastel Nail Art, Pink Chai Style, Mom Fashion {DIY Nail Art – Add a little fun to your outfit!}

It’s shocking how much a fun colour on your nails can elevate an outfit. On the other hand, a muted pink or a simple sparkle can give your outfit a bit of extra elegance like a classic pair of diamond studs. The best thing is, depending on the brand you buy, you could even get 2 or 3 colours for 20 bucks. If you are going for multiples, why not jump on the nail art trend? The easiest way to go is with an ombre pattern, or alternating fingers with two colours.

Lipstick

{Nothing cheers me up like a red pout! Click through for tips on rocking red lips}

Okay, so depending on the brand you wear, you could easily break the $20 barrier here, but if you are just looking for a fun change, stop at the local drugstore and pick up something a bit more economical than usual. Just like nail polish, lipstick is often over-looked as a way to dress up an outfit. Personally, I think every South Asian woman should own the perfect red, and a fun fuchsia; they are the best bright shades for our skin tone, and can take an everyday outfit straight to date night calibre.

Next time you’re itching for a quick update to your look, don’t feel pressured to drop a lot of cash; get creative and put yourself on a budget. It’s surprising all the little things you notice in the store when you stop looking at the big ticket items.

This post originally appeared on Masalamommas.com, where I write bi-weekly fashion and style posts .

Outfit: Oversized Blazer and Worn in Jeans

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

{Blazer – straight out of the 80′s: thrifted, Shoes: Nine West}

Oversized Blazer, Mom Fashion, Pink Chai Style {Jeans: Old Navy, Shirt: American Eagle – both seriously old}

I’m a little on the fence about my look today, and it didn’t help that Mr. T told me it was a little like a mullet; business on the top, casual Friday on the bottom. I’ve had this oversized blazer for a while now and only worn it one other time with mint pants. It’s one of those pieces that I so badly want to love and wear all the time, but whenever I start to style it I totally run out of ideas. In theory I love the idea of a boxy oversized blazer, but maybe the shoulder pads are a bit much for real life.

For the most part I’ve purged my closet and eliminated any pieces of clothing that I don’t wear or feel great about, but there are still a few that are lingering in the back of my closet, like this blazer. Do you ever hold onto a piece of clothing in hopes of figuring out how to style it one day?

Speaking of things that should really be let go, looking at pictures today I’ve finally come to terms with saying good bye to this pair of jeans. I’ve been talking about letting them go for months, but they are just so comfy! Maybe I’ll banish them to the drawer I keep my pyjamas in and promise never to wear them outside the house. Oh wait a minute …. I already tried that and it didn’t work.

Happy Monday everyone – here’s to a productive and stylish week!

Linking up to What I Wore Wednesday!

wiww

How I Want My Kids to Remember Me

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

Yesterday Zara’s kindergarten class hosted a Mother’s Day tea – it was beautiful. The moms sat in a row and the excited kids sang cute songs, performed a dance routine, and sat on our knees while the teacher read ‘I Will Love You Forever’ and tears rolled down our cheeks. The final part of the morning was when the teacher read out how the children had described their moms; there were plenty of laughs when the kids said how old their moms were, it ranged from 5 to 55 (my child of course nailed it and I was the only 32 year old in a room full of teenagers). The part that really got me though was when the kids started describing their moms as butterflies, rainbows, and hearts; my daughter said, “my mom is as sweet as God and looks like a heart.”

How I want my children to remember me, pink chai style {My little blessings – Zara and Armaan}

I will forever hold the memory of yesterday morning in my heart and mind, and will probably look at that card fondly when we go through the teenage years, but I wonder how she will remember me when she is a young woman herself. I’ve wondered the same about my 9 year old son - a decade from now when he goes off to school will he still remember the lessons I’ve tried to teach him? When he’s a grown man in the working world will he ever think of his mom and just smile? When I was about 16 or 17 years old, I remember seeing an interview with John F Kennedy Jr and Oprah where he described his mom in such a beautiful way. He remembered her for grace, elegance, the way she supported his dad, her ability to balance work and family, and her home cooking. It was clear that he loved her for being his mom, but also respected her for the woman that she was. I’m nowhere near Jackie O in accomplishments, but I would love for my son and daughter to remember me so fondly when they grow up and move onto their own adult lives.

{I secretly hope they grow up to be best friends! Is that possible with brothers & sisters?}

Of course I want my kids to remember me as a nurturer, as someone who held them tight when they needed it, kissed their cuts and scrapes, and cooked their favourite meals, but I also want them to remeber that I was more than just their mom. I want them to remember me as a someone who loved to socialize, to travel, to write, decorate, and try out different baking experiments. I want them to remember that I was driven, motivated in my work, and always chasing the next big project or goal. When they are going through tough times in their lives I want them to remember that I always asked God for guidance in the difficult patches, and turn to whatever they believe in to walk them through the storm.

{The photo on the left is my favourite photo ever – the moment my family was complete}

I think as mothers we leave a legacy, I know that my mom certainly has. I will always remember her for being protective of her girls, fighting for what she believed in, thinking with her heart, and dressing however she wanted no matter how much I objected! (I guess I know where Z inherited that from.) What is the legacy I want to leave for my children? I don’t know exactly yet, but I hope it will reflect in the kind of woman that my daughter turns out to be, and in the way that my son treats and supports the woman in his life. Even though I don’t want to my kids to remember me as only being their mom – my measure of success in this lifetime certainly will be the kind of mom they remember me as.

DIY: Update a Statement Necklace with Nailpolish

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

Lately I’ve really been itching for a new statement necklace, but everything I liked was too far out of my budget. I tend to get bored really easily with jewellery pieces so I’m not willing to invest too much in them. Luckily it occurred to me that I could just update an existing piece with nail polish! Why not? I painted an old pair of shoes with nail polish before.

As a bonus, this was one of the easiest and quickest DIYs I’ve done in a long time.

DIY Statement Necklace Update

{Supplies: Old necklace and nail polish colours.}

I basically just applied a coat of polish, let it dry, and then applied another. I considered removing the actual tear-drops and then reattaching them, but I have a pretty steady hand so I was able to work around the gold chain without making a mess. And basically 1 hour later I had this:

may 09 2 Is it weird that I’m totally in love with the necklace? In fact it’s sitting on my desk right now and I’ve been looking at it fondly all day. It is going to be my new BFF. Moving right along…

may 09 collage A little before and after for you. Same dress, same necklace, different colours!

A Quick Hello!

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

March 8 3 {Dress DVF, Bag; Aldo}

may 08 1 {Sandals, Spring Shoes}

Here are some random things that are on my mind today; I wish I hadn’t stood next to that distracting white pole in these pictures, wrap dresses are the best, I’m not sure I like that bag with this dress, and my brain is on strike today. Yup, I have no logical thoughts to string together into a witty post today.

Work wise my week is a bit of a gong show (in a positive way if that makes any sense), so my head space is full of proposals, client project outlines, and various tedious tasks, leaving little space for dressing up and creating humorous posts. That is why I chose the easiest outfit ever, a wrap dress.

Since I have no wisdom to impart today, how about a flashback? Same dress, almost the same time of year last year, shorter hair…

may 8 coll a {Original Post}

Travelling Teacup: Oh The Places it Would Go….

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Raj @Pink Chai Style

Last week I told you about my quest to find the perfect teacup, sadly it is still on. But this whole searching for my Travelling Teacup thing, got me thinking about other adventures I would like to go on. I’ve always wanted to travel, and like most other people would love to go to places like Paris, Rome, and NYC, but I’m talking about experiences not just holidays. Where would I go for a once in a lifetime experience? Here are a few ideas….

tanah lot temple, pink chai {Tanah Lot Temple – Bali | Image Source}

Can you imagine meditating here at sunset? My ultimate travel and life experience would be visiting the Tanah Lot Temple in Bali. One of seven sea temples in Bali, this one is said to be influenced by Hinduism and many followers of Shiv pray here. It also a part of Balinese mythology and is considered a shrine for fisherman to worship the Balinese Sea Gods. Tanah Lot tops my list of places to see visit before I bite the big one.

antartica_cruise_l {Cruise from Argentina to Antarctica | Image Source}

Antarctica is a place I’ve been interested in visiting since I was in elementary school, but I didn’t find out until recently that you can take a cruise there. Yup, there are cruise liners that travel from Buenos Aires to the Antarctic. I’ve actually never been on a cruise, it would make for a heck of a first one!

Neuschwanstein Castle

{Neuschwanstein Castle – Germany | Image Source}

I want to visit a castle, surprised? This isn’t just any castle, it’s the ultimate one that inspired the famous Sleeping Beauty Castle seen in the Disney classic and at all their parks. I want to stand on one of those balconies (with a cup of tea in my hand of course) and just stare out into the world. Maybe it will look like this that day ….

Neuschwanstein-Castle-castles-119738_1600_1200

{Image Source}

trans-siberian-railway {Trans Siberian Railway | Image Source}

The Trans Siberian Railway route from Moscow to Vladistakov is the longest train journey in the world, spanning 7 zones, and lasting 7 days and nights if you went non-stop. Can you imagine the people you would meet and the stories they would tell? Yes, I realize my vision of train travel is quite romanticized and it would probably be a long span of solitude. Of course, I would take the advice of Oscar Wilde and bring my journal “because one always needs something sensational to read on the train.”

haida+gwaii

{Haida Gwaii Islands – BC | Image Source}

The Haida Gwaii Islands are a series of remote islands in Northern BC that are steeped in First Nations culture and history, and I’ve always imagined them to be peaceful, serene, and spiritual. This feels like the ultimate destination to visit if you decide to have a technology and screen free week, a place to turn completely off and fully recharge. Somehow I’ve always felt you couldn’t visit such a spiritual place and come back without having some major a-ha moments.

sydney bridge {Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia | Image Source}

A part of me feels like I would total chicken out of doing this, but how cool would it be to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge! I’ve always imagined that Sydney would be a lot like Vancouver, a city on the water so there hasn’t been a huge desire to go visit, but this is really cool. What a view, what an experience – definitely once in a lifetime.

mall-33 {Mall of America – Minnesota | Image Source}

I know, it might not seem like a life experience to some people – but I’m dying to visit the Mall of America! There are 520 stores, 50 restaurants, the largest indoor amusement park in North America, and there is no sales tax on shoes and clothing! Alas, this trip would require some serious savings, because shopping would be a must.

What about you, any places you would love to visit? Leave a comment, Id love to hear about your dream vacation:)