Fashion Files: What are you wearing today?

What do you do with mustard and red traditional maheshwari block-printed cotton that you buy from Shilparamam?

Keep it simple and get a round neck with slit, A-line semi-fit kurta? (most of my kurtas look like that, ready-made or otherwise)

Get some embroidery done on it to jazz it up?

Add lots of glittering ribbons, tapes and borders to it?

Or use the gold border it has on the edges to make a pattern?

I thought of all 4 but didn’t go with any. What I did instead was get a simple empire yoke done with a gathered body below and a 6” frill at the end of it. I also asked for a broad round neck and a fitted yoke. Added red trim to it and voila! – a stylish new outfit is ready.

PS: I was worried that I would end up looking fat since the fabric is cotton and may not drape well… but fortunately, all my fears were unfounded. What do you think? 


PPS: Can you spot my haldi-stained hands?

Material Girl Buys: Silver Earrings n more

Ma and I went to General Bazaar today – the closest Hyderabad has gotten to street shopping. 

Ma 's purchases: 

Banarsi silk fabric in colorful stripes for Rs 120 a metre and leaf green with silver weave for Rs 250 a meter which she stitch for cushions that she has.

Raw silk fabric in leaf green for a cushion mattress that she does not. For Rs 120 a metre.

Lenin for shirts for dad – 5 instead of the 2 she had originally planned on. Rs 1500 

My purchases: 

Cotton doormat, handwoven, in faded pink for Rs. 25. 

Super-stylish silver earrings for Rs 1150. From a non-descript store that had mostly traditional gold jewelry. He has some other interesting silver ornaments. Enter General Bazaar, take the second right. It's the third or fourth silver / gold shop on your left hand side. 

Two silver nose pins, another unexpected surprise. From a shop selling traditional silver jewelry and other knick-knacks. (I have been looking for Silver nose pins since a long long time. Not found at Bangkok or Bikaner. A few at one shop in Bangalore. And in two shops in one week in Hyderabad!)  

A day full of happiness - read emails filled with love and encouragement, got some lovely things and stuffed my face with a lot of yummy chat (from the Marwari stand at the ParkLane corner). 

My ma always complains that I never wear any of my gold jewelry. How could I when my first love is and has always been silver? 

Fashion Files - Dressing up in a Green Sari

Bought this Mangalgiri sari as a birthday gift to myself. Only the blouse got ready about 3 weeks later, one day before I left for Calcutta. I consider myself lucky.

Sari from a store in Dilsukhnagar for Rs. 750. But lots of stores in Hyderabad will have it.

Blouse material, 2 different fabrics from Nalli’s in Begumpet for Rs. 150.

Hoop earrings from LifeStyle, Mumbai – Rs 199.

Diamond pendant and bangle from folks in Calcutta who deal in diamonds. (The best way to buy them, I think)

I love the Green and the way it looked against my skin and the Hoop earrings are now my favorite  glittering accessory. My simple clothes stood out in the plethora of silks, chiffons and nets during the maira ceremony and fetched me loads of compliments. Am happy I decided to dress the way I did.

Saying Hello to you and Tata Sky

3 Things are making the Material Girl happy and proud. 

Blogging again on the Material World after a not-so-short hiatus.

Unpacking my bags from the Kolkata and Jiaganj trip after nearly 2 weeks. 
Shifting my study table where I have already used it more in one day than I have used it in 3 years. I also managed a partially overhaul, a complete one could maybe take weeks. (Do you also accumulate junk in the form of bills, odds and ends, paper, stationery and pens like i do?) 

I got:  A Tata Sky connection.  For Rs 999 and no installation fee, the price seems fair. Additionally, I ended up paying Rs 200 for the extra cable. There was no mention of this on my 3 calls yesterday but I was much too happy to bother. And since the staff was otherwise courteous and assembled it properly, I have really no complaints.

Do I sound like a Tata fan? Can't help it though. I am quite happy with the Photon plus that I got previously and the great service experience I had while gettting the Tata Sky connection.