Block print jumpsuit in winter

As has been documented here, my love for traditional Indian block print cotton and silks know no bounds.

This jumpsuit in indigo is a great way to be casual and comfortable summer or winter. Perfect for lounging at home all day,going out for brunch or drinks, a stroll in the park or by the beach and even a little hike.

I love it styled with a bralet for hot weather and with a base layer and/or a coatigan for the colder months. The smooth cotton is printed by hand using carved wooden blocks in a stamping method.

Also these indigo prints in cotton just get better with wear and are easy to throw and go. The photos on this post were taken just before spring, hence the beanie and woollies.

Like a lot of kurtas/ kurtis I find them ideal to pack for travel since they require minimal outfit planning. I sometimes wear a cotton/linen button-up over it or a vest pair them with sneakers, booties, gladiator sandals or even jootis.

The versatile block print chunni wrap

Cotton hand block-printed chunnis (or duppatta, what ever you may choose to call it) with traditional folk motifs earthy colours are one of the most versatile pieces of clothing. The soft cotton weave is large enough to be the perfect oversized scarf, vest, skirt, beach towel, shawl, sarong or throw and it only gets better looking with repeated use.

I've had this one for ages and it is a part of a kurta, salwaar set that has long since been misplaced. The chunni or dupatta is a necessary wardrobe item for a desi woman back home. Normally worn as a long scarf, draped over one or both shoulders with a kurta or kurti, it is usually a flourish of color for any outfit.

I have worn it here as a swimwear cover-up to wade about in the shallow waters of a rivulet that weaves it way through a rainforest, culminating into a spectacular escarpment water-fall. Traditional fabrics and water-falls seems to be a theme on this blog that I am in no hurry to change. I genuinely feel the most content around water-falls with loved ones. What's your happy place?

Waterfall by the beach

We spent a wonderful afternoon at this amazing beach with wonderfully clear water and a little waterfall on the side. I wore the usual hand blocked tent dress that suits the current summer weather here perfectly.

I have the exact same dress in another colour that has made an appearance on this blog post in 2013! I find these cotton anarkalis beautifully flowy in their billowing glory (some may call it shapeless). The fabric gets softer and wonderfully worn-in with every wear and wash and I cannot get enough of these.

Psychedelic skies

As I've said before, I think kurtas are one of the most versatile pieces of clothing that can be worn in myriad ways. Especially ones that are shaped like this one, not too tight but not too loose, I wear it as a dress, as a work shirt and as I've worn here just as a fun top.

This was something one of my closest friends picked up for me (hey Archu) and I couldn't be more in love with it if I tried. I've worn it here with another one of my favourites a pair of leather shorts that I've been told I look ass-less in. But I love shapeless clothing especially if they are worn in buttery leather. We took a few photos at the Sydney harbour and suddenly the skies put on a major sunset show for us and these pictures were a result of the candy-floss psychedelic skies.

Size doesn't matter

Anaarkali: Anokhi, Silver: India, Shoes: Topshop and Bag: Funkis

I love strong shapes and easy silhouettes that play with size and proportions in silks, linen, cotton, khadi or any natural breathable fabric. This anaarkali is from Anokhi, they didn't have my usual size so I went two sizes up as I really liked the stripes. I love the easy, flowy fit of the garment in a size much larger than is deemed fit for me. And as I wear the same items of clothing summer, winter, autumn, spring or monsoon I wear this dress all year round with tights/ jeans and thermals in winter and just by itself on warmer days.

Garment size is a concept that I have always consciously tried to do away with and my closet consists of every size from extra extra small to large. I truly believe I wouldn't like this dress as much as I like it if it fit me any tighter and I love anything with pockets. As usual I wore it with worn-in leather and silver from the heartland of India.

Rainforest adventures in the cold

The pictures above were taken ages ago when we went walking in a wonderfully green, shaded rainforest full of tall trees and ferns. We walked and climbed for eons to get to the foot of a spectacular water fall and just stared at the sheer beauty of the water cascading down the rocks and the foliage.

The stunning national parks of Australia are endowed with flora, fauna, canyons and beaches that are just a spectacular balm to the eyes. Large areas of untouched forest in many cases sites of many important Aboriginal Australian sites, outstanding tropical foliage and long stretches of the coast backed by lush bush. Most of the national park are a wonderful blend of culture and nature, reminding us that living in nature is natural to us and not the centrally air-conditioned world we live in.

Block print by the sea

Flowy hand block printed cotton dresses, beaded bangles, silver, shells, embroidered camel leather, a mirror work belt and bandhani chunnis make perfect autumn wear in my books. Going to the beach to watch another spectacular sunset is made even more special. I feel tremendously lucky to call such a beautiful city my home.

Indigo block print and bikes

I love it when I don't have to bother about dressing up for anything or looking proper, just wear and be the way I want to be. An indigo block print maxi kurta from Anokhi, heaps of silver jewellery, carpet boots, fabric bag from South America, an Enfield bullet and the cutest puppy friend.