Kalamkari love

So we had an uncharacteristically warm autumn day this weekend and I promptly put a flowy Kalamkari hand-block print maxi on paired with a hand block-print scarf, beaded Kutchi belt and a carpet bag. We took these photos on a walk around the neighbourhood after eating some yummy organic fare at the closest cafe. Some of the best weekend moments are spent just doing everyday things. Hope you've all had a great weekend!

Urban Jungle

Top: Anokhi, Jewellery: All over India and Bag: Kutch

This is one of my favourite ways to wear oversize tops/ kurtis; with shorts, boots, a bright hand-crafted bag and heaps of jewellery bought during various trips. I love little islands of green in urban settings, this place is one such isle, so lush but literally in the middle of a bustling city. I can't get enough of enchanting oases and creative use of indoor and outdoor spaces= that result in picturesque corners like this one.

I've been trying to get creative with my balconies, investing time and money into better pots etc and can't begin to make a little vertical garden but it's been busy the past few months. One of my friends has given me a few plants that I've been wanting to grow for ages, thanks Bee and I really want to create one of these magical jungles in my home.

Do you have a green thumb? If you do please let me know your tips for fabulous indoor and outdoor greenery. Hope your weekend has been fun and relaxing. Have a great week.

Bandhani Lehenga

It's starting to get greyer and colder here, and when that happens something flouncy and colourful needs to come out to play because I can't bear dull grey clothing. Here's to colourful lehengas, multi-hued shawls, hand-loomed wool, Bandhani, Ikats and Kalamkaris for winter. Going to the beach isn't solely a summer activity, spending hours by the water is calming for my soul.

Can you tell from my hair in these photos that it was windy and my hair was blowing all over the place? It was, I basically constantly had a mouthful of hair. Hope you've all recovered from your long weekend and having a great week :)

Draw stringed Bandhani

The bandhani kurta in these pictures was tailor made to replicate this one because I love adding drawstring to almost anything.

These pictures were taken at an isolated cave we chanced upon one afternoon on our many walks by Sydney's eastern bay beaches. A glorious afternoon spent climbing rocks, collecting sea-shells and playing in the sun-shine. I wish everyone is having a wonderful weekend. Happy Saturday All!

Incoming storm

I love kurtas is a major understatement, I could use the word obsessed but I am trying to avoid words with ableist connotations. But I can tell you this, I constantly dream about kurtas, the designs, the fabric options and how I would style them. I've only been back from India for a few months and I already have fabric and sketches ready to update my kurta collection for my next trip.

Lately I've been wearing heaps of kurtas with curved hems and longer tail. And I absolutely refuse to call kurtas; tunics, if the world can learn to say pyjama and jodhpurs we shouldn't have to use tunics when we mean kurtas.

I think its high time we wore more than just short kurtis to work. Cotton anarkalis in my opinion makes great summer dresses, Patiala salwars make wonderful relaxed pants, churidars make great drop-crotch pants, sarees make wonderful evening wear, cholis/ saree blouses make interesting crop-tops, I could go on but you get the point.

I genuinely don't understand people who keep their traditional clothing for special occasions or just wear them during ethnic get togethers. I dunno why anyone would want to blend in. The silk kurta in these photos is ages old and as is the beaded necklace, I have worn it before here.

Jungle Vibes

I almost blend into the foliage in this top, it was made with fabric from a blouse piece. I love the bandhani saree it came with, the parrot green colour looks stunning worn with anything but I'll probably say that about any bandhani piece, I love bandhej in every colour. I have bandhani sarees in many shades of green, love wearing the all kinds of sarees as well as blouses/ cholis together as well as separates as you've seen here, here, here, here and here.

I believe that sarees as well as their blouses make great statement as well as staple pieces, it just depends on the styling. Trust me if anyone tells you otherwise they have no idea what they're talking about. This bright orange carpet bag is what dreams are made of and I've had it for ages, but love it more everytime I bring it out to play. As usual I am wearing nothing special but tried and tested pieces that will stay with me for many many years to come, I have no desire to shop for a new wardrobe every time the season changes, I will just continue to buy hand-crafted goodness when and where I can find it.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week, I've spent the day stomping about in fern covered jungles, so I am happy. Have a great Saturday!

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.

Kalamkari Cape

One of my favourite fabrics in the whole wide world is; Kalamkari, which is a kind of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile, produced in India. It is my absolute favourite and I have everything from kurtas to shirts to capes to gaghraas and even wall-hangings in this fabric. In most cases vegetable dyes are used to etch these amazing designs on fabrics and you've seen me wear a duster in this fabric here. This fabric gets softer and more wonderful after umpteen washes making the designs stand out more.

In the above photos I am wearing a cape tailor-made to satisfy my twirling needs, I feel like a pixie running about in my cape on the rocks by the water.

Australia; always was, always will be Aboriginal Land

Pictures from the Invasion Day Sydney March; I believe as allies it is very important us to educate ourselves on issues of First Nation Australians, learn to be respectful and stand in solidarity with them. We in Australia are all living on occupied land unless we are Indigenous Australians, we must recognise this privilege and understand that we have so much more in common with Indigenous people than the colonisers.

Understanding the history and the heritage of the First Peoples is something that is very important to me and I know there is strength in solidarity. Purna Swaraj (complete self-governance) was proclaimed by Indians on this very day the 26th January in 1930 which rejected the dominion status conferred by Britain. That is all I celebrate today and I wish the same for Indigenous Australians.