Embrace the crazy

Blenders Pride Bangalore Fashion Week is an event that I've looked forward to ever since its inception. With glamour quotients soaring and creativity filling the air, just the thought of it made me giddy as a young kid. This year, I was fortunate enough to finally attend. Naturally, the first question that popped into my head was "what do I wear?". Being somewhat a rookie in the fashion world I had absolutely no idea what to expect!

Casual? Boho chic? Formal? Potato sack?

Twenty outfits and a messy room later, I was more confused than ever. Everything was either too casual, too formal or too outrageos. At least that's what I thought at the time. I finally decided to play it safe and went with a maxi black skirt, black tank top, cropped denim vest and flat sandals.

As I walked towards the revolving doors of the Sheraton, my vision zoned in on the outfits of the other attendees. At first I was intimidated. "Maybe I should've gone with the sparkly heels. Oh god I think I'm under dressed. Everyone looks so beautiful. *hyperventilates*" But as I passed that revolving door and really studied my surroundings I realized something important. 

The beauty of fashion lies in its diversity. Style has the power to blur boundaries and push limits and that's why I fell in love with it in the first place. Suddenly all the worries that plagued me disappeared an I was gifted with a new surge of confidence, That one realisation made me feel so much more comfortable in my own skin and I now have the courage to go all out and experiment with my style choices. Enough playing it safe. It's time to change the game. 

Yes, I've been told my shades were too big, my poncho too dramatic and my jacket too weird. And yes, I've either promptly changed or made a mental note never to wear it again. Maybe because I was trying too hard to fit in when I know I was born to stand out. I've never been one to follow conventions so why should my sartorial choices reflect otherwise?

In this world there are trend setters and trend followers. The latter comes from a breed of people who just don't give a damn- A mindset I am all too familiar with. People are always going to find flaws but the minute you let that get to you, your identity in its purest form gets compromised. So embrace the weirdness because somewhere, someones quirky sense of style brought a new trend to light. You can be that someone too!

Email me your craziest, quirkiest outfit or post it on instagram with the #bbbembrace for a chance to be featured on the blog :')

Dolce & Gabbana Ready To Wear Abaya Collection

Dolce and Gabbana recently released a range of Abayas and Hijabs titled "The Abaya Collection: The Allure of the Middle East" which will hit the market in October 2016. The collection screams feminine elegance with its lace detailing, floral accents and smooth satin fabric that blends seamlessly together to radiate an elegant femininity that is synonymous with the D&G brand. 

Many have applauded Dolce & Gabbana for this refreshing reminder of solidarity in times of hatred and *coughs* intolerance toward the Muslim population in the aftermath of the Paris attacks. Others simply look at it for what it is- business. After all, the market for personal luxury products in the middle east has been valued at a whopping 8.7 billion dollars!

 The ready-to-wear collection has generated quite the buzz since its launch and there seems to be quite a difference in opinion related to it. While many Muslim women are excited to finally be recognized  and catered to by a brand like D&G, others cynically point out that designer Abayas are not revolutionary. Having been to Dubai myself, I can attest to the fact that there are tons of boutiques and designer outlets that sell one of a kind, high fashion Abayas and Hijabs. How is this collection any different? UK based blogger and designer Dina Torkia openly expressed her disappointment towards the range stating, "I dreamed of being included in the mainstream of haute couture & whilst D&G have managed to recognize us with this collection, they’ve also managed to exclude us." Other more extreme reactions accuse Dolce and Gabbana of taking Muslim tradition and selling it as their own.

I feel that while perhaps the brand truly wished to reach out to the underserved muslim population, it is unlikely that they were unaware of strategic benefits of tapping into the Muslim luxury market, following the footsteps of brands like DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger and Oscar de la Renta who have all produced one off collections aimed at Musilm women. Notably so, H&M recently featured a hijab-clad model in one of its campaigns as well. It's great to see that the mainstream western fashion industry is  starting to take notice of the needs of muslim women but they have barely managed to scratch the surface. 

What's that? An array of women sashaying down the catwalk in modest yet luxurious couture pieces complemented by an elegant range of  jeweled headscarves? Now THAT'S more like it.

Take a look at the collection!