Splurge & Save

Slowly yet gradually I am turning into an avid online shopper. If you closely follow me on my social media platforms you are probably aware of the various mini hauls that take place! Initially I was so skeptical about it because I preferred going to the store, to try and feel the fabrics or strut in the shoes before I decide to swipe my card. But as life got super hectic and almost everything was easily available with just a few clicks it's a lot more easier to shop online. Now what's better than being able to shop while you're at work or late at night? A free service that lets you save money while you splurge! If you're an ardent online shopper like me, you might want be attentive for the next few minutes.

Bonusbay.in is a website that lets you enjoy cash back while you're engaging in some online retail therapy. In fact it actually collects your cash backs and deposits it back to your bank account! They are associated with some of the best online shopping destinations like Jabong.com, Amazon.in, Koovs.com and so many more! Can it get any better than this? Yes, it's free to register and all you have to do is follow these simple steps to get started on your bonuses.

1) Log onto Bonusbay.in and Register using your email. Every time you want to add bonuses to your account, make sure you're logged in.

2) Browse through their Stores and click on the one that you want to shop from. Then click on the Get Bonus tab which will automatically take you to the selected website! It's essential that you log on to the desired website via Bonusbay because then the website will recognize you a Bonusbay user and hence add bonuses to your account.

3) Once you're on the desired website, shop  and place your order as usual. Once you're done, you'll see that the calculated bonus will reflect in your Bonusbay account. On certain occasions it may take a couple days before you can finally see your bonus.

4) As soon as your balance amount hits Rs.1000 you can get that amount transferred to your bank account. The bonuses will be paid to you once Bonusbay receives it's commission from the participating store. The time period is mentioned on the landing page of each store which help you calculate a timeline.

It's really that simple. The various stores offer different percentage of bonuses which are mentioned on the website. For example if you shop from Jabong.com you can earn 4% bonus on your total purchases whereas you can earn 5.50% bonus when you shop from Amazon.in! It may not seem like a lot but over a period it will accumulate to an amount that you will appreciate. It almost gives you that feeling when you find money in your old pair of jeans! I am pretty excited to use this more and save while I deal with my rather dangerous shopping addiction.

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New Beginnings

Bag- Confidential Couture,Phone- Sony Xperia T3, Dress & Blazer- Zara, Shoes- Steve Madden, Sunglasses- RayBan, Watch- MarcJacobs, Rings & Choker- Forever21

I turned 24 yesterday & every year as I get closer to the day, I tend to look back at the past year & quantify my achievements as well as improvements; as a person, as a friend, as a girlfriend, as a daughter & as a blogger. And somehow I find myself astonished at the fact that despite achieving more than I could have ever imagined, I hardly seem to satisfy my desire for more. It could be a characteristic of the modern age adult & our constant need for novelty but I'd like to believe it's just because I would like to soar higher.

We all tend to sometimes measure our success with materialistic things. It may not always be the right route to take but sometimes, it showcases your prowess like no other. My obsession with designer handbags has been an affair that only keeps growing. Every now & then, I let myself splurge on that one handbag that I have been secretly stalking & not so secretly flooding my Pinterest with! But when it comes to buying them, I am very technical about it. I will make sure that I am getting the best deal possible & because it's already such an expense, I want to make sure I am not shedding even a single extra penny than needed! Which is why when I came across Confidential Couture, I was more than thrilled. For someone like me who has an obsession with handbags and doesn't mind adding to her collection every now & then, this seemed rather perfect. When I first looked at the website, some of the handbags & their corresponding prices looked too good to be true. So I contacted the owners and they very pleasantly informed me that this is a worry they often face & hence they send over the handbags, on the request of the customer for them to examine the piece as meticulously as they'd want before one decide to purchase it!

I requested them to send this Louis Vuitton Alma to me which reached me in less than a week. Packaged perfectly, the bag came with it's original dust bag, guarantee card & was in almost perfect condition! Now the thing is, at Confidential Couture, they sell brand new as well as gently used bags. When taking pieces from sellers, they go through a tedious process of authenticating it by an expert, checking the condition of the bag & hence placing an appropriate price tag on it. So if you've been eyeing that gorgeous Chanel or Dior bag and are still not convinced to shell out the entire cost, this is your ideal option! You are assured of authentication and your identity is completely protected. You could even contact them if you're keen on selling that handbag you got on impulse in the Sale but never actually ended up using it! They will assist you with the process and contact you when they have a buyer for you bag. It's a win win really.

Now let's talk about my outfit. I have been loving white since a few months. If you've been following my blog from the start you know that I am very partial to Black and hence my fancy for everything white has been rather pleasantly appalling! Including my brand new phone which comes in three colours but my choice was pretty obvious!I love white & gold together so I have been accessorizing with gold jewellery and my gold watch which has been quite an eye catchy combination! I stuck to a monochrome theme. This printed dress that I snagged at the Zara sale paired perfectly with my over sized white blazer. The print & the knotted detailing on the dress is what I caught my immediate attention. I can totally picture myself wearing this dress without the blazer for a stroll at a beach! I paired it with my old yet trusted pair of Steve Maddens & the classic RayBan aviators. You really can't go wrong by adding a bit of red to any monochrome outfit which why the Louis Vuitton Alma worked splendidly! I hope you guys enjoyed the blog post. Tell me which handbag you guys are eyeing at the moment in the comments below! Hope you all have a wonderful September.

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Spring Bloom

All jewellery- Bloom by Tanishq, Top- Romwe, Bralet- Pull&bear

Spring brings with it a scenery that is hard to ignore. The blooming flowers, clear skies & bright sun have us all inspired in innumerable ways. My style definitely gets influenced by it and I love wearing floral prints, stripes and lots of creams, blues and bright hues. The traditional floral shirts get quickly replaced by it's cropped counterparts this season. My favourite way to style them is with skirts of all forms! Unintentionally, all my jeans and trousers tend to take a backseat as we get closer to the hotter months and what I seem to enjoy wearing is skirts & dresses. This year particularly, I have been hooked on to maxi dresses as well as maxi skirts. Not only are they super comfortable and stylish, they are also extremely versatile when it comes to styling. Another trend that has been doing the rounds this season are the loose flowy trousers which tend to resemble maxi skirts but are seemingly more relaxed yet chic!

When it comes to my jewellery, I tend to stick to minimalistic pieces which are also adaptable. Which is why, the new Bloom collection by Tanishq is everything I could ask for this spring! Spring signifies new life, beauty, strength and purity which is why this collection is vibrant, simple yet timeless, celebrating the beauty & energy of every woman. Every piece is inspired by the unique patterns of Sunflowers, Lillies, Roses, Gerberas, Hydrangeas, Chrysanthemum and their intricate petal details. I don't don diamond jewellery that often as I am a fairly clumsy person but when I do, the design has to be simple yet alluring with a modern twist and the perfect amount of detail. Maybe that's the reason that these pieces caught my eye instantly! If you are lured in already, here's a chance for you to win some of this exquisite jewellery! All you have to do is, take part in the Bloom Sparkle Hunt by visiting the Tanishq blog and find the codes of 2 of the pieces that I am wearing in these pictures, match them and list them down in the comment box on their blog. You can follow them on Facebook & Twitter to stay updated with the next step! Don't forget to leave your email address so that if you win, they can get in touch with you asap! Goodluck ladies, go make me proud!

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How To: Curl It Up

Glam Styler & Blow dryer- Philips Kerashine range, Heat Protectant- Tresemme, Curl Booster- The Body Shop, Old clips, On my lips- Please me by Mac

You know those days when you're in a hurry but you'd also like to look a little different but you really can spare just 10 minutes on your hair before you have to rush out that door? I have a little secret for you! I was sent over the Philips Kerashine range last month and I have been experimenting with it since. Out of all the tools they sent, I was very keen on the Glam Styler! One, because I have never seen a similar looking styling tool before and second because it claimed to give me that just-out-of-bed-but-fabulous hair. I have really long hair at the moment, so it takes me anywhere between 20-30 minutes to style it all but it took me exactly 10 minutes to achieve this causal, laid back yet chic look! It not only got rid of the excess frizz but also added volume, softness and shine due to the Keratin infused properties. I know it's almost too good to believe so I'm giving away one Glam Styler to a lucky winner! All you have to do to win it is :

- Comment below and tell me why you should win this amongst everyone else!

- Don't forget to Tweet your anwsers to me @aayushibangur with the hastag #glamstylerbemine

-I will announce the winner on the 27th February on my Facebook Page

Now on to how I achieved this look using some simple steps.

What you need:- 

The Philips Glam Styler

Heat protectant

Any Curl booster serum/cream

Small clips

Hairbrush

Blow dryer

Steps :-

1) Assemble everything you need to get started.

2) After washing your hair, spray some heat protectant before you use any styling tools. Even though the Kerashine range protects your hair from damage unlike other tools, I would do it for saftey.

3) Blow dry your hair, if needed. You can even achieve this look with second day hair.

4) Divide your hair into sections so that you can quickly and effectively curl your hair.

5) I prefer using The Body Shop Curl Booster cream because it helps the curl to hold better and stay for longer. And it smells really good!

6) Brush a section with the Glam Styler and once you reach the end, start rolling the section up and hold it for about 30-45 seconds depending on your hair length.

7) Twist the top to retract the bristles and softly roll out the hair. Repeat the same steps on all the sections and voila!

I love this look for everyday or those days when I need to get to a meeting or an event and I don't have the time to do my hair or visit a salon! You can even achieve tighter curls by taking smaller sections or holding each section for longer! I am absolutely addicted to this & am so glad that I was introduced to it! Enter the contest and you can have one of your own. 

Goodluck!

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Clarks Uncovered- A week in my shoes

Shoes- Clarks, Shot by- Smaran Sahu

I am so ecstatic to finally introduce you to one of the most exciting projects I have worked on, Clarks Uncovered- A week in my Shoes which is a part of their Style Guide SS '14! I was contacted by their UK based agency back in August to represent India in this fun project where 10 bloggers from all over the world, styled 10 different pairs of shoes from Clarks's brand new Spring/Summer '14 collection! I was generously sent a pair of shoes and an Ipad mini to kick start the project. The theme for this project, was for each blogger to style 5 looks that they would wear through a week, incorporating their daily routine along with showcasing some components of the city they reside in through a film and pictures.

When I was sent over the shoes, I frankly was a little flustered because I never wear wedges or anything close to it. So this was really a challenge for me, to style 5 different looks, that not only compliment the shoes but also depict my sense of style. But as I continued shooting for this project, I realized how comfortable these shoes actually were and that maybe it wasn't such a crazy idea to venture into wedges after all! I will be putting up all the 5 looks throughout this month, one at a time! Until next time, bisous. 

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The Classic & Contemporary Man

Blue jacket and trousers- Asos.com, Shirt& tie- Zara, Belt/Watch- his own, Shoes- Clarks, Sunglasses- Ralph Lauren| Blue shirt & army green trousers- Mesh, Shoes- Zara, Frames- RayBan| Burgundy Trousers, Bomber Jacket, T-shirt, carry on Bag- Zara, Shoes- Clarks

Last month I worked on a quick styling project which I was personally quite excited about. Styling two men for a celebrity based television show back in May is the only men's styling experience I can list, so I was a little nervous. Although, it's hardly a task to style a good looking man, we were determined to experiment with different looks, creating a good mix of classic and contemporary, so were quite thrilled by the outcome. 

 Model- Smaran Sahu, Photography- Abner Fernandez

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Braid love with Dove

When I was younger, I was forced to have short hair for school. During those days all I dreamt of was having a long, healthy mane. Now I love my long hair but that comes with it's own problems. Split ends being the most common one. This occurs when the protective cuticle at the end of the hair is destroyed which causes the hair to split into two or more strands. The most common solutions which will be thrown at you to deal with this problem are getting a hair cut every few months, reducing the number of products you use, etc. But the new Dove split end rescue rescue therapy is specially formulated to bring split ends together. Which means, no need to compromise on your hair length just to get rid of those split ends anymore! I hate cutting my hair, so for me, this is a savior system.

I love experimenting with my shampoo and conditioner so, I tend to change them every 2 months and I have been using this new range for over 2 weeks now. Frankly can't say much about the split ends but my hair definitely feels softer and cleaner. Even the ends are softer which makes my hair appear healthier. The products smells like every other Dove product, which I don't mind at all. I wash my hair everyday, so most shampoos are too strong for me. This one however, is a mild, everyday wash shampoo which works perfectly for me. I have used various Dove hair therapies before but this one is probably one of my favourite. I have been loving the results so far.

As the temperature starts soaring, I hate leaving my hair down. The pollution, heat and sweat makes my hair worse! So braiding comes in handy. It keeps the hair off your face and adds that boho chic feel to any outfit. Side braids are what I tend to go for, be it a normal one or a fish tail one. For a side braid, all you need to do is comb your hair out and get all to one side. Now divide your hair into three sections if you're going for a normal braid or two sections if you're going for the fish tail braid. Once you've done that start braiding your hair until 3-4 inches of your hair remains. Hold it in place with a hair tie. And voila!

Next time you're out looking for a new range to try, go for the Dove Split End Repair system and don't forget to tell me how it worked on your hair!

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Featured

Blazer and pants- Ashish N Soni, Bag- Fendi, Shoes- Christian Louboutin, Necklace- Swarovski

I am featured in this month's Cosmopolitan Magazine along with some lovely fellow bloggers! I have been featured in magazines before but this was an entirely new experience. From hair and makeup to designer clothes to the Louboutins, it was a legitimate fashion shoot. Thank you so much to the team for this memorable time and a heartfelt thank you to all you wonderful people who have made this blog what it is! Do grab a copy of the magazine if you get a chance to!

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Au Printemps

Shirt, Blazer, Riding Pants, Cuffs, Necklace, Bag- c/o Promod, Shoes- Steve Madden, On my nails- Zoya Tobey, On my lips- Mac's Twig + Estee Lauder gloss in Blush

I won't lie, I am not a frequenter at Promod. But recently when I was invited by the team to check out their new Spring/Summer 2013 collection,I obliged. And I'm glad I did, as from the minute I entered the store, I was awed. The colours, the prints, the accessories, were all perfect for this time of the year. Their scarves section was so tempting, I had to grab a few! Lots of monochrome action was broken by the blooming spring colours! A military inspired parka was on my list of things I was going to take away! But then I saw this tangerine blazer and that's when it started. The blazer is cut perfectly and I love the fact that it is collarless so you can wear it with a shirt as well! Which brings me to this gorgeous Rebecca Minokffish floral ombre shirt. The colours are bang on trend and the floral print sleeves make it such a stand out piece. The best part? The fabric is so light and airy, perfect for this scorching heat. I paired both these beauties with a super comfortable pair of high waisted riding pants which according to me, everyone needs to have one of these in their closets! They are the epitome of comfortable bottoms! I added the half pink half gold cuffs to add that mod effect along with this black tote bag which has gold studs and a cute tassel at the back. All these pieces are so versatile. You could wear the shirt and the riding pants with flats for work and then upgrade your outfit for the night by adding the bright blazer, some heels and accessories.With all these new additions to my wardrobe, I am ready for Spring/Summer. Are you?

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Plain & Simple

Skirt- Asos, T-shirt- Zara, Necklace & Bag- Aldo, Cuffs- Forever21 & StyleDrive, Shoes- Steve Madden


Lace & neon is such a gorgeous combination. I have started enjoying statement clothing pieces like this skirt which can be paired with a plain, simple tee and still look so glamorous. I know a lot of you refrain from wearing neon clothing and I can understand why. Pairing neon clothing with other pieces can be tricky. I prefer sticking to neutral tones like white, black or grey or a combination of these hues. Instead of playing with colours, I like playing with textures and my accessories for such a look. I went for modern gold jewelry and a tassel ladylike bag to complete the look. 

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