ajio top // zara shorts // puma bag + shoes // ray-ban sunglasses // daniel wellington watch

Photos by Sheila Vaz at SaffronStays Beyond

It feels like forever since I just shared a good old OOTD here on the blog. Do people even read blogs anymore? Digital media is bigger than ever, but seems to be dominated by a few social platforms. I’m currently tying to use instagram less, so it feels natural to share this here.

Politically & socially; we’re living through some pretty terrible times right now. And I’m not going to lie, things feel bleak. In times like this, I used to think that talking about beauty & fashion was frivolous, but right now it feels like self care.

These photos were taken back in Jan on a quick little getaway to Alibag, which is just a few hours away from Mumbai. We stayed at the perfect villa, worked, relaxed, ate amazing home cooked food + played with some doggos. It was pretty blissful, & just thinking about it is bringing me some inner peace. Oh & there was sun! I’m really missing the sun right about now. x

If you’d like to see more of the trip, check out this vlog.

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I feel like it’s been forever since I checked in with you all. Sure, there have been posts… but we haven’t just chatted in a while. 2019 has been exciting so far – I’ve been on a few trips! Saw a new country. Created a bunch of videos that I’m quite proud of (one of them went sorta viral recently!)

Oh & I turned 27. That was a big one, or at least it felt big? Every birthday after 25 feels big, I guess. But I spent it in Goa with family & cake, so that was nice. A quick little two paragraph update on the last few months. I’ll be spending the rest of April playing catch up. And now, back to the noodles.

There’s something you may or may not know about me – I love noodles; I’m bordering obsessive about them. I take cheesy photos eating noodles, I follow the #noodleworship hashtag on instagram & no matter where in the world we are, if there are noodles on the menu, I will try them.

A couple of weeks ago, we were invited to Hello Guppy in Mumbai to for the noodle fest. I’d been there once before, but we only tried the sushi & edamame. Needless to say, I was excited.

Can I take a second to talk about the décor? An authentic Japanese restaurant brings to mind a certain kind of aesthetic. But Hello Guppy is less minimal & staid, more playful kawaii speakeasy!

We started off with a cocktail, sake of course. The Nippon Cooler is perfect for summer day drinking.

i’m wearing –oval sunglasses // cherry earrings // velvet top // mom shorts // wrist watch // suede platform sneakers

For lunch – I knew I wanted ramen. It can be a hearty meal, so we skipped starters (a wise decision imo).

I got the miso chashu ramen with pork, mom got dry ramen with chicken (all of the trappings that come in a ramen bowl, minus broth). We also got some udon noodles.

They were good noodles. Now I’m not going to pretend to be some kind of expert, my experience with Japanese cuisine is still limited. But the portion was hearty, the broth was creamy & the pork + eggs were both the perfect texture. I vlogged that day too, if you’d like to see video of that perfect bowl.

The Hello Guppy Noodle Fest is on till the end of April. If you can’t make it this month, most of the dishes are on the permanent menu, but if you’re a true noodle aficionado, you won’t want to miss the special dishes that are available for a limited time only.

Hello Guppy, Jet Airways – Godrej Building, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai (google maps /website)

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AJIO tshirt // Zara shorts // Hunter tall gloss wellington boots // Daniel Wellington Dapper Sheffield watch // Good After Nine cat ring // ONLY clutch

Lakmé Matte Melt Liquid Lipstick – Mild Mauve  | Maybelline Superstay Nail Polish – Rose Poudre

Photos by Sheila Vaz

I bought these hunter rain boots back in 2012 & since then, an outfit post styling them every monsoon has become something of an annual tradition (see posts from 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017; still sad about skipping 2014!)

It’s been a fun exercise to see my style evolve through just these monsoon posts – I started out styling these with just jeans, because I pretty much lived in jeans then (& also felt like my legs were too skinny for boots to be honest). As my body changed, I found it easier to experiment with dresses & shorts more often. I do wish that I was more confident in the start. I do also wish, by extension that we didn’t live in a world that demonise both skinny or plus sized people. I try to do my bit but sometimes the effort just feels a bit hopeless? People tend to cling to their biases tightly, so I guess all we can do is work on ourselves.

Now back to those boots – I’m still so pleased with them, although I feel a little sad now because they don’t get as much wear from me as they used to. Hunter boots may be expensive, but they’re made to be worn & they were far more practical during college, or when I took public transport more. Nowadays, I don’t really venture out just for fun in the monsoons, I can also afford the luxury of cabs, which makes these more ornamental. Nevertheless I’ve thrown so much money at ridiculously impractical thing over the years, like fancy branded bags that don’t really outlast the year I buy them (I’m looking at you, Fossil) so this was a good buy. Mumbai’s weather’s getting to it slowly, but I think it has another couple of years in it.

Oh and by the way, how many cats do you count in this look? I’m pretty sure that my extensive cat themed wardrobe has become one of my signatures. I even did a fashion haul video that was so full of cats. I love the tshirt from this look – even though it’s an absurd premise. As anyone who has cats could tell you, cats & large plants do not get along, much less a cactus! Take it from me, I have three. I had to give up on that plant lady dream a while ago.

It’s mid-August now, officially that time of the year when I’m utterly sick & tired of rains, I can’t even muster up any fake enthusiasm. Wherever in the world you are today, I just hope you’re warm & safe. x

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Topshop dress // Ray-Ban oval flat sunglasses // Daniel Wellington classic petite ashfield watch // Viola cherry pendant // Rosato bracelet // Zara basket bag //  Vero Moda oxford shoes

Photos by Sheila Vaz

If there’s one thing that exploring the world of fashion & beauty has taught me, it’s never say never. It’s been almost eight years since I posted my first look here on this blog & so much has changed since then (not just my dress size!) For example, if you asked me back then to name two trends I would never sport, I’d tell you I hated gold tone jewellery & animal prints & now here I am, wearing both those things in the same look & loving them.

I just got my hair done in a red balayage (& vlogged the whole thing, of course) & I really wanted to wear something monochromatic so the red really pops. It’s also my first time wearing the Ray-Ban oval sunglasses, & I really like how they look. They’re very similar to the Ray-ban round shape that I like, but slightly slimmer – so this is my take on the current skinny sunglasses style that’s really in right now, although I see myself wearing these for years to come.

And finally, let’s talk jewellery. I’m actually wearing all real gold in this look. When I want to try out a new trend, I usually have to shop for things that fit the trend, but when I wanted to wear gold, all I had to do is ask mom – she was very happy & proud that her daughter’s finally wearing gold, I think she saw it as some kind of coming of age thing. I’ve had the Rosato bracelet for around ten years now (pretty sure I threw a tantrum for it) & the rings are ‘borrowed’ from her. Yeah let’s go with borrowed (she’s not getting them back, sshhhh….) x

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AJIO dress // Zara wooden minaudiere // Daniel Wellington classic petite ashfield wrist watch // BCBGeneration sandals

Photos by Sheila Vaz in Coonoor

Exactly one month & ten days ago, I turned 26! Summers in Mumbai are no fun, so since 25th birthday in Bangkok last year, I decided that I would bring in every birthday at a new destination. This year’s destination wasn’t really new – we’ve stayed at Coonoor once, three years ago & I’ve also visited on two other occasions. It’s a charming hill station in the Nilgiri region of Tamil Nadu, kind of a hidden gem – the ‘town’ area is really populous, but the region around Sim’s Park is lovely & quaint.

I found an amazing little homestay on airbnb, a room in a century old colonial era bungalow. We had arrived the previous day from Ooty. I actually sat & filmed a chatty video in the late morning & it ran a lot longer than expected. After I was finally done, we started out for lunch, but not before seeing a gorgeous ginger cat sitting in front of a little bush of flowers; he was very loving & receptive to pets & scritches – I truly believe meeting him was my birthday gift from the universe.

As luck would have it, we didn’t manage to get a rickshaw to take us to lunch & ended up having to take a bus & walk. Luckily, I picked a truly gorgeous spot with a panoramic view (the name 180° McIver is very apt!) & we were also blessed with amazing weather. We crashed almost immediately after, because I left very early next morning for a quickie trip to Delhi with Google – but that’s a story for another day.

If makeup is your thing, you can watch my birthday get ready with my video below.

Also here’s a rare picture of mom, she takes almost all of my pictures but has to be forced to let me take hers. I asked her to wear this top, so we could match.

It was a truly lovely day, & I know I’ll probably visiting that charming town again sometime. Now for something absolutely random – I’ve recently gotten a steam account & really delved into gaming again, after years! I’ve been obsessed with this sim called Stardew Valley, it’s really calming but it sort of sucks you in. Do you game? I’d love to hear about your all time faves! x

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AJIO dress // Daniel Wellington watch // H&M mules

lips- Guerlain KissKiss Matte in Zesty Orange (full review here) | nails- LYN Vegan nail polish in Genie in a Bottle

Photos by Sheila Vaz

The dress I’m wearing here was actually a whimsical sale purchase. I was really drawn in by the print – there’s tropical vegetation, a house, a cat, monkeys! I always like playful prints & I found this just charming, that I even bought a blouse version of it for mom. knew that I just had to wear this in Goa. Oh & by the way, do you spot actual, living monkeys in any of these pictures? There are even a couple more farm animals in there.

We shot this outfit on the road just outside our ancestral home in Goa. These pictures suddenly make me very sentimental because I’m intimately familiar with the area. Some of these photos were also taken by the church, where the walls were freshly whitewashed in preparation for the upcoming feast. x

SPECIAL– I’ve teamed up with Casetify to offer you 15% off on any phone cases on their website. I’m especially obsessed with their personalised glitter cases, which actually have liquid glitter floating inside & are super rugged! You get to choose everything from the font / placement of your name, to the colour of the glitter. You can use the code 15MAGVAZ for 15% off on their website, & they ship free internationally.

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Suman Nathwani Resortwear by Khayti dress // Ray Ban round – copper flash sunglasses // Daniel Wellington Classic Petite Melrose watch + rose gold cuff // BCBGeneration gold sandals

lips- Colourpop Ultra Satin in Frick N Frack | nails- Nykaa Nails Silk in Pretty in Pink

Photos by Sheila Vaz.

Lessons I’ve Learnt

I‘m not one that keeps track of years or anniversaries very well. But lately I’ve had a very similar conversation at many events – I’m usually making small talk with another blogger or a publicist & they’ll ask me how long I’ve been blogging for. The first couple of times this happened, I had to pause & think before replying – It’ll be 9 years in Jan.

And it was only after saying it a few times & it began to dawn on me that this was a very long time. I’ve talked about how much blogging has changed & evolved in the last few years, but what about me? I’ve changed quite a bit too – my cringey blog posts from 2009-10 always serve as the best reminder.

I chose to make this my career & it’s been such a become such a big part of my identity that I’m not sure what I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing this. Blogging has taught me so much about myself that I thought I’d share three that I’ve been thinking about a lot.

Done is Better than Perfect

I pride myself at creating quality content here on the blog. Since I started YouTube, I wanted to also maintain a very high standard of quality over there. Quality is very important, of course. Nobody wants to read or watch a soulless content mill that just churns out content for the sake of it.

But there’s a flipside. Perfectionism is seen as a desirable trait but it can very well be a crutch. Spending time fixating on tiny details wasn’t doing me any good. Not only was it physically & mentally exhausting, it stopped me from moving onto the next task & just had me stuck on little things I couldn’t change. I already know that I’m a control freak, but I realise that I need to get better at letting go of the little niggles. Every time I spend too long obsessing over producing a video or photoshoot, I have to remind myself that I’m a digital content creator, not Wes Anderson making his next film or Anna Wintour prepping to release the September Issue, you know? And focussing on body positivity & self love has helped quite a bit too, I no longer worry that my face is too oily or my eyebrows aren’t evenly done or my zits are showing. All of this together is helping me not only more productive but more at peace.

TL;DR Striving for quality is good within limits. Don’t get compulsive about things. Imperfection is good, it reminds people that there’s a real person behind what they’re watching / reading.

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Noise

Being someone who puts myself online, there are a million different parameters by which I’m judged. I spent a good few years being a little too concerned with how I’m perceived. That I should behave a certain way, that there were certain things I could or couldn’t wear, talk or behave.

I think it was sometime last year that I just stopped giving a fuck. If I want to put up a photo in a bra or talk loudly about politics, I do it, without a second thought. People are going to judge you anyway, so why bother?

TL;DR I’m don’t give any thought to my image or bother about labels anymore. Don’t let society’s or people’s perceptions stop you from being the person you want to be.

Quality over Quantity, Always

This is something that’s been drilled into almost everyone since we were little kids. But when building your first grown-up closet or makeup bag, it can be easy to get swept up in the numbers game. And of course I’ve gone through periods of buying too much. Part of it is just experimentation – how can I find what I like without trying many different things first? Then it can also become part of building a collection- how cool would it be to have a hundred lipsticks? Or two hundred? I did this for a few years before realising it wasn’t sustainable at all.

Not great for the environment or my pocket, & I ended up with a lot of stuff I’ve worn or used just once. It was high time I made some changes. At the start of this year, I wrote about my 2017 Makeup Buying Ban. It’s going superbly – while I usually bought multiple products a month, 9 months in I’ve bought a single mascara. In July I also wrote about my desire to refrain from buying fast fashion & wear, support (& feature!) more locally designed & made clothing. I used to buy clothes based on how striking or interesting they seemed. Now, I try to envision if I can easily wear what I’m buying a few times, is it something that fits with the rest of my wardrobe, will it pair with my existing shoes & can I wear it a year or two from now without it looking dated. And that kinda ties back nicely to this particular OOTD – this dress is from Suman Nathwani Resortwear by Khyati. I joke to my mom that I now only buy clothes if they really call out to me. Well this dress didn’t speak, it sang! I was really drawn to the colour & silhouette – and I think the brass coloured tinsel trim at the bottom just elevates it from a simple sundress to one that’d be perfect for daytime dos. It even makes a beautiful sound when you walk, kinda like anklets? I paired it with a few gold accessories & loved how the look turned out!

TL;DR Buy consciously – avoid buying multiples of the same thing (another pair of black jeans or another nude lippie) & instead look for timeless pieces you’ll be able to use multiple times in different ways. The environment, your closet & your wallet will thank you!

These are just three things that come to mind right now but I have so much more that I can share. I’m thinking of doing a video soon on things that being a vlogger has taught me. I’m so glad that it’s sunnier out now so I can be more consistent with shoots. Please do check out my YouTube channel + possibly subscribe if you like what you see. Until next time! x

SPECIAL – Get 15% off watches + accessories (everything!) on the Daniel Wellington website with the code MAGALI, valid until 15th October.

The post Some Lessons I’ve Learnt in (almost) 9 Years of Blogging 💕 appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

Zara trafaluc flame emoji tee // Zara x Maui & Sons embroidered mom denim shorts // Ray-Ban round (RB3447) – red mirror gradient // Daniel Wellington classy sheffield lady watch // Good After Nine tuxedo cat ring // Lavie sandals

lips- MAC lady danger  | nails (fingers) Lakmé Absolute Gel Stylist – Gold Dust (toes) Nykaa Nails Matte – Strawberry Shortcake 

Photos by Anushree Gavas at The House, Versova

Summer in a tropical country is no breeze. We photographed this look a couple of weeks ago, when rain was still sporadic & the temperature was in the late thirties everyday. The look’s quite simple; you might have already seen a couple of these things in my recent fashion haul video – a light oversized tee with bleach denim shorts in my fave silhouette (#momjeansforlife). I think the sequins on the tee & the cute shark embroidery just adds something fun to the look. I gotta say, I’m loving this patches / embroidery on your tits trend – makes it that much easier to go braless if you so desire. 😉

It’s monsoon now & dressing up is a whole other challenge. Hopefully I’ll do a monsoon OOTD super soon.

June was a bit quiet on the blog, what with me doing VLUNE & all (I vlogged every single day!) But now that it’s July, we’re back to three posts a week here on the blog. I hope you have a great week, & month ahead… x

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You can watch all five looks in the below or on YouTube. I thought I’d give you guys a little background on each look like locations filmed, what we did that day etc.

Look One – Chinatown

Koovs stretch denim dress // Lulu & Sky Bowie bomber jacket // Ray-Ban round sunglasses – red mirror gradient flash // Daniel Wellington classy sheffield lady watch // Lavie yellow mini satchel // Vans sk8-hi 50th anniversary high top sneakers

Makeup |   The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid in Mauritius Dahlia

Filmed at Yaowarat Street (Chinatown Bangkok).

Chinatown in Bangkok (better known to locals as Yaowarat street) was one of my favorite places during our last trip. However, we went on Lunar New Year which meant the place was at it’s most crowded, ever.

I really wanted to visit on a less maddening day, so we made it a point to visit one evening in April. We went at dusk, when the sun was beginning to set & the vertical neon lights were being turned on. It was chaotic in the most exhilarating way – I even experienced my first Chinese Tea Ceremony (glimpses of it are in the vlog). The light denim dress coupled with my favorite new high tops were just perfect for the evening. The jacket wasn’t necessary in the heat, I just really wanted to photograph it under all those lights!

Look Two – Tropical Smoothie

AJIO geometric print off shoulder peplum top + shorts // ASOS boater hat // Ray-Ban round sunglasses – red mirror gradient flash lenses // Timex weekender watch // Lavie yellow mini satchel // Vans sk8-hi 50th anniversary high top sneakers

Makeup |   MAC Lady Danger

Filmed on the sidewalk at Pan Road, near our hostel.

In the last year I’ve moved from someone with a mostly black, blue & solid color wardrobe to buying clothing in every colour of the rainbow. The co-ord set was the first proper vacation purchase this year. I was instantly attracted to the geometric print & bright colours but it was even cuter when I tried it – who doesn’t love a top that has on trend off shoulder detailing plus a peplum to hide your food baby? Not to mention, the shorts have deep, functional pockets & make my  look cute, I really couldn’t ask for a better summer vacation outfit.

This would have been super cute to wear to something outdoors but I just ended up wearing it to the mall for the most delicious Asian meal (every meal in Thailand was delicious though!)

Look Three – Botanical

Warehouse botanical maxi dress // Forever New embroidered basket bag // Koovs leather lattice loafers

Makeup |   The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid in Goa Magnolia

Filmed at Luka Bangkok, a cute little brunch place near our hostel.

This beautiful Warehouse maxi is a summer purchase from a couple of years ago that I never got around to wearing. It has an interesting botanical print, side slit & an open back detail – the perfect laidback brunch outfit. I wore it for a second visit to Luka Bangkok, this wonderfully designed café & interiors store at Pan road. We first went there for my birthday brunch & I knew I had to revisit it. That place is so chic, with it’s industrial decor & tons of plants that I would probably pay to eat cardboard (& yes, I’ve just come to the realization that aesthetics mean more to me than food when I’m eating out). But you needn’t worry, they have an amazing menu. I finally sipped on pretty soda, munched on a shakshuka & later did my best to pose for this lookbook while concealing my food baby, hehe. Always love when I can walk back to my residence in ten minutes. 🙂

Look Four – The Tourist

H&M cat tshirt // Marks & Spencer relaxed denim shorts // Firmoo metal round glasses // Accessorize backpack // Timex weekender watch // Vans sk8-hi 50th anniversary high top sneakers

Makeup |   Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip – Frick n Frack

Filmed at Cooper Bangkok, our super chic hostel.

There’s nothing much to talk about this look – it’s just your standard vacation casual outfit. Not particularly inventive or special, just comfy & functional. The perfect outfit to just roam around for hours in & eat the most delicious street food.

Look Five – Sunday Sundowner

Koovs off shoulder black dress // Ray-Ban round sunglasses – red mirror gradient flash lenses // Daniel Wellington classy sheffield lady // Lavie yellow mini satchel // Steve Madden darcie sandals

Makeup |   MAC Lady Danger

Filmed at Ratchada Train Market, my favorite night market in Bangkok.

My final look is technically my birthday dress, I had plans for the evening but got lazy & decided to postpone it by a few days. I ended up wearing it to Ratchada Train Market, my favorite night market in Bangkok. Live music, great food & cool beer – it was just the perfect evening towards the end of our trip.

And those were my five looks! I feel like I’m getting a lot better at vacation outfit planning. If you’ll notice, my red Ray-Ban’s, yellow satchel & multi coloured high tops are each repeated three times in these five looks. I’ve always read that you should carry more solids & neutrals while travelling, because they’re easier to mix & match but I think you can mix & match colourful outfits too, provided you stick to a similar colour palette. Most of my outfits had bright, primary colours & that’s why I could get away with using the same yellow bag & high top sneakers in three of these looks. Despite being ‘loud’ colours, they just went with almost everything I had carried.

I hope this lookbook gives you some dress up or travel inspiration (maybe even a little of both!) Let me know which look is your favorite in the comments below! 🙂 x

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