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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StalkBuyLove bettis bodysuit // Topshop mom jeans // Glamorous patch denim shirt // Daniel Wellington classy sheffield watch // BCBGeneration sandals

Photos by Anushree Gavas at Hotel Renaissance Mumbai

Use the code MAGALICDW for 15% off on any Daniel Wellington Watch, ships free worldwide.

Lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought to terms like nasty woman & just double standards on the whole. Women have made a lot of strides but it always seems like we’re held up to a different standard to right & wrong. Women have to be capable – but we also have to be pretty. And we have to smile. And most importantly, we have to be nice.

God forbid we aren’t polite to everybody, that we don’t greet every single aunty the moment we see them, that we try to get a word in a political conversation. Or we know our worth – in professional & personal spheres. Well you know what? I’m done with all that bullshit. I’m done with apologising for wearing too much makeup or going bare faced. And moreover I’m done with the idea that being a woman means having to conform to some unwritten codes of femininity. That’s why I’m proud to be a nasty woman. And I’m proud to know many badass nasty women too!

Here’s to nasty women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.

Being a woman in India, it helps to have a reminder that you don’t have to have a certain set of often counter productive ‘virtues’ or skills to have worth. Work hard, spread positive vibes & just do your thing. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! x

The post Nasty Woman appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

The video description has all the outfit details, but I thought I’d break it down further here on the blog – tell you more about each look, some of the items featured, where we shot them & where I wore them (just as I did with the Fort Cochin Lookbook).

Look One

Koovs longline bomber jacket // Koovs K Active mesh panelled tshirt // Topshop moto denim skirt // Ray-Ban round – red mirror gradient sunglasses // Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield Lady watch // Fjallraven Totepack no 1 // Vans x Disney Toy Story collection classic slip on sneakers

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Crimson Silk

Filmed near the King Rama VI memorial outside Lumpini Park

Worn to the Thai Tourism Festival at Lumpini Park & Yaowarat Road (Chinatown)

This is what I wore for our first proper ‘out & about’ day in Bangkok. 28th of January was the start of the Chinese / Lunar New Year festivities. Since India doesn’t have a sizeable Chinese Population or Chinatown anywhere (except for Kolkata, & I haven’t been there) I was really excited to experience what the festival would be like, & of course I had to get in the spirit by wearing a lot of red! Also débuted my new Ray-Ban round sunnies, I’m obsessed with this shape, so of course I had to buy one in my favorite colour.

We started our day dropping by the Thailand Tourism Festival. I had heard about the festival but it didn’t really interest us at first, but May (the wonderful lady that runs Cooper Bangkok, the hostel we stayed at) strongly recommended it, so we decided to go. It was certainly nice to see the really large selection of food & wares from around the different regions of Thailand. Although it soon became apparent that it was a very hot day & wearing a heavy bomber jacket wasn’t the smartest move.

After that we proceeded directly to Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown. Said to be the largest chinatown in the world, it was teeming with people hawking food & curios, other tourists like us & Chinese folk buying gold. We ventured off the road & even chanced upon the Leng Buai ai Shrine (considered to be the oldest Chinese shrine in Bangkok!) All in all a very superlative day, the only major disappointment for me is that I was too tired to wait till the sun properly set so I could see all the neon signs in Chinatown light up!

I vlogged that day!

It’s definitely one of my favorites from the trip & I hope you enjoy it.

Look Two

Zaful rainbow patch cropped sweatshirt // Zaful accordion pleat velvet skirt // Cath Kidston x Disney Mickey Mouse tote bag // Casio vintage style digital watch // Vans x Disney Toy Story collection classic slip on sneakers

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Crimson Silk

Filmed at the roof garden of Cooper Bangkok hostel

Worn to the Mall / Moomin Café

For me, this look is comfort dressing at it’s best. I am enjoying jumping on the velvet trend bandwagon, there’s just something very luxurious about it. This piece from Zaful is fabulous. The weight, the fall, the colour & also the subtle sheen-y finish. I love the shine because it’s sort of metallic but still daytime appropriate, you know?

I paired it with a cropped sweatshirt that is just so easy to wear & some fun Disney themed accessories, because why not? 

I wore this to the Moomin café, you can see glimpses of it in the video. It was so good, we went twice – I’ll be doing a separate post sharing my experience there.

For now, can we just take a moment to appreciate Strawberry Fanta? Indian carbonated drink flavours seem so boring now.

Look Three

Zaful owl print swimsuit (worn as bodysuit) // Topshop mom jeans // Ray-Ban round silver mirrored sunglasses // Leo Mazzoti bracelet (nautical knot) // Wanderer bracelet // Fjallraven Totepack no 1 // Native shoes

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Blush Velvet

Filmed outside the entrance of Cooper Bangkok hostel

Worn to Chatuchak Weekend Market

I think that wearing a bodysuit (or in this case, a swimsuit) is the ultimate way to look bomb with minimal effort.  The bird motif on the suit is what attracted me to it. It has a V-Neck & a verrrrry deep back. Wearing this much blue always puts me in a good mood.

I first visited Chatuchak Market (or JJ Market) 7 years ago, on my first trip to Bangkok & I’ve been obsessed with going back ever since. I wanted to go on my short solo visit last year, but unfortunately I had a very small window of a few hours and it started pouring on the way, so I thought it would be wise to not go to an outdoor, open market on such a rainy day & headed to the mall instead.

Maybe thinking of this market the way I did was only setting myself up for disappointment, but it was a pleasant day nonetheless. It was devilishly hot, but then we had lots of iced drinks & this delicious coconut ice cream too!

I also vlogged at Chatuchak market…

Because how could I not, really? It was a little too noisy There’s even footage of my first ever visit to a Cat Café in the very same vlog, so check it out, will you?

Look Four

Zara trafaluc tshirt dress // Ray-Ban round – red mirror gradient // Fjallraven Totepack no 1 // Wanderer bracelets // Vans x Disney Toy Story collection classic slip on sneakers

Makeup |   NYX Liquid Suede in Loud Mouth

Filmed at the Surasak BTS Station

Worn for another visit to the mall

Anti fit clothing forms such an integral part of my wardrobe & when I saw this Zara tshirt dress, it was love at first sight! It was the most hardworking dress in my luggage too. The perfect dress to just chill in, you can dress it up & down according to your preference. I accessorised with my new favorite sunglasses & a dark blue lip & this was the perfect look to just pop into the mall for some Korean food.

Look Five

Zaful Rosé all Day swimsuit (worn as bodysuit) // Vero Moda patch denim shirt // Marks and Spencer relaxed denim shorts // Liten earrings // Jeep Kongdechakul ceramic eye brooch // Lavie bag (also here) // Casio vintage style digital watch // Vans laser cut leather slip ons

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Blush Velvet

Filmed on Silom Road

Worn to Ratchada Train Market (rod fai 2 night market)

Another super easy, laidback look featuring a swimsuit. This suit actually says Rosé All Day but I’d much rather just prefer a cool beer. I wore this to Ratchada Train Market, this market wasn’t even on our agenda but May (from Cooper, our hostel) highly recommend it, so we had to check it out. It turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of our trip. I did vlog that day too, it’ll be up on my YouTube channel soon!

Look Six

Zaful velvet cami dress with rose appliqués // Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield Lady watch // Steve Madden darcie sandals – red suede (also here)

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Crimson Silk

Filmed in the lobby of Cooper Bangkok hostel

Worn to… nowhere. I changed because this seemed too fancy for a regular dinner

The final look is perfect for evenings, especially a party or dinner date. I don’t usually wear fitted or bodycon dress but this one was just perfect from the first time I tried it on. The black velvet feels absolutely lovely & the rosé applique takes things to the next level. It’s so easy to accessorize too, I just went with a black wrist watch, a red lip & red shoes.

We shot this in the beautiful Cooper Bangkok hostel lobby which is just so chic. But I ended up changing before going out to dinner because it was just ‘too fancy’. Maybe I should have kept it on, nothing wrong with being overdressed once in a while.

I discussed in my previous travel lookbook blog post how I always try to reflect the place I’m travelling to in my wardrobe choices while there. One of the best things about Bangkok is how liberal & chilled out the place is. Coming from a country like India, it just so refreshing to be able to wear whatever I want without being leered at or harassed, even if I’m alone.

This post wouldn’t be complete without giving a big shout out to mom, who patiently helped me photograph / film all these looks & just generally put up with me on vacation.

Bangkok will always have my heart & I can’t wait to go back really soon!  x

The post What I Wore in Bangkok | A Lookbook 🚕 appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

Travel Lookbooks are a blend of two of my very favorite things & I love doing them whenever we’re travelling. I’m a very slow traveller & on personal trips planned with my mom / parents, we prefer to spend more time in just one place, exploring on our own. I also really love walking & prefer booking accommodation in central areas, so I have a lot of interesting areas in walking distance.

While you can watch the whole lookbook above, I thought I’d share a breakdown of the five looks below. That includes outfit details as well as where I shot & wore them.

Look One

Max Fashion velvet babydoll dress // Hidesign sunglasses // Leo Mazzotti braided nautical bracelet // Steve Madden sandals

Makeup |   Lakmé Absolut Shine Line – Sparkling Olive  |   NYX Liquid Suede – Soft Spoken

Filmed at Maritime Hostel (we stayed here for the first week)

Worn for the first day of exploring around the Chinese Fishing Nets + lunch at Cochin Club

I wore this look on our first proper day in Fort Cochin. We had seen the nets from afar & been to Cochin Club for dinner, but this is the first time we were seeing the coast in the daytime. Velvet is a huge trend this season & this babydoll marks my first ever velvet piece of clothing. It was a serious throwback moment for me because the last time velvet was on trend I was probably… eight? Yep I have distinct memories of three of my older friends turning up at one of my birthday parties all wearing new dark coloured velvet dresses! I probably still have those photos somewhere.

I liked that the velvet isn’t too shiny on this dress so it’s a nice piece to get if you’re on the fence about the trend! I also liked the autumnal colour scheme & the vintage tapestry print. Overall a very easy dress that I just paired with subtle accessories in the same colour palette, since the print is already kinda busy.

Look Two

StalkBuyLove top // Topshop black mom jeans //  The Bombay Store Kashmir suede bag // Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield Lady watch // Lavie flatform sandals

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Fuschia Suede

Filmed at a cute wall on TM Muhammad Road, outside the Kochi Biennale Foundation

Worn for a very long day of exploring the area on foot

I put this look together for a day of exploring new areas. We were headed to the museum that day but we took a super long route & ended up reaching just before their lunch break. We also dropped into a bracnh of my school & got lost more than once. It was a very exhausting but satisfying day!

Look Three

bhane. dress // KOOVS studded tote // Ray-Ban round (silver reflector) sunglasses // BCBGeneration sandals

Makeup |   Lakmé Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek in Blush Velvet

Filmed at Burgar street

Worn for a laidback day of visiting cafés & petting cats

I bought this bhane. dress quite early in the year, even took it with me on earlier trips but I never wore it out. It’s like I was saving it for the right occasion. I wore this on the day we finally visited Kashi Art Café – there was no better day to début it. Princess Street & Burgar Street (the latter being the road Kashi Art Café was on) were without a doubt my two favorite streets in Fort Cochin – they felt like they were from another place, in another time. Also, there were so many semi feral cats! They weren’t too up for being petted but they did accept little snacks from us.

Look Four

KOOVS sequinned shirt //  Topshop mom jeans // KOOVS studded tote // Ray-Ban round (silver reflector) sunglasses // Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield Lady watch // Steve Madden sandals

Makeup |   NYX Lip Suede in Kitten Heels

Filmed on the cobblestone sidewalk by St Francis Church

Worn for some exploring & lunch at Cochin Club (again)

I wore this look for yet another very relaxed day. The oversized silhouette, sequins & raw hem really attracted me to this shirt. And what can I say about mom jeans, other than the fact that I haven’t worn my skinny jeans all year? That’s one fashion statement I’ll happily carry over to 2017 as well.

Look Five

StalkBuyLove errand dress // Dhora earrings // Fjallraven Totepack no 1 – red // Leo Mazzotti rope nautical bracelet // Lavie flatform sandals

Makeup |   NYX Lip Suede in Vintage

Filmed at Bishop’s House / Indo-Portuguese museum garden.

Worn for our first visit to Mattancherry

Fort Cochin has been occupied by many different colonial powers over the years. While there were a lot of crappy downsides to all that imperialism, one of the tiny positives are the beautiful architecture in many of the churches & other buildings, built by the Dutch & Portuguese. This was the most vintage inspired of the five looks, shot at the most beautiful location. I wore this during our first visit to Mattancherry – it’s technically not Fort Cochin, but adjacent. I loved the mix of cultures there & this outfit was perfect for visiting many places of worship there, such as the Jain temple & Paradesi synagogue.

When I’m visiting a new place, I try to carry clothes & accessories that match with the vibe of the place. I like to look well put together but don’t like to stand out too much or attract unwanted attention. I think shorter clothes like my first look are totally fine if you are roaming near the beach or Chinese Fishing Nets. For venturing more inwards towards Mattancherry, it’s best to cover up a bit more (especially if you plan to visit the synagogue, museums etc.)

Winter in a tropical destination is still pretty hot & I think all of these looks were perfectly suited to the weather. If I could change something, I probably would’ve carried at least one pair of sneakers – all I carried were (flat) sandals but it would’ve been nice to have better support & cushioning on days we walked 5-6 kms! Unseasonal rains aren’t uncommon, so carrying an umbrella would be wise. We were lucky that our hostel had one we could borrow.

Mom & I have shot travel lookbooks previously- we did one for Pondicherry, Ooty & a dress lookbook in Goa. I want to say a very big thank you to mom who patiently filmed this for me on our trip. This is definitely my favorite video that I’ve ever done. I cant wait to go on more trips & document more personal style ♥

I hope you enjoyed the video, do tell me which look was your favorite in the comments! x

The post What I Wore in Fort Cochin | A Lookbook appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

Koovs cold shoulder bodysuit // Topshop Mom Jeans (via Jabong) // Dhora necklace // Lavie swan tote bag // Crocs sandals

Photos by Sheila Vaz

Many may lament at Mumbai’s lack of winter but I love it. We’re just starting to get that little bit of chill in the air, it makes nights more bearable & makes me reach for my long sleeve tops. November to Feb are my favorite four months of the year, I’m so excited that they’re starting & it always feels like they’re gone too soon.

We’re just at the end of October but somehow, in my head it already feels like the end of the year – the time when I turn into a sentimental, navel gazing, brooding person & try to sum up what the year has been like for me. It’s hard to get a handle on 2016. So much has happened, I feel like I can’t remember when I last had higher highs or lower lows.

In popular culture, 2016 will be remembered as the year we lost so many beloved public figures (David Bowie’s death certainly knocked me back) but I think personally, this has been the most defining adult year of my life. I’ve worked harder than I ever worked (in my life). I’ve made actual, real efforts to step out of my comfort zone & not feel so safe all the time. I’ve taken chances on people. Some of those worked out, but some didn’t. I’ve (hopefully) learnt from my mistakes. I’ve said YES to more things & gotten some incredible opportunities this year.

I took my first ever solo trip – something that I’ve contemplated doing for years (it was fantastic & life changing, in the best way possible). I’ve decided to do more of what I truly love – although this has resulted in blog has grown a little quieter, I’ve become regular with YouTube & that just makes me feel a lot more connected to you guys.

I also feel like I’m getting slightly better at this whole ‘self love’ thing (though it’s still so hard). I’m not as intent on concealing perceived flaws & have become ok with sharing more of myself online. Whether it’s getting comfortable with appearing on camera without any makeup (I credit a lot of that to just vlogging regularly. It’s helped me shed a lot of unnecessary pretense & inhibitions)  or wearing sleeveless clothes though I have a weird relationship with my underarms, haha.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been negative or messy parts, parts that I need to work on. I’m still pretty disorganized. I need to get better at time management & work more on not feeling very anxious or overwhelmed. But I’m not one to rush change – as long as I know I’m on the right path, I know I’ll get there.

I want to take this opportunity to thank any & all of you for being around. Whether you’ve been reading this blog since day one, or you just discovered it. However you discovered me, wherever you ‘follow’ me. I feel like I’ve gotten to know so many of you personally, & you are all just a part of my life story. When I started this blog in college, it was mostly just to get disciplined & to show my dear ones that I can keep at something (as a teenager I had a penchant for starting things but leaving them halfway). I was a very shy 16 year old who had just started college. I didn’t know the ways in which that little impulsive decision would shape my life.

Creating content is the best job in the world & having such a supportive & positive community around me is an incomparable feeling. Thanks for being here. x

The post Coming Into My Own appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

Noble Faith cold shoulder blouse (from Koovs) // Topshop Mom Jeans (from Jabong) // Ray-Ban Round Copper Flash // Dhora earrings // Eristona rainbow pin // BCBGeneration sandals

Photos by Kedar Amburle at Light House Cafe, Worli

I started this blog in 2009 mainly to further my love of writing, but I’ll be honest – I always find it hard to write something meaningful to accompany my personal style posts, it’s just such an exercise in frivolity no? I’ve never claimed to be a fashion writer or someone that helps people dress better; I’m just sharing my personal style. Nothing more, nothing less.

I’ve been fortunate to travel a lot this year, while I didn’t blog about every single one, you can check out my #MagaliTravels YouTube Playlist for lots of travel videos. And as I type this, I’m about to embark on my most exciting one yet! I’m heading to Thailand with Cox and Kings &The Tourism Authority of Thailand where I’ll be spending three days exploring Chiang Rai, Thailand’s Northernmost city followed by a couple of days in Bangkok. It’s my first international solo trip & I couldn’t be more thrilled! I’ll be doing a ton of updates on instagram (@magali_c) & of course there’ll be vlogs, so I’d love if you could join me online, I’m excited to explore & share the entire trip with you guys! x

The post City Lights appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

I recently had the opportunity to test the LYF Wind 3 4G smartphone. While I am by no means a tech blogger, I thought I would share my experiences & observations after using it for a while.When I first held the LYF Wind 3 in my hand, I fell in love with the look & design. It has curved edges & a premium feel when held. It has a 5.5 inch HD (720p) LCD display – I read, check my instagram feed & even watch a lot of videos on my phone so I always prefer larger displays. The screen is made of scratch resistant Asahi glass too, so you don’t have to put an additional screen guard on.

I’m wearing: Koovs breton top // Topshop mom jeans // Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield Lady watch // Persé Femma backpack // Vans leather sneakers & of course my LFY Wind 3 smartphone.

Coming to the next super important feature, the camera and photography. The phone has an 8-megapixel LED flash rear camera and a 2-megapixel selfie camera. The main (back) camera shoots 1080P video and the front camera is pretty wide angle which makes it great for capturing more in your selfies or taking group selfies even!
The LYF Wind 3 also comes preloaded with Reliance Jio Apps like My Jio, Jio Chat & Jio Beats which add some great additional functionalities to the phone!

These apps combined with the Jio preview 4G connection, allows you to seamlessly watch movies, videos,listen to  your favourite songs –and, all content on HD.

The Jio Beats for instance, is a music app which offers HD songs in over 2o different languages. With Jio’s connection speed, you need not even download songs you don’t already have. You can just listen to your favourite music on the go.

 The Jio On-demand is a video streaming service. It offers movies, TV shows, music videos and trailers. This app turns your phone into an entertainment device! It claims to have 1 lakh+ hours of HD content. I checked and found that most of the HD movies are already available!

With the preview offer of unlimited steaming for 90 days, it’s everything you could ever ask for!

And of course Android Lollipop means I can install any app that I need, via the Play Store. The Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core 64-Bit Processor powered with 2GB RAM ensures that the phone never lags, even on ‘heavy’ apps.That, along with dual SIM & 4G compatibility means this phone has everything I look for in a smartphone.

After playing with the phone for a while, the most surprising thing I found was the cost – at just ₹ 6,999 the LYF Wind 3 is really affordable as well. I seriously couldn’t ask for more. You can find out more about the features etc. by checking the website & you can buy the LYF Wind 3 Smartphone online on Flipkart. x

The post LYF Wind 3 appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

A months ago I did a little shoot for the Marks & Spencer Summer Vacation collection which you must be already familiar with if you follow me on instagram (@magali_c).

They’re two outfits that are absolutely perfect for the pool side or beach, & one laidback casual full linen look.

All the clothing & the hat is from Marks & Spencer while my sandals are from Topshop.

All photos (& this video) by my talented friend Anushree Gavas at The Poolside, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

I don’t know why I’m only now getting around to sharing them here because they’re probably my favorite images (of myself, haha) ever. Hope you liked this post… which look was your favorite? x

The post Easy Like Sunday Morning appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

bhane. layer top (from koovs) // Topshop Mom jeans (from jabong) // Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield Lady watch // Accessorize sling // Clarks Orla Betty sandals

Photos by Kedar Amburle at Asado The Cocktail Street

Lately, without even realizing it, my wardrobe has been dominated by shades of blue. Here’s a relaxed daytime look, which I classed up with my favorite retro heels!

I know there isn’t any velvet in this look – I’ve just decided to name all my personal style posts after movies or songs, so this one gets it’s name from my favorite David Lynch film.

What is one color that recurs a lot in your wardrobe? I do believe you can tell a lot about a person by the colors they wear & surround themselves with! x

The post Blue Velvet appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.