10.00am: I start my day with a healthy breakfast of fruit, oats and green tea while I browse through the latest fashion magazines and my favourite blogs from across the world, looking for inspiration on posts my readers might enjoy, photography techniques I could employ and trends that I need to stay updated with.

 

11.00am: Sit down at my desk after breakfast and getting dressed, ready to answer emails from prospective clients, collaborators, brands and the press. This usually takes a while since I tend to be very careful about the brands I associate myself with and weigh the pros and cons of each one carefully, from a blogger’s perspective, the brand’s and my readers’.

 

12.00pm:  Run through the latest blog post a couple of times and make any necessary picture and text edits. I then upload and publish the post and share it with my followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

1.30pm: I break for lunch and settle down with my iPad for my daily dose of carbs and my guilty pleasure, Pinterest. I have three accounts with about thirty boards on each, ranging from career goals to healthy recipes, decor ideas and trend moodboards. One account may even have a secret Dream Wedding board. (What? Every girl has one!)

 

2.00pm: Oddly enough, the afternoons are when I get most calls from PR agencies. Bloggers often joke about how PR agents have replaced people from banks that disturb your afternoon siesta by offering you credit cards and insurance, but we secretly like hearing about new products, exciting launches, collaborations and events.

 

2.30pm: I sift through the over-burdened rack of clothes that sits near my desk with outfit options for shoots and upcoming events, planning what to wear when, where and with what. Once I have a clearer idea, I set about calling photographers, discussing shoot concepts, locations and arranging available dates to shoot.

 

3.00pm: I don’t indulge in caffeine often, but on days when I need a pick-me-up, and if I feel like I still have a few leftover calories, I’ll indulge myself with a Starbucks when it’s time for a break. If I’m feeling peckish, I’ll usually reach for some green tea, a fruit or some nuts to keep me going.

 

4.00pm: This is usually when I head out to shoot and to be shot. The lighting is divine at 4pm – not too bright and not too dark with just the right amount of shadows to make pictures look more interesting.

 

5.30pm: If you’ve planned a shoot in advance, it usually doesn’t take very long to execute and when I get back home, I spend a little time catching up on some reading or soaking up some more inspiration. I love always being ‘switched on’ and being able to draw inspiration from everything around me.

 

6.30pm: This is when I wrap up my blog work for the day. Unless urgent, I respond to all emails that come in after this time for the next day, shut shop and head out to the park for a jog in the fresh air.

 

 If you’re a sucker for a schedule, are looking for motivation to get your life on track or just love a good accessory, a Daniel Wellington watch is worth investing in. Streamlined, classic and never likely to go out of style, mine has been eyeballed by almost everyone when I wear it out.They also deliver very quickly, which is great if you want to get your mum one for Mother’s Day this Sunday (11th May).

 

And the best news is, they’re offering a 15% discount off any watch on their website to all Bombay Bubble readers! Just use the code ‘bombaybubble‘ when you’re checking out! Happy Shopping!

 

Photography: Parizad D

There’s nothing I love more than summer, but when things start to get a little too hot around here, the only way I can keep my cool is by sipping on a chilled drink and sporting my favourite pair of statement sunnies.

 

However, this year being hotter than most, calls for something a little extra. A dandy candy hued number to serve as the perfect reminder of sweet times still to come – the promise of a summer romance, road trips with your friends and cocktails by the pool.

 

Luckily, Anonymous Co. gets where I’m coming from and is giving you a chance to scoop up this gorgeous tropical necklace by BBling to lend your summer a much needed sugar rush! Are you ready to go on an exciting Instagram treasure hunt?

If there’s anything I love more than spending hot summer days with an iced latte, browsing the Colaba stalls for outlandish jewellery, it’s doing exactly the same thing with someone who’s visiting from out of town. There’s something about managing to wrangle the best possible price for an item they’ve fallen in love with and watching their faces light up as you do. For those of you who haven’t done it yet, I highly recommend it. Think of yourself as a fashion samaritan doing your good deed for the day. Are you listening, karma?

 

For a Bombay girl who’s grown up shopping at quaint street side stalls, a good bargain hunt is a walk in the park. A tourist, however, isn’t always as fortunate. Store owners are always on the lookout to make a quick buck, and an out-of-towner can be spotted a mile away and are easy targets for a quick sale at double the price, if not more. While you may think that language would be a barrier to haggling down to the best possible price, you’d be surprised to learn that most of them speak multiple languages, because as traders in the tourist hub of the city, they’re used to selling their wares to people from tens of nationalities every day!

 

So whether you’re a home gown gal, from another Indian city or from a continent far far away, here’s a guide to getting your bargain on when jewellery shopping at Colaba, not getting ripped off, and walking away victorious like the wise, worldly shopaholic you are:

 

1. Dress down. Street vendors tend to overcharge if you’re dressed to the hilt, as in their minds, if you look like you can afford expensive product, a few extra hundreds wouldn’t make a difference. And while nobody expects you to go down the grunge route, picking a simple, summery outfit kills two birds with one stone as it also beat the heat. Win/win!

 

2. The less interested you look, the less adamant the seller will be. They hike up their rates when they see you’re keen, so practice your best poker face and pretend like the item won’t make a difference to your life (even if it goes perfectly with that cute new peplum top and palazzo pants you just bought).

 

3. Whilst bargaining, quote half the vendor’s asking price, then either settle on Rs. 100 or 10% above that. Remember to give in sometimes as the extra few bucks isn’t worth arguing over. It would mean a lot more to him than it would you. If he is still overcharging or refusing to budge, try this:

 

4. Smile politely, tell him the item is out of your budget and walk away. This often leads to the seller calling you back for a final bargain where he eventually gives in. Other tricks that go with walking away include telling him you’ve seen the item for less a few shops down the road or in another part of town.

 

5. Always be polite, respectful and befriend the seller if possible. This will allow you to bring the price down by using the “I’m such an old, loyal customer” tactic. Taking a friend along the next time you visit also shows them that you’re bringing more business to his shop, think his product is good enough to recommend and pushes him in the direction of giving you the best price so as not to argue and keep the new customer you’ve brought him happy.

 

What do I pay for my baubles, you ask? It may differ from individual to individual, but as a rule of thumb, I follow this little chart when I step out for a dash of bling:

Statement necklaces: Rs. 350-Rs 550

Pendants : Rs. 150-Rs. 250

Rings: Rs. 100-Rs. 300

Bangles and bracelets: Rs.150-Rs. 350

Cuffs: Rs.200-Rs.350

 

What’s your favourite Colaba find? Share it and your crazy shopping experiences with me in the comments section below!

 

Photography: James Moore, Anushka Hajela

It isn’t something I’m proud of, but I’m one of those people who is late no matter how hard she tries. And even though I substitute my regular shampoo for dry, skip eyeliner and brush off breakfast, being tardy comes to me a lot easier than I’d like it to.

 

Which is why, on a rushed morning, i can’t help but reach for my seasonal no brainers – stripes and statement necklaces. Almost my ‘uniform’ now, having these babies on hand means I can pack in an extra thirty minutes of beauty sleep, subsequent snooze-hitting time and still arrive in a safe ‘fashionably late’ zone.

 
In light of this recent fashion discovery, I decided to treat myself to a couple of necklaces, but since a full-time job leaves me with little time to shop, I took to the web and hit up my favourite online jewellery destination – Youshine. Stocked with the latest trends, practically at Colaba prices, I swiped up a collar necklace to keep things on-trend and the Portuguese Petals bib necklace for a touch of girly glam.

 

And I’m happy to report, with new trinkets popping up on the site daily and my shopping being delivered to me in under 24hrs, being late is a trait we don’t have in common!

{ Green striped shirt  Hill road,  | White t-shirt : Max | Orange striped shirt : Bought in Dubai | Orange Dress : Hill Road | Striped blazer : Globus | Necklaces : Youshine }Photography : Mehi Shah

 

What do you throw on when you’re in a rush? Tell me about it in the comments section.

 

Bisou bisou,
Anushka

Call it a typical Gemini trait, but I get bored. Really, really fast. A trend that is the object of my obsession one week is easily discarded for another the next. A bag that i spent a month drooling over (and about two month’s paycheck on) makes it’s way to the back of my closet almost as soon as I unwrap the packaging. A pair of shoes…you get the picture.

Which is why, when presented with a new concept in fashion, I can’t help but want to give it a go. I ordered myself a Jewel Box from FabAlley almost the second I heard about it. And while online shopping didn’t win me any brownie points at work, it sure added a pinch of pep to my daily dress-up ritual.

Here’s the good, the bad, the ugly about the Jewel Box phenomena, giving high street a run for it’s money:

What is a ‘Jewel Box’ anyway?
An avant-garde notion introduced to the Indian market for the first time by FabAlley, a jewel box is exactly what it sounds like. Pick through a series of boxes, each containing three or four carefully curated, pre-selected pieces of jewellery that reflect your personal style.

For the fashionably confused, a short quiz helps you determine which box is best suited to your style sensibilities, though the results may catch you by surprise.

What makes it cool? 
If you ordered the same pieces of jewellery individually off the site, it would amount to roughly Rs. 2000/-. However, opt for the box and they knock off Rs.1000/- which, in my opinion, is quite a bargain. It also makes for easy gifting as you could ballpark a friend’s personal style and pick a box you think would work for her.

What’s the jewellery like?
Bang on trend and seemingly high on quality, the Casual box I opted for featured three pieces of costume jewellery, two of which I loved. The blue/green necklace is what drew me to the box in the first place and the knuckle rings worked their way into my Jewellery Hall of Fame the second I slid them on.

Since I tend to lean towards the outlandish when it comes to accessories, I wasn’t particularly sold on the third piece, a simple gold and gunmetal chain link necklace. Although I’m quickly warming up to it and throw it on on days I can’t be bothered to do much else.

How long did it take to get there?

Not long at all! The box was at my doorstep 3-4 days within placing my order.

What was the packaging like? 
I won’t lie, I was not blown away. No fancy packaging but a boring black box, plain white tissue paper and lack of a personalized thank you note left a lot to be desired.

What I would change:

Personally, I would love it if I could pick three pieces and create a box of my own, rather than leaving it to fate and being stuck with one piece I’m not really going to wear.

 

Ultimately, however, the experience worked in my favour and I’m quite thrilled with the three new additions to my accessory drawer. Looking forward to the launch of next month’s boxes!

Have you tried the FabAlley Jewel Box? Share your experience with me in the comments section.

Bisou bisou,
Anushka xx

There’s nothing quite as exciting as the thrill of a first date. But sometimes, even though you’ve picked out the perfect outfit and researched his favourite football team, the evening could go a lot less smoothly than you’d like it to.Take it from a girl who has experienced conversation running dry, spinach in his teeth and a forty minute long vent-fest about his mother. In some scenarios, all you need is a pair of flats and a really good alibi to help make a stealthy getaway.
Since many a first date loom ahead in this month of love, Queue Up footwear is giving you a chance to rescue yourself from a not-so-perfect-date with a voucher for Rs.2000/-. Just share your most creative excuse to end a bad date with us in the comments section below!
All you have to do is :
(a) ‘Like’ Bombay Bubble and Major Brands on Facebook.
(b) Leave me a blog comment with your worst excuse for ending a bad date.

Can’t wait to hear what you come up with. Who knows, I might even use one sometime!

 

Bisou bisou,
Anushka

{ note : winners will be chosen on basis of best answer so get creative. winners must necessarily fulfill the likes, etc. mentioned above. contest ends february 21st,  winners will be declared the same day. contest is open to participants from india only }

Karen Walker may have been a martini away from liver failure, but she sure did know her fashion. The woman who famously said “Men come and go, but a pair of slingbacks are for life” has inspired me to spend this Valentine’s day with the very first love of my life.

Join me in celebrating the single girl spirit of stilettos this V-Day. They’ve given you that smidgen of confidence you always lacked, helped you unleash your inner Kate Moss and walked you to the most fabulous parties when you’re feeling low.

Lucky for you, everyone at Nine West seems to agree. They’re giving one lucky winner a voucher for Rs. 2000/- to help her get closer to finding her sole-mate!

All you have to do is (a) ‘Like’ Bombay Bubble and Major Brands on Facebook
(b) Visit their online store and leave me a blog comment telling me which Nine West shoe is your sole-mate and why. (Don’t forget to add a link to the shoe!)

 

Can’t wait to hear what you come up with!
Bisou bisou,
Anushka

note : winners will be chosen on basis of best answer so get creative. winners must necessarily fulfill the likes, etc. mentioned above. contest ends february 13th 8pm. winners will be declared onfebruary 14th . contest is open to participants from india only

The general consensus is that florals are a summer phenomena, but i beg to differ. You see, if you want to play the floral card as we shift into autumn, there are a few tricks you need to keep in mind. Get out your notepads and pens, here’s what the experts aren’t telling you :

•  Make sure your print is based on a dark background or on a luxe fabric with a slight sheen.

• Bring on the bling! Think dramatic, need-new-sunglasses pieces like the Story bangle, Sheila earrings or Swain ring from Swarovski’s new collection, Kindom of Jewels.

• Accentuate the colours in your print by playing with deep lips and nails

•  Lastly, top it all off with a black jacket, tights or ankle boots for some edge

Stay tuned for pictures from Swarovski’s ‘Bond Meets Bling’ event with Grazia happening tonight!

Bisou bisou,
Anushka xx

When it comes to evening dressing, the trick to avoiding the dreaded little black dress syndrome is thinking outside the box. The jewellery box, that is. My fail-safe formula for a night out is ‘Jewel Times Three’. or, in English, colour block a jewel tone shirt with a jewel tone jacket and top if off with some massive bling.Then throw in a box clutch, some heels, your favourite fall lipstick and embrace being a true lady noir.
Catching the light in a fierce steel grey, the Swarovski ‘Supreme’ necklace is the perfect party conversation starter. Check out their latest collection, ‘Kingdom of Jewels’ here.

 

bisou bisou,
anushka xx