Decoding the black and gold look

Black and gold is a timeless combination and one can’t go wrong with these colours. A beautiful combo for cocktails and reception, looks wow on both western as well as Indian wear.  So to attend a wedding reception at my in law’s side of the family I chose a black net anarkali with accents of velvet since that is the most in winter fabric for weddings. Of course, timeless gota patti work on it and an antique gold stole adding the bling and glitter. The best part was the kalamkari fabric beneath the net adding a very classy touch to it.

For makeup I went with a MAC gold eye shadow and a black eye liner by Bourjois, a coat of black mascara by Bad Girl from Sephora. Although most colours go with black but since the eyes were subtle in gold, went in for a red lipstick Hollywood Red by Bobbi Brown. And not to forget the bronze shade waves blush from The Body Shop.

Hair was all curled up with tongs from a neighbourhood salon. The look is opulent at the same time elegant and not overtly flashy. So what are you waiting for, for your next night out or a cocktail go for black and gold!

Fab not fat: Indi-di-Aglio-di-olio pasta- a twist to the Italia...

Fab not fat: Indi-di-Aglio-di-olio pasta- a twist to the Italia...: Its mid week and no one minds a nice and easy pasta dinner recipe. I was bored of both white sauce and red sauce pasta. One day decided to...

Indi-di-Aglio-di-olio pasta- a twist to the Italian Aglio-di-olio Pasta

Its mid week and no one minds a nice and easy pasta dinner recipe. I was bored of both white sauce and red sauce pasta. One day decided to order the Aglio-di-olio but being someone who loves her spicy food...found it bland for my liking. So decided to play around with the ingredients and tweak the recipe of the pasta to suit our desi Indian palette and it was indeed yum. I have recreated it many times at home and its my father-in-law's favourite pasta now....made it last night too as Tuesday is veg day at our home.....here goes the recipe:)

Ingredients 

2 onions chopped long and thin 

One tomato chopped finely

7-8 pods garlic finely chopped

Red chillies (the fresh thick ones used in achaar (pickles), available abundantly these days in the market) chopped into fine roundels) You can also use the thick green ones instead!

A packet of freshly chopped Parsley 

Freshly chopped coriander

 300 grams Spaghetti

Take half a cup of olive oil as the oil is the sauce itself and saute the chopped garlic in it 

 Then add the long cut onions and saute till translucent pink. Make sure they don't go brown. 

In the meanwhile boil the spaghetti according to the instructions give on the packet, make sure to add little bit of olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and dry herbs like oregano to the boiling water to add flavour to it. 

Then add the red chillies and tomato and saute till done, do not over cook it. Add 1 and a half tsp of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Also add oregano to it. 

Once the spaghetti is done, drain it in a sieve and let it cool a bit, then add it to the mix that you made with the rest of the ingredients. Mix it up well! Don't forget to garnish it with fresh parley and coriander leaves, 

Tastes best with home made garlic bread that I made just by putting Amul garlic and herbs butter on white bread and toasting it in the oven and of course white wine :) 

You can garnish with Parmesan cheese powder. A desi-twist to an Italian pasta!

You can call me Jyo- as that’s what my friends like to address me. I have loved patterns, styles, fashion since growing up as a kid, my favourite place in our sprawling bungalow used to be my mother’s boutique and her workshop of karigars. I used to escape from homework and collect the unused small patches or sometimes even bigger cloth pieces then think up of a style and beg mom’s tailors to stitch a dress for my Barbie dolls. And yes my Barbie dolls wardrobe as well as jewellery collection was indeed envy of the neighbours daughter’s as these were bespoke pieces designed by me and created by old but cheerful masterji who used to sometimes get scolded from my mum that he spoilt me rotten and wasted his precious work time on making “useless” dresses for my dolls.

I have loved fashion as a kid, as a teenager- I guess my mom has truly been an inspiration. Whatever she wore and however she carried herself was a class apart! And I am lucky as those genes came to me. The only not so lucky thing which I got from my dad’s side of the family is my love for good food. And believe you me my love for food is immense, so much that from a plump school going kid to an overweight teenager to a fat college goer and then a heavy workaholic, a huge wife to a big momma- one thing has always remained consistent is my plus size.

I know it’s unhealthy and I have tried, lost gained back- the cycle continues till today, the emotional eating too…..but now I have realised if I have to do it…I have to do it at my own pace and do it gradually. But have also learnt to be positive about it, learn to be proud and happy the way I am and make the best out of it.

A lot of my friends and acquaintances message me or call me asking me about my styling, how I manage to look so charming (touchwood!) even with all the fat.  Perhaps as the years go by, I love the way I am and I feel I can work on myself, imagine and think of different looks and styles that will suit me. So here I am with this blog…(my first ever)…..dedicated to women who are like me….Proud to be Plus…..Fab not Fat!