Beating the Winter Cold - Cuddl Duds Warm Wear

When I first moved to Philadelphia from LA, I asked my friends what type of coats and thermals they wore. Amazingly, none of them used Cuddl Duds.

Cuddl Duds are thermals (long underwear) that are super soft, very warm, form fitting, and not at all like your grandmother's long underwear. These are not the typical waffle thermals that are thick, bunch up under clothes, and have crotches that are 3 feet below the waist. These are actually made to fit a woman's body! They come in crew-neck and v-neck styles, but the v-neck is pretty high and is still visible when worn in many of my sweaters. However a good scarf covers that right up. I purchase mine at Macy's (they are 50% off right now), but they are also available at places like Kohls and JC Penney and online. They also come in various varieties: Softwear, ActiveLayer (with moisture-wicking and temperature control properties to the fabric), ClimateSmart (temperature control), and Softwear Stretch (super soft and sleek).

I also found these boxed versions at Sam's Club and I have seen these same ones at Target. However, the quality of these is not as good as the Macys ones. These are not as soft, they are more polyester-y to the touch, and don't come in the same varieties as the other stores I mentioned above. These feel like a cheap microfiber fabric that is better than waffle thermals, but not as good as the others above.

Cuddle Duds come in black, white, and light pink solids, and some stores carry a few prints like animal print and stripes. I like the lace trim on the ones pictured above because they are a bit feminine, but I like the non-lace ones too because they look like normal clothing. My favorite style is ActiveLayer because it helps regulate temperature, especially when shopping and I am constantly in and out of the cold, and I like the Softwear Stretch ones because they are super soft and the bottoms even have a bit of a low rise so that they are perfect under my low-rise jeans. They don't bunch up under normal clothing and even look like normal clothes so if you wore a Cuddl Duds top and jeans nobody would know you were wearing a thermal top. 

Cuddl Duds are a great investment for keeping warm as they are functional and ideal for layering. They are a bit pricey at around $30 per piece, but they are on sale practically everyone right now so they are affordable and VERY worth it. My only wish is that they would make a low-cut neck version so that I could wear them under more sweaters without having the neckline show. 

Now all my friends use Cuddl Duds. Have you tried them?

MIssoni for Target

If you are crazy about fashion and live in the US, you know that infamous fashion house Missoni collaborated with mass retailer Target to release a cheap-chic collection yesterday (Tuesday Sept 13th). Within just a couple hours of the collection going live on Target's website, the website crashed! People went CRA-ZAY over this collection. Not to mention the thousands who visited Target stores in the morning and snatched up everything worth grabbing. By the time I was able to actually get through to the website the items I wanted were sold out online and the website showed they were out of stock at the stores near me. I was able to get a couple items from the beauty section, like this cosmetic case which I think is absolutely adorable:

Missoni for Target Passione Cosmetic Valet

I must admit that I wasn't going crazy over this purely because of the label, but I really do like the purple zig zag pattern. I think that a lot of Missoni's patterns are beautifully abstract and complement neutrals in the perfect way. Since I didn't get the accessories I really wanted, I may have to hunt through all my neighborhood Targets or dream of winning the Lotto so I could afford the real deal. 

Did you lust after anything from the Missoni for Target collection?

My New Best Friend - The Sari Saheli

If you have every worn a sari, you know how much of a pain it is to get dressed for an Indian event, most of the time you are already running late, and then you have to deal with wearing a sari...making the pleats, pinning it up so it doesn't fall apart...and if you are like me, the first time you wear the sari isn't always the best so you end up doing it again. 

Ladies, I have found a tool that has been saving me so much time in the past couple months, and after properly using it a few times now, I can honestly say I am so happy to have it! What is this amazing tool? The Sari Saheli!!

Basically this is a sari pleat maker that helps make sari pleats easy and perfectly sized. The set I got comes with the pleatmaker and 2 magnetic clips that help in the pleat-holding process. 

These clips seem like a gimmic, but I have found them to be really helpful while putting the sari on. The Sari Saheli site recommends using them instead of safety pins. However, I think they look tacky. Personally, I use the clips to hold the pleats in place until I can reach for a safety pin and pin the pleats together. 

Source: Sari Saheli website

So how do you use the Sari Saheli? Basically, when making pleats, you tuck in the Sari Saheli at your waist, and then use the clips on the Sari Saheli to hold each pleat as you make it. 

Source: Sari Saheli website

Ok, so I know that sounds kind of confusing, so here is a video that shows you how to do the front pleats on the "skirt" of the sari...these are the pleats that give you room to walk when wearing a sari. This video is in Hindi, but if you don't understand Hindi, this video is still helpful because vieweing the Sari Saheli in action gives a good idea of how to make the front pleats.

Source: Sari Saheli website

This next video shows you how to wear the traditional sari, and uses the Sari Saheli to make both the front pleats as well as the paloo pleats, where the sari paloo is pleated over the left shoulder: 

Source: Sari Saheli website

The Sari Saheli box also incudes a pictoral guide in the box, but honestly, I think the videos on the Sari Saheli website are better. 

So overall, it takes a few tries to get the hang of using this. I don't recommend using it for the first time when you are getting ready to go somewhere. Practice with it a few times at home so you feel comfortable using it. That time spent practicing is well worth it because when you do have to get ready for an event, making the pleats will be much faster and easier than doing it without the Sari Saheli. 

Also, I recommend this for gals who are new to wearing a sari. If you have been wearing a sari for many many years, you are probably so used to making pleats on your own that you might get frustrated using this, so I don't think this is meant for you. 

Oh and one more thing, I was so happy to have the Sari Saheli in my life that Sari Saheli offered to give you, my wonderful Kajal Couture readers, a 10% discount on the Sari Saheli when you purchase online! All you have to do is enter the code "KAJAL" in the discount code box during checkout. Oh, Sari Saheli does ship worldwide so don't think this is something for those in the US only.

Please note that I am not trying to sell this to you, but I genuinely think the Sari Saheli has helped improve my sari-wearing process. That is why I was so excited to tell you about this, and as you all know, when you find something you love, you want to tell everyone about it! =) 

CitySlips - Folding Flats That Save Your Feet

So this isn't really a beauty post, but I've had a cool little pair of shoes for awhile and have been wanting to tell you about them:

These are CitySlips - ballet flats that fold in half and are super compact so you can carry them in your handbag or even a med-large sized clutch. These are intended to be comfortable shoes that you can carry with you so that if your feet are hurting or you need something easier to walk in than fancy shoes, you can whip these out of your bag, slip 'em on, and voila....comfy feet! Included in the kit is a little carrying case that will hold the shoes when they are folded.

The carrying case can also convert to a bag:

I think these are great to have if you live in a metropolitan city and are always walking around. Personally, I think they are great for weddings because I can't tell you how many times I've attended a wedding reception and by the time the dancing starts, my feet are killing me and I take my heels off. I think these are perfect to slip on and dance the night away. 

If you are interested in these, check out the CitySlips website. You can purchase them online and at some show retailers.

Are you stylish?

Are you looking for a great Indian outfit to attend a Diwali party or other event? Or perhaps just looking for a Bollywood outfit for Holloween? Well, I've got you covered!!

Head on over to Stylish Desi for all your Indian clothing needs. The term "Desi" stands for Indian, and this site was actually started by one of my good friends. They sell new and pre-owned Indian ethnic wear. So whether you are looking to buy a new outfit, or sell a fantastic outfit you don't want to wear again, it's a great site to browse through and do a little shopping. I also love reading their blog!

Let me know if you find anything you like!! Happy shopping!!

Experiences Shopping for Indian Bridal Wear

As you may have read in a previous post, one of the reasons I went to India in January was to do my wedding shopping. And by wedding shopping, I mean buy my bridal outfits. Of course, we had to buy other things like gifts, and items used during the ceremony, but the largest and most fun purchases were the outfits I am going to wear for the wedding reception and ceremony.

Traditionally, in the Gujurati (the type of Indian I am) culture, we wear a Panetar Saree, which is a white saree with a red border. A saree consists of wearing a petticoat skirt, a blouse, and the saree itself, which is 6 meters of fabric draped around the body. Examples of Panetars are pictured below:

Then for the reception, we wear a Chaniya Choli or Lengha (skirt) type outfit. This consists of an embroidered skirt, blouse, and a dupatta, which is a wide scarf (approx 1m x 2m) that can b draped around the body in various fashions:
So my plan was to follow the tradition. I tried on a few Panetars, and quickly realized the style just did not suit me. I looked twice my size, and I looked twice my age. Not exactly the look I was going for as a bride. So then I ended up mixing the traditional and modern and getting a Panetar style Chaniya Choli, so it is a Chaniya Choli style but in white and red. I am not going to post pics of the outfits I purchased. The first time I want anyone (other than my parents) to see the outfits will be as I walk down the aisle on my wedding day. =)

I did purchase my outfits in Mumbai, though I looked in a couple different cities in India. Mumbai is the largest, most populated city, and can be called the Paris of India. All the celebrities live in Mumbai, all the hottest styles are first seen in Mumbai and then filter through the country, and the best selection of clothing is in Mumbai. Since the best of the best merchandise is in Mumbai, it is also more expensive than other cities. All this I have just stated is not merely my observation, but a fact. Every family member, friend, shop owner admitted that the styles I would see in Mumbai, I would not find anywhere else in the country. And they were right. A girl I met in a shop in Mumbai had already bought her wedding outfit from Ahmedabad, and was looking only for her reception. But she liked the merchandise in Mumbai so much that she ended up buying a new wedding outfit!

That being said, here are a few tips I would like to share when shopping for bridal wear in India:

1. Try and go to Mumbai or Delhi (the capital of India) first and check out the selection. Then go to other cities, suburbs and all, and look at the styles and prices. You can compare the styles and prices with the larger cities and get an idea of what you want and what will fit in your budget. If you find something you like in the smaller cities, purchase it. If not, you can go back to Mumbai or Delhi and get whatever you like.
2. Have an open mind about what you like. If you are dead set on a certain color or cut, chances are you will fall in love with something different, and then be confused because it is not what you originally wanted. Try on as many outfits as possible, including the colors and cuts that are not your number 1 choice. You will be surprised as to what you find flattering on yourself.
3. Take into consideration how your outfit will look in pictures. The most popular colors in bridal wear are red and gold. Everywhere I went, people kept showing me gold outfits. I was open to it, until I realized that it just doesn't look flattering on my skin tone in pictures. My skin tone is too similar to the gold color of bridal wear, and the monotone look just doesn't look very nice. I didn't want my skin to blend in with my outfit, I wanted some contrast, so I went with color. Most places will not let you take pictures of their outfits, because they don't want pics in the wrong hands and risk having the styles copied, but if you explain to them you want to see what the outfit will look like in pictures, they will let you take a couple, as long as you delete them right away.
4. Remember to take a camera with you. Why? Re-read #3 above.
5. Take a few people with you. You will definitely need some opinions on what does and does not look good. It is sooo easy to get confused once you wear a few different outfits and like all of them. Having others point out things you may not realize, will help in the decision making process.
6. If possible, take some locals with you. They will know the best shops and it will be easier to bargain. A lot of bigger shops are fixed price nowadays, especially in Mumbai, so as much as you try, you won't even be able to drop the price by 1 rupee.
7. Have fun! This is your bridal wear after all, and you (hopefully) won't be shopping for bridal wear every again, so make the most of the experience!

Another thing I want to share is for those of you who are considering buying your bridal clothes in your country and not in India, I have some interesting info for you. The following outfit, as all the other pics in this post, are from a well known store in Mumbai called Pramanik.

The outfit above is listed online for $532. I saw a very similar outfit, similar type of embroidery, same color, same style, at a store in Cerritos, California (also known as the Little India of Los Angeles) for $5100. I am not joking. That is almost a 10X markup! People think its crazy to fly halfway around the world to shop for bridal wear, but once you learn the price difference, it really makes sense to pay the $1500 airfare to fly to India. Even if you and your mom flew, that would be around $3000, and you bought a $1000 outfit, it still comes out to be cheaper than the one outfit I saw in LA. And if you went to India, you would be buying more than one outfit, so all together, if you add up the savings of everything you could purchase there, it really comes out to be cheaper than buying things in the States.

By now you might be tired of my ramblings so I will end it here. If you have any questions about wedding shopping in India, please feel free to email me!