Wardrobe essentials for every woman

Women get hypnotized by shopping that sometimes they forget the rudiments one needs in their wardrobe. How many times you open up your cupboard and just keep staring at it. We just pile up clothes by unwanted shopping and keeping them unorganized. And when the time comes to flaunt that exclusive outfit, get confused. You remove all your clothes to find that one special dress.

Frustrating, isn’t it? By the time you decide what to wear you already get exhausted with the idea of getting ready.

I am a compulsive shopaholic. For me it is a stress buster. But this habit cost me money, time and the after effect of shopping when I land up with clothes which do not find their place in the cupboard since it is already overloaded. Now whenever I go out to purchase clothes, I first have a look at what I need and what I desire.

One can use certain hacks to alter their wardrobe in a classy, chic and unique way by having these basic essentials which can be teamed up to produce an amazing outfit.

1.       Blue denims: We all have atleast one pair and it is easily available in the market too. Blue denims go well with any colour top, tunic, shirt, t-shirt or a simple short kurti. Own denim which is not too light or too dark.

2.       Semi-formal top: If you have this, you will be always ready for a party. Sober colors like pink, blue or even red go well in any occasion. One can carry it well with trousers for a formal look and team it up with funky accessories, short skirt or denims for a party.

I am very fond of jackets too. A blue denim, a black shrug, or a quadra jacket, matches any top and bottoms.  Mix match it to have a casual or a formal look.

3.       Ethnic wear: A women looks are truly enhanced in an Indian wear be it a saree, chanya choli, anarkali, patialas, or a simple salwar kameez. One must have a combination in heavy and medium. Team it up with one heavy accessory.  Let it highlight your appearance. Do not cover up yourself with lot of jewellery at the same time. My favorite look is a jhumkas on an Indian wear with a set of bangles minus the neck pieces. If you are wearing heavy neckpiece then go for a simple earring.

4.       Comfort fit: A blue or black jeggings paired up with nice printed top is just perfect and can be interchanged with different combinations of tops and kurtis. Be it any color kurti,  black & white leggings matches all. Buy kurtis as per leggings you have. A not so funky short or long dress as per choice is ideal for dinner.

5.       Bags and shoes: I love carrying bags as per the outfit I wear. But my all-time favourite is a small black bag and a gold/silver Matt finished clutch. Black bag with formal and casual wear and a clutch for party. An evening gown with a small clutch paired with long earrings is a must have.

A black sandal with small heel will match any formal/casual outfit

For ethnic and evening wear, a gold/silver sandal or stilettos is must, as per your comfort.

If you are not comfortable with heels go for sneakers or ballerinas.

6.       Lazying out: A good pair of casual t-shirt and black tracks or shorts is just required for those weekend afternoons when you want to just relax at home. A good pair of loose pyjamas & Tees for a good night sleep

7.       Picnic mood: Shorts, capris, denims, jogger pants, spaghetti top, summer dress a pull over for those awaited picnics.

8.       Colour me: A bright red lipstick and red nail paint is perfect to match any outfit.

9.       Shades: A good pair of UV glares in black or brown is just perfect for an outing.

10.   Imitations: Transparent/mirror drops in earrings and neck piece with any formal/casual wear looks fab. Diamond studs and black earrings look so adorable.

A good planning and sensible shopping will prevent you from shelling out huge money on clothes. Hope these tips help you now in managing your wardrobe easily. So what are you waiting for?

Every woman is different and so is her dressing sense. It’s good to follow trends but don’t make it a habit. Follow your budget and style, make a statement!

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Some must have essentials in a mommy’s bag

After I become a mom, I lost the “Miss Perfectionist” tag during the initial months. Though for others I was still doing a decent job, but I knew this was not me.  When it came to taking care of my baby and her belongings I was still the same; disciplined and organised. But when it came to managing myself or things which belonged to me and my husband, I had taken a step behind. Whether it was managing wardrobe or maintain documents, I never made any attempt to be perfect because my priority was different now.  This went on for few months till I could set a perfect routine for everything.

Especially when it came to my handbags which one requires almost daily. They were once so organised neat and clean. But now I had to hunt deep into them to even find my mobile. So many times I could find pieces of tissues, waste bags, food crumbs in my bag and it always gave me an ‘eeks’ feeling. It was time to get organised again.

Because of my fetish for hand bags I kept on changing them depending on the outfit I wore. Sling for market trips, a fancy handbag for movies or dinners, and a clutch for a formal gathering. Though I still own variety of purses and handbags but currently I prefer keeping one bag handy for long which has everything I need for my baby and even few things for myself. It becomes easy to keep single bag or maintain a small pouch which fits into your bag.

So I just sat one day and jotted down what all things I needed to carry when accompanied by my baby on routine basis.

1.       A big bag which can carry your world, your cupboard with you.

There are different types of bags available. You can have the tote bag, mother bag which is available in baby stores, or a sports bag.

Make sure it is stylish and trendy so that you don’t feel like a Portman. Also; it should have enough sections for you to find things easily rather than digging your bag every now and then in public.

Carry a small clutch for money, cards, mobile and keys it can be placed easily in the bag or a sling bag.

2.       For New mom: It is absolutely ok to forget your stuff but, do not forget to keep baby wipes for the shocking surprise. Atleast 2 Diapers, tissues, diaper rash cream, Baby powder, bib, extra pair of clothes, hand sanitizer, mosquito repellent cream, wrap towel(for nursing), extra disposable bags.

For weaning babies, do carry their milk or porridge in containers which has different sections for the same. A small flask for warm water is a must. Keep handy foods like banana/Apple to satisfy hunger pangs.

For others who have got over with nappy issues do carry an extra pair of clothes for your kids too because you never know one might require it for emergencies like liquid spills or food droppings.

3.       For last minute finish keep a comb or hair brush, sunglasses, a clip, lipstick/lip gloss/lip balm, kajal and a small compact. Place all this in a small pouch for easy access.

4.       To avoid body odour keep good Eau de cologne handy.

5.       We all love capturing those cute moments and expressions of our tiny tots. While travelling it is important to keep your phone charged, one can carry a power bank along incase of any emergency if your phone goes down on battery charge.

6.       Carry enough cash or cards to fund your food or travel specially when with kids.

Though it doesn’t look like much stuff when read but it actually gets heavy when carried. So make sure not to carry a bag which already is of heavy material as it will add on more weight.

 An advance preparation can save lot of time in packing and searching things.

Try keeping your hand baggage ready every night before winding up so that incase you have to go out the next day you need not spend time in searching and packing important stuff.

Do not forget to replace essentials and clean your bag once in 15 days.

Motherhood comes with lot of challenges. But small steps can make our life much easy.

Personal Grooming Tips- Face-Hair-Hands-Feet- Look Good,Feel Good!



Beauty is skin deep. It is not only important to look good but feel good about yourself.

I am very lazy when it comes to managing any stringent beauty regime. I believe in following a real ritual without complaining lack of time.

There are so many good salons, beauty clinics and beauty products which one can utilize. But sometimes it becomes very confusing as to what to choose. And of course, they all come with a price.

No matter how beautiful your skin looks or you wear gorgeous dresses, but if you are not groomed, your appearance will lack the elegance required.

Let’s start with some basic steps which we can cope up to regularly. These are experienced, practiced and some advised by experts whom I have come across in my life span.

1.       Feel good skin – Who doesn’t want a flawless looking skin. But not everyone is lucky. With a good skin care ritual we can atleast have a healthy looking skin.

-It is important to wash your face twice a day with a mild face wash. And if you still want to freshen up just wash with normal water, to avoid losing up moisture on your face.

-Cleanse your face with a good cleansing milk or even normal milk, apply a good toner and leave it. This can be done twice a week

-Cleansing-scrubbing-face pack (as per skin type)-sunscreen or a good moisturizer: this can be done atleast once in 15 days at comfort of your home.

-If you prefer home packs multani mitti mixed with rose water or  besan, milk, haldi & honey mixed in curd /milk also does wonders.

-Oiling your skin regularly helps to retain the ‘baby like glow’. Massage your body with oil every day before taking bath. These 5 mins spent, will reduce early aging of your skin.

-Regular bleach /facials/cleanups makes skin rejuvenate. Do it from one beautician since they then understand your skin type.

-Do go for waxing regularly. Avoid shaving since it develops thick hair growth.  If you get any kind of irritation after waxing apply ice or aloe vera gel.

-For those with facial hair problems besan, milk, haldi & honey mixed in curd or milk can help. -One can even opt for hair removal laser treatments to get rid of unwanted facial hair.

-Shaping your eyebrows gives a different sharpness to your face. Try doing it from one place or beautician.

-I can vouch for Shea butter based body scrubs , they make your skin feel soft and fresh. Apply it atleast once in 15 days all over your body by slightly massaging it and wash off with cold water. It makes skin exfoliate.

-Applying ice regularly helps to remove excess oil.

-Remove make-up with milk or cleansing milk.

-Apply sunscreen on your hands, feet and face-neck every day, even if you are at home.

-Avoid going out between 12:00noon to 4pm. Carry umbrella to avoid direct exposure to sun.

-Eat well, sleep well. Drink lots of liquid in the form of water & juices. Drinking Coconut water every day gives a fantastic glow to your skin.

-Apply petroleum jelly for chapped lips. Use tooth brush to remove dead skin.

2.       Hair Care – Some of us want long lustrous hair and some prefer to keep it short.

-Hair whether long or short needs to be trimmed regularly.

-If you have unmanageable frizzy hair, do lot of oiling for maintenance.

Oil should be applied atleast twice in a week.  Massage warm oil on hair gently over scalp and tips. One can even keep it for 20 mins before washing. It provides good moisture to your hair.

-Hair spa does wonders. But consult a beautician for the same, since they have a different method of doing it. If you are using it at home, wet your hair and apply it on your head and keep it at least for half an hour before washing.

-It is important to shampoo your head with a mild shampoo atleast thrice in a week and wash off with mild water. While shampooing massage the scalp rather than your hair. For hair one can use conditioner after wash. Do not wash hair with hot water.

-Tie your hair loose to prevent hair breakage.

3.       Hands & Feet care- Long nails, short nails, square shaped or round shaped,well-manicured nails attract attention. 

We work in the kitchen, do utensils, laundry, dusting and come across so much of dirt, grim and chemicals. Our hands our strong to do a lot of hard work but at the same time they are very delicate.

A regular manicure is an option. But if you want to try something at home, apply a good moisturizer daily before sleeping. You can even apply petroleum jelly for hard cuticles. Remove nail paint if you do household chores. Chapped nail paint looks very shabby. Instead apply a transparent coat. It gives a shine to your nail.

Same thing goes for your feet. Apply a good moisturizer or petroleum jelly, massage evenly and then wear socks. It will make your feet soft and give you relief from cracked feet.

Do apply sunscreen before going out on hands and feet. Since they are exposed and tend to get tanned.

If we do not take care of our appearance then who will! So let us spend 10mins every day for basic care and few hours once in a month to make ourselves feel special and look vibrant.

If you have any unique or secret beauties tips and would like to share it, mention it in comments.

THE RIOT ROOM- An Irresistible Indoor soft play area.

^{It feels like a blessing when you get a chance to witness your child enjoying & playing endlessly.}

^{We took a wise decision to celebrate the much awaited, 'Father's day', on the 19th of June, at The Riot Room, because last year my daughter was too small to understand the significance of this day and now my child could comprehend that it is daddy’s day, we need to make this day special .}

^{The Riot Room in collaboration with JAMM's network (Journey about mast moms) and Prism Toys organized a memorable event for ‘The Cool Daddies’.}

^{We were quite delighted to see a huge area converted into a play space for the kids with such vibrant colors and humble staff to take care of our tiny tots.}

^{We entered to have a lovely photo clicked on the photo booth and received our instant photo frame. There were games for all parents organized by Prism Toys and we went back to school & brushed up our GK.} 

^{The Riot Room is beautifully designed, conceptualized and owned by Hardika  Lakhani, who herself is a mother. My 2.5 yr old daughter had a fun time going around on all activities like building blocks, soft rides and slides, ball pool, ball shower, gun shooting, bouncing net, etc. The space also has a cafeteria which serves food and parents can also sit back and watch their kids play.}

^{The miniature activities in indoor play areas not only have a fun value but also keep our tiny tots engaged independently. They learn to play on their own, climb, pass the obstructions, and perform various physical and mental activities. It stimulates the mind and body. One also need not worry about the weather outside. During bad weather we cannot take our kids to open play areas. So such indoor play space provides great opportunity for kids to beat the weather and explore their play skills.}

^{They have membership plans, arrangement for birthday celebration and school picnics. One can avail the benefit of their referral scheme mentioned in their website: http://www.theriotroom.in}

^{They are open 7 days a week, 12 PM to 8 PM. Socks are mandatory for everyone (adults & children).}

^{So friends, do visit the place and write your review. I am sure you will have a jolly good time and kids can never get enough of their moniker slides.}

A simple MoM

She wakes up early in the morning every day, challenging the rising sun. There has been not a single day she has spent sleeping extra-long hours. There is an in-built alarm clock in her. The clock can stop working but there is no stopping for her.

 She takes early morning bath, performs her daily rituals, and prays for her family. Even the divine above must be wondering whether he gave her an extra punctuality power. She takes a cup of tea and sits on the sofa doing all monthly calculations. She doesn’t spend this time for herself and her eyes are on the timepiece. And there the alarm rings and even her cooker. She goes to wake her kids for school, prepares breakfast and tiffin. She has to deal with 2 fussy eaters every day in same pattern patiently and sternly. 

Once they leave for school she again gets back to kitchen to prepare breakfast & meal for her husband and in laws. Everyone has a different taste. For kids she prepares sandwich, for husband corn flakes and for in-laws paratha. In the mundane task of preparing delicacies for everyone she has forgotten what she likes and eats whatever suits her time and is ready.

Though everyone has gone to their respective schedule, she still has loads to do; laundry, monitoring maids, cleaning, changing pillow covers and bed sheet, settling bills of milkman, laundryman, cable, grocery  etc., The moment she sits the bell rings, the moment she thinks to do something the bell rings and it does at least 10 times. She doesn’t get bugged but thinks of it as a good exercise.  

Its 12 noon and time for her to get back to work, not household work but something she loves doing and is passionate about. Initially her family was not taking her earnestly but yes now they are and proud of her. She loves teaching. She always wanted to be a teacher. Her parents got her married early, and then came responsibility of house & kids. But time came when she could pursue her dream and career of her choice, though not full time but at least few hours till her children are not home because she doesn’t wants to affect their schedule and give them best possible time.

She runs tuition classes at home. Not many students but takes maximum 10, due to space constraint. It’s been 2 yrs. and she is steady and motivated. Dreams of opening her own classes in a big space. These few hours gives her mental satisfaction and she gets rejuvenated to get back again taking homework of their kids, revision, preparing tea & snacks, going to the market, taking kids to the park, preparing dinner and putting kids to sleep, taking care of medication of in-laws and showing affection & care to her husband. She doesn’t sleep before 1 am. Sometimes after everyone falls asleep, she prepares notes and sheets for her students and reads her favorite book.

Turn the word ‘MoM’ upside down; it appears as ‘WoW’, she truly has a WoW factor in her. She is a simple mom but a fabulous woman.

No big aspirations and demands, happy in her own cocoon. She has few set of friends whom she meets on birthdays and anniversaries. She visits her parents twice in a year during vacations in her native place. You can find her in every single women whether working or at home. Few qualities here and there but she resembles all of us. 


**The content is imaginative and doesn't bear resemblance to any character or person

Quaker Oats contest receipe: SCHEZWAN OATS TREAT

The way to man’s heart is through his stomach, well, for me it was not applicable since I stole my husband’s heart first and then got a chance to cook for him. The way he is a fan of my cooking, I also want my daughter to say that her momma is the best cook. Earlier I used to prepare a feast for my husband and now I prepare dishes to attract my daughter, who is a fussy eater, to at least make her grab a bite.

It is so difficult to please kids to have food. People say, make colorful dishes, so that kids get attracted to eat. But for me it was opposite. My daughter loves modest looking dishes. So I try to make simple looking, innovative, scrumptious recipes which are full of nutrients and which don’t require much time in preparation & cooking.

Oats has been regular in my child’s diet. Oats have become very popular in recent times, due to its various health benefits. They are higher dietary fiber and have healthy cholesterol-lowering properties. It reduces risk of coronary heart diseases, lowers blood pressure, easy to digest, and helps in reducing obesity. Here is my dish which I made from Quaker oats:

Schezwan Oats Treat

Preparation time: 15 min Cooking Time: 15min Total time: 30min Serves 4 people

Ingredients for rolls/tikkis:

1 small packet Quaker oats Homestyle masala 40g

1 small bowl grated cabbage (boil it for a little while after grating. Usually I prefer boiling cabbage before using it. Squeeze it completely.)

1 small bowl grated carrots (squeeze it completely)

1 small capsicum finely chopped

2 boiled potatoes

2 Tablespoon Jeera powder

1 Tablespoon red chilli powder or as per taste

Black pepper (crushed) as per taste

2 Tablespoon Schezwan sauce

4-5 bread slices made into crumps by grinding

1 small cheese cube, finely chopped

1 small bowl suji/rawa

Oil for frying

How to make rolls/tikkis:

Take Quaker oats Homestyle Masala and empty it in a bowl filled with water (cook as per instructions given on the packet). Bring it to boil, make a thick paste. Add this paste to a big bowl along with grated carrot and cabbage, finely chopped capsicum, potatoes, bread crumps, jeera powder, red chilli powder, black pepper, salt, and schezwan sauce.

Smash it completely and make as soft dough. Start making finger rolls. Place the chopped cheese pieces in between the rolls before giving it desired shape. You can make finger rolls, round tikki or star shaped tikki out of it. You can also add chopped dry fruits in between the rolls/tikkis. Apply some oil on your palms before giving it shapes. Spread suji/rawa on a plate and place the rolls, slightly over it so that they get covered completely. This will give a crispy taste to it. You need not deep fry it. One can also shallow fry it on a non-stick pan with less oil.

Ingredients for Chutney:

1 small bowl finely chopped coriander leaves

Half bowl mint leaves

1 small onion

1 small green chilli

1 teaspoon jeera

Salt as per taste

Half cut lime

How to make Chutney:

Grind coriander leaves, mint leaves, onion, green chilli, jeera, salt and then squeeze lemon for some tangy taste.

Serve the rolls with chutney and some salad. Children would love to eat by dipping it in Mayonnaise sauce(its readily available in the market). 

Easy to prepare, easy to serve dish with a twist, especially for children. They can carry in their tiffin’s. You can prepare the rolls/tikkis and keep it raw in the fridge. It shall last for min 2 days, and fry it whenever you want to. One can add vegetables of their choice. Serve it with bread or chapatti; it is filling and healthy too.

Nothing can pull you down, be strong as a mountain!

Have you ever wondered why are mountains so strong? How can they withstand the pressure of nature? No  matter how rough the weather is they stand still and robust. This is because they have a strong foundation and are meant to be that way.

Even humans are designed to be strong and fight against all odds. But not all of us can face life’s challenges with equal ease. Though we all have that quality of a fighter within us but we don’t recognize it especially at the time of crises. We tend to easily fall prey to the situation and sulk in bouts of sadness. We become so blank & deaf to encouraging & supportive words by our loved ones and surrender ourselves to the moment of dismay.

How many times has one felt like just staring at the wall and not reacting at all, as if we have been bitten by some venomous snake? No one is happy or sad as they portray in movies or daily soaps.

We all have the courage and will to fight all odds of life. We just have to identify it at the right time. Birth, death, pass, fail, win, loose, fall, rise, are some of the natural actions of life and life never stops at any of these occurrences. One has to move on and reach the skies.

Look at kids, the more they fall, the faster they rise to achieve their target, without even a small grump on their face. Then what happens to us when we become adults? Why we get so terrified by pains and hardships?

We adults have very less percentage of patience and tolerance levels. I have experienced and heard people saying, “I have faced so much that I can’t tolerate any nonsense”. Sometimes even I repeat the same words.

Let us not define any level and believe that we are most patient and tolerant being on this planet.

Meditate and keep repeating to yourself.

Don’t get triggered over small things.

Face every situation as a challenge.

Be rock strong.

Do what excites you to achieve more in life. Practice what makes you happy.

Be among people who motivate you.

Remember that yesterday will not repeat itself. The present will never come back again and no one can judge or see the future. Then why crib about past and worry about future. Take any given worst situation as a passing phase, with a bright ray of hope.