Shopping for jeans seems to be the bane of every woman’s existence.  The idea of trying on a gazillion pair of jeans before finding the perfect pair of jeans is a nightmare.  While finding a pair which fits ‘just right’ may not always be achieved in the first go, knowing your actual size can help start things on the right foot.

Whereas high street shops and most contemporary brands stick to a national sizing system (e.g. US, UK, French, Italian, etc), Premium denim like J Brand & Goldsign is international, and conforms to a set sizing structure.  That’s 10 points right there for Premium denim !

To determine whether you should be trying on a pair of 26’s, 28’s or even 32’s, here are a few tips:

1. Whip out your measuring tape & measure your upper waist…i.e. the smallest part of your waist.
2. If your waist measures at 27, try on a pair of size 27 jeans.  If your hip to waist ratio is smaller, also try on a size 26.  Alternatively, if the ratio is slightly bigger  (i.e. you were gifted with some ‘junk in your trunk’), try one size bigger.
3. Bear in mind that despite a uniform sizing structure, some discrepancies do lie across brands.  For example, Paige and True Religion both run slightly big so chances are you will need a smaller size than you would normally go for.

Also do remember that denim stretches, so if you are looking for a pair of jeans with a snug fit, here’s our final tip:

“If you have to do ‘the kick’ to get in them, you’ve got the right size.” 

Otherwise within a couple of wears, you’ll end up with the ‘saggy bottom effect’…and that’s not a good look on anyone !

Emily Blunt in J Brand’s equestrian-style modern riding pant: The Jodhpur in Vintage Stallion

Despite the various dresses showcased at the Emmy’s this past week, we are loving the Devil Wears Prada actress’s effortlessly chic look!  Forecasted as being even BIGGER than the Houlihan, it looks like Emily Blunt is already one step ahead.  The Devil might wear Prada but one thing’s for sure…Ms. Blunt wears J Brand!

Are you drooling over The Jodhpur as much as we are this season?  Or do you think this style is best left to the horse jockeys?

Earlier in the day, I was having a conversation with my ever–so-frustrated friend.  Monday mornings mark her weekly weigh-in and despite sticking to her diet & exercise routine to a T last week, the scales had another story to tell: 2 pounds on! I have experienced this far too many times in the past so I could feel her pain.

My words of wisdom? Despite our best efforts, weight fluctuates for various reasons including:

1) Water retention

Eaten a lot of salt over the last few days?  Drinking too little water?  THAT time of the month again?  Not drinking enough water will force your body to cling onto its water supplies and falsely show a rise in weight.  The good news is that these ‘phantom’ few pounds come off as quickly as they came on!

2) The amount you’ve eaten

Don’t think about the meal you’ve just eaten only in terms of calories, but also in terms of weight.  Just imagine weighing yourself with all that food in your hands.  Although celery racks in ‘negative’ calories, eating a huge amount right before weigh-in will cause a rise in your weight.  Once your body has had a chance to digest it, the food weight will disappear!

3) Lack of sleep

Denying yourself of enough sleep causes physiological stress, and biochemically you store fat more efficiently.  Strive to get 8 hours of sleep each night

4) The scales aren’t the only sign of progress

Do rely on other measures of success during your weight-loss journey such as body measurements, looking at the pattern of weight loss over a period of time, the good habits you’re forming, and increased energy levels.

Personally I judge my success by the fit of my clothes.   I kid you not when I say that my scales went out the window 2 years ago.  As long as my skinnies are comfortably buttoning up, I must be doing something right !

September seems to be THE month where things are happening!  Between the change of seasons, Vogue’s worldwide Fashion Night Out, the start of 2011 NFL season, and the premiere of Modern Family season 3 on 21^st September, there is SO much to look forward to this month.  One thing that I sure am excited about is Restaurant Week in Mumbai which starts from 19^th September!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this epic concept, it is basically a week-long culinary celebration across major cities in India that offers consumers a chance to experience the finest restaurants through a prix fixe menu.   In other words, it’s an opportunity to indulge in quality food at steal prices !  With participating restaurants like Indigo, India Jones, Hakkasan, and Vetro, I sure am glad that I made my reservations well ahead of time.  We hear that only the ‘waitlist’ option is available now.  Why not try your luck and see whether you can still nag a table or 2: http://restaurantweekindia.com/

 What are you looking forward to this month?

As much as I miss my 3-month long summer holidays, work-free weekends, and flexible schedules, there sure is one thing that I do NOT miss about being a student: The end-of-summer feeling

No doubt I used to be excited what the year had in store for me.  However there was also a pit feeling in my stomach about going back to boarding school, waiting a whole year for my favorite season and the dreaded work load.   I guess being in the ‘real world’ does have its perks: I actually love the end of summer/start of fall! 

More than the mere reason that Starbucks brings back their oh-so-delicious pumpkin-spiced lattes but because new season=new styles.

Here are three styles I’m loving this fall/winter season: 

1) J Brand’s Equestrian-Style Jodhpurs

I’ll admit, I bought the Houlihans in not 1 but 3 colors.  As soon as I heard that the Jodhpurs are dubbed as the ‘next Houlihans’ I knew I had to get my hands on a pair.  Given their ankle zip and inner-knee patches, these will go perfectly with the plethora of monochrome tees in my closet!

2) Animal Prints

Wild prints can be spotted all the way on catwalks in NYC!  As much as I am all over this trend, I get the feelings some people avoid wearing animal prints to avoid attention.  Fret not, there are still ways to get on board with this trend without feeling like you’re a walking “LOOK AT ME” poster:

• Tame with black: to snazzy up your otherwise boring black ensemble, consider wearing a leopard-print shawl or animal-print pumps to change the energy level of your outfit.
• For a touch of animal print, focus on accessories rather than your actual clothing.
• Size your spots:  smaller prints are more fitted for petite girls whereas taller girls can get away with larger prints.

 3)Wax-Coated Denim

I plan to discuss these properly in a future post but I have to say: if you too are living in a hot country (or are a vegan fashionista), these are a fantastic alternative to leather pants!

J Brand 901 Glory

It’s no ‘shocker’ that one of 2011’s biggest trends was the bright coloured jeans.  During the spring, of this year, all the top labels took a giant leap of faith and diverted from their normal, neutral colours.  All of a sudden, different colors were exploding all over the scene, from bright red to electric blue, fuchsia, lemon yellow and so on!  Even Hollywood’s ladies like Cameron Diaz to Kim Kardashian, Eva Longoria and Anna Kendric couldn’t seem to get enough of the colourful jeans trend.  Just when we thought the trend was slowly coming to a halt, J Brand had the ‘bright’ idea of adding a new shade to their collection: shocking pink!

J Brand 620 Super Skinny in coated shocoking pink

Source 

Unlike the rest of their colourful jeans, these were designed exclusively for Fashion Night Out, which was held worldwide on 8^th September 2011.  More than the colour, we love the motive behind these jeans: 100% of net proceeds from the sale of this style will go to the Aids Fund in the New York Community Trust in honour of FNO! Does anybody have some polish because it seems that J Brand’s halo could sure use some.

Great going J Brand!  Here’s hoping it won’t clash with my special edition iPod!

What’s one to do if he/she can’t afford a Porsche Cayenne?  Opt for the next best alternative, naturally!  If your dream of owning a Porsche car is slightly out of your budget, fret no more!   Thanks to its new line of swanky jeans,  Porsche  is now more affordable to the common man….or more so, the common man who is okay with spending $400 on a pair of jeans .  A ‘normal’ pair of Porsche Design jeans costs anywhere between $390 – $500.  Of course Porsche is aware that some of its clients would like to maintain some level of exclusivity and have also launched a ‘celebrity edition’.  Those who fall in that category only have to fork out a mere $900.  I say ‘mere’ with the price-tag of an actual Porsche car in the back of my mind .  From what we’ve seen, this line of jeans reflect the appeal inherent to the vehicles: premium denim with a minimal, timeless yet clear look and fit.

FINALLY….

…the hunt for the perfect shirt is over

…the idea that stylish clothes neeed to be figure-hugging is out the window

…I have something new to wear

…soft, fashionable material that doesn’t suffocate me

…a piece of clothing that is appropriate for both casual and/or dressy outings

Just when I was losing hope, Christian Restoin’s new line of EQUIPMENT shirts restored my faith in fashion!  These loose-fitted shirts seem to be the answer to all my problems.

I am having so much fun coming up with various ways to wear them!  So far, I’ve worn it over a pair of skinnies, tucked it into high-waist jeans and thrown it over my favorite denim cut-offs.   Worry not: I’ve worn each style with a different group of friends so surely that doesn’t count as repeating, right? !  Whatever the case, my wardrobe finally feels “fully equipped”.

What about you?  Have you gotten your hands on an Equipment shirt yet?  

For the longest time, I would hate to bump into people I knew at the gym.  Not because I was embarrassed of the way I ran or due to the fact that I sometimes let out a grunt or 2 at the weights area.  Heck I didn’t even mind about people seeing me sweat my face off.    No, it was more to do with my no-frills workout uniform: a beaten-up pair of sweats matched with an old t-shirt.  What’s the point of dressing up to get gross and sweaty??

When more and more friends started joining my gym, I knew that had to change.  I succumbed into buying ‘cute’ workout wear and you know what? Putting a little more thought into what I wear while working out makes me feel more confident about myself and actually motivates me to get fit.  Word on the street is that J Brand is launching its very own line of high-end sportswear soon!   If they fit anything like  J Brand jeans, I think it may be time to go on a gym shopping spree

Where does your exercise motivation stem from?