A casual affair with B:kind

Dressing down at work can be a welcome relief from the stiffness of Grays & pastels that we are forced to endure 4 days in a week. Years of conditioning have enabled us to figure out the basic dynamics of formal work-attire in general life. However, even a brief appearance of Friday in our schedule can throw a lot of us in a bout of dilemma.

After all, how does one go casual in a professional environment & most importantly, how much casual is doable on a casual Friday?

Taking a cue from this situation and a lot more, B: Kind presents its own manual to break this vicious cycle.

Remember, fashion is the key word. Casual Friday is not a day to break out in the yoga pants and the Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops.  Instead, it is a day to wear printed tops or simple tees with your jeans. The secret of successful attire on this particular day lies in being creative while still maintaining the professional elements.

 If you’re wearing a printed top, pair it up with jeans or colored pants and heels.  If your pants are too dark keep your top light or go white with it. Don’t forget to accessorize it with jewelry or a scarf however. Skirt lovers can dig their favorites out of their closet & flaunt the neat and plaid ones out to the world.

And in the end don’t forget to have fun while you’re going smart with your casuals. Say what girls?

How to crack the Corporate Look?

To say that the work life plays a huge role in shaping our personalities is one of those statements that can continue its existence without being stated at all. Because over the period of time it fast becomes the only enterprise we live and breathe in. And yet, most of us get caught in a rut and find it difficult to stay fashion forward at the work front. Here are few ways in which you can easily update your work related wardrobe. 

1. Wear a colorful skirt: It’s easy to stick to the black, grey and blues. But, a chic yet formal pencil style, knee length skirt or trousers of high waist in an interesting color can go a long way in ensuring that your persona is never boring.

2. Have fun with your footwear: Add nude stilettos to a business suit or maybe printed pumps with dark denims. Accessorizing the attire further with a string of classic pearls is a sure winner too. 

3. Look for checkered tops: Checkered tops like the one from B:kind will give you a prefect formal look. Team them with a knee length skirt or straight fitted denims. 

4. Keep it simple: Avoid chunky jewelry. Instead opt for single studs, bracelets to keep it simple and chic. 

5. An elegant bag is a must have: A swanky bag can never fail to add a different dimension to your style and personality.

Remember to keep it interesting and vivacious the next time you pass through that door and swoop straight to your office desk. Have fun dressing up girls until then!  

A curious case of heels- High or Flat?

Historically women have fought many battles in the pursuit of fair ground in the man’s world. Some have been altruistic and outright revolutionary, while the others have been far nobler and milder in nature. And then there are some battles that fall in the catch 22 category of ‘What came first- Egg or Chicken?’

It’s almost impossible to come across a woman who has not had tough time juggling her vote of loyalty between a sexy pair of stilettos and the very practical flat bellies, chappals or others in this genre. This epic war has served as the ultimate litmus test for the womankind for generations.  

Yes, the heels are sexy. From Oscars, red carpet events to a casual walk on the road, the world would never be the place it is now had it not been for the existence of this super sensual pair on the horizon.

The detractors have been eager to point out at the serious health and medical hazards related to the device. But, who cares? For us the mind has always been over the matter. Hasn’t it?

Although a much saner voice would point out at the practicality of flat shoes as they can be worn under skirts, trousers or god forsaken any outfit. They are comfortable and especially so on uneven roads and crowded lanes of Indian shores. You can jump, run and hop. Every joy and comfort of a sporty spirit gets rolled in one.

However, they’re not heels. They are practical but, they are not a sexy 6 inch stiletto!  

While the battle continues and further confusion ensues, we leave the final decision with our audience here. But not without an important reminder from the very legendary and iconic figure herself-----

I don’t know who invented the high heel, but all men owe him a lot- Marilyn Monroe

Walk to remember

Spotted just-turned-mommy Sweta Matthew in a B:Kind checked shirt. Check shirts are the flavour of the month, get yours today!

 

See how another B:Kind fan wore the same top for a Sunday brunch, here.

Wear the trend: Tribal Prints

Move into a realm of contrasting prints for a striking appearance this summer. Everything from bohemian bracelets to bold prints, we are OD-ing on tribal prints!

Tribal tricks and tips:

• Play it safe: Tribal prints are bold and daring as is, play it cool and wear it moderation. Pair your bright tribal top with muted coloured pants, moccasins and a fringe vest to add the bohemian drama. Complete this look with feather earring and a carry-all sling.

• Accesorise: This trick is probably applicable for all your looks. Add a scarf or a statement necklace to your blouse or simple stack up and have an arm party. If nothing excites you, simply add a pair of high heels to do the trick. 

• Tribal in tiny doses: Tribal printed accessories are ideal for the faint hearted. Pair your tribal print scarf with an all black outfit or add an ikat print bag to a pastel outfit. Add an element of surprise that suits your style.
• Mix prints: Feeling bold and daring? Mix your tribal motifs with plaids or even stripes. Keep the rest of your outfit simple to avoid an overkill.

• Long-term investment: You don’t have to limit your tribal prints to the spring weather. Simply add fur or leather accessories like a jacket or a pashmina scarf to make it fall weather appropriate. You can also accentuate the rustic vibe of these prints by pairing them leather boots.

Girl-next-door

Fashion blogger Ritcha Verma is an absolute girl. She loves her cute dresses and summery prints. She recently picked up a printed top from B:Kind. The Peter Pan collar and romantic print make it very this season. This top is versatile and can be easily worked from day to night. She wore her look with coloured pants to dinner with family. 

Tangerine Tango

Think juicy oranges, marigolds and the summer sun because we just cannot seem to get enough of the corals and oranges that are doing the rounds this summer. Whether its entire ensembles or small measures like blouses, shirts and accents of tangerine, we think every wardrobe needs to explore the possibilties with this gorgeous colour. Here's a quick guide on wearing the colour:
Tangerine in contrast:
If wearing an orange ensemble is not your thing then contrast with other colours and colour-block. Try colours like turquoise, rich purple, royal blue, emerald green and red that make beautiful contrasts to tangerine.

Tangerine in small doses: Try peek-a-boo with tangerine colours like light jackets, tunics, shirts and blouses or simply in shoes, bags and bib necklaces. You can pair a cool cotton tunic with coloured pants for a high fashion look.

Tangerine ensembles:
Jumpsuits in orange or short summer dresses and playsuits are a good summer accompaniment. If you wear a tangerine ensemble, make sure you offset it with either nude or contrast colour accessories.

TGIF

Don't we all just love casual Fridays, weekends are right down the corner and hey you can enjoy your experimental fashion sense even at work! We spotted blogger Kavya D'souza from Streak Hue Fall in her breezy casual Friday look. Perfect from 9am-9pm, don't you think so?

Add a skirt or skorts to transform your tunic into a dress

The right heels completes your chic look

Don't forget those Aviators to combact the sunny weather

A classic black tote will never fail you.

Add that extra zing to your outfit with a statement necklace

Shop this look here.

Adding colour

Who doesn’t like an all-black outfit for the night-outs or a pure white ensemble for the sunny days? Here are some easy ways to add colour to a monochrome outfit

 

Dressing head-to-toe in a single color, tone or pattern can be both difficult and fun. From electric colors to neutral tones, layering in monochrome will guarantee you absolute throughout the year.

Follow these tips for those pops of colour: 

• The most instant way to add colour to your ensemble is by using your accessories. Your accessories are versatile and can be worn in multiple ways without seeming too repetitive.Revive your tunic and jeans combination with a bright scarf.

• Use your colourful links or bead necklaces for a splash of colour. Adding jewellery to your ensemble is also a good to layer in humid climates.
• If your wardrobe has a lot of plain colours, then invest in a few bright-coloured shoes. They are a good way of adding colour without overpowering your outfit.
• Bags and clutches are the ideal way to add colour. Wear a neon green clutch with a plain black dress or a bright pink tote to a grey t-shirt and jeans combination. 
• Add a sheer or lace shrug in the same tone, this will take away from the monotony and create a dimension to your outfit.

•  While jewellery, shoes and bags are a great way of adding colour, don’t forget to your sunglasses for the same purpose. Whether it’s Zeenat Amaan’s rose-tinted sunnies in the 80s or Carrie Bradshaw’s bright gold glares in Sex and the City, your sunglasses add instantaneous lift your ensemble.
  
  

The colour palette:

Browns, nudes and camels: These are neutral colours and blend in easily with almost all shades. Try beige with purples, camel shades with blues or browns with greens play with these colours with almost any shade.

Greys and taupes: Greys look great with salmon pinks and try to blend darker grey shades with maroons or even reds. The distinct contrast will completely lift your outfit.

Blacks: While adding colour to the classic black ensemble is a tricky choice. Opt to mix corals or burnt orange shades with all-black outfits. Avoid the typical choices like red and pink, try electric blue pops instead.

The Colour Splash for Spring

Spotted fashion blogger Jasleen Kaur Gupta out for a shopping trip in down town. Since summer is here, she wore a bright splash of neon colours. For a comfortable day out she opted to pair her B:Kind tunic with sweatpants. Wedge heels completed the look. A gold link necklace worn under the collar highlighted the tunic. Jasleen carried a contrast sequinned scarf to protect herself from the slight nip in the air and also add more fun to the outfit. A classic quilted handbag was the perfect accompaniment.

- For an evening out you can tuck in your tunic into high waist pants with high heels.
- For a day event, your tunic paired with Pakistani pants or lace leggings is also a good combination.
- For the night, pair a big statement necklace with your tunic and wear nude pumps.

Fashion Week Hangover

We came away from the Delhi and Bombay Fashion Weeks with one important lesson under the belt - that this summer is surely about colour but it's also about prints and more prints. Think tribal, Navajo, Native Indian, African influences this season. Stay away from animal prints though. Colour splashes, bursts and splotches very Holi-inspired are also in vogue.

How to wear these bright colours?
- Neon accessories are your best friends this season
- Threadwork bags, jewellery and even wedges are very in this season
- Pretzel like braided updos are also very fashionable with these prints
- Tassle neckpieces are also great accompaniments
- Harem pants and dhoti pants are the sure way to up the fashion quotient

Artistic muse

Graphic prints are a big rage this season and our pick of the month is a vibrant dress. Ideal for a dinner, house party or brunch date with someone special. We love Pranita Kocharekar from Artyheart visually expresses the artistic muse for our dress. Ee love the entire how she balanced a colourful dress with neutral elements. Do you? 

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Spring-Summer Trends

This season is flooded with bright colours, prints and graphic prints. Read on to know more:

Bright hues:

Color block, colour clash, or the tonal trend, this season has it all. Brighten up your morning with a bold tangerine tunic and denims or go all blue to master the tonal trend. However you pair your vivid tunics you are bound to stand out. We are lusting over the lemony yellow, and you?

Graphic tees:

Ideal for college and all casual times, you must own at least 2 fun graphic tees. Pair them with a girlie tulle skirt or with your comfy shorts and complete your weekend chores in style. Go androgynous and layer your graphic tee with a plaid shirt for a movie, or throw on your blazer with your favourite printed T-shirt for a casual event.

Bold prints:

Navajo, animal or abstract prints, there’s no escaping bold prints this season. Embrace prints in your daily wear, no matter your size or shape. In fact, wearing prints is a good way to distract attention of your problem areas.  Read more here.

Light layers:

The first step of getting ready for Spring-Summer is gearing up for the fickle weather. Light cardigans, wraps and cropped jackets come to your rescue. Wear them with cozy maxi lengths or with a colourful tank top. There are multiple ways to style your light layers, make sure you invest in this trend. 

Shop our SS-12 collection! Find a B:Kind shop near your home. Click here. 

Getting ready for summer

We are still in that in-between phase of winter and summer and we're keenly awaiting the hot weather so we can bring out our overdose of lemons, oranges and other bright colours.

Psychology student and fashionista, Gurleen Gupta has an eclectic style and loves to wear colours and prints. She ordered her B:Kind shirt online and wore it with coloured jeans and slip on booties for a day out with friends. The small leather sling bag completed the look. She also wore gold hoops to add a gentle touch to the edgy look.

We love the simple yet effective styling. You?

  Photos: Gursharan Singh Gupta

Now B:Kind clothing available online. You can order Cash on Delivery from www.majorbrands.in

Spring is in the air!

We know it's still chilly weather but being the trend forecasters we are, we decided to give you a sneak peek into the upcoming Spring-Summer trends 2012. One clear trend that you will be seeing this summer are florals in bright colours that will translate into clothes, bags and accessories.

How do you wear florals?

- Wearing florals is easy and you can do it without looking too girly. First off, pick one statement piece - either a tunic, a jacket, a shrug or a bag and then mix it with the rest of your ensemble.

- After you pick out a floral piece remember that the rest of your outfit need not necessarily be in solids. With florals you can mix polka dots, stripes and checks with great ease.

- If you are afraid that florals look too girly, mix them with grunge jewellery, mannish brogues and a leather messenger bag.

- To jazz up florals for a night out wear a sequinned vest or a sequinned boyfriend blazer.

- If you think the floral trend is not for you, start in small measures - a hairband, necklace, a brooch or a short shrug are the perfect ways to add it in your wardrobe in small doses.

Spotted in semi-formals

We all know that office wear can get dull and boring. But if you are an ardent B:Kind follower you'll know we brighten up all your outfits. We spotted blogger Aastha Atray from Indian Summer in our semi-formal blazer for a mundane day at work. Just before heading to work she let us click a few images of her casual yet super chic look.

Love the monotone combination with pops of mustard.

Adding elements of lace bring a certain amount of elegance to your look.

Get the look for Rs 999/- only!