I Wear: December Diva

December is my favorite month of the year in Mumbai. The weather is uncharacteristically pleasant. Of course, the rest of the world laughs at us but it’s the ONLY time when we get to bring out our bright sweaters, our snug jackets and our stylish silk scarves.

I use every opportunity I can, to dress up. Here’s me at the preview screening of Sherlock Holmes, during the Christmas/New Year week. The event was held at Nehru Planetarium at 7:30 p.m. and of course, I’d be inside a dark theatre for most of the time. But that didn’t stop me from bringing out the dramatic red & black & white in my diva closet!

(Incidentally, I spent most of December 2011 doing stuff that I barely had time to chronicle. So this month is going to see a lot of posts referring to last month.)

The top is a wraparound blouse that I fell in love with, for that tomato-red colour alone. My jeans are Levis’ Diva in stone-washed black shot with silver threads and with an embroidered motif on the left pocket (not seen here).

Movie halls are usually unnaturally cold (and the NFDC proved to be no exception!) so I was glad I took along my trusty black Life jacket.

The scarf is a bright silk one, splashed with every colour under the sun, that mum brought back for me from her latest Delhi trip. I grabbed it at the last minute and through the evening, wore it in different ways – tossed over my arm, knotted around my bagstrap, draped around my neck & shoulders. It’s a soft buttery silk that slides off easily so needs to be held in place. But the material is so–how shall I put it–effusive in how it puffs up, that it seems a crime to put a pin through it. Knotting or holding it under heavier fabrics are the only options. This is a garment that must hog the limelight in how you need to keep adjusting it, so the outfit it accessorizes has to be accordingly stable.

The boots are another reason to love December in Mumbai. When else can you wear this gorgeous pair? These are ankle-high and have no heel, which makes them super comfortable in addition to warm and sleek.

I Wear:

• Tomato red wraparound top: Rs.500, Lokhandwala market
• Stonewash black jeans: ~Rs.1700, Levis Diva
• Black leather ankle boots: Rs.1000, Shop opposite Theobroma & next to KFC, Bandra West
• Black jacket: Life, Shoppers’ Stop
• Silk scarf: Cottage Emporium, Delhi

I hated the movie and we didn’t do much after – a quick bite and then homeward bound. But I enjoyed the movie, so much so because it felt really good to dress up and go out.