Aztec Print Fashion: Ancient yet so Modern! Very few know that Aztec is the fashion from the past. Yesterday’s history of Central Mexico has become today’s trend. Aztec designs have been created and valued as far back as the 14th century and now it has once again taken the world by storm.

These Mexican-inspired prints are at once tribal, colorful, eye-catching and no doubt, full of energy. Aztec prints have become the style du jour among the trendy. It’s also a huge rage this season! So why wait? Get decked up “Aztec Style” and make a mark, the bold way!

Vigorously Vibrant:  Aztec prints are effortlessly vibrant and when it comes to colors, the more the merrier. Seize the opportunity to play around with colors to stay fashion forward. It just gets better when you experiment with countless combinations of pastels and bold colors. Pink and Grey, Turquoise and Brown, Mint and Orange, it will all fit together when it’s Aztec.

Aztec prints adorned in the Bollywood movie 'Cocktail' source: Eros International

Eclectic patterns:  Horizontal lines, graphic shapes and geometric designs in all colors…this is what primarily defines the uber cool ‘Aztec print.’ The Aztec print is quite easy to don! Just pick one striking Aztec printed piece and pair it with a single colored garment!

Luxury at its best: Aztec culture used vibrant prints and design on high finesse fabric which was rich in texture. Adorning Aztec prints was thus a sign of flaunting wealth amongst the masses. So when you dress up the Aztec way, keep in mind that it is all about luxury. Don’t forget to adorn feather earrings and chunky statement jewelry to look opulent. Woven fabrics, cashmere material, feathers, and intrinsic patterns will give your ensemble a splendid finish.

Simply Anything: This print is loved by all because of its versatility. You can adorn it as a part of your outfit or clutch or a scarf or just your mobile cover. It manages to transfer beautifully into other fields of design, such as interiors and artifacts. Make it a part of your Fashion World and stay inspired by the ethnic way. Girls go get your nails done in Aztec patterns to complement your ensemble!

Day or Night: Be it a day or night event, Aztec can be worn anytime. Choose to Dress Up or Dress Down, Aztec prints offer you enormous options to select from. You can find this print on cardigans, leggings, sweaters and printed jeans for your day wear. While select some stunning short dresses for your late night parties.
Fashion knows no international boundaries and thus Aztec prints made an easy entrée in Indian fashion world. The beauty of Aztec prints is that they are adaptable and flexible. They come in gorgeous shades that appeal to the Indian sensibility and recent western fascination with colors that pop.
Pair Aztec top or singlets with junky dream catcher neck piece. Flaunt your collection of semi-precious stones and pull out your harem pants to get the perfect dream catcher look. Now this how you wear these spirited prints without messing up!

When I was writing the sari on cape post I realized the jacket was being used in indian wear a lot these days. Iam a big fan of the Jacket or Koti anarkalis, because when everyone these days dresses in anarkalis the koti helps me stand out. But it is not just anarkalis which are being worn with jackets. Patiala suits, kutis, sarees, lehengas and shararas all are being given a contemporary twist with a jacket.
Investing in  Nehru Jackets , boleros and blazers is good because it helps in recycling old ethnic wear via the mix and match way

Anarkalis with Jacket:
Adding a short jacket to your simple anarkali is great way to to style it differently especially in winters. It is better to skip the dupatta when wearing a jacket over anarkali also sticking to minimal jewellery is the key to nailing this look.

Saris with Jacket:
Sonam Kapoor started this off when she wore a long jacket with saree at cannes. Adding an embroidered jacket to a simple saree is a  great way to style for winter weddings. But if your saree is embellished go the sheer cape way (look here for more insight on Saree capes). This fashion fusion has great potential provided done the right way. Be open to experimenting and  try both long coats and short jackets or waist coats. A more dressed down version of this trend can be worn to traditional office dos.
Salwars and kurtas with jackets:
When it comes to kurtis waistcoats are an effortless way to add zing to the whole look. Simple plain kurtis couls be jazzed up with embellished or embroidered waistcoats, while printed kutis can be worn in multiple ways by adding plain waistcoats of different colours.
Alia bhat wore this chic patiala suit for promotion of her movie humpty sharma ki dulhania. This whole patiala with waist coat coat gives a dressed up vibe and helps add more colour to the look so these can be easily worn to Mehendi functions or traditional fun parties. A mirror work vest is a must have if ethnic wear is your thing.

which way would you love to reinvent your ethnic wear with a jacket?

From clothes to makeup, there are always going to be shortcuts that will help you to save time and get that ramp walk model look, without spending hours or a small fortune in doing so. I have collected a list of fashion and beauty hacks that are easy, inexpensive and best of all, very effective. Use one or use them all to get the look that you want in just a few minutes each day!
Following are genius fashion hacks that promise to save the day every single time. Now you won’t have to worry about your new stained suede shoes or how you want those wrinkles of your lehengas ! Bookmark these handy fix-its, and you’ll never be caught in the middle of a fashionista-in-distress situation ever again!
Here are some of the famous fashion hacks that you can try to flaunt a trendy look every day…

Forever Ironed clothes: You must always wait for five minutes before putting on freshly ironed clothes else its gives way to create new wrinkles. To prevent clothing from wrinkling in a suitcase while travelling fold everything in plastic dry cleaning bags. This way you don’t have to over go the whole rerun the ironing process when you reach your desired destination.
Increase the life period of your jeans : Jeans have an uncanny ability to give off that funny smell from time to time. Storing them in a freezer for a while is the perfect antidote. Maintain the wash of your favorite pair of dark jeans by adding a 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse cycle while doing laundry.
Keeping bobby pins where they belong: Very often, bobby pins slide out of your hair. To stop them from doing so, simply lay a tissue paper on a table, put the pins on it and spray them with any stiff hold hairspray. This will make them stay on your hair longer and stop them from sliding out every other minute
Mascara to perfection: Use a business card behind your lashes while applying mascara. It not only straightens out your lashes, but also stops the mascara from smudging on your eyelids.I f you hold a business or boyfriends zero credit balance credit card up to your lashes when applying mascara, you can get the mascara all the way to the very root of your lashes. This helps you to have a more professional makeup look and ensures that your lashes will be colored perfectly all the way to the base.
Get rid of creases from heavy worked anarkali’s and lehengas: Hang heavy anarkalis and lehengas overnight to get rid of creases on it
Get that Sparkle on your gold and diamond jewelry: Two things you need to keep your diamonds sparkling is a liquid dishwasher detergent and an old toothbrush. This is one beautiful tip I learnt from my mom and it has done wonders to my jewelry !

How to Clean Dirt Off Suede: Delicate suede shoes get dirty so easily. The secret to combating the grime? Guess what? It’s in your kitchen, not your cleaning cupboard. Use expired or a slice of stale crusty bread to rub dirt marks off your suede pumps. Buying suede shoes as our weather and roads are not very conducive to them. But you needn’t worry anymore. Just rub the edge of a stale piece of bread on the dirt patch and watch it disappear !

Get Longer, Fuller Lashes with Baby Powder : You don’t have to wear false lashes to get that long, full look. baby powder does the trick ~ You can achieve the same look by simply dipping a cotton swab into Jhonson and Jhonson’s baby powder and running it across your lashes after you have applied a coat of mascara. Then just apply a second coat of mascara and it will adhere to the powder, giving your lashes a much longer and fuller look. Viola ! Long beautiful original lashes ;)

Tips to apply perfume for all day stay: Perfumes don’t always last all day and one of the reasons for this is that many women have no idea the exact places to apply them. If you want staying power with your scent, you have to hit the critical areas. Apply your perfume to the insides of both wrists, behind your ears, inside your elbow, at the base of your throat and behind your knees to make the scent stick with you longer.
Hair breakage ? : Silk or satin pillowcases prevent hair breakage while you’re sleeping as compared to cotton and polyester ones. Also its advisable to use a wide toothed comb while brushing hair not just after a bath but also when you comb regularly , it helps unnecessary hair breakage!

Are they fake or real? : Rub pearls against your teeth to determine whether they are real. Fake ones will feel smooth while real ones will feel coarse or textured.
Keep love bites from your shoes at bay: It’s also advisable to rub the inside of new shoes with Vaseline before you wear them to avoid any painful shoe bites.You can also make scratches on your leather shoes disappear like magic by rubbing a dab of moisturizer on them.Break in stiff or snug-fitting shoes by putting them on with socks and blasting your feet with a hot hairdryer.
We all love shoes. Don’t we ?: But are we ready to face those terrible blisters new shoes often leave on our soft skin ? Stop suffering in your new pair of shoes and try this hack instead , we recommend wearing your new shoes in the house with socks, and applying heat with a blow dryer to loosen up tight spots. This is one genius hack that will sweep you off your sore feet to make wearing heels a breeze!
   Whether it’s your new vintage dress which ends up in a stinking odour or a stain on your favorite suede shoes, sooner or later we’re all bound to encounter few fashion #GirlProblems. To make our lives a little bit easier these fashion hacks are a super steal!  Once you have gone through this list it will act as a reference guide of stylish solutions that will simplify your life, guaranteed. :D
If you have any genius fashion hack, do share with all of us here..
Would love read and know more :D
xoxo
najm