• Talk with the Beauties

    MEET APURVA FROM 'APPYCAT STREET'

    Ta da! Summertime and silly season cheer has certainly taken over and I hope you are enjoying it all. I’m back with my favourite ‘Talk with the Beauties’ post and this time it’s all about Apurva Lama from Appycat Street (you might wanna bookmark this). I found her on Instagram and I’m a big fan of her work. She is probably one of the coolest people I follow on Instagram (and she likes yoga, arctic monkeys, oasis, RHCP – I mean how could I not!?) and I was really happy and excited when she said yes to become a part of this series. I hope you enjoy this! 🙂

    screen-shot-2017-02-22-at-12-00-23-pm MEET APURVA FROM 'APPYCAT STREET'

    1.   Can you me a little about what you do other than blogging and what kind of things do you enjoy the most? (these need not to be fashion related, about life in general)

    When I’m not blogging, you’ll normally find me working on the website – Appycat Street which I’m planning to launch very soon. These days I’m investing a lot of time in it, reading up on how websites work, SEO and trying to sort out the process. Other than that, the things I enjoy are : reading, listening to music, long walks and of course yoga. I also enjoy art and craft, so I’m glued to YouTube DIY tutorials.

    2.   Would you like to give me a sneak-peak on what to expect from your upcoming website? I am also interested in knowing how did you come up with the name AppyCat? (I love it, but Im also         curious to know)

    The website is going to be a content driven fashion/lifestyle platform. The exciting part is that it is also going to have a SHOP section with my label, Appycat Street. Appycat Street is a streetstyle label with exclusive capsule collections encapsulating the latest trends with unique pieces.
    Well, the name, if you will, is absolutely random and a little funny if you ask me. I started blogging way back in college around 6 years back or more. I feel getting the right name for your blog is the hardest part and I spent days trying to find the perfect name. Appy is my nick name and I used to use the word “cat” a lot in my writings when I referred to myself. For instance, I would randomly caption my images “I bought a new shoe, I’m such a happy cat.”. Hence, Appycat! :P. It sounded catchy and I went along with it. I never thought I would stick to the name for so many years, but here I am. Some people don’t even know my real name now, they just call me Appycat haha.

    screen-shot-2017-02-22-at-12-00-23-pm MEET APURVA FROM 'APPYCAT STREET'

    3.   From your Instagram profile –  I realise that you like art in general. I see that element in your photography, editing, your videos – how did it all started? Where do you get your inspiration from? 

    Yes, I do love art – in every form. I feel like there is art everywhere around us, from the clothes we wear, the way we style our hair to the furniture we use…just about everything. If you look at everything like it’s the most beautiful piece of art you have ever laid your eyes on, then you’ll find inspiration just about anywhere and everywhere. I find inspiration in the people I meet, the conversations I have, long walks, random thoughts and objects. If you keep an open mind and look carefully, inspiration will find you instead.

    4.   A few days back you posted a picture of your dad’s band in the 70s. (coolest thing ever!) Their clothes were as awesome as their haircut. It reminded me of the Ramones somehow. I’d love to        know more about the band. What kind of music they were into, what were there influences and their style inspiration of course. 🙂

    Ah yes. Back in the 60s and 70s, Darjeeling (my hometown) was very big on Rock n Roll and music in general. It was then known as the Rock Capital of India and western music travelled from there across the rest of the country. My dad was in one of the few rock bands of the time. They were called The Forbidden Fruit. They were highly influenced by Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, Smokie, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and these band were huge influences in terms of style too.

    screen-shot-2017-02-22-at-12-00-23-pm MEET APURVA FROM 'APPYCAT STREET'

    5.   I totally love your style –  I think it’s on point, always! Any tips? 

    Thank you so much. Try to bend the rules of fashion and experiment. Be creative when you dress up, I guess that has always been my motto. Sometimes unusual combinations makes the best ensembles. And always always be comfortable!

    6.   From whatever I’ve seen on your Instagram – I really like your music choices. Being a huge music geek myself, I’d love to know your top 5 bands. 

    Music plays an important role in my life. My top 5 fav, in particular order, are:
    – Oasis
    – Arctic Monkeys
    – Bon Iver
    – The Strokes
    – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

    screen-shot-2017-02-22-at-12-00-23-pm MEET APURVA FROM 'APPYCAT STREET'

    7.    Lastly, any thoughts about Indian fashion scene in general? Any tips you would like to give to upcoming bloggers?

    The fashion industry in India is catching up but still slow in terms of trends. There is still a very small segment of people who are in-tune with the trends all over the world. I understand not everyone is interested in the latest trends but when it comes to personal style too, there is a slight delay and an air of nonchalance. I feel like we are too scared to experiment, try new things, scared that we might be stared at…so we normally play it safe and wear the same thing we have been for the past so many years. That being said, there are brands and labels coming up in the Indian fashion scene who are challenging the status quo and it’s such a welcome change.
    It’s great to see so many fashion bloggers coming up. My only advice to them would be: Be true to your personal style. Have a unique personal style and philosophy for blogging. Because styling beats branding, any day. It’s important to follow trends but don’t let trends dictate your style. Don’t strive for high end glossy photos, be raw, be you and be unapologetic about it. That’s what blogging is all about. 🙂

    Follow Apurva on Instagram 

    🙂

    Until next time!

  • Talk with the Beauties

    MEET CHARUTA FROM 'MODA YALDA'

    Folks, I wouldn’t be surprised if this girl looks familiar to you because she has been featured in cosmopolitan more than a couple of times now!  So it’s no surprise that people are really intrigued by her style both in terms of clothes and writing. Need proof? Check out her blog – www.modayalda.com. Even the name is so thoughtful! It’s really motivating to see people like her who put their hearts and minds completely in doing what they love and it shows in their work. I was completely blown away with her sense of fashion and writing style when we did a collaboration together. What I like about her style and blog is that she takes me back to my Indian roots.  We are so intrigued by westernisation that we totally forget about our roots but this girl takes me back there. I feel like wearing a sari after reading her blog and I’m not even kidding! I was really curious to know more about her and she I’m so glad she took out the time to write back to me! I hope you guys enjoy this 🙂

    dsc_3980 MEET CHARUTA FROM 'MODA YALDA'

    1.Can you me a little about what you do other than blogging and what kind of things do you enjoy the most? (these need not to be fashion related, about life in general)

    I really enjoy painting, photography, designing clothes, binge watching series and  DIYing anything and everything that I can find. Also I work on my brand Adagio(instgram : @adagiobymy) for one-of-a-kind collectors clothing items. 

    2. Unlike all the other blogs these days, I find your blog very different – it has its own character and for some reason it takes me back to our Indian roots, old Bollywood era and reminds me of a much simpler life. Is it where you get most of your inspiration from?

    I take inspiration from anything and everything. I try not to follow trends and create something on my own. It’s good incorporate trends once in a while but following the trends blindly makes you a part of the herd mentality.

    dsc_3980 MEET CHARUTA FROM 'MODA YALDA'

    3. There are no two ways about the fact that you experiment a lot with clothes. (I love your quirky style and not everyone can pull it off) It is also true that not everyone likes experimental fashion. Sadly, majority of people are too used to looking at monotonous/trendy/ perfect fashion that anything different or experimental could seem a little strange. Do you ever come across anything like this? If yes, how do you deal with it?

     When you know that you are doing that no one else is doing and you love doing it, nothing really bothers you. There is always going to be someone who is going to dislike what you do so why not do it anyways? But it has happened with me, like recently one of the campaigns I did for Flipkart got rejected because of being different. 

    dsc_3980 MEET CHARUTA FROM 'MODA YALDA'

    4. You seem to be using a lot of your mom’s clothes and accessories for your blog posts, (I bet your mom must have super stylish in her time) which also seem to perfectly fit your style. As a curator and seller of vintage clothes, I am very much familiar with the fact that vintage style is not everyone’s cup of tea. Usually people don’t want to invest in them and wear them. What are your thoughts about it?

     Being a collector of clothes (yes I collect clothes like people collect art) I personally think that the fast fashion has ruined personal style. There is a race to buy trends and be on top of the fashion game. Vintage clothes on the other hand are forever. We are all a part of race that run behind trends which are in one day and out the next.

    5. You also seem to be doing a lot of DIY projects? Were you always into it? Any tips?

     Yes I have always been into DIYs since the time I can remember. I am really picky about clothes and accessories so I end my DIYing most of them on my own. DIYs also result into one of a kind stuff. I remember giving a handmade jute bag to one of my favourite primary school teacher which she still has (let me know if you want a picture as she posted it on facebook a few days back).

    dsc_3980 MEET CHARUTA FROM 'MODA YALDA'This is the bag guys, she told me she made it when she was JUST NINE!!!!! 

    6. Lastly, any thoughts about Indian fashion scene in general? Any tips you would like to give to upcoming bloggers?

    I personally feel India is to influenced by the international trends. India is a textile and handicraft heaven and I am really happy to see more and more Indian designers coming up who are working with Indian fabrics to create something new. Blogging is really not as easy as it seems. One should start blogging purely based on their interest. One needs to find their niche and what works for them otherwise you will just be a part of the crowd.

    Hope this was enjoyable!

    Follow Charuta on Instagram! 🙂