• Talk with the Beauties

    Meet Ragini of 'A Curious Fancy'

    Bonjour  lovelies, how are you all? Very, very, well I hope.  So, I’m thrilled to share another story for my favourite category on the Blog ‘Talk with the Beauties’. Before I go into details, let me tell you – I follow very few bloggers and she is probably my favourite of all the bloggers I follow.  She is Ragini Rao of ‘A Curious Fancy. I came across her blog a couple of years ago and I was incredibly impressed by her story. Ragini is a plus size fashion blogger and a vintage lover. I really adore her blog because I feel she is very honest about herself in terms of her style, who she is and how she feels about herself. I could relate to her blog for many reasons and thats why she was the first one to cross my mind when I  thought of starting this series. I asked her a few questions that made me curious and I was literally jumping with joy when she got back in touch. I hope  you enjoy this –

    03 Meet Ragini of 'A Curious Fancy'

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

    Well, I blog full time or rather, as and when my health permits. I have severe pain issues from scoliosis that keeps me indoors a lot of the time. Which sounds a bit miserable, but I make the most of it with DIY projects and baking! I’m not very invested in monetizing the things I do because my life plan mostly involves raising a family with my fiance. And that might sound very un-feminist and backwards to most people, but it’s what works for me.

    When it comes to things I enjoy the most, the first would be reading. I’ve been hooked on to eco-fiction and dystopian literature ever since I read Margaret Atwood’s Madaddam trilogy a few years ago – I guess science fiction in general is my thing. Honestly, most of my time is taken up with shooting and editing photos for my blog, writing up posts, and keeping up with my blog social media. Turns out that’s actually hella time consuming, especially if you have specific targets you set for yourself every day!

    1. I have read about your PlusLondon meet and Leeds Fat Swap, it’s really incredible how these meets with like-minded people can lift you up, give you confidence and make you forget about all your issues. How did these meetups impact your life?

    Ah, I remember those – such a long time ago! I’ve gone through so many life changes, ups and downs since then that it feels like a different lifetime altogether. It was hugely significant though, being in a positive space with other, likeminded fatties, and meeting people I’d only known over the internet or from their blogs! The plus fashion world has expanded significantly since then, especially in the west. Back when I lived in the UK, it was still in quite a fledgeling stage and the fashion community was quite small where everyone pretty knew everyone else. So I can only speak for my experiences back then – since I moved back to India in 2013, I’ve been quite divorced from the IRL side of fat community bonding.

    03 Meet Ragini of 'A Curious Fancy'

    1. When did you start loving yourself and got comfortable with your body? What was that life-changing experience?  

    I’ve written more about this here 🙂

    1. Do you like India? The people? How is/was living in Calcutta? How is it different from London as a fashion blogger?

    Ahh, this is quite a complex question and one that I don’t really have an answer to! The most I can say is that there are different challenges to living in the UK as opposed to living in India, an entirely different set of problems. Neither is perfect by a long stretch, at least in my experience! (I lived in York by the way, which is in the North East of England and quite far from London!)

    1. How do you feel about more and more plus size bloggers coming in? Any tips?

    It’s wonderful to see the increasing numbers of plus size fashion bloggers in India. Visibility is so important, and the more people join in, the stronger our voice becomes. If I have anything to say to bloggers just stepping into the world of plus fashion blogging, it’d be this – create something new and unique that only you can! Instead of following in the footsteps of more established bloggers, try to find the look and voice that’s *you*. From a technical standpoint, I’d always advise focusing on photography. You don’t need a fancy camera or equipment, just go out with the camera you have and shoot whatever you can. Learn the limits of your equipment, learn how to frame and use natural light. Go scouting for locations! A fashion blogger is, after all, a fashion photographer too.

    03 Meet Ragini of 'A Curious Fancy'

    1. I adore your sense of style. I love your outfits – do you have any dos and don’ts when it comes to fashion?

    Thank you! I don’t really have any fashion rules that I follow, except for this crucial one: wear the clothes that you want and not the clothes that others think you should wear. Looking different from everyone around you requires a lot of strength, especially if you’re new to the process, but it gets way easier with time.

    03 Meet Ragini of 'A Curious Fancy'Follow Ragini on Instagram 🙂
  • Talk with the Beauties

    Meet Chyunid from Bhutan :)

    I’m not sure if there is something about the air around this time of the year coz man oh man, I feel so inspired. I don’t know what’s gone into me – whatever it is – I love it! Having said that, I’m going to kick of this week by some bloggy-goodness, yes! So I am introducing this new category to my blog, (which honestly I don’t work will work or not, but I can only try, right!?) I have been thinking about something like this from a long time.  I wanted to start this series mostly because since I’ve started blogging regularly – I have also started to feel really narcissistic. There are so many people out there who inspire me in many ways, so I thought starting a series on them might be fun and also I get to know them! Win – Win! So in this category, I would cover stories of people who inspire me in terms of their work, style and beauty. (Note – These might or might not be popular people). 

    So let’s get started! 

    This year in March I visited Bhutan and I completely fell in love with the country. Apart from its astonishing beauty & culture – I was also amazed and mesmerised by the street style. I immediately started looking up for stylish people in Bhutan and Chyunid’s blog came up.  I’ve been reading her blog ever since. I really wanted to know more about her and so I wrote an email telling her about the series and that I would like her to be a part of it and guess what – she said yes! I hope you guys enjoy you this! 🙂

    screen-shot-2016-09-18-at-10-45-09-pm Meet Chyunid from Bhutan :)

     1. Can you tell me a little about what you do and what kind of things you enjoy the most? ( these need not to be fashion related)

    I’m a full time aircraft engineer. Besides that I just enjoy every bits and pieces of stuff to work with.

    2.     When I was in Bhutan, I realized women had great skin. What is your daily facial skincare routine?

    Honestly, I think its all about hydration. I would totally recommend drinking lots and lots of water. 

    screen-shot-2016-09-18-at-10-45-09-pm Meet Chyunid from Bhutan :)

    screen-shot-2016-09-18-at-10-45-09-pm Meet Chyunid from Bhutan :)

    3.     I also realized they had great hair.(:P) How do you care for your hair?

    Oiling and hair mask. I would make sure I use conditioning all the time esp. at my tips of my hair rather than roots.

    4.     What’s the best thing about Bhutan? For me, the open mindedness of people towards women was really inspiring. Being right next to India, you can’t expect such an open culture for women.

    For me best thing about Bhutan is fresh air and clean water and above all happiness. 

    screen-shot-2016-09-18-at-10-45-09-pm Meet Chyunid from Bhutan :)

    5.     I really like your style. I am a huge vintage fan and I always find a hint of vintage touch in your style and you completely rock it. How would you describe your style? Who inspires you?

    I have never stuck to one style to be honest, I love trying different trends and its always fun. I love exploring fashion around different parts of world and those inspires me the most.

    6.     I see you do a lot of interesting DIY projects. What made you do so and from how long are you doing it? Any tips for starters?  

    I have always loved doing mini projects. I always made dresses for my doll as a kid and as I grew up I started making my own..haha. 

    screen-shot-2016-09-18-at-10-45-09-pm Meet Chyunid from Bhutan :)

    7.     Finally, do you have an overall fashion/beauty philosophy?

    If you love doing something, just keep doing it and guess it just happens.

    Follow her on Instagram – @chyunid