Fashion Panache

When its Christmas around 2 months of your life and you live close to a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is set-up in all its glory, with light & sound show, what do you do? You go!

The UNESCO site I'm talking about is Grand Place in Brussels. Since the past couple years, around Christmas #BrusselsLights has been a huge thing here and growing in multitude year by year. The Gothic architecture, lit up multitudes of color with a huuuuge Christmas tree and Nativity scene set up, this is the best Christmas I've ever experienced. My Atyudarini will be 2 months old by Christmas and obviously this would be her first!!!

Very close to Grand Place is this very famous statue of Brussels - Manneken Pis! If you're here in Europe, do visit Brussels before Jan 7th to witness the most magical Christmas & New Years ever!!!

While taking Atyu here I wore a dull beige colored jacket! She too wore a dull beige onesie. When its festive why would we wear a dull color? Coz we have a super stunning, neon colored accessory to show off - our Soul Anoona Full Buckle Baby Carrier!!! More about this coming up soon in another post. Stay tuned!!! But before that, check them out right now, coz they have a 25% off till Dec 25th!

Beige Jacket: Primark
Brown Leggings: Chennai Silks
Brown knee high boots: From a Local Store in Brussels
Bamboo Earrings: Handmade by craftsperson in Auroville
Wooden Bangle: Handmade by craftspersons of Uttar Pradesh
Brown Handloom Day Bag: c/o Soulslings
SSC Baby Carrier: c/o Soulslings
On Atyudarini: Bear onesie from H&M

Winter in Brussels has been awesome at times & awful at times this year! It snowed here for the first time in 3 years which is awesome but freezing cold wind blowing on the face is awful! Will Atyu's first Christmas be a White Christmas? I really do hope so, let's see!

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Written by Bhushavali

...with the masterpieces of Mouth & Foot Painting Artists...

It all started with my new Debit Card that's contactless! Though I wasn't much bothered about my travel cards that were contactless all the while, I was a bit apprehensive about money matters with the debit card. Checking online for the RFID blocking wallets, they all turned out to be so fancy priced! Also, while browsing about the risk factors, I came across articles like how its very much possible as well as how this entire fear is not relevant at all!!! Confused, I decided to go cheap and creative and made my own! Here's how I did it.

I began with these gorgeous calendar & greeting cards of Mouth & Foot Painting Artists. I wanted to convert them into RFID Blocking Credit Card Sleeves that would normally fit into my existing wallet. Here are the things needed:

1. Greeting card / photograph / Color paper of about 300gsm

2. Aluminium Foil

3. Glue Stick

4. Scissors

5. Pencil

I began with tracing the actual size of my contactless card on the back of the greeting card. I drew a line leaving a space of approx 2mm on all sides and followed the same just beside it. That would be the front and back of the sleeve. I scored the centre line for easy folding. I drew a small flap on 2 sides (2 adjacent sides is better than opposite sides like shown in the pic)! I cut it out and in came the aluminium foil. Just to be on the safer side, I took 2 layers of Alumimium Foil (the normal one used in kitchen) and stuck it in the inside of this cut out card. After trimming, I folded it, along the centre line and folded the flaps inwards and stuck them onto the other side anddddd Tada... Its done!!! Yeah, I left it under a heavy notebook overnight, so all the folds and stuck portions were well done!

Ofcourse, I did put it into test and tried to tap my card at a POS and it didn't work! Yippeee!!! That's it, I made it at effectively zero cost as I didn't buy anything new at all. It was all existing stuff at home! And ofcourse, its totally me, with my kinda colors & prints!

Btw, MFPA is an international organization that supports differently-abled artists who paint with their mouth or feet! I mean, can you believe that these paintings were done by people, not with their hands but with their mouth & feet??!!!! They have country specific sites, find the one in your country or delivers to your country. They have a shopping section where you can buy original paintings as well as prints of the paintings (like the desktop calendar that I've used in this DIY) that begins at just ₹50. Do support them!!!

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Written by Bhushavali

Now, that I've moved to Brussels, its back to unpredictable weather. So I've gotta wear a jacket and carry an umbrella, just in case it gets cold or starts raining! So this time what did I wear?

Remember I told you, I got about 4-5 Jeggings from Primark, before leaving London. That's so so so helpful right now. I can't tell you how thankful I am, to the past me, for buying those! With my ever expanding waist line, the soft elastic and stretchable fabric of the Jeggings is just so comfortable!!!! I have one each in Blue, Grey and Red. I should buy a black. That time I bought the black as Treggings which isn't as comfortable now!

Top: Thrifted from a Flea Market in Chennai (same as worn here)

Red Jeggings: Primark (same as worn here)

Baby Pink Jacket: Persunmall (same as worn here)

Floral print Earrings: Naidu Hall, Chennai

Hot Pink Bangle: Mom's gift

Golden Bracelet: Read about my ValaiKaapu here

Shoes: Bata Power
Hot pink Envelope Clutch: Primark
Baby of Board Badge: DIY (tutorial by Jewels of Sayuri)

So yeah, I finalize on the Red Jeggings and worked out the rest of the outfit around it. I chose to pair it with the magenta and white tee and layered it with the baby pink jacket. The hot pink chunky bangle went on one hand. I know, the shoes are out of sync, but packing with the baggage weight restrictions while moving here, I just have 3 pairs of footwear right now!!!

Yeah, that location looks like London with the Big Ben & Westminster Palace. But actually, it is all Mini Europe, just next to Atomium in Bruxelles, which has miniature versions of several landmarks of Europe. Check out more about Mini Europe on My Travelogue!

P.S: The photographs with Atomium in the background belong to me but the structure/architecture/image of Atomium are copyrighted to Atomium till the year 2075 CE and these are being used in this blog and related social media with prior permission.

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Written by Bhushavali