A very summery outfit amidst 13th century ruins & some ramblings about how it took me three trips to really fall in love with Delhi…
Koovs colour block high neck top // Zara Trafaluc high waist denim shorts // Pepe Jeans customized denim jacket // Accessorize necklace // Timex Weekender wrist watch // Charles & Keith chunky heel sandals
lips: Sugar Matte as Hell crayon in Mary Poppins (review) // tips: Maybelline Super Stay Nail Polish in Uptown Blue
Photos by Sheila Vaz
The Delhi Experience
If you follow me on instagram (@magali_c), you’ll know I was in Delhi for a few days in early April! It was not my first time there… I first visited in 2012 (& did quite a few blog posts about it too). My second was in 2014 & I spent all the 30 hours I was there holed up in the hotel, training for my ramp walk (so it hardly counts, right?)
Though my first visit was with family, I still felt sort of hesitant? fearful? It’s a bit difficult to put into words really. I got a feel for the place, we explored the area but I didn’t feel very at home in the posh GK II area (although it was very safe!)
When I got the chance to visit Delhi again, I wanted to do it right. I booked an unconventional space in Hauz Khas Village, a very messy but upscale hipster-chic neighbourhood, that I had loved on my first visit to Delhi. My airbnb was a converted loft with a two floor walk up on a spiral staircase just above an eco-shop & even though it was bit of a dump (just being honest!) & the climb up & down became infinitely more difficult after I sprained my ankle in the HKV parking lot, I loved every bit of it.
I loved that our room has character. I loved exploring what seemed like hundreds of restauarants, cafés & bars crammed into the tiny HKV (we only got to go to around five or six, I think!) I love travelling with mom – we ate (a lot), we shopped (not that much) & we explored a bit around Delhi too, although I would’ve been pretty content to spend all my time in the village too.
I was nervous about the heat but even though it was a couple of degrees hotter than Mumbai, I found Delhi’s dry heat much easier to bear than Mumbai’s crazy humid weather.
I have two vlogs from Delhi, the first of which will be up on my YouTube channel this Thursday – but all in all it was an incredibly positive experience & I’m looking forward to planning my next visit to the Capital, next time I have to go in winter & experience the famous Dilli ki Sardi!
The Look
While Hauz Khas Village was developed in the 80s, at the heart of it all lies the historic Hauz Khas Complex – a water tank, mosque & madrasa (a place of learning / university of sorts). It was a 200m walk from where we stayed & was wonderfully peaceful, especially in the mornings – the perfect backdrop to shoot a few pictures of this outfit.
Koovs is one of my favorite places to shop & I’ve been going crazy over their new collection, placing a new order every week or so (I have one on the way as I type!) Longtime readers of this blog might remember that it was once very nautical, so it was no surprise that I was instantly attracted to this top – they even have a very similar dress that I’m still procrastinating about getting.
When Mumbai transitioned from spring to summer (just before my Goa vacation) I realized that I didn’t have a nice pair of denim shorts & aimed to rectify that immediately. Luckily I chanced upon the perfect one in Zara – clean looking (no lace or distressing for me, thank you!) with a high waist, it ticked all my boxes.
And finally one of my most favorite new pieces has been this denim jacket from Pepe Jeans, customized at their #PepeJeansCustomStudio & excitedly documented in this vlog. You can buy any piece of denim from their store & get it studded distressed, painted or (my favorite!) laser printed at a very affordable price! Even though I saw this done right in front of me it still feels sort of magical, you know? I knew my jacket had to be a Bowie tribute, I chose to get this iconic Aladdin Sane image laser printed, with the red & blue hand painted on. Other than that I kept it incredibly minimal with just a few studs on the collar.
I completed the look with my hot pink Sugar lipsticks, it’s my so-to lip colour this season! I’ve been reaching for it almost every time & I always get questions about it on instagram. I did a detailed review on the range here, so do check it out if you haven’t already!
I think this is one of my favorite summer personal style posts ever & possibly the most I’ve ever blabbed in one of them too! How’s your day going? Is it hot where you live? PLEASE share with me how you stay cool (other than gulping copious amounts of iced tea & coffee) because I feel like a human popsicle! x