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Hi guys! Sitara here. I was going back and forth on what I wanted to share with you guys … should I talk about my latest favorite movie Aladdin, or the beautiful location of Wadi Rum Desert where it was filmed? The ancient town of Petra in Jordan where you can enjoy on a camel ride? But lately my biggest obsession has been fashion! It is just a part of me! I am still so inspired by the color camel and wanted to share some Spring Inspirations. I hope you find this article fun and inspiring! Here goes nothing … =)

The Rain Can Come Any Day

So it’s been raining a lot and I thought this photo was so cute and perfect for what type of weather we have been having. Who says you can’t be fashionable in the rain? This camel raincoat is everything! Find a fun pair of rainboots and you take sloppy and wet to chic in an instant. You can even find some rain boots now that look like regular boots. I got my latest pair of rain boots from target, they are black rain booties and I feel so trendy wearing them. Lesson to be learned, rain can come any day when you have the right essentials for it!

The Perfect Spring Layer

The chill spring wind has had me freezing lately … with Covid-19 happening I have been getting out with walks but realizing I wasn’t layering properly. What was I missing? A hood!! I love this idea of a casual, old school hoodie sweatshirt layered under a coat. Adding a little pattern with the plaid coat gives this casual look and fun hip vibe. Like, how “cool” (not cold) would you feel walking around with this look? All I need is my coffee to finish it up and my best girlfriend! I also love the idea of camel color in active wear. It’s fresh and new and I am really digging it! Great places to find these looks and pieces would be Zara for classic solid pieces and H&M or Zara for the coats.

For The Office

I know the world is not going into the office right now, but the next look is great for the office. A camel colored textured sweater combined with a dressier skirt, add the belt for a polished look! The shoes are closed toed, perfect for the office and your favorite crossbody bag for your essentials. Again, not needed for most right now but coming out of quarantine, you have at least one new fresh idea!

Work From Home

Ok, so since I gave you an office look, I absolutely owe you a “work from home” outfit! Perfect for spring, find your favorite spring colored tee, combine it with your favorite pair of denim and add your camel sneakers. Shoes to be worn when you are picking up your lunch from your favorite local small business. Maybe you have a beautiful backyard and you will be enjoying the sun from your backyard office, or is a time to do some gardening? Whatever your quarantine project is, I feel like this casual tee, jeans and sneaker look is a major go-to! That is, if you have the power to get out of your sweats or pajamas! The struggle is very real. This is covid-19 lifestyle at it’s finest. My friend, we are in this together!

Camel Sweaters

The next two looks are also great for Covid-19 lifestyle, cool and casual. Camel sweaters layered over a white shirt of your choice paired with denim is perfect for that zoom meeting from your living room. White sneakers are also a great casual staple, perfect for stay at home moms on the go or a casual work day at the office. I am definitely a huge fan of white sneakers cause they go with everything! Notice the different types of sweater styles you can find, here there is tighter knitted boyfriend cardigan and a looser textured v-neck, showcase your style and have fun with it.

Camel Shoes & Accessories

I spy Camel accessories! Leather backpacks are so cute and trendy, but there is so much to love about this first look. We see the camel and white combo used a different way here, a dressier white blouse with a camel skirt. She has also added a neck tie with a soft pattern for a little pop of print. The second photo is all about the camel booties! I just love how her look pulls together, here we see a printed dress, tights and boots. What do these ladies have in common besides the cute looks? They are ready for spring with those flowers! So, so lovely indeed.

This next look is so dreamy! For my next camel safari adventure trip I have been looking for light, breathable fabrics. This shirt would be perfect! In this photo it’s styled more for a cute lunch out with the girls. The blush pink color of the slides are so pretty and just to die for. I also love the feminine girly touch of the bow. Add your camel color accessories for a finished look! Where could you find pieces similar to these? Try Target’s “A New Day” brand or Nordstrom.

Resort Look

Shelter-In has me dreaming of my next trip around the world. This time not a Camel safari but maybe a trip to my favorite resort. Camel is chic, sexy and combined with black accessories has “fancy resort” written all over it! There are so many ways to wear this look, a silk pleated skirt with dressy sandals, or maybe with a pair of skinny jeans with your favorite black stiletto heels. Are we there yet?!

I hope you have enjoyed these looks and are inspired to rock camel during quarantine or after. Remember, just cause everything is cancelled right now, doesn’t mean your style has to be. Take care of yourself, getting dressed up is healthy for you and rejuvenates your soul! Camel here I come! To see more camel inspired looks, click here.

Till next time!

Sitara

Hey guys! Sitara, here. Happy 2020! I know it has been so long … but I am back and ready to talk about Camel of course! This time, I’m not focusing on camels rather the beautiful Camel color. I’ll be showing you ways to wear it, what inspires me, what I love about it and hopefully you will get some tips and inspiration from this post so you can go out and rock camel in ways you never have before!

A Key Neutral

Let’s first talk about how beautiful the camel color is. It’s not brown, which can be icky and too dark. It’s not nude which can wash you out. It’s a beautiful neutral color that against lighter skin looks great, but also against darker skin has a nice contrast too. It works great in a coat for dressing up or dressing down … yes, dressing down too. Did that surprise you? It surprised me since I am currently on the search for a dress coat. In my mind, I’m thinking of a dress coat that only goes over dresses, but lately I have been inspired by so many that wear their dress coats over casual clothes, even sweats and sneakers! Camel also goes great with denim, black, grey and white. It really is a win win color. Let’s get started!

Outfit Inspiration

I was feeling a little “Holiday-ish” still being it so cold, so I loved starting off with this Holiday inspiration. Camel is a wonderful color for the holidays to balance out all the reds and greens. Pair a sweater like this with clean dark jeans and stiletto boots for a dressier look or ripped jeans and sneakers for casual look. Throw on white or gold accessories for a fun pop!

Don’t be afraid to wear your camel coat over your casual clothing! This girl is rockin’ it over her sweats. Why not?! I love this because this makes it a much more versatile piece and that’s a bigger bang for your buck. Most of us will spend a good chunk of cash on our coat so the more ways we can wear it, the better. Keep this in mind though for sizing. If you want to layer it over bulkier pieces, you may want to consider sizing up for a comfortable fit.

Camel is so great paired with a denim shirt. I love this look and how the plaid scarf adds a little pattern for some fun! The beanie gives it a hipster vibe. She finished her look with a trouser pant and platform shoes, can we say elegance meets street hipster? This is the look I’ll be going for! Are you ready to go shopping yet?

Let’s pause and make a checklist of things to shop for (either in your closet or at your favorite store) to help pull your Camel look together.

• Plaid Scarf
• Beanie (or other type hat)
• Sunglasses (chunky, dark)
• Trouser pant (denim or other fabrics)
• Denim (clean or ripped)
• Sneakers
• Denim Shirt
• Solid Knit Tops For Layering
• Hoodie Sweatshirt
• Casual Sweats or Casual Wide Leg Pants
• Stiletto Boots (or favorite winter boot or bootie)

Ok! We’ve done some pretty casual looks. Let’s now get a little fancier! Think animal prints, silk fabrics, berets and turtleneck sweaters. These looks are so cute, perfect if you are a career woman who has to dress up for work or for any woman that wants to feel feminine, pretty, sexy and fun!! These looks are great for fancier dinners or parties or even a date night with that special someone. These looks are chic and sophisticated. What is great about this first look is the mix of pattern, the animal print but also the other textures and fabrics that give this look so much life. The silkiness of the skirt and leather beret just go so great with the camel coat! Also, if you are going to wear a mini skirt, it is best to be more covered up on top, so the turtleneck is perfect match to the skirt. In this look, the coat really finishes the look. I’ll definitely be going for this look too!

This next look is similar to the previous, but with a pencil skirt it is more appropriate for the office or an interview. Again, loving the beret and sunglasses. This look inspires me to have some fun with colors in my accessories. Remember, camel goes great with neutrals but that means that you can pop your accessories with a pattern or pop color.

Which of these looks are your favorite? I hope that you are inspired by these looks like I am. I literally have one foot out the door and I am headed to my favorite stores and boutiques. Remember to check your closets and accessories stash to see what items you already have!

Be sure to add these to your checklist if you will be shopping for the more chic and sophisticated looks:

• Beret
• Mini Skirt
• Tights or Panty Hose (option if you do not want to bare your legs)
• Pencil Skirt

I hope you have enjoyed this camel obsession post! To read about more fashion, click here. Until next time friends!

Sitara

 

Hello world! Yes, it’s me Sitara. I know what you’re thinking … You didn’t think you would hear from me again?! Well, I am happy to say I have been enjoying life and yes, still loving anything and all things camel. In this post, I will introduce you to some fun camel finds I have recently discovered!

First off, I have realized that among the many dreams I have, I would one day love to open my own boutique. Of course, my boutique would be dedicated to my passion and love for camels. I have found a wonderful website that takes the pain out of shopping for your store, by providing a marketplace that features products from makers all over the world. This company offers the retailers who shop with them a risk free opportunity by offering …. wait for it … FREE RETURNS! They are going out and sourcing the products and with just a few clicks you can find amazing products that fit your style and your vision for your shop. Let me introduce you to www.indigofair.com!

Lately, I have been into really smelly good soaps! Yes, I said really smelly good. Check out these camel milk soaps from Chesilhurst Farms. These soaps can be bought by wholesalers from Indigo Fair or by a consumer from Chesilhurst Farms.

Photo Credit: Chesilhurst Farms

What’s amazing about these soaps is that studies have shown that camel’s milk is easily digestible and non allergenic. Camel milk has even been proven to help reduce the occurrence of all allergic reactions. Talk about a benefit! With all this goodness, your camel soap will give you the benefits of this wonderful milk, your skin will be thanking you!  People who have had allergic reactions to cow milk have not had any allergic reactions at all to camel milk. The reason might be because Camel milk is higher in:

• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Vitamin C
• Copper
• Manganese
• Zinc
• Protein

I highly suggest you plan to buy these for yourself, or start making a list of who you can buy these for!!! They are so great! Camel milk for the win! They also come with a cute little pouch that any creative can find another use for. Win, win!

Christmas in Rajasthan? No worries! I found these adorable Camel Christmas pieces sure to make any Camel fanatic go wild!! If you can keep a secret, I did buy some dear friends of mine both of these. Anika is a one of my favorite gals of all time and her husband Sam is obsessed with trees and actually makes a living by taking care of them in Dublin, Ca. Yes, he is an Arborist, so Sam… here you go one beautiful Camel for your Christmas tree back home!

Photo Credit: Indigo Fair

Of course, I couldn’t leave Anika hanging, so to place in their home, I bought Anika this beautiful Camel print picture which framed beautifully! When they look at both these pieces, guess who they’ll be thinking of?  The details on where to buy these bad boys? The ornament is sold to wholesalers on Indigo Fair and can be bought by consumers from Global Goods Partners. The print can be bought by wholesalers on Indigo Fair and by consumers at Janet Hill Studio.

Photo Credit: Indigo Fair

I hope you found these Camel finds lots of fun!!! If you have Camel finds you would love to share, send me an email. I would love to hear from you!! To see more decorating ideas, click here. To learn about Rajasthan Fashion, give this article a read! To learn more about me, check out my About page. Until our next adventure! – Sitara

 

 

 

Hi everyone! Sitara here and yes I’m still alive! Life has been pretty busy lately and I finally had time to get back to my computer to do a little blogging. As a fashion and home decor lover, I’m sure many women can relate when I tell you about one of my favorite stores … drum roll please … wait for it … it’s none other than Target!!! Yes, Target! If you haven’t seen lately, Target has been on a mission serving up pieces in both fashion and home decor inspired from around the world. I’m a sucker for fair trade and I recently found out that they teamed up with a company called Accompany to do an exclusive line! These products were released only in 12 stores in April as well as Target.com. Check the article out here and be sure to watch the video that highlights some of the artisans doing the handwork that created the unique product. I definitely spotted some camels in the video and oh … they were so cute!

Here is a cosmetic bag made from artisans from India using block printing.

Site source for photos and to find the item, go to Target.com

I love seeing the Target team traveling the world and looking for opportunities to provide their customers with fair trade products. If you are not familiar with the term, fair trade means the product is brought directly to the market by the artisans themselves, meaning no middleman or manufacturing company is there to cut out most of the artisans earnings. Fair trade makes it possible for artisans from third world countries to be able to provide basic necessities for their family, i.e. clothing, food and school supplies. I first learned about fair trade from someone that made an appearance at my local church. It was concept I had never heard of and I became intrigued. At the time, fair trade was something people were just discussing with coffee beans … not so much with fashion. On one of my trips to India, I met another traveler … Nilka who by day runs a house cleaning business but by weekend and night was a true activist for fair trade. Nilka opened my world up to the beauty of the products, the passion and talent of the artisans who make each item by hand. She took me to the local markets where many of the artisans worked daily to make a sale. Nothing can ever compare to that experience, it was something I would never forget. The people, their faces, their hard work for their families and the products that deserve attention to the masses. This is why I’m so excited that a huge corporation like Target is getting behind the Fair Trade concept! You are probably thinking, but isn’t Target the middleman? Target is a door to masses, there is a contract there, yes I’m sure, but they have teamed up with Accompany who works with partners that are directly involved with the artisans and are able to provide financing, training, education, loans and the list goes on for developing communities as well as for women rescued from human trafficking. As you can see, it is something that I’m very passionate about and my prayer is that Target sees success with this line and decides to take it to more stores! It will only help more communities and families in these developing countries. Prayers up!!

So moving on to more camel safari inspiration … after stumbling upon Accompany, I found some lovely pieces that reminded me of my camel safari that I took years back. I became obsessed with caftans and the draped robes worn by the tour guides and some of the local people. Here are some garments from Accompany’s line that remind me of those pieces! Fair Trade and ethical fashion rocks!

Photo source: These photos are from Accompany and the items can be found at their website!

I hope you have enjoyed this post!  Any other fair trade passionate people out there? Give me a shout, I would love to hear your thoughts on Target getting behind this movement! For more fashion inspiration, check out my post about rajasthan fashion here!

 

Hey guys! Sitara here with a fun post about fashion and how Rajasthan has taken stage on the runway and in ready-to-wear … intrigued? You should be! As a fashion lover myself, I always love to look for concepts and inspirations in which designers pull their ideas from. Rajasthan fashion is unique, rare and oh so chic!  Here is a recap of some amazing designers I have recently discovered and some of my favorite looks inspired by Rajasthan culture.

Anita Dongre

Anita Dongre is a talented designer out of India whose line is inspired by the rich heritage of Rajasthan culture. I have fallen in love with her aesthetic and lovely sensibility through her work!  Her pieces are truly beautiful! You can see the inspiration coming to life through the her bead detailing, intricate lace patterns, hand-done embroidery and vibrant prints. Where the heritage inspiration brings a traditional touch to the garments, the silhouettes are modern, giving it a natural chicness. She plays around with different lengths and fits that she offers to women, which makes her line attractive to women of all ages. Here is one my favorites of hers, the bandi, which is piece usually worn by a man. (See Wikipedia’s definition of a bandhi here.) This version is feminine and again oh so chic! I love the slight opening in the front and the beautiful embroidered detailing around the neck. The pants are called a Sharara, which basically is a wide-leg pant. The print on these were inspired by block printing. (photo credit: Anita Dongre)

What makes this designer even more incredible is she designs bespoke pieces and also offers a bridal couture line. Look at this and tell me this is not breathtaking! I love this photo from her Wedding Diaries Collection. It’s simply brilliant. I love how each family member is designed for and how she keeps it sexy with a little skin showing for the ladies and especially the bride. I am seriously obsessed with everything about this photo! And the kids are killing it! So dapper, so chic, so what fashion is about!

To view the rest of Anita Dongre’s collection, click on the first image.

Veronica Etro

I also have fallen in love with the 2017 collection from Veronica Etro. She has got the coolest vibe and takes ethic inspiration to the next level when designing her line. What I love the most, is the clothing is not only beautiful, but edgy and cool. I get it and I like it alot! She recently told Vogue that her inspirations come from her travels around the world and you can definitely see her taking some influence from the rajasthan culture. In this photo, the detailing along the hem of the jeans as well as the pockets bring in that India-inspired touch. The rich jeweled colors of oranges, reds and magenta also give a peak from India. It’s very cool to see a designer mix in traditional culture with that of ready-to-wear and Veronica Etro does it oh so effortlessly. Photo Credit: Vogue

You also see her use of the Saree. It’s fresh, it’s modern and perfect for Spring! The casual cool vibe she brings out in her work, makes it feel like a whole new piece. The saree of 2017 I guess you could say! I wish I was this cool and could wear a saree like this! I’m taking notes for sure. I think I spot a camel on the print of the dress! Can you see it?!

Photo Credit: Vogue

The following outfit gives a nod to menswear. The military details, stripes and even leather touches have a masculine feel that makes this coat unique and wonderful when combined with feminine details like a cropped fit and ruffled sleeves. By layering it over a soft feminine dress, you have the perfect combination between the hard and soft. Nothing better than mixing a little hard and soft together! Photo Credit: Vogue

Veronica Etro has so many more amazing dresses, to view her collection and be connected to her  E-Boutique, click the image below.

 

I hope you found this article interesting and are inspired to add a little camel safari and Rajasthan culture into your wardrobe! To add some camel safari into your home decor, click here for inspiration. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! Until our next Rajasthan adventure … Sitara.