Cochin, you have changed beyond recognition!!!. I remember....some 7 years back, the only places we could find good western wear was Seemati and Jayalakshmi. The salons, were regular in giving me a plain old layer cut.
My tryst with Bangalore exposed me to various one stop shopping destinations like Lifestyle, MAX, Westside, Central, and so on. Two years later, when I went back to Kerala, I struggled to find apparels that suited my taste. Cursing the lack of availability of anything 'western' I adjusted, with occasional travel to Bangalore where I would stuff my bags with clothes and travel back to flaunt them in front of cousins and friends. A revolution happened in year 2011 when MAX opened up their first store in Cochin. Being an affordable brand MAX is, they became a mass hit with the school and college going kids.

Back to Bangalore, I naturally progressed to Mango, Zara, MAC, Promod and so on and I was clearly unaware of the happenings back in my home town.

• Marks and Spencer opened up their first flagship store in LULU.
• Lifestyle opened its first showroom next to LULU.
• Westside and Central have a strong footing in Cochin.
• Vero Moda/Only/Jack and Johns has two stores in Cochin.
• Splash has opened up in LuLu Mall.
• Body Shop has their small, but amply stocked store in Lulu Mall and Central Mall.
• MAX has more that 4 stores at present.
• Rimmel Counter, stand-alone Faces Colorbar and Health & Glow stores have their presence in Cochin.
• Ambika Pillai has opened up her Salon in Cochin, her second venture after her successful chain of salons in Delhi.
• Lakme Salon (finally) opened up in Kakkanad Cochin.
• Tony and Guy has their salon in LULU and Panampally Nagar.
• PARCOS (perfume shop) has a stand alone area within LULU.

Apart from all the above brands, there are lot of mushrooming design centers that cater to an array of clientele list.
Malayalees still prefer to buy sarees from Seemati or Jayalakshmi, but the sensibilities are changing. Neon is not jakaas anymore, nor is lace and party wears.
I see a lot of youngsters throbbing malls, wearing classy, stylish western wear outfits.

The surprise kicked in when I went to Goodwill to buy some toiletries for my mother.

I bought in my L'Oreal Mythical Oil mask and asked the sales guy to suggest a Body Wash, and literally my jaw dropped when he told cooly "Bath and Body Works mam, It's one of the fast moving body washes". Yes the same bath and body works shower gel, shower cream that cost 1000-1300 online, cost 800-900 rupees in Goodwill. Apart from BBW, they also stock Victoria Secrets mists, imported Jergens, and my favorite ST. Ives products. My mom who literally cringes on a 500 rupees Body Shop BB, agreed to BBW, as she couldn't resist the smell.

 Presenting to you combined loot of the day:

• St. Ives Intensely Hydrating Body Wash in Creamy Coconut
• Victoria Secrets Dream of Glamour Body Mist
• Bath and Body Works Body Wash in Warm Vanilla Sugar
• Bath and Body Works Sensual Amber Body Lotion
• St. Ives Apricot Scrub
• Loreal Mythical Oil masque
• Lacto Calamine for Dry skin 

Cochin, I hope in the coming years you continue to surprise me. Bring in rapid changes in Malayalees, both within and outside. We have a long way to go...

Studs, Studs and more Studs

Have been sporting the same ol same ol small ring for 2 weeks straight. Why you may ask....I feel that I don't have enough earrings in my box. Now before you roll your eyes and give me a WTH expression let me explain. I am mightily uninspired to dress up, specifically after the work wear code came into place. I have not met with any warnings as of yet for wearing danglers, that's like 2 time in whole month. There is no point in rummaging through my box to find a work wear as I know it clearly: I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDS!!!!. So, today I went out with my colleague cum friend Laks, to do some earring shopping ( No nO that was just part of the agenda). We halted at my newly discovered love, this small boutique in Convent Junction. I had made it a point to shop only what's there in my list, usually I end up buying whole lot of unnecessary stuff. I bought the following studs:

A simple black stud

A white stone stud

Black stud and white stone stud

Silver stud, I remember having a similar one in my box long long ago and I abused it to an extend that silver was not silver anymore but bronzish.

Silver stud

Finally my favourite, a red rose stud

Pretty rose stud

Now, let’s move to ring section, shall we?

I have 4 piercing each on one ear and the second one is a semi-ring, I don't want it to be drowned under all those studs, so bought few rings to add some drama.

Basic silver ring

Silver ring

Basic gold ring

Gold ring

This earring ate up a major chunk of bill, pretty but costly may be cause the stones.

The costly loot

And something I bought cause I loved it, silver and gold mixed hoop. What not 2 love.

Love Love Love

 The loot inside my mini stud box.

N hey on a totally unrelated post, I saw an envelope clutch/sling in the store I shopped at. I was completely surprised...I mean, envelope clutches are in rage right now, and one cannot buy without shelling out some 1-2K. Cochin is moving fashion forward and that’s great news. This store keeper told me that the clutch costs around 500 rps. At that cost, the clutch is a complete grab. I just stood there and reasoned myself whether I have to add this to my wardrobe :The answer is simple :I may not wear it all, and like some pieces in my wardrobe, this too will lie there forgotten. Why waste 500 rps? on a second thought, should I get it? What do you guys think?.