Grass is Always Greener…..

By : Juhi Bansal

Don’t all of us look back every now and then and reminisce, feel happy about or regret some of the things we’ve done in our lives. Most of the times we live in the “could’ve been” rather than “what is”. As they say “grass is always greener….”. I lived a lot of my late teens and early twenties like that. Surprisingly, not anymore! There isn’t a single day in my life I would relive differently. Here are some of the things I have stopped fussing over and you should too:

If you feel like eating something do it, full stop. Then don’t obsess over it or regret the calorie intake (the key to not feeling guilty is portion control)

Don’t regret quitting your job, or for doing it even when you despise it or getting a degree that you no longer find any use of. I truly believe no knowledge or experience is waste.

Don’t regret your life decisions- not investing, spending randomly on travels or clothes or food. You will cherish each one of those moments in years to come.

Don’t regret being a stay-at-home mum or not being able to give enough time to your kids because you are working. Whether you are sacrificing a career to be with your kids or giving up being with them to give them a better life, they’ll be appreciative of it later.

If I regret one thing in my life, it is not having spent enough time with my mum. Not calling her back every time I was busy even when I said “I’ll just call you back”. Not visiting her over the weekends because I didn’t feel like travelling. Not giving her enough hugs. Not telling her enough times how much she meant to me. And now I can’t undo it or change it. So yeah, this is the only thing I regret in my life.

Don’t fuss over things. They will come and go, mean the world today, be meaningless tomorrow. Don’t let things make you regret people!

There is one mantra you should live by (I do!)- “It’s better to do something and regret later than not doing it and wondering about it all your life”

Okay enough rant for sometime! So, last weekend, I had to attend a friend’s Mehndi ceremony. I love North Indian weddings. They are so elaborate, lavish (wastefully so) and give you the perfect chance to dress up!

Here’s what I wore.

It was a bright sunny day and this dress from the Kokum Store made my day brighter 🙂

When I saw this beautiful tunic from The Kokum Store, my mind started buzzing with numerous options of styling it. It is an exquisite pink thread hand embroidered piece with gold beads. And the colour is so happy! The embroidery is rich and delicate and yet the dress is so versatile. I decided to pair it with dark grey ankle pants to let the tunic stand out and not give it an overly Indian look.

It can be styled with an embellished salwar and heavier jewelry for a more formal look or even as a dress for an evening do complete with wedges and a pony tail. Can’t wait to wear it again and style it differently!

Kokum is run by the super talented Roopa Rathi. It’s based in Chennai and aims at adding a handcrafted element to each of their products. This could be by way of hand embroidered, hand worked , hand block printed or hand woven garments. Their designs are unique and exclusive. Check out their entire collection here. You can follow them on facebook and twitter too. Their instagram handle is @thekokumstore.

I accessorized the outfit with gold danglers from Amrapali Jewels. These are exclusively available in their Jaipur store! The statement ring is blue and gives the outfit another colour. The pumps are lemon-y gold and give the ensemble the right amount of bling! A messy bun, some 70s style eye-liner and I was party ready 🙂

Earrings: Amrapali, Jaipur

Pumps: Charles & Keith Ring: Jaipur Clutch: Vriksh Verma

Pumps: Charles & Keith
Pants: Forever 21
Ring: Jaipur
Clutch: Vriksh Verma

I am carrying a Vriksh Verma leather clutch with the outfit. Vriksh is another hugely talented designer whose forte is leather clutches with clean shapes and lines. I am totally in love with his entire collection. Check it out here. You can follow him on Facebook and on Instagram @vrikshverma.