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Today’s “In My City” post features Urban Mantra’s hometown of Bangkok! 
Just like they say that the French possess an innate fashion sense, I find the Thais to be a generally well-dressed lot. They take great care in their appearance. The average person on the street is neatly dressed with a basic sense of style, Indeed, I would describe the Thai dressing sensibility as smart and well put-together. To emulate that style, take what I’m wearing here. A pastel pink top and a black & white striped skirt (with pockets!) paired with black heels and a hot pink bag. Somewhat matchy-matchy but not overdone. Hopefully smart and put-together? The top was purchased at Siam and the skirt at Terminal 21 (one of my favorite places to shop in Bangkok and described in greater detail in an older post).
Top from Siam, skirt from Terminal 21, shoes from Banana Republic,
necklace from J. Crew, Lauren by Ralph Lauren Newbury tote
Now let's talk about shopping in the so-called City of Angels, known to turn even those who hate shopping into shopaholics! Whether it’s trendy clothes, cute shoes and bags, local handicrafts or home wares, you are sure to find something that fits your budget. From high end malls to street shopping, you can have your pick of the lot! So where do you go for what? Where do the locals like to shop? Where can you get the best stuff at the best prices? Urban Mantra’s got you covered. Read on for more details…
  • MBK is an old favorite for budget-friendly apparel (clothes, shoes, purses, makeup), accessories, and souvenirs 
  • Terminal 21 is located right in the city center and is a great place to buy trendy clothes and accessories. You can spend a whole afternoon there, wandering through the little stores and exploring what they have to offer. I also love the kitchy airport theme they have going on at this mall. Each floor is a different city and is designed accordingly. It’s actually quite fun! 
  • Are you the type of person who likes to load up on things if you like something? Then Platinum Mall is the place for you. Here, prices of goods are cheaper if you buy in threes vs just one. For example, if you are looking to buy gifts for a few friends, or a bunch of jewelry, or perhaps different colors of nail polish, then this is a great place to come! 
  • Chatuchak is a huge street market open only on weekends but boy, can you find great stuff here! You can find everything under the sun here in terms of clothes, shoes, bags, scarves, jewelry, etc. But personally, I love, love, love coming here for the unique home decor items and local Thai handicrafts sold at a much lower price point compared with anywhere else. This outdoor market is shaded but still, be mentally prepared to deal with the discomfort of the heat! 
  • If shopping for high end designer goods or the recognizable name brand stores (eg, Zara, Mango, Forever 21, etc), then head on over to Emporium, Central, or Siam Paragon 
  • For street shopping for clothes by up and coming local designers, Siam Square is the place for you. Be sure to bargain!
In My City is a series of posts about shopping and fashion in different cities. I have asked blogger friends from around the world to share their favorite local shopping spot(s) in their city along with a picture showcasing their street style.

Today we have Ashwini from The Zing of My Life talking about her favorite shopping locales in two of her favorite cities - her hometown of Mumbai and her current hometown of Washington DC. Ashwini is one of our favorite blogger buddies - sweet in nature with a sense of style that we'd describe as "easy chic". She always looks stylish and put together. Without further ado...take it away, Ashy!
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When Richa & Shruti invited me to write about the 'In My City ' feature, I got down to thinking about my shopping patterns and style...where do I shop really? Lot of stuff is from here in the US, which makes sense since that is where I live currently. But then, quite a lot of stuff is from my shopping expeditions in Mumbai. So well, I am going to take some liberty here by taking you through my fave shopping jaunts in two cities - Mumbai and Washington, DC.

Anyone who has lived or visited Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city in India on the western coastline of India, will tell you that street-shopping is an activity you have to add to your must-do activities list. There are many street-shopping nooks in the city but my fave two are Colaba Causeway, which is right in the heart of the city, and Linking Road/ Hill Road in Bandra, a hip and posh suburb.

Colaba Causeway is a historic neighborhood right beside the famous landmark of Gateway of India. It's a long winding alley with small shops set up on the footpaths selling exotic jewelry, tops, skirts, bags, watches and what not. My fave part is scoring ethnic, statement jewelry pieces for an amazing price...bang for your buck kinda deal! A lot many pieces that I feature on the blog have come from this old, rustic shopping place. Don' forget to duck in and sip on a cold beer and some urban snacks at the Leopold Cafe which is right in the center of the buzzing area.

Linking Road is another street-shopping destination in the city and unlike Colaba Causeway, which is sorta cozied away into an alley, this place is located on a high-traffic road in Bandra with a mix of brand shops and street-shopping shacks. You have shops and shacks lined up on one side of the road and little alleys joining it. On the other side of the road, you have this high-end stores. A typical irony, something for which Mumbai is famous for and you will experience it in every corner of the city you visit! Linking Road offers a variety ranging from cute tops, dresses, leggings, accessories but my fave part is the shoe-shopping. Amazing collection at an even amazing price, given that you do know how to bargain! If you want to take a break and put up your feet for some time, you have street side carts and restaurants serving delicious snacks and beverages.

Hill road, Bandra is another shopping area I recently discovered which is not too far from Linking Road. A plus point of Hill road is the Elco chat corner serving spicy Indian savory snacks.

And now moving on to hip destinations in the US, specifically near Washington DC where I live now. Most of the shopping I do here is from malls and Tysons Corner is a magnificent shopping hub in the DC suburb area. It has all the stores and brands you can imagine, both regular and high brands including clothes, jewelry, beauty, home stores and what not. It houses some of my fave brand stores - Banana Republic, H&M, Aldo, Nordstrom, The Limited.

Another upcoming neighborhood is the newly built Mosaic District in Fairfax with an array of boutiques and more specifically my most recent discovery - Langford Market. With its well curated assortment of clothes, and accessories, it is fast becoming my preferred shopping destination.

I am not a big fan of online shopping for clothes mainly 'cause I absolutely need to try out an outfit before I buy it. I do indulge in shopping for accessories on the jewelry-and-fashion-deals website Groopdealz. I have been known to receive some gorgeous statement pieces in my mail for amazing deals! And then of course, I am guilty of taking the occasional detour while grocery shopping at Target! Now haven't we all been there done that :)

Well, that was my absolute favorite shopping destinations...Thank you Richa and Shruti for inviting me to write for this fab feature. Like they say, retail therapy is a mood elevator and if you are in Mumbai or DC make sure you check out these places to get a flavor of the city!

Picture 1: Neon necklace from Colaba Causeway, Mumbai; Picture 2: Fringe necklace from Hill Road, Bandra; Picture 3: Gold-tone ring from Langford Market, Mosaic District; Picture 4: Statement necklace from Groopdealz | Print-dress from Target
In My City is a series of posts about shopping and fashion in different cities. I have asked blogger friends from around the world to share their favorite local shopping spot(s) in their city along with a picture showcasing their street style.

Today we are featuring a fellow NYC blogger - Maree from A Little Bit Etc. Maree is among the first blogger friends I made. No doubt, she has a classic and chic sense of style and is a makeup guru. I also love her sense of humor - she has a knack for turning even the most mundane topics into something fun(ny) to read. Be sure to check out her blog for all things makeup and fashion and for a good dose of sass!
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Living in one of the fashion capitals of the world, you would think I am a shopping machine. Every major department store at my disposal, flagship stores of every major designer just a cab ride away, but surprisingly I have to admit that I do most (if not all) of my shopping online! *cue shock and awe* Maybe it is my suburban roots and all my time spent in the mall, but I love when I can get all my shopping done under one roof – efficiency is key for me! And with so many great sites out there that offer free shipping and free returns with loads of amazing designers, I simply can’t resist. Now that being said, you can definitely still find me wandering the streets of soho or traipsing down 5th Avenue popping into some of my favorite free standing stores on the regular, but for nabbing the best deals – I always find them online.

Take this outfit, for example, that I am wearing in the below pic – the faux fur Three Floor parka, Rag & Bone Newbury boots, and Equipment sweater were all nabbed during a markdown on Shopbop.com. I never seem to have that same luck when in store. The trick is I pin all the items I want to buy to a Pinterest board, and then check back regularly to see when they have been reduced. And then I pounce! Free shipping and free returns make it super easy and when in doubt, order the two sizes you are debating between and send back the one that doesn’t fit. I know for many of you that are die-hard in store shoppers, this may never be an option. But once you get the hang of it, it’s hard to ever go back. My favorite sites I visit regularly are Shopbop, Revolve Clothing, Nordstrom and Piperlime. And yes, that free shipping/free returns theme is always present – it makes all the difference!

Now for those purchases I can simply cannot make online - I love to frequent Bergdorf Goodman for a splurge, Club Monaco for the most perfect chic wardrobe essentials, J.Crew for their prints, and the GAP for the best jeans and button downs.
In My City is a series of posts about shopping and fashion in different cities. I have asked blogger friends from around the world to share their favorite local shopping spot(s) in their city along with a picture showcasing their street style.

Today we have Tanvi from the blog Tanvii.com sharing her favorite locales around her city of San Antonio. With both Shruti and I being ex-residents of Texas (we spent several years in Austin), it's a pity that our paths didn't cross earlier. But oh well, better late than never! This Texas gal's candid, no-nonsense personality and unique sense of style is refreshing. Plus, with her online store Crazy & Co, you can't help but admire her sense of entrepreneurship. Thanks Tanvi for your tips below!
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Being a (life)style-blogger, I am always scouting for new locations in my city. San Antonio is not one of the "fashionable" cities by any account. However, in the past five years it has changed and grown immensely. Mostly people associate the city with either the River Walk or The Alamo, but if you asked the locals, they rarely ever go there unless it is the Fiesta (Cultural Festival) or simply a pleasant Sunday afternoon!

As far as shopping goes, the city has everything to offer from high end stores to flea markets. Most shopping areas in San Antonio are open-air, which is ironic since the heat is unbearable starting May. The few shopping malls that we do have do not really fancy me that much, except North Star Mall (you'll learn why below). Some of the popular, or rather my go-to, shopping locations in San Antonio are as follows:

ALAMO QUARRY MARKET
This is my go-to place for shopping. It has a cool-chic vibe with plenty to do. There is a cinema, a Whole Foods, plenty of eateries, including Amy's Ice Cream and Starbucks - everything I need on my day off. It also has two of my favorite stores to shop at - Nordstrom RACK & Francesca's. Sundays are even better, as you can attend the Farmer's market.

THE SHOPS AT LA CANTERA
This is an open-air marketplace with all the big brand names and departmental stores under "one roof" (so to say). Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Hugo Boss, Burberry, and many more. The backdrop is perfect for a weekend hangout with a lot of good restaurants and bars too. 

NORTH STAR MALL
If I am not mistaken, it is San Antonio's largest shopping mall with over 200-something stores. However, lately, I do not visit the mall AT ALL unless I have to go to SAKS for some reason. It hosts the only SAKS we have in South Texas. Yup! Austin doesn't have SAKS FIFTHE AVENUE. 

VILLAGE AT STONE OAK
This is the closest shopping complex to my house so needless to say, this is where I go to make quick errands. This is where I also go for all my home-related shopping. It has Home Goods, Restoration Hardware, World Market. Hobby Lobby - basically every store you need to visit to buy home decor products.

PEARL BREWERY
Last but not the least, this is where you go get the chic and local flavor. Not just of food, but of retail stores too. Another open-air location which hosts one of my favorite local boutique - Adelante! Another attraction is the Saturday Farmer's Market, which has become hugely popular and is always packed during the summer months. 

Thank you, Richa and Shruti for having me over at your blog. I enjoyed putting together this post for your blog. I hope your readers enjoyed it too.

Tanvi describes herself as a modern-day-nomad. Tanvi grew up in India, then migrated to Dubai, UAE at the age of 16, went to Switzerland for further studies and then worked in London, U.K.. But since 2007 she calls Texas her home. She is a social media maverick 9-5, working at an Advertising firm, and an entrepreneur 24/7 running her online store Crazy & Co. She started her blog tanvii.com in 2009 as an outlet to connect with the world. She describes herself and her blog as - Eccentric. Stylish. Creative. 

This is a first in a series of posts about shopping and fashion in different cities. I have asked blogger friends from around the world to share their favorite local shopping spot(s) in their city along with a picture showcasing their street style. 

First up is our Singapore-based fashion blogger Soma from Rach-In-Fashion. I love her unique, eclectic style and had to ask her to share with us where she gets her unique fashion finds. I happened to spend a month in Singapore recently myself and she provided me with very helpful tips on where to go shopping too! I fell in love with Haji Lane, a quaint little lane with local boutiques selling on-trend apparel and accessories for very reasonable prices. Thank you Soma!

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My favorite shopping places in Singapore would be Far East Plaza & Haji Lane; I always look for unique pieces around Singapore and areas like Orchard and Arab street are the main areas I tend to find these unique finds. Singapore being a fashion icon of Asia, it's not too difficult to find special pieces that adds a little pizzaz to an ordinary blouse or dress. But even though Singapore is a fashionistas paradise, I still tend to find myself shopping online at ASOS and ModCloth for those few pieces that help me stand out in this fashion city.
ASOS Blouse, Soon Lee Skirt (Haji Lane), Charles & Keith Shoes
Check back for more In My City posts coming up soon!