Hi everyone, as promised in my previous post, I'm super excited to announce my collaboration with Linen & More. If you haven't heard of it, you should definitely visit this Singapore-based store in person. Think boho chic as well as trendy dresses, tunics, and summery kaftans that can be worn for everyday wear or dressy occasions (check out their website here).

The blue kaftan I'm wearing below is from the Beach collection - Love the pom-pom detailing, the bright blue color, and the comfy fit! It's actually not a maternity dress but you can see I've made it work for me! I've worn it as a casual summery dress but you could also wear use it as a cover-up over your bathing suit. There's a drawstring in the front which can make the kaftan more fitted on you ladies with more svelte figures. I find it a very flattering and versatile piece, and in the tropical Singapore weather, you won't lack for occasions to wear this.

This is the giveaway dress, and the winner would receive a new piece with the choice of this kaftan in blue or pink color from the store. To enter the giveaway, please do the following:
1. Follow my instagram handle: @urbanmantra1
2. Follow the sponsor on instagram: @linennmore
2. Tag 2 friends on my post about this giveaway on instagram

The winner of the giveaway will be announced on June 30, 2017.

 Blue kaftan from Linen & More | Purse from Nine West | Arm cuff from Accessory Concierge | Shades Raybans | Earrings from Lovisa | Shoes from Charles & Keith

Hello everyone! Isn't this pink turtle dress the cutest? It also perfectly embodies my current physical state. Now at 37 weeks, I'm literally moving around slowly like a turtle! This dress is actually a regular dress that I styled for my maternity look. The dress is from Linen & More, a Singapore-based store that houses a lovely collection of linen and cotton dresses, tunics, and kaftans. The owner, Manisha, sources high-quality linen and cotton material directly from India to create a very wearable collection of clothes with beautiful colors and embroidery. I'm really excited because I'll be sharing a collaboration with Linen & More really soon - so stay tuned for an awesome giveaway coming up!

Pink Turtle Dress from Linen & More | Rope bangles from Ammos Accessories |
Earrings from Lovisa | Sunglasses from Emporio Armani | Pink pumps from Charles & Keith

It's not often that we get to be up close to nature and animals in the urban cities we live in. Mother's Day already passed two weeks ago but I'm still fondly remembering the family brunch we had at Rider's Cafe. The cafe is located in a unique spot, removed from the urban city area and amidst lush greenery. Located right next to the Bukit Timah Saddle Club, Rider's Cafe is a fantastic place to have a weekend brunch while overlooking the green slopes and open spaces. I also love coming here because there's something to keep kids entertained. They can get free pony rides, walk around the stables and feed the horses standing lazily about. The horses have the cutest names too, like Muffin, Soldier, and Frosty!

Dress from India | Purse from Calvin Klein | Earrings from Lovisa | Sunglasses from Ralph Lauren

Smiling away as he enjoys his ride on Lily the Pony

All smiles after his delicious brunch and pony ride!

You guys, maxi dresses are the best when you're preggers! I got this Island Shop dress (not maternity, mind you) during my first trimester when my bump was barely showing. But I bought the dress in a bigger size, knowing well that it'll be handy later down the road when all other clothing will refuse to fit me! Sure enough, during the final stages of my third trimester, this dress has become a closet staple. It's made of a light fabric which is super breathable and comfy - an important distinction in this humid, tropical weather in Singapore! Island Shop (locations in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand) has a nice collection of casual and beach wear that embodies the tropical, island style. I've been able to get mileage out of this maxi dress at work by pairing it with a structured denim jacket, for evening dinners with heels and a nice clutch, and for casual weekend wear with cute sandals. The best part? Since it isn't a maternity dress, I can still wear it after the baby arrives! Win-win.

By the way, this dress isn't the only non-maternity item of clothing that I've been making work for me. I have 2 pairs of regular jeans from Zara that I purchased at bigger sizes and I wear them with a belly band (see here and here).  I got a white top from Forever 21 which I wear often for work (paired with a blazer) or casually outside of work (see post here). Then the pink embroidered dress from Mogra Designs is another example (see post here). They are still wearable and comfortable even at this late stage in my pregnancy.

So bottom line for making non-maternity clothes work for you? Pick items that you foresee as being closet staples. Then buy them at a size bigger than your current state. A-line or roomy dresses, blazers, jeans, and loose tops are articles of clothing you will potentially wear throughout your pregnancy...so you don't always need to specifically shop from a maternity store for them. Just make sure they suit your body shape and don't make you appear like you're wearing a tent. Pregnancy is no excuse for looking frumpy! Lastly, these clothes can always be adjusted post-pregnancy with tailoring, as needed.

Thank you Kamana from SocialandStyle for patiently taking these pictures for me! :)

Dress, belt, and bracelet by Island Shop | Shoes by Charles & Keith |
Crossbody purse by Coach | Sunglasses by Emporio Armani | Watch by Kate Spade

When people think of Chinatown, they imagine narrow, bustling streets, crammed stores and people milling about, selling of fake handbags and electronics, street vendors, and hole-in-the-wall Chinese diners, etc. Interestingly, the Chinatown of Singapore is a far cry from that.  Yes, there are some old mom & pop shops, street stalls and vendors for sure. But you'd be surprised to know that a good portion of Chinatown here is actually quite trendy and happening. Walk along certain parts and you will see colorful shophouses that have been converted into cool restaurants and bars while still maintaining their original exteriors. Inner street alleys have funky stores selling TinTin collectibles or varieties of different teas and tea accessories against the backdrop of the Old Buddha Relic Temple. Wander into narrow winding streets, like Keong Saik Road, and you will see an old Hindu temple just a few steps down from a hidden speakeasy called The Library which requires a secret password for entry. It is definitely a mix of old and new, unexpected yet still authentic.

This is me over the weekend walking around Keong Saik Road, sticking to the casual weekend basics: torn jeans (these non-maternity Zara jeans still fit me because I purposely bought them a few months ago at a bigger size), white top, and a fun bomber jacket. And when your hair is greasy like mine, just wear it up in a bun and pretend that was the plan all along. :)

Jacket and top from Forever 21 | Zara jeans | Mules from DMK, Singapore |
Rebecca Minkoff Round Sofia crossbody bag | Sunglasses from RayBan

While it may be hard to think about how to look dressy when you're pregnant, sometimes simplicity in style is best. Go for a well-cut and well-tailored dress with one thing that makes a statement. In this case, I had the color RED do the talking. This ASOS maternity dress just pops because of its bright color. I took it to the tailor to get it altered a bit so that it would fit me better across the shoulders. But other than that, it was good to go! Perfect for an evening date, a night out with friends, or any event that requires you to dress up your bump!

I wore this dress during my recent trip to Hawaii for an evening date with my husband. To add a bit of local flair, I threw on the Hawaiian kukui nut black shell necklace but felt it looked kinda hippy...so then I decided to wrap the beaded shell necklace around my hands like a bracelet. I think it works better! So you'll notice in the pictures why the necklace is suddenly missing around my neck!

ASOS Maternity Dress | Fendi embellished leather shoulder bag |
Sunglasses by Persol | Shoes by Charles & Keith

Who says you can't doll up during your pregnancy? I'm a huge fan of this dress from Mogra Designs and love the details - the bright color, the gold sequins, and the pom poms! I actually got this dress several months ago but somehow, even during my pregnant state, I'm managing to fit into it. Because it's a loose, open swing dress, it works for all different body shapes and sizes - apparently even pregnant ones! Haha!

In general, I really like Mogra Designs for their collection of fusion wear using traditional Indian garments and prints that are locally sourced and handcrafted. The combination of Indian aesthetics, like the sequins, embroidery and vibrant fabric colors, combined with modern cuts and designs really appeals to me. You could easily wear this outfit for a dressy daytime or evening event.

You can see in the pictures below that I was having real fun swinging around in this dress!

Mogra Design Embroidered Swing Dress (link here) | Shoes from Bangkok | Clutch from India | Earrings from Lovisa 

Hello dear friends! It's been a while since I posted on the blog. Lots of life events were going on that deterred me from dedicating the due time to posting consistently. If you follow me on instagram (@richatiwari81), you'll know that I recently shared some happy news on the personal front: I'm expecting baby #2! So you can imagine why I became distracted away from the blog. I wanted to focus on myself for a little while and at the same time, lots of personal and work travels kept me quite busy!

Anyway, happy to say I'm back and inspired to post again! I just came back from an amazing trip to Hawaii and will be sharing a travel post on that soon (where to go & what to do if you're traveling with kids while still wanting to enjoy yourselves as adults!). I've got a few pregnancy fashion posts coming up soon on work-, party-, and weekend-style as well. So stay tuned!

This is an outfit post from my Hawaii trip. Achieving comfort without looking like a beached whale starts to get more and more challenging once you reach the third trimester of your pregnancy. You're lugging around a heavy weight around your mid-section and you don't feel all that glam. But I find that ASOS has some pretty good maternity clothes which still help you achieve that comfort combined with an everyday style factor. This loose top is super versatile - you can pair it with distressed jeans and sneakers to get a sporty look. Or you can throw on a pair of heels (yes, I am still wearing heels at this stage! I can't let go of my heels!) and a cute purse and make it look a bit more dressy. Needless to say, this top is a wardrobe staple at the moment for me!

Top: ASOS Maternity | Jeans: Zara | Crossbody bag: Fendi | Shoes: Charles & Keith |
Bracelets: Nakamol | Watch: Kate Spade