Black & Green

Q. Were you apprehensive about venturing into fashion blogging. If yes, how did you get over it?
Asked by Gayatri

Yes I was!!! When I started this blog I dint know that 'fashion blogging' existed. I blogged about my thoughts, my life, tidbits and updates etc. So style blogging wasn't exactly 'planned'. But I was apprehensive...

(Here I go making a list again!)
Silly worries..........
a) I was conscious of being thin like how people are conscious of being fat
b) I'd never experimented with my wardrobe. I stuck to four or five types of styles and cuts that I knew suited me and I thought that wasn't good enough to start a fashion blog
c) I thought I would start shopping more because of the 'pressure' of dishing out new outfits.
d) I thought no one would care to read or comment.
e) I was scared about privacy.

....turned out to be just that - silly!
a) I clicked a few pics and decided that I dint look so bad. I looked slim (like a model perhaps? ;)).
b) At least I knew what suited me and what din't. Some people take ages to get to that stage. I could just work on it and improve. This was perfect for starting a fashion blog.
c) The opposite happened. I shopped within my closet and remixed a lot of outfits. I put myself on a 4 month shopping ban and succeeded.
d) I decided I din't care if no one read or commented!
e) I told myself to get over it.

But the funny thing is I don't consider my blog as a fashion blog. Until now I haven't written a single post related to fashion and I don't think I will anytime soon! A personal blog or a personal style blog would be more accurate!

On to the outfit! As much as I love pencil skirts, I absolutely adore skirts with Indian prints! This was a long skirt which tore slightly above the hem. So I chopped it off and stitched the hem again (rather made my mom do it) and voila!

I din't realize until later that I almost look like am part of the tree! Oh well.. happens!

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Its rude to copy!

I got two very interesting questions which i'll answer in two separate posts ('coz I have a lot to talk about each one!)

Q. How do you protect your pictures from being copied? 
Asked by Nidhi

This is a constant everyday battle for me. From day one I was apprehensive about putting up my pictures on the internet (yes.. big scary place!). And the feeling still lurks around sometimes. BUT I still do it. Why you ask? Because I want to do it and so I shall do it. And I hate living in fear. (cliched but true!)

I've taken some very basic precautions like,
a) Copyright my photos -
Honestly I feel this is a waste of time. Both copyrighting and adding a watermark are terribly easy to erase off a photo and misuse it. Its only useful when somebody claims a particular photo to be theirs and you can legally argue that its yours because of the copyright. (Even this has a lot of work arounds believe me!)
I only do it because it gives me some satisfaction.

b) I've disabled right-click and disabled opening the photo in a separate window -
Now this gives me *some* satisfaction. Although even this has loopholes that can be overcome, it would  discourage at least 70% of the misusers.
If somebody is looking for any random picture to copy, they wouldn't waste their time over this particular photo trying to work around the code when there are so many other blogs/pictures lying around just a click away.
But if somebody is looking particularly for my photo (I don't have any enemies so I don't know who would!) then i'll at least know who that person is!!!

c) Posting low resolution pictures.
This according to me is the best-est method.

You can read this post for a better idea of what photo plagiarism is all about and how easy it is to use photos in-spite of all these precautions.

Its not to discourage any of you, but to just make you aware!
Bottom line - Its okay to be cautious but don't become paranoid. Just let it go and enjoy what you do!

An even better method would be to not post pictures at all! ;)
But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And I also know that if someone were to copy and misuse my pictures, I would have the support of my family, friends and more importantly the whole blogging community to bring that person down! Am I right? :)

Am curious to know...

 Any of you worried about pictures being copied/misused? If yes do you take any precautions?

Has it happened to any of you? If yes how did you deal with it?

p.s - You can still post any questions in the comments section below or mail me! Offer stands open!

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One Year.

here

One year back, on a dull wednesday afternoon, I hit the publish button for my first post. I din't have an aim or a plan for this blog. I din't even have a name for it! After trying around a million names, all of which were already taken, I settled on A cup of coffee and a spark of madness ('coz that was what was in my hand and mind at that moment!). Once I settled that, I looked around wondering what to do next. I started with my first post, then the second and then the third. And I have no clue how that turned into one whole year of blogging!!!

Most people are inspired by other bloggers to start their own blogs. But for me it was the other way around. I started a blog first and then discovered a whole new world of bloggers! Although this wasn't my first blog, I never knew that blogging was such a huge deal! The more I read and explored, the more I became hooked! And I don't have to tell you how welcoming the blogging community has been and still is! A month later, I discovered fashion blogs... and I was even more hooked! Exactly 5 months back in May, I decided to jump into fashion blogging... And it has been so much fun!!!

Although I haven't been able to dedicate as much time as I would have liked to, I think I did a pretty okay job overall.. Don't you think so? :)

This blog was the one thing that kept me sane, that kept me hooked, that got me addicted, that kept me focussed, that served as a ray of hope when I was down, that made me dream, that gave me the opportunity to meet some fabulous people, that gave an outlet to my creative side and opened a whole new world of possibilities!

This post wouldn't be complete without a huge 'Thank you' to you guys for sticking with me, showering me with love, compliments and comments and for just being there and for being who you are! :)

here

If you've been following me for a while now or if you know me well enough you'll know that I am not really a fan of birthdays (human or blog)! So really, I don't have any 'special plans' for this occasion.
BUT I thought I'd do a Q&A session. So if you have anything at all that you would like to ask me, anything that you would like to know about me, any fun/serious/weird questions that you want to ask....just shoot in the comments section below!

Or you can email me at thegirlatfirstavenue@gmail.com.

Thank you once again! :) Your every comment makes my day!!!

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Blogging étiquette.

When you get between 30 to 50 comments on each post, replying to all the comments and visiting each person's blog and reading their posts and leaving valid comments on their blog, every single time is difficult. Especially when you are a part time blogger, and you have other responsibilities. But not replying even once??? Personally I don't like it at all. When someone new is following me, I take time to visit their blog and acknowledge them for following me(If not immediately then whenever I get the time). Whether I continue to follow their blog or not depends on how much I like it or connect with it.

Same is the case with people regularly commenting on my posts. I try my best to visit each and every blog, give it a read and acknowledge. I may not comment back on each and every post of yours. Maybe I am exhausted and all i want to do is read, enjoy your post and go back to sleep. Or I have absolutely no time to comment. Or I really have nothing to say/add.

For me one of the main aspects of blogging is interaction. Because without readers I am just another person talking to herself! I could be talking to a wall and it wouldn't make any difference. I know, what you are going to say. 'That its up to me whether to comment or not, that people should not expect me to 'comment back' just because they do so'! Personally I feel this applies when you are 'following' a blog. Follow only if the blogger/blog is genuinely interesting and you have something to say about their posts. Not just to increase their numbers or yours. But commenting is different, its mere acknowledging... a simple 'thank you'.

Doesn't make sense? Let me try and clarify!
Imagine you go out on a date with a boy/girl(your preference). You know there's going to be no second date. Wouldn't it be nice if you called him/her and said 'Hey I had a nice time, but I dont see anything happening' rather than being a jerk and acting like the date dint happen at all?
What's a simple comment or  simple thank you going to cost you?  :)
Be polite and reply!!!!

And if you still don't feel the need to comment, its not my headache now, is it? ;)

I am still very much living in hot weather, short cotton dresses and florals. Autumn and winter? What's that?

Dress - Noi

Cardi - Mom's (Its more than 20 years old!)

Chain - Local Boutique

Wooden Bangle -Street shopping

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Shades of Grey.

My life's pretty much going on in the same way, and since nothing has happened to improve the situation or my mood, I am not going to waste another post with unnecessary depressing details!

Although this explains why I've been having a sweet tooth all of a sudden. 

Bad mood = craving for something sweet.

Considering that I am not really that into sweets, I've been eating a lot over the past few days. Usually I have an occasional craving and I indulge, but a very tiny amount. I cant have more than a bar of chocolate or (max) two pieces of cake without puking. Yes. True. Anything 'too sweet' makes me nauseous. Especially early in the morning. Enough details? Yeah i thought so. 

This also means that am not your regular 'chocolate & flowers' kinda girl. Flowers, maybe yes but it takes a lot more than chocolate to woo me (Although I am a little partial towards dark chocolate). I love my share of chocolate cakes and pastries but unless I am super duper hungry, I can't eat the whole thing at one go. Who'd believe that! A girl who doesn't go crazy over chocolate. Now there's a first! At least I never have to worry about gaining weight, cholesterol, obesity, or tooth decay. I am one lucky girl. 

Okay then! let's move onto the outfit... 

I've been wanting a pair of grey denims for the longest time and I finally found a shade which I really liked. I prefer grey more than black 'coz almost every colour looks good on it than it does on black. I love the fit of these jeans and ill be wearing them a lot over the next few... days.. months.. years... who knows! Until you guys get bored and start begging me to wear something different or until someone buys me another candy colored jeans *hint* Am eying the yellow/mustard ones.

Jeans - Recap

Shirt - H&M

Chain, cuff - local boutique

Shoes - Inc 5.

Gala Saturday...

....Or that's what it was supposed to be. Only, now it turned into a Gaaaahhhh *insert @#$%* Saturday. I had big plans (as usual) and they din't happen (as usual). You would think I'd have gotten used to it by now..

The current question haunting me in my dreams is "How easily am I influenced?". 'Haunting' maybe a bit dramatic, but, I've been giving it a lot of thought. I've observed that I've been confusing 'getting convinced' with 'getting influenced'.

For me I 'get convinced' when I know that whatever that is, is right for me. I 'get influenced' when I know whatever that is, is not what I should be doing or concentrating upon right now. I don't seem to have any good influences! Only distractions seem to be my influencers! Confusing much? I know, I've done a poor job explaining and I blame it on the distractions.

Truth is I've had a long week. I wish everyday was happy and shiny and I could share great things here but that's not real life (That's blog life). Just trying to keep things honest around here.. you know I can't lie and I see no point pretending!

Also I seem to have missed a couple of steps in the 'Follow-your-dreams-and-live-a-happy-life-and-die-an-old-old-woman' program.. Trying to re-run it now and I hope it works!

Moving on,
These bright red pants did brighten up my day a little.. but not enough to make me iron my shirt I guess.. Ah well.. its weekend. If I wish to laze around in crumpled-shirt-bright-blinding-pants instead of pjs, I don't think anyone will complain!

Jeans - Mango

Top - Paper Scissors (Sydney)

Belt and Chain - Local Boutique

p.s  I am not looking for a pep talk! I know things will turn out alright! ;)

I want AUTUMN

Disclaimer : I have nothing much to talk today, except about clothes. Those who are here for my usual dose of long posts... sorry! :) Will make it up next time!

I am so tempted to go shopping, for no reason at all! Its just the effect of all other fashion bloggers talking about autumn/fall trends and showing off their lovely scarves, boots and jackets! Of course shopping for fall clothes would make absolutely no sense seeing that we don't have a 'fall season' here. And no winter too for that matter (unless you count 15 days of slightly cold weather as winter).

Rains have almost come to an end.. and we are stuck in a sort-of-summer weather, which I dont think will be leaving us soon. Its pretty boring to dress in summer clothes all year long, when the rest of the world is embracing a different kind of clothing for every season. Such is life. 

And for this very confusing-weather reason I haven't felt like dressing up at all. , which means I've been living in my pj's and no, am not posting any pics (I have my standards y'know)

Different looks with two of my favourite skirts :

here                                                     here

                               here                                     here                                       here                           

                                        

A quiet corner...

All I need - A lot of space, a lot of time, a reasonable amount of money and a hell lot of creativity!

Would love to have one of these Art Studios in my (future) home!

Blocked

I don't have much to say and that makes me sad. I've gotten used to writing long posts. Ok then, one last attempt at writing something...

Today's a new day! And its weekend! Woohoo! 

Why does it happen that on the very weekend that am free, nobody else is, and no good movies are playing :/

Its funny how when am not forced to write, I can go on writing pages but when i try to get a couple of decent sentences out, I simply cant!

Writer's block.

Urrgghh.. I hate that word. Gets the best of us.. Anyway, what's important is that I tried. At least I got dressed today. Which means you at least have pictures to look at.

Also its been a long time since I welcomed the new readers! But after a while I got a few more new readers, and then a few more. So the NEW ones are now the OLD ones since I have NEW-er ones. Looks like the whole point of welcoming is lost? 

If you're new and I've never said hi... Hi! And if you're old and I've been a real jerk busy and never said hi.. Hi again!

Newbies here are the rules/pre-requisites for following My Blog (in a very Monica-ish way)

1) I expect fluency in sarcasm 

2) umm..That's it really. Oh and a lot of free time from your end. (Ze Blog has been known to be addictive. Although I am not too sure about that *modest laugh*)

On a totally random note, is it just me or does anyone else have a problem reading blogs with a black background and extremely-eye-hurting bright text? Maybe i have super sensitive eyes but I find it to be a pain-in-my-eyes! Some blogs are ok to read, even though they have a black background, they have a grey-ish text which is quite readable, but some others who use pink and green and all shades of neon... I end up seeing spots in space when i look away from my screen! And reducing the screen brightness - doesn't help! It sucks because some of them are my favourite blogs!

And its only fair that i ask - is my blog destroying your vision or causing trouble to your pretty eyes? Is the font ok? Are you seeing spots too? I am no doctor but I suggest you go lie down and take a pill. Come back after a couple of days and tell me if the spots are gone. If not, then i better change my blog font. And if you still see spots.. I suggest you go to a real doctor (What were you thinking coming to me? Huh?)

Oh well... am going to end this and call it a day! Hey! The block vanished! :)

Skirt - Supre (Sydney)

Top - Levi's

Chain - Accessorize (Short), ValleyGirl(Long)