Let's face it, when it comes to shoe shopping, India is still miles behind and while Dubai boasts the world's biggest shoe store it still lacks the breath of collection and size options and very few options for vegans {Level Shoe District barely has vegan shoes}. For shoe aficionados this brings in excessive anxiety and trouble. Fear not shoe lovers. Fortunately we are a species of digital era where online shopping and international shipping are a reality. And yes, I mean we . Besides opening up a sea of shoe brands online shoe shopping is a far more pleasurable experience. Unlike physical shopping that can be physically and mentally exhausting you're able to shop the prettiest of shoes with the comfort of your home with just a few clicks. You can choose your permutation and combinations of colours, style, heel size and can instantly get a choice of thousands of shoes to pick from without the nosy sales reps or the need to hop from one store to the other tiring yourself.

I'm never a proponent of "leather goods". And I can smugly say that I'm far away from days when the word "Gucci", "Prada" or "Ferragamo" {no, not LV, I've never been the fan of this brand considering every hoity-toity woman walking the planet from 16-60 strutted in one of their ubiquitous monogrammed bags that made me nearly nauseated} would get my heart racing, and I would go to the moon and back to find that one purse that's not-leather and Gucci.That is not to say I still don't search them, but the reasons are quite different.  As we increasingly become glued to our iPhones checking the latest instagram feed featuring "it women" with their "it bags" and then flipping on the latest Vogue's publication on Zinio with eye-catching editorials and ads, the fleeting desire to own that new $5000 "it bag" or a blatant logo belt suddenly takes over our sensibility. But there is a darker side

After years of discomfort with the flat shoes, I finally gave in to my fear of wearing flats. Oh Ugly! Not kidding, the ugly shoe fever caught me and last week when I spotted this pair at the Charles and Keith store I couldn't resist buying them. It was more like summer bit me and the citrus hue was pleading - PLS BUY ME! The best thing I like about Charles and Keith brand is not only do they have stylish shoes and bags, but they are also vegan friendly. Most of their products are leather free, which is a big relief in this {in-compassionate} world of fashion. What's that one thing you're scared of wearing?

Months, its been literally months that I had my eyes on this gorgeous colour from Stella Falabella collection. Its no news that I am obsessed with Stella McCartney bags {with bags that look like these and come with a tag "Suitable for Vegetarians", who wouldn't?}. I was over the moon when I received this as a present delivered from Barcelona. What I love the most about this bag is that despite its size, it can stock in a lot of stuff and the colour makes it so versatile. It looks great with a dress, denims, shorts, an all black outfit, a monochrome outfit and even with a pop of colour. However, like my other Stella McCartney bag, the chain of this bag digs on your shoulder too and you can see the marks on your skin after you wear it. Plus, this bag is also very slouchy, so when you hang it - it loses its shape and looks weird. I think the slouchy Falabella overall is not a good style from Stella - no matter how great it looks. In fact, my other Stella McCar

Topshop White Shirt, Cotton On Striped Skirt, Steve Madden Shoes, H&M Hat and Charles and Keith Handbag Happy new start of the week peeps!! My week is starting off pretty awesome as the travel diary has started a new chapter. From Mumbai to this new destination (I am going all hush hush about it for now, you'll get to know soon), the summer sun is brimming in full rage, which means I can easily transition my full summer wardrobe to Fall. Yippie!! If you are on my Instagram you'd already know I spotted these vegan shoes at Steve Madden and although I was planning to get it in nude, the gorgeous tan was too hard to resist. How do you like them?  With shoes like that I couldn't think of anything but classics to go with it. So I paired a white button-down and a striped midi skirt and threw my recent love a floppy hat for a good measure. This bag is also a new addition to my wardrobe. With a transparent front, slide sling, and enough roo

Paying homage to the last days of winters in the winter staple tartan print. While I do like those pleasant sunny days, winter is my absolute favourite season. Not the freezing, snowy winter that'll lock you down in the house, and terrorize you with the mere idea of stepping out, but the winter where just some basic layering with a blazer or even a denim jacket and a scarf will suffice, those winter days where you would love to sit in the balcony reading your fav magazine while sipping on green teas and enjoying the winter chill. So for today, one of the last such pleasant days {and evenings}, before the scorching heat sets in I decided to get out my winter staple tartan print and pair it with a denim jacket and clash with the leopard print shoes. The coral-pink-peachish nail colour from the vegan nail paint brand butter London will add a nice pop of colour and go well with my oxblood jeans. Nude lips and top knot will finish the look perfectly - casual yet chic is what I am a

River Island Jacket, 7 For All Mankind Jeans and Charles and Keith Shoes I think dressing up for work gets you in a rut without even realising it. Especially when you work in a more professional environment like finance, you get too comfortable in the same old same old white shirts, striped shirts and sometimes the good old checks, more often than not, paired with a pair of black trousers {its fail safe}. But then you wake up one day and almost feel like you are in a school wearing the same uniform everyday and losing your personality at work, because you look, well, boring. Its like you're almost trying too hard {to look the part}. I often get in that coccon or rut if you like to call that, and then every once in a while I get the wake up call. So on one of the Fridays when we had plans to leave early from the office for a drive and dinner later, it suddenly dawned on me that I can't be going out like my usual self at work. Yet I can't carry extra pair t

I just realised I really hadn't done the much deserved post on this little gem I discovered on one of my (not so recent) trips to Singapore. While you definitely need some high street brands to get your fashion dose, the wardrobe isn't really complete without some amazing designers and stand out styles; which is the reason I always make it a point to get out of the malls and find local designers or stores that have bespoke designers or stock from relatively unknown or not so ubiquitous talented designers and upcoming labels. nana & bird is a charming well hidden quaint fashion and accessories store in Singapore that stocks well curated designs of independent emerging designers and labels from around the world. The brand was initially launched as a pop-up store {in Shanghai and Singapore} that eventually graduated to a multi-designer store retaining its charm and well-curated selection. I visited nana and bird on my last day in Singapore, as

Every year has its ups and downs, but  2014 brings in the memories of amazing moments, great learnings and fresh beginnings. It was a year that I learnt to become stronger but  not without being empathetic, it was a year that reminded me that every person has a positive side and thats where our focus should be else no relationship can flourish, it was a year that's still teaching me to forgive and forget. 2014 was a year of many new beginnings and the year where I took extra steps to become a better me. I am sure 2015 is going to be another wonderful year for you and me!!  Here's a collage from my Instagram moments from 2014 and the recent indulgence from 2015. Follow me on instagram: @beautifyflr

From my graduation days in London, I've always been in love with Dune for their amazing bags {mostly faux leather} and shoes {you do get some vegan shoes at Dune every once in a while}. So when Dune opened in India, I couldn't be more happier. Read on and you will be too. I just got this amazing bag from Dune store  I got these vegan shoes from Dune almost 5 years back and they're as good as new Rev up your wardrobe with one of Dune's chic handbags. For all you lovely readers, I am hosting a Rs 1,000 voucher giveaway of Dune London. To win this voucher from Dune, all you have to do is: - Give me your name and city {comment in the box below} - Like Style Destino on FB - Follow Style Destino on Instagram @beautifyflr - Follow Style Destino on Twitter @beautifyflr  and tweet about this Giveaway {make sure to add "@beautifyflr" in your tweet} How easy was that now? In the comment below, pls leave your details and your contact email or

If you follow my Instagram @StyleDestino , you'd be well aware that I am a fanatic online shopper. I've been shopping online since 2005, trying out fashion and beauty websites from around the world, and getting them to deliver stuff to India. THE BLESSINGS - ONLINE SHOPPING 1. If it wouldn't be for online shopping, I wouldn't have  discovered amazing vegan brands . 2. No matter which part of the world you are in, its with online shopping that you can get whatever you want, from wherever you want . Sitting in Mumbai, I could get this gorgeous Stella McCartney clutch delivered to me from a small boutique in Italy. 3. Discounts, codes, and vouchers: The best thing about online shopping is not only does the whole world becomes your marketplace, but also it offers you the best price. In addition to the ongoing online sales, always look for discount coupons of the retailer you are shopping from, you may get access to a coupon you didn't know existed just by taking a

I've stayed in a couple of heritage properties in Rajasthan and loved those beautiful hotels with their excellent service. A piece of pure luxury, each of those hotels were amazing - the royal themed decor, beautiful hand carved furniture with accents of gold and a nice blend of old and new. So when I got a chance to visit the Ahilya Fort Hotel in Maheshwar, I was quite excited. Tucked on the bank of Narmada river, perched up on a hill and overlooking the famous Ghats of Maheshwar, the Ahilya Fort Hotel was quite intriguing from the outside. With only 13 rooms, this 18th century fort hotel is quite a hush hush place, and is only accessible to the hotel guests aka not open for visitors. The moment we entered the fort  hotel, we were transported to a completely different era. Whitewashed walls, cobbled floors, a open courtyard in the center, the foyer walls clad with pictures of royalty, tranquil inner courtyards with plantations everywhere - all in all an enchanting place main