Ok, have let the blog slide again (even missing my 48th birthday last week!), but this is the week of getting back into it. Having seen the fabulous “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” on the weekend, I’m inspired to share my Rajasthani adventures, including Jaipur and Udaipur as seen in the movie.

Today, I thought I’d show how it’s possible to wear Indian gear back at home, depending on the occasion.  I wore one of my fave salwar kameez tops with a skirt underneath instead of the pants, to Black Cherry club last month.  The photos also show off my exotic new metallic teal wallpaper, more of which will be seen in an upcoming interiors style post. Take a look.

Feather jacket: Sly
Skirt: Topshop
Platform shoes: RMK shoes

Wallpaper: Harlequin, design Oriana.

As for my hair, I did a massive quiff-updo by using one of those hair donuts, which I bought in Japan. Here are some close-ups:

I simply backcombed my hair and sprayed it a bit to get some stiffness, then wrapped around the donut. At the back of my head I used another donut, put my hair in a ponytail and likewise wrapped the hair around it (although normally you’d pull the ponytail through it first). OK, so it wasn’t perfect in execution, as seen below from the back (and EEK! that elastic!), but it looked good from the side.  Neat and simple.

The actual product used was called an “Odango Cushion” which you can buy at Tokyu Hands, Okadaya and various beauty and chemist shops. In Australia, try Priceline for similar.

Have you used one of these hair donuts to build a style? If your hair is fine, they’re great. Have you worn clothing from another culture back at home – maybe an Ao Dai from Vietnam, or something tribal perhaps, in line with current trends?