Items in the wardrobe fashionistas of Mumbai vouch for!

Maithili Ahluwalia, CEO and creative director at Bungalow 8

Glass necklace
I don't usually gravitate towards pieces that are too in-your-face, but the sheer fact that I found this necklace in a place where I least expected is what made it special. I was in Manila, Philippines. I found a street that had around 10-12 vintage stores. In one of these, amongst dusty baubles, I found this golden-yellow glass necklace glistening. Initially I was sceptical, but my mother said, "Maithili, you will find a way to wear it. If you don't buy it now, you will regret it." And so I did. I mainly wear it with casual clothes, like on a torn denim dungaree or an oversized black pant and a white gungee.

Peasant blouse
I've worn this Sabyasachi blouse so many times that I've been stopped from wearing it again! What I admire is the way different prints and fabrics have been stitched in classic Sabya style. Though the prints and stitching are Indian, the cut is international – making it a local-global piece. Sabya is known for attention to detail, and that reflects in the form of clever embroidery that can be found in unexpected places. The highlight of this top is the shoulder panel that has kitschy baubles. I was once photographed by the New York Times wearing this very top. I usually pair it with a kantha-stitched salwar or dress it down with faded jeans.

Payal Khandwala, Painter and clothes maker at Payal Khandwala

Necklace
The oversized oxidized silver
necklace is something I wore on several occasions — from my own
wedding to friends' functions, store openings and social dos. I picked it from a small cottage industry shop in Colaba for Rs8,000. I love it for the way it fits my neck perfectly. The proportion of the pendant and the neck piece is just right and the oxidization hasn't changed over the years. What sets it apart is that it's not an antique silver jewellery rip-off but an original print — impossible to procure these days. Since the design is very vocal, I restrict juxtaposing it with fabrics that have larger prints to avoid clashes.

Lehenga
I wore this handwoven, vintage lehenga on my wedding day and that's why it's special to me. I was in Pune, sourcing for vintage fabrics for my trousseau, when I was shown this piece. I don't know women who would be comfortable wearing a second-hand outfit on their wedding day, but for me it was perfect. It was a steal considering I got it only for Rs20-25,000. What I love about it is the fact that it isn't too heavy or scratchy. The length is perfect so I don't have to wear heels. However, I made one addition — I hung my silver jhumkhas at the end of its drawstrings to create drama. Sometimes I wear it with a shirt — like a skirt and shirt.

Red dress
This dress has a deconstructed silhouette, which is designer Savio John's signature style. I bought it from Atosa, a designer store in Bandra. The dress is made on a pre-crinkled red silk fabric and has a yellow and gold tie-and-dye effect. What I love about it is its effortless coolness. You can dress it up with fierce gold gladiator heels and dainty neck chains or dress it down with casual slippers or sandals. It has clever attention to detail — the shoulder blades and sides have been slit and stapled back together with dull pearl embellishments. Since the silk and colour are too much for the day, I restrict it to evenings.

Marni shoes
These shoes are by an Italian label called Marni. I love them because they are so atypical, architectural and towering. They aren't your usual pretty shoes. The leather heels are chunky, so I like to dress them with something sleek to balance out the proportions — like with a well-fitted peplum jacket and skinny trousers. Even the accessories that I wear with these heels are sleek and structured, like a slim black clutch. Though the heels are high, they are constructed in a way that makes them comfortable to be worn through the day. They are a melange of three colours (black, white and emerald green) and versatile enough to be worn in any season.