Getty Images for Unsplash+ As far as the concept of “minimalist” hairstyles goes, it’s unarguable that any look besides wearing your hair up and away from your face leads the charge. The only other option is wearing it down, but let’s face it: depending on your hair type, getting your flowing locks to behave and …
Author: malavika.thomas
UNDERRATED ROMANCE, FOR VALENTINE’S DAY & BEYOND
The concept of love and romance has evolved dramatically over the last 100 years. Our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all experienced extremely different versions of courtship, deep connection and love with their romantic interests, not all of whom ended up as their final wedded partners. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought I’d take …
WHAT THE 7 DEADLY SINS LOOK LIKE IN 2025
The true root of my inspiration for this particular topic escapes me. I know it’s a heavy one. It may be the human nature and sociology reading binge I’ve been on combined with the 2025 goal-setting spree I decided to undertake earlier this month. Or maybe it’s the power of what seems to be a …
HOW TO EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY RECOVER FROM AN OVERSPENDING SPREE
It’s one of the oldest anxiety-inducing experiences in the book. Periods of intense overspending are usually followed by shock, regret, guilt, and panic about whether you really could and should have gone so far. Whether it was a pricey vacation you booked during a particularly stressful day at work, dinner out one too many nights, …
THINGS TO LEARN FROM THE YOUNG AND “INEXPERIENCED”
2025 will be the year I turn 39. I like this late-thirties era. The increased maturity (most days), deepened perspectives, heightened self-acceptance, and what felt like an instantaneous inner calm the day I turned 38 have all contributed to making me appreciate this stage of my life far more than I anticipated. In contrast, I’ve …
INTROVERT WEDDING IDEAS
I was never one to dream of or picture my wedding day growing up. Certain aspects of it, yes—the dress and choice of venue (always my favourite part of any wedding)—but that’s mostly where it ended. I adore attending weddings, however. Big ones that pull out all of the stops, complete with grand ceremonies and …
THE BEAUTY OF LIVING IN A LOW-KEY CITY
I’ve started to feel like the so-called “world-class cities “get all the hype. Whether they happen to be in Europe, North America, the Middle East, or Asia, the idealization of travelling to, working in, or living in cities like London, NYC, Paris, or Japan has reached diabolical proportions. I’m immensely guilty of this myself. I …
ACTIVITIES THAT DON’T NEED ALCOHOLIC ACCOMPANIMENT
The title of this article could be interpreted in two ways: as day-to-day routine activities that we currently engage in that we pair with the delight of an alcoholic beverage, or as leisurely or social experiences one may be searching for to escape the pressure of having to drink. With the holidays fast approaching and, …
DOES SHARING OUR LIVES ONLINE MAKE US LIKE OUR LIVES MORE?
I will never tire of analyzing the psychology of our human obsession (often even against our own will) with social media. I find it absolutely intriguing in every way. The fact that we’re over a decade into having daily, unregulated access to this alternate universe of living and that it’s gaining more momentum and growth …
A CASE FOR QUICK TRIPS OVER EXTENDED VACATIONS
I wouldn’t consider myself a globetrotter in the true sense of the word – I haven’t visited all continents, backpacked for months through South America, or had any out-of-the-ordinary or one-of-a-kind exploratory experiences. Still, I think I’ve gone through my fair share of travelling over the last decade to speak factually and openly about those …