This was originally going to be an Instagram post with a carousel of Umbara blouses I own. I sat down with my hard disk to look for images to use and I found way more than I expected. I started to write a caption and I had A LOT to say, and 2200 characters could not cut it.
The Beginning
I first followed ands talked Umbara blouses back in 2019. I was absolutely into wearing sarees for events at that point and the idea of mix n match was just picking up. This was also the stage where I was actively reaching out to brands and letting them know I was open to collaborations. After 2 months of scrolling and drooling, I bought my first Umbara blouse for 950INR. This stunning blue with a flare sleeve. The blouse arrived and I tried on and I was immediately disappointed. It was too tight and the material was a lot thinner than I expected. I got it altered within a few weeks and I honestly loved how it fit after that.
The Frida Inspired blouse
In April 2019, Umbara did a special collab with an artist and I loved It. This was the most expensive blouse I had bought at this point for a whopping 1500INR. Honestly I did hesitate for a second considering that my previous experience wasn’t amazing. Still, what’s life without any risk, right? So I went ahead and picked it up, and this time, the fit was perfect! From then on a conversation and a connection was built with the brand.
The Unbox Collab
In Jan 2020, Umbara blouses reached out to me for a special collaboration. Their idea spoke to me at a core level. Unbox focussed on giving people a set of 3 blouses that would be versatile enough to wear with multiple sarees, yet you didn’t have to break the bank for it. This was the one and only paid collab I did with the brand and it was a HUGE hit! They were sold out within a day. I was in my 7th month of pregnancy at this point and so I could only do a video showing the blouses. I was supposed to send the blouses back to Umbara after the collab but I couldn’t. I kept the blouses and used them SO often.
The Telia Blouse
It wasn’t until Nov 2021, that I invested in a new blouse. Definitely the most expensive purchase for that year. (not mentioning the price because I know my amma will be reading this blog post) It has also been my most used blouse ever since I got it. This was around the time that I was really low and questioning whether I should be called a blogger / influencer any more. Rama and I had multiple conversations on what makes a true influencer. Click here to see the many ways I’ve styled this blouse.
The TEB blouses.
When these blouses launched in July 2022 it was love at first sight. I wanted the blouse but it was sold out too soon after launching. So I went for an olive green blouse. These blouses fit perfectly and work very well for the “teacher” look. (P.S I did get the black as well eventually). The number of times I have tagged the brand after wearing this blouse is probably more than the number of times the brand has spoke about this blouse 😀
The Birthday Special
It was September when Rama reached out to me with a special offer. She wanted to help make some blouses to match some of my sarees. (I don’t know who would offer such a thing, and yes some of those blouses were sent as gifts) It took a while to get this huge project underway and we finalised 5 sarees. She designed, and sent 5 gorgeous blouses that reached just before my birthday. Even though the Umbara blouses were made for a specific saree, the beauty is that they are so versatile, I can pair them with so many more.
This was the point when I realised how we had grown this relationship. It was such a natural progression. Umbara went from being just a brand to a person beyond the brand.
Click here to see Umbara blouse 1
Click here to see Umbara blouse 2
My thoughts and feelings
It is both weird and amazing to think about that the fact that this whole relationship started 5 years ago because I took a leap of faith and bought a blouse. I love how far Umbara has come as a brand and I wish nothing but the best for them.
(Check this post for ideas on how to create a capsule wardrobe with sarees)
It has been a long time since I typed away here and I have to say that it was easier than I expected. Hope to see you around soon.
Stay Ishtylish
miss kays
🙂