Siddhi Karwa, from the blog, Settle Subtle with her partner Varun Agarwal have been documenting their personal style, travels and everyday hustle for their religious army of followers on Instagram. The duo likes to keep it edgy, young and fun, while constantly blurring the stereotypical lines of gender dressing. From couture, street to athleisure, they constantly like to mix it up. Their travels depict a story they weave through fashion and culture, making their adventures a treat for their followers. Siddhi shared what goes behind the scenes to make their feed look so picturesque, and some essential hacks that can be incorporated for your next travel.
1) HOW MANY LOOKS DO YOU PACK WHILE YOU’RE TRAVELLING AND HOW DO YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER?
“I am a very organized traveller, so if I’m going for a 20-day trip I’ll carry 21 outfits. I believe in taking less and getting more. That is how you should travel guys, carry less and shop from there, so that’s my travelling mantra.”
2) DO YOU BOOKMARK A PLACE IN A CITY IN ADVANCE OR DO YOU SPONTANEOUSLY PICK A SPOT TO SHOOT WHILE EXPLORING?
“As much as my organized brain would like to have a set itinerary, but I’m a hardcore solo traveller, and when you’re travelling alone, you meet new people with whom you discover new places. I feel like you should have a balance of both. You should go with a plan because you’ve spent a lot of money on the trip, but you should also be open to experience new places if it comes your way.”
3) HOW DO YOU EXECUTE A SHOOT ABROAD, DO YOU TRAVEL WITH AN ENTOURAGE OR HIRE FREE-LANCE PROFESSIONALS THERE?
“I wish I could travel with an entourage, but sadly that’s not the case and we don’t travel with an entourage. But to start with, when you’re travelling to touristy places there are already people there who are taking each other’s pictures and if you ask politely they will click your pictures too. It’s a good way to start a conversation as well. Another thing is that Instagram is such a good platform and wherever I travel to I connect with free-lance photographers and that’s how I work out my shoots abroad.”
4) WHEN SHOOTING AN EDITORIAL IN A NEW CITY/COUNTRY, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU OFTEN FACE?
“I think we are fully prepared because we’re from India, as back home we face enough challenges with locations and permissions, abroad it’s a lot more chill. The only drawback is that you’re not a local there, so find a local who will help you find some hidden gem locations that you wouldn’t have on your own.”
5) WHILE STYLING A TRAVEL LOOK, HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE THE CULTURE THERE AND STILL MAINTAIN YOUR INDIVIDUAL AESTHETIC?
“Firstly you need to see the season you’re travelling for, it is very important. If you’re going during summers, it’s all about colours the architecture of the place, it may sound a lot in your head right now, but it’s easy to put together when you’re there. Also, take a few things from your wardrobe, and explore the culture there, shop there and just mix and match. The fun thing about travelling to a new city is that you constantly observe how the locals dress, and it’s very inspiring for me, immediately the next day I feel like trying it out.”