The one annual ritual I do have, when I have a birthday coming up. I make me a wishlist. A list that probably no one who would actually shell out the bucks to buy me a present would refer to, but a list I make out all the same, because, what the hell, I like making lists. Lists define me. What would I be without lists, a lost soul, looking hither and thither at supermarkets wondering what is it I really came down here to buy. Er, that’s me with the lists, you say? Never mind. I will buy them all for myself.
I’m going into this birthday with a shopping list that is as long as my arm, and god help anyone who comes between a woman and her shopping. Here goes.
Jeggings. I want a pair. I know I will look unbalanced. But this is one trend I didnt buy, and I so dont want to be left out. Even if I am 22 years too late to wear one of these.
Reetone shoes: Will they give me the butt in the ad? And the legs? Then I will want. And I will wear. You will have to wrestle me down to get them off my feet. I will even wear them to sleep.
Perfume: I am dangerously close to the last sprays in most of the ones I own. Therefore bye bye Nina, Chanel No 5, Escada, Versus, Fifth Avenue. Time for a new set of faces on the bathroom counter.
Bags, shoes? Of course. Would I ever say no to these. Need them. Need them like I need air and water. Need them until I have absolutely no space to store them and have to throw out bedsheets and towels to make room for them in the linen cupboards. I have my priorities so right. And its been an entire month since I got me a new bag and new shoes!!
Sunglasses: Big bug eye ones? Tom Ford Samantha? Yup. Or classic Rayban silvered Aviators? Decisions, decisions!
Make up: Lipsticks are running dangerously low, so low that I can almost dare to start counting them and completing the count. Need to replenish stock. I am naked if I dont have at least five lipsticks in my handbag at any given point. Fawn Fatale from LOreal, here I come.
Tops: More florals. Flowing. soft fabrics. Whites. Colours. I need to get out of my black rut.
And yes, a new phone. This current Blackberry has served me long and well and now is gasping dying breaths. Any reccos? No touchscreens please. Most inconvenient damn things.
About Kiran Manral
Kiran Manral is a writer and major social media influencer. After quitting her full-time journalist’s job when her son was born, Kiran became a mommy blogger on the internet, with a remarkably original voice. She was a journalist at The Asian Age, The Times of India, features editor Cosmopolitan, India Cultural Lead and Trend spotter at Gartner Iconoculture US, Senior Consultant at Vector Insights, Ideas Editor, SheThePeople.TV. Kiran is currently a celebrated author and an independent research and media consultant.
She was shortlisted for the Femina Women Awards for Literary Contribution in 2017. The Indian Council of UN Relations (ICUNR) supported by the Ministry of Women and Children, Govt of India, awarded her the International Women’s Day Award 2018 for excellence in the field of writing. In 2021 she was awarded the Womennovator 1000 Women of Asia award. In 2022, she was named amongst the 75 Iconic Indian women in STEAM by Red Dot Foundation and Beyond Black, in collaboration with the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, and British High Commission, New Delhi.
Her novella, Saving Maya, was long-listed for the 2018 Saboteur Award, supported by the Arts Council of England in the UK. Her novels 'The Face At the Window’ and ‘Missing, Presumed Dead were both long-listed for Jio MAMI Word to Screen, and ‘The Face at the Window’ was showcased at the South Asian Film Festival 2019. The Kitty Party Murder was shortlisted for the Popular Choice award at the 2021 JK Papers TOI AutHER awards.
Her other books include The Reluctant Detective, Once Upon A Crush, All Aboard, Karmic Kids-The Story of Parenting Nobody Told You, A Boy’s Guide to Growing Up, True Love Stories, 13 Steps to Bloody Good Parenting, Raising Kids with Hope and Wonder in Times of a Pandemic and Climate Change, More Things in Heaven and Earth and Rising: 30 Women Who Changed India. She also has published short stories in various magazines, in acclaimed anthologies like Have A Safe Journey, Boo, The Best Asian Speculative Fiction 2018, Grandpa’s Tales, Magical Women and City of Screams. Kiran lives in Mumbai with her family.
Social media handles
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KiranManral
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiranmanral/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KiranManralAuthorPage
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiranmanral/
Fortytwoandcounting 
I love your list
May I borrow!!
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Itchy: Of course, go right ahead.
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New phone? The Samsung Galaxy? Sleek. Sexy.
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Meira: Will check it out…
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Ah come on… not the denim leggings. I got oversized glasses recently and am finally wearing a style that I like and that is also in fashion.
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Sue: And I’m actually wearing my purple cat eye Versaces which were so never in….
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LOL! Kiran, you are impossible!
Uh, are you serious?
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Asha: I am impossibly serious. 🙂
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ahan reetone shoes 😛 touchscreens are so comfortable 🙂
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aniruddha: I am terrified of them.
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I am buying Aviators for myself.
And perfumes too. I just don’t know which one. Which ones are you planning to buy? Do tell.
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Nitika: Dunno. Will go smell all they have on offer and then decide.
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I would still suggest the iPhone 😀
Oh aviators are classics, get one of those for sure!
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Shilpa: Nah. Not the iphone. Aviators, eh? Let me see….
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i have something for you on my blog. do come over and accept it. 🙂
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Priyaiyer: Honoured…
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I am not a fan of touch screen phones too… so my phone choices would be the new blackberry bold.. great I must say… or else the Nokia E 72
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Aathira: I think I might go for another Blackberry. This is the best damn phone Ive used in my life. Save the scroll problems. And Ive been using mobiles since 1997.
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blackberry is no good.. try i phone. the most convenient touchscreen phone ever.. u will not use any other phone once u get used to i phone
Ive been using the blackberry for the past three and a half years when no one around could be spotted with one, and I love it. Ive seen my friends with their iphones and the touchscreen technology freaks me out. Thats just me.
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