Preethi Bala

My favorite time of the year is here. I have very fond memories of pestering my parents to unload the golu dolls stashed away in half rusted metal box somewhere up in the attic every year at this time. And then wait with feverish excitement while my dad assembled the stairs and then I was allowed to arrange the dolls upto the level I could reach. Decades later I can’t seem to shake the thrill of unboxing the dolls and setting them up except it’s my sons turn now to share my excitement. Celebrating 9 days of navarathri. Stay tuned! #navarathri #golu #indianfestival #tamilponnu #houstongolu #chasingyellowcabs #workinprogress

Basic can feel boring but when you live in a place with perpetual summer and endless sun, practicality usually wins. For school pick ups and casual days out, I almost always reach for a tee. Yawn inducing … yes but It gets the job done. Since I’ve admittedly made it my mission this year to be slightly more invested in getting dressed, this embroidered tee felt like the right middle ground. Still easy. Still comfortable. Same effort but a higher reward. Expect to see more “ How is this fashionable .. But I guess it’s wearable !?” content from this work from home lady with a long forgotten fashion degree 😁 #ootd #tee #casual #summerstyle

A draped pinstriped pant with volume, held together by just the right amount of tailoring was not a sentence I thought I’d ever have to use….. until I spotted this one quietly hanging in a corner at Zara. I am not tall…. Plus heels and I are barely on speaking terms, so the last thing I wanted was to sweep the floor everywhere I went. But then maybe this was exactly the kind of piece that forces a little power dressing moment!? I still did not know where I would wear it when I bought this a few months ago but that question answered itself this weekend. I paired it with a simple white tee, some layered jewelry and the one pair of heels I could wear for a few hours without needing a bandaid. So how did I do? #ootd #powerdressing #chasingyellowcabs #fashionblogger

Let the season of crumpled oversized shirts, smudged sunnies, messy buns and unapologetically sensible footwear begin! Add some bling if you are feeling fancy. #chasingyellowcabs #OOTD #whiteshirt #casualsummer #houstonfashionblogger

I m not one to pass up the rare day of cool weather we get. So I took my satin bomber jacket I haven’t worn in 6 years on a walk. She’s ready to go back into the crypt now and I feel less guilty about hanging on to things I never get to wear. WIN! #OOTD #chasingyellowcabs #bomberjacket #floral #fashionblogger

This year, my Tamil New Year arrived a little late, bringing with it a simple saree, a scalloped blouse, minimal jewelry, surprisingly not-flat hair and most importantly, a really good Saturday! Iniya Tamizh puthandu nalvazhthukkal :) #ootd #chasingyellowcabs #tamilnewyear #saree #fashionblogger

A random painting social hosted by @fieldespto moms gave me a watercolor kit and a pair of wings! One painting a day done under 15 mins for better mental health. Who knew? #chasingyellowcabs #art #watercolourpainting #houstonmom #lifewithkids

Usually I try to balance volume out when I wear a wider pant with a more sleeker top and vice versa so I don’t look like I got dressed in the dark. But NOBODY should be worried about the little voice in their head saying no you can’t do that. Wearing double volume is acceptable and welcome especially in a hot summer that you know is round the corner. It’s less about balancing proportions and more about anchoring them. Giving the looseness somewhere to land. Let the accessories do their job while you feel like you are on paid vacation! :) #OOTD #volume #summeroutfits #indianblogger fashionblogger

I’m not much of a risk-taker when it comes to styling anymore and I blame the lack of New York for it. In my “practical parent” era I tend to gravitate toward classic pieces that can be mixed and matched into easy, unfussy outfits …… things that work just as well for school pickups as they do for a casual dinner. But every now and then, I come across something and think, wow, I could style this in so many fun, different ways… only to end up pairing it in the most obvious way possible. 🤐 But even if it’s a bore, less is more !? Especially when your pant is a piece of circus core! 🤡 #OOTD #momstyle #statementpiece #clowncore #monotone #blackandwhite

I’ve struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. Some of my most vivid memories are of standing in a poorly lit store in T. Nagar, trying on unflattering skirt sets and pinafore dresses for Diwali, only for zippers to give up halfway. I dreaded these shopping trips. My mom probably hated them more. I have a lot more empathy for her now. The PCOS diagnosis that followed explained a lot, but what came after were years of yo yoing through different sizes. I had it under control in my 20s, but emotional eating, insulin resistance, and stubborn midsection fat were always lurking in the background. Since 2019, after my first child, I’ve been trying to undo the effects of pregnancy weight with mixed success. Losing weight in your teens is very different from losing it in your 30s. But so are your expectations and goals. Being able to carry your 35 lb toddler over three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat became the goal. Everything else was a bonus. I joined @otfheights in 2024 after a friend recommended it. It was an attempt to be more disciplined and build a self care routine but thankfully for me it was also a lot of fun. Weight loss was slow, but I was no longer chasing rapid results. When I joined the transformation challenge this year, my goal was simple, go three times a week instead of two. I didn’t meal prep religiously or count every calorie, but I focused on getting enough protein and showing up consistently. This week, I stepped on the scale, and it hadn’t moved. Not encouraging .. but I had lost 2 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of muscle. Had I TRANSFORMED ? Not exactly, but it’s a reminder that non scale victories are real. And they matter. Keep going. #fitness #30something #orangetheoryfitness #transformationchallenge #PCOS #weightloss #momlife

We decided to drive up to the Texas Panhandle this spring break, yet another trip after Big Bend National Park where you drive 11 hours only to remain in the same state. 😅 But thanks to a very tenacious husband, our plans were made. The landscape up there is wide open and windswept, with endless plains, dramatic skies, and tiny historic towns scattered across the horizon. It is quieter and more rugged than most parts of Texas, and that vast sense of space is both unsettling and addictive. @palodurocanyonsp was exactly what I expected: dramatic canyons, sweeping valleys, stunning sunsets, and plenty of striking rock formations. We were suitably impressed. On the way back we decided to stop at @caprockcanyonsstatepark and honestly this place deserves to be on a billboard. It felt like Big Bend and Utah had had a baby. Vast plains stretched in every direction, dotted with free range bison and little barking prairie dogs. We even spotted a fox, more roadrunners than I could count, and a few white tailed deer along the way. We did a info-packed bus tour with the park department( which I highly recommend, the ranger was so engaging and my kids had a memorable time) visited the @comanchero_canyons museum, and even did our first night of car camping….counting stars until we fell asleep. My kids declared it the best state park they have ever visited in Texas, and I might have to agree. #palodurocanyon #CaprockCanyons #TexasStateParks #ExploreTexas #TexasRoadTrip #SpringBreakAdventures #FamilyTravel #TexasNature #StateParkAdventures

I have always loved crochet. Something about it gives the perfect illusion of transitional weather. Just right for the days when the evenings have a cool breeze!! This fine knit crop cardigan with the floral pattern feels like it came straight out a yellowing crochet book from your grandmother’s time. And o pleated denim pants… why must you add more hips when I already have plenty!! But I forgive you, because you are so comfortable 😎 #spring #crochet #denim #OOTD #chasingyellowcabs #fashionblogger