Samarpita Yashaswini is a Content Producer for Fashion (HT Shop Now) at Hindustan Times Digital. She has five years of experience in lifestyle writing, specialising in fashion, beauty, and trend-led commerce content. She covers everything from seasonal must-haves and wardrobe essentials to brand reviews and styling edits that make everyday dressing easier and more exciting.
Over the years, she has interned with Times Internet and Desi Martini, and worked with Pinkvilla and Schbang, building a strong foundation in digital storytelling and audience-first content. At HT Digital, she writes and creates fashion affiliate content for both the website and social media, blending trend awareness with shopping practicality. Her work sits at the intersection of style and strategy combined with equal parts aesthetic and analytics. A self-confessed fashion enthusiast, Samarpita has a sharp eye for colours, prints, silhouettes, and textures. She notices the fall of a fabric, the mood of a palette, and the difference a good cut can make. Her expertise lies in translating trends into wearable, relatable style and helping readers shop smarter, not louder. She later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising and PR from MICA, Ahmedabad. Samarpita believes fashion content doesn’t need to be complicated or overly eloquent. It should be simple, fun, and genuinely helpful, guiding readers through daily style decisions with confidence and joy. I have a confession: I am very easily distracted by pretty footwear. Give me an embellished pair, an interesting colour or a shoe that looks like it could instantly make an outfit more fun, and I will notice it before I notice anything else. But after reviewing different kinds of footwear , I have slowly realised that the pairs I actually remember are not always the prettiest ones. They are the ones that answer a very specific question for me. Can I wear this for hours without thinking about my feet? Does it work beyond one occasion? Is there something about it that makes me genuinely want to put it on again? That has changed how I look at footwear. A pair can be beautiful and still be slightly impractical. Another can be incredibly comfortable but not particularly exciting. And then there are those rare pairs that make you realise you do not necessarily have to choose between the two. These are three of my favourite footwear styles I have reviewed so far, and each one taught me something different about what I actually want from a pair of shoes. I have personally worn and reviewed all three pairs featured here, so this is based on my experience using them rather than simply comparing product listings. They also represent three very different things I look for in footwear: statement-making design, all-day comfort and the balance between style and practicality. Anaar immediately caught my attention for the obvious reason: it is fancy. The embellishment gives it a dressed-up quality that makes it feel more like part of the outfit than something you simply put on before leaving the house. If I am dressing for an occasion and want my footwear to contribute to the look, this is the kind of pair I naturally notice. But wearing and reviewing footwear has also made me more aware of the difference between something looking good and something fitting easily into my everyday life. And I think that is an important distinction when shopping for footwear. In that case, practicality does not necessarily need to be the deciding factor. If I am buying an embellished pair for a festive outfit or an occasion, I am perfectly happy for it to have a more specific purpose. The mistake is expecting every pretty pair to become an everyday favourite. What I learned: I can love a pair for how it looks without pretending it is the most practical shoe in my wardrobe. Liberty gave me almost the opposite lesson. This is the kind of footwear I appreciate when I know I am going to be wearing it for hours. The cushioned sole makes it more comfortable for prolonged wear, while features such as anti-fungal properties add another layer of everyday practicality. And honestly, there is something satisfying about footwear that does not demand your attention. The first thing that caught my eye was the purple colour. It is the kind of shade that makes an otherwise practical sports shoe feel more interesting, and I liked that it did not disappear into the background of an outfit. But the colour alone would not have made it my favourite. What really worked for me was the combination of that eye-catching design with the cushioned sole and comfortable construction. It feels like the sort of footwear I can wear through the day without having to choose between looking good and feeling comfortable. That is probably the biggest thing I have learned from reviewing footwear. I do not actually want the prettiest shoe. I do not want the most comfortable shoe if I feel completely uninspired wearing it either. What I keep looking for is the middle ground : something that makes me happy when I look at it, but also makes sense once I have been wearing it for several hours. ASICS comes closest to that for me. What I learned: the footwear I love most is not necessarily the most fashionable or the most practical. It is the pair that manages to make both things matter. If I were buying footwear purely based on first impressions, I would probably end up with far more embellished and statement-making pairs. But reviewing different styles has made me much more conscious of what happens after that first impression. Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority. They were provided to HT Shop Now by the brand for testing and evaluation. Our opinions remain independent and based on our personal experience with the items. Please patch test the products before use.)
She began her writing journey in 2020, but her love for fashion started long before that. She studied at Delhi Public School and graduated from Miranda House, University of Delhi in 2019, where she also wrote for the college magazine. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products.
Because the very detailing that makes it special also makes it less of an everyday pair, anaar is slightly impractical for me. Because you want them to make an outfit, sometimes you are buying shoes.
Tried and Tested: The only 3 handbags you’ll ever need for office Commutes and casual outings Tried and Tested: I reviewed 3 very different bags and this one stole the show for me 5 Jeans styles to know this season and the wardrobe problems each one solves You put it on in the morning, go about your day and do not spend the next several hours adjusting it, wishing you had chosen something else or thinking about when you can finally take it off. That made me rethink the way I shop for everyday footwear. Comfort can sound like the least exciting thing to look for when there are colours, embellishments, silhouettes and trends competing for attention. But when you are actually wearing a pair for an entire day, comfort stops being a bonus. It becomes the reason you reach for it again. What I learned: if I know I will be on my feet all day, comfort is not something I am willing to compromise for a prettier shoe. And then there is ASICS, which is my favourite of the three. I now think about where I will actually wear a pair, how long I will have it on, whether I can style it more than one way and, most importantly, whether I will genuinely want to reach for it again. Anaar reminded me that statement footwear can have a specific role. Liberty showed me why everyday comfort deserves more attention than it usually gets. And ASICS made me realise that I do not have to choose between a shoe that looks good and one that feels good. That is probably my footwear rule now: I want the shoes in my wardrobe to give me a reason to wear them, not just a reason to buy them.
