KAPRAY SHAPRAY: Deep Red Raw Silk Dress by HSY - Smart and Stylish

Pakistani label HSY often has their own range of westernised outfits alongside their bridal and formal wear, which is also quite popular. I quite like this design below as it captures the idea of a over-coat style dress made from raw silk, and it is an outfit which is all about the cut of the dress, rather than the design or embellishment.

Image belongs to HSY website

One of my friends was looking into a simple wedding dress a while back when she about to get married, and this was one of the designs she really loved, as it was simple design, yet was such a wonderfully rich red. Also, it is a very flattering shape, which can be appropriately altered to be longer or short according to what suits you. She ended up with a tea-pink outfit in the end, but still loved this one nevertheless! I love how smart this dress looks, and how the rich colour of the outfit really stands out rather than overpowering the outfit. Definitely an outfit I'd love to wear with my 'English' clothes, it would certainly look great as a fancy coat and wouldn't need much accessorising to spice it up.

MAKE-UP REVIEW: Model's Own and Diet Coke Lip Gloss Promotion

Boots are having a promotional offer this month for Christmas, in which you can buy two diet coke bottles of drink and get a free lipgloss worth £6. Model's Own and Diet Coke have teamed up to release a limited edition of lipglosses, which come in four shades, Perfect Plum, Lacquer Red, Glossy Pink and Golden Nude. The offer lasted all month (sorry girls, it ended yesterday so if you're reading this now, you've missed your chance).

This the is lipgloss I managed to get, in shade 'Golden Nude' from this promotion (I wanted the pink one but they didn't have it!), it's still a pretty colour, and it's not too dark. It also smells a bit vanilla-y, if you like that kind of thing.

The colour of the gloss itself is quite light and shimmery, it would make a great topcoat over lipstick to add a bit of glitter, or just  as a bit of light, goldish-pink colour if worn by itself. I don't normally tend to wear gold coloured gloss or lippies, but this is nice and subtle, and doesn't actually look very yellow, but rather a sheer, tinted gloss. I think for most clear glosses or light coloured ones, the look is very similar, and I like the fact that this has a bit of shimmer (rather than glitter!) in it to make it more wearable.

 Did any of you manage to snag any lip glosses? Which colour did you get?

BRIDAL COUTURE: Bridal Sutra Adverts by Lakme

I love this series of Bridal Sutra adverts from Indian salon and make-up brand, Lakme, each of which look as beautiful and sultry as the last. These adverts are from a couple of years ago, but they still look very applicable to today's trends, and look very, very appealing. With designers and artists such as Subyasaachi and Anamika Khanna conceptualising the looks, to advertise Lakme products, I think these designers managed to cover a wide range of looks and create some beautiful images.

Images belong to Lakme brand

I like how although this range is targeted at a bridal point of view, the make-up looks and styles themselves are still something than can be applied for any occasion. I also the fact that each advert (and on the websites) show a breakdown of products used so that you can see how the look was achieved with the different make up products. Another aspect I liked was how each advert tries to combine a traditional look with a more modern, Westernised one; beautiful outfits combined with a twist such as dramatic hair or accessories.
There are some very beautiful, rich colours being used here, and what I like is how 'polished' each look appears. I think my favourite is the first one, since the pink looks both flattering in the outfit and the make-up, plus I'm a suck for extravagant, finely drawn, eyeliner :)

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays to all, and have a great Christmas if you are celebrating this weekend :)
Here's a little eyecandy to spice up your Christmas tree or living room decor - Bollywood Baubles! A wonderful idea courtesy of Momtaz Begum-Hussain at her blog, and I'm pretty sure it can be applied to other holidays too!
Enjoy the rest everyone x

Images belong to 'Cos I Like Making Stuff' blog

Antique Ornaments and Jewellery at the V&A Museum

I visited the Victoria and Albert museum a while back, and of course, visited the South Asian continent exhibitions which always garners my interest. These lovely pieces caught my eye in the exhibitions, which were especially interesting as there were a lot of examples of the rich history of Asia. These beautifully made, ornaments and jewellery pieces from India are made from precious stones, gold and enamel that were, of course, made for the wealthy and aristocracy who could afford it. 

These are pendants and rings dating back as early as the 10th and 11th centuries, made from precious stones and very delicately crafted. The white pendant on the left, for example, is made from white jade mounted in enamelled gold, and embellished with rubies and emeralds. The rings are similarly, like the pendants, polished to shape and embellished with delicate stones and filigree metal, making very beautiful pieces.

The other noteworthy items which were on display were these Mughal-style turban ornaments, from 18th Century Jiapur. I love how beautifully crafted these pieces were, again made from white jade, set in gold and enamel, and with delicate, precious stones. I've rarely come across embellished pieced for turbans, except perhaps a few cases in Asian wedding outfits for grooms, and these certainly show how far back these kind of traditions date back to.

I'd definitely recommend a visit to the V&A (if you haven't already been!) to see how rich and diverse the exhibitions are, particularly as it covers various parts of Asia and Africa. It's also really interesting to see how far South Asian fashion, and culture, has changed and evolved over the years, and what remnants of these rich histories are left.

BOLLYWOOD ISHTYLE: Aamna Sharif's Sweet Style in Aloo Chaat

Aloo Chaat, for model and actress Amna Sharif was her debut Bollywood venture, and it did well enough for her to be recognised as the beauty she is. The film itself follows a sweet, light-hearted story of an Indian man trying to find a way to win his parents around the idea of him marrying his Pakistani girlfriend - with the help of an English girl of course! What I'd like to look at is the rich, colourful outfits worn by Aamna in this film, and her different styles.

The first outfit which stood out in this film is this richly embellished green lengha suit, which has a lovely mix of colours to suit the mehndi/wedding scene's atmosphere. I love how Aamna's outfit is considerably modest yet doesn't shy away from pretty jewellery, certainly her tikka and her bangles look beautiful on her, and the draping of her duppatta adds some extra elegance.

 

Throughout the film, Aamna maintains a modest, simple look with her clothes, mostly leaning towards pretty, feminine salwar kameez outfits or churidar-kameez outfits which emphasis her figure without taking over her general look. I also like how her make-up stays subtle for each of her looks: while her make-up is still visible (such as her striking eyeliner), it doesn't look over the top, and suits each outfit well.

(I especially LOVE the outfit in this last picture - the funky shoes really complete the outfit!)

Lastly, the outfit I loved the most in this film is this anarkali style dress, which is a surprising pick for me as I am not a big fan of orange clothes at all. Yet this dress is beautifully made - from the gold jamawar print to the fitted sleeves to the diamante, embellished paisleys. I like how simple this look is, yet is also has a lovely sense of luxuriousness to it which can easily be dressed up for a special event as well as made to look effortless.

 

All images belong to producers/directors of Aloo Chaat

I think there are some very pretty outfits in this film, and Aamna Sharif looks quite stunning in her debut film for Bollywood. I also like how they tried to retain a slightly traditional look for this this character, and how they use a colourful palette for her clothes, and Aamna looks like she had a lot of fun wearing them in this film :)

QUIRKY FASHION: Furniture Fashion by Mandy Rep

Here's an interesting (and wacky) concept that I've come across recently - fashion designed to look like furniture. Mandy Rep, I'm guessing, is a fan of both fashion and furniture, so what better but to combine the two? I'm pretty sure most of this is just a design concept and is photoshopped, but it's still an interesting idea, although if there was a clothes range like this and you wore it in public - be wary, someone may try to sit on you. Or try to stash something in your pocket-drawers. I'm not so sure that the fashion-conscious public would be receptive to this one, but it was worth a look!

Images from mandyrep.com

KAPRAY SHAPRAY: Gold & White Lace Maxi Dress by Rakhi and Vandana

I saw this recently and thought it was appropriate in reflecting the upcoming season (and weather!), so here's something to get you into the spirit, especially if any of you are celebrating Christmas next week. I've noticed a growing trend in cream, nudes and lace over the last couple of years, and I think it still remains quite popular in today's fashion, both in the east and the west. This dress has been created by designers Rakhi and Vandana, who are based in New York - and what I like is how well they have captured the fairy-tale look in such a simple way. So here's something for a whimsical start to the week!

Image from Rakhi & Vandana FB page

MEHNDI NIGHTS: Peacocks and Mirrors Mehndi Thaals

These are some mehndi thaals which were made for a close friend's wedding a few months back, with the themes involving sparkly mirrors, indian beaded trinket boxes, pretty candles and peacock feathers. I love the look of luxury and shimmer created with these plates, as well as the lovely detail which went into each plate. They were created both for display purposes, as well as part of the presents intended to be given to the female members of the groom's side and I think that these looked absolutely lovely when the candles were lit and held by the girls on the mehndi night. I also loved how each plate had it's own unique colour combination, so that they weren't all exactly the same. Although really, it's also because I'm a sucker for peacock feathers too :)

HIGH STREET DESIGNS: Kundan Jewellery From Bees

I love this season's range from Bees. In an earlier post I have pointed out how pretty their jewellery pieces are, and my opinion has not changed since. I also love how each piece of jewellery seems so unique and well crafted, and are very wearable pieces. Here are a few examples of the kundan jewellery being sold at their store now, and the different colours and collections they come in. I'm a big fan of kundan jewellery and I think that Bees has managed to create a lovely collection. Considering also how a lot of their jewellery are used for wedding occasions and matched with bridal outfits, their prices for their jewellery is very reasonable. I'm considering buying a simple white and gold kundan set in a polki style (which is basically a simpler necklace set with the focus more on a pendant than a whole, heavy shebang), to go with some of my outfits, as I have seen some very reasonably priced sets which would suit a lot of my outfits. I also love the Mughal touch that these jewellery give to an outfit, and think that Bees have captured the look very well.

Images taken from Bees catalogue

My favourite item of jewellery from their collection though, has to be the hair piece in the picture above, which is traditionally the sort of accessory worn by a bride on her mehndi night. I love how well-made it appears to be, and how luxurious it looks. I'm a big fan of parandey and hair accessories like these (I have a few parandey of my own of course) and I like how pretty they look without taking over your face. This is a great way to accessorise your hair in a way that will really stand out. I've only ever seen this kind of style in very few shops in London, and this is one of the more nicer ones :)

Anyone bought anything nice from Bees lately?

BRIDE COUTURE: Reema's Pink Affair

Reema, one of Pakistan's more famous actresses, created quite a buzz last month when she tied the knot with American cardiologist, Dr S. Tariq Shahab. Opting for a flattering tea pink bridal outfit rather than the traditional red, Reema looked very pretty in her sparkling lengha outfit. I love how she didn't rule out the red completely though, with the maroon border along the bottom of the skirt and her dupatta adding some zest into the look. Also, the fact that both gold and silver work has been used here is not a bad one, the colours compliment each other and the tea pink quite well, and it is not an outfit which is saturated in too much detail, but rather, evenly spaced out. Reema's make-up is also quite well done, again choosing a rosy-pink look rather than harsh reds or dark colours, which has the effect of highlighing her pretty features.

Images from Paklinks.com

I think Reema composed herself very well on her wedding day (considering how she and her hubby were bombarded with the paparazzi and every inch of the wedding was analysed to death!), and her general look was very pretty, in a shimmering gold-pink sort of way. What I also like is how the jewellery was kept simple, and the focus of the outfit was more the draping of the dupatta and it's setting (although I did also love the fitted sleeves), and the fact that she didn't try to over-complicate the outfit. Just about the only thing which did surprise me was the absence of mehndi on her hands, which I'm guessing she decided to keep to the very minimum.