OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The Teal & Cream Gul Ahmed outfit

I haven't been wearing as many Pakistani outfits in the last month or so because it's been pretty cold,  and we haven't had that many special events like weddings. Whenever we have had events, I've ended up wearing pretty maxi skirts and dresses which I can dress up, or comfy outfits for most of the events and functions I have attended.

I do have a few warmer outfits which I've been able to pull out though, like this outfit by Gul Ahmed, which is made of a thick cotton fabric which is almost like khaddar, a thicker cotton material. I mainly bought this outfit because I loved the intricate cream embroidery on it, and the beautiful pashmina which went with it which gave it a slight contrast.
I also loved the button detail on it, which makes it feel a little smarter.

The outfit came with plain cream churidar pants, but I opted to wear this outfit with a Khaadi trouser which you can buy as seperates - I thought the lace detailing at the cuff went better with this outfit.

This is me wearing the outfit, I'm sure you can tell how comfortable it was! It was also warm enough for me to wear in the winter weather, although I did jazz it up with some high heels! I loved the deep blue of the pashmina with this outfit,it added some more colour and prints to the outfit, even if you can't see the beautiful quality of the pashmina material.

Outfit - Gul Ahmed

Trousers - Khaadi

Clutch - New Look

Shoes - Kurt Geiger

Although the latest trends in Pakistani fashion leans towards shorter hemlines and tapered (or even flowy!) trousers, I think that this outfit still looks pretty classic, and the trousers go pretty well with it. As much as I love following the latest trends, I do also still love my long kameezes, especially since they are so flattering on the figure, and I think I'll get plenty of wear from this outfit yet!

GLAMOROUS ACCESSORIES: Zevar Jewellery at the British Museum Shop

I read recently about jewellery brand Zever Jewellery being selected by the British Museum to be sold in their official museum store, and thought it was great news.

Zevar comes from the Urdu word, which means “ornament “, and the brand itself emphasises "traditional Indian designs that are hand-made with silver and semi-precious stones", which can certainly be seen in their range of beautiful products.

The company's’s founder and creative director Shivani S. Mohinta is a Londoner, and her brand is a tribute to her home country – India, along with it’s beautiful flora, fauna, forts and palaces. Shivani works closely with a select group of artisans based in remote Indian villages to create her pieces

Zevar’s handcrafted silver jewellery adorned with semi-precious stones such as turquoise, carnelian, zirconia, marcasite and quartz, and their collections so far showcases various traditional techniques of engraving, filigree and setting that are unique to Indian jewellery. The jewellery is apparently inspired by the vibrant colours that are used in Indian folk art, colourful Indian textiles and prints, and hand painted tiles and pottery - I can certainly see this in the beautiful colours and shapes used in the jewellery.

I can see that there is a story behind each piece, and I like that there is a focus colour or stone in each one, rather than a mix of too many colours or pieces - making each piece look much more iconic and classical.

Photo credits - Shahid Malik

PR - Enigme Internationale

I'll be keeping an eye out for these during my next visit to the British Museum, but from the website alone, I love the workmanship and designs of the jewellery, and I think it's great that an Asian-lead brand has made it into the Western retail space.

You can also buy the jewellery online at from their official website, as well as leading online retailers such as Asos, Shopcade and Independent Boutique.

What do you think of these?

Hina Rasim's Luxury Shopping Event...coming soon!

I've been lucky enough to be invited to Hina Rasim's latest shopping event, featuring high-end designer brands from Pakistan, which is taking place next month at The Dorchester (ooooh! sounds gorgeous already!)

You may remember a similar event by Hina Rasim that I attended last summer, which was an Eid event, which I really enjoyed because it gave me the chance to see beautiful outfits up-close and which gave me the chance to meet a few of the designers and speak to them.

The event is taking place next month and tickets cost £10.00, and it's an ideal opportunity for those looking for formals or party-wear, as well as pretty casual-wear!

I'm looking forward to meeting the designers who will be in attendance, and especially pleased to see their latest collections which I can usually only see from a computer/mobile screen! There's quite a few big brands being showcased such as Elan and Farah Talib Aziz which I am big fans of, and it's great that we can see the collection which isn't really that accessible to those of us in the UK.

I'll be posting about the event after I've attended - leave a comment if you'll be attending too!

On the Catwalk, On a Celebrity: Raveena Tandon in Mantra by Shalini James

I'm a big fan of Raveena Tandon and I always keep an eye out for her on the random channels and photoshoots, partly because I'm a fan of her from the 90s films, and partly because I love her dress-sense. She's always very well put-together, and a lot of her outfits are very modest and mature, which I love because she still looks the same gorgeous self that she has from the 90s era and only seems to look classier with age.

The Bollywood heroine was spotted in a Mantra by Shalini James outfit yesterday, promoting a jewellery brand in a gorgeous printed anarkali.

On the catwalk:
Like a lot of the brand's designs, this is a beautiful printed dress - I really love the fusion of gypsy-chic and boho with traditional Indian trends. I love that the outfits from this brand are made from rich fabrics, beautiful deep colours with subtle accents, which make for beautiful outfits which look classic.This outfit is pretty lovely on the model because it looks so flowy, and it works well with her height without looking baggy or boring on her. The only criticism I would have is that the look is very plain - although this was probably a deliberate effect from the designer to take away attention from the model such as accessories, and focus on the dress.

 Image source

On the celeb:
I loved the way this outfit looked on Raveena Tandon, it's perfect for a wedding without looking too overdressed. I also love that the jewellery doesn't clash but rather adds to the rich-look of the material and the outfit, making it look very traditional and classic, not to mention Raveena's updo and smokey eyes which give a little more of a dramatic effect.

Image source

Honestly. I loved the outfits on the catwalk and the celebrity, but I think Raveena pulls it off a little better because of how well the outfit is put together with accessories and doesn't look too overly-dressed.

What do you think of this look?

DESIGNER MODE: Farrah Naaz Clothing

I'm always looking for new designers who have their finger on the latest fashion pulse, and can provide Pakistani outfits which are fashionable and still wearable. I know I'm not the only one, as I'm always being asked by friends, family and of course, readers, for recommendations of clothes vendors, whether it is making orders online or buying from local retailers on the high street.

The problem I'm often finding these days is that while I love the range of designs on the catwalk and Pakistani designers these days, I can't always afford the hefty price tag. And similarly, while the trends of the high street are beginning to catch up with the latest fashion, they're either too expensive or don't always have quite the thing we are looking for.

I recently came across bespoke designer and business owner Farrah Naaz, who specialises in fusion fashion which caters for all tastes. I met Farrah last year and looked over her gorgeous collection, and loved what I saw - affordable fashion from single-piece kurtas, pants and shawls to full 3 or 4-piece formal outfits.

Like me, Farrah loves her designer wear, but is realistically aware that it's not economically viable for most consumers (like me!) to have or afford a wardrobe full of it.

Farrah Naaz Clothing is designed by Farrah herself, and made by a specialised team based in Lahore, which is where the designer sources her fabrics, work and stitching from. Most of her outfits are bespoke as well as ready-to-buy, and she also does heavier outfits which she designs with her customers for their satisfaction.

Here's a few of her pieces that I loved, these two that are probably among my favourites:

I love the workmanship on both of these outfits, as well as the beautiful embroidery and colours which work well together. Definitely on my wish-list!

The other piece I loved from this collection were the capes, which are very in fashion right now with Pakistani fashion. Farrah's designs are in beautiful colours and come with a slip and trousers for a very chic look - another piece which is on my wish-list.

I also loved this fusion dress, with it's zebra print fabric mixed with pretty floral embroidery, which makes for a really versatile piece.

Of course for those looking for something more simple, there's also single-piece kurtas and shirts, which range from the more casual to the more dressy, and really capture the latest trends.

These are also some of Farrah's heavier formal pieces, both of which I love the designs of because of the beautiful work and gorgeous colours. I also really like how wearable and modest both designs are - I can easily imagine wearing either to a family wedding!

For an idea of prices, roughly they are:

• Kurtas and tops start from £15
• Suits from £75
• Capes from £95
• Party wear from £115
• Heavier formal range from £315 upwards

For anyone looking for Pakistani labels as well, Farrah has also liased with with Gul Ahmed Ideas of Pakistan and brought in their latest collections which she is now selling. She also stocks Khaadi and Limelight pret and ready-wear as well as fabrics which are designed and tailored by her team.

Gul Ahmed autumn collection

I'm really glad that there's a designer out there which is UK-based and has affordable outfits, which are very in-touch with the latest trends. It's easy to fall in love with outfits on the catwalks but these can't always be found in the shops, and I know not everyone wants to order outfits online as they aren't always sure how safe it is or what the end product will be.

I'll be placing an order with Farrah soon (I'm still deciding what to get!) and posting another review of the outfit I get, but I'm really loving the range available as well as the very reasonable prices!

  

Farrah is based in Upper Norwood, Croydon, London and viewings can be done by appointment. You can contact her and view her collections on the links below:

www.facebook.com/farrahnaazclothing

www.instagram.com/farrah_naaz

www.farrahnaaz.com

Tel: 07766563911

MAKE-UP REVIEW: L.A Girl Matte Lipsticks

I recently bought a few shades of L.A. Girl USA Matte Pigment Gloss, an American brand which I'm loving the range of, and which are amazingly priced for a liquid lipstick. These were released in America about six months ago, and I've been hankering after a few darker shades of lipsticks recently (probably because its the winter season and our inner vamps come out then) so these were pretty ideal.

I couldn't help buying at least a few shades, as they were so reasonably priced, at around £5 each (or round about, you can find them cheapest on eBay here and here, but I have also seen them for sale on Instagram as well!)

The lipsticks I chose were mainly purple shades, although I did also get one neutral, nude-brown as well; Timeless, Fleur, Backstage and Rebel, below.

I've already worn the darker two colours, and I love how long they last and the beautiful pigment - here are the swatches I've done below. I think the picture is a little brighter than the shades show, which are slightly deeper, but the colours look great on and are pretty close to the picture below.

I think my favourites so far are Rebel and Fleur, they're both beautifully creamy and very flattering shades, Timeless is a little lighter than Rebel but still very pinky, and Backstage is probably the darkest but it comes on a little sheerer than the others so needs more layering.

I'm loving this latest addition to my liquid lipstick collection, and will definitely be getting more because they're such good value for money. The feel of liquid and the actual brushes are pretty on par with a lot of more pricey liquid lipsticks I have like Lime Crime and Kat von D and definitely have the staying power as well.

I've got my eye on a few more shades (although I think I'll get them after pay day!) but I'm really happy with my choices. Have you tried these? Which colours do you like?

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2016...!

It's an eventful year, but 2015 is finally over and we're now embracing 2016! Wishing you all a happy new year, full of beautiful clothes, shoes and food!

I'm hoping to spend more time on productive things this year - less time binge-watching tv series and more time writing/reading/drawing and of course, appreciating beautiful clothes! What are your aims for this year?

I'll  also be hoping to post more regularly with some more interesting stuff, so watch this space!