KAPRAY SHAPRAY: Khaadi Blue and Yellow Summer Vibes

I love the colourful print trend that's in right now, it's easy to wear, makes a statement and looks amazing for summer. I saw this outfit a few days ago in Khaadi Westfield, which I think is an example of how the company has got the trend right - their outfits are fashionable, comfortable and look gorgeous.

I don't usually go for bright colours (normally because matching a head-scarf can be a headache!) but I loved this summery piece below because it looks perfect for so many occasions - I can imagine it being worn for a special event like Eid, or just for a more casual look at a barbecue.

I'll be keeping an eye out for more designs like this for Eid - I've already seen a few things I like but haven't made up my mind what to buy yet! What do you think of this - would you wear it?

Haiqah comes to London

Haiqah is a UK-based store which sells abayahs, scarves and modest outfits for women, combining fashion with modesty. I've come across this company online before and have liked their designs, so when my sister told me about the brand opening it's first store in Ilford Lane, East London, I was pretty keen to check out the shop.

This is the shop below, which is beautifully decorated, and has a big range of outfits. My sister and I visited this store together and loved how well put together the decor was, with a mix of patterned walls, stylish furniture and stools, and and gorgeous rugs and flowers. We also loved how the outfits were grouped together around the shop - there's different style dresses and shirts, with lots of abayahs, kimonos and abayahs for different tastes.

I love that there's a good range of colours and styles, especially as the store's collection is pretty wide-ranged. There's plenty of jackets and dresses which can be layered, which I really like, and also had a classic feel to a them - ideal for a minimalist wardrobe, especially as it can be a little difficult to find modest outfits which can be worn as classic pieces.

I also really liked the entrance decor in the shop - there's outfits framed along the walls which are blocked by colour, and accessorised with jewellery and bags, which I thought was a great idea, especially for outfit inspiration.

I really liked a lot of the dresses in the store, such as the black and white design below, and the lace outfit. I can imagine wearing a lot of these in the summer, and mixing and matching with skinnies and a plain top, such as wearing an open abayah, or wearing a dress with jeans. I also liked the lace outfits below in brown and lilac, which would look great as Asian outfits for a wedding or special event, and look really comfortable and light to wear.

These two outfits caught my eye, and were probably my favourites in the store - the pearl-sleeved top came in grey and white, both of which I liked, while the lace outfit came in black and white, which I can imagine being worn as a shirt or even open as a light jacket.

I also liked these two outfits before, the one the left is smarter and something which could be worn to the office, while the one of the right is perfect for summer, pastels and florals which is right up my street!

There's also a good range of scarves in the store in chiffon, cotton and crepe, and which are very reasonably priced, starting at £5, which makes a big change from a lot of modest-clothes outfits I've seen online before.

I ended up buying two tunics I liked in the end, the white pearl midi dress and the lace textured tunic in white - both of which I can imagine getting a lot of wear out of this summer! I was initially going to buy just one but couldn't choose which I liked more, so ended up buying both! And I'd also like to point out how pretty the bag is too - I love it when companies make an effort with their packaging, and my mum also told me she thought the bag was pretty when I showed her my goods!

My sister also ended up buying a silky tunic from Haiqah as well, which was a pretty printed top with full sleeves. She said she liked how modest it was, and the fact that it wasn't sheer, had a low neckline and had full sleeves - something which can be harder to find than you'd think on the high street.

One of the things I really liked about this shop was how reasonably priced the outfits were - there was a 20% discount at the store's opening, but even without this, the outfits are really well-priced for the quality. I've had outfits from modest labels before which aren't always great, or don't have good finishing but I was really happy with the two pieces I bought from this label. I ended up speaking to the store's owner for a little while as well, who explained the brand's philosophy and ethics, and really liked the fact that they would rather keep prices affordable and help more women be modest, than drive prices up just to make a profit.

I'm sure I'll be stopping by this shop again to pick up a few pieces, and have already got plans to wear the things I've bought to a few tea parties. I've got my eye on this outfit as well, which I love because I really like the pop of yellow, and the fact it can be layered, so watch this space!

Curly Fry's Shopping Therapy! My Lipstick / Highlighter Haul

If you know me, then you'll know I'm a huge lipstick freak when it comes to makeup, followed closely second by highlighters, which are also an obsession - and my primary love these days are liquid lipsticks. As I was describing to my friend yesterday, I'm so used to wearing lipstick lipsticks, that when I wear 'normal' lipsticks, I keep thinking that it will come off my lips too easily!

I've been pretty good with buying make-up for a few months, so decided to treat myself to a few things a couple of weeks ago. There's a good mix of brands here, and I wanted to wait til I tried them all before I posted (I wore one each day for work!) so here's a quick review about each. My sister also  gave me a pretty highlighter brush in a fish-shape, which I've seen online but wasn't sure where to get from, which adds to my brush collection nicely!

This is my haul - there's a good mix of American and UK brands, some of which were new brands that I hadn't tried before.

As you can see I got mostly liquid lipliners, some highlighters from Makeup Revolution, and some things from Model's Own (which has opened up a store in Westfield near me, which is where I bought these from).

Here are all the lipsticks from left to right - Faryal Makhdoom Cosmetics, Colorpop Ultra Matte Lip, Drayon, Dose of Colors and Model's Own Lip Crayon.

Firstly, the Colorpop lipsticks - I've tried a few lip crayons from this brand so had high hopes for the liquid lipsticks, and wasn't disappointed. I've loved the shades these came in (there were quite a lot to choose from), they smell great and really pigmented. They mostly last the whole day but do come off a little when eating, so not completely long lasting, but very good value for money.
Top to bottom: Beeper (soft pink/nude). Trap (cool mauvey-pink), Tulle (red-toned dusty dark plum)

Next is Dose of Colors which I have been eyeing up for ages on Beauty Bay - I bought two of these when there was a 20% flash sale on so got lucky there.
Top is Pinky Promise, which is an almost neon pink shade, and bottom is Stone, an almost lilac-pink shade which is pretty for every day wear. These are pretty long-wearing and took me a while to get off my arm, so be warned!

Faryal Makhdoom Cosmetics matte liquid lipstick in Latte - I was lucky enough to get this sent to me via the company's Instagram page for free, and love this shade. It's a really lovely nude shade which would suit a lot of skin tones, and feels pretty creamy on. It's not as long-wearing as some higher-end brands but pretty decent in pigmentation and coverage.

Next up is the Model's Own jumbo matte lip crayon in shade Cute Candy, which is a rich brown shade, and has a nice matte look but a creamy feel. I've worn this a few times already to the office because it's a pretty easy colour to wear, pretty flattering on Asian skin and makes a good everyday brown.
I bought the Drayon lipstick from eBay after seeing a Youtube video by Dyna, who compared these to Kylie Jenner liquid lipsticks, and looked like a pretty good dupe. They don't have names, but come in shades, and this is a shade 8. This was surprisingly very pigmented and very long-lasting, although it is another one which takes a while to take off.
Top to bottom: Faryal Makhdoom lipstick in Latte, Model's Own Cute Candy, Drayon shade 8

Lastly are the two strobe highlighters from Makeup Revolution - I'm a big fan of this brand's highlighters and blushes because of how good value they are, and the excellent colour range. I have two or three blushes and highlighters which are my makeup-staple because they are so flattering on me, so I was excited to try these.
As you can see, both of these are decently rich shades, the gold highlighter is pretty gold, although I did expect a bronze undertone which it doesn't really have. The silvery highlighter is actually a holographic one, although the other colours in them are very subtle, but it still makes a nice warm highlighter.
I also did try to use the fish brush with these, but unfortunately, while it picked up the product, it was a little hard so didn't blend on my skin well!
Left highlighter is Flash, right is Gold Addict.

I'm quite pleased with this haul, if you keep an eye out on my Instagram stories, I post my new stuff every now and then, so let me know what you think :)

Saira Rizwan at Tehxeeb London

This weekend, Pakistani designer Saira Rizwan visited Tehxeeb London, which is a store in East London that carries designer bridals and formals. I was fortunate enough to get an appointment to visit the store, and have a look around at the collection Saira Rizwan was bringing.

The store's window display

The store was pretty busy when I got there (it doesn't look it below, but it was!) and very beautifully set out, with formals and pret-wear at the front and the bridal collection and consultation area at the back. The store was also beautifully decorated with flowers, and there was plenty of space to browse and speak to the staff.

Here's a few showpieces on display which caught my eye straight away - this gold bridal on the left, and the green formal on the left. Both of these were beautifully worked, the with a mix of embellishment, colours and fabrics. I loved the heavy formal on the left, especially the worked trousers and the heavy bodice, which gives a glamorous look.

The bridal collection itself is beautiful - I was in love with the range of vivid colours and the soft, feminine pastels. I also loved the mix of cuts, shapes and work, which looked amazing - as I'm sure you're not surprised, a lot of these pieces below got sold to brides-to be before the end of the weekend! Unfortunately it was too busy for me to get a good idea of prices for these, but you can contact Saira Rizwan's team or visit Tehxeeb London to get a quote for bridals.

There were also a lot of formals on display, which were a gorgeous mix of rich fabrics and colours. Most of these were short kameezes with embellished trousers and print/lace work on them - perfect formal wear for a wedding. I've seen a lot of these styles on Instagram at weddings being worn by guests, so would imagine these would be quite popular.

As well as these, there were also Saira Rizwan 2016 pret pieces for sale - these were unstitched and cost about £130ish each, although there is also a tailor available to get these stitched as well. I really liked some of these pieces, which look stylish, with pretty embroidery and colours.

There were also plenty of refreshments for customers, as well as sweets and savoury food - considering how busy the store was, these were needed! These were set out along tables for customers waiting for appoinments, along with beautiful flowers.

There were a lot of customers trying bridals on, which looked beautiful - I managed to get a few pictures from the Texheeb London's snapchat and insta-story on their instagram account. I love how colourful these bridals are, and how beautiful the embellishments looks - not to mention how a lot of these customers look like models!

Interview with the designer
I managed to meet Saira Rizwan at the store and have a quick interview with her - I loved how easy

she was to speak to, and how interesting her designing work is. I only asked her a few questions as I knew how busy she was, but she gave me a good insight into her work and her pieces.

What are your bridal trends right now?
At the moment, the current trends are modern cuts mixed with traditional - shararas and peplum tops, long kameezes and maxi dresses. At the moment, ghararas and peplums are very big in Pakistan, and quite popular. I also follow soft colour palettes for one collection (the Madamoiselle collection) and brighter, bolder shades for another collection (the Shalimar collection).

What is your favourite piece in your collection?
I'm not sure, of this year or last! I really like this piece (below) from my Madamoiselle collection, which is in soft greys and pinks, perfect for a walima or reception. But I also love my Shalimar pieces from 2016 because these are great for mehndis and wedding bridals.

Can you see yourself in the UK market - i.e. having your own store in the UK?
Well, I already have an outlet in Pakistan, and I definitely plan on spending more time in the UK. I don't know about an outlet yet as Tehxeeb London is currently carrying my collection, and a lot of these can be customised and changed, which can be designed directly with me via Tehxeeb London. I think I will see how it goes, but so far it has been positive. I also find that there is a bigger demand in the UK than in the USA, because a lot of clients come from other cities like Birmingham and further north to my exhibitions in London - in the US this isn't possible because of the distance, and the states are too far apart so not every one can go to the exhibitions.

Can we order online?
We already have an online website for formals and pret! But it isn't practical for bridals purely because we can change designs, customise and personalise, which isn't feasible via the website.

How long does it take to design a bridal?
It takes about 1 ½ months to design the bridals - it takes a lot of time because of the colours, swatches embellishments and layout which all need to be put into place and discussed with the client.

The colour of 2017 is 'greenery' - do you think you will be using this in your pieces?
We are already using this colour! If you look at a few of my pieces, I have incorporated this shades of green, and a lot of other shades of green in my designs.

I also managed to speak to the staff at Tehxeeb London

Ordering with Tehxeeb London

I also managed to ask the staff at Tehxeeb London about their ordering processes and advice for customers who are looking for bridals or formals.

• Come to the store for a consultation - takes about 45 minutes to talk over what you want
• Bridal orders take about 4-5 months. The store can do urgent orders within 2 months if they have confirmation from the designer (they have done this in the past)
• Formals take 8-10 weeks - again, this depends how customised they are, whether you want alterations etc.
• Designers they carry - Umsha by Uzma Babar, Dastaan, Kaamdaani, Sapphire, Saira Rizwan and sometimes pret for brands like Elan. They also have their own collection under Tehxeeb London.
• Advice for brides - come with an open mind, see what is available and try things on. It's good to know what you want but if you have too specific an idea on a look, it can be difficult to find something in the store which will match what you're looking for - keeping an open mind helps you try other things.
• Future - Tehxeeb London will be at expos and fashion shows this year - will be at the National Asian Wedding Show in Birmingham in February 2017.
• Tehxeeb London will look to do future collaborations with designers, so watch this space!

You can visit Tehxeeb London at:

Address: 197 Ilford Lane, Ilford Essex IG1 2RU

Website: www.tehxeeblondon.co.uk

Facebook: Tehxeeb London

Instagram: @texheeblondon

You can also contact them to order a Saira Rizwan piece or get a quote for one of the outfits.

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The Navy Angrakha Anarkali

I've always been a fan of the angrakha (or angarkha) style outfits - wrap-style dresses which wraps across one side of the bodice. I've seen a lot of outfits and bridals which do this well, and I've always thought this was quite an elegant look.

I don't have many angrakha-style outfits, but I do have a few that I've kept over the years. Most of them are long dresses and kameezes which have a classic look to them, which is why I've kept them.

I pulled out an angrakha anarkali suit from my wardrobe to wear for a wedding (the last one on 2016!) recently, and loved that it still looks pretty classic.

This is the outfit - you can see the wrap style with the ties and tassels at the top. I kept this look quite simple, with matching bangles and a silver clutch.

I don't usually show the makeup I use, but thought I'd show one of my favourite highlighters from Make Up Revolution, which I paired with nude lips. I also matching with silver and blue bangles, which you just can't go wrong it, really!

This is how it looked on me, the outfit is a lot more flowy than it looks in the pictures, especially as the bottom part of the anarkali had more material for a 'dress-y' shape.

Outfit - Dhanak Fashions

Clutch bag - Raishma

Shoes - Call It Spring

Bangles - Bombay Looks

As much as I love the current trends of short kameezes and layering, I don't think long kameezes and anarkalis will ever leave the shops or people's wardrobes - they're very flattering, modest and have a classic style to them which I can imagine will still look great in a few years.

I also love that this outfit was so reasonably priced (I recently went to the Green Street branch of Dhanak and loved some of their pieces, which were about £50-80 for heavier formals), and always find it handy to have outfits like this in the wardrobe for various functions!