OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The Mauve Hali H Gharara Outfit

I've already posted before about this beautiful mauve gharara outfit I got from fashion brand Hali H, which I was really happy with. I thought I'd show what the outfit actually looked like when it was on, because it's one thing seeing it on the hanger (or on my bed), and another seeing it worn! Ghararas are trending all over the place recently, and I love how they are being styled at the moment, so really wanted to try one for myself, and this fit the bill perfectly.

This is the outfit, which was a 4-piece ensemble, consisting of a beautifully embroidered short kameez, a matching full-sleeved slip for underneath, a silky jamawar gharara pants and a matching duaptta. I wore this to a wedding of a close family friend, and the outfit was perfect - dressy enough without being super heavy, comfortable and right on trend.

This is how I wore the outfit, I didn't go too much on the accessories side (although I did go for purple eyeshadow!) - I went for pretty silver bangles rather than any other jewellery, and opted for khusay, rather than my usual heels. I do love my heels but I just felt that with this outfit, the khusay completed the look perfectly, and let me walk around in the gharara a lot more comfortably.

This is how the outfit looked on me, which looked very flowy and girly. It took me a while to get the hang of the pants and not trip on them, but I really loved how gorgeous they looked, and how elegant. I have always loved wearing lengha outfits and this felt the same - very dressy, elegant and perfect for the occasion.

Outfit - Hali H

Khussay - Green Street
Rayon Hijab - Inayah Collection

Clutch bag - Dune London

Bangles - Bees

One of the things that I liked about this outfit is that it is such a throwback to earlier generations - my husband loved the colour of this outfit, although he said he couldn't believe how old-school and vintage this outfit looked, and kept remarking that it looked like something from our parents' generation. I couldn't wait to show this to my mum when I got this outfit because I knew it would be something she would love - and indeed when she saw it on the day of the wedding, she laughed and said she couldn't believe this was in fashion now.

My sisters and I have often found that it has become more difficult to find outfits which are both reasonably priced and good quality - often you get one or or the other! One of the things I really liked about this outfit was that it really does tick all the boxes - trendy yet classic, beautiful colour, comfortable, easy to style and looked great on. I'm already thinking of how else I can wear the outfit (I'm imaging the top with plain, tapered trousers maybe) and the fact that I can dress this up or down.

What do you think of this outfit - would you wear a gharara?

My Online Shopping Experience: Hali H

I haven't ordered a lot of outfits in the past year, partly because I've had less of a budget, and partly because I haven't had as much need to, as there's been less weddings and events to go to. I do still keep an eye out on the fashion trends though, and do love a new outfit every now and then!

Over the last couple of years, there has been a huge increase of Instagram sellers (remember when it used to be the Facebook sellers?), who have created a business online by selling replicas, designer outfits and budget-friendly outfits for people to buy. I find that Instagram has been much more successful for businesses that Facebook because it's more visual and accessible, and pretty easy for people to place and order and order and outfit.

I wanted to post about a brand that I found online recently whose service I loved, and who I ordered a outfit from for a wedding we had recently. The brand is Hali.H, a UK vendor on Instagram who sell their own designs, which are pretty, trendy and quite wearable. I have seen their designs before, and was also recommended to them by a friend who had ordered and who had a good experience with them. The brand is actually not just Instagram-based - they have a website as well as a London-based stored which is in Tooting so London customers can easily go there and try on things before they buy.

So after being recommended to Hali Ldn, I messaged the company via the Instagram messaging system and asked the vendor to show me their latest stuff, as I wanted to see what they had as well as what was on their page. The vendor showed me a few things from their collections, as well as a few things which were on display in the store, like these pretty outfits below - I loved the colours of all of these and couldn't decide what I wanted!

Before I had a chance to pick, I saw a new design from Hali Ldn which had just come in, which was on the company's Instagram page - this pretty, mauve outfit with a gharara. Ghararas have become pretty fashionable and popular in the last few months, and I've been in two minds about them - I've never thought I suited them in the past, and I always get confused by shararas and ghararas! (Although now I know the difference, shararas are looser, flowy two-legged pants, and ghararas are very similar but have a band around the knee and more 'ghair' or excess material which flows out from the knee).

The vendor also showed me the other colours in this same style - a pretty lilac and golden-beige, both of which I loved. I almost picked the lilac but just loved the mauve so went for that. The seller was very quick to respond to my messages, and extremely thoughtful about a lot of things, like adding lining to sleeves of the outfit, as well as checking the measurements would fit me properly. I'm very conscious of outfits fitting me properly as well as outfits which are too sheer or short, and it was really sweet of the seller to consider this in regards to my order.

I paid for the outfit via bank transfer, and the seller confirmed that she had posted out the following morning. I was a little worried that I wouldn't get the outfit on time because the wedding I wanted it for was only a couple of days away, but the outfit literally arrived the day after.

This is the outfit I received - isn't the colour beautiful? I'm a big fan of dusky pinks and purples, and this is right up my street, a gorgeous colour for a formal - perfect for a wedding! The outfit is a 4-piece one - with the kameez coming with a full-sleeved slip for underneath, the pants and a beautifully embroidered dupatta.

I loved the detail of this outfit - the beautiful jamawar used for the gharara pants, the embroidery on the kameez and the beautiful pearl and embroidery detail on the border and hemline. I have had bad experience before with bad finishing, and even bad stitching, and in this case it wasn't an issue at all - there was nothing out of place or badly made, and I thought the quality of this was great.

I was really happy with how fast I got this outfit, and how lovely it looked - we've all had that experience of ordering an outfit which ended up looking nothing like the pictures! One of things which keeps me going back to the same sellers and designers that I've been happy with is the customer service I get, as well as the quality of the outfits - and in this case it was above and beyond my expectations. Ordering on Instagram has made a lot of people's lives easier (especially those who aren't near a lot of shops selling Asian outfits, like I am) and it's really nice to see a brand which takes their customers seriously, and gives not only beautiful outfits but customer care - from quick delivery, careful packaging and being on top of their messages.

I'll be posting the outfit as I wore it at the wedding soon (which I loved wearing!) so watch this space!

Hidden Pearls - A Hijab Review

I was recently sent a few hijabs by hijab and accessories company Hidden Pearl, which is a UK-based hijab, hijab accessories and gifts company. In today's day and age of shopping online, or markets and shops which sell cheap knock-off items, the issue a lot of the time is quality without having to pay a heft price tag. It's pretty ironic that for a lot of women like myself who wear hijab, hijab is so important to us, but we often end up buying cheap scarves just to make do for everyday wear, and it would be nice to find something decent-made and long-wearing.

Hidden Pearls is one of those companies which combines a good balance of business and ethics - for them hijab is not just about selling but also about being. This is reflected by how the fact that they sell a variety of hijabs, hijab pins, handbags and purses, and various types of Islamic gifts including Eid gifts which all tie in together making moments extra special for women around the world.

I also like a company who can keep their finger on the fashion pulse without charging huge prices, which is a big bonus from this company - hijab fashion is changing and evolving each year with more and more demand for variety, style, colours and materials (and after seeing it on the catwalk, it's been popularised more!) so it's great to find a company like this. Hidden Pearls sells a huge range of scarves from plain hijabs, crinkle, jersey, pom-pom, Turkish, shimmer, multi-tones, ombre, silk, floral, pearl, lace, ribbon, diamante and even glitter hijabs (and that's not even all of the list!) - so there's something for everyone, just check out their categories!

I was sent a variety of scarves from the company, and picked a group of shades which I know I'd use a lot - as you can see below I picked a lot of pinks shades!

This is the full group picture of the scarves I received - as you can see there are a variety of shades and a variety of textures, so there's something every season and occasion.

Here's a look at the crinkle hijabs I was sent, in pink and grey - crinkle and pleated hijabs have become quite fashionable in the last year or so, and it's great to see available on this site. I've been looking for a decent crinkle hijab for some time and was delighted with these, the shades are perfect for the outfits I wear, and the material is beautiful soft without being too thick.

Next up are the jersey hijabs, which I received in two colours, cream and mauve. These were made from a beautifully soft material, and again are colours I can see myself using a lot. One of the things I love about jersey hijabs is how comfortable they are, and how easily they wrap without needing too many pins or fussing about. I also love how good quality the jersey material of these actually are - I've seen a lot of cheap jersey hijabs which wear down too easily or are too thin and doesn't look nice, and I love that these are have a beautiful feel to them which really shows the quality of the scarf.

Lastly are the chiffon scarves, which I though were lovely, as they both had different textures - one was a luxury chiffon scarf, while the other was a plain chiffon scarf. Again, both are colours I wear all the time, and they are beautifully made. One of the issues I have in the summer when it's hot (the last few weeks especially showed this!) is that my head gets too hot if I use thick materials for scarves, so chiffon is perfect for the warm weather because it's breathable, light and comfortable. I also love using chiffon scarves for special events and weddings because they give that touch of luxury, which really pulls an outfit together - if you see in the close up of the scarves below, you can see just how well made these scarves are, and they're not even see-through!

I love the colours that I was sent and will definitely be using them in the future (I've already worn these a few times already!)

I really like that this is a website I can see myself buying different scarves from in the future as well, and there is a real personal touch to the customer service which really makes all the different. The scarves themselves are pretty affordable, which start from as little as £5.99 for a chiffon scarf, which I think is excellent value for the quality you receive.

The company are also releasing Islamic Gifts and Eid Gifts boxes, which are a really sweet idea of curated boxes of luxury items (and they're also launching their new Eid Presents for Kids, so keep an eye out!). Hidden Pearls is doing a regular and deluxe version of the box which offers a beautiful hijab (or two hijabs in the Deluxe box) from their luxury collection, you get a set of gorgeous hijab pins and an everyday essential hijab bonnet or ninja cap. Along with this, is also  additional items in the box ranging from chocolates, pretty earrings, a bow and other really nice stuff!

Image from Hidden Pearl website

If you're like me then you've probably seen a lot of versions of these for Christmas, Easter or New Year, but I've never really seen an Eid Box like this which is affordable. I often find things like to make a much more thoughtful gesture when giving as a gift to a fellow Muslimah, and is definitely a sign of a company helping to pave the road for the Islamic gift market.

You can purchase hijabs from Hidden Pearls from their website here.

Social Media links:
Facebook page
Instagram page
Twitter: @HiddenPearlsUK


*Disclaimer: These hijabs were given to me for an honest, non-paid review*

SPARKLY GIVEAWAYS: Saverah Women Expo '17 - Free Tickets!

Have I got a treat for you guys! I've been invited to the Saverah Women Expo this weekend, as as a treat for my readers, you all get free tickets to the all-day shopping exhibition on either Saturday 22nd July or Sunday 23rd July.

Intercontinental London O2 for 2 Days – 22nd – 23rd July inshallah giving a full weekend exposure to our exhibitors and designers. The venue is located right next to the world famous O2 arena and 1 min walk from the North Greenwich Station.
The Saverah Women Expo is recognized as the biggest Expo for the Muslim Women in UK and Europe with an expected number of more than 6000 attendees over the 2 days.
Timings of the Exhibition are:
Saturday 22nd July – 15:00 -21:00 | Sunday 23rd July – 11:00 – 19:00

There'll be over 100 exhibitors, 20 modest fashion designers, 20 speakers and lots of things to see, try and buy!

All you have to do is click on the website's ticket page, and enter Promotional Code 'SAVERAH17' and select the tickets!

Drop a comment below if you're thinking of coming to the event, and keep an eye out for me to come say hi if you attend!

Social Media Links
Social Media Handlers: Twitter @saverahevents | Instagram @saverahevents |Facebook@saverah
You tube link for advert
Facebook Event Page

Hina Rasim's Eid Extravanganza at The Landmark Hotel

You may have seen my previous posts over the last couple of years of Pakistani designer clothes vendor Hina Rasim's Eid Exhibitions (you can see my posts here and here), so I was looking forward to seeing the latest designs at her 5th-year anniversary which was held last weekend.

The event was held at the beautiful Landmark Hotel (which is a beautiful venue in itself, highly recommend a visit if you are around the area!) in the hotel's Drawing Room. As with the previous exhibitions, the room was beautifully decorated with flowers, candles and gorgeous bridal outfits.

There were quite a few different Pakistani designer outfits on display, which each designer on a rack - there were a lot of big names such as Suffuse by Sana Yasir, Elan and Farah Talib Aziz (as well as a lot more!).

There was also a good mix of heavy formals and casual kurtas, and fusion pieces which I liked. By the time my friends and I got to the venue, some of the collections had already sold out, so it was an idea of how busy it was!

These pieces below especially caught my friends' and my eye  - the first is Shehla Chatoor, which was a kimono piece with beautifully intricate work, the second is a Dr Haroon outfit which looked perfect for a traditional mehndi outfit, and the last one was a really pretty peplum piece by Elan Official, which was covered in pearls and embroidery for a pretty, summery look. These pieces all ranged from £950 - £1500, so not cheap but pretty much what you expect for a designer piece.

I didn't take too many pictures of the outfits this time round, mainly because I was requested to keep it minimal to protect the designers and their pieces, but here are a few of the snaps from Hina Rasim official instastory which I'm sure she won't mind me sharing!

I really liked this gorgeous wrap by Nida Azwar, which was covered all over in gold gota pieces, and came with a black plain jumpsuit to wear inside. I'm not sure I'd wear the jumpsuit (maybe in white?) but I loved the look of these jacket. Unfortunately it was outside my budget at £850, but it's nice to dream, eh?

The exhibition also showcased jewellery by Tanaya Couture, whose pieces I have come across before and looked amazing up close. These were pretty popular because of the bridal necklaces, and to be honest a few of them caught my eye too!

There was also another exhibitor, which were sunglasses by JiaElle - embellished and blingy statement pieces which were quite popular. I quite liked some of the sparkly pieces with stones on the front, but didn't get any - these ranged from about £60 upwards.

I think we all loved the flowers and decor by Essential Wedding Couture - it all looked very grand and beautifully done, and made amazing wedding decor inspiration.

I always like going to exhibitions which sell Indian and Pakistani designer outfits, because even though I don't always end up buying something, it's great to see the outfits up-close and judge for myself the quality. We don't always get to see whether an outfit is really what it appears from the catwalk or promotional photos, and I have been surprised in the past (or pleasantly surprised!) when a designer's collection looks different from my expectations in the past - which just goes to show that pictures can be misleading!

I'll be keeping an eye out for more exhibitions as Eid comes up, and will post more as I attend - it's a pity that some of the prices for Pakistani designer pieces are going up, but I'm on a hunt for affordable brands and will post when I do find them!

Afternoon Tea at Laduree

I recently went for afternoon tea with some friends, who are also food bloggers (cue a thousand food and outfit pictures!) at Laduree in Harrods. Laduree's always been on my list to go for afternoon tea, and the desserts did not disapppoint - doesn't everything look pretty?

We all opted for the standard afternoon tea which was very reasonably priced (£30 for two people), and sat back to enjoy the tea. One of the things I really liked was how pretty the cutlery and plates looked - it always makes a tea feel more luxurious when the plates are pretty!

I'll be honest, the mains for this afternoon tea didn't blow me away, but the desserts did - how beautiful does the raspberry fancy look below? I opted for a hazelnut and chocolate slice (being the self-confessed chocoholic that I am) and it was pretty amazing.

And of course we all stopped by at the counter to take home some goodies too - I'd like to say I took some home for my husband, but really, they were for me!

All picture were taken by the lovely The London Haloodie (who, may I say, is amazing at taking food pictures. NONE of my food pictures came out this nice!)

And of course, I can't post a blogger meet without our outfit pictures! It was a mish-mash  of pastels and dark colours, but I loved all of our looks (although I did feel like I was wearing the English equivalent of a lengha!)

Left to right: The London Haloodie, Hijabi in London, myself and Yasmins Intro

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!