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!

RE-INVENT YOUR WARDROBE #1: Add a Jacket on Top

I'm a big advocate of re-inventing your wardrobe, whether it's just mix-and-matching your outfits, altering your outfits, or just changing a look so that it looks different to the original.

I thought I'd do a short series of posts about re-inventing your wardrobe - where instead of buying a whole new wardrobe, you just use what you have and make it look different and more in line with current trends.

(Although a quick side note to say that not all of these may work for some people, and I understand that not everyone has as many jackets as I found in my wardrobe!)

1. Wear a jacket with a jumpsuit.
I've posted before about experimenting with a jacket on top of a jumpsuit, and I loved the results. This was a simple embroidered jacket from one of my Eid outfits that I wore with a jumpsuit from the high street. I know the trend is also to wear wider-legged jumpsuits for a looser, flowier look, but I wanted to try the jacket with the one I had, and loved it.

I've had a really good response from a lot of readers about this outfit, with several people saying they wanted to try this - it's ideal for a night out as well as an Asian event, and it's also more of a fusion look. While it's not completely modest (the jumpsuit I had was quite fitted), it can be made to look modest and for a first attempt, I was quite happy with the style.

2. Add a jacket to a maxi dress or an abaya.
I know that maxi dresses and abayas are not the same thing, especially as maxi dresses tend to be more fitted and fashionable, whereas the primary purpose of an abaya is to hide the shape of the body. Nevertheless, they both are maxi length and come to your ankles (or longer), and adding a jacket is a great way to dress up both.

I don't wear an abaya but my eldest sister does, and she has worn embellished, loose jackets to dress up her abayahs for weddings or functions. I love the idea of a dressed-up maxi or abayah, particularly where it doesn't have to be a heavy jacket - one of my favourite looks has been a brocade, metallic jacket with a plain dress.

This jacket came from the outfit I wore to my sister's wedding, which was a little looser at that time! The maxi dress itself is a simple cheap one from an unbranded company (one of those random shops you find on the high street) and comes in various colours and styles, which I thought went with the jacket quite well in terms of colour and shape. I really like how modest this outfit was, and the flow of the dress with the jacket, which felt really swishy and girly one. I could have dressed the outfit up more with jewellery, like a long necklace or hijab jewellery, but I thought the jacket itself was heavy enough!

3. Add a jacket to a normal kameez and churidar or trousers.
It sounds obvious really, but it's a pretty way of layering without looking weird. It's difficult to layer Asian outfits the way we can with Western ones - where we can add a cardigan to a short sleeve top or dress, it's not always as chic with Asian outfits. This jacket came from another suit, which I wore with the outfit from my sister's mehndi - I haven't had a chance to wear either suits for a while, so I loved the fact that I could pull these out again!

I thought this outfit looked really girly and cute, it's really ideal for a mehndi function or even to wear to a dawat/dinner, without feeling overly heavy. Although there is a lot of corals in this outfit, I tried to tone it a little with maroon accents and nudes. The jacket really slimmed down my figure and gave it a longer look, and I liked the fact that this had a shorter hemline, which meant I could wear it with shorter kurtas to fit in line with current Pakistani fashion trends.

4. You can even add it to an anarkali outfit.
Rather than having a slim-line effect like the above, having an anarkali dress with a jacket gives more of an A-Line look. This might not be to everyone's tastes, but again, it's a new way to wear an an old outfit.

I chose this RDC indigo anarkali dress to wear with a jacket of a very similar colour I found in my wardrobe. I liked this look, but it wasn't my favourite, mainly because I thought the jacket was heavy and felt too much over a heavy anarkali. Having said that, the jacket blended perfectly with the dress and added to the flowy style, and emphasised the A-Line look. I would have liked to try this jacket with a simpler dress underneath, or even another colour to see how it varied, but I think it didn't look bad as it is below and it looked quite classic.

5. For a heavier, dressier look you could add it it a lengha and top.
I'm not sure this is something which wouldn't look too heavily layered, but I gave this one a shot anyway. I was going to try this with my mehndi skirt, which has a print to it and was a lot heavier, but I couldn't find anything that matched it enough for me to be happy with.

So I tried this instead, this hot pink jacket from a Gul Mohar outfit, with a plain silk maxi skirt (which is actually from Zara, of all places!) and a short kameez. The kameez itself was altered from a longer pink slip kameez which I got cut and shorted, for the lengha-choli look. Because the outfit was quite blocky, I wore my bridal jewellery with it, which looked perfect on top, with a printed pink and gold hijab scarf to finish off the look.

I loved this outfit, it's simple but embellished enough for a outfit for a wedding (I'm actually considering this for a family wedding next month!). I haven't worn a choli-style short kameez like this in years - probably not since I was a young teen, so it felt weird having this on, but the jacket made the whole look really wearable, and also modified enough to feel modest. I've love to try this look with other skirts/tops to see if it looks as nice, but I was quite happy with this look, and it was my favourite out of all the ones in this post.

All of these styles were using outfits I already had, I didn't buy anything new and simply mixed and matched (or in the case of the last one, did some slight alterations to a silk kameez!) You will be amazed by what you may find in your wardrobe - I know some of you may think that there's not much to work with, but believe me, there is!

I have a few more posts coming up to show how to mix-and-match pieces and re-invent styles, and I've even found a few more jackets since doing this post. I didn't get the opportunity to try shorter jackets, or even Western jackets from the high street for a more funky, modern look, but I'm sure I'll give it a shot!

What did you think of these outfits? Would you try wearing a jacket on top for a new look?

Wedding Season is here...

...and we've all been busy with dholki nights, attending mehndi events and of course weddings! My sisters and I have had a couple of mehndi parties and weddings already, so we have been wearing out our wardrobes and make-up bags! I'll be posting some better pictures soon, but here's a look at some of the outfits and bangles I've been wearing this past week, plus some our bangles!

COLOUR COMBINATIONS LOVES: Navy, Ochre & Maroon

I've been looking through my wardrobe (both western clothes and Asian!) and have been looking for inspiration for colours, styles and pieces to put together in a different way. I'm in maxi-skirt-mode at the moment, and these are a few of the skirts I've been putting together to see what colours suit each other. I loved these dull colours, the maroon, mustardy-yellow and darker blue, which gives an almost retro look.

It gave me the idea that this could be translated into Asian dresses, like a maxi dress in rusty reds with mustard and navy piping or embroidery, or a navy skirt and jacket piece with maroon and mustard work - I'm sure it's been done already, but it's still worth looking at for your next outfit! (I'm already matching yellow, red and blue bangles to these colours already!)

What do you think of this colour combination?

KAPRAY SHAPRAY: Sonaksi for Gintanjali Jewels for IIJW 2013

One of the outfits which really stood out for me out of the various designer pieces on the catwalks was this beautiful navy and indigo maxi dress worn by the lovely Sonaksi Sinha while showcasing jewellery for Gintanjali Group. Although the focus is more on the jewellery, I loved the outfit more, which was a beautiful cut and very hijab friendly! Indigo and navy/midnight blue are very flattering colours and with the flare of this dress, looks really elegant - this is certainly on my wish list for replicas!

I've tried to find out who designed the dress but wasn't able to - any ideas who it's by? Let me know!

 Image Source

KAPRAY SHAPRAY: Manish Malhotra's Retro Designs at WIFW Fashion Show 2013

Thought these were quite funky, especially the use of the 'harlequin' print on popular designer Manish Malhotra's outfits, which added a very retro, almost bohemian splash of colour to some interestingly designed outfits. And although some of the designs are a little different, I do like them (I live the jacket the best!) and it's nice to see something different from Malhotra's signature look such as the big skirts with heavily-embellished borders.

What do you think of this collection?

Image Source

You can see more images of the WIFW show here and here (which has even more funky designs!)

On the Catwalk, On a Celebrity: Sonaksi Sinh in Navy Manish Malhotra

Here's another piece I liked, a flowy, rich blue maxi dress, which I really liked due to the rich flares of colour, the delicate embroidery on the waist and the low of the dress. I wasn't a big fan of the sweetheart-style plunge neckline, but it does add a bit of boldness to the dress (although personally I'd do without it!). Seen on the ramp for one of Manish Malhotra's shows, this was one piece I really liked, although it seems to favour thin women. I also really liked the fact that this dress didn't look shiny,but more like raw silk without looking too stiff.

This dress was worn by the lovely Sonakishi Sinha for Big B's birthday party last October, and I think she pulled it off wonderfully. I liked the fact that the neckline seemed a bit less extravagant on her, and the fact that she isn't super-stick-think but still looks great in the dress. Her make-up compliments the dress as well, with smokey eyes and pink lips, and her jewellery was quite understated, to emphasise the cut of the dress and the richness of colour. (The only thing which I did notice was that her dupatta looks slightly like a cape, but that's probably just the way it's been draped and the way she is standing). All in all, this outfit looked fab on the actress; simple, yet very elegant and flattering.

Image Source

OUTFIT Of The Day: Red and Navy Velvet Anarkali

I went to a wedding recently and finally managed to make good use of an outfit I ordered a few months ago, but never got a chance to wear. Navy and red is a colour combination which I've been seeing a lot in recent months, and I think it is a very flattering combination, classy, easy to wear and easy to dress up.

I wore this dress which I got made by a designer from the Paklinks forums, an outfit which I was quite pleased with due to the high level of quality and the excellent stitching. I accessorised with navy heels, silver bangles and a simple silver clutch (and then glammed up with red lips!), as I think the work on the dress was quite sparkly.

Dress - Paklinks forums

Clutch bag - Oasis

Shoes - Kurt Geiger

Bangles - Shringar, Green Street

And here's me wearing the dress (excuse the awkward pose, I think my sister was on the side watching me and making fun!), which I chose to wear with a simple, plain dark blue hijab.

I think that this dress was quite a flattering shape, although in hindsight, I would have preferred a longer dress, the length that it actually was made it very easy to walk around in, and very comfortable too. As much as I LOVE wearing maxi dresses and long anarkalis, the one hassle about them is making sure that you don't trip on your own folds - and sometimes it can be a nice change to wear something which isn't as long but still looks pretty. I think that this look went quite well together, the silver work enhances the colours of the dress and didn't look too blingy, and it was certainly a very easy look to put together.

KAPRAY SHAPRAY: Icons in Hot Pink

Iconic Bollywood actresses Sridevi and Madhuri have both been getting some attention (films or entertainment-wise) and I thought this picture of the two actresses was sweet in showing how they are able to complement each other's style without being competitive about it.
Sridevi wore a pretty hot pink lengha with gold and black trim, while Madhuri wore a hot pink sari with a navy velvet blouse - both women sporting very different looks but both also looking beautiful.

Personally I preferred Sridevi's outfit because it was a simpler look, as well as the fact that I'm a big fan of swishy skirts! But I also think that both outfits look equally lovely (and bright!)

Which one do you like more?

Image from Asian Woman Magazine FB group

Happy Eid!

It's been a super-busy weekend, starting with Eid celebrations which began on Friday, with plenty of dinners and a party just yesterday for my newborn niece (more on this later!).  As per usual with my family, we all got dressed up and stayed at home! Although we had plenty of family around this year, and lots of food, cake and sparkly bangles. The only thing I wish I had managed to do is put on some mehndi, which I didn't due as I was feeling a bit too lazy. Oh well, I'll practise later.

Here's some peeks of my sister's outfits and one of numerous cakes we had over the weekend (the picture at the end is of my newly-wed sister showing off her sparkly bangles and her very pretty outfit!)

My outfit was a bit more toned down (for me anyways!), I chose a navy and maroon maxi dress with some embroidered motifs at the bottom and a banarsi style bodice, which was paired with gold heels and some matching bangles. This outfit originally came from India (it's one of those unstitched pieces you can make to your own size) and didn't cost me a lot, so I was quite happy with it, although the net dupatta annoyed me all day by jumping off my arm every five minutes! Here's a look at the dress, although the colour was slightly a bit deeper than these pictures.

And this is me in my outfit, posing out in the garden in the FREEZING cold, although it was thankfully clear and not raining. And below are the rest of my sisters and my elder niece, wearing beautifully deep colours. My eldest sister is hiding a little behind her daughter(!), but she also had a pretty, buttercream yellow outfit on which was given to her by my mum.

Hope you all had a great weekend regardless of whether you celebrated Eid or not, and blessings to you all! x

The Shaadi

There's plenty I could say about my sister's Big Day, but I think pictures will say it better (plus I was too busy running around at the time to take in the atmosphere properly!), but thankfully, it really was a beautiful day, we all had fun and there were plenty of beautiful outfits and pretty people to help us celebrate the wedding.

The Venue - the wedding was held at a wedding hall which is nearby where we live, and which gave us a great deal on the venue and catering. We matched the colours of the decor to the bride's dress, and tried to keep it simple and non-cluttered:

We were also lucky enough to get a good package deal with the venue, such as added features like a fruit table (with added fruit tree!), welcome drinks table and  a studio set up in the corner of the room for guests to take professional pictures, photo-booth style.

We also set up a guest-book table for guests to sign, which proved really popular due to the baby pictures of the bride and groom!

The Cakes - The cakes, of course, were probably the highlight of the wedding - adored by all, and eaten very quickly once they were handed out! Not to mention the personalised, custom-made cake toppers ordered by the bride to go with the handmade cupcakes and main cake, which looked brilliant and makes for a good keepsake after the wedding.

The Bride - I can't show too many pictures of the bride due to her privacy reasons, but here's a few sneak peeks of the bride, looking beautifully sparkly in a very lovely gold and maroon lengha - I'll let these pictures show just how luxurious and well-made the dress was.

 

The Bouquet - Due to the main colour of my sister's lengha being gold, with accents of maroon, she kept the bouquet simple with ruby-red  roses which complimented the outfit very well.

The Family - And now, the rest of us! First, the best-dressed couple out of all of us - my two nephews who absolutely rocked the evening with their beautifully tailored velvet sherwanis:

We all decided to keep a colour theme of navy blue, with splashes of deep red to compliment the bride's outfit, and this looked great on the day, the colours really came together. The bridesmaids (my niece and younger cousin) wore red to compliment the splashes of red on our clothes, and looked very elegant in their maxi dresses:

I decided to wear a heavily embellished long jacket, with a plain kameez underneath and wide trousers. My outfit turned out heavier than I expected, but this just added to the bling. I accessorised with matching bangles, and silver sandals and a sparkly clutch bag (the picture of my shoes is at a point when I had to take my shoes off to run around the hall quickly and didn't want to trip up!). And of course,  I accessorised my hijab with a huge jhoomar pink which looked very glamorous, but kept falling off. Word of advice girls, keep your dangly jewellery well-pinned so it doesn't fly off at moments where you're being filmed!

My sisters, sister-in-law and mum also picked the same shade of blue as me, but chose different styles of outfits and different work to suit their own tastes. My eldest sister designed a lovely, flowy abayah with matching hijab, while my next sister chose a maxi dress which was cinched in at the waist to flatter her slim figure. My mum chose a simple salwar kameez design, and my sister-in-law opted for a lovely long kameez with wide, embellished trousers. I don't have many pictures of us (and none of us all together!), but here's a few pictures I did manage to snap - I do love how the outfits looked together though!

There were so many traditions, jokes and memories of the day, which I can't post as I don't have pictures of, but here's one that I liked - throwing petals on the 'baraat', or the groom's family, as they entered the hall. The girls of my family all lined up with baskets of petals, and greeted the guests as they arrived:

Our tiny-est (and possibly cutest) guest who also dressed up for the occasion:

And lastly, the day finished off with hand-made cookies made by the lovely girls in the groom's family, who welcomed the bride into her new home with home-made baked goodies!

Pics also courtesy of my sister M's Eyesonly

All in all, it really was a lovely day and there were so many little details which really came together. The guests all looked beautiful, and the bride and groom had a very happy start to their marriage :)