A Silky Purple Abaya by Hafina Official

I was recently gifted a gorgeous silky open abaya from modest clothes company Hafina Official, which does beautiful dresses, co-ords and abayas in gorgeous, vibrant colours. The abaya I received was a beautiful silky abaya in a rich purple shade, with white piping and lace embellishment on the hem and sleeves.

This is the abaya - doesn't it look gorgeous? I love how silky the abaya feels and looks, and it looks quite easy to style open or closed. I love my deep, rich colours and this is a gorgeous shade of purple which you can't go wrong with.

This is how the abaya looks on me, it's quite flowy and long, which I love. I can imagine this will be perfect for the summer months when I don't want to layer too much with heavy outfits, as it is quite modest and still feels quite loose and cool.

I also wanted to show a close up of the sleeves, which I love. I really think that the lace adds a gorgeous delicate touch to it which makes it look quite girly without being too heavy or OTT.

I love how easy this outfit was to style andwear - I can imagine wearing it with a plain dress to dress up an outfit, or using it as a summer staple, which I'm looking forward to! I love that there's a good range of colourful abayas out there, which means there's something to suit everyone's tastes, and also doesn't necessarily mean that it's just aimed for people who wear hijab, but just want something modest.

Hafina Offical has a pretty range of dresses, abayas and co-ords so the website is worth checking out. Let me know what you think of this piece!

Website and Shop - Hafina Offical

Instagram page - Hafina Offical

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The Hali H Mauve Lace Kameez

I haven’t done one of these for a while, so I thought I’d post about an outfit I wore in the winter. The outfit I wore was from a gharara outfit I've worn before, from London retailers Hali H London. I’ve mentioned before how much I loved this outfit, as well as how great the service was from this company, so was happy to wear the outfit again. This time, I was aiming for a different look, so wore the kameez, which was a loose, flared lace top with plain white trousers and heels – ideal for a dressed down look at a dawat or a fun daytime event.

This is the outfit – I love the lace detailing of the outfit, and I decided to go for a light, comfy look with this piece. I love dusky colours, and you just can't go wrong with a gorgeous shade like this.

Here what I wore with it, I kept the colours pretty similar, with a pretty purple clutch that came in handy from given to me from my sister! I love pairing simple tops with white trouser, it’s a fairly solid look that can’t go wrong and works with a lot of colours and styles. Looking at the outfit now, I wish I had added a long silver necklace, but I don’t own much jewellery and I remember thinking that the scarf may cover the neckline area anyway.

So this is me wearing it – I really liked how pretty and girly this looked without being too twee. It also makes a nice change from the bulky lenghas, ghararas and shararas I have seen everyone wearing, which looks great but can sometimes feel a bit too much (or in my case, takes more work to walk around in!) I wore this with a light coloured pink hijab which went perfectly, and felt very light-weight and versatile.

Outfit top - Hali H

Trousers - River Island

Shoes - New Look

Clutch Bag - Accessorize

Hijab scarf - Inayah Collection

I loved wearing this outfit simply because it was light, comfortable and it’s in such an appealing colour. I’m a big fan of mixing up and re-using outfits, and it also lets me add my own touch to the look as well. I got a lot of compliments for this outfit, and I can see that a lot of women are liking the how effortless it looks.

I can't wait for summer time where I'll be able to pull out some light outfits and play around with colours and styles - so far it feels like I've been hibernating in my pyjamas!

Pantone Colour of 2018: Ultra-Violet Purple

So this year's colour of the year, as declared by Pantone is Ultra-Violet - rich, bright purple (which reminds me of a Paco Rabanne perfume with the same name, I must admit!)

The colour is an unusually bright one given the last few years - but has been described by Pantone as important - "Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own. "

So that's a pretty deep, rich meaning behind that one, right?

I must admit, when I heard about this colour, I was undecided. I've always loved certain shades of purple - deep, rich aubergines, soft lilacs or mauvey shades. I'm not as keen on Cadbury purples like this one. I think I've also been put off by wearing purple too many times in the past, and am just more selective about this colour, not to mention the fact that it feels a little dated to me now compared to the softer shades I've seen a lot recently (not to mention having a purple coat in university which made my friends call me Barney!)

But I may be proved wrong yet - I'm waiting to see this hit the catwalks and shops and I'm sure I'll like a lot of what I see - here's just a few of what I've seen online that I'm liking:

When I think of the colours of the years, I always think of how this can be incorporated into Asian fashion and wedding themes. I must say that having seen a lot of purples before, I'm sure Ultra Violet will work fine with Asian bridals and formals. I also do think that this shade is flattering on brown tones, so it's definitely a good colour to work with. Here's a few ideas I saw online, I actually really like how creative some of the ideas are out there:

It will be interesting to check in on the fashion pages every now and then and see if this colour has taken anyone's fancy. Having said that though, last year's colour, greenery, didn't make as much of an appearance as I thought so it seems that it's really up to the designers and consumer's tastes as to what will make the trends!

What do you think of this year's colour of the year?

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!

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The HSY Orange & Purple Lawn Outfit

Now that the weather has been quite warm the last few weeks, it's been a perfect opportunity to make the most of it and pull out my summer outfits and lawn pieces which have been hiding in my wardrobe. I have a good mix of short kurtas, slightly older designer lawn outfits and pretty kimonos, so am looking forward to getting use out of them!

This is something I wore not too long ago, which is actually a pretty old outfit from Pakistani designer label HSY. I bought this outfit from an online Facebook group which unfortunately no longer operates, but which I manage to get for a good deal, and have gotten good wear out of!

This is the outfit below, it's pretty colourful in orange and purple and not the usual colour combination I would go for, I quite like it in this and it's pretty easy to wear.

I don't tend to wear a lot of jewellery when it's hot, so decided to keep this look simple with these colourful threaded bangles that my mother-in-law bought my from Pakistan a while back, and some easy, comfortable sandal flats - perfect for summer!

This is the outfit on me, as you can see it's a slightly older style in that the outfit is longer in hem-length, but I like how girly this looks and how comfortable. My only pet peeve with lawn is that it wrinkles very easily - as you can see from some of the rumples below! I did love the beautiful embroidered dupatta with this though, which made a lovely statement piece.

Outfit - HSY via Facebook

Sandals - Steve Madden

Bangles - Pakistan 

I haven't updated my summer wardrobe in a while, but I have managed to get a few pieces in the last few weeks while looking for Eid outfits! I try to keep an eye out for simple, printed pieces which last well and look good on, which is probably why I've kept this HSY outfit for as many years as I have! Plus I like the fact that this piece still looks by today's trends, and it's nice and colourful for summer : )

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: Peach & Orchid Purple Spring Vibes

One of my favourite things about spring and it getting warmer (in terms of fashion, that is!) is all the pretty florals, pastels and spring colours that come out of the wardrobe (and all over my instagram feed!) As much as I love cosying up to my blankets and having a good book to read when it's freezing outside, I am glad that it's starting to brighten up and slowly get warm again. The last few weeks (apart from the horrible rain) has been a lovely excuse to dress more girly and pull out some colourful outfits (and also brighten up my blogs a little!)

Hubby and I were invited to a family dinner about a week ago, which gave  me the perfect opportunity to rifle through my wardrobe for something a little different. I came up with this outfit that was given to me by one of my sisters, and stitched from loose fabric. The colour isn't something I'd normally go for - I usually love my rich dark colours, or my pastels, so the peach and purple is a little different for me. The outfit was stitched to a short-kameez style, and came with churidar pants (which I'm not a huge fan of, but it looked really cute with this outfit. I even tried peach wide pants with this outfit to see if that looked better, but it didn't!)

This is the outfit below, and how what I wore with it. I picked out silver embroidery with the bangles and shoes, and also finished off with a lilac hijab. You can see it's a little matchy-matchy with the colours, but I like it!

This is the outfit itself - the fabric itself wasn't too expensive and I've seen a variety of this design in lots of local shops (I'm pretty sure my mum has something like this too!). The thing I liked about this the most was how girly and comfortable it was - chiffon isn't usually the best of fabrics for outfits like this but this was quite sturdy.

And here's me wearing it (you can't tell in the first picture but I had a really awkward look on my face from a passerby walking past and clearly wondering what was happening!)

Outfit - Unstitched fabric made by a tailor

Bangles - Bees Jewellery

Shoes - River Island

Hijab - Aatiya London

I loved wearing this outfit because the colours were a little different to my usual tastes, and it also felt very fresh and girly on. As much as I love following fashion trends and do try to update my wardrobe when I can, every now and then I want a random change from my usual tastes and go for something different. It was also nice to have something inexpensive which had a pretty classic feel to it - I can imagine wearing this in the 90s, as well as in a few years time!

The only headache with tailoring unstitched clothes is that although sometimes it is cheaper (but not always!), getting a decent tailor is pretty hard work! My sisters and I grew up with my mum sewing our clothes for us, so we have a pretty high standard when it comes to outfits, and it can be difficult to find a tailor who can do what we want without charging us extortionate prices!

I'm hoping to have a few more outfits like this for summer (although I'll also be keeping an eye out for the next trends too!). What do you think of this - do you like the colour?

PRODUCT REVIEW: Al Din Halal Skincare

I was recently sent some beautiful skin care products from a new brand - Al Din - which is has a line of skincare aimed at those looking for halal, vegan and vegetarian products, with the company itself being created by Muslim entrepreneur Suraiya Uddin, who has stated she was looking for this type of skincare but noticed the gap in the market.

These are the products I was sent, don't they look lovely? The strapline for this brand is also 'A Touch of Faith' - which I thought was a great way of harnessing the idea that the brand was going for - following personal ideals combined with good quality products.

I also liked the rich purple and gold packing of this - my first impression of this was similar to a lot of the ouds and perfumes you may see in the shopping malls (or in Dubai!), which gives a luxurious, solid look.

I had a quick look at the mission statement (you can see the rest here) of the brand - it definitely goes with a lot of things I'm interested in when looking for skincare:
"Al Din Skin Care is a luxury British skincare collection made with rich, plant ingredients to give softer looking, beautiful skin, naturally. Our high quality and effective range is Halal, Vegan and Vegetarian approved and we are against all testing on animals. We are passionate about beauty and feel that you shouldn’t need to compromise on quality and luxury when choosing products containing kinder, more natural ingredients."

What does it mean for a skin care brand to be halal? In my opinion, it is when there are only 'halal' ingredients used (that is, does not use non-permissible ingredients like pork-based gelatine or alcohol), and is also made in a way which aligns with halal methods. I do like that Al Din takes the time to explain what halal beauty and skin is here, which basically explains what ingredients are used and why - which is great for those who want to know more about what they're buying.

In all honesty, a lot of the women I know don't necessarily focus on looking for halal skin care - I have seen a lot of beauty brands (such as Kat von D and Jeffreestar) emphasise their vegan products, but I haven't seen much out there in terms of halal products. I think partly this is because a lot of consumers don't prioritise this, and also because some of them don't know this is an option either. Personally, as I am in my late twenties (and nearly thirties!) I have began to focus more on natural skin care and gentle products which are good for my skin, and I love the idea of the products not only benefiting my skin but also being halal, which makes me see them as more ethical as well.

These are the products sent to me - Sumptuous Touch Daily Moisturiser for Women (50ml), Men's Finest Touch Daily Moisturiser (50ml) and Pure Luxury Body Lotion (250ml). I thought it was a really good idea to have a men's product as well, as this is definitely a market which is often neglected, and it's great that there are halal options out there for men as well as women. I have often encouraged my husband to use creams to look after his skin, so it's good to know that this is something which skincare brands care about too.

Packaging
All three products were in black, purple and gold bottles which looked very luxurious, and which were pretty easy to hold. Both the men's and the women's facial creams were quite lightweight and easy to grip, which is great for quick applications, and the body lotion was a solid bottle which would sit well on any dresser. I thought it was pretty interesting that all the bottles had a pump to dispense the creams, which I know a lot of people like because it helps to control how much product comes out.

So that's my initial impressions of the Al Din skin care brand, let's get on with the actual product reviews itself:

Sumptuous Touch Daily Moisturiser for Women 50ml
I really liked the bottle for this, which had a hidden pump in the lid which you twisted to make it appear, which I thought was very unique and great for avoiding contamination. The product is dispensed pretty cleanly through this slim bottle and then can be put away again pretty easily.

This is the cream in my hand, which was white (all of the creams in this range are white!) and the first thing I thought about this was how wonderful it smelled. There is a mix of jojoba sunflower and coconut in this which gives a really pleasant, non-overpowering smell that lasts for a while.

I applied this on my face and loved how absorbent this is - non-greasy, light yet felt quite moisturising. I have slightly oily-to-combo skin so avoid heavy creams which just sit on my face, so I loved that this felt really pleasant on my face. I can genuinely imagine using this as a daily moisturiser to apply before going to work, especially as my skin felt pretty soft for a few hours and well-moisturised.

Key Ingredients:

• Hyaluronic acid – naturally found in the body, helps to keep skin, plump and hydrated for a smooth, youthful appearance.
• Sunflower oil - an emollient with incredibly hydrating properties, helps to keep the skin nourished.
• Coconut Oil - hailed as a superfood, the ultra-nourishing & hydrating ingredient has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and hydrating properties that make it truly unique. Not only will it hydrate beautifully but it can also help to repair and regenerate the skin.
• Sweet Almond Oil – rich in Vitamin E monounsaturated fatty acids, proteins, potassium and zinc, plus a number of other minerals and vitamins, it is nourishing and super nutritious for the skin.
• Glycerin Oat Protein - oats are known for their humectant and emollient properties, which are key for keeping skin moisturised all year round.

Men's Finest Touch Daily Moisturiser 50ml
This was a short bottle which also had a pump, fairly easy to dispense the cream and came with a cap to avoid germs. I like that this doesn't take up too much space on the shelf either, and is a decent size for a men's daily cream.

I did try this on my hand (and was about to try on my face) when I thought I'd try it on the target audience instead, and got my husband to wear this on his face. The smell of this one was also pretty yummy, although noticeably more masculine, but again without being too strong or overpowering. This product has aloe vera, argan oil and olive, all of which are great products for the skin.

My husband applied this all over his face and said he liked the smell, and found it moisturising but found it slightly greasy for his face. Personally I found it pretty absorbent on my hand and didn't find it greasy myself, but husband noted that while it's not heavy at all, and smelled great, he prefers lighter, thinner creams for his face.

Key Ingredients:

• Vitamin E – one of the most well-known and researched antioxidants, vitamin E occurs natu-rally in human skin and can help to prevent signs of premature ageing. It works to block free radicals from the body, which play a large part in the ageing process. It is a fabulous moistur-ising agent to keep skin smooth and supple and also has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Argan Oil - for generations, natives of the Argan Forest in Morocco have collected and pressed the nut to extract this precious oil. It absorbs easily and is non-greasy and non-irritating, which makes it a great natural moisturiser. With its high Vitamin E and fatty acid content, it helps to give skin a natural glow.
• Wheat Protein - recognised for its great hydrating properties, it is also shown to be one of the most effective pore minimisers and will help to smooth fine lines.
• Aloe Vera – used since ancient times it is a well-known soothing ingredient. This rich hydra-tor helps to moisturise without leaving a greasy feel and has great healing properties, perfect for post-shaving.

Pure Luxury Body Lotion 250ml
This was the biggest bottle of the three, and came with a pump that locks and opens when you twist it, which I liked. Again, this is a fairly luxurious looking bottle for a body lotion, which I can imagine looking good on my dresser.

This cream was a tiny bit thicker than the face cream which is ideal for the body, especially as I have drier skin on my body than face, and prefer something heavier for my body. This also smelled great, and had a mix of Vitamin E, rice protein, olive, argan and jojoba oils, all of which are a good mix of moisturising ingredients. I used this mainly on my arms and legs and found it pretty absorbent, and again thought it moisturised my skin well, I usually use body butters which last me the whole day so was pleased to see that this works the same way - moisturising my skin the whole day.

Key ingredients:

• Jojoba Oil - moisturising and nourishing, it closely resembles the sebum in our own skin meaning it is very easily absorbed.
• Hyaluronic Acid - naturally found in the body, this helps to keep skin, plump and hydrated for a smooth, youthful appearance.
• Olive Oil Extract - naturally packed with anti-ageing antioxidants and hydrating squalene, it is a superb moisturising ingredient for skin.
• Rice Protein - helps to improve the skin's moisture barrier for true hydration and dry skin relief and protection from environmental aggressors.

Overall, I think this is an excellent range which has been well thought out and takes more into consideration than just being a halal skincare brand - it actually tries to address good skincare issues by looking at good ingredients and the fact that the creams do what they're supposed to do.
I'm not an expert when it comes to skincare (and usually have to look online for reviews or ask a few friends of mine for more information) but I did also like that this is not just targeted for Muslims - it is for anyone looking for a decent skincare brand and also for those looking for cruelty-free and vegan or vegetarian products, who expect a good quality brand.

I also think this is very reasonably priced for what it costs - one of my biggest problems when looking for suitable skincare has always been value for money (we can't all afford Creme de la Mer creams!) and I think that while some of the better skincare products are expensive for a reason, they don't always have to be - and this is certainly a reflection of that.

You can find out more about Al Din in these links below - let me know what you think!
Website
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