BOLLYWOOD ISHTYLE: Anushka's Wedding Outfit in Phillauri

I saw this today, the just-released trailer for Phillauri, a project starring and produced by the lovely Anushka Sharma. I'm quite looking forward to seeing this, it looks quirky, funny and I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing the actress playing a ghost bride!

I also like this first-look of Anushka in a simple, traditional bridal outfit - white and gold with simple embellishment and a plain hair/jewellery look. It's a nice change from some of the usual bling, and of course this is meant to show a 'old-timey' bride from a past era.

I couldn't get a clear picture of the outfit (these are about as good as I got!) but I like the classic colour combination. Anushka pulls off this look well, and it doesn't overshadow her natural look or personality at all. I also love a traditional lengha, these reminds me of the outfits we used to wear in the 90s, which I love!

What do you think of this first-look? Will you be watching the film when it releases?

What To Do With Unwanted Outfits?

I've been asked quite a few times from friends (and some readers) what the best thing to do with unwanted outfits are. If you're anything like me, you'll end up with a bigger wardrobe than you think, and some of your older outfits will just sit in the back of the cupboard.

I thought I'd write a post in the spirit of Ramadan - making the best of what you have, recycling and using outfits rather than buy something new (which is handy if you don't have a lot of money to spend!) These are some of the things I've done with unwanted clothes below - most of them are things I do regularly and which I recommend to a lot of people I know.

1. Donate them to charity. 
Not every charity shop will take Asian clothes, but a good amount of them do - they love having beautiful things in the store and there's still an Asian market to sell to - the charity shops in my area usually have a few Asian outfits in store.

My mum occasionally donates Asian suits to the poor in Pakistan, either by cargoing them to relatives who can distribute them, or taking old suits with her when she travels to Pakistan herself. I usually give her a bunch of my old suits whenever I need to do a good clear-out (and need to get rid of outfits which are too tight!)

I keep all of my outfits in good condition so I'm glad that they end up in a good home - there are too many poor families who would appreciate a nice suit that they can wear for Eid or for special occasions. Our relatives in Pakistan normally distribute them to the poorer families in the area who can use these clothes or who can alter them to their usage.
The last time we sent some clothes and shoes over, my mum told me that two pairs of heels (which I never wore because I didn't like them and wasn't sure why I bought them!) had been stored away by the family they were given to, for the two daughters in the family to wear when they get married. It was really lovely to hear this - that something I never appreciated would be valued by the family who got them.

2. Sell them.
I hugely in favour of selling your outfit to fund your next one! I have sold outfits via eBay and PakLinks before (a forum I'm a regular member of!) and loved the extra cash coming in. Of course this depends on how well-kept your outfit is, and how fashionable it is - these days I've noticed that the more in-line with current fashion trends an outfit is, the more likely it is for it to be sold.

I've listed a few venues to sell online below - there's lots more of course, but here's a few to start off with:

• eBay, Preloved, Etsy Craigslist or Gumtree - these are all pretty big websites which are professionally run, which means a lot more viewers for your listings.
• Facebook groups like Desi Frugal Fashionista, Revolve Clothing, asianattire or even via local websites like OnceWear, MyPreciousCollection and WeBuyClothes. These are more tailored to a certain market, but it also means that people who visit here will be looking for things like your outfits for sale, and may be more likely to see them.
• There are even apps to sell from your mobile - I haven't tried any but I have read posts from a few bloggers who do use them.
• Instagram - this is becoming a big platform to sell a lot of things. I haven't seen that many pre-used outfits on here but I have seen a lot of businesses blooming on here - there's definitely a market here!

3. Re-invent them.
You can alter outfit, mix-and-match them or even add some Western pieces to them for a fusion look. I've even seen outfits re-altered for younger girls which is a lovely touch (I know I've handed a few to my eldest niece to be altered for her!)
I've started a series of posts on re-inventing your clothes (more to be posted soon!) and have had some good responses from it - it's really shown me that people do want to look for different ideas for their wardrobes,

4. Save the pretty ones for your daughters. 
I've seen a big trend in the last few years of brides re-wearing their mother's outfits for a really vintage look, and it's lovely to have that sentimentality for your big day. You don't necessarily have to have a wedding outfit to store away for your daughters, but it's nice to have pretty keepsakes that you can pass down. Although there's no saying what the fashion trends will be like in twenty years, but fashion is pretty cyclical so you never know!

My eldest sister has kept a few of her vari (bridal trousseu) outfits stored away for her daughters, and every now and then she pulls it out and we ooh-and-ahh at them. My mum had a few old suits back in the day (the tinselly scarves included!) which we used to drape over ourselves, although a lot of them are gone now! I've kept my own bridal outfits safely packed and stored away, partly in case I want to re-wear any of the kameezes, but also for memories and for potential passing down; and I have old outfits from when I was a teen and young child which I have kept in a few places (and which I marvel at now because of how skinny I was!)

5. Make other stuff from your old clothes.
Here's a few ideas to start you off - I know a few people who have used their bridal outfits as artwork - packing them into a frame to display on the wall which is a nice idea. I've also seen worked outfits and dupattas cut and re-shaped into cushions, hanging art, Westernised tops and dresses, and even as patchwork for various things.

It's a nice idea and it gives your old outfits life somewhere else - and it's also a great medium for a bit of craftwork as well!

 

There are a lot of other ideas with what to do with your old outfits, but these are the main ones I thought would be useful. Do you have any other ideas? What have you tried before? Let me know!

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The Karma Summer Mehndi Outfit

I've posted about my experience with Karma, when ordering an outfit, which I bought for a close family wedding, and thought I'd show how it looked when I got to wear it for the actual big day.

The outfit itself was pretty dressy, and I loved that the splashes of hot pink and rich aqua brightened up the outfit, which made it a lot easier to accessorise. The outfit itself came with hot pink churidar pants, which I chose rather than embellished pants because they would be easier to move around in, but on the actual day I decided to go for a dressier look and added a silk champagne coloured skirt (from Zara, of all places!) to go for a lengha look.

I was given this cream and gold clutch bag below from my in-laws, and it was perfect with this outfit, but the bangles I got mixed from bangle magicians Bees, and the rings I picked out from my jewellery box, which I thought went really well with my outfit. I also had some hot pink shoes to go with my outfit as well to give it a funkier look than the usual gold sparkly heels!

I went for a hot pink lipstick to finish off this look, and kept my eyemakeup simple rather than striking, mainly because I didn't want to over-do it (although there may have been a lot of gold highligher involved!)

This is how the outfit looked on me, the lengha really made the outfit look flowy and was really flattering on my figure, and really made the pink and green accents pop! I've also included a shot of my arm-candy as well to show how well the jewellery went with the outfit, which didn't feel overly-blingy at all.

Outfit - Karma

Bangles - Bees

Double ring - Bees

Kundan ring - Indian Hanger

Court Shoes - Kurt Geiger

Clutch bag - Green Street (no idea which shop!)

I loved how elegant this outfit look, and I got a lot of compliments from family and friends at the wedding. My sister and I had been asked to do some of the photography for the event (more of this, later!) and I wanted to make-sure that I could move around quickly (it can be hard work to rush around and make sure you capture all the important moments!) and this was pretty comfortable, the outfit didn't hinder my movements at all and the most I had to do was keep handing my clutch bag to my mum to look after!

The biggest bonus was the quality of the material and the work, aside from a couple of stones which came look (because they were glued on rather than stitched on), there were no fabric pulls at all, and the outfit stayed in immaculate condition.

I love how pretty this outfit look, and it's definitely a classic one from me. While the outfit wasn't cheap, I can see the difference in quality between this outfit and a cheaper-costing one, and this would certainly last me longer!

My Online Shopping Experience: Karma Atelier

I've been in love with Pakistani designers Karma for a good few years now, their colourful designs, and their gorgeous designs, so I thought a formal from them would be amazing when a close family wedding came on the horizon.

I've read good reviews before on this forum, and a few people I know have ordered from Karma before, so I was pretty optimistic about placing an order.

I had emailed Karma a couple of times before when making bridal enquiries when doing my wedding preps, so I emailed one of the staff Huma again, who was really helpful in answering questions as before, and explained the ordering process to me.

This is the design I opted for, from an older collection in 2011, but which is still pretty popular. It's called Summer Mehndi, and is a really pretty, girly outfit, with jamawar printed fabric, which I was quoted 65,000 rupees for (but which I reduced the kaam for slightly and also opting for plain silk pants instead of a worked skirt). I didn't want a custom-made outfit as this would cost too much, and I wanted something which looked more classic and worked for a lot of events.

The email process itself didn't take long, mainly because I left the rest of the outfit up to the designers, and waited for it to be made. I gave my measurements from a size chart which was emailed to me, some colour samples, and eventually paid for the outfit via Western Union.

The good thing about Karma is that they are willing to mix and match their designs - you can take colours or designs you like from other outfits to create something you like. I have a friend who is currently ordering her bridals from Karma who said the same thing, she took bits from different outfits to create a slightly altered design more to her liking.

I received a preview of the outfit before it was sent out to me, and loved the colours mixed together. The original design in blue and green were a little bright for me, so I went for a cream colour with pink and teal piping, for a softer look.

I can say, after receiving the outfit, that pictures really don't do justice to the quality of this outfit. The work on this outfit is sublime - it's intricate, detailed and quite defined, with lots of dabka (metal) work, kundan stones and tiny beading.

The is the outfit when I received it, which was packed neatly in a suit-bag, which looked much lovelier in person. I love the feel of the fabric, which is a thick printed silk and is lined inside on both sides.

The shape of this kameez is extremely flattering, with it's slight flare at the bottom, and the hem sits wonderfully. And unlike a lot of my other designer outfits, it actually has a zip! The pants were also made of a really good quality silk material, which I loved, and even the dupatta had really lovely piping.

All in all I'm really happy with my outfit, and the fact that it looks much nicer in person that I thought. While the outfit wasn't cheap, I can see the quality of the work, and it's lovely to finally have a Karma outfit  which looks quite classic and very flattering.

I'll be wearing this soon so I'll be sure to show how I styled it - I already have several ideas to make the piping colours pop, and I can imagine it with a bright pink lipstick already!

BRIDE COUTURE: Dia Mirza's Beautiful Wedding

I've been wanting to post about this for a while, so I'm a little late to the party but I couldn't resist posting about this Bollywood beauty, who is also one of my favourite actresses. Dia Mirza married her long-time partner and business partner Sahil Sangha in October this year, and the beauty queen did not disappoint with her wedding outfits! I've always been a fan of Dia Mirza and it's rare that she ever looks bad, so naturally her wedding was a colourful extravaganza!

Kicking off with her mehndi was this beautiful Ritu Kumar anarkali, which was a beautiful buttery yellow with colourful accents. The picture on the right is actually from a photoshoot she has done in the past, and it's an amazing outfit, Dia pretty much had the same look and added a long necklace and some pretty jasmine flowers, which made her look really fresh and pretty.

Next after this was her sangeet, which was a bit more dressy for Diya, as she wore a beautifully heavy purple/blue lengha by Anita Dongre, which she accessorized with chunky jewellery and wavy hair. I love her makeup on this event as well, very soft and glowy (although this is pretty much her signature look!)

There were a lot of speculations as to who Dia would go with for her wedding outfit - and she went for a mughal-era inspired sharara by Ritu Kumar, wearing a champagne gold outfit with beautiful green and blue accents. I LOVE everything about this outfit, it's not too heavy so the greens and blue are striking, the jewellery is done beautifully, and the kiran (tinsly) fringe on the dupatta just completes the look beautifully.

I also really liked the fact that she had a fresh, dewy look for her wedding, rather than heavy, smokey eyes or heavy lips, and it really shows off her beauty well. Everything about this outfit shouts traditional, classical and regal, and it really makes for a lovely wedding outfit.

In contrast to this was her final, reception outfit, which was more of a modern lengha by Shantanu and Nikhi, in peach and bronze, with a sari-style net drap around the bodice.While the make-up (namely the eyes) are a bit heavier, her updo and beautiful emerald jewellery make a beautiful contrast for a very glamorous look.

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I loved all of Dia's outfits and looks for each of her wedding functions, my favourites being her mehndi outfit (I love a good anarkali!) and her beautiful wedding outfit. I'm sure all of you have seen a few pictures of her wedding already, but which look did you like most?

The Dholki Nights #4: Blue Silk and Mehndi Hands

We've finally come to the last dholki night, which was the night that I put on my actual bridal henna on my hands and feet. We held this two days before the actual wedding day so that the henna on my hands and feet would come out darkest after two days (and it did for me!) and also because rather than have too much to do the day before the wedding, it would give us time to have one last shin-dig so that the day before we'd have the house to ourselves and be able to do last minute preps.

My outfit for the last dholki night was relatively simple after the previous dholkis. I had found this beautiful dupatta in a local store in a rich royal and peacock blue which was covered in gota work (strips of metallic fabric sewn on). I had actually bought this a good few months ago and immediately wanted to save it for my dholki, its traditional and simple, yet looked striking. I also loved it because it reminded me of the sort of thing my mum used to wear when she was younger.

I got a matching plain royal blue silk salwar kameez outfit stitched to match with the outfit, I wanted something simple which wouldn't cost too much and would comfy, especially if I ended up getting some mehndi stains on it!

This is how I wore it, I didn't get to take too many pictures because I soon got very busy, but you can see that I went for more of a Punjabi-style outfit; a short kameez with a loose salwar for bottoms. I love the vivid blue of the outfit and the dupatta, which was quite big so I had to keep draping it.

The dholki kicked off when my mehndi artist arrived to start on my bridal henna, which she ended up spending more than two hours on, doing intricate detail on my hands and feet. I didn't want mehndi further than my elbows because my bridal outfit was full-sleeved, but I did want really intricate designs so I gave my mehndi artist a few pictures for ideas of what I preferred, and she used that as inspiration for my final design.

This is my bridal henna (in progress and the end results!) on the night of the dholki, picture credits go to my sister! I did get some henna done on my feet as well but I won't post that because I hate pictures of my feet!

While I was doing mine, my sisters, mum, nieces, aunts and some of my friends also got their henna done as well - we didn't end up having enough cones for everyone so some of my sisters waited til the dholki was over and the next night to do their henna!

And of course I couldn't not include one of my toddler nieces getting a small butterfly on her hand from my mehndi artist, although this lasted about five minutes before it got wiped off!

I don't have a lot of pictures of the other guests, but this is me posing with one of my close friends, who wore a beautiful butter-yellow outfit and some amazing head-piece jewellery!

I also have a shot of two of my nieces wearing matching outfits in different colours eating some crisps they managed to persuade my mum to give them!

I really enjoyed this dholki, especially because it gave me an excuse to be the viewer and sit and watch everyone dance, sing and generally be silly without joining in! It was also really nice to have one last girly night with all of the family and friends before the big day - wedding post coming next!

GLAMOROUS ACCESSORIES: The Regal Kundan Ring

Another day, another ring. I think I should stop buying them now, seeing as I'll be getting a ring on on *that* finger soon enough, but I do love my giant kundan rings (especially seeing as they're the only jewellery I wear most days!)

This is one I bought recently from the lovely Indian Hanger team which I thought looked lovely - there's something regal about it which remind me of the Rajasthani culture, although it could be just because of the colours. The quality of this ring is amazing, each stone is solid and beautifully embedded into the ring, which goes well with the intricate gold setting. I can imagine wearing bangles in these colours, with a simple suit for a dholki or mehndi for a pretty look. I'm sure I'll get a chance to show this off soon (I'll post if I do!)

BRIDE COUTURE: A Bridal Picture by Humza Rasool Chaudhry

I saw this today and thought it was pretty - a photo shoot which featured the works of Pakistani designer Humza Rasool Chaudhry. The thing I liked most about this picture were the shawls - beautifully embellished, in rich shades and adding a fun pop of of colour in this luxurious scene. There's a fairly traditional look going on here, with rich wedding dresses and the long-style lenghas which I've seen a lot in the last few years, but it's those pretty shawls which really make the scene for me.

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