IN MY WARDROBE: Lilac & White Anarkali from Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Here's one outfit my mum brought back from Pakistan recently after her (long!) stay there, along with a few other outfits for all the girls in the family. This is a dress from a shop called 'BGNJ Silk Centre' in Rawalpindi, Pakistan which designs a lot of clothes for the Star Plus channels and shows. It's a lilac and off white net anarkali dress with embroidery work and a pretty satin hem in different coloured pattis (strips of material at the hem). This is the dress as modelled by actress Zarine Khan:

And this is the dress itself which I got, which is the same as the picture, which my mum got in my measurements. I like how feminine the colours look together, and the fact that it's not too heavy so it would be suitable to wear for a lot of occaisons. I'm not a big fan on clothes made out of net but I like it on this dress because it gives more shape and works with the colours used and the light embroidery work.

The dress is still a bit big for me so I need to get it altered to fit me better, but it flows quite nicely, and although it isn't as long as the dresses are in fashion right now, this is more of a classic look which would suit a lot of occasions. My mum got me straight, wide trousers as well as a churidar with this outfit as she wasn't sure what I would prefer, and I think both look fine with this outfit because it's not a dressy one and it's ideal for a semi-formal or even light causal look. I'm sure I can find a reason to wear this in the next month or so!

BRIDE COUTURE: Kunal Nayyar and Neha Kapur's Sumptious Wedding

Kunal Nayyar, of the wonderfully geeky US series 'The Big Bang Theory' fame got married last December, in a lavish six-day wedding, to the lovely Neha Kapur, former Miss India. I love how laid-back the couple looks throughout the wedding events, and how much they seem to enjoy themselves (and also how lovely the outfits looked!)

The bride wore a warm orange and hot pink lengha during mehndi ceremony, with lovely, intricate mehndi. I love the traditional touches such as the flowers in her hair and the hair-piece she also wears, as well as the fact that the groom is meant to sit next to the bride so he can feed her while her hands are out of action!

The wedding ceremony itself was of a similar vein, the groom wore a beautiful, rich blue sherwani (and rode in on a horse!), with the bride wearing a matching cream and dark blue lengha outfit, and both look like they are enjoying themselves and each others company. I also love how the couple didn't go for traditional colours like red, nor opt for something like white either, which is also becoming a very popular colour. The fact that they look of the outfits were kept quite 'Indian' in style and weren't too heavy or overdone makes the details of the wedding and the outfits stand out more, and it's something which looks lovely.

Lastly was the reception party after the wedding, which was a lot more relaxed and simple. I really like this sari out of the three outfits worn by Neha (although it may be because it looks great on her tall figure!), because it looks so elegant on her and the fact that it combines a modern look with simple tailoring. I really like the creamy, nude colour, and think that this really helps to make it look feminine and simple, yet enough also pretty enough to still look like a bridal outfit.

Images from People Magazine US, photography by Vinayak Das Photographers

I love seeing weddings like this, where the couple look like they've had a lot of fun, and have kept it fairly traditional with their own personal touches. And of course, the mega-watts smile from both the bride and groom also adds some sparkle!

GLAMOROUS ACCESSORIES: A Present from Pakistan...A Big Kundan Ring

My mum just came back recently from Pakistan and brought a small haul with her for all the girls in the family, including wedding outfits for my sister's wedding (which I'm not allowed to show you them all just yet...but soon, don't worry!)
One of the things my mum brought back was a big, pretty kundan ring in gold metal and pretty pink and white stones, and was in a lovely, curved shape. It's not too heavy and looks pretty graceful, although the shape was unexpected, as I've always seen round-shaped ones.

The ring will go perfectly with my kundan earrings and bracelet which I got a few months ago, and which I'm intending to wear for my sister's upcoming mehndi event, although I'm sure I'll find a reason to wear it before then!

BOLLYWOOD ISHTYLE: Madhuri's 90s Colourama Glamour in 'Dil Tera Aashiq'

Being a 90s (and partly 80s!) child, I'm a real sucker for looking at the bright colours and iconic outfits of that period, because it reminds me of those Bollywood films we used to watch while growing up - and Madhuri Dixit is definitely one icon of the 90s. A good example of this would be one of the family favourites (for us anyway), 'Dil Tera Aashiq', which features Madhuri in a range of colourful outfits and styles which were very typical of both Madhuri's style and the 90s.

First example of the outfits is this rainbow-style sari, a colour combination which actually appeared a few other times in other films in the 90s, although I do love it here. This sari also really reminded me of Satya Paul's multi-coloured, rainbow style saris in his 2010 collection, as seen here and here, especially because of the bright, jewel-like shades used and the use of blending colours into the next.

I remember during this period when two-toned fabric was very popular, and was worn quite a lot at weddings - and this lengha is just one example of it being worn in a purple/golden shade. While Madhuri manages to pull it off with her lovely figure here and a very sweet, girly look, I wasn't so lucky, unfortunately, when I think of all the organza disasters I was paraded in back in those days (grrr!). This lengha is also quite typical of it's time in terms of the fitted top and the simplified work (unlike the heavy outfits of today!)

I really, really love this deep purpley-plum dress, which is a long maxi dress with a split at the front and pretty bronze detail around the neck. It's something which would definitely look great with the fashion trends of today, and also something which wouldn't have caught my eye back in the 90s (probably because I was too busy twirling around and imagining myself in a rainbow dress), but it's something I love now. It looks really elegant and flowy, and the fitted sleeves, the work around the waist and the pretty up-do hair that Madhuri has are all something which look lovely and something I wouldn't mind wearing myself!

Back in the days when singing around trees and magic wardrobe changes were normal and needed no explanation, there were plenty of different outfits in songs, all usually in different styles and colours which I'm sure you all are familiar with! This fresh pink coloured sari is another example of a simple outfit which was often seen in different colours (either bright coloured or pastel colours!) on the heroines of a lot of songs - and on Madhuri I'm glad that it's not over-done with accessories, but with rather a large pair of funky diamante-style studs and some pretty bangles.

Next is this pretty yellow and red long dress and salwar which, again, would not look out of place in today's trends. I also like the fact that the dress seems to be made out of a rich, silky material and again, has a front-split which I remember being in fashion at the time (I owned a few kameezes in this style to attest to this!). Add to this Madhuri's dark red lips which were in vogue and her curly hair, and you have a classic Madhuri outfit!

Then, of course, there is the obligatory imaginary wedding scene which often appeared in a lot of these films. I've noticed that a things which don't really appear in today's films and fashions, such as the 'naath' (nose ring) were quite common then, and of course, the classic bright red lips.

This outfit always reminded me of a few other outfits (such as this song in Maine Pyar Kiya), in the way that the skirt has panels in 2 different colours, and in the jewellery worn. This is quite a pretty look on Madhuri, and of course, has a swishy skirt which can't go wrong!

 Throughout the film, there are random outfits which appeal to me because of the colours used, or the simple styles. Below is a fitted, shimmery gold kameez/dress which was very typical of the style worn in this film, with a light pink dupatta scarf and trousers, which I think would fit very well with today's trends.

 There's also a mujra-style appearance which I thought I'd mention, the pale pinks and darker pinks work quite well with the shimmery gold, and the jewellery (and the hat!) looks pretty good together. Another example of a classic look from the 90s which often appears (with matching background dancers!) in a lot of Bollywood films in this period.

There is also this red lengha outfit which was very typical- I've seen Madhuri in several movies with this type of outfit, especially when doing her classical dances. Again, I like the full skirt made up of panels, and the fact that it uses a lot of colours - although I find the red shade a bit bright!

There's plenty of colour in this film, and a lot of pieces which were very typical of their time. I do like the fact though, that there's a lot of pieces which could be worn today, and the fact that the jewellery and accessories used compliment Madhuri's look and the outfits quite well so they work together. My favourite is still the purple dress (something to keep as inspiration for a future outfit, maybe?) and the fact that she's able to pull off red lips in a way that it doesn't look too much - especially as in today's beauty trends, red lips are usually the focus of a look. Which outfit did you like best?

DESIGNER MODE: Imbias Designs

My sisters and I have been loving the flowy designs of this designer, Imbias based in Pakistan, particularly their collection from last year. I love how simple and wearable their designs are, and especially the fact that they have long sleeves, high necks and flowy kameezes and trousers which are suitable for a lot of occaisons. The one which has most caught our eyes is the first one, which all the girls in my family has fallen in love with (although I also really like the second design too!)

Images belong to Imbias FB group

I've contacted the designers at Imbias for the first piece to ask how much it would cost and what it was made from, and was told it was that it was 30,000 rupees, which is around £200.00. This isn't hugely expensive considering that it is from the original designers, but I still found this to be a little expensive so didn't order any in the end. I do this that these are some very pretty, wearable designs though, and will still keep these designs in mind for any future events or weddings which may come up. I'd also love to know if anyone has ordered from here, or has anything from Imbias' collections - so if you do, please let me know!

GLAMOROUS ACCESSORIES: Vintage Bridal Hair Accessories by Flo & Percy

I came across these bridal hair accessories and jewellery by English vintage bridal jewellery designer Flo and Percy while looking through an English bridal magazine, and saw some lovely hair accessories would could be worn in an Asian wedding (by the bride or the guests!) in a pretty Western-Eastern fusion twist.

According to their website, materials are sourced worldwide and come from many different time periods and uses different heirlooms to create beautiful pieces for brides to treasure. I also find it interesting that the name 'Flo and Percy' comes from the fact that married couple Florence and Percy were married for 80 years and held the record for the longest marriage in the world, which is something the company hopes to pass onto any new brides with their accessories.

Here's just a few examples of their lovely pieces from their various collections, and how they have been worn. I've noticed a strong theme of older eras, such as the 1920s look to a lot of these pieces, or themed weddings. I love for example, the Wonderland collection which has pieces named after various characters of the famous 'Alice in Wonderland' book.

The Mad Hatter Comb, taken from Brides etc magazine

A 1920's-inspired hair band/tiara from the collection 

A hair comb from the Magdalene collection 

 A beautiful tiara/hair band from the Bohemia collection

 The White Queen hairband/comb from the Wonderland Collection

Hairband from the Looking Glass collection

Although the designs and pieces are not cheap at all, being bespoke pieces and probably valuable ones too, it's a great place to look for the bride who doesn't want something too fussy, and there's plenty of inspiration to be had. Not all brides may want to wear a dupatta in their hair, and having a fresh, more relaxed look such as pretty hair and wearing hair accessories may be something which appeal to them. It's also a lovely look for those who may be looking for something different to incorporate into their style, and even for those who are going for a slightly more modern, Western/fusion look without making it too fussy.

Personally I'd even consider pinning some of these as hijab accessories, I'm always on the look-out for something different (and sparkly!) and these would give a very different look to an outfit!

Blue Cupcakes!

I love novelty cupcakes and cakes, and although these aren't really novelty or out-of-the-ordinary, I still loved them. We got these as samples for my sister's wedding as she is considering cupcakes for the main day, and what I loved the most was the fact that they were a very vivid shade of blue. Cupcakes are a very fashionable food item at the moment, but they're also very practical seeing as they're easy to divide up between guests, and convenient enough to go with the party decor!

I loved the individual looks of these, they looked exquisitely made and gave that personal touch that we're always looking for :)