The Oscar's

My Fav Oscar dress had to be this - If you know me, I like fusion type dresses and although I know that is not really what it is - in my eyes it very much is!!

The work on it looks a bit like dabka - can anyone confirm what type of embroidery it actually is?

I can easily see many an inspired desi outfit coming from this as its a look that can easily be replicated and a silhouette currently in vogue in Pakistan- I'm not saying it can be easily copied to the same standard but just generally a look that can be translated quite closely with a good karigaar.

This post will be incomplete without a special mention of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy- the lady who won an Oscar for Pakistan - a very well done to her especially as her film highlights the very awful issue of acid attacks in Pakistan - This is a very tragic and scary issue faced by many countries and hopefully her Oscar and film can help get some form of justice and help for victims and stop the disgusting individuals who think its okay to scar a woman's face at their fancy.

On to the lighter issue of her outfit!

Her outfit for the awards function was by celebrated bridal designer Bunto Kazmi. With the occasion and audience in mind the colours, cut and work etc were all lovely and an outfit which she wore well,  I am undecided about the sleeves but think she looked pretty and elegant regardless and showcased Asian fashion well.

I preferred the after party Sana Safinaz outfit that she wore although I am not a fan of grey - especially on its own - but this is a beautiful cut and I imagine with the gold kaam a lot more striking in real life.

Here's a special toast to Sharmeen!

Make up Distraction

I like make up - I like looking at pics of make up done well too.


Anams Pics of made up ladies really caught my eye and recently each new pic she has uploaded has been really beautiful - especially the photos of real brides - brides come in all ranges and she makes everyone look stunning!


I just wish she was in London permanently so I can be made over by her for the next big event!!


anyway - for you beautiful peeps I decided to get to know a little bit more about this lovely lady and get some hot tips and tricks for us all!!


How did your career begin in the world of Make Up?
I'm going to sum it up. What started of as a fun past time with my bestfriends when I was in my early teenage years became a part time hobby and a fulltime job now as I got more exposure and appreciation among social circles. MashAllah. 


Are there any celebrities you would like to make over and why?
There are too many to name, but I love people with unconventional features so Rihanna would definately be one of them. 


How would you describe your signature look and what is it about your style that sets you apart from other makeup artists?
Well blended out makeup that looks good on an every day ordinary girl's face, transforming her into a gorgeous glamazon. Not done in the typical manner but done so beautifully that you look at it and go like 'how did she do that'. 


What is the most memorable moment you have had when making over a client?
I have had too many beautiful, memorable clients to remember which one has been most memorable 


What is the most important beauty advice that you can give to women?
Be confident in your own skin colour. 


What are some common beauty mistakes that women make?
smearing surma in their eyes, overplucking eyebrows or under plucking, 
wrong eyebrow shaping, wrong place of blush application, outlining lips too dark than lipstick. 


What are some of your favourite products in your makeup kit?
Concealer, Mineral powder foundation, Blush/bronzer duo, moisturiser, lip balm. 


Which products create the perfect daytime make up look?
A good concealer, mineral foundation, bronzer, blush, lip tint and mascara. 


I know you have a few recipes for home made skin care - any you can share?
I love a toning mask recipe I got from Drew Barrymore's facialist - mix 2 teaspons lemonjuice in 2 tables spoons yeast and apply on your face, leave on for 25 minutes and rinse off. It instantly tightens your skin.


What is your personal beauty routine?
I drink alot of water, do a steep clean facial once a week, polish my face once a week, moisturise daily, use very good spa quality facewashes and I always use a night cream. I hardly wear makeup everyday. 


I read that you cut your own hair - please explain how you manage that?!
It took a few years of practice, I clip it up and cut it holding it sideways and upwards. 


Is there a particular look/trend that you would prefer to see the end of? perhaps something clients insist on but you hate doing?
I don't like clients using surmas, they contain lead and are toxic for your eyes. On the other hand eye pencils and liners are specifically formulated to be used in the eyes so they are safer.


What annoys you most about the industry?
Everybody wants to be like you, or rather, you. There's no originality left. 


Whats your take on Make Up artists airbrushing portfolios?
Every photographer airbrushes their photos, done in moderation and in the appropriate places it will do more good than harm. It's easy to point out a too-airbrushed photo. 


What tips can you give to those who want to start preparing their skin in advance for a special event?
Make sure you start using your productss/ getting facials well in advance of your event so that any side effects or skin reactions dont stay on till your event and get settled down way before it.


Which product out there do you think is more hype than substance?
BB Creams 
A product that you think deserves more credit/ Your special find?
Dmgm black Kohl Eyliner pencil 


Which brand of foundation do you think works well accross most skin types for asian complexions?
Illamasqua Skinbase


Anam is based in Karachi where she also offers courses in make up application.

Fridays Eye Candy!

I really like Rajdeep Ranawats designs - I spotted some of his outfits a while back and loved his use of colour - he manages to blend shades in such a pretty manner. The collection below has such a romantic feel to it enhanced with the flowers and colours - a look which could so easily look sickly but he manages to make them look quite beautiful and enchanting!

When I contacted Rajdeep I found him to be very helpful and quick to reply. The Saris I inquired about were as expected on the pricey side so I need to wait for a very special occasion before I can order one of those but in the meantime I really liked some of his western wear showcased today at WIFW day 3 which I may just inquire about...

Some stuff from his older collections...

This is SUCH a beautiful dress!!

Each time I look through his work I become even more fond of his look and style - definitely one of my  current favs!

Distracted by WIFW

Wills India Fashion Week is ON...

A few pics of some of the stuff i liked...

I have a real thing for emerald green at the mo...

... and fusion done well!

Distracted By a Sari Dress

I like classic, traditional looking saris best and usually don't like too much innovation when it comes to the most elegant form of attire for women. However I like this.

It stays true to the form and silhouette of North Indian draping (correct me if I am wrong) but also makes for a pretty dress - usually its not easy to pull both off

Me like!

Its Friday - Woooohoooo!!!!

I like Fridays!

I also like this outfit - I like the earthiness of it - the colours, the fabrics and the rural feel it has.

The outfit is by Ritu Kumar

Xenabs Atelier

My dealing with Xenab seems to be on and off on-going for over a year now and I have ended up with quite a few of her outfits. I was impressed initially by the fact that she only posted pics of her own work and really liked some of her semi formals - they are in nice classic designs and the sort of outfits that are quite versatile - i.e can be worn to a formal dinner but also able to dress up and wear for a mehndi/party type thing.

I started off ordering a few outfits at the same time and chopped and changed my order a fair bit - the process dragged out for a while and unfortunately when my clothes did arrive they turned up in someone else's size! Xenab accepted liability straight away and offered to make fresh suits promising to oversee them herself - second batch arrived and the semi formals were beautiful - the embroidery etc. all done very neatly as you can see below on one of the ordered suits.

I've ordered a fair bit online and one thing most sellers fall on is finishing but hers was just right - I ordered a farshi lehnga too which I have to say had amazing flair - it was cut properly the way a farshi should be so even though it had a long kameez it naturally kicked out - I know you must be thinking - well what's to praise about that? Thats what you paid for?? Well ladies I have seen expensive bridals where the lehnga has just hung like a straight skirt so I need to praise her tailor on this!!

I still had issues however - basically Xenab used to have 2 types of kaam (embroidery) one is  high end and second was low end cheaper stuff - turns out my heavier formal outfit had 'low end' kaam which I was certainly not satisfied with! I attended one of her exhibitions and saw the different types of work she had and told her I was very unhappy with the one particular outfit I had received - I think most sellers at that stage would tell me to take a hike but not Xenab, her priority was to make sure I was happy and she offered to make an alternative suit for me with the kaam of my choice. This suit has turned out beautifully and I cant emphasise enough how neat the kaam is on this outfit!

Overall my experience with Xenab has ended up being a good one, I find her to be reliable as well as reasonably priced - so many people out there copying her outfits for more than what she charges! She hasn't really been updating her portfolio recently which is a shame. When it comes to heavier non thread kaam I will need to be more specific to make sure we are on the same page - but as far as her semi formal thread embroidery outfits which are up in her albums are concerned I would highly recommend these to anyone thinking of ordering!

Below are a few others I really like...

I've been quiet...

or maybe lazy? I like to say Busy!

TBH nothing has massively caught my eye to post about but what I need to do is go back to my original cause and and do a little reviewing....

I think I will write up my review for Xenabs Atelier tonight - I just received a new outfit from her so I can keep that one fresh...

In the Pipeline...

Rani Emaan... need to take pics
Robe De Style -Took pics but its been a while since I ordered from her so not sure if its worth posting?
Shyamal Bhumika - I still haven't worn this outfit - its my fav and pretty special so saving it for an occasion and so hesitant to post pics - a review without pics is pretty lame right?
SairaJi - Is it worth posting a review about someone who appears to no longer be in business?
Sunherri Outfits - Yes, after blogging about her I couldn't resist ordering - but I don't want to post until I have worn the outfit...
Zainab Sajid - will get cracking
Aleena Sameer - HHmmmm.....
Malaika Adnan - That will come later too
Saima Mohd - The lady who got me hooked

There are a few others I have ordered odd outfits from too which I will be updating!

Ive stuck to online experiences but i may add a few of my in store experiences too...

Leave a comment or email me if there is a particular review you want to see soon!