The Coat Edit | Zafira

I’m back baby!

So, it’s been a while since my last post and I feel like I’ve started a lot of posts like that but life just gets in the way.

Anyway I’m back for good this time and for this post, I’ve compiled some of my favourite coats to wear since the temperature has dropped all of a sudden. As I’m writing this actually, it’s been snowing for the last couple of hours so I know this post is very apt for right now.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen a few of these before but here are a few of my favourite coats to wear at the minute.

THE BIG FAT COSY ONE

It feels fitting to put this first because 1.it’s my most recent coat and purchase in general and 2. it’s probably the biggest coat I’ve ever owned.

I desperately needed something oversized and warm because the rest of my coats (as you’ll see) are lovely but in terms of practicality, they’re not the best for this time of year where we’re hit with wind storms and snow.

This is from M&S which I feel like in my head I’ve somehow classed as a middle aged lady store and the place I’d once go to buy my school uniform but recently, some stuff at M&S has topped things I’ve seen at places like Zara and H&M. The quality is amazing and the pricing too which shocked me a little because this coat was priced a lot cheaper than the Zara version of this that everyone seems to own.

This coat style is perfect because it’s in trend every year. I’ve been trying to buy things that I know I’ll wear for a long time and that I know will last and this coat definitely will.

You can buy this here.

THE LONG LEATHER TRENCH

This might just be my favourite coat ever … And I bought it for £9.99 at TK Maxx.

It’s from the brand JCL which I’ve never heard from but the RRP was around £80 so with it obviously being the deal of a lifetime, I picked up and I think it was my best purchase of 2020 or maybe of all time.

I get so many compliments wearing this and I just feel so amazing wearing it. It feels modestly sultry? And the way it blows in the wind when I’m walking is the ego boost I need everyday.

I love styling this with really feminine outfits such as a dress like the pictures above or doing an all black outfit also feels super cool.

It’s the best coat to add a little something to your outfits. I could just be wearing a pair of jeans and a plan white shirt and this coat would top the outfit off like a cherry on top of a sundae.

Also, this coat plus my Vagabond Edwina boots are a combination one could only dream about.

This coat isn’t available anymore but here are some extra cute alternatives:

PLT Oversized Faux Leather Trench

buy here

Misspap Missé Leather Look Longline Trench Coat

buy here

THE BASIC TRENCH

I don’t think you can say you have a decent coat collection without having at least one camel brown trench coat in it.

This is actually a very very old trench from Mango that I bought during my first year of uni and I love how slouchy and big it is. I’d like to say I dress quite modestly so when it comes to coats, I do like something that covers me up pretty well and this definitely does that.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know I just started painting a ridiculous amount of flowers all of this. My goal was to have it done by November but uni life got in the way (as always) and I’ve put it on the back burner for a bit. Hopefully, it’ll be done by spring if we’re lucky to get one in the UK and it will be the perfect spring trench.

Make sure you follow my Instagram to see the behind scenes of this coat and other projects.

This isn’t available anymore, but here are some very similar alternatives:

ASOS Noisy May Drop Shoulder Trench Coat

buy here

Stradivarius Long Flowing Trench Coat

buy here

Monki Hilde Trench Coat

buy here

THE smart ONE

I’m going to be honest, I forget this coat exists sometimes and I beat myself up anytime I rediscover it in my coat wardrobe again because it’s such a good coat.

This is a vintage Ralph Lauren Checkered wool-blend blazer coat that I picked up many years ago at the Thrift Shop near Piccadilly Gardens. I think it only cost around £12 which is so amazing for this style and quality of coat.

I remember it originally had shoulder pads so I knew this was old. I had to take those out though being a broad shoulder gal and then had it dry cleaned and then she was ready for the streets.

It’s a such a great formal coat, like for interviews and events. Sometimes it even makes me feel like a mom or a Julia Roberts character from the 80s or 90s and there’s something so uplifting about that.

Here are some great replicas/alternatives for this lovely coat:

ZARA Quilted Checkered Overshirt

buy here

Abercrombie & Fitch Wool Blend Blazer

buy here

ZARA Wool Blend Blazer with Elbow Patches

buy here

THE TWEED ONE

This might just be my most worn coat ever. It’s been through so much, it’s been washed a good 30 times in it’s short time with me but I love it so much. It’s become a sort of comfort blanket at this point and I adore it.

My mum however, hates this coat lol. It has so many pockets so whenever I’m running errands, those pockets are filled to the brim and she says I look so boxy and chubby but for me it’s so incredibly convenient to have that many pockets.

I love the colours, it has a bit of brown so it’s super ideal for this time of year and goes very well with these brown trousers I’ve been living in recently.

This was one of many lockdown purchases so it isn’t available anymore, but here’s some very similar coats:

Mango Tweed Jacket

buy here

Sister Jane Tweed Jacket

buy here

That’s all the coats I have for you today but if you want to see anymore clothing edits please let me know.

Thanks for reading!

What I Wore This Week | Zafira

Hey!

So it’s been a while, like a real while. I think my last blog post was in November which is shocking because I’m usually semi-consistent with posting on here.

But sometimes, life gets a little too much, I’m in my final year of uni plus just the general effects of living through a p-word in your early 20s when you’re supposed to be out living your best life kinda hits you sometimes.

However, I’ve finally found my motivation and a good balance between everything going on in my life and I’m back with some exciting stuff.

Today I want to start off a new series called ‘What I Wore This Week’. Over on my Instagram, a lot of you were into my OOTD posts on my stories so I thought I’d make it into an official thing by compiling them on here into a blog post with some better quality pictures.

There’s nothing I love more than getting overdressed for a day of doing nothing but wearing my mask, washing my hands, and staying inside.

Here are 5 of my outfits from last week!

(also i’ve edited these like i’m in a catalog from the 90s/00s, enjoy)

MONDAY

I’m the biggest advocate of wearing skirts at home purely because of how flowy and freeing they feel. It’s way too cold to be wearing skirts out in this weather for me so wearing them around the house makes me feel like I’m putting them to use.

This shockingly is actually a midi skirt, but on my 5ft 2 (maybe 3) body, it’s become a full-length skirt. I’ve paired it with a simple black velvet top and my favourite cardigan from Zara. It’s very Chanel-esque which is probably why I adore it so much.

If I were to be leaving the house, I’d most certainly be wearing these heeled boots from ASOS that I would normally be wearing on the daily. They’re extremely comfy for heeled boots, I feel like I could walk miles in these.

TUESDAY

I feel like Tuesdays are always such a meh day. I can’t remember the last time I had a fun Tuesday. Because of this, I kept my outfit pretty casual and cosy since it's either raining, windy or snowing outside pretty much every day recently.

Zara has completely wowed me in the cardigan and jumper region as of lately. They have such an incredible range featuring so many House of Sunny inspired pieces.

This cropped blue fluffy cardigan is worn at least once a week. Considering it’s cropped, it’s super warm. The fur is detachable which I love and it’s just so pretty. It’s a complete embodiment of early 00s fashion.

I’ve paired this with a simple black turtleneck and to further achieve that early 00s look, my Juicy Couture velour bottoms. These bottoms are one of the best investments I made in 2020. They’re so warm, I can’t seem to leave my house without them on. And the best part is that the pockets have zippers. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much security and practicality in a pair of women’s trousers before.

WEDNESDAY

Something about Wednesday’s just absolutely drains the life out of me. It’s hump day, I feel extra lazy so I usually gravitate to a simpler outfit like this.

These are all my time favourite corduroy trousers I picked up at Monki a while ago and they’re one of the best pair of pants I think I’ve ever bought due to how soft they are and how well they’ve worn over time.

I love this shade of red too, I don’t wear a lot of red often because I feel too bold but this is definitely more of a burgundy and with a black turtleneck, I feel like the Parisian Instagram influencer we’re all secretly dying to be.

THURSDAY

To pick myself up after Wednesday’s slump of a day, on Thursday I wore a dress I had made a few months ago.

There’s something so incredibly pretty about this vintage toile de jouy material. I want everything in my house upholstered in this material and I think eventually, I would love to make some more pieces with this material.

I love a puffy sleeve on a simple dress, it’s so easy to style and always looks effortlessly put together.

I’ve paired this with some jeans from the Gap because I’m on a mission to bring back jeans with dresses like it’s 2006 again.

(P.S I’ve made an Instagram for stuff I’ve made and will maybe sell soon! You can follow me here.)

FRIDAY

Yay it’s Friday! (the days are meaningless this means nothing) Obviously, I have to be a little extra and funky to prepare for the oh so very wild weekend ahead.

This jacket from Sava London is so stunning. It’s beautifully crafted and I adore wearing it. It’s part of their Kantha collection where the pieces have this traditional stitching all over them.

I love this method because my grandma would stitch blankets with so many different designs with the Kantha stitch so wearing this jacket feels so special and nostalgic.

I’ve paired it with my favourtie favourite brown leather trousers from Zara. They are admittedly a little too big for me but I love them nonetheless.

That’s all I have for this week! Thanks for reading and if you like these kinds of posts them let me know.

A Socially Distanced Summer Lookbook | Zafira

Hey!

Before I get into today’s post, I wanted to share a list of links of petitions and charities you can sign and donate to. It feels very selfish of me to write and post normally without addressing what’s going on in the world so at the end of this post you’ll find some links and ways to help what’s currently going on :)

And just like that, it’s summer once again. I had no idea it was even June until we were like a whole week in that’s how out of sorts I am. One thing I completely adore not only about everyday but especially summer is getting dressed. I love being able to wear dresses without having to layer seven different things to keep warm, I love being able to wear my Mary Janes without socks and I also love but will probably eventually start to miss not having to wear a coat on top on every single outfit. It’s the prettiest time of year.

So, I love doing lookbooks and my friends and family are amazing at helping me get the pictures I need but with social distancing and the whole '“we’re in the middle of mass pandemic and you can’t go near anyone” thing going on, doing this lookbook tested all levels of patience and creativity. I decided the only reasonable and exciting way I could do this lookbook and make it somewhat cool was by photoshopping myself into everywhere I would want to be this summer and that’s exactly what I did.

I’ve been working on this for a few weeks now and I hope you enjoy it because it was actually a lot of fun to do.

Here’s a few summer looks I will most likely be wearing around the house I don’t have a social life anymore:

a cute co-ord

I think co-ords have taken over this summer and I will gladly let them.

There is no easier outfit to put together than a co-ord. They’re so easy to style and come in such an arraignment of patterns, materials and prints. I’ve been seeing so many floating around on Instagram and the high street but this particular set from Zara caught my eye and of course, my debit card’s.

It honestly looked a little too pyjama-esque on the model but the Zara sale hit the internet and I gave in and bought the shirt and trousers and hoped for the best and I’m so glad I did because I love how this looks. It feels very classy almost, very chic and looks like something you’d wear to a picnic in the middle of the countryside in France which is certainly the vibes I’m going for this summer.

The set has this almost quilted feel to it and I think it’s probably one of the most well made things I’ve ever bought from Zara. The trousers especially, I love the tab detail on the back. I think these pieces will also look great on their own too, I can imagine wearing the shirt with plain blue jeans and the trousers with a white shirt.

In this look I’ve styled the set with my favourite Mary Janes from Asos.

Buy the shirt.

Buy the trousers.

Buy the shoes.

something causal to make it seem like i can dress casual

I think by now, everyone around me thinks I’m incapable of dressing casual. You will never see me in sweats, I never do a pair of jeans and t-shirt but this look has been a staple in my wardrobe since I was probably around 15/16 and will always be an exception.

I have so many of these short sleeved sweater/knitted tops. I think they’re perfect for summer days where it’s a bit chillier because they’ll still keep you warm but not too warm. This retro looking one is from Pop Boutique and I think I probably own every short sleeved sweater top they sell now because they’re so good and versatile. I wear them with jeans, with cullotes and I love using them for layering when it gets colder with sleeveless dresses and pinafores.

I’ve styled this top with my lovely jeans from the Gap which I am aware isn’t called the Gap but I’ve become too comfortable calling it the Gap. These are my perfect summer jeans. I hate skinny jeans now with a passion, they look good but the effort and stress of putting them on is not an enjoyable experience, especially in summer. These slightly cropped flared jeans however are the comfiest pair of jeans I’ve ever owned. I had no idea jeans from the Gap were so pricey either but I got these for 70% off from a Gap store that was closing down so I’m quite happy with them.

I’m also wearing my classic black Converse that I wear all year round.

The top sadly isn’t available, but here’s a cute alternative.

Buy the jeans.

the black dress

So I know a black dress isn’t very summer appropriate but I think this is such a pretty summer evening/date dress.

I think originally something that threw me off this dress was the material because it looked like it would crease a lot and very easily which it does but because the overall style of the dress consists of pleats and creases such as in the sleeves and in the top and mid area it isn’t as big of an issue as I thought it would be. I think this sort of material is so ideal for the summer because it’s so thin and lightweight and overall a very cooling material.

This dress originally had a very high rounded neck but I decided to do a little DIY job and change it to a square one since I think it looks a lot more flattering on me and it gives me a chance to wear some cute necklaces like the pearl one I’m wearing in the photographs.

I’ve styled this look with a beaded bag that are very trendy these days, this one is actually handmade from Bangladesh.

Here’s a similar alternative to the dress.

the ‘i wish i was florence welch’ look?

I feel maxi skirts aren’t as cool as they used to be when I was like 12 but I’m still a big fan of them.

This skirt is from Zara but I got it at brand new at Oxfam for £4.99 and it’s probably the best £4.99 I’ve ever spent. It’s made from such a light weight material and is extra flowy when you get hit with a gust of wind which is what I personally look for when buying long skirts.

I’ve paired this skirt with a simple black top and a cropped cardigan from Urban Outfitters. I love cropped cardigans. I think that if I didn’t have any self restraint I would buy them in every colour possible.

I’m also wearing my pink Mary Jane style shoes which I adore wearing all the time.

Buy the cardigan.

the red jumpsuit i dream about every night

I’m a massive jumpsuit/boilersuit girl. I think they’re easily one of the best inventions of all time and I would wear one everyday for the rest of life if I didn’t have a vast wardrobe of other clothes.

Every time I would go onto Instagram these past three months, I would see an ad for this jumpsuit and obviously, I fell in love with it straight away. It’s such a beautiful piece of clothing which is why for my birthday present to myself this year, I decided I would splurge and treat myself.

When I say I’m in love with this jumpsuit, I genuinely mean I’m in love.

I think it’s such an incredibly flattering item. Boilersuit/jumpsuits tend to stereotypically have quite a loose and masculine fit to them but this is definitely a more body hugging piece that hugs you in all the right places. The bottoms are flared too which is so great and this colour is so different than anything I’d usually wear and super bold. I love love love it.

Buy the jumpsuit.

the checkered dress from my childhood

This dress is what inspired me to do this lookbook because I’ve been spending my days at home in this thing. It’s the most idyllic summer dress to me.

It reminds me a lot of so many tops and dresses I used to wear growing up in a similar print and colour scheme to this. It always felt very classic and retro and most importantly, very country chic which till this day is what I aspire to exude.

I’m always looking for pieces that I can wear all year round and surprisingly, this is one of them. I bought this from an Oliver Bonas sale at the end of last summer and honestly wore this dress through the autumn and winter and even on Christmas day. Sleeveless dress are a gem when it comes to layering because you can layer anything under them. A shirt, a jumper, a turtleneck, your options are endless. I would love wearing this with a white jumper or turtleneck underneath in the winter but now that it’s warmer, I can just throw on a cardigan and run out the door in this.

Even though I wore this dress during the colder months, I definitely think it’s made for the summer. Just look how perfect it fits into my fake picnic. Once again, I’ve paired this look with my cropped cardigan from Urban Outfitters and my pink Mary Janes as well as another beaded bag handmade from Bangladesh.

Buy the cardigan.

Please try to donate to some of these charities or sign the links on my Linktree!: https://linktr.ee/zafiraahmed

Thanks for reading!

January on Film | Zafira

Hey!

January has lasted a good 3 years or that’s honestly what it’s felt like. It’s been a quiet month. I think like a lot of people, I’ve been trying to get my life back on track a little bit after almost a month off uni. I’m happy to be back into my usual schedule though and also happy to see what this year has to offer!

Here’s my January on film:

For the past few weeks, I’ve been adoring this little spot in my parents room. It’s on top of my mum’s dresser, a spot where she keeps a vintage jewellery box, her perfume, a mirror and a spinny bangle holder (not pictured). I think it might be the way it looks when the sun starts to set or the way an immense amount of light shines through no matter what the weather. It’s just very pretty.

Pictured here is an & Other Stories Perfume I got my mum for her birthday which I occasionally steal a spritz or two of and my favourite favourite & Other Stories lipstick that has most definitely been loved.

We spent Christmas and Boxing Day in London this year compared to our usual family shindig in Birmingham so we could visit some family. I took this somewhere in Whitechapel on Boxing Day. Honestly I think it’s kinda disgusting. There’s nothing I hate more than pigeons.

Here I am dressed like I’m cosplaying Shrek in this funky green silky dress from none other than Zara. I love this dress however, I hate wearing it because it creases instantly. I am also wearing some vibrant green eye shadow that you can barely see. I have my massive vintage coat from Headlock Vintage on too which everyone seems to hate but I am completely smitten with it. My personal tutor at university actually asked if I picked this coat of a skip which was very nice of him.

I was going to do this whole “only buy two things a month” thing but it’s now the end of January and once again, my wardrobe doors are incapable of closing without an aggressive shove.

These dreamy babies were a little bit of an impulsive buy from ASOS but my god are they beautiful. I love Mary Janes. They’re probably my all-time favourite style of shoe. These are plain black and velvet and pretty much match everything in my wardrobe.

As I said, this whole “only buy two things a month” thing did not go well whatsoever.

I’ve been quite in love with various shades of green for a while now which is strange because I used to hate the colour green. I think it’s incredibly flattering on brown-ier skin tones.

This blazer style corduroy jacket is from TK Maxx but is from a brand called Y.A.S that I know nothing about other than they are expensive are sold on ASOS. This jacket was originally £80 however because TK Maxx is a literal heaven on earth, this jacket only cost me £14.99. Bargain of the year.

Considering I’ve lived in Manchester my entire life, I don’t think I’ve ever been to the Whitworth Gallery.

It’s an incredibly pretty building, not only from the outside but the inside too. It’s so open and bright and I think this might be my new favourite place in Manchester. They’ve also got the most aesthetically pleasing cafe that’s lined with tall window after tall window (there’s a little snippet of it on the smaller pic).

I don’t even know where to begin with these cheeky babies. They both came over a few days ago and were causing chaos left, right and centre. They gave each other makeovers with some pretty pink lipstick, made me draw everyone and everything ever possible, ate of course (their fave activity) and both took turns drinking from my water bottle/cup in this picture.

Thanks for reading!

It’s been wild watching these two grow up the past 2 years.

Lots of love,