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!
A Long Hiatus, Summer, Prepping for Uni & an Update | Zafira
Hi guys!
It's been quite a while since I've posted anything here simply due to this summer being the busiest one I've had yet. We have 1 day left of August and I cannot believe how fast this summer has flown by but I have loved every minute of it. I took a bit of a break over on my Instagram too which is very much needed but I'll explain more about that later on throughout this post.
This summer began in the most exciting and breathtaking manner as me and family headed down to North Wales for a little holiday at the end of June and I have quite a few posts about that on here. You can check them out by clicking on the following links:
https://www.zaf-ira.co.uk/zafira-1/2018/06/staycation-lookbook-zafira-edit.html
https://www.zaf-ira.co.uk/zafira-1/2018/07/wales-on-film-zafira-edit.html
https://www.zaf-ira.co.uk/zafira-1/2018/07/wales-video-faq-zafira-edit.html
I loved our holiday and it was needed desperately since me and family had a wild, chaotic but amazing summer ahead of us.
July and August were mainly spent on preparing for my cousin's wedding which took up the majority of summer. It my eldest cousin's wedding so it was the first out of the kid's generation which is just so so so weird. I still think my cousin is about 15 and I'm 8 years old dying to borrow her Jacqueline Wilson books. Her wedding was beautiful, it was insanely busy but I loved it. I'm posting a little collage of photographs I took the wedding period over on my Instagram.
And then in the midst of that I've been doing all the boring University stuff like finances and bank accounts. All the stuff that adults usually do but since I'm now legally an adult it's my turn to take over which is very very sad. I start uni in about 3 weeks and I'm so excited but also 100% ready to poop my pants. I'm going to start doing a lot of student based posts very soon so make sure you stay tuned for that!
Lastly, for the past two weeks or so me, my mum and brother decided to take a break over in London after the wedding to just relax, explore and see some family. It was the perfect way to end my summer. However, my phone unexpectedly died the moment I got of the train and set my foot on overly polluted and busy grounds of London. It was quite the tragedy and I then found myself phone-less and disconnected from the online world for nearly 2 weeks. My phone was on it's last legs but it's been that way for a good year and it could have not picked a worse time to die. It's so weird being in one of busiest and liveliest cities without a phone. Anyway, this meant I couldn't really update on Instagram so I took this situation and turned it into a good thing. I think sometimes social media can all get a bit too much so having this break really helped me figure out where I'm going with all this stuff and figure out a path.
I think that's a good summary of everything I wanted to update you all on. I'm sorry I've been a bit M.I.A this summer but I'll be back to normal from this post onward.
Lots of love,
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Blackpool | Zafira
Hi!
Since everyone enjoyed my Wales video so much, I thought I'd make another one with some random clips I had lying around. About a month or so ago, me and a couple of my family members headed over to Blackpool to just relax and watch the sunset. I think if you live especially in Manchester, you have this very vivid image of Blackpool because as soon as it gets a tiny bit hot, you know you would probably be going there to spend the day since it's pretty close by. When I was younger, Blackpool seemed like the coolest place ever but in more recent days, it's become a somewhat overrated and downhill place to be.
When I went to film this video, the beauty that Blackpool once had offered to me as a young child didn't appear to me straight away but something happened at sunset I was hit with all these amazing and very surprising sunlit surroundings and found that it was the perfect opportunity to film some bits.
I used the song 'The End of Love' by Florence and the Machine because it was on one of Spotify discover playlists and I'm not quite sure why but it reminded me a lot of being at the beach. I feel like it's pretty in-tune with the montage.
I hope you enjoyed it!
Lots of love,
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Wales Video FAQ | Zafira
Hi!
So if you've been following me on my social media, you'd know that a few weeks ago I made and posted a little video montage of my weekend away to Wales and ever since I've had so many questions about it so I thought I'd answer them all on here.
I've seen quite a few videos in the film and 'Super 8' style and I completely adore them. I love the grain and nostalgia feeling behind them. I wanted to replicate that with my montage of Wales because this was the very first time my entire family had gone away together and it was one of those things I know we'll look back at for the rest of our lives. It was most definitely a trip to remember. I wanted it to have that sort of home video-y feel to it but also still be something very visually appealing. I used the song 'Fear of the Water' by Syml because if you know me very well then you'd know I have this weird relation with water. I can't swim so large amounts of water are a big no no but I adore the sea and the ocean and everything that comes with it. I was listening to it on the way to Wales and it's what really spurted the idea of this video.
Okay so the most asked question is how did I get it looking like I shot on film or on a Super 8 camera? A lot of people have also asked what camera I used but my secret really is Adobe Premiere. I am a student so even affording something like Super 8 camera is ridiculous without even thinking about getting the film developed which is another huge dip in the bank so using Adobe Premiere and achieving something that looks pretty authentic was amazing. I just started off my filming with my DSLR and then imported it into Premiere, cropped it into a square shape, added a dash of grain, lowered the contrast, increased the saturation and added the film reel sound and I was good to go. You can even get away with filming with your phone and anything really, the quality of the video isn't really as important because when the overlays and grain and stuff are added on top, the overall quality lowers.
I used two videos I found on YouTube to overlay and help create a perfect and central square shape and to add effects and here they are:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZM9bcUYonY
This first one helped to create those orangey/pink hues that appeared spontaneously which is common when using film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1rCxzJnmiM
And then the second one is what I used to get the square shape. I wasn't sure on how to get the rounded corners so that's why I stuck with the square. I didn't really like the effects on this so I used as a stencil and guide of where to place each clip and then ended up only keeping the audio from this.
I watched quite a few YouTube tutorials to help which were really handy but when it comes to doing the little things like altering colours and such it's pretty much up to your personal preferance. I added a slight yellow tint to emphasize that nostalgic feel and then a handwritten title and subtitle. I got a lot of questions about that too, some people thought it was a font but it's just my crappy handwriting lol. I used a graphics tablet which is actually my little brothers but it's become very handy for me so we'll just say it's mine. I used Photoshop and started off with a black landscape A4 sized document and wrote in yellow. I used a black background because when you usually insert titles in Premiere the background is always black anyway.
Here's the most helpful YouTube tutorial that I found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrmmJK9QwPo
The last thing I had a loooot of questions about was where this was filmed and as you can probably tell from the title, it was filmed in Wales but more specifically in the small town on Pemaenmawr alongside Llandudno and Snowdonia. They are amazing places to photograph (click here to check out my 'Wales on Film' post) and film because it feels so calm and serene. It's so beautiful to be out in nature and be surrounded by beaches and hills and mountains which is something I tried to capture in my video.
I plan to do a lot more of these because I adore making them, it's so much fun to film and make so make sure you follow my social media to find out when and where I release my next video!
Lots of love,
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Staycation Lookbook | Zafira
Hi!
If you've been following me on Instagram you'll know that last weekend, I spent a few days in the beautiful town of Penmaenmawr in Wales with my family. I won't get too into my experience there since I'm saving that for my Wales on Film blog post which is coming very soon!
I don't know whether it's global warming or what but the weather we've had in the UK has been beyond sweltering. It's amazing and when we went our extended little weekend away the weather was still pretty hot, it literally felt as if we were abroad.
Since I was only in Wales for a couple of days, I tried not to pack too much because I knew that 50% of my time would be at the beach and the other 50% would be climbing and walking and hiking mountains so I wanted to pack some very versatile and comfy outfits perfect for our activity filled days.
OUTFIT NO.1
For the beach, I found that a flowy dress with something like this white thrifted jumper or even an oversized jacket or cardigan on top worked best for me. We usually spent time at the beach in the mornings or late evenings to watch the sunset so it was still a bit windy. For this outfit, I'm wearing a white knitted jumper over a navy blue stripey dress which just happens to be the best purchase I've ever made. I wore my hat that I've been wearing all year to just top it off and shade my face.
Jumper - Thrifted You can buy a similar one here: http://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0650714001.html
Dress - Mango I got this quite a while ago and unfortunately it isn't available anymore but here are some very similar ones:
https://www.shein.co.uk/Button-Keyhole-Back-Self-Belt-Vertical-Striped-Dress
Hat- New Look
OUTFIT NO.2
This is the sort of thing I'd wear if I knew we'd be walking a lot. It's quite casual but no one is really going to be judging what you're wearing when you're 1000 metres up in the air. I tried to stick to things I knew I'd be comfortable in for a long period of time. I stuck to a pair of loose jeans with a short sleeved t-shirt or something loose or baggy on top like an oversized shirt with my pink jacket if needed and my Vans.
Jacket - Miss Selfridge This is unfortunately no longer available but here is one that's pretty much identical: https://www.missguided.co.uk/pink-oversized-denim-jacket
Short Sleeved Sweater Top - Pop Boutique This is no longer in store but they have the same style but with a variety of patterns, have a browse here: https://www.pop-boutique.com/ladies-vintage-clothing/vintage-knitwear.html
OUTFIT NO.3
For my last outfit worn in Wales, I went with something a bit dressier. I turned 18 on our little weekend away so I wanted to dress up a bit. I went with this tassel-y dress which I complete adore. The material is thin so it's perfect for hot days and it has big flowy sleeves which are good too. I actually got this from my auntie's shop in Ashton called Resham Collection where she sells a lot of Asian clothing but when I went in a few weeks ago this instantly caught my eye. It looks like something that would be sold at Zara so obviously I had to buy it. I paired this with some tassel earrings and my Vans since we were out walking around Wales and they are the most comfortable shoes I own.
Earrings - Primark (available in-store)
Sunglasses - Primark (available in-store)
Dress - Resham Collection (available in-store)
Trainers - Vans
I'll be posting more about my staycation very soon!
Lots of love,
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Changes | Zafira
Hi!
It feels like forever since the last time I blogged but I'm back and better than ever!
A couple of days ago, I finished college. It's crazy that these past two years have flown past. I can't even fathom how quickly time has gone by. There were times where days felt like years, especially over the past couple of months with exams but to think I start Uni in September is insane.
I have to say in all my years in education, college has most definitely been the best and worst two years of life. I had never been under so much pressure or stress to complete deadlines and work but alongside all of this, I developed as a person and found myself coming more and more out of my shell.
And that's all down to everyone I've met or became friends with at college. When starting, you don't realise how many new people you will meet. I think I got put into so many classes where people didn't come from my high school so I had no choice but to make new friends and I'm so glad that I did. I love that I had this opportunity to meet so many different people with so many different personalities and characteristics which has not only helped me embrace who I am but helped me make friends that I know I'll be friends with for many years to come.
I'd love to say I loved every moment of college but I didn't. There were so many moments where I felt as if it all got too much and I just didn't want to be there anymore and I think this is something that everyone at college can relate with. Sometimes the amount of pressure put on you is unmanageable but I'm glad that I stayed throughout the course of two years. I found that this helped so much with building my tolerance for stress and most importantly, patience with myself.
And now it's all over. Two years of memories and chaos all built up to two weeks straight of exams and now I'm done and I've become a free woman. I'm more than ready to see what the future holds. I think change has always been perceived as something uncomfortable and scary and yes it is those things. But I think change is mostly good, without it everyone would be so bored of their lives. I know I definitely would be. I can't wait to see what Uni has to offer and what sort of person I grow in to.
To anyone who is reading this from college, thank you for making the last two years very very very liveable, exciting and just overall amazing.
Lots of love,
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London on Film | Zafira
Hi!
If you read my previous post, you'd know that I spent a week in London and it was so great. It was nice to have a week away from the chaos and craziness of college life and just take time to spend with my family. I didn't really get to out and explore as the main reason we were there was for wedding shopping but I managed to sneak away for a day and these are the film photographs that I took, enjoy!
I like to organise my photographs into categories when doing these posts but these two don't really fit into any because I took them on a different day.
Like I said earlier, the whole purpose of our family London trip was to shop and shop we did. We bought so much stuff and it was such a long process but most of the shopping is done and I can't wait for the wedding.
I can't remember where I took this but the sunlight is what really caught my eye, it just created such a calm and serene environment in a busy city like London.
The Tate Modern is quite a peculiar place but I love it nonetheless. It's definitely for the more artsy fartsy people but it's still such a cool place to walk around.
The two photographs above were actually taken in a pitch black room. In order to see the work on the walls you had to use flash which is usually not allowed. It was such a beautiful and moving collection of photographs.
Covent Garden is one of those days you'd go when it's sunny and warm. Thankfully, the day I went, the weather was so good even though the Beast from the East 3 had hit a couple of days before.
There's so many pretty flowers in Covent Garden and if the Sun decides to be your friend you can get some super cute shots.
The British Museum is just built in the most beautiful way possible. The outside looks quite historic and old but on the inside, it has the most stunning minimal yet breath taking interior. It's all white and when the sun shines through, it just creates such an amazing atmosphere.
I was running pretty low on film so I didn't get to get as many shots I initially wanted to but I completely adore these Greek sculptures.
I'll be posting these photographs plus a lot more over on my Instagram!
Lots of love,
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Exploring London: Tate Modern, The British Museum & Covent Garden | Zafira
Hey!
It's been quite a while since I've been to London but I was there for the first week of my Easter holidays. The main reason I was there was to shop for my cousin's wedding in the summer which literally took an entire 3 days. Don't even ask it was a very very very long process but just know me and my family will be looking quite cute on her wedding day if I don't say so myself. Anyway, my week was filled with not only shopping but visiting family I hadn't seen for a while which took up the majority of my time there but eventually, I had a day spare and spent it doing what I love most which is wandering the streets and taking photographs. A lot of the photographs will be used in my last ever photography project at college based on the structure and composition of everyday life which is why the majority of my photographs look like I've spent the entire day stalking people.
My little day adventure began at the Tate Modern. I think every hipster/indie/tumblr child has been here but I've always put it off until now. It's cool but weird at the same time. Contemporary art is a strange thing but it's always fun to see what unique things people have created.
From the outside, it doesn't look like a very modern building but inside it's pretty amazing. This particular part drew me in because of the bright coloured text and windows opposite each other. It's a cute corner.
Here's some close ups of what the text says, they're a quite cynical but the quote "Panic drives human herds over cliffs" on the yellow square is my favourite bit.
I don't know what it is but I frickin' love neon lights. I've been contemplating getting a neon flamingo light for my bedroom but they're just waaay too expensive for me at the minute. These two particular pieces are by Bruce Nauman.
I love it when photographs are organised like this.
When I did Fine Art in my first year of college, this famous urinal by Marcel Duhamp was bought up when we were studying what art actually is. It was really cool seeing it in real life.
This was really adorable because they're just staring at an older version of themselves.
For this piece they had several screens and each screen was a different argument for a question that went along the lines of "If you post your art work online does it still belong to you?" It was so fascinating reading the different viewpoints.
It was also really exciting looking at Martin Parr's work as he is one of the photographers who I had used for inspiration for my final photography project at college. I love this sort of stuff.
It's really interesting watching how people react to art. Especially at places like the Tate Modern where the art is so different and unique.
I'd love to give you some context about these last two images but I honestly cannot remember what the story was behind them but they me remind of Neanderthal/monkey-esque creatures.
The next place on my list was the British Museum. I never even knew this existed but I was extremely glad that I went. The building itself is so beautiful inside and out and if I had a lot of time to explore, I could most likely spend an entire lifetime in there.
Look at this beauty.
I have quite an admiration for stuff like the globe and golden details on the clock on the two photographs above. I think they're insanely pretty and I'd fill my entire house with stuff like it if I could.
Whenever I look at a vase like this I always think of the opening scene of Hercules.
When you have your exams 4 weeks and you still haven't revised a single thing.
When you try and act casual when you see your bae.
I actually adore these Greek sculptures, I really wish someone would make one of me.
The boys.
How cute does this father and son look in the sunlight?
I have so many photographs of the British Museum building but they're on my rolls of film that haven't been developed yet (keep your eyes peeled over on my Instagram to see when I post 'London on Film').
The last place I ventured to was Covent Garden which is the perfect place to go on a sunny day. Thankfully, I was blessed with amazing weather when I went last week and I'd definitely be going back there a lot more. It's such a nice place to go with friends and family. It's filled with little market stalls but also a huge variation of shops to fit your every need.
I tripped and almost fell before I took this. I just thought you should know.
There's so many cool acts going on around Covent Garden to keep everyone entertained.
I 100% will be having my lunch here some day.
I'll be posting these photographs plus a lot more over on my Instagram!
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Summer on Film | Zafira
Hi!
So I've decided to start a new series on here. I'm going to start doing a blog post about whatever month it is but shot in film. I hope it gets me experimenting with film a lot more and also one thing I really love doing is talking about my photographs and why I took them which is why this series is pretty much perfect. I love love film. I can't even get over how much I adore shooting on it. I'm always trying to find new and fun ways to document my life and so far, using film has been my absolute fave. I just love how it looks and shooting on it is so so so much more fun that digital. It's exiciting, you don't know what the outcome is going to be.
The first post in this series are some shots I took over summer, I honestly didn't get out much. I spent a lot of time travelling to see family but I was either indoors or in a car most of the time or just at home lazing around.
Here are some of my favourites from over this summer!
Like I mentioned earlier, I want to document my life and I feel like I've currently hit my peak teen years, next year I'm going to be an adult which I don't even wanna talk about. But here's the door to my room which makes me feel so young and childish and I love it.
I own a troll that looks like a roadman. I don't really know why I bought this but it's sat on a shelf in my room looking quite cute.
I remember I took this when the weather because extremely bipolar and it was raining cats and dogs once minute and the next it was so sunny. You can see the grey clouds clearing in the top of the picture. I love taking pictures of the sky.
Just the view outside my bedroom window.
I wanted to take a picture of the moon but obviously considering it was the middle of the night and it was pitch black, the picture didn't come out as great as I had visioned it too but it still looks semi cool.
Here's my cat that isn't actually my cat. I think it belongs to our neighbour but it seems to love me a lot.
Here's my cousin looking pretty cute, I spent a lot of time with family this summer and it was really nice.
A cute tiny little vase thing with flowers in with pink water because my obsession with pink has honestly hit a new level of extreme where I'm basically killing all my plants with this pink water that consists of paint.
I also bought a hat (from New Look) and this shirt (from Zara, also in my prev blog post) which I wore like everyday. It's a cute combo.
I also took this on digital which you can see over on my Instagram, links to everything will be at the end of this post.
Of course there was some pictures of the lovely Hannah on my camera as always. She's my go to model and I had to take some images for my photography project for college. These film ones are quite blurry because I didn't use lighting and I didn't really want that artificial look to them. But, I really like the different tones and hues in these and I don't mind the blurryness at all. These were all inspired by the photographer
.
Here's a behind the scenes of the star face shot, this is my fave image I've ever taken.
Also for my college photography project, I had to choose another phtotographer and create images inspired by them. So I chose
and here's a behind the scenes. If you check out my Instagram, you can see one of the final versions from this set! Links to all my social media will be at the end of this post.
It was Eid on September 1st and here's me looking overly happy in my Eid outift.
I took this the day before college started, pretty sure I was procrastinating and avoiding all the work I had to do.
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Back to School/College Outfit Ideas | Zafira
Hello!
Welcome to or welcome back to my blog! It's unfortunately September and me and other students are finding ourselves back in a familiar ditch in the ground called school, college or maybe even university. It's honestly a very sad time of year for me anyway. I remember that this time last year I was starting my first year at college which is crazy since this is my last year and this time next year, I'll be at Uni trying to find my way in life (hopefully). One thing I struggled with a lot with starting college was what to wear. In the UK, most schools have uniform so I never really had the chance to explore my own style or even get to wear my own clothes as often as I wanted. But then college started and I found myself struggling for what to wear. I didn't know whether my outfit choices were too extravagant or too lazy for college but a few months in, I finally found my own style and found some college appropriate outfits that I was comfortable.
This blog post is for those of you who are stuck in a bit of rut and aren't really sure what to wear. I hope it helps!
It's hard to find a place to start in your college wardrobe but the best place to start was with plain/printed t shirts and polo necks. These polo necks have been a life saver especially as this September, it's definitely a lot chillier here in the UK. They're a really easy outfit choice as all you would need to do is throw them on with a pair of jeans and you're good to go. These two polo necks are from Pop Boutique.
These particular two aren't available at the minute but there is one available in black and green:
https://www.pop-boutique.com/jersey-polo-neck-black-and-green.html
Shirts like this are also a good way to go as they help make you look put together if you aren't which is why I love them. You look a bit more sophisticated and ready to work and this floral printed one from Zara is so comfy and is super pretty. I would usually wear this with some high waisted jeans and a nice thick belt.
This also is not available in store but here are some that are very similar:
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/tops/blouses/printed-pyjama-blouse-c763513p5087041.html
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/tops/blouses/floral-print-blouse-c763513p4853137.html
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/tops/blouses/floral-print-blouse-c763513p4850035.html
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/trending-now/floral-print-crepe-blouse-c773004p5076564.html
Shirt dresses like this are a life saver. They're so effortless and look really good all year round. I got this one form Zara in a size bigger than usual so it was a bit more slouchy. I love this since it has pockets too and honestly feels like I'm in the most comfortable cute looking potato sack. I'd usually pair this with a pair of leggings.
This is only available in red at the minute:
As it gets a bit chillier, I like to start incorporating a couple of knitted or thicker pieces into my college wardrobe. This plain black knit dress from Zara is like wearing a blanket. It's one of my most favourite pieces in my wardrobe at the minute.
Seems like everything on here isn't available lol but here's some pretty similar dupes:
http://www.asos.com/warehouse/warehouse-knitted-t-shirt-dress
If you like dressing up which I do like to do occasionally, then dresses (this is actually a playsuit but is pretty much like a dress) are such an amazing investment. It helps you feel a lot more free and comfy throughout the long college days.
Similar stuff to this:
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/dresses/view-all/embroidered-dress-c733885p4891004.html
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/trf/dresses/mini/embroidered-dotted-mesh-dress-c965504p5083529.html
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/trending-now/embroidered-dotted-mesh-dress-c773004p4807524.html
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/trending-now/embroidered-dotted-mesh-dress-c773004p4838046.html
Culottes are really in right now and so much more comfy than wearing jeans. I find them a lot more loose fitting and breathable in a way. You can find them in a variation of designs and styles it's basically endless. I love wearing culottes so much. They're also really easy to wear, I usually wear mine with plain white t shirts most of the time. This striped pair are from Zara much like 99% of my wardrobe.
These are available! :
https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/trousers/view-all/trousers-with-belt-c733898p4908569.html
A jacket is a necessity, even though it's not freezing right now, it's definitely a lot colder and especially at college you'll find yourself moving between buildings for different lessons. This is my much loved pink jacket that I'm wearing 24/7. I've had it for almost a year now and I bought it from Miss Selfridge and it's the best purchase I've ever made. It's perfect for this transition time of year where it's still a bit warm but also can get a bit chilly.
I bought this too long ago for it to be still available but some similar ones are available:
https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/en-gb/shop/bdg-pink-oversized-denim-jacket
When I started college, I had no idea that I would be walking so much on a day to day basis. You want a pair of shoes or boots that are sturdy and comfortable and also really cute. These are my Dr Marten Flora boots which are basically like Chelsea boots but a bit more chunkier. I love them. I wear them all the time and are the best investment I've ever made. I bought these almost a year ago and I can definitely see myself wearing these for at least a couple more years.
You can buy these here:
I also really like my Vans. Not to sound like a complete cliché but I actually bought these before the entire college started wearing them and I love them. They feel so so so good on my feet and match all my outfits which is always something I'm looking out for when I'm buying any footwear.
You can buy these babies here:
https://www.vans.co.uk/shop/en-gb/vans-gb/old-skool-shoes-d3hy28#
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Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette Review, Swatches + Looks! | Zafira
Hi!
For my birthday, I was kindly gifted the Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette from my cousin and since then, I've pretty much been using it everyday which is why I thought I that I would share it on here! I've never been an eyeshadow kind of girl, I usually just put a bit of bronzer or my contour shade on my eyelid and blend it out but once I started playing around with this palette, I fell in love instantly.
From what I've learnt in the makeup world (which honestly is not a lot) is that Zoeva is mostly really popular due to their brushes which I haven't tried but from the using this palette and seeing how good quality it is, maybe I will have to give them a go.
The packaging is super cute, but the one thing that stood out the most was how thin and lightweight it was. It's not bulky whatsoever which makes it perfect for travelling and on the go. There's no mirror which is kind of annoying but the eyeshadows definitely make up for that.
The product contains 10 shades which are:
Bitter Start - Palest matte nude.
Sweeter End - Shimmering duo chrome nougat.
Warm Notes - Glittering cranberry purple.
Subtle Blend - Metallic deep bronze.
Beans Are White - Deep cocoa brown matte.
Pure Ganache - Pure and luxurious metallic gold.
Substitute For Love - Toffee brown with subtle shimmer.
Freshly Toasted - Rich mahogany brown.
Infusion - Matte dark brown infused with golden glitter.
Delicate Acidity - Berry toned brown shimmer.
I think these are all quite versatile colours and can be used either day or night and for any occasion. My personal faves are Freshly Toasted and Infusion. All these colours are pretty warm toned and would look amazing on any skin colour. On the website the palette is described to be inspired by '
warm truffle colours, delicate nougat shades and shimmery marizinpan tones for a seductive glamour look
' which is very evident in the range of shades,
The colours are pretty pigmented especially for the price but nothing crazy which makes them really effortless to blend. They aren't chalky at all and swatch and apply very very very smoothly. They have no fall out whatsoever which is amazing and is the perfect affordable high quality palette!
Just look at how beautiful that pink looks! As you can tell, I've been trying out this palette and I'm pretty much in love with it.
'Pure Ganache' is another one of my favourite colours, it's such a pigmented and lovely gold shade.
The two shades I use the most are definitely 'Subsitute for Love' and 'Freshly toasted with the tiniest bit of 'Pure Ganache' in the inner corners but most of the time I usually use a bit of my Mary Lou Manizer in the inner corners also for a less intense look. A warm orangey/brown eye has been in since Autumn and I still see so many people with this look and the Zoeva Cocoa Blend palette is a great way to achieve it! I've pretty much been wearing this look everyday since my birthday. It's the perfect everyday eye.
Another look I've been adoring and wearing especially when there's a special occasion or event is using 'Freshly Toasted' in the crease and 'Pure Ganache' all over the lid as well as the tiniest bit of 'Subtle Blend' on the outer corner of the eye just to darken the gold shade. Throw on a bit of eyeliner and some mascara, maybe even some falsies if you're in the mood and it's the easiest look for any special occasion.
This is a look that I've been dying to wear but I've just not had the occasion or the chance to but it's so so so pretty, look at that pink! The shades I used for this look were a mixture of 'Substitute for Love' and 'Freshly Toasted' in the crease and then I packed 'Warm Notes' all over lid. It looks really cute and fun and girly and the pigmentation is amazing.
Overall, I'm blown away my this palette and I can't wait to start trying out a lot more Zoeva prodcuts, I'm thoroughly impressed!
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Exploring Manchester: Cat Cafe | Zafira
Helloo and welcome to today's post!
I've lived in Manchester my entire life but I've never really had the chance to explore it so I thought, as I explore more of Manchester, I'll document it and write about it on here!
Today, me and friend Britt finally decided to go to the Cat Cafe. Since she loves cat and I have no idea how I feel about them we thought it would be the perfect place to visit. First thing I noticed was how friendly the staff are. I've never felt so at home and welcomed before in my entire life. We only stayed there for about half an hour which came up to the grand total of £6 which is not bad at all considering all drinks are unlimited. It's such a chill and relaxing environment, there's soft music playing in the background and the room is filled with homely furniture that adds to that overall comforting feel.
The cats are basically everywhere doing just about anything but mostly chillin'. It's so lovely to see all these cats with so many different personalities. I think one of the things I was pretty scared about was like a cat jumping onto me or attacking me or something like that just because I've not really had a lot of experience with cats. But I can assure you that nothing like that happened lol, the cats are pretty friendly and won't jump onto you but will come and walk around and near you which is pretty cute.
There's just something in the air whilst you're in there that makes you feel so happy. Me and Britt were almost in tears from happiness whilst we were in there and even after we left. It was such a pleasant experience and will most likely become sort of tradition for us. I think it's perfect for a little get together with friends, dates or just as a stress reliever. I can imagine myself sat in here a lot when exams are going on. It's such a wonderful place and I can't wait to go again!
Here's a few pictures I took today!
I should become a cat photographer.
Not a cat but she might as well be.
Heaven.
Just look how chilled out this angel is, what more could you want in life?
This is Bert, you can follow this qt on Instagram by clicking on the following link:
As you can tell from this, Britt was pretty much crying once we left the place.
Make sure you check out my Instagram for more snaps! 💮
The Wedding Series: Part 2/2 - The Mehndi, Wedding and Home Shenanigans | Zafira
Hello!
Sometime in July, I did the first part of this series and here I present to you the last. I spoke a little more about traditional Bengali weddings and how the whole process works so I won't go into too much detail here. To conclude what I said in the last post, a typical Bengali wedding has the Cinifan (engagement), the Mehndi (wedding pre-party), the actual wedding and sometimes people like to take it that one step extra and throw a Walima (an after party). It's chaotic and crazy but I love weddings. In this post, I'll show you some of the pictures of the Mehndi, the wedding and a few little bits we did with the new bride after she was welcomed into her new home. I'll explain what is going on for every picture so don't worry if you don't understand. Enjoy!
T H E M E H N D I
At a Mehndi, everyone basically takes pictures with friends, family and the groom or bride.
We boogie.
Get our henna done.
And everyone joins in, including the little ones.
We wear traditional clothing and get dressed up, not overly dressed though, we like to save that for the wedding.
There's always something yummy to eat too like these fruit thaals and those amazing desserts.
Everything is always made to look super duper pretty.
Here's a fun fact. all the little flowers that you see hanging and the ones on the wall are ALL handmade and we hung the curtain bits all by ourselves too. We're pretty handy when it comes to this sort of thing.
Here's one of my uncle dressed in traditional clothing infront of all the food that's been made for him. At the Mehndi, everyone comes and takes a seat next to him, takes a couple of pics and feeds him something.
T H E W E D D I N G
For the wedding we changed the setup a little bit and added some gold chiffon. The bride comes home with the groom at the end of the wedding and they sit here and drink milk and do some other traditional stuff.
We all get very dressed up including the groom.
All the neighbours were out watching us leave the house to the wedding venue and it was just too adorable not to capture this moment.
This is such a good idea for a guestbook! You write your little message to newly weds on the heart and slot it into the frame.
Snap snap.
This is when the bride walked onto the stage to her husband.
Both the groom side and bride side make a necklace of flowers for the couple and these are exchanged on the wedding day.
This is the best bit. There was so much cake leftover.
Aaand this is the bedroom that we decorated for them.
H O M E S H E N A N I G A N S
The next morning or what usually turns out to be afternoon, the new bride will make breakfast for everyone in the house. The breakfast food is given by the bride's family.
The bride then has to cut a fish to cook into a curry.
She grinds all the spices.
After all that she gives everyone a snack and this includes a banana and popcorn most of the time. We also played a few games with her but I can't show you those pictures since all of them have my family in them and I respect their privacy.
I'd like to say a huge congratulations to the newly weds and I wish you the best in life. I can't wait to see the whole family together again for something just as special as this ;)
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