The White Shirt Edit | Zafira
Hey!
So it’s been a little bit of a while since I’ve posted anything but I really wanted to take this whole isolation situation as an opportunity to sort out my site and so I did and here I am on this lovely new layout!
It’s also been a chance for me to figure out what sort of things I want to actually post on here and one of my favourite things to do is talk about clothes. I think the best place to start with all of that is with the basics and nothing is more basic and simple than a white shirt. A staple in not only a man’s life but a woman’s too.
I think a white shirt will always come across with some level of formality. It’s something you’d consider wearing to interviews or to work but for me, it’s become a such a necessity in my everyday wardrobe.
Here are 3 of my absolute favourite white shirts that I’ve been wearing religiously or were before we were all put in isolation (sometimes i still wear them around the house sometimes to make myself feel alive):
a good old tailored, well fitted white shirt
We have to start with one of the most versatile items in not only my wardrobe but everybody else’s too. A simple, well fitted, tailored, body hugging crisp white shirt. My shirts never look crisp mainly because I like the whole slouchy look or at least that’s what I tell people when in actual fact I just hate ironing shirts.
This is just a plain white Vivienne Westwood shirt that I was incredibly lucky to find sitting in TK Maxx one day and was one of the best purchases I could have made and was honestly quite the steal.
When it comes to styling this shirt, your options are truly endless. Here I’m wearing them with my flared jeans from the Gap for a more casual look but you could wear this shirt with any bottom combination. Whether that’s a pair of flowy culottes, a midi skirt or even a mini skirt. But my favourite thing to do with this shirt has to be pairing it with dresses or jumpsuits as an undershirt. Anything with a spaghetti strap is your best friend because you can easily throw on a shirt under it for a more put together look.
One thing I’ve figured out whilst owning this beauty is that the key with making a shirt look more casual or formal has to do with how many buttons you do up. The more buttons you do up, the more formal you’ll look and vice versa. So for a smarter look I’ll usually stick with one button undone like I’ve done in the photographs, but for a more casual look I’ll undo a few more and throw on a black vest underneath.
You buy this here but I definitely recommend having a wander around TK Maxx when the world’s back to normal to save yourself like a £150.
2. a white organza puffy shirt
When I bought this I had no intention of wearing as much as I do. This shirt is more of on over-shirt/jacket sort of situation which I feel like is such an important addition to one’s wardrobe.
A shirt like this is the perfect way to dress up literally anything. In these photographs I have it over a basic velvet green jumpsuit and it’s instantly turned something plain and casual into an outfit that looks like I’ve put a lot of effort into. I love doing a little tie knot with this shirt because I got in a size bigger than my usual so I could get extra puffiness in my sleeves and have a looser fit too.
I love wearing this dress over plain white cotton dresses in the spring/summer and then over a turtleneck or sleeveless sweater in the winter. It’s definitely something in my wardrobe I can make work all year around.
You can buy this here.
3. a shirt with bigger sleeves than the last and just generally oversized
I don’t know how anyone can claim they have a semi decent wardrobe without at least one or two oversized white shirts you’ve most likely stolen from your dad’s wardrobe. This shirt kind of has that vibe which is what drew me to it but with a touch of femininity making it probably one of the best things you could ever buy.
I think this just might be the most worn thing in my entire wardrobe. The versatility of this shirt is insane. Insanely good.
It’s got that whole big sleeve situation going on which I am smitten with and on top of all that, it’s cropped which I’ve slowly become to love in not only shirts but in tops in general. One thing I hate when it comes to loose or oversized shirts is when you tuck them into your pants and they bunch up weirdly. It frustrates me in ways in cannot put into words but a with a cropped shirt like this, I will never have to suffer with that ever again.
I wear this in so many different ways. I wear it a lot with jeans because it’s just so so so easy to style. It’s become my go to ‘I’m late because I spent too long thinking about what I wanna wear’ outfit because of this.
I’m also a big fan of wearing it as overshirt/jacket like my organza shirt over dresses and jumpsuits and it always looks so effortlessly chic.
This sadly is pretty old and not available anymore but here’s a similar alternative.
Thanks for reading,
The Quarantine Film List: Week 2 | Zafira
Hey, I hope you’re all well!
So as promised, I’m back this week with another round of some amazing films to watch whilst in quarantine. I’ve tried to mix it up a bit more and put a wide range of films in here and I’ve quite badly attempted to illustrate my own version of the film posters so I hope you enjoy those (pls enjoy them i spent too long doing them).
1. American Beauty
I feel like a few people won’t be happy that I’ve put this here considering Kevin Spacey is quite the disgusting person however, his character meets a bit of an unfortunate but well deserved ending in this so in my eyes, I feel like it’s justified a little.
A timeless classic, that’s what American Beauty is. I know that one day I’ll be old and grey and still feel like watching this. It’s about Lester, a middle aged man who has a bit of mid life crisis. He hates his wife, has a daughter he barely knows and hates his job. He ends up becoming infatuated with his teenage daughter’s best friend which causes Lester to completely change his life.
I think you have to at least watch this film once in your life. It’s definitely an experience and will make you think plastic carrier bags are pretty.
2. the killing of a sacred deer
Starring the lovely Nicole Kidman and Collin Farrell, The Killing of Sacred Deer fits into that whole weird psychological horror/thriller genre like Midsommar and Hereditary. It’s one of those films that makes you feel not scared but incredibly uncomfortable afterwards.
Steven, a successful surgeon with a perfect life and family, takes a 16 year old boy named Martin under his wing after his father dies on his operating table. They form a bond and Martin is treated almost like Steven’s adopted son. However, as their bond grows, Martin’s malicious intent becomes clear as he seeks a very messed up sense of justice by punishing Steven and his family. He believes a ‘pure soul’ must be sacrificed in order to set some sort of balance.
Visually, this is stunning. Each frame feels so clean and well structured. It’s easy on the eyes.
3. penelope
I remember the first time I had watched this was during wet play in primary school and even then at like 8 years old, I knew this would be a film I’d think about for the rest of my life.
Christina Ricci stars as a aristocratic heiress named Penelope who was born affected by the Wilhern spell which was put on her family many years ago and gives her the misfortune of being born with the nose of a pig. The only way to break the spell is quite unique and unbelievable. It’s … true love.
Her family bring countless suitors to the house since she’s hidden away at her family’s estate at their attempt to try and break the spell. A tabloid reporter however is eager to get a photograph of the mysterious Penelope and enlists the help of Max (played by the dreamy James McAvoy) who poses as a prospective suitor and ends up slowly falling in love with her.
It’s a great early 00’s rom com. One of the best in my opinion.
4. Queen
After going to Asian wedding event to Asian wedding event, there’s one song that’s always playing at a Mehndi and that is London Thumakda. A few months ago, I saw that this was on Netflix so I ended up watching it and was quite thoroughly surprised at how much I liked it.
Rani, a girl from Dehli is about to marry who she thinks is the perfect man, Vijay. It’s beautiful watching the scenes leading up to her wedding day, seeing her family so happy, seeing all the traditional wedding stuff play out and it’s so colourful and pretty. This all changes when Vijay calls the wedding off the day before leaving her heart broken.
Rani decides to venture out and go on their honeymoon alone to Paris where she makes new friends, meets new people, tries out new experiences and most importantly, discovers herself.
This is so different than most Bollywood movies that I’ve seen, it’s really refreshing actually and I loved every moment of this film.
5. Perfect Blue
Now we’re all suffering from a bit of headache from being inside too long and Perfect Blue will extenuate that headache and leave you feeling quite confused. But in a good way of course. I don’t think even after watching this a handful of times, I’m still exactly sure what happened in this.
I haven’t ventured into the world of anime at all but from what I’ve heard, Satoshi Kon (director of Perfect Blue) is wonderful. So wonderful in fact that his films have inspired films such as Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan. These are both films that are so so so amazing.
Perfect Blue is about a retired pop singer who decides to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. Her sense of reality however becomes a little disturbing when a fan from her past begins stalking her and Mima finds it difficult to separate what is real and what isn’t.
This is animated beautifully, every little detail is done perfectly whether that’s little objects in Mima’s room or what she’s wearing.
6. Frank
I actually watched this a few days ago and shared this on my Instagram stories because I absolutely loved this.
Jon, a young man who is an aspiring musician with a bit of boring life, decides to take the plunge and join an eccentric pop band led by Frank. Frank is a very mysterious and strange man who always wears this freakish fake head that he never takes off (as illustrated above).
I think this film is a bit of everything. It explores mental illness but at the same time, it’s also a very bittersweet comedy about friendship and identity. It’s one of the most unpredictable films you could ever watch. Everything I anticipated didn’t happen, the film had a life of its own.
I also love all the songs they sing in this, as strange as they are, they’re pretty good.
7. the darjeeling limited
I had to try and restrain myself from filling these lists with Wes Anderson films because I adore them so much but the Darjeeling Limited is something I think everyone will truly like.
Three brothers come together after a year of not seeing or speaking to each other since their father’s funeral decide to set off on a train voyage across Indian to try and reconnect with each other.
All three of them of so different, one of them is obnoxiously wealthy, the other is heartbroken over a break up (watch Hotel Chevalier please this is who it’s about and most importantly Natalie Portman is in it!) and the last, who enjoys taking things from his family without asking and is about to become a father.
It’s a story about family and grief, it’s hilarious and obviously, aesthetically the most beautiful thing I’ll see. Even the train itself is set up in the most visually stunning way and hello? They’re in India. The most colourful and wonderful place you could possibly be.
8. i lost my body
This felt like what I can only describe as a fever dream. It was so weird and dark and just so incredibly sad but with hints of upliftingness?
The story focuses on the character Naoufel, or rather Naoufel’s hand who is roaming the streets of Paris trying to find the rest of it’s body and we through Naoufel’s memories slowly unravel how his hand became severed from it’s body. It’s about self exploration but it’s also about love and life and death. It’s a strange watch but a good watch.
I hope you enjoyed this second round of films! I’ll post my third series sometime next week so make sure you follow me on my socials to know when that’s up.
Thanks for reading,
The Quarantine Film List: Week 1 | Zafira
Hi,
So, a lot of things have changed since I last posted. It feels like the world has completely flipped and it’s been a roller coaster of a month trying to adjust to all these changes. I hope we’re all staying inside, keeping not only ourselves safe and healthy but others too.
On the brighter side, a lot of us have plenty of spare time on our hands now and I’ve spending mine finally getting through my big fat hefty film list. I thought what better way to stay occupied than with some great cinematic masterpieces so every week for the next month or so, I’ll be sharing a few of my personal fave films with you!
Her
I feel like I’ve already talked about this so much on here and you’re all probably bored of me talking about this but I literally could not care because this film is so embedded into my life, my DNA and a good 30% of my entire personality at this point.
This is the perfect film for this current state of everyone’s life because it screams loneliness. Like the entire 126 minutes will make you feel so alone but in the most aesthetically pleasing and well -written way.
Her focuses on the character of Theodore who’s in a not so distant weird future and as you can guess, is very lonely. He gets his hands on a new operating system that’s pretty similar to Siri but so much more lifelike and human and they fall in love. It’s very bittersweet and every frame in the film is done so beautifully.
Also Joaquin Phoenix is this is actually the prettiest human of all time.
2. A Death in the Gunj
I haven’t really ventured out in the South Asian world of films yet but I found this gem on Prime a few months back because my dad was actually watching it. He’ll watch anything on Prime but this is the first Indian movie I’ve watched that falls into the whole weird eerie indie thriller genre. It feels incredibly Western compared to a lot of Indian films that I’m used to.
A Death in the Gunj is about a young man called Shutu, a failing student who is on a family trip away. The entire film focuses mainly on him. He’s a really lonely and grief stricken character (i promise all the films in this list won’t make you feel like you’re going to die alone) and as the film progresses, Shutu learns what’s accepted in society, his family and questions his place in the world. I think it’s such a realistic and blunt take on the whole ‘coming of age’ genre of films.
I read in a review somewhere that this film echos “emotional violence” and the way “society inflicts it upon others and causes destruction” and the film illustrates this so well.
It’s set in 70s in a place called McCluskieganj, Bihar which is a small hilly town in India that was once known for it’s vast Anglo-Indian population. The scenery really brings out the overall theme of loneliness but it’s also just so incredibly stunning.
I also read this amazing review on IMDB that sounds like it’s excerpt of the greatest novel of all time that summarises this film the best way possible.
3. The Emperors New Groove
Amazing. Stunning. A classic piece of cinematic gloriousness honestly.
This is top tier Disney stuff. Like forget Frozen or Moana (ok this was actually pretty good), this is what we 90/00s kids thrived off back in the day and what essentially shaped us into the people that we are today.
If you haven’t already seen this then please get a move on and do so. The Emperors New Groove is about Kuzco, a self centred, bratty Emperor who is mean and cruel to everyone. His adviser Yzma, our long eye lashed evil wannabe queen, attempts to try and kill him off but in the process, her and her dummy but oh so hilarious side kick, Kronk, end up turning the Emperor into a llama.
I’m sorry but if that doesn’t immediately take you off my website and onto watching this then there’s something totally wrong with you.
This was easily one of the best things Disney has ever done.
4. Before Sunrise
When I think about love and what it is, I always think of this film.
Staring everyone’s heartthrob Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply, our 90s French crush, Before Sunrise is possibly the purest form of young love I think you’ll ever see. The shocking thing is that this is all set in the space of the day and accumulates more love than most of us will get in a lifetime.
Jesse, an American on his way to Vienna meets Celine who is a student returning to Paris. They end up talking and Jesse convinces Celine to get off the train in Vienna with him where they spend the rest of their day wandering the heavenly city of Vienna before Jesse has to fly back home to the US.
It’s probably one of the most romantic films you’ll ever watch. Everything from their subtle glances at each other to the way their conversations feel so effortless and authentic will make your heart skip a beat.
You’ll be very glad to know there’s trilogy of the whole ‘Before’ films. So when you’re done with this one you can watch Before Sunset and Before Midnight which should keep you occupied and all loved up for half a day.
5. The Silences of the Palace
I can’t exactly remember how I found this film but I do remember vividly seeing screen grabs somewhere of some scenes and was immediately sold.
Alia, a 25 year old singer, returns to her childhood home which is a palace where her mother Khedjia worked as not only a house servant but a mistress of Prince Sid’ Ali. Sid’ Ali’s death brings her back and as she goes to pay her respects, she roams through the palace remembering her childhood. Her childhood was riddled with sexism, exploitation and spent questioning her father’s identity as well as the French conquest of Tunisia going on in the background.
It’s definitely not an easy watch but it covers a lot of issues still relevant to this day.
6. The Lobster
This entire film was completely ???
This was so weird. Good weird. It’s set in the strangest dystopian future where by law, it’s compulsory to have a romantic partner. Singles are taken to this place literally called The Hotel where they have 45 days to either find themselves a partner or be turned into an animal and set off into the woods.
Despite making me feel a little uncomfortable, I loved every minute of this. It has Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz who surprisingly work together better than butter on toast.
It’s got a lot of dark humour which personally I love accompanied by so much awkward silence and just general awkwardness. It’s great.
7. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
I had no choice but to throw a cringey Bollywood hit in here. The best thing about this is not only was it made in the 90s but it features everyone’s favourite duo, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
Simran who by the way has a * chef’s kiss * sense of style all throughout this, persuades her father to let her go on a one month inter-rail holiday all over Europe where she ends up meeting the one and only Raj. Now Raj is a complete douche but as the days pass, their love blossoms and when Simran goes back to India for her arranged marriage, Raj decides to go after her and win her back.
It’s like your typical Bollywood film story line but it’s so good and is one of my all time favourites.
8. The Florida Project
I don’t think I’ll ever watch anything that will capture the true essence of being a carefree kid more than this film.
Set in a rundown garish pink motel filled with people who can’t afford proper homes, the Florida Project focuses on the life of a 6 year old called Moonee who is the most mischievous and wild kid you’ll ever see. The whole film is pretty much about her and her life with her mum Halley and her little group of friends who get up to no good in and around the motel.
It’s aesthetically one of the prettiest films I’ve watched. The entire thing was shot on 35mm film which as a fellow film lover, I obviously couldn’t help but adore.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this first list! I’ll post another one around the same time next week so follow me on my socials to know when that’s up.
Music of the Month: February | Zafira
Hey!
I can’t believe it’s March already. I feel like I start all my MOTMs like this but it’s crazy how fast time passes as you get older.
Ah finally, it’s spring which means here in the UK we will get some slight sunshine, a few crazy storms, some snow and maybe if we’re lucky, it’ll be over 20°C one day and it will truly feel like we’re on the road to a beautiful summer.
Music wise, this entire February has been one of my favourite months in a while since I’ve discovered some gems and fallen in love with some new releases.
You can check out my entire playlist for the month here but here are a few songs and albums that have impacted my past month in the best way possible.
CHRISTINE & THE QUEENS -LA VITA NUOVA
Like most people, the only song I had heard by Christine and the Queens was Tilted so I decided to explore her music a bit more which ended up being a massive coincidence because it was around the same time she was about to release her new album.
The first song I’d heard from La Vita Nuova was People I’ve Been Sad and I don’t think I can go a day without listening to it anymore. I think it might be my favourite song of all time. I can’t ever imagine getting bored of this. There’s also a stunning version of this that Chris performed for Colors and I listen to it so much that whenever I type YouTube into my search bar, the first link is always to this.
La Vita Nuova has some other amazing songs too. A few of my faves at the minute are Mountains (we met) and Nada. I love how slow and calming this entire album is. The entire album is about vulnerability and I think those two factors really help bring that out.
2. TAME IMPALA - THE SLOW RUSH
Like every other indie kid, I’ve been in love with Tame Impala ever since my late high school/early college days and I love how unlike many other indie bands they’ve been consistently hmm, what’s the word? Not shit?
Indie bands that fit into the Tame Impala sort of genre have the tendency to make music that somehow ends up sounding exactly the same but Tame Impala has this really unique late 70’s/slow disco-y vibes (ugh I hate that word but it fits) that I really really adore.
The Slow Rush has many great songs but some of favourites that I’v enjoyed starting and ending my day with are obviously Breathe Deeper, Posthumous Forgiveness and Borderline which may or may not have become my ideal song to sing a little too loudly in the shower. I think this album feels a little like a non-contact hug which pretty perfect for this current corona virus state.
3. GRIMES - MISS ANTHROPOCENE
I loved how February had this large release of so many new albums and one of had to be Grimes’ new album Miss Anthropocene.
Before she had released the entire album and was releasing a few singles, one of the songs that I was so obsessed with was 4ÆM which I had just recently read that this song was actually based on Bajirao Mastani. If you haven’t seen Bajirao Mastani then you most definitely should. It’s a periodic Bollywood movie which has some of the most breathtaking settings and scenery and obviously, outfits. I’m not too into Bollywood movies but I’m big fan of the periodic/pre-historic ones because the outfits in them are so over the top.
One song that felt a little un-Grimes-y was Delete Forever. A lot of Grimes’ music always has some sort of upbeat techno beat in the background whereas Delete Forever is a lot more slower and quite emotional.
Some other songs I really liked are You’ll miss me when I’m not around and Violence but everything on Miss Anthropocene is just so so good.
4. TO BELIEVE - THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA & MOSES SUMNEY
If you read last months MOTM then you’d know I’ve been really into Moses Sumney this year so when I found out he had a song with the one and only Cinematic Orchestra I was over the moon.
It’s beautiful. It’s so sad but so relaxing at the same time. It’s difficult to really put into words but Moses Sumney and the Cinematic Orchestra are the most perfect and unexpected duo.
5. Gabriel Garzón- Montano - Someone/Agüita/Bloom (Medley)
I’m a huge COLORS Studio fan and they released this medley by Gabriel a few weeks ago and I’m a huuuuge fan.
So in this COLORS show, Gabriel is accompanied by not only 3 other musicians but the prettiest pink/mauve backdrop as well as the funkiest oversized white trench coat. Aesthetically, it’s so pleasing to look at.
The medley is made up of mixture of 3 very different songs and somehow they all flow so well after the other. If anything, this shows the range of talent Gabriel has and I’m excited to see what he releases next!
Also, the best thing about COLORS is that they put most of the studio sessions on Spotify. There’s nothing more annoying than finding a song you like and it not be on Spotify.
6. KING KRULE - OMEN 3
I haven’t listened to King Krule in such a long time but when he appeared on my release radar earlier this February I was more than excited to see what he had been up to.
He has since released his latest album Man Alive! which I am yet to fully listen to but one song I just can’t get enough of on there is Omen 3.
I’ve always loved how calm and almost monotone King Krule’s voice is, I find it quite soothing. In this song however, the entire track feels this way which if you can’t tell by most of what I listen to recently, is something I quite like. It kind of puts you in a trance in someways.
HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING
???? - EDEN
Thanks for reading!
February on Film | Zafira
Hi!
I have probably one of the most exciting and adventurous ‘On Film’ posts for you today because February has been a roller coaster of a month and I’ve adored it.
It’s been a pretty amazing month and here it all is photographed on a roll (or two) of Kodak Ultramax.
We begin this month miserably living my life at uni which I don’t know how, but was extra boring this semester.
Here’s Victoria looking very happy at the Whitworth Art Gallery which if you saw last month’s ‘On Film’, then you’d know that it’s become of my favourite places to hang out.
Me, Victoria and Divine were all ‘coincidentally’ matching in our funky boiler suits one lovely Media Law & Regulation 2 hour lecture.
Then we roll around to 14th February, the day of lurrrrrve and also, the first day of London Fashion Week! It was truly one of the best things I’ve ever been to, even though most of it was spent hanging out in the rain. The man is the funky 70’s esque blazer is my fashion icon, he’s called Hassani and you can follow him here.
You can also see all my non-film fashion week pictures here.
I loved seeing all these different and unique looks, it gave me a looot of inspo for my wardrobe and also an idea of what a lot of people are into wearing.
That girl’s eyelashes were stunning and I loved her bright blue beanie!
Red for spring is well and truly in. It’s never a colour I ever think to wear because it’s quite bold but seeing people in full-on red outfits such as this lovely lady or with little hints of red has made me question the lack of it in my own wardrobe.
This outfit gives me big Twin Peaks vibes.
You can follow the guy in the two red hats (iconic) here.
Told you, red is in.
The headband gives me 80’s workout vibes and I’m living for it.
You might see this photographer in the green coat a lot in these pictures, his name is Alex Amoros who very kindly photographed me in the rain. You can see the very surprisingly pretty portrait of me over on my Instagram.
Here’s another kind man in a red hat as well as a little old me in front of Somerset House with my yellow umbrella.
I read somewhere that Somerset Home was once the home to most London Fashion Week shows so I thought I’d pay a little visit since the building is so incredibly beautiful.
These shots are a little shaky if you couldn’t tell lol since my hands were frozen due to Storm Ciara or Dennis or Jorge or whoever was blowing vast gusts of winds right in my face.
One of my favourite things to do in general but especially in London is to go to museums and art galleries. This is the National Portrait Gallery which I think I’ve been to quite a couple of times now but the building itself is so stunning.
I love seeing different types of art, especially paintings of portraits of people and the way they had been captured oh so many years ago.
I’m also quite partial to a bit of people watching in places like this lol.
I also spent this month sewing quite a bit. I successfully made this top which was the biggest pain the butt, mainly because the last time I had really used a sewing machine was during textiles in Year 9.
I’ll have to do a separate blog post featuring a few things I’ve made recently but this top is made out of a scarf for one of my older Asian dresses. I’ve loved up-cycling loads of my older clothes to make more trendy or modern pieces.
Thanks for checking this post out!
Lots of love,
I Went To London Fashion Week! (kind of) | Zafira
Hey!
So, if you’ve been keeping up with my Instagram this past week you will know that I went to London Fashion Week! Well, I didn’t exactly go. It was more of a stand outside the event spaces in the rain and hope some well dressed people go in and out so you can take some pretty pictures of their outfits kinda thing.
Even though I was stood in the rain for two days, the entire experience was so incredibly good. I loved seeing everyone all dressed up and the range of people that were there. It was definitely an experience that I’d remember forever.
I took a lot of photographs so feel free to have a little browse :)
Thanks for checking these out, I’ll be posting my film shots in my February on Film sometime in the next few days so make sure you follow me over on my socials to know when it’s up!
The Hair Accessory Edit | Zafira
Hey!
It’s 2003, my mum is getting me ready for my first day of nursery. She’s searching through my musical bright pink jewellery box and pulls out about 6 different bright coloured hair accessories to put into my fresh bowl cut trimmed by my Grandma. I look in the mirror before I leave and what do I see? Nothing but a style icon in front of me.
That’s the moment my hair accessory obsession stemmed.
Over a decade later (yikes) and my love for all things I can somehow put onto my head of thick black hair is ever growing and as big as ever. I cannot and will not leave the house with a good hair accessory.
A lot of what I’ve been wearing recently and a lot of what’s featured in this post is actually from Primark. They have a vast range of not only hair accessories but accessories in general for such an affordable price. It’s become my favourite place to shop for little bits and bobs.
Here are a handful of my favourite hair accessories:
TULLE SCRUNCHIES
A scrunchie is a timeless hair piece. They’ve been around longer than I have, probably longer than my parents have and after all this time, they’re still one of the most popular hair accessories.
On one of my many strolls through Primark, I came upon these beautiful tulle scrunchies. I love tulle so much, I think it’s quite feminine and delicate and these scrunchies are the perfect way to add those qualities to your look.
HAIR CLIPS
I have no idea how I cut down my vast collection of clips into only 2 pairs but these are probably my most worn hair accessories ever.
My first pair came in a pack of 4 from Primark and are such a simple yet necessary accessory in my day to day life. Ever since I got my hair cut a few months ago (this is still very much a sensitive topic) and got a slight fringe put in, I am always looking for ways to clip it back in a non 3 year old looking way and these are perfect. I like how subtle these are too.
My second pair I got a while ago from Monki. They’re a pair of crocodile clips with pretty diamonds on. The only reason I bought these was to actually match my earrings in the picture. They go together so well even though my earrings are from Lovisa. They add the perfect dash of bling to any look and match literally every item in my wardrobe.
HAIRBANDS
This might be my favourite section of this post…
I think a headband is one of the easiest hair accessories to style and pair with outfits and also is the best way to keep your hair out of your face without having to tie your hair up.
Headbands are very similar to scrunchies, in the sense that when you buy one, you just can’t stop.
The first blue floral headband I’ve had for nearly 10 years now. I can’t even tell you where it’s from but my favourite way to wear it is with some pretty blue eye shadow and this Ralph Lauren blouse from Topshop.
My second fave headband is from Primark and I got this in the sale for £1 and I think it might be the best £1 I’ve ever spent. I wear this at home all the time. When I’m doing a face mask, working, tidying, it’s one of those fabric ones without the actual hard band in the middle so it’s comfortable to wear. I also love using this headband to add a little something to plainer outfits too such as with a black turtleneck and jeans.
My last headband is also from Primark and I love wearing this to weddings because it goes with my Asian clothes so so so well. I wore it last summer for my uncle’s wedding and it matched my top and skirt like a dream. It’s such an easy way to glam up any look and Primark has so many headbands like this in at the moment for ridiculously cheap.
I hope this given you a bit of inspo on how to wear/style hair accessories or maybe a little push into wearing them.
Thanks for reading!
Music of the Month: January | Zafira
Hi!
Oh January, you’ve lasted an entire decade and I am very much over you.
As we venture in February, the month of lurve (and hopefully more new music), I’d like to look back on this month and share some of my favourites in the dreary month of January.
As always, you can check out my entire playlist here.
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE WRONG - BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB
I think it’s only right to begin with BBC because of their comeback after over 5 years off has been absolutely refreshing. I knew at age 14 that ”So Long, See You Tomorrow” would be one of those albums you’d listen to for a lifetime and 5 years on, I can definitely say that’s true.
It’s hard to describe what Bombay Bicycle Club’s music style is actually like because every album they have released has had a completely different vibe and sound. Everything Else Has Gone Wrong is somewhat similar to SLSYT and you hear that a lot in ‘Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)’. When they released this as a single a few months ago it got me so excited about this album because it epitomises everything that BBC are about.
Some other of my favourites on the album are ‘Racing Stripes’ and ‘People People’. Although this album is most definitely not on the same level of SLSYT, I’ve been enjoying replaying this album throughout the month of January.
Black pumas
Like many of the other amazing artists I listen to, I found Black Pumas after seeing one of their Take Away Shows on La Blogotheque’s YouTube channel.
The amount of natural talent they have is jaw droppingly good. I’ve been madly in love with their Color’s show too where they perform of one of my favourite songs by them, ‘Oct 33’. I think they sound captivating in all their live performances. ‘Fire’, ‘Black Moon Rising’ and ‘Colors’ are a few of the lovely songs I’ve been obsessed with this month.
LOVE MY WAY - PSYCHEDELIC FURS
This song will not leave my head and I’m kinda okay with it staying there forever.
A lot of you will recognise this song from the iconic dance scene in Call Me By Your Name but it is also featured in the Souvenir (pls watch). It’s so incredibly 80’s. The beat, the rhythm just everything I love it.
LOVE MY WAY - PSYCHEDELIC FURS
ME IN 20 YEARS - MOSES SUMNEY
I think Moses Sumney is one of the most soothing singers I’ve ever heard. His voice is so soft and gentle and honestly feels like a hug.
‘Me in 20 Years’ is about the end of the relationship. It’s a pretty mellow song and very very nostalgic. ‘Polly’ has similar vibes, very reminiscent of someone and then you have the last song on the single, ‘Virile’ which is vastly different than them. A very strange mix of songs but so so so good.
BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY - FERGIE
I don’t think anyone talks about how life changing the Dutchess by Fergie was.
Fergie has and always be one of my favourite people of all time. She just has this certain je ne sais quoi about her you know? She was one of the people that made the early 2000s an iconic decade to grow up in.
I’d be lying if I said January wasn’t incredibly miserable but all it took was Big Girls Don’t Cry by Fergie to switch that Debby downer mood into something more hopeful and happy.
I actually have a massive Throwback playlist on Spotify that you can check out here.
C
IRCLES - MAC MILLER
I never really listened to Mac Miller when he was alive but one of his songs came up on my recommended song bit on Spotify and ever since then, I’ve been listening to Circles on repeat daily.
Circles is such a peaceful and calming album which is why I think I’ve been listening to it daily. I love starting my day with it when I’m getting ready and then ending my day when I’m getting ready to go to bed. I couldn’t imagine a better way to send Mac Miller off than a pretty album like this one.
Some of my absolute favourites are obviously ‘Circles’ itself, ‘Once a Day’ and ‘Complicated’.
Here’s a few more songs I’m loving…
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,
The Up-Cycle Project: The Perfect Errand Bag, the V Neck Dress of My Dreams and a Furry Surprise | Zafira
Hey!
So, it’s been a while. It’s so been so long in fact that we’ve rejoiced a new year and are already somehow halfway through January. I hope you all had the loveliest start to your new year and are slowly but surely getting out of that post-holiday slump.
Anyway, I made a few New Years resolutions and shared them on a post over on Instagram and one of them was to stop shopping and make more of my own clothes.
This is definitely one of those things that are easier said than done because making your own clothes requires many skills and a whole lot of practice. However, much like photography, I can 10000% say that clothes are a passion of mine and in order to understand the process a bit more, I have to start right from the very beginning.
My mum is the most talented tailor to have ever graced this Earth. She’s made me the curtains in my room, quilts and a bunch of clothes so I’m taking a few tips and tricks from her and obviously, some handy dandy YouTube tutorials to educate myself on my new found hobby.
What is up-cycling you may ask? Up-cycling is where you take products and turn them into something else. I know that a lot of vintage/thrift stores do this such as Cow and Blue Rinse so I wanted to see for myself what sorts of things I could make out of neglected clothes.
V Neck Black Dress
I think we should probably start with my absolute favourite thing in my wardrobe right now which is this black v neck dress.
You’re either 1, too focused on my amazing top underneath to care or 2, asking why this boring old thing is my favourite out of all the contents of my wardrobe. This is top stunning, I dream about it every night and I will be wearing this every day for the rest of my life but I’m planning to do a whole other post about this top and some more stuff very soon!
So back to the dress, I think something like this is fundamental in a person’s wardrobe. Especially if you’re trying to be a bit more conscious about stopping shopping. A dress like this can be worn and styled in so many different ways. I get incredibly excited thinking about the endless possibilities.
I thought this would be a lot more difficult to make but it really wasn’t. I began by sketching out my V neck on the front and back. I did make the V a lot deeper in the back so measuring all of that and making sure it was somewhat even was a little bit of a challenge since numbers and I do not get along. I made the dress slightly shorter by decreasing material from what is now the straps of the dress and then finally hemmed all the raw edges.
You can see here that I’ve styled it with this top with big sleeves which is basically a piece of art (again, I’ll get into everything about this beauty in another post) but I would wear this with pretty much anything you can put on the top half of your body. A plain white tee, a turtleneck, a blouse, a white shirt, like I said, endless possibilities.
The perfect ‘i’m just heading out to run some errands’ bag.
Honestly, I’m not much of a bag person. I either carry my tote bag with my favourite painting of all time on which is ‘Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose’ by John Singer Sargent or my basic but ever so handy Kanken black backpack.
When it comes to bags, I’m more on the practical side versus it looking pretty on my shoulder. Two things I always carry around with me are my camera and a water bottle so I knew when making this bag, it would have to be a decent size and not miniature like a Jacquemus Le Chiquito Mini Bag.
This bag is definitely a little on the smaller side than what I’m used to but I can still fit all my essentials in here and I love coordinating this bag with my ever so famous and my all time favourite pink shoes.
I think you’ll be surprised to know that this bag was once a woven mini skirt. I picked up the skirt a while ago in TK Maxx for a solid £4.99. My goodness do I love TK Maxx.
the original skirt
I really do wish I took better before shots of the skirt but here’s a little shot from my story archives.
As you can see, it’s a fitted, woven mini skirt with fringe detailing at the bottom. I can’t really say I’m much of a mini skirt wearer but this was most definitely a very cute skirt.
I have a rule where I will get rid of anything I haven’t worn in over two months. Whether that’s donating it or selling it over on my Depop. However, I did not want to part ways with this gem and I am glad I kept it and made it into something I use all the time.
The making process was fairly simple. I didn’t have to sew as much since it was a skirt but I sewed the bottom where the fringe is, cut about an inch or so off the top to keep for the straps and added a zip.
A little something extra…
I wasn’t sure I wanted to put this in with this post since it isn’t an up cycle item but it’s just too cute to leave out.
the ‘i only made this so i would have something to nap on when i go out’ bag
I never thought true love was real until I made this.
I love anything soft, most people do but this, this is like next level soft. Imagine carrying around a chinchilla with you, this bag is exactly like that.
I got the material for this bag at my new favourite shop, Abakhan, and I knew after one slight stroke that this was the material I needed. It’s so so so nice.
I think the making process of this was great, I had a lot of fun making this one.
I used one of my totes as a guideline when cutting the material. I did decrease around half an inch to an inch because I didn’t want it the same size as tote but something a bit smaller. I also made it wider horizontally which is something I prefer in bags.
I wish I lived in a less wet city or else this would be my go to accessory every single day.
I’m so excited to be starting a new series and project, thanks for reading as always!
Lots of love,
Music of the Month: November | Zafira
Hey!
How is there only a month left of this year? I can’t even remember feeling like it ever began.
So, it’s December. It’s freezing, it’s pitch black when I wake up at awful times to go to uni and it’s also…deadline season. I’ve been a little preoccupied with my assignments for the past month or so which explains the lack of content over on here which is incredibly unfortunate because I was feeling like I was on a roll with these posts a few months ago. Anyway, I have to prioritise what’s important to me right now and that is uni sadly. But I have a few weeks off for Christmas to rejuvenate and get my life into order so expect some very cute things next year.
For now, let’s roll on with my favourite songs this November!
In the midst of political nightmare, numerous breakdowns, a bad haircut (might as well call me Noel Fielding at this point) and nothing but stress pilling on top of me as the days pass, this month has definitely been a highlight in terms of music.
You can check out my entire playlist for November here.
FKA TWIGS
FKA Twigs’ new album was the most beautiful thing to have ever happen to me this entire year. I remember hearing Cellophane for the first time a few months ago and knowing that whatever she had prepared after that would be insane. And it was. Magdalene has been angelic. Like you know when you see those ads of like honey or golden syrup being drizzled in slow motion? That’s Magdalene felt like.
In NME I read that Mirrored Heart ”vibrates with Twin Peaks-style synths” and as a Twin Peaks fan from the age of 12, it resonated with me so much. I love Twin Peaks and FKA Twigs so this was the best of both worlds. Mirrored Heart sounds like a deeper version of Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks theme song it’s so weird. I love the lyrics in this too.
I love all the songs on this album equally but Thousand Eyes definitely stood out the most and has probably been my most listened to song in November. It’s so sad. I think it’s about Robert Pattinson which is strange considering nearly a decade ago this boy, sorry this man, was a nation’s heart throb for sparkling in the sunlight. It’s so haunting but I could totally sit staring into space and listen to this song for hours upon hours on repeat.
2. HELENA DELAND
If you’ve read some of my other Music of the Months, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of this music based YouTube channel called La Blogotheque. I watched the most stunning performance by Helena Deland and have now officially become her no.1 fan. You can watch her La Blogotheque performance here.
My favourite two songs by her are Two Queries and There Are a Thousand. They are the dreamiest songs ever. Even in her live perfomance, I had never felt so zen. I love listening to these at night or even if I’ve had a little bit of stressful day (everyday).
3. SLO BIRD WHISTLE - APHEX TWIN (PEEL SESSION)
This song emanates chaotic energy and I love it. I have nothing else to say about this other than it’s so so so great.
4. JOY CROOKES
I’m ashamed and embarrassed to even admit that it took me this long to find Joy Crookes.
I’ve struggled finding artists that I like that having a similar background or ethnicity to me so for me to find Joy (like literal joy), who’s Bengali (and half irish) and who sings like a literal angel was truly like hitting the jackpot. Her voice reminds me a lot of Amy Winehouse which I honestly never expected.
Since I Left You has been on my mind ever since I listened to it a few weeks ago. It feels so raw and melancholic and she sings it so effortlessly. The music video is filmed beautifully too. Early, which is another fave of mine, has a totally different vibe. It’s so upbeat and catchy and I love Jafaris in this. I’ve recently started following her on Instagram too and her outfits and makeup looks are so cool.
5. SO HEAVY I FELL THROUGH THE EARTH - GRIMES
As weird as Grimes is, I completely adore her music.
So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth feels and sounds very futuristic. There two different versions of this, so there’s the algorithm mix which is the version I personally have been listening to and there’s also the art mix. They’re both pretty similar and both amazing and I can’t wait for her to release her new album next year.
6. JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ
I’ve been listening to José González for years now but there’s just something about this time of year that makes me go back to listening to him on repeat for weeks on end.
Heartbeats is in my opinion, is the perfect song for a winter’s morning. I don’t know whether it’s because the guitar strums in the beginning sound like the soundtrack to a snowy day or because I found this song during the winter a few years ago. I also really love Crosses. I think these are both very love-y songs and I love love love them.
HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING…
Thanks for reading! I can’t believe this will be my last Music of the Month this year, it’s flown by so fast.
Lots of love,
October on Film | Zafira
Hi!
It’s been a wild month. I’ve finally settled into uni after 4 months off. I’ve realised that I don’t really talk about uni a whole lot on here but that’s mainly because I have the biggest love/hate relationship with it (by this i mean i cry not to go but i still go in everyday). Brexit has been postponed. Zac Posen has closed his beautiful fashion label. Harry Styles released a new song. CO2 levels probably rose a bit. Like I said, it’s been a wild month.
But as always, I tried to capture this month as best as I could so here is my October on Film!
We start October off with this beauty of a dress.
Me and my cousins had a lovely day out towards the end of September and one them kindly bought me this dress from Zara and obviously, I had to wear it to Uni the next day. I love dresses in this style and cut because they are such classic pieces to have and super easy to style. This dress is also the comfiest thing ever. I spent the day running around Manchester and uni in it and it didn’t get in the way at all.
Can we also talk about how great I look in this photograph? Not to like toot my own horn or be a complete and utter narcissist but I love this picture of myself. Thank you Victoria!
Since these photographs were taken I have also accidentally accumulated this dress in black too.
On every roll there’s always an odd shot of my room. Here is my dad’s boutonniere from my cousin’s wedding over a year ago that I haven’t had the heart to throw away yet.
Here’s Vicky applying lip gloss after our little brunch date.
I’ve weirdly been spending a lot of time in Harvey Nichols recently because I love walking around and looking at things I can’t afford. This is a shot from either the second or third floor.
I was walking back to uni one day and ended up walking past a massive protest on Oxford Road. This was about what’s happening with Turkey and Rojava and to raise awareness. I can’t say I’m too educated or read enough on the topic to fully explain to you what’s happening but there’s a page over on the Independent that cover a lot to do with it. You can check that out here.
I feel it all it looks like I’ve done this month is go for brunch. I promise you I’ve done a lot more. This is my cousin Zahrah on our brunch date at Evelyn’s where we spent so long taking pictures of our food that it went cold.
There’s also always a shot of me drinking something on every roll now too. I’m actually wearing the black version of my blue dress here but you can’t see it very well.
I bought this Ralph Lauren tweed blazer at the Thrift Shop in Manchester for £12 and not only did I buy this for an absolute bargain but I met Oli Sykes too from Bring Me the Horizon! I have nothing but a badly taken picture on my phone to show for that but it was truly a great day. The 13 year old in me was filled with pure joy.
This is Jack being a hardworking student and also looking very grumpy because he wasn’t too happy about having his photograph taken.
We had a wedding in the family (again) so the end of this month was spent getting dressed up and hopping from wedding event to wedding event.
I took this because we were at a wedding at the exact same time last year at the exact same place and saw this exact same cat. You can’t see the cat very well but it’s been strolling around the British Muslim Heritage Centre for a year now. Maybe even longer who knows.
I love autumn so much.
It’s your favourite child bride! I really have to stop making that joke now that I’m no longer a child. But here I am all dressed up on a freezing cold autumn day.
Here’s my cousin Zahrah again looking pretty.
Daylight savings happened this month too which contrary to popular opinion, I actually really love. I like it when it gets dark earlier. How beautiful is the sun setting behind the marquee?
Music of the Month: October
Hi!
I can’t believe how cold it is and I’m so confused to how it’s November already! I don’t really remember what I’ve done this month other than be as miserable as the weather and spend waaay too much time of buses (many thanks to my local roadworks). I’ve had a lot more time to listen to new things and I’m excited to share them with you.
As always, here’s a link to the full playlist for this month: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55WAJhoACEPXLOEMFpcD6g?si=ZHzcO6GaQlOwkehm4yyA7g
HUBERT LENOIR
I’ve been madly in love with La Blogotheque recently. I’ve followed them for quite some time now but this past month, I’ve been watching their videos on repeat because they are easily the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. If you don’t know who they are, La Blogotheque are a music channel on YouTube who film and produce incredibly unique covers by a vast range of artists.
This is how I found Hubert Lenoir. I honestly can’t tell if it was him speaking French, him singing or the way the video was filmed that made me fall in love but he’s easily my favourite person this month. Watch him perform Sucre et Sel for La Blogotheque here.
My favourite songs by him are Momo, Wild and Free and Fille de personne II. These are 3 songs are so different from each other. Momo is super chill, something you’d listen to whilst reading or when it’s raining outside. It’s like a soft jazz pop instrumental. That was a lot of words wow. Wild and Free is similar in the sense that it’s another chill, soft jazz kinda song but this has a slight melancholic tone. Fille de personne II however, is the perfect happy song that makes me want to dance around my room anytime I listen to it.
2. RAMI KHALIFé
I also found Rami Khalifé on La Blogotheque and was left speechless by his performance. He just goes completely wild on the piano on a beach and I love it. You can see how passionate he is and it’s beautiful. The way the video is shot too is breathtaking. You can watch it here.
Along with Resist, some of my other favourite songs by him are The Dangling Rope and Spotlight which are similar to Resist in the sense that they start off a little sad but get even more wild as they go on. It’s great.
3. LIGHTS UP - HARRY STYLES
I’m waiting to face some sort of abuse from my family and friends for putting this in here but I really do love Harry’s solo work.
I’m not ashamed to say I know the lyrics to this song off by heart. It’s just so good I have nothing else to say.
4. EDEN
Words can’t express how happy 16 year old me is because Eden is back with new music!
My favourite from his latest singles is definitely untitled. It’s so melancholic and reminds me a lot of his songs from i think you think too much of me. It’s the perfect song for the end of summer . I also really love 909 and his latest single, projector. These are a little more upbeat. Eden is my favourite person to listen to at this time of year because his music reflects this season and how I feel during it so well.
5. KEATON HENSON
When Keaton Henson announced he was releasing a new album this month I think I cried a tiny bit. Keaton has a really soft place in my heart because his music either makes me feel like I’m madly in love or about to cry my eyes out.
This album is a little different since it is a classical album. I don’t really listen to a lot of classical stuff except from Classic FM at insane times during the night but this is so good. The album explores various themes such as trauma, mental illness, stress and anxiety and you can hear it in the music. My favourites are currently Breathing Out, The Falling and Initium but I could listen to the entire album for days on end.
6. DHL - FRANK OCEAN
Words cannot even express my excitement for the return of Frank Ocean. It’s exactly what I needed this month to lift my spirits. I have phases throughout the year where I’ll listen to Blond on repeat for weeks and I was in a Blond phase when DHL was released. It was so so so heartwarming. I don’t have a lot to say about this but I’m over the moon that Frank is back.
7. JELANI ARYEH
I mentioned Jelani Aryeh in last month’s MOTM but he released a new album this month and I’m incredibly smitten with it.
The album is a beauty, his voice, the lyrics, the themes he explores are all just *chef’s kiss*. I’ve been listening to the entire album literally everyday and everyday I fall in love with a new song on the album. Today I’m obsessed with Earl Grey and Gloss. I personally relate to Earl Grey quite a bit because it sounds like he’s going through a little bit of a personal crisis which I mean, same. Gloss however is about fame and worth and even though the lyrics are a little mellow, it’s a very pretty song.
8. GENGAHR
I don’t think I’ve listened to Gengahr since my college days and I was going through a little bit of an indie phase. I remember listening to She’s a Witch and Bathed in Light on repeat and I still love listening to them now here and there because they are great songs.
Over the past month or so, they’ve released some new singles called Everything & More and Atlas Please and they’re amazing. They’re still the indie band I used to listen to but they’ve become so much better. I’m so excited to hear their new album. Also they’re on tour with Bombay Bicycle Club at the minute and I could not think of a better duo.
HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING…
If you’ve enjoyed this, go check out my full playlist for this October here.
Thanks for reading!
Lots of love,
Get Ready With Me: Autumn Edition | Zafira
Hi!
Every time I post a photograph of me of on my Instagram I get a lot of questions about what’s on my face. Whether that’s the lipstick I’m wearing, my foundation or even skincare and I thought the best way of answering all those questions was by filming a little get ready with me.
I do a lot of these. These are the only videos I film because 1. they don’t require me to speak (i hate my voice) and 2. they’re pretty straightforward and easy to film. Maybe one day I’ll venture out and become a full blown beauty guru but for now, I’m happy with my once a year get ready with mes.
Without further adieu, here’s me transforming from a dying Bella Swan, to an amazing catfish. Enjoy!
Products Used:
VITAMIN E HYDRATING MIST
I use this day, night, on my beauty sponge and literally whenever I just need to wake up it’s the best thing ever.
hyaluronic acid serum
I use this day and night too and it’s amazing if you have dry skin like me. It’s especially great for this time of year when it gets a little chillier.
alpha arbutin serum
I started using this about a week or two ago and I’ve already noticed such a massive difference in my skin. I have a lot of scarring from previous acne and this helps a lot with pigmentation.
glossier invisible shield
I’ve recently started using sunscreen everyday because I don’t like that I’m getting older and any sign of ageing will 100% send me into a full on breakdown. This one from Glossier is what I’ve been looking for my entire life. It doesn’t leave you looking white or sticky or feeling like you have sunscreen on at all.
kiehls ultra facial cream
This is easily the best moisturiser ever. I suffer with dry skin so finding a moisturiser that does its job but also doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin used to be such a difficult task until I found this beauty.
glossier balm dot com
I think I enjoy eating this more than I enjoy putting it on my lips. It tastes so so so good. I’ve started using this everyday because it’s pretty and sparkly and also because it’s one of the best lip balms ever.
maybelline fit me matte and porless foundation
If you’re looking for a cheap drugstore foundation then this is your best friend. For £6 you really can’t go wrong.
revolution conceal & define
I never used to wear concealer mainly because I’m lazy and I’d rather just embrace the whole ‘I haven’t slept all night’ thing but once I used this concealer I never went back. It’s so good. I can’t leave the house without wearing it anymore because it makes me look so awake.
laura mercier loose setting powder
In the shade ‘Translucent’.
I’ve had quite the love/hate relationship with this powder. When I first used it, I found it really cakey but I spent £30 on this so I gave it another try a few months ago and now I love it. It makes my face look so smooth when it most definitely is not.
nip + fab contour palette
This is in the shade ‘Dark’.
This palette as you can see is so well loved. I use this not only for contour but bronzer, blush, eye shadow and even for lipstick. I’ll use a mixture of the top 3 brown shades for my contour, the empty brown shade for bronzer, the pink for blush and I also like to pat a bit of this shade on my lips. I think it looks really nice when your blush and lipstick match. I’ll also use any of the top 3 brown shades as eye shadow.
maybelline lash sensational mascara
I’ve been using this mascara for years and I don’t think I’ll ever switch because this is truly the best of the best. It doesn’t clump at all and makes my eyelashes fluttery and long.
mary-lou manizer
I’m not too crazy about highlighter, I think this might be the only highlighter I’ve used in my life. It’s such a great shade for brown girls too.
barry m lip liner
In the shade ‘Chocolate’.
I use this lip liner everyday and have done since I started wearing makeup. It’s the perfect brown lip liner. I use it before any lipstick I apply.
nyx soft matte lip cream
In the shade ‘Rome’.
Along with the Barry M lip liner, I’ve also been using this exact shade of lipstick ever since I started wearing makeup. This with the lip liner is my favourite lip combo of all time.
urban decay all nighter setting spray
Honestly, I only started wearing setting spray this year because I never felt the need for it but now I can’t even leave the house without being drenched in this. Not only does it keep your makeup on all day but I think it really helps with making your makeup looking a little less cakey.
Thanks for reading (and watching too i guess)! Let me know if you want to see more stuff like this on here.
Lots of love,
Music of the Month: September | Zafira
Here we are, 2 months away from the end of the year! I said I’d start doing these more frequently so here I am with another edition of Music of the Month.
September has been a little bit of a wild month, uni started and that completely flipped my usual timetable and of course, I’ve been insanely busy. But one thing I have made time for this month is music. I’ll usually sit and do nothing for an hour or two and listen to something, it’s really helped to handle my stress and wind down.
Here are a few of my favourite songs this month! You can listen to my full playlist this month here.
DOMINIC FIKE
I think the first thing I even heard by Dominic Fike was ‘King of Everything’ and that was enough to make me fall so so so in love with him. The instrumental bit right at the beginning of the song might just be the prettiest thing I’ve heard all year. He’s a great mix of either very chill and mellow stuff or upbeat stuff that makes you want to dance around your room.
Some other faves of mine are ‘3 Nights’ which immediately put a smile on my face. It’s one of those songs that make you so happy and put you in the greatest of moods. I’m also loving ‘Phone Numbers’ which features Kenny Beats and the two of them together are a match made in heaven. This is another upbeat song and I love nothing more than listening to this in morning to wake me up and get ready for the day.
2. The XX - Seasons Run
Other than being impeccably named for this transitional time of year, this song has been a favourite of mine ever since it came out. The XX have played such an integral part of my teenage years so starting off my second year of uni without them would feel very wrong.
p.s this entire album is amazing.
3. JELANI ARYEH
These past few months, there has been one man and one man only I’ve had a vast amount of love for and that’s Jelani Aryeh.
‘The Garden’ popped up onto one of playlists around August time and I had it on repeat for weeks. It’s such a pretty song. It’s very calm and chill which is Jelani’s whole thing. It makes me feel like I’m in love and makes my heart a little bit warm.
I’ve also been loving ‘Patagonia’ which I can imagine listening to when I’m driving off into the sunset. Like ‘The Garden’, it’s calm and chill but also has a hint of mellowness.
I can’t believe Jelani Aryeh is the same age as me and is creating prettier things than I ever will.
4. CELESTE - STRANGE
Since we’re on the topic of mellow songs, this is probably the saddest song on my playlist this month.
Celeste has the voice of what I imagine an angel to sound like. I think she sounds a little like Amy Winehouse in the sense that she has such a strong voice and I love that.
This song is all about disconnecting with people and how you can go from knowing someone really well to not knowing them all. It’s about people changing and how the entire process of that is strange. It fits in perfectly with this time of year because when I think of September, I think of change. Everything is always changing in September whether that’s education wise or even the seasons.
There’s also a version she did for COLORS and it’s beautiful. You can watch it here.
5. FRANK OCEAN - BLONDE
I can’t even begin to explain how Blonde has impacted my life and how many times a week I go back to it. This month however, I spent a few days listening to the entire album on repeat and it feels like 2016 all over again.
This month I’ve been really into ‘Nights’ which I like listening to at night lol and ‘Godspeed’ because I heard it in the Waves trailer which is one of those A24 movies which always the best. I’m so excited to see it when it comes out. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good movie.
I’ve also been really loving listening to ‘Facebook Story’. I like the instrumental music in the background and obviously, the really obnoxious French accent but there’s something about it that makes me want to listen to it over and over again.
6. matthew dear - modafinil blues
I listened to a podcast this month called The Clearing which was amazing. It’s about a woman named April who suspects her father is a serial killer, the podcast focuses on what happens after she makes a call to a detective that leads to her father’s arrest and unwinds the truth behind several murders and explores whether her father was guilty or not. It’s wild. It might actually be the craziest story I’ve ever heard. You can listen to it here.
At the end of the podcast, they play Modafinil Blues by Matthew Dear and the song fits the story perfectly. It’s also a pretty good song. Very catchy.
7. bombay bicycle club
When I first heard of Bombay Bicycle Club I was like “wow finally I’ve found a great brand for a brown girl who’s white on the inside like me”. But in all seriousness, they're one of my all time favourite bands.
At the end of August they released a new song after 5 very long years called ‘Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)’ and it’s just as good as their old stuff. They’re still as wonderful as they were in 2014.
I’ve also been re-listening to the ‘So Long, See You Tomorrow’ album on repeat for weeks now because it’s one of my favourite albums ever. The first three songs on the album which are ‘Overdone’, ‘It’s Alright Now’ and ‘Carry Me’ are my most listened to songs this month. I think they’re quite happy toned songs and make me smile whenever I listen to them.
8. BROCKHAMPTON - ginger
Now, is it really a music of the month without mentioning Brockhampton? They recently released Ginger and it’s changed my life a little bit.
My favourite songs on the album are definitely ‘SUGAR’ and ‘NO HALO’. SUGAR is very lovey dovey which I quite like whereas NO HALO is more about the band’s struggles with a lot of different things. I love the chorus of NO HALO so much. It was so hard to pick only a few songs off this album because the entire thing is so so so great.
HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING…
If you’ve enjoyed this, go check out my full playlist for this September here.
Thanks for reading!
Lots of love,
