Parisian Style Lookbook

Last week, I spent a few days travelling around Paris and, of course, I had to make the effort when it came to fashion. Paris is one of the long-standing fashion capitals of the world, and I’ve always loved and admired the simplicity and effortlessness of Parisian style and culture. During my exploration of the city, I wanted to wear classic and comfortable pieces (especially because the weather was so hot!) that looked well put together and somewhat paid homage to the fashion of the capital.

Look One - Casual Boiler Suit

Boiler suit - Boohoo (https://www.boohoo.com/oversized-ecru-boilersuit/FZZ92273-124-30.html)

Bag - New Look

Shoes - Primark

Accessories - Primark / Lovisa

Now, if you know me, you know that I love a jumpsuit as they’re such effortless pieces to wear. This one is made of thin, breathable cotton which makes it a lot more comfortable for hotter weather, and I love the details of the buttons and stitching on it. I wore this look for exploring the landmarks of the city, such as the Eiffel Tower, which I took way too many pictures of. I paired it with gold accessories, which are amongst my favourite things to wear to glam up any outfit, and a white backpack for ease.

Look Two - Parisian Chic

Top - Primark

Trousers - Pretty Little Thing

Accessories - Primark

I loved this look as it was super comfortable, and one that I feel embodies Parisian style a lot. It’s classic and elegant, but never too much. I wore this when visiting the Palace of Versailles, which is honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen and definitely worth the two hour wait in the queue! I also love the shoes I wore throughout the trip, a simple Chanel inspired espadrille from Primark, as it matched everything and was very comfortable to wear and walk in all day. The only downside is the embarrassingly harsh tan line that I now have on my feet!

Look Three - Disneyland Magic

Top - Pretty Little Thing

Jeans - Primark

Accessories - Primark

Shoes - Nike Air Force Ones

I thoroughly enjoyed acting like a big kid at Disneyland all day, and I wanted to wear something super comfortable but on theme for exploring the park all day, but I did get a little hot and bothered in this outfit so note to self, wear thinner layers and less tight shoes! As you may know, Aladdin is my all-time favourite film and Jasmine is my favourite princess, so I just had to wear this top, and the characters loved it! I’m probably way too old to get as gassed as I did, but nevertheless, I had such a good time that day.

Look Four - Classic Pinstripes

Top - H&M

Trousers - Not sure

 
For my final day in Paris, which I spent visiting the Louvre Museum, I went for another more simplistic and elegant look. I really liked the fit of these trousers as they were super flattering yet comfortable to wear, and I decided to tie the shirt to give the look a bit more of a summery vibe, despite the very rainy weather!

I was slightly apprehensive beforehand, due to the alleged Islamophobic attitudes of the country and their laws around the hijab, but my trip went without a hitch (apart from some disapproving looks, which I’m very used to)! Despite this, I had the most wonderful time exploring Paris, and it’s a city that I would love to visit again in the future.

Au revoir!

♥

Aladdin Premiere and Film Review

Aladdin has been my favourite film since I was a little girl. It was the first film I watched that featured characters who had the same skin colour as me, and I’ve always adored the storyline, songs and overall excitement of the film. It has its faults, for sure (notably the Orientalism and generalisations of Eastern and Muslim cultures) but it reminds me of my childhood and always takes me back to good times when I watch it. I’ve been anticipating the live-action version of Aladdin since it was announced a few years ago, constantly keeping up to date with any clips or news that was released, and when I saw that they were to hold a premiere in London, I randomly and very last-minute decided to go.

Now, I’m so glad I did! I arrived at Leicester Square and waited for a little while, where I managed to get a glimpse of all of the stars of the film and got a high-five from Mena Massoud! Also, the fact that I was within a few feet of Will Smith is still getting me gassed. Then, a lovely security began handing out tickets for a lucky few people to actually go in and see the film, myself included! I couldn’t quite believe my luck, and definitely had to pinch myself as I walked down the magic carpet into the screening.

Director Guy Ritchie and Will Smith had such warm words to say about the film. When asked what he was most proud of regarding the film, Guy said just "the film itself actually, [it's] pretty much what we set out to make and I hope we accomplished the goal, so all in all, I suppose I'm most proud of the cast", which was met with a loud round of applause.

"I'm very excited to be here," said Will, excitedly "I started travelling the world with this, and Aladdin is in the hearts and minds of so many people around the world... and this film is spectacular". He also gushed about his co-stars, shouting out Naomi Scott's parents and saying how she "did a spectacular job, and Mena did a wonderful job also". Naomi then ended by giving a heartwarming shout out to her parents in the audience, shouting "love you Mum and Dad!", followed by Mena who jokingly added "love you Naomi's Mum and Dad!".

The film itself was truly magical. My first thoughts were that it was very visually exciting and immersive, I thought the CGI and special effects were executed brilliantly and it was a thoroughly entertaining viewing experience. Every scene was so colourful and intricate, with even small details such as the produce in the markets being thought through. It truly brought you into the fictional land of Agrabah, and it is one I definitely want to experience again in 3D. Plot-wise, I thought it could have done with a little bit more build up at the beginning, as it pretty much went straight into the action but what I would say is that it was a fresh, modern twist on the original film. It stayed largely true to the first plot, and the deviances didn’t make the film any less enjoyable either, which I find to be the case in other remakes (especially those from books). It added an exciting new feel to the fairytales, making it less predictable and more enjoyable overall.

I thought the acting in the film was brilliant, Will Smith’s genie was the perfect comedic relief and I like how it was completely unique from Robin Williams’ version, which is now untouchable, in my opinion. Will’s portrayal of the Genie was really refreshing and entertaining, his lines (and the film overall) were written very well and I think his performance has to be seen and appreciated.

I found Mena Massoud really likeable as Aladdin, he constantly reminded me of the original in the best way possible and I found myself warm to his character immediately. He was extremely charistmatic, charming and a great protganist overall. His stunt work, singing dancing in the film was a really nice surprise too, and to be honest, I’m still gassed that I got a high five from him.

I was definitely sceptical about Naomi Scott’s as Princess Jasmine, as she’s a character that I’ve always adored and I felt that choosing a partcularly light-skinned woman to play the character may not have been the best move. However, her acting in the film was passionate, charming and charistmatic, along with her singing and dancing. I cannot wait for the film to come out, just so people can hear the new song for Princess Jasmine titled 'Speechless', which was a beautifully moving and powerful ballad that I’m sure viewers will love. Also, the feminist twist in the narrative where Princess Jasmine now wants to become Sultan following her father was nice to see and the new character of Dalia, Jasmine’s handmaiden, was refreshing and another great source of comedic relief.

I thought Marwan Kenzari as Jafar was brilliant, he played the role with such passion and emotion, really delving deep into the motives behind his madness and adding a fiery new twist to the classic Disney villain.

Some things that I did find problematic about the film was the generalisations of Eastern culture, mainly through the styling. Characters and extras were adorned in either Turkish, Afghani, Arab, South Asian or Turkic inspired clothing which was very bright and colourful, but it seemed to suggest that all Eastern cultures are homogenous and interchangable. I appreciate that Aladdin is a fictional fairytale, but the film could have stayed true to its original Arab origins rather than collating all Eastern cultures together on screen. Also, much like in the 1992 version, the villainous characters in the film tended to have stronger accents and darker features, which can arguably uphold negative stereotypes about Arab people and Muslims.

Overall, I really did enjoy the film and I was so excited that I was one of the few that got to see it first. It truly did the original film justice, whilst bringing a new, modern twist. I found it thoroughly entertaining and thought it was an exciting viewing experience that I will definitely be watching again when it comes to cinemas on May 24th.

What is your favourite Disney film?

A step into Spring

Turtle neck - Primark

Jacket - H&M
Jeans - Primark
Trainers - Nike
Jewellery - Lovisa and Primark

London had a lovely spell of sunny weather last week (despite the fact that it was February - global warming is very scary), and I often find it a bit difficult to create transitional outfits that are weather-appropriate yet still modest. This was the one that I came up with that day, an outfit that I felt really comfortable and cute in. I also love this jacket so much - it was such a steal at only £10 reduced from £40 in the H&M January sale! It’s a really nice, transitional piece due to the lightweight material and I feel like the colour khaki really suits me, too.
What are your favourite transitional clothing items?

Backstage at London Fashion Week

On the 16th February, I had the chance to be a part of the most recent London Fashion Week with the organisation Fashions Finest - I had such an incredible experience, volunteering backstage and front of house, so I wanted to create a post to share how my day went with you all!
Volunteers arrived bright and early at 8am to help prepare for the full day of shows and events. At first, I helped front of house which involved welcoming guests, press and VIPs and I managed to get a good view of their first show which featured an array of incredible designers, with my favourite being The Kemist.

The Kemist

For the second show of the day, I had the pleasure and pressure of helping out backstage. This involved responsibilities such as assisting designers and dressing models, which was such a hectic experience! As soon as a model walked back off the runway, you literally have to run to get them changed into their next design and make sure they’re presentable and ready to walk again within just a few minutes. I found it hard to keep up with the needed pace at first, but after a few quick changes, you just learn what is expected from you and it becomes more a bit more seamless. Honestly, it was such a thrill and adrenaline rush being a part of this and it taught me so much about what goes into a fashion show! As volunteers, we felt so proud when we saw the model we just dressed walk the runway; it was like they were our little babies!

Tuncer Tonun

Joyce Penas Pilarsky

The next event was the Britain’s Top Designer Award, which was my favourite as it was so inspiring to see such passionate, hardworking designers and it felt great to be even a small part of their creative visions. Each designer had such beautiful, intricate creations that I was truly in awe over, too. The award went to the incredibly talent and deserving Tuncer Tonun, who's elaborate red floral truly stole the show.

Kanna Yeung

Joyce Penas Pilarsky

The main things I learnt from my experience of volunteering at London Fashion Week was just how hectic backstage at a show can be! When you see models walk the runway so gracefully, just know that before that, there was probably a mad rush and lots of shouting backstage in order to help make him or her look at beautiful as they do! Trust me, it ain’t as easy as it looks. I also developed a new found respect for runway models as they were all so hardworking and selfless! They were constantly being pulled one hundred different directions, poked and prodded by volunteers, hair and makeup artists and designers and they do it without complaint which is something that we can all learn from.

Overall, I found my experience really valuable and I’ve always dreamed of going to a show at London Fashion Week, so to be backstage and get a glimpse into what happens was so much fun! I learned show much about the fashion industry, knowledge which I can hopefully use in my ideal, future career of fashion journalism.

What is your favourite part of London Fashion Week?

Best of Beauty 2018

Hello everyone, I hope you’re doing well and I wish you a happy new year!

I wanted to collate together all of my beauty favourites of 2018 in this post for you all; I made the effort to explore different trends this past year, trying new brands, products and looks that I wouldn't normally wear in order to venture out of my beauty comfort zone and better my makeup skills. Out of this exploration, I managed to find new holy grail products that I'll definitely be repurchasing in 2019, and also maintained my love of some old favourites that I'll probably never stop using!

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

I was on a search this year for a perfect bronzer as I've always found them to look too ashy or orange, which I know is the case for many South Asian girls like me. Benefit's Hoola has been raved about for years and after discovering it recently, I can see why! It is the perfect shade for me, giving a natural sunkissed look but still being easy to layer for a more intense, bronzed vibe (which I looooove). For any other brown girls in the search for a perfect bronzer, do try this if you haven't already!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Image from Gemma Etc.

This concealer has been a holy grail product of mine since I first started wearing makeup; although I tried different concealers this year such as the Mac Prolong Wear and LA Girl Pro-Conceal, I returned to this little gem as it has incredible coverage and I love the way it looks on my skin. Other concealers did not beat it and despite the colour match being slightly off, you really cannot complain as it is such a bargain price! I wear this on an every-day basis with a little powder on top, making sure to thoroughly blend it with fluffy brushes and a beauty blender, and it gives a beautiful skin-like finish whilst covering all of my acne scars, redness and blemishes. I can't praise this product enough!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Image from Google

I really aimed to make my makeup base look more creamy, natural and, well, skin-like this year as it's been a 2018 beauty trend that I have personally been obsessed with. I found it difficult to nail with my problematic skin but with the right products and tools, such as this sponge, I think I'm getting the hang of it! I use this sponge damp to apply and blend products, and it is the key to perfecting my base and maintaining the soft, natural finish that I aim for.

Eyelash curler and waterproof mascara

This may seem a bit weird, but I only started using a lash curler this year and it's really elevated the lash game for me! I constantly get asked if I'm wearing fake lashes but I hardly do, it is just me utilising a lash curler and locking the curl in with waterproof mascara (a tip I learnt from Alice T on Instagram). I particularly like this Maybelline waterproof mascara but I'm going to be trying a few, more affordable alternatives soon as I'm constantly running out of this one.

Pixi + Maryam Maquillage Strobe & Sculpt Highlight & Contour Palette

Image from Google

I was gifted this palette for my birthday and it has become a firm favourite of mine that I use every day (hence why my own version is really battered and I can't bear to show you all). The blush gives a lovely flush of colour to the cheeks, the highlight is a beautiful golden/champagne colour which builds up in intensity well, and the banana powder is what I use on an everyday basis to set my highlighting concealer. The bronzer shades are great too, though some are too dark for me so I use them as eyeshadow and they work really well. Overall, it's a great little palette with a lot of versatility!

Fenty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Fenty Glow

Now, this is a bloody good lip gloss. I love using it as it smells like sweets, is a gorgeous colour that really compliments me and it gives an intense wet-look that is oh so beautiful. I also just love the brand overall, Fenty's inclusivity is something I really commend and I love supporting Rihanna and her vision with her makeup brand, I also can't wait to get my hands on her foundation and this gloss in its new shades!

L'Oreal Hydra Genius Hyaluronic Acid & Aloe Liquid Moisturiser

I wanted to include a few skincare favourites too as good skincare plays a big part in my foundation looking great. This L'Oreal moisturiser is brilliant in hydrating my skin, making it look super plump and feel really soft. It contains hyaluronic acid, which is great for moisturising as it helps the skin retain water, and aloe vera, which is really calming. Any time my skin is looking dry and dull, this really helps restore some moisture back into my face and keeps my makeup looking good. I mix it in with a thicker moisturiser as its a thin consistency (at the moment it's one by Simple) and apply it after a facial oil and before my foundation every day.

Fruits of Nature Acne Removal Cream

This little blue tub is magic! When I use this cream consistently my skin looks and feels amazing. It's a really natural product (which is important to me with skincare), containing just a few key, skin-loving ingredients like as shea butter, tea tree, rosehip and vitamin E oil which work amazingly well in keeping my skin glowy and healthy.

So, they're just a few on my 2018 beauty favourites which I have loved using over the past year. As for 2019, I'm hoping it's a wonderful year for us all; I'm aiming to be much more active on this blog and produce quality content for you all as it's what I love to do. Here is to success, creativity and happiness in 2019! 

Lots of love, Furvah x