Know That Feeling?

       There are moments in life when we can not make out where we are heading, losing control and sense of direction. The blurry cloud surrounds us. You tell yourself, 'You are doing just fine'. Even when the feeling is contrary to what you just told yourself... This quote from the book, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, explains this feeling. I'm madly in love with the quotes from her book. There's a quote for almost everything you have ever felt. Would be hopefully sharing more.

Depth and Expression

   

       One of the most beautiful things we can ever experience are the memories shared with us, not experienced by us, but yet shared. Each one of us has the capability to go through events and preserve certain moments in our minds. That makes us, US; our constant preservation of memories and thoughts. And when we share those visuals captured in our mind in form of words, we are doing one of the most beautiful things in the world.

       I like people who express, who talk, who hold nothing back, no matter how embarrassing that may be... Didn't that mistake make a part of us? People who can be real are gold. Never let go of such people. 'Small talk' has become a deadly trend. People are afraid of expressing due to the fear of judgement but they are gradually becoming shallow on the inside and killing their depth... Let's talk... Let's talk our hearts out. Our most honest expressions will only satisfy us.

Perceptions, Assumptions and Judgement

       We spend our lives either questioning our personalities or trying to make them rejection-proof. All this effort only to be approved by the universal mafia that decided ages ago that a man born with the blood of an evil man will always end up evil. Now I don't negate that completely. But I also don't favor this attitude of people. My faith gets restored when I recall Aasiya (R.A) as an amazing kind lady who was married to an evil man, Fir'aun.

       Now, I'm saying all this because we, as people, have labelled poor souls who do good deeds as BAD people because their relatives do evil deeds. This is really really cruel of us, completely blaming individuals for the deeds of members of their families. We murder the spark and hope within those individuals to grow and come out beautiful by labelling them and pointing fingers at them and when they, out of frustration, do the bad, they naturally become heirs of the family illness.

       Just remember, family name is only to identify the individual and not judge him. Stop cursing one anothers' castes and fathers and relatives and bloodlines. This is so inhuman. Rise above this cruelty. There's a good reason for why everyone is going to be judged separately on the day of judgement.

       Me and my random thoughts would be grateful to everyone who agrees with me. Trust me, by doing this, we would be doing the world a favor by not hardening hearts of people. Kindness can do wonders. Let's see everyone with love and not hatred.

For The Love Of Shoes <3<3

‘I’m not afraid of heights, have you seen my shoes?’ – Carrie Bradshaw

If you are someone who thinks she can’t complete a particular look without a perfect pair of shoes, well Hello! Best-friend.

I have a love affair with my shoes, like any other girl has. I have picked out some of my favorites for this post, even from 2013-14 collections. It would only be really stupid to let go of a versatile pair of shoes. The pairs in this post are not from super high-end brands so if you are looking for Valentinos, Louboutins, Blahniks and Jimmy Choos, you’d just have to wait. The brands feautured in the post are Anne Klein, Charles & Keith, H&M, Zigi Soho, Steve Madden, Forever 21, Aldo and River Island.  I’ll also be mentioning how I pair them up, the kind of colors they look best with and the prices. So let’s get started :*

Gladiator Heels

                Gladiator Heels are “Attitude on your feet”. They make a bold statement along with being so versatile simultaneously. These are black so they pair up with almost every color and are so comfortable unlike others. I can walk all day in them.

Brand – Charles & Keith

Price - $95 (USD)

Wear with – Maxi dresses, dresses, skirts, faded jeans and crop tops.

Strappy Heels

                I don’t know if it’s just me who thinks a pair of strappy heels looks so beautiful on one’s feet. But really, the straps on the feet that come with a heel are perfection. It’s very easy to pair up strappy heels with almost any outfit but if you have multi-colored strappy heels like me, they would be really tricky to pair up with. It was gifted to me by my sister-in-law and it’s been one of my favorites since then. This pair works best with white and black button down shirts and a pair of jeans. That way the accents fall in all the rights places.

Brand – Zigi Soho

Price - $149 (USD)

Wear with – White shirts and dresses, black shirts and jeans, color blocked dress.

Wedges

                To be frank, I’m not a huge fan of wedges but recently so many different styles have been coming out in wedges like booties, pumps, gladiators that it has become almost impossible for me to stay away from them. This pair is in white, which is sometimes a tricky pair up. I just featured it in my post for the cut out style heels. That was the only reason I love these. I have even worn them with abaya. They look great! Whites on the feet often go with fewer colors but they surely stand out.

Brand - Charles & Keith

Price – $56.90 (USD)

Wear with – Maxi Dresses, shorts, skirts, abayas, tops and jeans.

Sling-Back Peep Toes

                There’s something girly about peep toes, almost every girl would agree on this. They come with heels, flats, wedges and mules. This particular pair is so pretty because of all the gorgeous colors and the knotted flower, makes it even more girly and pretty. It’s such a cute pair in my closet.

Brand – Anne Klein

Price - $79 (USD)

Wear with – Black long dress, black, red, hot pink shirts and dresses.

Pump Heels

                We all need pump heels I believe, as they suit almost every foot shape and size. I love Mary Jane’s but also can’t resist a pair of pointy pump heels. This pair is such a pretty pair due to all the whit stitches detailing and the pretty bow. I often wear these to work. They have an ‘office’ look to them.

Brand – Anne Klein

Price - $89 (USD)  

Wear with – Neutral grays, blacks, whites, burgundy red shirts and dresses.

Ankle Boots

                On our side of the world, we hardly wear ankle boots due to all the heat. But these ones totally had power on me due to the perfect brown shade. They instantly remind me of Texas cow-girls. We can wear boots in winters though so they come in really handy.

Brand - Anne Klein

Price - $109 (USD)

Wear with – Shirts with checks, loose tees, faded jeans.

Pointy Low-Mid Heels

                I love low-mid heels due to the reason that I can walk in them so comfortably all day and they look so classy. They are heels of today. This is probably the only pair that my husband sees me wearing more than usual. I love how the cross straps look on the feet. Certainly, it’s my most favorite black pair.

Brand – Aldo

Price - $80 (USD)

Wear with – Gowns, maxi dresses, tees, button downs, jeans.

Pointy Pumps

                Every girl’s staple today for any kind of hang out is a pair of flat point pumps. They, very easily, add class and hotness. This one is probably my most favorite pair due to the brilliant yellow color and the right design of silver details. It makes ladies look at my feet over and over again ;)

Brand – Charles & Keith

Price - $53 (USD)

Wear with – Jeans, white and black loose pants, black, aqua, turquoise, green and white dresses, color blocked dresses.

Loafers

                When in doubt, wear loafers. They have instantly gained so much recognition in the fashion world. They are so chic and come in various designs. I couldn’t select just one pair for featuring here so I picked two. These are perfect examples of what I’m talking about. One of them is a perfectly bold yet girly pair, it’s covered with rhinestones and slightly spikey crystals that totally seem like I’m wearing gold stars on my feet when I walk. The other pair is glittery and spikey at the same time, bold and beautiful both together.

Brand – Steve Madden

Price – $89.95 (USD)

Wear with - Any colored tees and tops, light, dark, colored jeans folded from the ankles.

Brand – Steve Madden

Price - $89.95 (USD)

Wear with – Black tops and pants, reds, violets, burgundies, hot pinks, emeralds, almost all dark colored shirts.

Pointed Loafers

                Let’s just say, I have a thing for pointy shoes. I feel in love with these babies just as I saw them. But are they not so amazing? They are a top rated Forever 21 product. These are rose in color and are faux leather so that amazing metallic shine just rules my heart. I love wearing them on a jeans and shirt day specially when I’m wearing a light colored floral printed shirt. They look fab that way!

Brand – Forever 21

Price – $22.90 (USD)

Wear with – Any pastel colored tops, pinks, peaches, light reds, whites and jeans.

Peep Toe Pumps

                Gold is my favorite color when it comes to metallic. Naturally, because it suits our south-asian skin the best. So I try to pick this color whenever I have options. This is my favorite peep toe pump due to the easily wearable dull gold and the strappy look from the front.

Brand – Aldo

Price - $65 (USD)

Wear with – All non- silver clothing, it’s that versatile.

Polka-Dots Pumps

                Every girl knows how cute a pair of polka-dots pumps is. They might remind you of those Korean girls sporting miniskirts and making cute faces but well, they are actually an easy fix for a cute look. Just imagine wearing a white bow hair band and these!

Brand – River Island

Price - $28 (USD)

Wear with – Blues, whites, grays, tees, blouses, shirts, shorts, skirts, jeans.

Sling – Back Flats

                A pair of strikingly orange sling-backs is all what you need to be called FUN. These are my casual gotta-get-something-from-the-mall shoes. The lines simply make them chic and girly. Quite a great pair for that price! The pointy front always makes one look so confident.

Brand – H&M

Price - $24.99 (USD)

Wear with - White shirts, navy blue tees, navy blue maxi dresses.

Sandals

                I’m sure every girl reading this post has more than at least five pairs of favorite sandals. I had to pick one but couldn’t so decided on two instead. One of them is a gorgeous white sandal with jute rope and gold details. The other one is a brilliant blue sandal with a huge gold seal. These are both my favorites and I wear them on kurtis as well.

Brand – River Island

Price – 74.85 (USD)

Wear with – Whites, blacks, greens, blues, reds, pinks and every color and type of clothing. They are such a versatile pair.

Brand – Charles & Keith

Price – $49.90 (USD)

Wear with – Blues, whites, blacks, golds, jeans, pants, tights, kurtis, maxi dresses.

                

             

             I hope all you girls enjoyed the post. Everyone has a different sense of fashion, so feel free to disagree with me. I enjoyed writing the post for everyone who had complimented my shoes and had asked me write a post about it. Lots of Love!

Me vs People - #QuestionsAboutDubai

          Since I have moved to Dubai due to my Husband's new love, his travel and tourism company, and my love for architectural and interior design work, I have had to face very interesting questions and opinions of people. And answering such dumb questions has only made me realize how many parents hadn't raised their kids well. Almost 99% of them. Sigh.

          It's going to be a funny read for everyone who hasn't faced such a thing but nearly frustrating to anyone who has. Let's get started.

Q- So tell me, why did you move to Dubai? Something must be wrong with the in-laws na?

Me- No, not at all! Why would you even say that. By the way is that why your sister-in-law ran away from you guys? No wonder.

Thought* what is wrong with these prople? I'm perfectly happy alhamdulilah with such great in-laws. They just want some gossip.

Q- You did a perfect thing running away from in-laws, best decision. How did they react?

Me- Excuse me!?! I have already told you that I have amazing in-laws alhamdulilah and we moved because my husband wanted to run this company. We are also considering extending it to Pakistan as an option so that we can be here more often too. Plus I love the architectural and interior design exposure I'm getting there. Plus my in-laws are super supportive of my decisions alhamdulilahh!

Thought* No matter what, people would always connect everything to your in-laws, everythinggg!

Q- Is your apartment your own or rented? How many rooms are there?

Me- It's rented since I love the Buhaira Corniche in Sharjah and Sharjah doesn't sell property to non-GCCs. And I have rooms more than I need, I don't have to tell you the number of rooms.

Them- Ohhh... It's not even yours. Tchh tchh tchh so sorry to hear that.

Me- Don't be, the rent that I pay a month for my apartment is more than your husband's salary. 

Thought* People would find ways to show you down somehow to try to soothe their hurt ego.

Q- So you have all the cooking and cleaning to do there, what a sick life is that! Even if someone by chance works for you, you must have taken them from Pakistan na?

Me- Are you kidding me? It's Dubai, I have house catering and maid working for me and no, I didn't take them with me. But I think your sister is always complaining about having to cook meals for her joint family in-laws all the time and how you even are of no help...

Thought* They would never see as to what's going on with them and just try to shoot everyone down whoever's a happy bird in their sky.

Q- So how's Dubai? Tell me about the city and how it is.

Me- Dubai's a great place for shopping and fun. But generally the city is depressing due to the not-so-green landscape. It's filled with people coming to work usually and less families comparatively. You'll see more kids and families in Sharjah. I miss Pakistani food and Pakistani shopping of course.

Them- OMG! Then why are you still there if you hate it? It's sooo bad.

Me- When did I say I hate it? You asked me about the details of the city and I'm just telling you those. Do you have a hearing disability?

Thought* They would always hear what you never meant.

Q- So how is it living in an undecorated weird apartment after living in such a beautiful house. Must be sick huh?

Me- Why would I live in a barrack-like place? I have a well- decorated apartment with paintings hung on the wall. My art goes wheverever I go. By the way, why are you still not getting your place painted or decorated? It's still like your grandma died in there out of depression.

Thought* They are so desperate to catch just any point.

Q- Why didn't you move to America or Australia? Or UK?

Me- Because I'm not a fan of any of those countries. Plus I wasn't looking for citizenship. I wanted a near-to-Pakistan experience so that I can stay in relatively similar surroundings and class and I don't wish to hunt down for Halal food. I want to stay a Pakistani forever, moving back to Pakistan would be much easier for me. Dubai is near and a centre of now. So I love how my field is of major importance in there.

Thought* People have become so over ambitious that they want you to move and get some citizenship to be recognized as normal.

Q- I just want to know If I can come to your place to take a look or stay for a few days when I'm there?

Me- Why? I'll just post photos on facebook and you can take a look where I live. Also if you are coming for only 2-3 days why not book yourself a hotel? And also if you are coming for more than 2-3 days why not also book yourself a hotel?

Them- Why? You have become so arrogant after moving to Dubai!

Me- Arrogant? It's Dubai for crying out loud, nearly as far as Islamabad. I would only be a little arrogant If I started living in Al-Hambra as a princess in Spain. Are you in your right mind? Also here in Pakistan, if you ask me to share my room with you, I wouldn't then why do you expect me to give out a complete room to you in Dubai?

Thought* After you have even told them, they are repulsive, they still want to come over. Their parents had ONE job but they failed at that too.

          This is how I'm getting interrogated while attending weddings or functions here. It's actually making me frustrated. So if you guys hear I punched someone in the face at a function or party, you'll know the reason :)

Estee Lauder - Michael Kors 2015 Review

          It's been a while since I have been wanting to post a review on this gorgeous combo pack. I got it as a gift from my sister-in-law. And I have loved it since then. A BIG thanks to her for this amazing set.

A Small Box of Happiness

A Small Box of Happiness - Opened

          Well, Just looking at a box that says Estee Lauder and Michael Kors is enough for exciting any lady but once I opened the box, the pouch and the little package with the 'EL' seal made me only open it all faster. The whole thing is such a great travel-friendly set. Also my first impression was, "This is so Marilyn Monroe themed". Anyway, the package consists of eight items in total.

1) Michael Kors Red Bag/ Pouch
2) Estee Lauder Deluxe Blush Compact
3) An Application Brush
4) Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail-color
5) Estee Lauder Shimmer Gloss
6) Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick
7) Estee Lauder Intense Kajal Eyeliner
8) Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara

       
           The shades of the blushes, lipstick and gloss are all so 2015 and upbeat. The Estee Lauder Deluxe Blush Compact is so pigmented and lovely. And every shade complements the peach and red tones.

          

          The Estee Lauder Deluxe Blush Compact has lighter to darker shades that help in creating looks with some depth.

L-R: 13 Alluring Rose (Satin Finish), 08 Peach Passion (Shimmer Finish) and 10 Lover's Blush (Simmer Finish)

          

        Unfortunately, I haven't tried the lipstick and gloss yet as I'm not sure about the presence of Carmine in it. But the swatches were so amazing. And the Nail-color is such a gorgeous shade of coral red. The Kajal is actually intense as they claim and the Mascara is amazing. I love it so much! Makes my lashes look great without making them look dry.

L-R: Pure Color Lipstick in 10 Hot Color, Sumptuous Extreme Mascara, 27 Pink Kiss Gloss, Pure Color 10 Hot Coral, Intense Kajal and Application Brush.

      

          Lastly, I would like to say that it's great to have a 'MK' badge on your pouch that stores all your Estee Lauder makeup. Lol. Also I love how everything is accommodated inside it and still I have space left to keep the rest of my makeup in it while I'm on the go.

 

          Overall, I'm in love with everything that came in the box. It's such a great package from Michael Kors and Estee Lauder combined, for this year.

       

Unsee and then you'll See...

It is often that those who accomplish great tasks, achieve a lot or beautify things to their finest have never had those things while growing up and so they set out to achieve it.

Sometimes, the best architect would be from the slums, he knows space better, the best ruler from a poor background so he knows what poverty can do to the future of the youth, the best decorator from a house that's a wreck, a makeup artist who's never made feel beautiful... We need to unsee backgrounds and acknowledge the talent and will. 

The world will be a lot better then.