Fashion Trends -Summer 2014

Summers have finally arrived and with the temperature nudging over 30 degrees in most parts of the country and the heat becoming unbearable most of us will be hitting the stores to look for something breezy, gorgeous and equally trendy!

Ask yourself whether you are stuck in a fashion rut? If you have set your mode on auto-pilot and head out to the same stores again and again then we suggest that you snap out of it this season because summer 2014 is all about bringing a change and keeping it classy no matter what. Here is a sneak peek of the top 4 fashion trends this year.

H for Higher Hemlines!

Yes , shirts with a higher hemline are back in vogue this season. Not only that but the front-low and back-high hemlines will surely bring you to a halt! While the latter half of 2013 experimented with short hemlines , the designers have made a transition this year and higher hemlines are back for good.They a stunner while they are known to bring grace and elegance to your personality.

Trend Report and Bead Up are two one of a kind shirts that are designed to set you apart from the crowd, and we predict that choosing between the two will be a task. Former is a funky and feminine combination whereas the latter is a classy black and white dress with a net hemline to die for! Make a pick or grab both of them to spring in style this season.

Pop of Poppy Prints

With the summers finally setting in , we can see an outburst of blooms everywhere from the gardens and sidewalks to our wardrobes! Yes the fashion of botanical prints and flora is a big in and they are leaving a stamp everywhere.Be it an embroidered motif or a simple print , florals are here to stay.

 The green fingered designers have cultivated a floral-strewn trend this time and tried to capture the beauty of the season in breathtaking colors that will quickly become the star of your closet.

Check out Pride and Bloom and The Greenhouse Effect from our summer collection 2014 that will put you on the peak of glamour and charisma in no time.

Sleeker Silhouettes

Sleeker silhouettes mark a new dawn of femininity. When talking about the silhouettes this summer, it turned out that the designers are a big fan of sleeker than flowy this season. Yes the dresses that we have are ready-to-wear and ready-to-impress!

Daaman gets a thumbs up for creating a range of ravishing garments in a variety of neon and soft colors. Citrus Splash and Sheer Elegance are two masterpieces from Summer collection 2014 that amps the stylish you.

Metallica!

Metallics are back and the season calls for a lustrous shine, be it night or day. Gone are the days when adding a metallic or a heavily embellished clutch was enough , this season we suggest your audience to put on their shades because looks with reflective touches are what's in. We suggest that you pair them up with simple hairstyles and natural makeup .

Check out Daaman's version of metallic mania with Why Knot, a beautiful shirt with long sleeves that will take your breath away. The irresistible mint green fabric with a metallic sheen will stun everyone around you. We suggest you pair the garment with a pair of your favorite capri pants to show your classy side.

Let us know what you think .

Stunning Divas! Golden Globes 2014

2014 started off with a bang as all the stars gathered in LA for the first big event of the awards season. We are, of course, talking about the 71^st Annual Golden Globes Awards!  The Hollywood A-List kicked off 2014 in style and graced the red carpet in stunning and ravishing silhouettes! Missed the action? Here is a red carpet recap of 3 looks we loved!

Margot Robbie in GUCCI – “The Glowing Goddess”

Gucci was a standout this season!

The Hollywood newbie and the "Wolf of Wall Street" star looked striking in this tight-fitting white Gucci dress with a rhinestone trim and a super high classy slit.

 Not only did her gown fit her like it was made for her, but she managed to show the perfect amount of skin. To top it off she went for a sleek side part and had her hair pulled back into a bun while she dazzled in emerald-green six inch killer heels to die for! Chic & sophisticated !

Taylor Swift in Carolina Herrera – “Lady in Red”

This wonderful lady in red is none other than the famous “Love story” singer who has never failed to stun her audience with her phenomenal beauty and breath-taking ensembles.

 This young star appeared in a ravishing red gown with a black strap at the bust that complimented her delicate frame.The gown fanned out around her waist and buckled at the back. 

The star complimented the dress with a stunning beauty look as she rocked her signature red lip which really brought out the color of the dress! She wore her blonde hair in soft curls which added to the glam look of the night. Win-Win Taylor!

Emma Watson in Dior Couture  –“Red Alert”

The 23-year-old star Harry Potter star arrived at the Beverly Hilton hotel wearing a sweeping red dress with a sash belt tied at the side (we think red was the colour of the evening!) 

What really wowed the audience was when Emma turned her back and revealed that she was actually dressed in a backless number with black skinny trousers! Way to go Emma!

 She accessorized her look with navy blue strappy heels( same ones she wore on last year’s red carpet, unfortunately), dark red lips and one earring as she pouted for photographers. But despite that one thing was certain, she pulled it off with grace & style.

There were so many dazzling ensembles making their way up the red carpet on this star-studded event that it’s close to impossible for us to decide on our favorite looks. All the leading ladies looked phenomenal on the red carpet, but who do you think grabbed the “Lady of the evening” title? Do let us know!

3 Best Ways of Making Hot Chocolate!

Brrrr...It’s cold! With dark, grey clouds blotting out the morning sun here in Pakistan and the polar vortex running amok over the US, we wanted to give everyone a break from the cold and share some rather delicious recipes with you all. Nothing says ‘comfort’ quite like a mug of delicious hot chocolate and a good book while you nestle on that comfortable sofa next to the fireplace.

Below are three different ways of making this heavenly delight! 

INGREDIENTS

Method 1 Chocolate Bars	Method 2 Cocoa Powder	Method 3 Chocolate Syrup
170 g of solid chocolate chunks	2-3 spoons of unsweetened powdered cocoa	4 tablespoons of Chocolate Syrup
1 tablespoon of sugar	2-3 tablespoons of sugar	Canned whipped cream
1 cup milk	1 cup milk	1 cup milk
Cream (optional)	Cream	Optional flavorings: vanilla, whipped cream, wafers, sprinkles ,chocolate shavings,mint
Optional flavorings: vanilla, whipped cream, wafers, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, mint	Optional flavorings: vanilla, whipped cream, wafers, sprinkles ,chocolate shavings,mint

 PREPARATION:

Method 1: Chocolate bars

1.       Obtain a good quality chocolate bar from the market and break it into smaller chunks

2.       Place a small pot of water on high heat and put a metal bowl on top. Add the chocolate and stir until fully melted.

3.       Add cream at 1:1 to the chocolate and stir, effectively making a ganache.

4.       Add any additional flavorings to the ganache while stirring in the cream.

5.       Using the boil method should make it more difficult to burn your chocolatey goodness, but be careful with the bowl as it will get hot!

2.       Add milk, whisking continuously.Garnish with whatever you wish, such as mint leaves, cinnamon sticks, or whipped cream, it's going to be delicious!

Method 2: Cocoa powder

1.       Take cocoa powder ,sugar and a little water in a pan and whisk until perfectly combined over medium heat. Be sure to use hot water only.

2.       Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop stirring, reduce the heat to medium low, and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes.

3.       Add flavorings at this point.

4.       Slowly add in the milk, stirring to blend. Heat the cocoa until it's very hot, but do not allow it to boil.

5.       Serve it up!

Method 3: Chocolate syrup

This method is our ultimate favorite!

1.       Put four tablespoons (or to taste) of Hershey chocolate syrup in a cup.

2.       Squirt in whipped cream to about halfway up the cup. If there is no whipped cream available, powdered sugar and vanilla extract works just as well.

3.       Mix the whipped cream and chocolate together with a spoon.

4.       Add hot milk of your choice to the above mixture and stir thoroughly with a spoon.

5.       Add whipped cream on top applying in a circular motion ending up with a very pretty mini mountain.

6.       Using a spoon dipped in the chocolate syrup drizzle over the whipped cream.

7.       Finished. Sip slowly while you enjoy your favorite TV show.

So there you have it; three ways of making the perfect winter beverage. We hope this post had been informative for all the chocoholics reading this. Do try out the recipes and let us know how your chocolate treat turned out, we’d love to hear from you!

Lights, Camera, Sparkle!

Let’s begin with wishing a very "Happy New Year" to all of the wonderful people out there. 2014 just stepped in and yes its getting chillier with each passing day! The cold wave has taken over the country but stepping out cannot be avoided so we've come up with a way to glam you up this winter.

A new year means a fresh start, so we decided to mix and match a few accessories and cosmetic products with this beautiful formal shirt by Daaman, ideal for the night out with family and friends.Below is what we have in mind for a drop-dead-diva look.

1. NYX Matte Lipstick in Perfect Red :This season we are fixated on bright and bold pouts. The lipstick that we have selected is NYX Matte in Perfect Red  , highly pigmented , long lasting with pure matte finish. Perfect shade to make your lips pop.

2. Gold & Coloured Stone Earrrings:

These dangly burgundy stoned chandelier earrings are essential to complete the look you are going for.Wear your hair in a stylish updo to show off these stunners!

 

3. Crystal Embellished Satin Pumps:

Stilettos’ are an absolute must-have for every girl on this planet. Covered in light reflecting micro-crystals, these shoes make an elegant statement.

4. MAC Eye Kohl:

The idea here is to line the eyes with a soft eye liner pencil that glides on smoothly for a silky smooth matte/pearl finish.

 Line your upper and lower lash-line with sufficient amount of kohl to make them prominent though we wouldn’t recommend a cat eye look or a winged eye liner with this pencil, for such looks you can always use gel or liquid eye-liners.

5. Baked Eye-Shadow Palette By E.L.F :

The baked eye shadow palette that we have selected here is by E.L.F but obviously you can use any good- quality eye shadow. Keep the eye shade a little nude and brown because we already have a prominent lip shade.

6. Rebbeca Minkoff Leather Metallic Shoulder Bag:

Don’t we all have a secret craving for Shoulder bags?! Yes we do. A gold shoulder bag would add glamour and finesse to the entire look.

7. Guerlin Cils Denfer Maxilash Mascara

Now what we need here is a product to create a maximum volume curl and hold, yes girls apply a heavy dose of this magic on outer edges of the top and bottom lashes for an intense, provocative and hypnotic look.

8. Nail Enamel By NARS In Oxblood Red:

Rose tinted lips are incomplete without a fancy nail paint ladies. And since oxblood red has dominated the FALL 2012 runways with its gorgeous mixture of burgundy and scarlet we want you to check out this vampy nail polish and tint your fingertips with the dramatic shade.

We've reviewed quite a few products here but if applied in the right quantity and manner paired with a beautiful smile would definitely stun everyone you meet! Hope you enjoyed our review and please leave your valuable comments behind, stay tuned for more! 

Winter Haven!

Winters are here and we are talking about how to keep warm, stay on trend and be your stylish self – all at the same time! You think that’s hard? We think it’s a piece of cake with these lovely designs that we have in store for you!

If you love jackets - and let’s face it, who doesn’t really?  They make a design look hip, edgy or simply classy. Try out this slim fit twill jacket design that is stylishly cut and will do you just ice for any formal event as well.  Try Jacket Up or Modern Lines, with a solid black jacket and printed shirt that will hit the stores really soon. So don't miss out on it! 

If you’re the type of girl that loves cosy sweaters and warming up your toes in front of a warm fire and hot chocolate in hand, you are definitely going to love Elegantly Wrapped and Hold Me Close cotton knit designs. With sleek straight lines – these comfortable designs will make you feel elegant and fashion forward at the same time!

Off beat designs catch your eye straight away and you know exactly what you want and how to make it Shawl Night Long is a spectacular addition to your winter wardrobe and super stylish with its cowl neck and bold cuffed sleeves. Slip into this classy number and head out to a movie and dinner date in style or host your own winter rooftop party for your friends! 

Dress To Impress!

There are some dresses that stay in our minds long after the moment is gone! Here are three of the dresses that belong in the fashion hall of fame that we totally love! From the archives of music, fashion or film, whether famous for their association with a specific celebrity, event or simply a snapshot in time these dresses wow, dazzle and make our hearts skip a beat with sheer delight!

Audrey Hepburn

There's almost no dress more iconic than the Givenchy sheath that Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn, wore to go window shopping at her favorite jewelry store in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Paired with a pearl necklace, elbow-length black gloves, a tiara, a pair of dark sunglasses and a cup of deli coffee, Hepburn's look continues to define New York chic.

And if you'd like to try something just as structured and in lovely basic black, we'd love to suggest this fine LBD that is bound to catch admiring glances!

Julia Roberts

The most romantic scene in Pretty Woman (1990) is not when Julia Roberts' character, Vivian Ward, first kisses the debonair Edward Lewis, played by Richard Gere. Rather, it's when she appears transformed, Cinderella style, in an elegant red dress. The finishing touch? A diamond-and-ruby necklace.

Something red is just the right thing to get someone's attention though, isn't it, ladies? Go the extra mile and steal the scene, quite literally with this amazing red ensemble!

Marilyn Monroe

When William Travilla designed the white dress Marilyn Monroe wore over a subway grate in The Seven Year Itch (1955), he probably didn't realize it would become the centerpiece of one of the most reproduced images in film history. The design went on to fetch a price of $5.6 million at an auction in 2011.

Go easy, breezy with this version of a toga in cream color and style with braided headbands for the Greek Goddess look!

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth this Eid!

Ramzan is almost at an end and we now into the final week and looking forward to celebrate Eid! And you know the best part of Ramzan has to be the fun at the end: preparing all kinds of sweet delicacies for Eid ul Fitr and enjoying them with our loved ones!

New deserts come and go, but some traditional ones remain top favorites indeed, just like sheer khurma with us. We’ve rounded up some of the best treats from around the world… and they already have our mouth watering!

Baklava: In the Middle East one of the most popular sweets is 'baklava', a crispy dessert made with layers of phyllo pastry, nuts and a sweet sugary syrup. In Turkey, this dessert is almost as popular as the country's famous Turkish delights.

Cakes and Pancakes: Delicacies like 'basbousa', a sweet semolina cake, or 'kunafa', a specialty of Nablus reign supreme in Palestine, which is a pastry filled with cream and garnished with crushed pistachio nuts and sugar syrup. 'Qatayef’, a special dessert that is a mini pancake filled with sweet cheese or nuts with cinnamon and sugar, fried or baked and then soaked in sugar syrup is really famous in Arab countries.

Cookies: In Egypt, cookies remain a top favorite. NoEid is complete without 'kahka', cookies filled with nuts and covered with powdered sugar. In Palestine, ‘hab el hal’ (cardamon) cookies are popular during Eid celebrations. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei favor a common pineapple-filled variety that melts in the mouth.

But besides the sweets that will come our way and the eidi that we will receive, the other best part about Eid is getting to dress up in new clothes – a very important tradition too! And if you’re still on the lookout for that special dress that makes all the difference in the world, do make sure to check out our formals range and place your order. So little time left till the celebrations start and we are so looking forward to it!