Fabrics To Keep You Warm And With The Trends!

For us Pakistanis summer is pretty much the only season we see all year round, so when winter arrives we're caught by surprise as to what we should be wearing that will suit our climate AND sense of style! But you don't have to worry anymore, we've got you covered! Quite literally :)

1. Twill Viscose

This  fabric is derived from a natural plant fibre and has the perfect feel and fall that you’re looking for this season! The twill fabric is recognized by its diagonal pattern which is a result of its unique weave, making it the go-to fabric to keep you warm and up to trend! And a great plus point: when dyed or printed, the colours on this fabric stand out as gorgeous as ever to make you shine! 

2. Khaddar

That warm fabric we all know and love too well! With a lovely feel, and yet another unique weave giving this 100% cotton fabric a gorgeous texture for a home spun feel! The prints and colours on this fabric come out beautifully making it perfect for winter!

3. Heavy Cotton
 

 

Cotton is a year round favourite, and our heavy cotton is perfect for casual outfits this chilly season! It's the best choice for  daywear and structured cuts!

How To Make The Perfect Hot Chocolate In 5 Minutes

It's the season of cold nights and warms drinks! A cup of creamy hot chocolate is a must have at the end of a long tiring day, just as you get settled in your bed. And of course we all want a quick fix, so here's our take on how to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate within 5 minutes!

Warm a cup of milk on the stove on a low flame, but don't let it boil.



Instead of adding cocoa, this recipe simply requires a bar of your favourite chocolate! Personally we love the Cadbury Bubbly as its extra soft and creamy, but any other chocolate will work just as well! After all, there are no restrictions when it comes to chocolate!



So add a medium sized bar of your chocolate of preference, plus a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour. Keep stirring constantly for 1 minute.



Remove from the heat, add half a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon for an extra delicious touch!
Pour in a mug and you have your hot chocolate ready to serve in just 5 minutes!

Stay Safe From Winter Frizz!

What's the best part about winter you ask? The chance to flaunt your gorgeous hair without the fear of a meltdown of course! But winter too brings some major problems for us fashionistas, the main one being-FRIZZ! Just follow some simple tips to avoid static hair this season!

1. Oil and Condition!

Hot oils and deep conditioning treatments are necessary all year round! They provide your hair with proper hydration, since lack of moisture is the number one reason for static hair!

2. Styling Products

 

Since hair gets extra dry this season, hence leaving it frizzy, styling products are a must have for winters! See what suits your hair type the best, from serums to hair gels, the options are endless! While the use of these products during the summer may give off a slightly oily look, when used this season your hair will look well nourished and less frizzy too!

3. Hair-dos

Stick with half tied hair, as it's the go to trend this season anyway! It can be a half braid or the much talked about man-bun! Leaving your hair half up makes it easier to manage and control while giving off a sophisticated look.

4. Curl It!

Dead straight hair is so yesterday anyway, so bring out those curling tongs and add volume to your hair! When waved or curled, your hair is less prone to get static as opposed to straightened hair.

4 Ways To NOT Style Your Winter Look

The season for smart jackets, cozy sweaters and perfect hair is finally here! But in our need to keep warm we tend to make some basic fashion faux pas while styling our looks for a night out. Here are some things you can easily avoid!

Toe Socks

Yes they're super comfy and tend to look cute too, but guys please keep your gloved feet restricted for when you're lounging around the house! They're a little too casual to be worn outside!

Puffy Jackets

 

No doubt it's the number one way to keep warm, but when you're dressed up for the night? No no! Stick to simple jackets or over coats to go with your dressy look.

Over-sized Fluffy Ear Muffs

 

No...just no...

Over Doing The Leather

We all love how cool a leather jacket or sexy leather boots look, but don't over do your look by adding more than one leather element to your outfit! Keep it simple and keep it fashionable :)

Going Out To Eat-In The Digital Age

The digital age makes our everyday lives easier but with everyone being so dependant on technology these days, even something as simple as going out for a casual lunch isn't possible without the use of social media!

1) Making the plan:
 We Whatsapp our friends to ask them if they're free, usually a broadcast or group message since personal messages and polite phone calls are so 2010!

2) Arriving at the venue:
 The compulsory Check-In on Facebook to let people know of your busy social life. Plus you can never have enough freebie cookies, right?



3) Arrival of the food:
Wait! You can't touch it until you've taken some creative and artsy pictures to get more followers on Instagram!

 

4) Recording the chitter chatter:
A fun filled Snapchat video story is a must to show people how cool your friends are and how much fun you're having!



5) Saying good-byes:
And you end your dinner with a light funny tweet about some latest run-of-the-mill topic to flaunt your general know-how.

Get The Perfect Fall Looks!

It's time to transition your make-up bags from summer to fall, moving from bright looks to moodier colours and dewy skin! Here are some simple changes you need to make for the season!

1. Dark Lips 



Darker lip shades need to replace the bright pinks and corals you may have been using the past few months. So think browns, mauves, maroons, berries and plums!


2. Nude Cheeks



Since lip colours are getting darker, keep your blush ons a neutral colour for a well balanced and natural look!

3. Dewy Skin

 

A glowing, more luminous base is a must during cooler seasons as compared to the matte looks we opt for during summer. So keep your highlighting powders and dewy foundations handy!

4. Contoured Skin

 

Instead of the warm bronzers we see in summer it's time for more cool toned contour powders!

5. Metallic or Muted Eyeshadows



Even though nude and matte eye shades are the look to opt for during the day, metallic eyeshadows are a good choice for your more formal looks this season!

Top 4 Accessory Trends Of 2015

2015 has been a year for statement accessories and blinged out looks! Here are some of the trends that are here to stay until further notice.

1. Ear-cuffs



Why stick to normal studs or earrings when you can bling up your whole ear from top to bottom! Ear-cuffs ranging from funky to simple and classy are the in thing this season for a super hip look!

2.  Midi Rings

 

Be it chunky or something exquisite, rings that come up to your knuckles are a must have for any jewellery lover! Not the most practical accessory, but they definitely do make your hands look prettier!

3. Statement Sunglasses



No more simple black shades when the top trend gives you a choice of crazy shapes and outrageous sizes! Make sure to have at least one out-of-the-box pair (perhaps not as crazy as this image!) to make a statement!

4. Quirky Bags



From food to animals to crazy objects, everything goes when it comes to a unique purse to carry these days! Perfect to oomph up a simple outfit and look stylish as ever!

5 Types Of Shoes Every Desi Woman Should Own

As Marilyn Monroe righteously said, "Give a woman the right pair of shoes, and she can conquer the world," but all women know one pair is never enough! So here are 5 must have shoes every desi woman needs for a complete wardrobe!

1. Khussas

Classics never go out of fashion, and any desi outfit looks perfect adorned with a pair of khussas! They could be gold or embellished, sober or bright, printed or plain, the choices are endless!

2. Nude heels

 The right pair of shoes that will look perfect with any colour, print or style! May it be an eastern or western attire, nude heels give the perfect mod and classy look!

3. Simple Sandals

For endless shopping sprees or just a day at work, flat sandals work best and are always a safe choice!

4. Ballet Flats

A comfy pair of ballet pumps are a must have in your closet, they're practical and look adorable with jeans or even a kurta paired with tights!

5. Glitzy gold heels

Being a desi woman it's impossible to avoid weddings and such events! A pair of gold heels will have you covered as they'll match with almost every formal outfit you own!

Karachi's 5 Best Street Foods

With raids and shutdowns at eateries gaining pace across the country, it won't be long before the authorities turn their attention to Karachi. So you better head out and have all your favourite street foods before the food police gets here!

DISCLAIMER: Daaman is not responsible for any problems that might take place after consuming said food! :)

Bun Kabab

 

The one stop solution to a hungry stomach! Our desi twist on a mouthwatering burger, complete with a mix of coleslaw, onions, ketchup and watery green chutney! And the guarantee of an upset stomach...

Gol Gappay



Also commonly known as pani or meethi purri, these crispy delights are a popular favourite! Topped of with sweet and sour sauces, the fun part is trying to fit the whole thing in your mouth in one go, definitely not something you should consider having in front of company!

Dhaabay Ki Chai

 

Despite the scorching temperatures, Karachi walas survive on a fuel we know as chai. And everyone who loves chai has been to a dhabba to have a good cup of hot doodh patti! Even though we know they definitely don't use Tetra Pak milk, but that's probably the secret behind it!

Paratha Rolls



One word to describe this godly wonder: scrumptious! Crispy paratha filled with succulent chicken and juicy chutney is another famous favourite! Despite the fact that you can practically taste how unhygienic this is when you see them pouring out chutney from a large not so hygienic bucket...

French Fries

Or as commonly written on the vendors cart: finger chips. The taste that these greasy potatoes, sprinkled with chaat masala and too sweet ketchup, achieve can never be matched by any gourmet restaurant out there!

Technology Takes Over Desi Weddings

With technology taking over our day-to-day lives, and the belief that 'if you don't post about it on Facebook (or Instagram or Snapchat) it didn't happen,' our lives have become even more dependant on internet and modern means of communication. Similarly, even traditional weddings have been infiltrated with gadgets and hashtags!

1. Skype Sessions During Ceremonies

No need to be relieved that your phuppo from Canada couldn't make it, she's going to demand to be on Skype the whole time and have the laptop carried around by an unlucky younger cousin!

2. (Attack of the killer) DRONES!!!



No longer will your mehndi dances be filmed from a conventional angle when you can have an aerial view of the whole event! And an even sneakier way to catch your guests munching away on the dinner table!

3. Official Wedding Hashtag



Finding your social media newsfeed full of pictures from the same event just isn't annoying enough without that hashtag that combines the bride and groom's name into one annoying nickname!
 #why....

4. Selfie Sticks

And last, but not the least, how can any wedding be complete without the bride and groom awkwardly posing on stage with a selfie stick! I mean not like they paid the photographers a huge amount of money to take proper photographs or something...

Eid Day Essentials

Eidi

Everyone knows the real reason children even agree to go out with their parents on Eid! When it comes to eidi every little bit counts, even the aunt who has been giving you Rs50 for the past 8 years. And at the end of the day collecting, calculating and comparing your haul with your cousins/friends is what makes everything else worthwhile! 

Eid Outfit 

Enough of a reason to go out every other night after iftar to buy new shoes or earrings or chooriyan to go with your perfect Eid ensemble! After all, those pictures won't look good themselves you know. #eidselfie 

Food food and more food

After having lost our appetites during Ramzan, it usually just takes one day to bring it all back, plus any bonus weight we might have lost. Seeing the feast laid out with Biryani, Nihari and Sheer Khorma is enough to make our eyes water with joy!

Post Eid Hangover

Also how can we forget the traumatic experience of getting back to work/school after Eid with regular timings and no excuse for your laziness!

Ridiculously Expensive HandBags You Didn't Know You Needed

When you hear of the most expensive bag your mind is likely to go to the latest crocodile skin Hermes Birkin. But you probably haven't heard of these equally ridiculously priced bags!

1. Louis Vuitton- Urban Satchel: $150,000

This is one of those bags you probably wouldn't want to carry on  a trip to Sunday Bazaar, out of the fear that it might be mistaken as actual trash by the garbage collectors there...

2. Chanel- Diamond Forever: $261,000

Since absolutely everyone you know has Chanel rip offs, one has to stand out from the crowd right? This exclusive purse is crafted from crocodile leather and adorned with 334 diamonds. Even the chain straps are white gold! And since 13 of these were ever made, you're guaranteed to not run into someone else ridiculous enough to buy this pretty ordinary looking bag.

3. Mouawad- 1001 Nights Diamond Purse: $3.8 million

Perfect for those desi weddings where aunties can't stop gushing over each others gold jewellery sets. You're sure to top them all with your 18k gold clutch with over 4517 diamonds adorning it!

4. Hermes- Birkin by Ginza Tanaka: $1.9 billion

Because Hermes wasn't an expensive enough brand they decided to work with a Japanese designer to make this platinum bag with 2000 diamonds, as well as a removable diamond sling that can be worn as a necklace and a removable centrepiece that can be worn as a brooch! Perfect to attract muggers as you walk down the street with this glitzy thing. What more could you ever need?