Monday Link Love

Favourite little things from various crevices of the internet. Peruse at your leisure.

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1. Ludovico Einaudi - Divenire Live @ Palazzo Te (Mantova) - I briefly mentioned in a previous post my growing love for the classical music genre. I am especially fond of pianists. At the moment, Ludovico Einaudi is my favourite contemporary pianist. I highly recommend you all listen to this piece in particular because Ludo plays it live at the beautiful Mantova. This piece makes the hairs on my back stand and you will understand too once you listen. I could go on forever about this piece, and how I can relate to every key, and you know, one day I will go on forever about this piece.

2. Coffee Art - A lot of people rely on a daily caffeine fix to keep them going through the day, and I guess we just underestimate the potential of even small things such as coffee. The artist, Hong Yi, relied purely on the stains of her Nescafe filled coffee cup to depict Taiwanese song-writer Jay Chou on a 3ft by 5.5ft canvas. She has experimented with a variety of different media to create artwork in the past, which include sunflower seeds, chilli paste, and basketballs. It really goes to show how everything has a potential, especially when it comes to art. Art can take any form, any.

3. Retro Glamour at boohoo.com - I love Boohoo's latest retro inspired collection. Lots of pastels, polka dots, washed out denim and floral prints. This collection has me on my tip-toes waiting for summer and I'm sure it will have you doing the same! I am moving back to Dubai in the summer, and I can guarantee that 90% of my summer to-buy list is all from Boohoo. What makes it even better is that you won't be left with a whole in your wallet after purchasing a few items from Boohoo!

4. Norway's Butter Shortage - As the crisis in Syria continues and tensions between rival nations increases, Norway has been experiencing a shortage in butter. Some say this is a sure sign the world is destined to meet its end, and others blame a wet summer which reduced the quality of animal feed and cut milk production. Whatever the reason, many Norwegians could not fathom the day that the production of their precious traditional biscuits was to come to a grinding halt.

Love from,

Miss Iffa

xoxo

DIY: Simple Glitter Nail Art - Minimal Effort!

I love glitter. It has become something I embed everywhere and the latest glitter victim are my nails. A big problem with glitter nail lacquer, however, is that they can be awfully difficult to remove! I sort about different alternatives, and my initiative led me this very simple but oh so glittery way to sparkle of your nails. I practised on my friends nails, and what lovely nails she has!

What I Used

- H&M Silver nail polish

- Thick confetti-like glitter

- Barry M pearl white glitter dust (optional)

- RMK Base & Top Coat

Method

First of all, you need to paint your nail with one coat of silver nail lacquer. You can add more coats if you want but you will not be able to see the silver very clearly under the glitter.

After you have painted one nail, sprinkle on some thick confetti-like glitter. I would suggest you paint one nail at a time, just so your nails do not dry up before you sprinkle on the glitter. The wetness of the lacquer helps to position the glitter.

Sprinkling on the glitter!

After a bit of positioning

To add some extra sparkle, sprinkle on some fine glitter. This could be anything from ordinary craft glitter or even edible glitter or fine make-up glitter! I actually used Barry M's fine line glitter dust for some extra sparkle.

Sparkling on!

The final step is the most important step! Add on a few layers of top coats; until you are completely satisfied that the glitter does not fall off, do not stop piling on the top coat! The top coat also adds a nice glossy finish to your nails.

After the top coat

And again!

Close up - how sparkly!

A final shot - I love how the ring matches the nails!

I hope this DIY will come in handy for you all, it is incredibly practical and requires minimal effort! It's perfect for a night out, and when just glitter nail lacquer doesn't quite cut it. You don't need to worry about taking this easy nail art off, no pesky glitter stains from ready-made lacquers; and because the glitter is chipped confetti, the paper will slip off easily with just stroke of nail polish remover.

Love from,

Miss Iffa
xoxo

East Meets West

White dress - Generation

Stripy leggings - River Island
Denim Flats - Khussa Mahal 

Proof I use my hands too much in speech

Blue bracelet - vintage shop
Cuff - vintage antique

Necklace - Vintage shop

Perusing contents of clutch

Stripy scarf - Generation

Denim clutch bag - Khaadi

Hello my lovely readers! How are you all today on this glorious evening? A quick update on my life:

• I have recently been trying really hard to be incredibly amazing at chess. I have improved, sort of.
• There was an article released just today about me in the newspaper, talking of my recent shoe collection début and my knowledge of the fashion industry. It had me blushing.
• I have rekindled my love for denim.
• I have grown an unlikely obsession with the classical music genre. I will talk of that in a later post, however.

I am British born with roots all over the east. Growing up, I loved the cultural aspects of the world; the different fashions and traditions fascinated me. I honestly very much dislike the idea of only embodying fashions from one culture, no matter where you are from; I believe we should embody as much as we can, experience as much as we can to be discover who we truly are.

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." - Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

Whilst looking at a copy of the Khaadi SS12 lookbook, I was instantly inspired by the white dresses, brightened with pops of neon colour splashed everywhere but the dress. I took a leaf out of the Khaadi lookbook and took my own spin on the trend. I picked out the white Generation dress with intricate lace detailing and added some colour with nautical striped leggings. I satisfied my rekindled obsession for denim with an oversized denim clutch bag and matching denim flats.

I must mention briefly the antique silver cuff I wear in this outfit. It a family heirloom which has been passed down through generations dating right back to the Mughal empire! I have an obsession with the Mughal empire; everything they did just fascinated me, and do not get me started on their stunning jewellery!

Perhaps this outfit is not everybody's exact cup of tea, but I feel extremely lucky to be able to express myself  through embodying clothing from lots of different cultures. I very strongly recommend you all to try something like this, whether it be stemmed from Mongolian tribes or Russian dolls; all that really matters is embracing different cultures and letting it express who you are.

That's my idea of fashion, the ideal form of expression.

Love from,

Miss Iffa
xoxo

Haul: Lana Del Rey, Polka Dots and Pleather!

Apologies for the poor photo quality!

Lana Del Rey Born to Die Deluxe Album - HMV - £14

Vogue UK March 2012 - WHSmith - £4.10

Polka Dot Trousers - H&M - £10

Close up of polka dot trousers

Pleather and fabric leggings - H&M - £10

Close up of pleather and fabric leggings

I am obsessed with Lana Del Rey, I'm sure many of you already know of that due to my incessant mentioning of her in almost every post. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is about her that makes me adore her so much. She has a voice of gold, she looks like a style icon in the making and she seems like a breath of fresh air from all the other pop-trash songs that are played back to back on relay all day.
I will admit that I very rarely buy albums, (I have only two: Lasers by Lupe Fiasco and this) there has to be something incredible about the artist for me to go out there and buy their album. I recommend you all buy Lana Del Rey's Deluxe Album which comes with an extra three tracks!

"Well, you know, I kind of love Lana Del Rey, just because everyone hates her and I feel protective of her. I’m not a huge fan of her music, but I think she has been treated so unfairly and I feel really defensive on her behalf. I’m drawn to her. It’s a girl crush, and I don’t know why." - Tavi Gevinson

 Lana Del Rey recently bagged herself the cover of Vogue magazine, (read about it here) in my eyes this was inevitable really. The interview is excellent as expected, albeit, I do wish it was longer.

That's enough of Lana Del Rey (for now). I recently bought two pairs of much needed trousers. My wardrobe is stocked chock-a-block full of denim jeans in almost every colour you can imagine, and I just wanted a change from the same old, same old.
The polka dot print of the blue trousers just really stood out to me as something that would match up well with the rest of my wardrobe.
I really love the pleather and fabric combination of the black leggings. I won't be the first to admit that wearing 100% pleather trousers is difficult. It isn't very practical as pleather has a nasty habit of warming up quickly and sticking to your legs as fast as you can say "it's hot!". Brava to the ones that can live through the heat of 100% pleather! I'm definitely not one of them, so instead, I opted for this pleather and fabric combination. I think it's much more practical, comfortable and not to mention breathable! I also love the general contrast which speaks volumes through ever ensemble!

I have a habit of saying a lot about a little, so before I blabber on, I will bring this post to a hasty end. Do note fret, however, as I am planning out a video haul for you all very soon! Stay tuned!

Love from,

Miss Iffa
xoxo

Friday Playlist

Whenever I pick out these playlists, they're always after much thought and much consideration. Fashion, for me, expresses who you are, and music, for me, expresses how you are feeling. The real difficulty for me is trying not to make things too obvious.

Thursday Link Love

Favourite little things from various crevices of the internet. Peruse at your leisure.

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1. Coeurs Decors - This is my favourite blog at the moment, and will continue to be for quite some time! This blog has everything you could be looking for, an eye-catching layout, a unique theme and of course, fabulous content! This blog has all that and more. I love Shubana's (the mastermind behind it all) style and approach to blogging. I read Coeurs Decors religiously, it's honestly a source of inspiration for me.

2. Pusheen the Cat - Accidentally stumbling across Pusheen was probably one of the best mistakes I've made. I'm a cat person, and Pusheen is probably one of the cutest virtual cats I've ever seen. Go check out Pusheen's websites for an extra overdose of kitty cuteness.

3. Glitter: Literally the Best Thing Ever - I stumbled across this article whilst looking for inspiration for my glitter post. The article is slightly dated but will forever remain one of my favourites. I've read it over and over so many times that I think I can quote from it.

4. Charlotte Taylor's SS12 Collection - The press release in itself is just fascinating. "She can and always will dance to the rhythm of her own drum." The collection itself makes my knees wobble at the sight of it, the bright colours, the abstract shapes, the retro vibes the- *sigh*. The list is really endless, so I'd rather I just gave you a link for you all the scroll through instead. I intend to do a post on the collection in the near future.

Love from,

Miss Iffa

xoxo

Velvet and Sequins

So you are all probably aware of my YouTube OOTD. (If you are not, check out my video here) I am still getting used to YouTube, I am unsure whether or not my readers prefer a video or picture format for Outfit posts. Nonetheless, do tell me what you are all thinking, at the moment I am thinking of doing a combination of them both.

I am a huge fan velvet. Especially velvet on shoes! Velveteen garments are great, but velveteen shoes are greater! In my AW12 collection, I included plenty of velvet on shoes, I think it's a staple and a trend that shouldn't be left out. 

In this post I am wearing a velvet maxi skirt, which I must admit, I haven't worn often. Although it is stunning,  I honestly do find it often impractical at times. The chilly weather, albeit, is not an excuse to not wear this velvet maxi skirt! I'll let you in on a little secret, just slip on a pair of leggings underneath your maxi skirt and voila! No problems with the bitter breeze outside your window. And in the unlikely case of a tempest blowing your skirt up, then you won't need to worry about that either; because you'll have a trusty pair of leggings on underneath.

I am addicted to glitter. It has become almost mandatory for me to mention that in every post, don't you think? The sequinned top from H&M looked like it was made for me! It is sparkly indeed, but it has a clever matte finish, which really tones the outfit down. Another clever thing about the sequinned top is that it is lined with comfy cotton, so no itchy sequins either.

You have probably seen my boots cropping up in many outfit posts. Well you honestly can't blame me, the boots are perfect. They are lined with faux fur on the inside, you can fold them over as well as keep your feet warm, and they come in an array of staple colours. If you are interested in a pair, then feel free to contact me for an order. (NB: Prices non-negotiable)

Love from,

Miss Iffa

xoxo

OOTD Velvet & Sequins

I know I always promise lots of YouTube videos, in fact, I've said it so many times; you probably don't even believe me any more. Well you'll all be happy to know that I have finally gotten back into creating YouTube videos! Here is my first OOTD in a video format, if I say so myself, it's not too bad. (I think!)

But I'll let you be the judge of that. Check out my YouTube channel here, feel free to subscribe, like and comment.

Love from,

Miss Iffa

xoxo

Let's Talk About: Glitter

My new found obsession is glitter. Not just in the fashion concept but in every concept. The way it catches your eye, the way it stands out, the way it just brightens everything up. It’s like a brilliant, friendly smile, won’t you agree? Except this is a mobile version, this is a smile you can plaster anywhere you like. A sprinkling of happiness, a dash of brilliance and a pinch of hope.

I don’t even know what glitter is. What makes it so sparkly? Is it just pieces shiny card sliced and sliced into tiny shreds? When I was growing us, I liked to believe that glitter was fairy dust. Little bits of scattered memoirs from when the fairies visited. Well glitter is actually far from fairy dust, a quick Google search told me that glitter is pieces of copolymer plastics, aluminum foil, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride or other materials painted in metallic, neon and iridescent colors to reflect light in a sparkling spectrum. I’m sure you’ll agree with me, that thinking of glitter as “fairy dust” sounds so much more whimsical.

One woman who knows her way with glitter is the wonderful Nanna Øland Fabricius, known more commonly by her stage name: Oh Land. For me, Oh Land is my glitter queen, I wholly understand her obsession with glitter and her style. When watching Nanna’s Stylized video, (watch it here) you will notice her admit “One thing I do sometimes is I pour a lot of glitter out in a bowl, then I lipgloss it all over my face.” She then goes on to add that spraying hairspray on your face afterwards really “seals it to your face”. Oh Land, congratulations, you’ve been crowned my Glitter Queen! ♔

Glitter is so versatile. I think you will all find that you agree with me. Wherever it is, it will look beautiful, basking in all its sparkly-ness. Take the pictures from below as an example. Whether just tossed nonchalantly over a table, or sprinkled into a pool of water. Glitter never fails to brighten any place up, and of course, do what it was born to do: sparkle.

As well as Oh Land, another glitter goddess is Courtney Love. Ever the ’90s child I am, I think Courtney really blew us all away with her hair adorned with the favourite glitter-development of the ’90s: the hair-jewel malarkies. She looks like a sparkling goddess, and the way she uses the glitter is very clever; her face looks radiant and illuminated, all thanks to that added sparkle.

Fashion and glitter. Well that is something I could spend a lifetime discussing. From Miu Miu sparkly sneakers to body glitter from the ’90s, there’s just far too much for me to cover. When it comes to glitter, be creative, don’t let anything or anyone filter your creativity. Fashion has no limits, (other than nudity, everything other than nudity is great!) so go wild and express yourself. Just like how our glitter queen does. ♔

Without further ado, I’d like to conclude this heartfelt post. In the words of Mae West, “Personality is the glitter that sends your little gleam across the footlights and the orchestra pit into that big black space where the audience is.”

Love from,

Miss Iffa
xoxo