Monochrome in Mornington Crescent

Here's another style post, featuring my beloved flared trousers that I've basically been living in at the moment. I found these trousers in New Look - a store I don't tend to shop or find things in, but I've been loving this bargain beauty! When I first showed my mum these trousers she had a moment of 'Oh God, how are you going to make these work?' but I think I've since proved her otherwise. These trousers are super versatile, making them the perfect wardrobe gamble. I've worn them on a night out with heels and a crop top, and I've also worn them looking uber casual with a printed tee and sandals.Today, I was going for dinner and decided to dress somewhere 'in between'.

To avoid looking overly dressed up, or too fancy shmancy, I paired the trousers with a very simple white crop top from Topshop's basics - find similar style here. As always, I relied on my faux leather jacket to give my outfit a little bit of that 'edgy' but 'effortless' oomph - find the jacket I'm wearing here.

Jewelery was kept pretty minimal, and I left the outfit accessories to do the talking - I wore my Miss Selfridge black fedora (this seems to be stuck to my head these days, honestly). As a lover of all things vintage, this cute little tan shoulder bag belonged to my grandmother and I adore its place in my wardrobe. I can't recommend enough taking a trip to your local vintage shops, charity shops and flea markets! You can find unique pieces that make your style stand out, and chances are no one will be rocking the same items. Finally, on my feet I'm wearing my recently bought Primark sliders, these seem to match everything I style so I've already made so much use out of the £3 (?!) price tag.

Saina
xo

Today's Fine Details: Magpies Picks

I'm a bit of a magpie when it comes to silver items, and although I won't be stealing your finest silver jewelery, I do have an ever growing collection of all things Sterling Silver. I don't usually tend to plan what necklace or rings I'm wearing, in fact the general rule goes that anything I can find that morning, I'll stack on! Certain rings have a tendency of disappearing on me, and then reappearing when I've almost given up on the idea of finding them again - perhaps there's another magpie lurking around!

When I was getting dressed this morning, I thought it would be a good idea to show you some of today's finer details, as opposed to focusing on my outfit. Most silver pieces that I have accumulated comes from my trips to the motherland (Iran), and although that's no good to you, unless you're planning a trip there, which I totally recommend you do (see my Tehran post here) - I thought I should share with you some of my favourite fashion jewelery brands where you can find similar pieces. Also, in case you were wondering what I've got on my nails at the moment, it's OPI's Coney Island Cotton - this is a soft 'mannequin' nail colour, perfect with ladies who have yellow undertoned skin! My Dior Addict Extreme in 'Mystic 369' has also been one of my recent go-to nude shades. This is a no faff lipstick that applies quite sheer and doesn't require much effort!

Favourite Jewelery Brands: 
Markkit
Alex + Ernest
Fashionology
Luv Aj

Saina
xo

Current Hair Styling Products

When it comes to my hair I don't tend to experiment a lot. In fact, I've pretty much been stuck in the same hair styling routine for the past couple of years. Although I haven't switched up my style, I've dabbled into a few new products and found myself a roundup of products.

1) Charles Worthington Texturising Spray: I was initially attracted to picking up this hair texturiser because of an extremely popular cult favourite, Oribe Dry Texturising Spray; unfortunately this product is also extremely expensive. As a general consensus on the blogosphere, the Charles Worthington spray is a cheaper alternative of the Oribe one. I haven't looked back since I first picked this cult favourite up last year! It's the perfect addition, basically like the missing link in my hair styling routine. If like me, you hate freshly washed 'fluffy' hair and prefer that second day hair look and feel, then this product is great for you. It gives your hair extra grit and achieves a backcombed, voluminous look on in one bottle.

2) JLife Heat Shield: If you know me, you know I very rarely put any heat on my hair - not only in fear of hair damage, but also out of sheer laziness! If I'm feeling extra adventurous I take to my hair diffuser for added volume. Obviously, that has a negative effect on the health of my hair so a heat protection product is needed. JLife is not a product I'm too familiar with, but having received a couple of their products in a London Fashion Week goodie bag, I've become a total covert to their brand. This leave in spray reduces potential heat damage whilst providing gentle conditioning. This is a no faff product and does exactly what it says on the tin (or bottle).

3) Aussie Miracle Styling Mousse: Hair mousse takes me back to my early teens, where I used to mousse an' scrunch my hair to the max! Mousse now has a completely different meaning in my hair styling routine. I run about a pump or two of this product through my hair - from the roots down, whilst it's wet, for added volume. My hair tends to fall straight naturally - I'm lucky one or two waves make an appearance but that's about it. This product just helps maintain some wave definition and shine without appearing 'crunchy'.

4) JLife Serum: I take about a pump or two into the palm of my hand and then run it through the mid-lengths and ends of lightly towel dried hair. This product can be used in both wet or dry hair for that added sheen and to help tame frizz. I've found it to work beautifully without weighing my hair down, or making it feel greasy, which some de-frizzers have done.

5) Stila Hair Refreshener: This product gives me life, literally. It's the best dry shampoo I've set my paws on, and it has so many extra uses than a simple freshening of greasy roots! I use this product for volume, grip, texture and it makes my hair not only look, but feel clean. I couldn't recommend this product enough for any of the above uses. If you have lifeless, straight hair that's prone to appearing greasy, give this Stila gem a go!

Let me know what some of your hair faves are.

Saina
xo

Spring Style: OOTD

You know it's Spring, when you grab for your leather jacket without any hesitation or doubts in fear of the cold! London, infamously known for its temperamental weather, has been staying true to its reputation by giving a bucket load of mixed signals. Right now, I'm sat indoors with the heating on full blast and wooly slippers on, whilst a couple of days back I was frantically reaching for my sunnies and some ice cream! Last week, we were lucky enough to have a few Spring like days and with the sun making an appearance coats were no longer needed. Here's a look at one of my outfits featuring my trusty leather jacket.

Admittedly, these tailored trousers do nothing for my figure, but when Topshop has a sale and you found the last item in a couple of sizes up you either make it work, or spend the rest of the week regretting your choice. These linen trousers are super soft to the touch, making them the perfect pair of 'work' trousers. Spacious, but somewhat stylish. There's nothing worse than being uncomfortable in skinny jeans whilst you're sat at a desk with a mountain load of things to do! This black knitted jumper was a Zara A/W 14 purchase, and I just adore the side slits and the dipped hem style of it. The ribbed detailing and the structure of the upper arms makes it seem like something more than a 'baggy old jumper' - when essentially that's all it really is!

These trousers really have that 'Sport-Luxe' feel with the black side paneling, and I rolled them up ever so slightly just to make them appear a little more casual (also to make them slightly tighter at the ankles, seriously loose sizing). My shoes are my sturdy leather Zara pointies with gold hardware - you guys know how much I love these shoes and I've mentioned them a couple of times before. Although this exact style is no longer available, I listed my favourite similar styles that are still available from high street stores - check out that post here. 

Outfit Details 
Topshop Soft Piped Trousers: Similar here
Zara Knitted Side Split Jumper: Similar here
Zara Pointies: Similar here
Zara Faux Leather Jacket: here

Saina
xo

Beauty Food: Chia Seeds

When it comes to beauty and the thought of making ourselves 'pretty', we instantly think of makeup, clothing and accessories. But what's even more important is making ourselves beautiful from within - by incorporating some super-foods into our diet we can help detoxify our bodies, which in turn will have a positive effect on our complexion. 

What are chia seeds?

Tokhme Sharbati has a long history and high prestige value in Persian cuisine, with many different variations from basil seeds, mountain basil seeds and chia seeds. Tokhme sharbati, more commonly known in the Western world as Chia seeds, has an extensive list of benefits. Chia seeds are extracted from a flowering plant in the mint family, and when they are soaked in water, they form a gel that is known to hydrate. 

Health Benefits

As well as being packed with protein and fibre nutrients, chia seeds are a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the molecules in our body cells, and therefore prevent and fight contributing factors of ageing, and diseases like cancer. This little seed, which can be found in either a white or black colour, contains calcium, manganese and phosphorus. Like Flax seeds, Chia seeds are also very high in Omega-3 fatty acids and fortunately it’s an easy food to add to your diet! 

 An Aid in Dieting 

 Chia has a stabilizing effect on your body’s blood sugar, but also fights insulin resistance, which can be a factor to increase of belly fat. With very few calories, and their ability to increase the feeling of ‘fullness’, many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss. Fortunately, it’s extremely easy to include chia seeds in your diet. Remember, they can be eaten raw! Some of my favourite ways to consume chia are to sprinkle the seed on top of yoghurt, porridge, or cereal. There are many yummy recipes floating around on the internet and I highly recommend you give 'Chia Pudding' a go! 

What are your thoughts on chia seeds?

Saina

xo

Met Gala 2015: The Best Dressed

Cara Delavigne, Kendall Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Sarah Jessica Parker

The theme of the new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute 2015 Gala was announced—“China: Through the Looking Glass”, an exploration of Chinese influence on Western fashion. And just as film fanatics count down to the Oscar's every year, us fashion folk wait eagerly for the yearly Costume Exhibit annual ball, the Met Gala.

Rihanna's 2015 Met Gala look

Arguably, one of the most stylish nights of the year, the Met Gala is the one time celebrities and influences take any real fashion risk. For the most part, it appeared that attendees did not adhere to the 'China' theme, and although dressed very elegantly and beautifully, they also brought the 'boring' to the 'fashion Superbowl'. Almost like turning up in your everyday uniform to non uniform day at school!

Kim Kardashian West, Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé all showing off their best ass(ets)

We saw a lot of embellished gowns, floral motifs and touches of red. It appeared that the designers all translated the theme with a similar trend - deep, ruby reds, shimmery golds and other jewel tones dominated the colour scheme. Some of the most talked about dresses were that of Kim Kardashian West, Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce. All three fashionista's appeared in similar bejeweled, figure hugging gowns, with sheer panels baring a lot (a lot, a lot) of skin. Kim Kardashian's East motif gown was done by Peter Dundas, new creative director for Roberto Cavalli. Beyonce wore a custom Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisc. Jennifer Lopez wore a sequined and super sheer Versace number.  

Maggie Q in custom Tory Burch gown

That brings me to my favourite look of the evening - Maggie Q's custom Tory Burch gown absolutely won me over. Her sleek pantsuit aficionado fell beautifully and elegantly on her frame. Maggie Q's Met Gala costume featured a double-faced silk crepe tunic with crystal embellishments and detailing across the border of the tunic and the deep armhole side slits. Her custom Tory Burch piece also featured a deep V back — with wide double faced silk crepe pants. A daring look for the Met Ball — pants! — but one that's uniquely Chinese. I've fallen in love with this classically chic look.

Let me know what some of your favourite looks were.

Saina
xo

Calling All Coffee Addicts: London Coffee Festival

This year the UK's largest coffee and artisan food event returned back to Brick Lane's Old Truman Brewry to celebrate London's bustling and vibrant coffee scene. Being a massive coffee enthusiast and having never forgiven myself for missing out on the event last year, I left every virtual reminder possible in hopes of getting my hands on some tickets this year round - I have the likes of iPhone reminders and post-it notes to thank for this!
For those of you that are not so crazy about coffee, or are unaware of this exhibition, London Coffee Festival takes place just in time for the UK's Coffee Week (May 4th - 10th). Featuring over 250 artisan coffee and gourmet food stalls, live demonstrations, workshops, live music and art exhibitions, LCF is an unmissable event for coffee lovers and those working in the coffee scene.

Coffee Master Competition Finals

'Hyde Park' inside the exhibition where live music and DJs performed whilst coffee lovers sipped away

The festival kicked off to the public on Friday 1st May through to Sunday 3rd May with three 3-hour daily sessions - brunch (10am-1pm), lunch (1-4pm) and tea (4-7pm). Myself and a friend purchased tickets for the lunch slot on Sunday, so we took ourselves to Brick Lane and waited in line for the start of the exhibition. Upon scanning our tickets and arriving inside the Old Truman Brewery we were greeted by barrista's handing out official LCF tote bags filled with goodies - this, I was extremely excited about! We then proceeded from stand to stand, trying various coffee blends, teas and artisan bakery bits.

Obviously I made a friend from the Starbucks stand! I even bagged loads of goodies and had tasters

A few drinks stood out to me and one of them was a 20 hour steeped cold brew from Starbucks - only available in small batches at 20 UK Starbucks', this cold brew is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for hours on end. This slow method makes the drink far less acidic and more smoother, unlike the result of ordinary cafetiere/boiling water brew method. Another Starbucks favourite of the day was the 'Mintspresso' -  essentially a double espresso, a handful of fresh mint leaves mixed with sweetener and poured over ice. The mixture was then shaken in a cocktail shaker until the ingredients became a 'muddle', it was then poured into a glass and topped with sparkling water. If you like a cold brew, like myself, and a fan of mint then you should give this drink a go at home. The incredibly kind barista talked me through the whole process, and let me have a go at making my own. Very easy drink to make!

Waiting in line for my espresso martini!

Ladies and gents, may I introduce you to the Martini Espresso Bar where I tried quite possibly one of my favourite and most delicious alcoholic cocktails to date! Blended with coffee liquor, an espresso shot and topped with vodka that has been distilled in the Czech Republic. 

What's a day out without indulging in some mouth watering street food? I was surprised when I found out the exhibtion had a whole section dedicated to artisan gourmet food and pop-up food stalls. There was food courtesy of Arancini Bros, Herman ze German and St John Bakery. Being the bratwurst fan that I am, I had to opt for Herman ze German. Their menu had a range of bratwursts from pork, smoked pork, veal, beef and veggie options - I went for the 'chilli beef', which was served in a brioche roll with ketchup and mustard and topped with sauerkraut and crispy onions (totally wanting to relive this delicious moment).

I would totally recommend this festival for anyone debating to go next year, I'm sure I'll be paying the exhibition a visit every year from now. A very interesting, exciting and tasty day. Let me know what your thoughts were if you went this year, I'd love to hear of your experiences!

Saina
xo

Vintage Shop Browsin' : OOTD

Those in fear of double denim look away! So today I made a trip to one of my favourite London locations in hopes of finding a few vintage gems at a flea market - Angel Islington. The weather was a bit of everything today - we had a few moments of sun yet the wind was in full force today, which made me question my fedora choice one too many times.
Leather jackets are my Spring time staple. They're the perfect addition to any outfit with the right amount of layering and warmth. In London we're at that stage where winter coats are too much though we can't skip jackets totally just yet. This outfit, apart from being an example of how double denim can work, is an example of layering.

The jeans I'm wearing here were bought from Topshop in the mid-season sale for...£5. They are two sizes up from what I usually wear but due to their 'Leigh' style the material is tight, so they don't appear too loose or gather at the legs. Although this exact pair are no longer available, here is a link to a similar pair that are still in stock on the Topshop website.
Yet another Zara basic tee - I'm a sucker for Zara's basics! These are the most flattering tshirts I've found to date, and I love everything from the deep V neck to the light airy material.  
This shirt is an example of how great some vintage finds are - I found this light denim, over sized piece was found in Rokit a few years ago. You can find similar shirts in almost every charity shop!

To accessories, I've kept things pretty basic - don't I always. Obviously, I opted for the Miss Selfridge fedora, again. I'm also wearing my small Michael Kors bag, it's the perfect size for just the necessities - there's nothing worse than rummaging through a flea market with the weight of a heavy bag weighing you down. Finally, on my feet I'm wearing my firkenstocks (fake Birkenstocks) which I bought from Primark last year.

Hope you've been enjoying your Bank Holiday weekend!

Saina
xo

Spring Splurge: Current Want & Needs

So here are a few items that have been sitting in my virtual shopping basket and I've seriously been lusting over, some of which I'm going to have to get my hands on before I miss the chance! 

This gorgeous knitted jumper is from H&M, picture it with tapered black trousers and a pair of white trainers - beaut. Sadly enough, they only have larger sizes left on the website that I don't think I could make work even with the 'over-sized' look, but I'm still trying my luck in stores!

I think every girl has a Balenciaga sitting in their virtual basket, and mine is this Arena Giant 12, Mini City in black. This bag is everything, it can be worn both dressed up or down and the gunmetal, silver hardware on it is absolutely gorgeous. Of course this item is one that will sit in my virtual shopping basket for a tad longer than all the rest (great example of me trying to make myself feel better). 

Birkenstocks were all the rage last summer, but something tells me the trend is here to stay for a while - if you're still in two minds about birks, this is your chance to grab yourself a pair and make the most use out of it. Although I have pair of Primark Birkenstock (I call them firkenstocks fake + birkenstock) lookalikes that I got last summer, I'm ready to invest in a more sturdier pair and these white ones have caught my eye. 

Now I'm not much of an eye shadow wearer but I've been eyeing this all matte shadow Basics palatte from Urban Decay - it seems to have wearable natural shades that are perfect for defining the eye. Find it here. 

I'm a self confessed Fedora addict so I'll probably always have one sitting on my wishlist, this one is from Penmayne London and retails for over £300, but you can find similar styles for much less in most high street stores. 

Now I should have probably mentioned this first as I want these the most and for some reason I still haven't picked a pair up since last year! These classic Ray Ban aviators feature mirrored green lenses with a soft brushed gold metal - absolutely gorgeous. I've tried these countless times and fall in love more and more each time. 

What are some of your Spring want and needs?

Saina 

xo

In My Kit: Travel Beauty Must Haves

Today I wanted to share some of beauty favourites and the contents of my travel makeup bag, which help keep me 'glam' on the go..
For keeping my skin fresh with an almost-perfect base, I like to use Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturiser (shade Bisque). This evens out my skin tone as I tend to have some redness on my nose and cheeks, and although it doesn't cover all imperfections out completely it creates a more 'naturally flawless' face. As mentioned before my t-zone area is the most oily part of my face, so Mac's MSF lives with me everywhere I go. A light handed dusting of the finely milled powder goes a long way, and does a great job at keeping shine away without looking chalky.
As a long term user of Bare Mineral's skin makeup, I've grown a love affair with this bronzer in the shade Warmth. This is definitely a red based bronzer so it isn't great for defining and contouring your face, though it does a great job of creating the illusion of sun-kissed skin.

Although I've developed quite the 'signature' look featuring my everyday feline winged liner, on some of the more lazier days I like to focus just on the brows and lashes (at the least) to keep me looking healthy (alive). Benefit's Roller Lash is perfect for those no liner days, as it seperates the lashes whilst curling them. And the best part? The curl is held all day! I also keep my 'Gin & Tonic' perfume by The Library of Fragrance with me as it's super travel friendly - this 30ml bottle is the perfect size for my makeup bag, and I've never had issues with the lid coming off.

For an everyday lip I wear Burt's Bee's lip balm underneath one of my favourite matte nudes - Mac's Yash. Due to the texture of this lipsticks, I need to carry a lip balm with me to avoid any gathering of dry, dead skin and this Burt's Bee's addition does the trick. Yash accompanied by No 7's Precision lipliner in 'Nude' is the perfect nude combo on my skin tone, so I never leave the house without this holy grail pair! I also like to keep this nude lip Mega Shine gloss from NYX (colour Natural) just in case I fancy changing up a matte lip to a more glossier look.

What are some of your glam & go items?

Saina
xo