I'm not a big fan of black clothes as they tend to look harsh. Unless they're a floral print. Which is why it was love at first sight when I saw this black floral top from Saji's Couture. The print on it has bright colours in reds and yellows, giving it a cheerful feel, but keeping it elegant and understated because of the black background. Florals on a light or white background tend to look fresh and summery, while a flower print done well on a black cloth looks serious and classy.
This top is made from a thick but breathable material, and the fit is perfect by being slightly loose. There's only a button at the neck for the pussybow and you can easily slide it over your head with minimum fuss. I love minimum-fuss work clothes, don't you? But what makes this top stand out are the details of the bows and frills. Talk about making something feminine even more feminine! I love it, haha! There's a pussybow at the neck which ties at the side. The sleeves end in the same black stretchy material as the neck, in long ribbons which can be tied as you like. Lastly, the same material is used for double frills at the end of the top.
I've always been a massive fan of the pussybow blouse, as I think nothing looks more professionally elegant than a bow tied at the neck, sitting daintily. I've had a lot of centred pussybow blouses but few with asymmetric ones that sit on the side. It adds a different kind of nonchalance to the outfit. The ribbons on the sleeves and the frill on the hem add that much more girliness. I love how the overall design is serious with accents of flirtatiousness.
In this look, I went for a contrast by pairing the top with very light pants. This way the top stands out more and can get all the attention it deserves. These cigarette trousers are one of my favourites on repeat. They're a stretchy material with a great fit. and just what you need for pairing with darker tops, especially when you don't have the courage to wear white pants. I love that the colour is a light blush pink, all feminine and soft. I accessorized with silver tear-drop earrings and finished with a matching bag and pumps in black.
I'd love to try this top with pants in bright colours like fuchsia, to bring out the colours in the print, and even with a skirt, worn over the frills at the hem.
In Other News
It's time again to get back to work after the luxury of 5 days of Eid holidays. It has been 5 days of eating, lazing, eating, going to parties, and eating some more. The worst part is, all that food is usually high calorie, high sugar stuff. And after it's all over and you're back to normal life, you're plagued by guilt and shame over all the overeating. As a fitness instructor, I can tell you that I go through the same thing, but I've just learned how to manage it better. So here's a few tips on how to get over the Eid {or any festival} food guilt:
How To Get Over The Eid Food Guilt
- Don't feel guilty! You had the biryani and baklava and you enjoyed them at the time. There's no point in feeling guilty about it now. Instead, be happy that you got to experience these delicious festive foods.
- Make a plan. So you've overeaten over the holidays. Now's the time to make a health and fitness plan if you don't have one already, or add a few extra gym hours/ classes to your routine. Also, make a plan to eat healthier by cutting down your sugar intake and processed meats and foods.
- Don't overdo it. Having said the above, don't go crazy trying to lose the extra pounds or punishing yourself for the overindulgence. If you workout too much at once, you'll only injure yourself or fall sick by putting your immune system under too much stress by overexercising. Also, it doesn't work that way. Quality over quantity. The same goes for your food habits. Don't completely cut off your favourite foods or sugary items, or you'll end up bingeing on them after a week.
- Limit sugar and heavy foods to daytime. If you're like me, you'll have lots of leftover biryani, chocolates and gifted sweets. Limit yourself to having them in the daytime, when your metabolism is faster. Also, don't overeat. Have only one chocolate and savour it instead of mindlessly polishing off the whole box.
- Give it away! In our house, whenever we find ourselves laden with gifted sweets and heavy foods over festival times, we give away as much as we can. We give them to the housecleaners, the doormen, security guards, and friends and family. We only keep the foods we absolutely love but in a limited quantity. You can even take the sweets to work and keep them all in the office pantry/ kitchen for your workmates to enjoy. Just don't be the one to eat them all yourself.
- Take your mind off your body. Don't be obsessed about how many pounds you've put on over the holidays, how tight your pants are now, or how fat you look. All that stressing will only make you reach out for a doughnut. Instead, know that you have it in you to get back to your fitness level, and to get back to a healthy food regimen again. If you put it on, you can burn it off. It's only a matter of doing workouts that make you happy and eating natural, nutritious foods that make your body happy. And you'll be back to your pre-Eid body in no time.
You can read more about my views on diet and exercise in my book, Loving Yourself In Style, in the chapter Health & Fitness where I talk about how loving your body is the easiest way to be happy and healthy. If you'd like to know more about my fitness classes, drop me a line on shabana{dot}feroze{at}gmail{dot}com or message me on any of my social media channels!
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