The Silver Kick Diaries: TSKD Designs

Showing posts with label TSKD Designs. Show all posts

Beating the Heat With Pinks and Purples and Flowers

Posted by Shabana Feroze September 03, 2018

Pastels and florals in summer. It just makes dealing with the unbearable heat a bit more bearable. When there's blazing white sunshine, beige buildings, beige sands and grey roads everywhere, what other choice do you have than to bring the colour through your clothes?

I got this top made by a tailor in Bahrain. It's a copy of another top from Koton {which I have on in this post}, that I adore. My favourite part about the top is the fluted sleeves. I love how it's a small little flare but it covers half your hand. So elegant. You feel dainty while wearing it and the sleeve ends flap around cutely.

I'm a big, big fan of flute sleeves and bell sleeves. I'm sure I've said it before in previous posts, but I love that this trend came back, and how! More and more types of these sleeves are being explored by the fashion industry- balloon sleeves, lantern sleeves, flared sleeves. I love them all. And I want to wear them all!

As I was saying, the sleeves on this top are what makes it so pretty, and the pleats at the neck add interest. The material is a cotton mix. I picked this material out for its colour. It's a lovely violet, but it's not too light and the colour looks rich. I knew it would be great to pair with lots of my bottoms such as this skirt.

You've seen this skirt before in this post. It was stitched by my mother. I am SO in love with the floral print of the material that I got a cushion made for my room from the leftover fabric. I'm crazy about florals on white, pink and blue backgrounds. This one with the mostly green floral print on a baby pink background looks fresh and soft. The fabric itself is a gorgeous thick cotton, so it's fabulous for summer and for an A-line midi skirt.

The violet of the top goes beautifully with the baby pink of the skirt, making it a very soft, feminine outfit. Although there's no violet in the print, I wore it to contrast with the pink of the background.

Remember that you don't always have to pick a colour from the print, it can be a colour that goes with or contrasts with the overall colour or backdrop of the print.

Keeping with the feminine colours of pink and purple, I grabbed a deep pink handbag for this outfit. The dark pink of the bag brings out the fuchsia colour in the flowers in the skirt.

I accessorized with a floral necklace in silver that pops on the violet of the top.

Since my hands are mostly covered by the pretty sleeves, I wore a ring on each hand, one in twirly silver and another with amethyst stones.

With all the colour in my clothes, I wore nude heels. I recently got a couple of heels from Payless. I had sworn off the brand years ago when I had bought a pair of shoes and the quality was so bad that I couldn't wear the pair for more than a day. But after getting really tired of looking for shoes in my crazy-big size, I decided to give Payless a try again. To my surprise, I found a few good pairs, in sizes bigger than mine. Which I wanted. My size is 42, but I needed shoes in sizes 43 or 44. The extra room in the shoes means that they're comfortable and I can wear them for long. Try it out for yourself. Especially in heels. Go up one size to make them comfier. Celebs do it all the time.

Coming back to Payless, I realized they do have good quality shoes now. They have bad quality ones also, you just have to search for the good ones. These nude ones are great as they're something called "Comfort Fit" and the heel isn't too high. I can wear them all day. And I love that the nude is not a really light beige that makes my brown feet look washed out and grey. The closer nude shoes are to your skintone, the better they'll look and elongate your legs.

Top and Skirt: Own design, Necklace: ?, Rings: Silver souk, Sunglasses: from Italy, Shoes: Payless.

Until next time,

xoxo

Shabana Feroze

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Royal Blue & Floral Hem + 7 Days Of Self-Love

Posted by Shabana Feroze June 27, 2018

From this last post, you know how big a sucker I am for a pussybow. This shirt was designed by me, or let's just say the design was copied by me from another shirt I have in white from Koton, worn in this post. I love the pattern so much, I had to have it another colour. Royal blue has always been one of my favourite colours because it's such a deep and rich shade while being bright at the same time.

The pussybow in this one is detached {it was stitched to the neck at the back until Sajida from Saji's Couture told me to remove it so I could wear the shirt without the pussybow as well. So clever}. The shirt has buttons down the front like a typical button-down but what I really love about the design is the sleeves. The blouson sleeves with their gathering at the shoulders, puffed-up ends and the big cuffs with three buttons make the top look soft and feminine. The material is very light and flowy, enhancing the draping of the sleeves and the pattern even more.

I've become tired of typical button-up shirts, with their straight lines and masculine form. But I still love them for their professional appearance and practicality. Which is why I think simply changing up the sleeves makes a world of a difference.

I paired the top with this floral skirt that I found online. {I've become addicted to browsing online shops to find a unique design at a good price.} I went gaga over this skirt when I saw it because 1) it's A-line and 2) FLOWERS! The material is jacquard-ish, with a textured pattern on it, meaning that the material is nice and thick. But the fabric is a cotton mix so it's still great for summer and feels cool against the skin.

But mostly I fell in love with the floral design at the hem. It's such a gorgeous spray of big and small flowers in cheerful colours, bursting in happy colours. I love that it's just at the bottom of the skirt. Such a nice change from all-floral patterns.

The box pleats on the skirt make the hem flare out nicely and I love that the length hits just below the knee. This skirt is also available in a navy blue.

The blue of the top sets off the blue in the floral print, and because the print has so many colours against a white background, you can wear a lot of different shades with it. I can't wait to try this skirt with other coloured tops!

To accessorize, I wore black and white star-shaped earrings and one dainty ring on each hand. With the long cuffs and pussybow at the neck, this outfit doesn't leave much opportunity for accessorizing.

In any case, I wanted to keep it simple with all the focus on the pussybow, the sleeves and the skirt. I completed the ensemble with an emerald coloured bag to keep with the jewel tones in the look.

Top: Own design, Skirt: Karen J Store, Bag and Accessories: Gifted, Shoes: from Canada

The Week After + 7 Days of Self-Love

The week after holidays always feels really long. It doesn't matter if the holidays were short, the next week back at work still feels like it won't end. This week has been interesting though, as we moved into a new office at work. A change can feel overwhelming and chaotic in the beginning, especially a change of place, and that's how this week has felt. There's still so much to do, so many things to plan and arrange for. But ultimately, when the change is positive and something you wanted, the amazing feeling surfaces again after the chaos and busyness subside.

I'm already really enjoying this new office as it's really close to home. It gives me the opportunity to walk to work every day, something I'm not used to. However, I'm soon learning that I need to carry an umbrella with me everywhere if I'm going to be walking to and fro. It'll be July next week and walking on the streets feels like being in an oven with the heat turned on at full. Remember to wear sunscreen every day, people! And drink lots and lots of water.

The usual advice aside, summertime means it's time to update your wardrobe. Every summer I look forward to wearing the brightest, boldest colours and prints, as well as soothing pastels. And of course, lots of natural fabrics in flowy, loose cuts and designs. Wearing colourful clothes is my way of staying happy even when the sun drives me nuts with its glower and glare. Flowy clothes is a must when you're in a humid place like Bahrain. So lots of loose blouses, cotton tea dresses, skirts and wide leg pants is what's on my mind.

What about you? What does your summer wardrobe consist of? What do you love wearing when it gets hot?

In other news, I'm running a free online workshop on 7 days of self-love. My book, Loving Yourself In Style, is all about, well, loving yourself, and this short course takes you through a week of learning to love yourself more.

You'll be getting worksheets directly in your inbox, with practical exercises to do each day that make you happier. You can sign up for the 7 Days Of Self-Love Worksheets by clicking here.

You can also sign up by filling in the form on the top of the right sidebar of this blog {or after this post if you're reading this on your phone}.The workshop starts on the 1st of July. Don't miss it!

Until next time,

xoxo

Shabana Feroze

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Outfit Post TSKD Designs

Weekend Wear with Waterfall Sleeves and Skinnies

Posted by Shabana Feroze April 01, 2018

I had noticed that I was running short of solid coloured tops. I have a lot of printed bottoms but very few rich, punchy coloured blouses and shirts to pair with my printed pants and skirts. So I decided to get some made. I usually like to have a mix of both tailored as well as readymade clothes in my wardrobe. There are so many advantages of tailored clothes. You can make it exactly according to your shape, you can choose the material you want, you have something that's unique, and of course, most times it's much cheaper than buying from the mall. It's absolutely perfect when you have a design in mind but can't find the same item anywhere. All you need to do is find a good tailor.

I had this design for a top saved with me for quite some time. When I found this soft, flowy material in burnt orange/ rust, I knew the top would look amazing made from it. I'm completely in love with all sorts of bell/ fluted/ flared sleeves, and these bell sleeves with a waterfall design are so much fun to wear! I love how they elongate the arms and have a retro elegance.

Weekend Style

I wore this outfit on a weekend when I was out with a friend. I paired the top with dark wash skinny jeans for a casual weekend look. I love the combination of a beautiful, complex top with jeans. It moves your ensemble from casual to semi-casual by adding a touch of glamour. It makes your entire look dressier. Even for the weekend. Who knows when you're going to run into that ex, or for that matter, a business client or your boss, right? It always pays to dress up!

The combination of burnt orange looks great with dark blue as the dark colour of the jeans sets off the brightness of the orange. Both colours are rich and deep, perfect for fall or for transitioning seasons. Winter was fading and we were moving into ~~Spring~~ Summer, which is when I had this outfit on. As the top looks so long and has so much vertical space, I wore a long necklace with a dangly tassel that matches the fall of the sleeves. The bright stones in it pop nicely on the deep rust of the top, with the gold of the necklace standing out

Because the entire outfit has warm tones, I wore gold accessories to stay in the same tone. I wore thin knuckle rings with pretty dangling heart charms {I stayed with the dangling theme, yes I did!} on my fingers, and small tear-drop earrings to go with the necklace.

I added more tassels with sandal heels with black fringed tassels down the front. I've said before in this post how much I'm loving block heels, and these sandal heels are no different. I stay away from wearing flat open sandals as my big feet look even bigger in them. But these sandal heels with the low block heel are perfect! They're comfortable, the tassels look trendy, and they're sandals. Sandals just scream summer and they're great to wear on weekends. Or just on sweltering summer days when you want your toes to breathe. I finished with a big envelope clutch in mint green. With all the serious rich tones, this soothing shade brightens up the outfit and adds more fun to it.

Top: Own Design, Jeans: Bershka, Earrings: Debenhams, Necklace: Gifted, Rings: Forever21, Clutch: Call It Spring, Sandals: Marks & Spencer. Photos: Nada Qamber

Jeans Talk

Talking about jeans, I do think I've had about enough of skinny jeans. They're terrible for when the weather gets really hot and humid. They stick to your skin and make you feel icky. Also, the tightness of the pant makes it really uncomfortable to move around in. Somehow I've always had a problem where one leg sits perfectly, and the other one doesn't. Meaning, I have to keep pulling the material up on my thigh. Does this happen to you, too?

I've also started to realize that on my long and straight frame, skinnies might not be the best option. I'd love to try boot-cut jeans as they'd balance out the length. I also feel that boot-cut jeans look more formal while skinnies lean more towards casual. So yes, boot-cut jeans are on my to-try shopping list.

Of course, the universal problem with jeans is never finding the right fit! If it sits perfectly on the waist, it's too tight on your thighs and you can see those ugly horizontal creases near the crotch. Or that really irritating gap where the waistband pops out near your lower back when you bend forward. Ugh.

Sometimes it's just so hard to find the right pair because of the fashion trends happening at the time. For instance, there was one time 7-8 years back during Britney Spears' sexy I'm A Slave 4 U phase when low-waist jeans were all the rage. Everywhere I went all I could get were jeans that were so low they almost fell off of your hips. You had to buy different kind of undies that would sit lower than your jeans! Then there was another phase a few years back. The high-waisted or mom jeans phase. It was so hard to find a pair that didn't go all the way up to the torso! Now, of course, we're in the ripped jeans and stone-washed phase. I'm not a fan of wearing torn clothes and I like my jeans to be one single colour. So you can understand my frustration when it comes to buying jeans.

But what I truly hate is how jeans have become so synonymous with casual wear. Every weekend, I find myself reaching for jeans. Sure, I could wear a skirt or a dress, too, but when there's a nip in the air or when you're going inside freezing air-conditioned malls, you want your legs covered and snug. Pajama pants are the bomb and I can't get enough of them, but again, they come in a thin cotton material to keep you cool.

Which makes me wonder- what if I were to give up jeans altogether? I'm very close to doing it, seeing as I have only four pairs left and I'm dreading shopping for new ones because of the reasons listed above. But what if I threw all my jeans out? What the heck would I wear on the weekend? Right now only one alternative comes to mind- khakis or chinos that I love so much because they're always in the middle of casual and formal, yet always look smart.

I talk in detail about seasonal fashion, basics, as well as how to declutter your wardrobe, in the Fashion & Style chapter of my book, Loving Yourself In Style. Click the link to know what the book is about, as well as to read a few quotes and check out some of my illustrations in the book. You can get it at the Bahrain International Book Fair in Arad Fort, now!

So what's the solution? Are we destined to wear jeans whenever we want to look 'cazzjjjh'? What's your take on this? Would you ever give up jeans altogether? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time

xoxo

Shabana Feroze

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Outfit Post TSKD Designs

Dressy in Beige + Embroidery, and Searching For Breath

Posted by Shabana Feroze July 20, 2017

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't blogged in a while. That's because I haven't had time to breathe since my last blog post. Why, you ask? Well, you know that saying- in life, either nothing happens at all, or everything happens all at once? Well, I have been experiencing the second. EVERYTHING is happening ALL AT ONCE! Work is busy busy busy, with an average of 3 meetings in a day {at three different locations!}, we're moving house, both my oldest best friends are visiting Bahrain so MUST socialize with them before they leave, my secret project is speeding up and there's a lot of work to be done so it can be launched soon, {watch this space!}, I need to learn the latest choreography for BodyCombat and BodyBalance for the relaunch next week, plus my regular classes are going on as normal. Whew! And the blasted heat and humidity doesn't help! $@%#&!!

I never imagined my summer to be this busy. It feels as if my attention is being pulled in a thousand different directions. Sometimes I find myself wishing that human cloning were normal and accepted so I could clone four of me to get all the work done and be in four different places at the same time. Although all this busyness is good, and yes, I do enjoy it because some weird flaw in my DNA makes me like being busy and productive, I do wish I could get a time out. I haven't had a lazy Friday since before Ramadan! It has been one workweek seguing into the next, feeling like I've never seen a weekend. Fingers crossed that I can rest and relax once we move house, which will probably be by next week.

The thing is, moving house takes priority over everything else. No point in trying to get anything else done when you need to sort out hearth and home. Thankfully, we found a gorgeous place to move into which ticks all the right boxes and we can't wait to settle in it. That's definitely something I'm looking forward to. Another exciting event in the very near future is the launch of my secret project, which is underway now and scheduled for the big reveal by end of August, and a big launch in September. There's a lot of things planned for it, lots of planning still to be done, but it's all super duper exciting. And yes I know it's frustrating for you to still not know what it is, but trust me, it's more frustrating for me to not be able to reveal it when I'm this excited. But all in good time. Patience is a virtue.

Talking about today's outfit, a good friend of my mother's gave her this delicate beige embroidered material, as a gift to give to me, a few years back. It was only recently that my mother showed it to me and said it's for you, and I was like whaaaaaaa? Why did you kept this beautiful piece of gorgeousness hidden from me for so long?! So we designed it fastly and gave it to the tailor fastly. The embroidery on it is so stunning, we decided to keep the shape of the top simple so the embellishment gets all the attention. I love the muted colors of pink and green in the needlework, the beautiful vertical pattern and the intricately ornate motifs. The work being at the bottom of the cloth makes it unique, as most embroidery is usually focused near the neck and yoke, like in this white blouse in my last post.

I absolutely adore a fancy blouse because it's great for those occasions when you need to dress up but you don't necessarily want to wear a dress. And when you know that you'll be comfortable only in pants and not a skirt, for occasions where you're going to be sitting on the ground or playing with pets/ children and you don't want to inadvertently flash your knickers. You can pair the blouse with a nice pair of trousers for a dinner date or office party, or with skinny jeans for a night out with the girls. A pretty pair of heels will make it look even more sophisticated.

In this look I paired this dressy blouse with simple, straight black pants, and as I was aiming for a full-on occasion-worthy outfit, I accessorized with metallic gold accessories and pumps. The bejewelled cluctch added the finishing touch to this evening wear outfit. Good look for a housewarming party, wouldn't you say? ;)

Top: Own Design, Pants: Zara, Earrings, Clutch, Cuff, Watch: Gifted, Shoes: ASOS.

Photos: Arif Feroze

Until next time,

xoxo

Shabana Feroze

2 Comments

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