I plan on finishing up Sorkin’s Too Big to Fail over the weekend; I’m trying to pair some highlights/memorable quotes from the book with events along the financial crisis timeline, so that will probably work its way up here at some point. Until then:

1. Ben Bernanke offers some insights into Fed-think, and what goes on inside the head of Time’s Person of the Year.

2. Speaking of the Time award, Matt Yglesias probably has the most succinct- and insightful- summary of what it truly means.

3. If you had any doubts over Kalyan Singh’s character, this should clear it up.

4. The shifting symbology of the dupatta in Pakistan; the accompanying media gallery can be viewed here.

5. Was Haagen Dazs’ recent passport mis-step racist, or just downright dumb? The debate rages on at The Times of India, while Desicritics has a more even-handed examination of the issue.

6. Over at Nick Poling’s new blog (which I would suggest keeping an eye upon), an interesting post on sustainable Chinese growth.

7. From the Department of the Cringe-worthy, things could hardly get worse:

Smile.

I had mixed feelings initially about going burqa shopping in Charminar, the predominantly Muslim part of Hyderabad. There was the possibility that I might offend the shopkeepers and even the women by donning something that was so sacred and had so much history in both their culture and religion without being a practicing Muslim. At least with the men, it turns out, they’re just happy that a woman from another culture can see the beauty they see in the burqa.

“White and black, very beautiful together,” my Muslim rickshaw driver explained to me, as I showed him my purchase.

“White piece?” I asked, thinking that there was a white portion that I had forgotten to purchase.

“No, no. Skin. White skin and black. Very nice,” he said, sweeping two fingers across his eyes to demonstrate the slit of the nosepiece.  I asked him about other colors that were “good” on a burqa, and he told me that black was best and “only little design” was preferred. Whatever “little design” they do out here, they do well. Gold and silver thread, sequins, gems, elaborate floral patterns, religious symbols, you can find just about anything that can be tessellated sown into a burqa, sparingly but strikingly.

And the shade and richness of the black are important as well. I didn’t have much of a distinguishing eye when I first looked but the shopkeeper differentiated each of the burqa price ranges by the depth and durability of the black material in each of the burqas I examined. After a little while, I walked away with this one:

He told me it would retain its black color as long as I washed it only with shampoo. Here I am with only the burqa on.

Now, I’ve put on, perhaps incorrectly, the dupatta.

And, for the final touch, the nosepiece.

I can’t speak for Muslim women and their perspectives on the burqa, as I’ve only discussed it with a couple young Muslim women in the village, and village perspectives are never the same as those in the city. It’s clear, however, that men really see it as a source of beauty.

It seems, though, that women have the freedom to wear any design they would like. I’ve seen pinstripes and even ones with large black velveteen designs on the back that qualify the outfit as expensive formalwear. In India, you can dress up a burqa as you can a pair of jeans.

*Salwar Kamiz – A traditional dress of Indian women
*Dopatta – A silk or muslin shawl worn by men or women in India, usually worn with Salwar Kamiz

Whenever I see a girl wearing Salwar Kamiz, I always feel there is something missing in the dress. The dress does not seem complete in itself. It took me a long time to find out what was missing. Well, it is the Dopatta. What are left in the dress are only Kurta and its female counterpart. Dopatta goes missing. I do not have a personal disliking for Kurtas, but this does not defeat Dopatta’s importance. Dopatta is like salt in a Barbecue. You cannot do without it. It is the spice. But Dopattas, eventually, have lost their meaning. People have completely forgotten where or by whom they were invented and for what purpose. It does not even matter now. The bottom line is that they seem to be missing from the Bazaars not lesser than they are missing from girls’ dresses. I feel they would be defunct soon. Fastest to forget them, would be females, for whom they had been of any use, if at all. Boys never liked them to be honest. How could boys, even in their dreams, like anything which shadows beautiful forms. Difficult for them, I guess. Perhaps, they would soon be available in the list of rudimentary items updated and maintained by World Protection Organizations. NGO would soon constitute some laws to protect it and fine every girl seen without a Dopatta.

In my childhood, I grew up hearing the importance of Dopatta in a female’s life. My mother used to say, “Without Dopatta, a girl’s attire is incomplete.” Girls just don’t seem right without them. She also used to say that Dopatta is a symbol of girl’s dignity. It is a veil of honor. But it was not her fault. It was also the era when girls had little choice, when it came to apparel. Saris dominated the Bazaars for a long time and were going to be outdated soon. Girls needed a change, and I think we needed it too. Readymade dresses replaced Saris. Soon, they were everywhere. Girls liked them for decades. But the happiness did not last long. Girls found better things to wrap their bodies. Tailors stopped sewing Dopattas. In no time, Dopatta-less dresses flooded the market. A girl might have a second opinion about the Dresses, but the Dopatta part had to go, and why not, it had enjoyed the bliss for quite a while. It had to leave. May be girls thought, it was too much to handle. A Dopatta is not easy to handle. It is not easy to wrap yard long linen around your torso and still walk properly. Dopatta is an obstacle to seeking catwalk. Somehow girls had managed the trick earlier, but you have no reason to push them nowadays. They have too many choices. Even a towel makes a good attire, if you have nothing else to wear. Dopattas took a lot of space and effort and served very little purpose. It was time for change. There was also another issue with vintage dresses. They did not have any pockets. I think they were made for housewives. Dress designers surely dint know that girls would do better in the future. But designers have adapted quickly. Time has changed a lot in last decades and so have Girls and their draping instruments. Ideally for me, I would prefer for History to repeat itself at least in their dressing sense if not in the way they think.

Let’s see what a Dopatta has to say: (Autobiography of a Dopatta)

I was born in a textile mill, all covered with tiny threads and pieces of cotton, when a weaver, took me in his hand. He looked at me closely. May be he wanted to check if I had any defects, or was I good enough to pull through the contemporary clothe markets. I was then tossed into a huge vessel of burning colored water. I thought, I was getting my first bath. I felt a burning sensation. It was a painful cleansing. I laid there for about two days, before I was pulled out by a different weaver this time. I realized I had turned white. I felt I was baptized. It felt great. The weaver took me in his arms, rinsed me dry. I sensed a motherly love in this guy. He kind of loved me. I was being dressed up for my journey towards my first destination.

I don’t remember exactly when, but it was crack of dawn and I had just opened my eyes. I realized only somebody picked me up. I was then creased, and placed in a box. I was not alone here. There were many other Dopatta friends. All were wrapped nicely. I guessed they had undergone a similar torturous process as I had. I made friends with the blue and the green one. The Red appeared too loud and he yelled all the time in the box so we could hardly hear each other. Pink was too soft and cozy. He preferred to sit in the corner and was lost in his charming fancies. Then we all heard a sound of screeching brakes. We heard closely and found out that it was our truck that had stopped made that sound. We had reached our destination. All the boxes in the truck were unloaded in a shop and so were ours. The shop appeared to be a storehouse as well as a big garment store. We were glad but skeptical at the same time to see what was in the store for us. Our box found a place in a dark closet. We were to spend a long time in this shady life span. It was the worst time of my life. There was no light, not a sound. I had nothing to do but to look at the faces in despair, all around me. It was saddening. I kept myself absorbed by talking to the friends I had made in the box. Sometimes rats troubled us during the midnight. I was scared of them. They enjoyed eating us. One night, I was nearly brought to death by a guerrilla rat if my green friend had not saved me. He sacrificed himself. That bastard rat ate almost half of his body. I prayed harder everyday to get out of that shabby place soon.

Eventually, my prayers were answered and one morning, I saw, it was light, It felt good. The box was opened. The mutilated body of my green friend brought a growl on the face of the guy that had unlocked me. He disappeared in the store for a while carrying my green friend away from me. I never saw my friend again. I was then wrapped and placed in a polythene case and situated in a light and rat-free closet this time. But this was not the end of good times. My hopes seemed to be responded. I expected better everyday. I wanted to go places. I wanted to see the world.

There was this golden day, when I was unpacked and displayed to a beautiful girl who came to the store. She wanted a Green Dopatta but I sensed she liked me too. But I felt a drop of tears rolling through my eyes being nostalgic about my Green friend. She insisted for the Green color. The shopkeeper presented his best offer. He offered to sell me for two hundred and fifty bucks. He said to the girl, “This white one is good madam; it will suit on any dress.” The girl accepted. I think she was affiliated with me. I loved her. She had occurred to me like an angel. It was a love at first sight. I felt anxious when I could be in her arms embracing her, but she decided to postpone the moment. She wrapped me and pushed me under her arm and left the store.

On the way, I kept dreaming about the girl. I wondered when she would hug me. I anticipated, if she really liked me. After all, Green was her first choice. I was the second option. I wondered if she went to college. I was curious to know how she would look when she will clasp me. She must look like a fairy angel, I thought. She was too fair for me. She was fair as milk. But I remembered my pride that I was fair too. This relationship will last long I believed. The best time of my life had come. I was here with this angel of my life, all free from dark stores, hungry rats and lifeless and greedy shopkeepers. I hoped, if I could stay with her forever.

Well, the blessed moment came in my life. This was everything for me. I had craved for this moment right since when I was born. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, but it was not too hot. She had decided to give me a chance today. She took me out from her personal wardrobe and unwrapped me. She took me in her arms. I felt unconscious in her presence. It was the biggest occasion of my life. A light flashed across my mind and I could not ask for more. Her face appeared brighter than ever. She looked excited. She danced a little embracing me on her shoulders. May be she was trying a walk a little, to see if I was a good bargain. I felt flabbergasted. I was on cloud nine. She walked towards the mirror. Perhaps she was dressing up for a college date. It was a pink bordered mirror hung in the corner of her cheesy room, right outside the smoky bathroom. She had just finished taking a bath. She stood in front of the mirror. It was the time, when I saw myself. It was enlightening. I was too numb to feel anything. I was startled to think how long this moment was going to last. I suddenly felt blue. This time should never end, I begged. The good thing about these moments is that they are so enchanting, so perfect, but the bad part is that they are so few in your life and they do not last longer. They are short lived. You cannot stand on these colossal peaks forever.

The expression on my girl’s face told me that she was quite pleased with me. She appeared satisfied. But I could not take my eyes off her. After all, she had given me a new life. She had bestowed me a time of my life. May be she was the cause for me to be alive. I could not live without her. I had to serve her best, it was my chance.

I do not remember, nor do I want to, how long those lovely moments lasted. I had lived my life, enough to fill my eyes with tears when I would be nostalgic about them. My life was soon going to be over and I had no regrets about it. I am talking about the day when I was tossed on the road was run over by a huge truck, which, ironically, was also my childhood transporter. Trucks, I thought, are meant to carry stuff to places and not to kill. But nothing could be undone now. It was over. I was taking my last breaths. My life flashed before my eyes, and I could see all the good and bad times.  I was not surprised to see that best moments of my life were with that angel of mine. I never knew her name. May be she draped me too less for anybody to call her name and I could have heard it. But I had no repentance. I was rewarded much more than I had imagined. I remembered that she only wore me twice, once for a college date, as I said before and secondly, it was a family function, I guess. My life was going to end soon. If I was reborn, where would I go? What would I do? A face appeared in front of my eyes half open. I tried to catch a glimpse and there she was. It was my angel. This was the last time I saw her. My eyes were going to close forever. May be she would ever wrap me again in another lifetime, perhaps. Could I be Green in my next life?

Not one to present myself as any sort of fashion critic, columnist, or as Driss Sekkat, Producer at CNN once labeled me: “A Dylan Jones Wannabe,” I prefer to see myself as an open-minded spectator and fashionista. Someone who would like nothing more then to cure himself of this obsession with fashion because it’s too classist, too ostentatious, and “it’s only clothes for Gaultier’s sake!”, but I just can’t. As it would happen, I’ve been embedded with this craving for what I consider to be one of the few ‘art forms’ that inspire me.

“Vanity, thy name is woman.” While this statement may have been true when Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, in today’s world it is becoming increasingly obvious that men are just as conscious of their appearance as women. As Dylan Jones, Editor-in-Chief of British GQ (and my idol) pointed out “About 20 years ago not every man used a deodorant.”

While females generally start catering to their egos at a much younger age, and perhaps instinctively gravitate towards items such as clothes, shoes and jewelry, little boys aren’t as motivated to don their best outfits. It is only as males grow older that their attire becomes an important aspect of their lives and they begin to take their appearance more seriously.

Having said that, it seems that fashion has made its presence felt in one way or another as early as the stone ages as both males and females began to learn the importance of covering their bodies, and became aware that they could do so in a number of captivating and amusing ways. For cave dwellers, garments were simple modes of covering made out of materials that were easily translatable to the purpose, such as fur and rawhide. But, progressively, teeth and bones of animals began to play a fundamental role in human attire, performing the function of buttons and clips, so that skins could be wrapped around the body and held in place, thereby adding variety and individuality to the garments as well as greater functionality. However, probably the first case of incorporating elements in clothing not so much for their functionality as for their appeal was when feathers and beads began to be used as accessories. Clothing and fashion acquired newer dimensions as wool began to be spun and woven into cloth, paving the way for the weaving of cotton and silk. While initially these woven fabrics lacked colour, the introduction of natural dyes to give them a distinctive look became yet another important step toward the development of fashion.

With the passing of time and progress of indigenous crafts and customs, clothes became more and more appealing and diverse looking, each region improving on its conventional styles, embroideries and cuts. For instance, Egyptians initially dressed themselves in white, as colour was slow to come into Egypt and all levels of society attired themselves similarly, but later what one wore became an indication of what caste an individual belonged to, designating their place in society. This being the case, the upper class could be seen sporting gold bracelets and rings with precious gems. For the Egyptians, the purpose of clothing was not so much to cover their bodies, but more to symbolize ones status. Therefore, their earlier garments were mostly transparent and very-well cut in order to accentuate the shape of the body as well as show off the quality of craft. Similarly, the classic Greek dress was a draped one with little or no sewing and construction. The garments consisted of pieces of fabric in different sizes and materials draped in various ways and held together in place by ribbons, belts or pins. The simplicity of the attire gave the wearer the option of incorporating their personal preference of accessories, thrusting the notion of style and establishing new trends.

As trade spread between new regions, people began to be exposed to different cultures, materials and styles of attire. Assimilation of different regional embroideries, crafts and fabrics became the norm, so that even in ancient Rome, garments made out of cotton from India and silk from China embellished with high quality embroidered edging and fringing, became popular. This led to the influence of eastern exotica on western fashion, a trend very common now, but one that began thousands of years ago. Interestingly, while over the centuries fashion has globally undergone numerous transformations, there have been a number of fashion icons, in both the East and the West, that have been individually responsible for introducing styles which have survived the passage of time. Some of these styles, in fact, have transcended borders and been adopted by countries all over the globe. Thus it is that we have divas like Queen Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinette who among other things, have gone down in history for being trendsetters in their own times.

That being said, one should also keep in mind the male contributions to the world of fashion. We cannot ignore the likes of Beau Brummell, who popularized the new English style of menswear in the early 1800s. He wore suits made of dark wool rather than of silk, stressed the importance of personal hygiene as a fashionable virtue, insisting that a plain but clean white shirt was always preferable to an unclean fancy one, and introduced the notion that simplicity in dress could be elegant. It was also Brummell who introduced the black and white evening wear trend, a fad that remains fashionable even today.

Although not all trendsetters have an appreciable legacy in fashion, there have been numerous designers who have managed to transcend all boundaries with their work using their broad-based talent to get them international recognition. And so it was in Europe, as early as the 1820s, designers introduced shawls with droplet-shaped vegetal motif patterns that were in essence Kashmiri, and integrated them into European high fashion. Similarly, saris, the traditional female garment worn in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as well as sherwanis, the traditional apparel worn by both men and women in South Asia have graced the catwalks of Paris and London.

The sherwani has always been an important part of formal South Asian attire for men. While the embroidered ones now compose the traditional attire for grooms, a simpler version is for other occasions. Before English influence spread throughout the colonized South Asian subcontinent and suits redefined formal wear for men, sherwani was the dress of the elite. As contemporary fashion trends transcended all borders and unisex apparel fused fashion frontiers, female sherwanis have also hit the market and have had a significant impact.

The Sherwani is a long coat-like garment derived from the achkan which originated in Central Asia and was the clothing for nobles of Turkish and Persian origin in the Mughal Empire. Worn over a muslin kurta, hemlines have varied over the decades from knee length to ankle length and sherwanis are usually teamed up with a khara pajama or shalwar, a loose pajama-like trouser. As the national dress of Pakistan for men, it is also worn in some parts of India on formal occasions during more pleasant weather by those of North Indian descent. The female sherwani has become popular with the recent reappearance of unisex fashions. Just as the wedding apparels for women are evolving, the modern female version of sherwani has made its way into the wardrobes of the fashion conscious. Typically, it fits close to the body, fastened in the front with buttons, and extends slightly below the knees. It is usually embroidered or detailed in some way. Traditionally, however, it is a coat-like tunic with a tight-fitting collar fastened with hooks, close-fitting in the upper torso and flaring somewhat in its lower half. The traditional version, made of silk or wool, has six or seven removable buttons made from cheap plastic, wood or jewels for special occasions. The reworking of traditional styles for contemporary fashion is exemplified in this transformation of the sherwani into the modern feminine garment of today.

From traditional to contemporary, ties to turbans, and designing couture for India’s Prime Minister Vajpayee to Pakistan’s President Musharraf, Amir Adnan is one of many Pakistani designers who aims at softening these boundaries and playing up to the synergy that exists between tradition and innovation. To Adnan, fashion is not about modernizing culture but more about making one’s identity universally acceptable. His mission when he started designing was to revive the Sherwani, the traditional long coat, which the maharaja’s and noblemen of the past had taken to their graves. The modern day man had accepted the western three piece suit as the only suitable image of grooms wear and Amir Adnan had vowed to change that. In a moment of clarity, it was revealed to him that it was our traditional craft and technique which would help place Pakistani apparel on the international map of fashion.

“When it comes to the ultimate attire for the Pakistani groom, nothing can beat the glamour and elegance of a sherwani,” believes Milan based make-up artist Margherita Tisato, who was first introduced to the sherwani at a runway show in Paris. “One can see a graceful transformation in this traditional piece, making it an undeniable part of modern-day fashion.”

Preserving the grandness and splendor of our traditions, these sherwanis with their intricate needlework and elegant craftsmanship invoke an imperial tone. “Whether you’re presenting the sherwani on the runway or in a feature photo shoot, it is essential to give the clothes personality and show off their versatility,” says Tisato. “When I did the make-up for a show in Paris a few years ago I exaggerated the models’ features, much like a carnival mask, something very [John] Galliano. We made it a point to keep the essence of the clothes but also to have fun with it!”

My exposure to the ornate sherwani while growing up in Africa came every holiday or other Pakistani-related events. Since then however, celebrities such as Cherie Booth, wife of Ex–British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Jemima Goldsmith, and the late Princess Diana, have all made public appearances adorning them, even sporting the traditional dupatta, a long scarf that is essential to many South Asian women’s dresses.

From the pristine white cotton dupattas from the Mughal Empire to flowing chiffons from France, this garment became more than just a cover and cultural accoutrement; it is both a fashion statement and an accessory. The Dupatta has never gone out of style. It knows no hierarchy and is worn by females of all ages, sects and classes. Princesses wear it as well as their hired help. Dancing girls use it provocatively while a lot of women use it to cover themselves for prayers. Young and old, rich and poor, Muslims and Hindus have worn it for centuries and continue to do so.

Dupattas are made of all varieties of fabrics, natural and man-made. They are made of coarse and loosely woven cottons and the finest muslins, as well as delicate chiffons and silks. They are woven using intricate weaving and dyeing methods or embroidered with silks of many different shades and shimmering threads and sequins. With countless designs, patterns and motifs dupattas can be modified in almost anyway.

The traditional Mughal designs for the dupatta derived from a number of influences and were brought to the South Asian subcontinent by travelers and colonists. They have been popularly replicated by several designers in Pakistan, and subsequently by the various textile mills that now reproduce them by the millions at a much lower cost.

Along with its many designs and fabrics, the dupatta has many meanings and is of cultural significance. It is as inextricably intertwined with our joys and sorrows, our celebrations and various rites of passage in our lives as it is with the clothes we wear. What began as a shawl or wrap for protection against the sun and cold soon found other uses as well. As societies matured and concepts of property and ownership developed, male domination grew and women were also regarded as property and therefore had to be confined and denied access to other males. The dupatta was useful in allowing movement and at the same time concealed the body. Over the centuries, with the development of textile manufacturing and designing it also became part of the cultural and social life of its users. One of the customs amongst women in Pakistan, connected with dupatta, is the exchange of the dupattas between two friends which is a declaration and seal of sisterhood.

Different dupattas can be worn at different occasions, such as wedding ceremonies, Eid gatherings, or birthdays. From the green and white on Pakistan’s Independence Day to the glorious reds of the bridal dress. While on serious occasions such as funerals and religious gatherings, less flamboyant and more conservative colours such as white and black are more common. Dupattas are used in modern society as a shield of honour and mark of respect. No woman would willingly remove it from her head and its forceful removal is a serious sign of disrespect. The dupatta has been worn for centuries in both Muslim and conservative areas. It is used to denote reverence and covers the wearer during prayer time and solemn occasions. Since Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim state came into being; women have been wearing dupattas as an appropriate covering in sync with their religious customs. Nonetheless, over the years it has undergone numerous transformations and alterations.

World renowned designer Pierre Cardin came to Pakistan from Paris to design the uniform for Pakistan International Airlines’ flight attendants and suddenly wearing slim fitting pants and tailored scarf-like dupattas over fitted tunics became the newest fad. Shortly afterwards, silks and chiffons of the same designs started being produced in France and Pakistani women began to wear patterned chiffon dupattas with their matching silk outfits. The idea influenced a lot of new talented designers, and block printed outfits with intricately patterned dupattas became very popular. Fabrics in many different shades and materials were being used including many ethnic designs from the region of origin. They became universally trendy and their popularity spread all over the world.

“Having garments like Dupattas on the runway with so much culture and so much class is a production designers dream,” says New York based Production Designer Dennis Franklin, who created and designed the sets for New York’s Fashion Week. “From the set, to the venue, to the overall energy, every detail should engage the viewer on a personal and intellectual level and clothing like this makes that so simple, yet so powerful.”

Women belonging to this society are rarely seen without their dupatta. It offers a certain mobility to women in these conservative communities. In the past, many women would travel inside private carriages and sported heavily embroidered, silk dupattas used more to flaunt their wealth as opposed to a badge of honour.

“Recently I worked with [photographer David] LaChapelle, and I was inspired and intrigued by his use of human interaction, artistic interpretation, and the way he integrated interactive elements into the production.” Franklin says. “When presenting a collection of this style it is essential to create a background and setting that will compliment the depth of these classic designs, and I think a similar approach to his [LaChapelles] would achieve just that.”

There is no doubt that Pakistani fashion has come a long way, with indigenous fabrics and ethnic styles giving way to universal influences. Unsurprisingly, since the birth of the nation in 1947 we have cleared many hurdles in the world of local fashion both in terms of designers and their creations. The traditional attires and embroideries of our four provinces, as well as those from our rich Mughal past have over the years been gracefully integrated with western cuts and designs to yield collections that are both ethnically preserved and ‘in-style.’

With the world now at our fingertips and the latest fashion as dictated by the top designers around the globe available with the click of a remote button, there is every likelihood that Pakistani fashion will continue to be influenced by the fashion scene in the West, as well as by traditional motifs of the East. At the same time, it is hoped that with the passage of time and increased exposure more of our traditional designs and cuts will be adopted by fashion houses abroad. After all, some of our top designers have already made headway by dressing British royalty. Who can say what they will achieve next?!

[Images property of Tapu Javeri]

Hi Guys!

I’ve set up a new blog so I will continue to post there from now on.

Please update your bookmarks and your links and I’ll see you on the other side!

www.amnahakim.com/blog

 Here are the long awaited detail shots from the wedding.  I just finished my blog about Shirely Wu..so guys make sure you read it..it’s definitely worth it!

I’ll keep this one simple and let you guys enjoy the details. If you have any questions..feel free to get in touch with me.

Enjoy!

Over the years, I’ve been to a lot of weddings in the Toronto area – from small scale to huge lavish all-out weddings.  But the one thing that remains consistent for all of them is the fact that Shirley Wu’s brides always look nothing less than AMAZING!!  Each bride always looks different and so natural and fresh! I’m always blown away by Shirley’s style and her skill at making each girl look like a goddess on her special day!!!

Recently, I had the honour of meeting Shirley.  A friend of mine got married last month and I got to be by her side for everything! (Thankssssss babes) -  And when the time came for my friend to get her makeup done, I was right there! So I got to meet the infamous Shirley Wu! Shirley was full of style and pizzaz from the moment she walked in! She is such a charismatic person herself that everyone is drawn to her!

So let me break down the happenings of the morning, just so you guys get a better idea of how everything went about.

Shirely Arrives:  

Shirely and her assistant walk in, and start right away. They are very quick with everything. Everything keeps happening so fast..hair..done, foundation..done…loll   Shirely’s very considerate and constantly talking to the bride (my friend) and me. I think this was really great becuase this helped my friend relax and know that she can easily talk to Shirley (and let her know if she wanted anything changed). 

One hour later…

Shirely was quick…within an hour my friend was almost ready…I think just the dupata had to be pinned on and the finishing touches had to be made.  This is when the Florist arrived with the bridal bouquet and all the garlands and crosage’s for the wedding.  

This is the point where I realized that Shirley not only is an amazing artist but also a truly amazing person! So the florist didn’t actually prepare the ordered items as the bride had wanted so naturally the bride was very upset.  This was the last thing she needed..so I stepped in – I sent the bride back to Shirely to continue getting ready and tried to work with the florist to fix the bouquet…but we only got so far…and Shirley steps in, takees the bouquet from us and within minutes fixes it up perfectly!!  No fuss no nothing! She didn’t have to…but she did! So sweet of her!!  Shirley totally saved the day!

Almost finished:

Shirley finishes with the bride and now takes the time to give the bride a few pointers. She tells the bride how she should sit, and shows me how I should keep an eye on certain things, as the bride won’t realize – and ofcourse we want all the photographs to turn out flawless! Again Shirely didn’t need to do all this..but she was gracious enough to spend time with the bride and making sure that everything goes smoothly that evening. 

So at the end of it all – Not only did my friend glow as the most gorgeous bride…but her bouquet was perfect!!

Thanks Shirely for doing an amzing job with my friends makeup AND her bouquet and for being such a genuine and sincere person.

Anyone interested in getting in touch with Shirely – please visit her website http://www.shirleybeautyconcept.com/

Some pictures of Shirely rescuing the bouquet!

What a fun Mehendi!! It was held at Woodbine Convention Center. The halls are adorned with the most exquisite chandeliers (as you will see in one of the pictures below). The whole event was just full of colour and festivities. Woodbine also happens to serve the best Fish Pakoras in Mississauga (Shezan’s Fish Pakoras being #1).

The girls sang songs on the dholki, there was dancing, there was the joota chupai/ungli pakarna rasam.  The groom’s friends did a dance and it was so much fun! They had everyone clapping along.   I think the groom’s friends enjoyed the dance the most…you can tell from the expressions of the guys in one of pictures below. What memories!!

So I finally get a chance to post about the Mayoun! It was such a Yellow event! You all know how I feel about yellow right!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!  It was just lovely. We all gathered for some good food and good fun! Played the Dholki and just had an amazing time.  All of the bride-to-be’s friends arrived today so the house is full of girlss!! which is just how weddings are meant to be…house full of people and just lots of love and happiness all around!

The bride had her mehendi (henna) done from Dubai Beauty Salon in Mississauga. The girl there was super fast and she did such a fabulous job on everyone’s mehendi.  The mehendi they used actually smelled like mehendi..mmmmm yummyy!!

Enjoy some of the details I shot of the bride-to-be! Don’t you just love the gorgeous mehendi (henna) on the bride, the kundan earrings, the aarsi (ring) and of course the YELLOW!!!

Take a look to the right and you can click on one of the links that will take you to my booth that I sell Bollywood Fashion that is all the rage right now. I saw how much people were charging for these things and I knew I could get a better product custom sized to each person for a fourth of what others were charging. If you are interested please just click on one of the links to the right and it will take you to my site where you can purchase. If you want the most amazing party salwar kameez all at under 100.00 USD including personal stitching please visit:

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/hollyh1693

Everything is hand made and custom sized for you. Very reasonable prices and sale going on right now with 10% discount! Over the next few days we will be adding much more items including sari’s, childrens clothing, jewelry, and handbags.

Plus if you need anything to do with indian wedding fashions or unfinished material – anything you need I can get it for you at guaranteed lowest prices….we own our factory and can give best prices, for instance bridal sari that will go for 1,000.00 USD we can sell for at least half that. Unfinished products we can sell for 30 USD to 60 USD. We will give you highest quality and lowest price with a money back guarantee.

As most of you know, one of my bestest girlys got married last week.  It was such a fantabulous wedding!! soo many details so many memories!!! Everything was just lovelyYY!!

First off I would like to pass on my best wishes to the gorgeous couple!!! Sarah and Saf…love you both loads!!! Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your wedding!  Everything was simply divine and gorgeously gorgeous!!! I can’t stop reminiscing about the wedding  

In the next few days I am going to be posting about the different events in the Wedding Week (Bridal Shower, Mehendi, Shaadi, Valima, etc.) along with a few highlights. So stay tuned! You are going to enjoy this!!!  

This time I have detail shots from the Bridal Shower for you guys. We had so much fun putting it all together for Sarah. The theme was Turquoise and white with Pink accents.  Sarah being the bride was also dressed in pink.  We decorated the room with Pink Tulips and blue/turquoise/silver and white balloons. For dessert we had the most delicious vanilla cupcakes and we ended the evening with Chinese Food!! SOOO GOOD!!

It was such a gorgeous day – perfect for the Bridal Shower!

Have a look at some of the detail shots below: 

Stephanie and I have made some interesting observations. When we arrived in M*, it seemed like a more secular city than B*. It is certainly larger, so we thought it might be less conservative. We decided to wear our dupattas (scarves) around our shoulders instead of over our heads as we walked the city streets.

In Metal City, we wore our dupattas over our shoulders, as did most of the women there. It is a sign of modesty. However, in some places women use the dupatta to cover their head, especially when they leave their home. We have also seen many neighborly women wearing the burka – a head-to-toe black covering. Some women’s faces are entirely covered, while other women’s eyes are visible.

In B* we covered our heads because it was a smaller town. Paul’s persistent English-speaking friend actually commented on our head covering. The gist of his comment was that he was impressed because usually American women dress “vulgar” (his word). Paul explained to him that Stephanie and I dress modestly because we are women submitted to Allah.

After several hours walking the streets of M* without so much as a hello, Stephanie and I decided at lunch that we would cover our heads when we left the restaurant. Although people still weren’t friendly, we noticed that women who were covered in the burka were much more likely to smile or nod. A rickshaw full of burka-clad women smiled and nodded. When we drove by them on our own rickshaw we greeted them with salaam aleikum and they loved it.

So, our verdict is in. As we travel the streets, especially of unknown cities, we prefer to cover our heads. It is a sign of deep respect to our neighbors in these cities and it makes us more approachable, especially to women that wear the burka.

Sporting the dupatta in Metal City

I recently attended a wedding reception in Toronto at the Pearson Convention Center.  Everything at the wedding was simply gorgeous, so many intricate details, the stunning colours, the presentation…but what really blew me away was the ambiance created by the musicians that night.  As we entered the hall everyone commented on the music and how ‘real or live’ it sounded even though the DJ was playing it…but as we approched the stage we received a wonderful surprise.  The Bride & Groom had arranged a special treat for all their guests – They had live classical music…but this wasn’t just any ordinary live background music…These were Traditional Indian Musicians playing the Tabla and the Sitar.   We had the fortune of enjoying the night with Prosad and his Tabla companion’s beautiful music.

All night long everyone kept complementing the wonderful tunes of the Sitar and Tabla – so I decided to head over to the musicians myself  and of course take my camera along. I was casually clicking away when I realized that they had their CDs there for people to purchase.  I picked up their CDs and I don’t know what came over me next but I decided to ask Prosad if I could use his music to complement my Photography online.

Prosad was extremely humble and sincere and of course obliged. We exchanged a few words and ideas and then I headed back to my table super happy & super excited. 

Prosad, I feel honoured in using your music and look forward to working with you in the future.

So anyone out there looking for some musicians for your weddings, you know who to call! You will have nothing but good things to say after!

Visit www.sitartoronto.com for more details.

The song used in the ‘Portfolio’ section is called ‘Raag Malkosh’ and is one of Prosad’s pieces. 

Have a look at some of the shots I got of them.

# Desde que a novela Caminho das Índias, da Globo, entrou no ar eu pensei: “agora vai ser bata, bordados, kajal nos olhos, e essa moda indiana por aí”.
Porque as pessoas se apropriam do que é popular da cultura massiva, daquilo que aparece nos canais abertos, especialmente nas novelas, porque têm repercussão ainda.
E tem mais. As roupas são coloridas e lindas. O mundo é global. tudo é democrático… E até pode ser bacana entrar na “tendência.

# Inclusive, usar Kajal é manchete da Vogue Paris (peguei a foto abaixo) como tendência dos desfiles das últimas temporadas, porém, como se faz no Egito, de um jeito “mais chique”, informa o texto. “Não muito gótico ou rock”. Também não se refere à Índia.

Anyway, vai se usar muito kajal por aqui também. No carnaval dá pra abusar sem parecer fantasia!

# Quanto às roupas, eu me cuidaria pra não parecer fantasiada, pois, pelo pouco que sei, mais que adorno, cada peça do vestuário indiano tem um significado.
Será que é legal, por exemplo, colocar aquele terceiro olho (pintado de vermelho ou com um ‘pin’ colado) pra ir numa festa??? (vimos uma mulher dia desses). Ou vestir um saree sem fazer parte da cultura? O que vcs acham?

# Particularmente acho lindos os sarees. Tenho um de estampa AZUL (das fotos) que ganhei de um amigo, o Juliano, que foi trabalhar por um ano no sul da Índia, em Bangalore (um dos principais centros de tecnologia do mundo).
Um saree (explicação aqui) são 7 metros de pano (varia), normalmente seda pura (há os com bordados incríveis tb), que a mulher deve vestir enrolando no próprio corpo, com uma blusa por baixo. O tecido também é suficiente para costurar 2 ou 3 peças (uma calça e uma blusa à moda delas) – o Juliano explicou. O que eu mais acho fantástico é que ele é dividido em 3 designs (estampas) diferentes, sendo que a da extremidade a gente corta para ser o lenço da cabeça – chamado Dupatta.

Dupatta: o lenço

Hi guys!! I am sooooo super excited today!!! (MA) I just released my new website and i’ve been getting such great feedback from everyone…Thank you everyone for giving me sooooo much support and love!!!!

Now you guys have to keep up to see where I am and what I am up to….in the next few months a lot is going to be happening so stay tuned!!! Weddings, Portraits, Parties….lots to come!!!

Here are a few shots of my new fab site!!!

Thanks a lot once again!!

Love,

Amna

I have always hated wearing my camera strap around my neck because I just find the length weird and the camera just hangs really awkwardly so I’ve been on the lookout for longer camera straps.  I found some longer Camera Straps but they were just so meh….I wanted something that was full of pizzaz and functionality.  I looked and looked and then came across Trendy Camera Straps….went on their site and fell in love with this design. Isn’t it the happiest pattern and colour EVER??? It took me no time to order one for myself and finally after 5 days which felt like an eternity….I got my strap in the mail. OMG OMG OMG it’s nothing but PERFECT! It’s soft, the quality is amazing the fabric is gorgeous and its justttttt PERFECT!! (did I already say that?) haha 

I am soo happy with my Trendy Camera Strap and would recommend it to anyone.  They have Designs for Women and for Men! And for those of you who don’t have an SLR….they have the cutest straps for little point and shoots! Do have a look at their site!  

I’m going to enjoy me some Yellow Polka Dot Happiness!! 

Hey!!! I have been so busy lately trying to keep up with everything  but I finally managed  to get my Green Fix!  Most of you probably don’t know this, but I’m also a Landscape Designer and Plants are my weakness! I love anything and everything to do with plants (except bugs).  So over the years I’ve managed to collect quite a wide variety of plants and species from all over the place.  I’ve seen them grow and just cant help but feel a little proud of my little babies  

These are just a few of my favourite plants!!!  I find the unique characteristics of each plant so intriguing. The leaf shape, colour, texture…everything that makes it SO perfect! And the Green just has the most soothing affect. 

Hope you enjoy my babies too! I would love to hear about some of your favourties!