Always wanting what we can't have.

"The best things in life are free, the second best are very expensive" - Coco Chanel.

That phrase is all too true even to this day and for someone like me, expensive taste + a student budget mean the second best things in life are hard to get hold of.

BUT A GUY CAN DREAM...

1: Burberry Prorsum - Heart Print Cotton Shirt - £350

2: Gareth Pugh - Overlay Wool Trousers - £650

3: Balenciaga - Ceinture Ankle Boots - £765

4: Vivienne Westwood - Leather Man Bag - £280

5: Alexander Wang - Leather and Wool Bomber Jacket - £900 

So, there it is, the outfit that I hope to one day be snapped wearing by street style bloggers in front of the Eiffel Tower during Paris Fashion Week. 

Keep in touch via twitter and instagram: @zaynalijaffer

Stay fabulous!

Z xx

LIFE = CRAZY.

There's only one word that I can use to describe my life at the moment: CRAZY.

From new beginnings to farewells, where do I begin?

Let's start with: Leni's Models

I was given the chance to rejoin the loveliest of people at Leni's Models for the upcoming London Fashion Week Spring/Summer '14. Having interned before at Leni's a couple of months back, it was SO good to see the team again and they welcomed me as one of their own! I mainly worked with Livvy Smith (@LENIS_Livvy) and Matthew Bell (@mattbell2194), who were the Leni's Fashion Week team where we put together the LFW show packages and sent them out to the clients. It was such a great experience for me as it showed me the highs and lows of the fashion industry, from the stress of trying to get as many of the models to as many castings to being able to see one of our very own girls on the runway and being able to say, "I booked that!, and for that, I'm thankful!

No doubt I'll be seeing them again, hopefully soon!

Check out their blog: http://lenismodelmanagement.blogspot.com/

Victoria's Secret

Having a twin has many advantages, one of which is being able to get me a job! I am proud to say that I am a Victoria's Secret New Bond Street Angel! Yes, I have recently been offered a job at the beautiful New Bond Street flagship store. I've only been there a week so far and I'm loving it so much! The customers are friendly, the people I work with are even friendlier and there's something about working in such an elite store that never gets old. I know what you're thinking, "working in retail at Christmas?! You must be crazy" but honestly, I can't wait. The hustle and bustle on the London streets, the lights, the crisp cold mornings and the illuminated London nights.

Keep in touch via Twitter & Instagram (@zaynalijaffer)

Stay fabulous

Z xx

Counter-productivity can be the most productive.

FACT: Did you know that Tuesdays are the most productive day of the week? Nope, neither did I until I ironically found out whilst being counter-productive.

I chose to spend my long, overdue day off in style...by re-arranging my wardrobe in accordance to the change in the weather. (That's what all the cool kids are doing right?).

In amidst all the re-arranging fun I was having, I realised, I'm not satorially prepared for Winter...which can only mean one thing. One beautiful, stress-relieving thing: SHOPPING...or a substitute for a cardio work out as I like to call it.

WISHLIST:

The first thing on my shopping list was always going to be a cape. Reason? To fuel both my desire to be a superhero but also to distance myself from years upon years of wearing standard coats and jacket to keep me warm. 

Checked Studio Cape - Zara

Acne Slogan Sweatshirts - Harvey Nichols

Marni Mohair Blend Sweatshirt - Mr. Porter

 Checkered Trousers - Zara

 Raf Simons X Eastpak Rucksack - Mr. Porter

Stay fabulous!

Z xx

London Fashion Week SS14

London Fashion Week - Spring/Summer '14.

Well, here we have it. We've already said goodbye to New York and although I'm nowhere near ready to say goodbye to London, Fashion Week has come and gone as in on it's way to Milan. There's been an atmosphere around this beautiful city that nothing can compare to, we've all got 'fashion fever'!! 

I feel as though I should let my fellow bloggers on the other side of the pond share their wonderful insides on what can only be described as an INSANE New York Fashion Week and give a few highlights on a couple of my favourite shows. Short and sweet!

Daks - Clean & Sophisticasted. 

J.W. Anderson is miles ahead of many designers and his SS14 collection really showed his futuristic mindset.

Ashish - Slogan vests over ripped denim. Ashish provided the perfect mix between reality and fantasy with tribal headwear and grocery accessories at his SS14 show.

House of Holland - If there's two things you can count on Henry Holland for, it's a colourful, quirky collection and a celebrity packed front row. The fun mix of colours brought the likes of Harry Styles to view the collection.

Mulberry - Emma Hill's final bow as creative director of Mulberry as she sent her signature pieces down the runway in the form of floral dresses and stripy nits...oh and of course a dog in a flowery one piece.

Topshop Unique - Possibly my most anticipated show of LFW with each piece making every girl's (and obviously my) heart skip a beat. From short shorts and matching accessories to gowns paired with sneakers, there wasn't a single look I'd say no to.

Burberry Prorsum - Christopher Bailey is a visionary and his latest collection showed just that. From beautiful lilacs to hot pinks, the colour palette was as breathtaking as the finale. Confetti canons firing over as the models strutted down the catwalk.

Although fashion week may be over in London, I'm 100% sure that the buzz around the capital will still be visible...and well, it's not all bad, we have the Prada, Cavalli, Versace, Miu Miu, Gucci, Max Mara, Fendi and many more shows still to come next week. Talk about glass half full ey!

I'd love to hear which shows you enjoyed the most so leave a comment :)

Z xx

APOLOGIES, READING FESTIVAL, FASHION WEEK & A QUOTE BY DEREK BLASBERG

Apologies for the severe lack of blog posts recently, however it was for a few good reasons (laziness only played a 5% part in it!!)

1) READING FESTIVAL

As many of you who follow me on Twitter saw me rambling on about my excitement, I went to Reading Festival last week with some of the best people I know as well as being introduced to new, extremely beautiful faces. To quote Mr. Chow from The Hangover, "WE HAD A SICK NIGHT BITCHES"

Friday 23rd September a.k.a The night I will never forget. Yes people, I got to see my current favourite rapper, A$AP ROCKY (alias LXRD FLVCKO) in the flesh. Not only did he play all my favourite songs of his, bar Fashion Killa, but he also dressed to the nines in tradition A$AP style rocking a custom made Supreme hoody, t-shirt and matching headwear.

2) Illness

Illness also played a part in the lack of blogging and on behalf of my body, I apologise. Reading, as fun as it was, left me in pieces and after a few days, I'm finally back to myself!

3) EXCITING NEWS

Now, onto the exciting part.......FASHION WEEKS ARE UPON US. Having spent the majority of August interning with my honey's at Leni's Model Management, I got the chance to experience first-hand what it's like working in the fashion industry during fashion week...and I loved it. I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience and got the chance to work first-hand with the models who are going to be strutting their stuff up and down the runways. 

I have also decided, mid-blogging, that due to my absence, I will create a blog post each day, with my personal opinions on the shows, the high's and low's, as well as general happenings in my life.

Up first...NEW YORK FASHION WEEK...and to end on a humorous tweet my one of my inspirations Derek Blasberg (@DerekBlasberg)

STAY TUNED LOVELY'S

Z

xx