I went to the Lux Style Awards for the first time and it was kind of awesome

For me, having a great time is a night spent curled up in bed while... sleeping. So when I was told I probably wouldn't get any sleep because I had to attend the Lux Style Awards for work, I wasn't pleased — at first.

As the day loomed I soon grew excited about the show. A fancy award show with fancy decor and fancy song and dance, where everyone just flaunted their... fanciness! Maybe I'd get a photo on the red carpet and feel all fancy myself, I thought.

Also read: What went down at the Lux Style Awards 2016

Since I had never gone to any of these fancy (sorry) shows before, I was nervous, even if I wasn't squealing about it. What would I wear? What if the bouncer refused me entry based on my non-celeb-ness? What if I stepped on the hem of Mahira Khan's ball gown?

I would soon find out...

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Prep-time

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The prep for the show was the toughest. Because, clothes. What do people wear? It's... fancy, right?

At an event where everyone's decked up head-to-toe in designer wear, I would stick out like a sore thumb because the fanciest thing I owned was thesharara I wore to my cousin's wedding. Based on my discussions with my team, I highly doubted a bridal look would be appropriate for the Lux Style Awards.

So it was either a sharara or a Green Lantern shirt with jeans... but good jeans, with beads on the side. Sparkly beads.

I was in a crisis until one of my helpful colleagues reminded me that designers actually loan out their clothes for events like the LSAs. Yep, practically everything you see on the red carpet is borrowed, not bought.

Armed with this knowledge, I tried to arrange my very own designer dress, using my, ahem, fabulous press credentials.

Unfortunately, the designer my colleague and I were stalking for this purpose went MIA on us. Yes. (I bet this has never happened to Ayesha Omar). So it was back to square one.

But thankfully I had the most powerful weapon ever. My striker. Mom. She remembered a dress I had worn for a play and I thought crisis averted! Until she reminded me I had to wear heels with the dress. Don't say no to a striker. Even though I have this dangerous condition where if I wear heels... I fall.

Anyway, before I knew it the big day comes along. Even though I didn't manage to borrow a designer dress I was offered a free makeover, which made me feel rather like a celeb. Yes, celebs get free stuff all the time.

And just like that, I was back on track with feeling fancy! I went to the salon, where some hair and makeup artists promised to 'transform' me.

Pampered?

Now, when you're a makeup junkie like myself, you know that works and what doesn't.

These guys were sweet, very nice, but they had that typical makeup look in their head that they do on almost everyone, for almost every occasion. My makeup guy suggested the smokey look with red lip, I can't argue with that much, it's a classic. But the concept of 'party wear' is a little nineties here... nineties modeling. So I ended up looking like this.

Yeah, no. The lipstick was way too bright

I shouldn't complain, but I couldn't handle it. This is not me! The red was too bright for my dress, the cheeks way too pink, as if all of my aunts pinched them (I have a lot of aunts). I did like the nails though. But I had to revamp the look. So heading back home, I fixed myself up.

Much better!

I couldn't change it all, but I could improve it. Just toning down the blush, darkening the lipstick and contouring. In fifteen minutes I was feeling way better about myself.

So my actual transformation went three ways, from hobo to caked to just right. Very Goldilocks, I know.

But can you blame me? I actually felt proud of my damage control!

Left to right, looks for the day!

So off to the ball I go!

The entrance to the LSAs!

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Arriving at the LSAs

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I was lost the second I reached the venue, that is the colossal Expo Centre where the Lux Style Awards have been held for the past couple of years. Slow clap for the girl who entered the wrong door.

Thankfully, I had my entry pass in hand and no bouncers stopped me. Once I managed to find the right way inside, I was proud to realise that I was totally right about the fancy! Men in suits, ladies in gowns, one-biters being served on silver platters, celebrities posing for the camera, so hoity-toity!

The stars in all their glory

It was fun roaming the set and checking out the event, feeling (yes I'll say it again) fancy. But then I saw Ali Noor in jeans and it made me miss my Green Lantern shirt because my heels were killing me.

Anyway, now I had to contend with the question: "Who are you wearing?" Yep, at an event like the LSAs the biggest news is what label you're sporting.

My dress was a random Dolmen Mall Tariq Road buy for a play. And everyone here was talking Elan and Feeha and Sana Safinaz... So I may have started telling people I was wearing a Tareeq Dolma'an original. If you loosen the r and keep the n silent, it sounds French.

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Photo, please

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Anway, I was here to work! So I went to the red carpet to take pictures of the celebs, who turned out to be quite pleasant, by the way!

I just had to call out 'picture please!' and they'd look at me, smile and pose for the camera. I found it decent of them to acknowledge me before posing.

A fun experience with Faysal Qureshi: I called out to him for a picture and he came up to me, took my phone, put it on selfie mode and took a selfie with me! But alas, had to hold a phone for just a second so now I have blurry lines. Mr. Faysal Qureshi, you owe me a selfie!

I swear! That's him! That's Faysal Qureshi taking a selfie with MY phone!

Let's be honest, I wasn't the fancy one there, but what was awesome was when I felt special.

Taking pictures of Fuzon's Emu, my friend kept saying how he wanted to take a picture of me on the red carpet. I told him I wasn't allowed on the red carpet. Turns out Emu overheard me. He says, "Yes you are," and pulls me on the red carpet for photos! With him! Okay, so I was squealing now!

Yes it happened! I'm on the red carpet with Emu!

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The actual awards

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When the event began, it was fun. I mean it was no AC/DC concert, but I was impressed with the level of finesse with which our stars pulled off an awards show here.

I was also happy about snacks. I was sitting in the press section, which was right across the aisle from the 'celeb' section. On each chair was a small goodie bag containing chips, water and painkillers... sustenance for the six-hour show. The next five seats beside me were empty, so I took all the chips.

Also read: Who were the winners at Pakistani entertainment's biggest night?

Ali Zafar, who was hosting, was charismatic, Yasir Hussain was funny. They had some good performances lined up with more celebs. The Amjad Sabri tribute had me emotional. But the 'Jeena joke' (you know which one) had me offended. So lots of mixed feelings there.

Great set up though

But you know what feeling remained? Sleepiness. The show started by around eleven and lasted till the wee hours of the night. I was there till three thirty. I had promised to toughen it out and see the whole thing.

But with Sohai coming in for a dance performance for like the third time, with the awards for film not being announced at all, and my back screaming at me while my feet soldered into my heels, I couldn't take it. Yeah, yeah I'm weak, but hey, at least I'm not this guy!

This happened. The show went on so long that a member of Amjad Sabri's troupe decided to take a nap.

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My after-party

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Reaching home, there was a lot of work cut out for me. I removed half a trillion bobby pins from my hair and every ounce of makeup from my face. This took a long time, and made me respect the celebs, they do this every day, and still aren't killing people!

Once I was done with all that, these thoughts bounced about my head as I drifted off to sleep:

• Makeup is still a field to be explored in Pakistan. (At least get the lip shape right!)
• I am an Ali Zafar fan (I realized after I was ecstatic for him winning for 'Rockstar'... it was a good song! Ugh!)
• There IS such a thing as too much Sohai. (Not that I ever doubted that.)
• People will believe your lies if you make the words sound fancy. (There is no Tareeq Dolma'an, I'm so sorry.)
• Celebs don't eat real food. I had to overdose on the one biters to feel better.
• We still have some milestones to achieve for comedy to not be insulting. (A medical problem should not be the butt of a joke.)

I was tired, My feet were sore, this was way too much out of my comfort zone. But you know what?

I had fun! I just might do it again. Only next time I'll be in my Green Lantern tshirt and will get that selfie with Faisal Qureshi coz he owes me! And Ali Zafar because I want to!

7 beauty hacks that will make your life easier

Getting late to office but can’t get your liner right? Have a dinner party to attend but struggling with your blush? Sounds familiar, right? These are problems that most women face, unless you have perfected the art of make-up. There’s no point losing your cool and running around frantically at the last moment. And yes, washing your face is not going to help too. You will only lose out on more time. We suggest you follow these 7 beauty hacks to make your life easier.

Scotch tape/ business cards: If creating the perfect winged liner is an everyday struggle then use scotch tape, doctor tape or business cards. First, place the tape on the back of your hand. This will make it a little less sticky. Then, place it under your eye diagonally upwards and just line your eyes. If you are using a business card then you just need to place it in the same area to create the perfect wing.

Teaspoons: A teaspoon or two can come in very handy, especially with curling eyelashes and getting rid of the puffiness under your eyes. Heat up the spoon a bit but make sure you don’t burn your lashes. Press the convex side on the lashes a couple of times and voila! You have curly lashes. Now, for the puffiness of the eyes, put the spoons in the freezer and after a while just take them out and place the convex side under your eyes.

Bottle caps and highlighters: Lip plumping is a big thing these days but why invest in an expensive lip plumper when you can do the needful with a bottle cap and highlighter? Plump your lips a couple of times to get that desired lip size and then once you have the lipstick on, take some highlighter on your fingertip and dab it slightly on your upper and lower lip in the center only. That’ll help give your lips the dimension you desire.

Bronzer: We all know how important the bronzer is for a sun-kissed look but that’s not the only thing you could use it for. You can also use it to get temporary ombre hair. Divide your hair into tiny sections and apply the bronzer on the ends of your hair. You could use eyeshadows too but we wouldn’t recommend that. Bronzers have a very warm tone to them, which is what eyeshadows lack.

Cotton: You must be thinking how is cotton related to beauty hacks? You probably could never imagine how useful cotton could be with creating false lashes effect. Use a spooly to get some cotton on it. Apply the first coat of mascara and then run the spooly through your lashes and apply another coat. Repeat the process till you get the desired length.

Eyelash curler: Let’s surprise you again with how an eyelash curler could make your life easier. Line the eyelash curler with your pencil liner. When you curl your lashes, the liner on the curler tends to act as tattoo and imprints itself on the baseline of your upper eyelid. So, you can save your precious time by curling your lashes and lining your eyes, simultaneously.

Eye shadows: Do you run out of eyeliner too often and are lazy to make a visit to the shop to buy a new one? You have nothing to worry about. Dip your eyeliner brush in water and dab it on the eye shadow colour that you wish to use as an eyeliner. Glide on your eyeliner and you’ll be surprised by the results. Also, if you have a bald spot on your head, or forgot to touch up your roots, you could just dab the eye shadow that goes with your hair colour and you’re good to go.

Cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens: How to use these common skincare products right

Overwhelmed by the amount of skincare products you get to see out there everyday? It’s safe to say that you are not alone. With copious amounts of common yet essential cosmetics available in the market these days it is nothing but just a natural reaction on your part to wonder which ones to take home. To be honest, most of the time these products don’t work as well as they should. Eventually you zero in on the one which you think works best for you, but not before you try out a couple of others. We ask you, is it right? You might not care right now but your skin does.

Skin problems are real and it is a byproduct of internal and external factors affecting the body over a period of time. If not taken care of, it can lead to serious problems later. We tell you how to take care of your skin on a daily basis and how to use the common skincare products right. But before we get down to the basics, follow this golden rule the next time you buy anything: gel/serum based products for oily skin; serum/lotion for combination skin and cream based formulations for dry/sensitive skin. Now, back to the fundamentals.

Cleansers and scrubs: A gentle cleanser has a pH balance of around 5.5 which keeps the skin hydrated. Many leading over-the-counter soaps and cleansers are alkaline in nature and are harsh, making the skin dry after a face wash. People with dry/sensitive skin can use cleansers with additional aloe vera/chamomile/oat milk extracts with soothing properties. Now, about scrubs. Using an exfoliating scrub with alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) like glycolic acid or lactic acid once or twice a week as per skin type helps to shed the dead skin cells, leaving a fresher looking skin. Scrubs must have very fine granules to bring about mechanical exfoliation gently on the skin. The ones like apricot/walnut scrubs with coarse granules are a strict no-no! If you don’t have the time for scrubs then you can use home peel pads which are a cocktail of multiple skin exfoliating and brightening agents. These pads are like soaked wet tissue wipes that can be rubbed on the face, neck, arms or rest of the body. They work great and instantly illuminate your skin.

Moisturisers: This is an important recipe for a healthy anti-ageing regime. Hyaluronic acid based hydrating gels, serums and lotions are now increasingly getting popular for their hydrating properties for all skin types. For very dry skin, it’s important not to be dependent on moisturisers alone but to also use a ‘skin repair’ hydrating cream to build up natural moisturising factors within the skin and work on the hydration as you continue using them over a period of time.

Sunscreens and sunblocks: Sunscreens have chemical filters which absorb the harmful UVA/UVB rays. Once applied, the effect lasts for around 3 hours. Sunscreens with silicone elastomeric base have an extremely good matte, non-greasy and non-whitish feel. Optimal SPF for Indian skin type is 30+ and a minimum of PA+++ for UVA protection. While sunscreens lasts only for 3 hours, sunblocks act as a physical barrier not allowing the sun rays to penetrate the skin at all. Once applied, their effect lasts the entire day, until it’s washed off. They contain micronised zinc oxide/titanium dioxide for its aesthetic sun protection effect.

Anti-ageing products: Serum containing Vitamin A, C, E can be applied during the early years for mild ageing signs. For people towards mid or late 30s with moderate to deep wrinkles and lack of firmness, it is important to build up the collagen and elastin and take care of the surface changes. Ingredients like Co enzyme Q10 (excellent antioxidant), matrixyl 3000 and peptides help to slow down the breakdown of collagen fibres supporting the skin and regenerating new ones to add to the firmness of your skin. Additional ingredients like green tea extract and caffeine act as good antioxidants and protects the skin from environmental damage. Women in menopausal age group can opt for creams containing geneistein or isoflavones/plant derived oestrogens, which help to maintain skin health from outside when the natural hormones are declining from the inside.

8 stylish Pakistanis show you how to rock a basic white t-shirt this summer

A closet essential and a classic, white tees have been donned by celebrities and fashionistas since decades.

This wardrobe must-have can be dressed up or down, making it one of the most versatile fashion items to own. Pop on a blazer or funky necklace on top of a white tee and you've effortlessly quirked up your basic look.

We all have those days when we just want to put on a t-shirt and our favourite pair of jeans everywhere, even to a formal dinner. So here are eight hacks to get creative with your basic tee and dress it up for any occasion.

Psst! You can finally wear your comfy shirt to work for a week straight without raising any eyebrows, though you might want to wash it before using it for five days straight...

1) Tuck it in

Mahira Khan in a simple tucked-in white tee and belt. Photo: All Pakistan Drama Page

T-Shirt Hack 101. Tucking a shirt in accentuates the figure and instantly adds a better look to any shirt. Roll the sleeves up if you want. Add-on: Up your style game by adding a belt. In our opinion, a leather belt will make the perfect look.

You can also opt to do a half tuck, choose a side - front, back or either side - and push it in your jeans letting the rest of the shirt hang out.

2) Elevate it with a funky necklace

Meesha Shafi understands that all a simple tee needs is a bold necklace to set the tone right.

Don't leave that neck bare. Bangles and rings are all great, but a fun necklace automatically spruces up any basic look.

Like they say, go bold or go home. A chunky necklace definitely makes a style statement as opposed to a simple one.

3) Wrap a scarf

Ayesha Omar during the shoot of her film 'Karachi Se Lahore'.

Sometimes all you need is a spunky scarf to complement your attire. Experiment and go wild with colours or go basic, either way, it'll jazz up your plain look.

4) Wear overalls

Fouzia Aman in denim overalls at a brunch.

The easiest slip-on; overalls can give your outfit a change of look any given day. Literally effortless, all you have to do is put your shirt on and jump into an overall and you're good to go!

5) Suit up

Ali Xeeshan suits up like a boss for a lunch date.

Blazers always up the style quotient. From casual to formal, they are the perfect addition to a white tee.

Our two cents: A printed blazer will really add oomph to your outfit.

6) It's in the jeans

Ayesha Omar killing it in her Pepe photoshoot

Boyfriend, ripped, bell bottoms, leather pants, formal pants, printed pants... the list is endless. Pick any and wear with a white tee and you've instantly made up for the lack of colour and texture.

7) Bag it

It's all about the bag and Fouzia Aman knows it.

Speaking of accessories, bags pack a punch when dressing up your outfit. Go for a colourful, edgy clutch to add to your look.

8) White sneakers

Sadaf Kanwal in white sneaks and shirt, ready to go anywhere

'Tis the season for whites. We're all loving white, whether it's the sneakers or a white tee or jeans, honestly, and it's one style which is not going away anytime soon. Pair your white tees with your white sneakers for an ultimate fashion boost.

Fashion Pakistan Council plays musical chairs – yet again

There’s no denying that the Fashion Pakistan Council (FPC) has gotten back on its feet.

It has been faithfully orchestrating bi-annual fashion weeks, regular sponsors have been lined up and illustrious designer line-ups have been roped in.

The fashion on the catwalk, though, hasn’t been that great, but that’s a critique aimed at the industry as a whole, rather than just at Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW). Creativity is on the decline while generic, mundane, often plagiarized design dominates, bringing down standards overall. It’s a gripe one has not just with FPW but also with the Pakistan Fashion Design Council’s (PFDC) events in Lahore.

Nevertheless, only a short while ago, there was much more askew within FPC aside from run-off-the-mill designs. One remembers how fashion weeks would be skipped out on for a season and how a four-day event would hurriedly be snipped into a two-day, painfully long affair. One remembers council CEO’s resigning, plenty of mudslinging between board-members and how, inevitably, designers in Karachi lost faith in FPW’s credibility, flitting off to Lahore’s much more systematic fashion weeks.

Now that FPW has gotten more streamlined, a lot of these designers have resumed showcasing their work in their home-base. But certain changes within FPC make one wonder if the council is about to go topsy-turvy all over again. For fashion weeks are tricky, gargantuan monsters and they need to be reined in by a council that isn’t hampered by politics or shaky internal management.

And FPC’s looking shaky right now. In a turn of events, Wardha Saleem, the council’s CEO, and Sanam Chaudhri, the Chairperson, resigned from their designations, ending a tenure that began in 2013. Both women were set to be replaced two months from now when the council had its elections. What prompted them, then, to leave their positions so abruptly?

Wardha Saleem, the council’s CEO, and Sanam Chaudhri, the Chairperson of FPC

“It was something that we could see coming for quite some time now,” says designer Maheen Khan. “I believe that they resigned due to irreconcilable differences of opinion about their management of the council amongst FPC’s board of directors. But I could be wrong as I am not privy to the board’s minutes. In the interim period, before the new Chairperson and CEO are elected, Deepak Perwani and myself will be heading the council.”

Will these management changes lead to delays in the upcoming Autumn/Winter contingent of FPW?

“Not at all,” she says. “The council is a professional body and the transition has been seamless as both Deepak and I have always been involved with the day-to-day running of the council.”

Why couldn’t Wardha and Sanam have waited till the elections to depart from their roles? And why does the FPC keep running into ‘irreconcilable differences’?

In comparison, the Lahore-based PFDC has barely endured any administrative changes. This is one of the main factors that has enabled the council to grow from strength to strength under the tutelage of Chairperson Sehyr Saigol and founding members who have worked consistently, shrugging away personal tussles to work towards a common goal.

Designers Deepak Perwani and Maheen Khan to head council till new Chairperson and CEO are elected

Perhaps FPC should follow suit and end their democratic methods? Maheen Khan is one of fashion’s most well-respected veterans and as once-CEO of FPC, she is well-experienced in calling the shots. Or perhaps, as Maheen says, the council’s new heads will adroitly orchestrate the Autumn/Winter FPW, mere months after being elected. We hope so but we have our doubts.

After all, this isn’t the fumbling, relatively small fashion fraternity that was part of the first FPW back in 2009. The business of fashion has gotten bigger and much more lucrative now, prodded forward faithfully by a multitude of print publications, a burgeoning social media following and textile big shots adding heavy-duty investments into the game.

This is no time to play musical chairs. FPC needs to – somehow – move away from the internal upheavals that tend to plague it time and again and start moving forward as a whole, for the sake of the council, for the sake of fashion.

Zayn Malik just launched an Urdu-inspired fashion line. He tells us why

After a song in Urdu, Zayn Malik takes out a fashion line that pays tribute to his South Asian roots.

With his debut album Mind of Mine, Zayn Malik has launched a corresponding fashion line - a 23-piece collection that prominently features the Urdu script. Words like 'Zayn' and 'Mind' are written in Urdu on hoodies and jackets.

Hoodies from the *Mind of Mine* line

Zayn talked to Vogue about his foray into fashion: "Everything was created with the idea that this is something I would want to wear. I wanted to approach this as an opportunity to extend my ideas as an artist, and to give fans another facet of who I am.”

About incorporating the Urdu script, he explained, “My family is from Pakistan, so having artwork in Urdu has huge significance to me.”

Zayn's girlfriend, model Gigi Hadid, was one of the first to model the Zayn bomber jacket

Also read: Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid call it quits? Fans can't believe it

But his personal favourite is a shirt called Z-Day, in which the singer is shown escaping a burning city. The artwork has an apocalyptic touch and will remind rock fans of album art from the '80s, and for a reason!

To make that specific shirt, Zayn had enlisted the service of Mark Wilkinson, the man behind the artwork for Iron Maiden's last record.

The Z-Day shirt is Zayn's favourite

“Working with Mark gave me a license to do something exciting conceptually with a lot of color and detail,” says the singer. “The art we created gives a nod to the vintage rock-band T-shirts but with my own concept.”

We've already seen Gigi Hadid rock the Zayn jacket. Here's hoping we look half as good as she did!