Fashion blogger Asima Khan from As I Make My Mark shares three ways to think outside of the box when dressing for holiday parties.

By Asima Khan

Photography by Bruce Turner Photography

Makeup: Areej Daghlas 

Hair: Zahraa Alkubba

Production/Media Crew: OVDO Media

Director/Executive Producer: Stephen Oh 

Creative Director/Producer: Michelle Nguyen

Editor: Ryan Oh 

There’s such a long list of things to look forward to when it comes to the holiday season — family, food, festivities and much, much more! I, for one, love this time of the year because it brings so many occasions to play ultimate dress up. From cocktail parties, to black-tie events and, of course, the bash that brings it all to a close — New Year’s Eve!

Over the years I have been to a variety of these parties and in recent years have started to think outside of the box when it comes to putting looks together. It’s easy to throw on a strapless ball gown for a black-tie event…but where’s the fun in that? 

Here are three looks that will put a pep in your step and turn some heads as soon as you walk into the room this holiday party season! 

“Not your average cocktail wear.”

Since exaggerated shoulders have decided to make a huge comeback, I found it fitting to showcase a dress that takes your LBD to the next level! It is rare to find fashion pieces that give you a couture feel without a couture price, and that mission was accomplished here. To add a little extra drama to the overall look, I decided to display it with an intense smokey eye, larger-than-life hair and a smaller fishnet stocking. Side note: Stockings are also extremely on trend at the moment. My personal favorite companies to get a variety of pairs from are Calzedonia and Express.

SHOP: Mini cocktail dress with dramatic shoulder, ASOS; embellished tassel drop earrings, Express; fishnet tights, Express; Steve Madden suede pump, Nordstrom Rack.

“Black Tie with a Little Edge.”

I can’t tell you how many black-tie events I have been to and how many of those events were attended in gowns that were black and poofed out from the waist down. Each one of these gowns has cemented a residence in my closet and will not be making an appearance any time soon. My thought with this look was to display something a little more versatile. A piece that you could wear to many more occasions if need be. Something that offers a mix of classic along with a little bit of edge. This long sleeve purple velvet dress from Revolve was just the right match! I found it on sale and paid less than what a nice meal downtown would cost me. Paired with a multicolor snake skin heel, a statement gold earring and classic Hollywood waves, you are now ready to make an entrance!

SHOP: Miranda deep V maxi dress, Revolve; knock knock drop earrings, Nasty Gal; multicolored strap sandals, Zara.

“Shine Bright Like a Diamond.”

 

SHOP: X Naven Belle dress, Revolve; Swarovski crystal fan earrings, Macy’s; the nudist sandal, Stuart Weitzman.

Please watch the Behind the Scenes video below:

Styling, designing, blogging — Asima does it all in the name of fashion! After working in luxury retail for most of her life, including most recently for Chanel, Asima is sharing her style chops with the world through her blog, asimakemymark.com. From what to wear, how to wear it and where to wear it to, Asima shares her fusion of high-low OOTD’s on her Instagram @asimakemymark. 

SEEN Magazine article link:  https://seenthemagazine.com/tis-the-season-to-be-chic/

**Giveaway**

Hello blog fam!!  I’m so excited to share a new product wth you that I have recently been using!  I don’t know about you guys, but I have tried just about everything when it comes to teeth whitening and never really got too far!!  Being a huge coffee and pop drinker, I have struggled with this problem for a very long time and have tried a number of different things before.  Most recently, I became addicted to Crest whiting strips and the problem I kept experiencing with them is that the whitening would only last temporarily.  I would say a couple of days at most before I was back to going through my next cycle of treatments. It was exhausting and quite annoying since there was no cure for the sensitivity I would always be experiencing.  I have also tried whitening discs that work through a laser light and those were actually worse than the strips!  I hardly ever noticed a difference with them. Even after several weeks of use. At last a whitening treatment that seems to fit all my needs! Smile Brilliant!  I was a little reluctant to try the kit since everything in the past didn’t seem to work quite the way I’d hoped.  But let me tell you how happy I am that I gave it a go! I started noticing a huge difference just after 2 uses. So, at first, I did notice that the whitening solution was creating a few dry (white) spots on my teeth but this problem was only temporary and would go away by the next morning as I would commonly do my treatments at night.  The kit came equip with desensitizing gel which really came in handy. I would wear the gel daily whether I was using the whitening treatment or not. Throughout my entire process, I hardly felt any sensitively or discomfort as a result of the extra desensitizing gel they provided.  I also have to add how much it helped to have custom trays that fit my teeth all the way around.  Smile Brilliant made the entire process from A to Z really easy for me.  I was able to make my molds within the matter of minutes and I have enough gel to last me a very long time.  As you can see below, my progress is coming along amazing! Especially since it has just been a few weeks since I have been using the product.   I have included some pics of my before, during and current progress so that you can see the drastic change it has made to my smile. To be honest guys, your smile is something that people notice about you the very instant they meet you.  Investing in that smile is a must! I am lucky to have never had braces or even a retainer, but my whiteness level was definitely in need of some TLC. I couldn’t be happier to have found a product that works so well for once and would definitely recommend it to all of you.  I will continue to use it every now and then and will be sure to keep you in the loop as I go along, but take a look at my results in just this short period of time.

NOW… FOR SOME REALLY EXCITING GIVEAWAY NEWS!!! COUPON & GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

I have partnered with Smile Brilliant to offer one lucky follower of mine a credit to use towards an at home kit!  You must go to the link below to enter! 

Giveaway link: www.smilebrilliant.com/g/asimakemymark

• The giveaway is for a $149 Smile Brilliant credit. It is open for 2 weeks from todays date with eligibility to USA, UK, Australia and Canadian residents.

• All entrants must enter their email address to be entered!

  • Smile Brilliant hosts the giveaway on their own website. It’s done through an internal platform so please don’t worry about third-party websites selling your email addresses.

If you are interested in purchasing any Smile Brilliant products… please use the following 15% off coupon code: asimakemymark15

Also, please head to and follow my Instagram page @asimakemymark 

GOOD LUCK MY LOVES!!! ❤

 

**In The Streets**

I’m sure you are all plenty familiar with the fact that I am OBSESSED with edgy accessories.  I pair them with pretty much every look no matter what the occasion is.  So, no surprise here that a simple blazer dress just wasn’t gonna cut it without the addition of some heavy, black pieces.  My Chanel fingerless gloves are one of my prized possessions and I jump at any opportunity to wear them as they clearly are not meant for everyday use.  Although I am not able to find the same ones, I have linked a similar style that will give you the same overall look.  Fashion gloves in my opinion are the ultimate winter accessory, so get creative girls!  Another fab accessory I wanted to highlight for you is the newest trend in belts!  If most of you follow fashion like me, you have probably seen the “Off White” version of the extra long woven (canvas) belt.  Since it has been flying off the shelves, most other retailers have produced their own versions of it with a variety of different colors and prints.  Perfect for those of us who don’t want to spend $200 or more on a belt.  I picked this one up from Tobi for less than $20 and have already worn it at least a dozen times.  Next… let’s take a minute to acknowledge the chunky boot!!!  Oddly enough, I think I owned the same pair I’m wearing here, back in 11th grade (which was longer ago than I’d like to admit lol.)  But, she’s back!! So, here’s my honest take on it guys… I’m all for trends like this coming back and working their magic.  But, I am not all for spending a ton of money on them.  Too many retailers offer these types of items for a very reasonable price, so I would suggest going that route.  Constantly keeping up with trends can get extremely costly and most of the time they never stick around long enough for you to get your actual moneys worth.  If you’re loving how I put this look together, shop through the links below!

Blazer dress – here

Belt – here

Gloves (similar) – here

Bag (similar) – here

Boots – here

Glasses – here

Necklaces – here and here

If you have any other questions about this look, please feel free to send me a message!  Happy shopping loves 🙂

**After Dark**

I’m dedicating this post to one of my best friends of 13 years.   Rosie Posie!   Since she has so much to do with the inspo for my look in this piece, I wanted to share some things that her and I have in common and a person we continuously have admiration for.  Rosie and I have had quite an obsession with Meghan Markle (Duchess of Sussex) for a while now and we have both been following her journey from the second she got engaged to Prince Harry.  I guess it was astonishing to us to see a person who people felt was less than perfect find a place in such a prestigious role.  The tabloids never did seem to get enough when it came to the “less than perfect” attributes from her background.  Divorced, bi-racial, multiple sex scenes on camera, older in age from the Prince, unstable family… I mean the list goes on.  Yet, when you look at her, you can’t help but admire her grace and immense beauty.  She always presents herself in such a sophisticated manner and we are fans of her for life!  I hope that when you girls read this post you will understand and feel as inspired as I do by her!  I am someone who has many dark pockets of a past, but I will never in my life feel like any of that can take away from the humility and sincerity I have instilled in me.  I think that real strength comes from what you’ve survived in life, not from things that have sheltered you from actual experiences.

The second I saw this dress, I knew I had to have it!  Such a timeless piece in my opinion that I’m sure I will wear to many occasions.  Needless to say, it is a piece that I would see the Duchess wearing any day of the week!  I am making Rosie get it as well as I know she will love it and with Thanksgiving just a week away, I know this will be a great look for you too!  Shop my peices here:

Dress: here

Shoes: here

Belt: here

Earrings: here (similar.)

If you have any questions about this look, please feel free to send me a message!  Happy shopping my loves!  Be strong and fearless, always… ❤

**In The Streets**

Going to start doing something a little different every now and then!  I’ve noticed that ever since I started my blog I hardly ever show you guys how to wear things multiple ways.  Now, the main reason for that of coarse is the fact that product may no longer be available, but thats ok!  Sometimes I want my followers to focus more so on how to put a look together as opposed to purchasing all of the exact pieces displayed.  I’m sure I don’t have to tell you guys that this skirt is one of my absolute favorite pieces in my entire wardrobe.  I bought it from Zara last year and have worn in multiple times.  I have paired it with black boots and a pair of pumps in the past but my favorite complementing piece are these red scrunch boots which are from Zara as well.  The belt I have on is my latest fave accessory.  It adds so much pizazz to simple blazers as well as dresses.  Needless to say, you’ll be seeing a lot of it over the next few months lol 😉 Found this net bag for a mega cheap deal also and thought it was a great addition to go with the geo print design in the skirt.  One of my best friends was not a fan of it when I first showed it to her, but I’m hoping she’s changed her mind now that she sees it put together with a look haha!  I was lucky enough to find a couple of sites that are still selling the skirt and boots but I encourage you guys to dig into your closets and do some mixing and matching with your own old/new pieces.  It will expand your wardrobe beyond belief! Shop my look here:

Skirt – here

Boots – here

Blazer – here

Belt – here

Net bag – here

If you have any other questions about this look, be sure to shoot me a message!  Happy shopping loves 🙂

**In The Streets**

Fall, my love… you have finally arrived!  I’m kicking off my favorite clothing season with  a look I will most likely be repeating in multiple ways!  Get used to seeing me in white tennies this season ladies because they are in my top 3 staple peices for Fall!  My plan is to wear them with literally everything!  From skirts, to dresses, to shorts and pants, these babies will be on me often 😉  As I started on gathering pieces that will work best over the next few months, I told myself I wanted to add a little extra umph to some of my basics.   This fringe jacket from Nasty Gal was a perfect pick.  It’s trendy and chic without being too over the top for my liking.  And since Nasty Gal is 50% off site wide right now, the price was also win win!  Another way I plan on pairing it is with a simple slip dress and heels, or with just jeans and a body suit.  I will be sure to post those looks as well when I put them together to show you how versatile this jacket really is. Stay tuned and shop this look below:

Fringe jacket – here

Bodycon dress – here

Tennis shoes – here

Crossbody (similar option) – here

Please feel free to message me anytime if you have any additional questions about my look!  Happy shopping 🙂

**Fun N’ Flirty**

What a blast it was to attend Femology’s first ever “Blogger Bash” event this past weekend and meet such an incredible and aspiring group of women!  The event was packed with so many fabulous elements and I can’t wait to share all the details with you here.   Femology (Detroit) is the first ever women-owned business lounge for entrepreneurial women who want to learn, link and level up!  It’s an amazing community and this event proved to be nothing shy of what the organization stands for.  Entering the event room which was held on the 4th floor at Grand Circus was the initial wow factor to kick start everything.  So many yummy treats displayed throughout, colors galore, with a DJ spinning the hottest jams set the tone for what the next few hours were going to look like.  Not only was I introduced to so many incredible blogger babes and photographers, I also got to learn a lot about what Femology does.  I loved that there were all different types of bloggers in attendance and each one offered insight on the different ways they run their business to achieve success.

Side note:  Blogging is an extremely difficult job to do!!!  To anyone who thinks that it’s just some girls who are trying to display themselves through some nice pictures, I can assure you, there is a mass amount of work that goes into doing this.  Meeting girls who relate to the struggle end of it was actually a pretty big treat!   We might make it look easy at times, but that is one hundo not the case lol!

Once the date was penciled into my planner, I swiftly went to work on my outfit for the event!   I had a few different ones in mind and even went shopping with my bestie to see what would work best but ultimately decided on this one for a few different reasons.  I originally bought this skirt a couple of months ago and have been waiting to find the perfect place to wear it.  Since this was a mid-day event, I knew that I didn’t want to do anything that resembled cocktail wear.  I wanted a fun n’ flirty vibe <— 😉 that was sleek and chic!  While shopping the weekend before, I randomly found this metallic Zara blazer that made my heart skip a beat.  Seeing that it was my size made me feel like it was my birthday or something LOL!  I can’t find a link for it online anywhere, but they do have it in store right now and it is on sale!  I’ll be sure to put the sku number for it down below.  After trying a few things on with it, all white seemed to work best.  I added a couple of nude accessories and kept the look as clean as possible.  You’ll be happy to know that the whole outfit (minus the accessories) cost me less than $100!  Adding all the links below for you guys to shop it!  Looking forward to upcoming event’s in the future IA!

Shop my look here:

Zara Metallic Blazer – (Item #) 0239571180801

Bralette Tank – here, and here

Tiered Skirt – here

Heels – here

Bag – here

Be sure to add me on Insta @asimakemymark where you can find details on how to shop my looks through the liketoknow.it app!  Happy shopping my loves ❤

 

**Fun N’ Flirty**

If ever you find yourself puzzled on what to wear… infinitely go with black! I have never felt more confident or beautiful in any other color to be perfectly honest.  Theres just something about the color black that just effortlessly works!  I have been a little obsessed with the Shein.com lately and happened to come across this 2 piece set during my last haul.  I was a little worried about how it would look on me since the model wearing it on the site I’m sure is 5’8, where is I am not lol.  But when I tried it on, I actually loved where the skirt hit.  I actually felt like it gave me an even more elongated look and didn’t cut me at all.  The set is very adorable on it’s own but you know I just had to add some Asima flare to it!  The biker jacket and bamboo arc bag are a perfect combination of summer sass in my opinion and easily took the outfit from day to night.  Nude strappy’s and simple jewelry pieces complete the look.  Shop the outfit here:

2 piece skirt and top – here

Arc Bag – here

Biker Jacket (similar) – here

Sandals – here

If you have any other questions about this look, please feel free to send me a message! Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram (@asimakemymark) where you can screenshot this look and shop it through the “Like To Know It” app! Happy shopping 🙂

**Fun N’ Flirty**

Summer is here and island getaways are what’s on most of our minds!  And what better way to prep for an ultimate vacay then a one stop shop boutique that offers you a complete beach vacation wardrobe.  1441 Woodward Collective located in downtown Detroit offers an amazing collection of 13 different vendors including my favorite of them all… Fly Behavior!  The curator of the brand, Tee Capel offers a wide selection of original and chic pieces that fit all of your summer wardrobing needs.

This blog post is a guide on some key pieces to pick up for your next chic and fabulous  getaway.

Starting with a pool side look!  I remember a time when a pair of denim shorts and a tank were the norm for a typical pool side cover up.  Well… times have certainly changed.   It seems as though now, your swimsuit cover up takes more importance than the swimsuit itself and this crochet sleeve dress I have on not only works for poolside but can also be transitioned into a dinner dress as well.  A definite must in my opinion!

Next I wanted to display something that would work for mid day cocktails and/or ventures off of the resort.  This blue tassel blouse and short set screams vacaaaayyyyyy!!!    The material has a great flow to it and packs really well.  Although I displayed it with heels, I think the set looks just as good with a pair of gladiator flats.

What vacation wardrobe is ever complete without a free flowing maxi??!? This majestic double split maxi is everything you need for that dinner on the beach or destination wedding guest look!  Again, I love that the material has a bit of stretch to it and packs well so you don’t need to worry about ironing or fussing with it once you unpack.  I kept the accessories minimal since the dress is truly statement enough.  Just a complimenting statement earring and a neutral bag and sandal.

My last look is more of an after hours outfit!  I loved these taupe and floral trousers when I first saw them and instantly thought of a million ways I could pair them!  Since this post is all vacay though, I wanted to pair them with something light and airy that wouldn’t require a lot of fuss.  A simple tie top in crisp white did just the trick!  Paired with a round boho bag and simple nude sandals, your look is complete!

With all of these pieces in your wardrobe, you are ready to book your next vacation looking Fly as ever!!!

Some of the pieces are available online while all are available at the boutique.  Be sure to mention code “asimakemymark” for a 10% discount for any of the Fly Behavior pieces available in store!  Shop the online links here:

POOLSIDE LOOK

Beach bag – here

White slides – here

Beach towel – here

Panama hat – here

Belt – here and here

Crochet sleeve dress – Available at the boutique

COCKTAIL HOUR

Black arc bag – here

Cat eye sunnies – here

Blue tassel top – here (also available at boutique)

Blue tassel shorts – here (also available at boutique)

Clear double strap mules – here

DINNER ATTIRE

Wooden handle bag – here

Nude strappy sandals – here

Ivory teardrop statement earrings – here

Red double slit maxi dress – here (also available at boutique)

AFTER HOURS

Round boho bag – here

Nude scrappy sandals – here

White tie top – here and here

Floral Trousers – here (also available at boutique)

If you need more info on any of the looks, please feel free to send me a message!  Also, be sure to check out my posts on IG: @asimakemymark.  Happy shopping 😉

 

The wait is over and the long anticipated new Drybar location is finally here!  Birmingham, MI has now gained a new gem and I for one could not be more excited!   Like many girls out there, I feel like there is nothing more fabulous than a long lasting blow out!  Although many of us attempt to give ourselves one at home, they never do quite turn out the same as when you get them done.  With that being said, there’s more to it!  Being pampered involves more that just the blowout itself.  It starts with a warm greeting, followed by top notch service throughout your entire apt.  Drybar offered me nothing short of that.  I walked in to find bursts of yellow throughout the salon and people with smiles on their faces ready to give you the experience you expect.  Upon arrival, I was immediately offered a few drink options, including champagne, a mimosa, white wine or water.  Although I already had coffee with me, I loved that this is something that is included with your service.  My stylist’s name was Kelli VanHarn.  Can I just tell you how cute and sweet this girl was?!  She was so attentive and really took her time with me to make sure I got the exact blow out I wanted.  She even went as far as explaining their product line to me.  I love the fact that Drybar only uses their own products which were all created by an ex-stylist who knew exactly what people were looking for!  All in all the experience was great and my blow out which was called the “Cosmo-tai,” lasted almost 4 days.  I can’t wait to go back and thank all the girls for being such a delight.  Be sure to stop in today and treat yourself to one of the many blow out options they offer :))

Salon Info: 137 W. Maple Birmingham MI 48009 / 248.566.1793

Kelli’s Instagram: @kj_and_hairspray