This Pakistani-Italian Blogger Mixes Desi And Western Wear In Ways You Wouldn't Believe And It's Absolutely STUNNING

By Mashal Abbasi | 8 Jul, 2019

Most of us desi girls’ wardrobes are divided in two sections, shalwar kameez and pant shirt (as all the uncles and aunties would say). The two don’t really mix, unless you’re going for the jeans/tights and kurta look (which is definitely a fashion faux pas BTW). Some may have stepped out of their comfort zones in the past, pairing long t-shirts with dhoti shalwarsΒ Γ  la Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met.

Source: GIPHY

In all honesty, for the most part, Desi and Western wear just doesn’t mesh well, or so I thought.Β That was until I came across an Instagram account that had me scrolling, saving and screenshotting for the better part of an hour. Why?

THE FUSION.

I MEAN LOOK AT THIS:Β A phulkari lehenga (desi) paired with a ruffled, one shoulder crop top (Western, obviously.)

 

A ‘saat lara’ (seven row) necklace, super traditional btw, paired with a modern, white ensembleΒ 

This girl is serving LOOKS all over Instagram, and I had to know more, so obviously I reached out.

 

Meet Marjhan Kauser, her father is Pakistani-Italian, her mother is Ecuadorian-American and she herself lives in Singapore. Talk about a melting pot of cultures!

Marjhan is a name from the Quran, and means ‘something precious in the sea.’ Some also say it means coral or pearls,” she mentioned, as her name isn’t one I’ve heard before.

Via marjhankausar / Instagram

While she’s never lived in Pakistan, mainly in Singapore and a few years in London, she does visit a few times a year, as her grandmother lives in Karachi.

Speaking to MangoBaaz about her mixedΒ heritage, she opened up, ” I love being a mixed race child! I got to learn so much about both of my parents backgrounds and it makes me really appreciate all cultures. Being half Pakistani, I feel honored to be able to travel around and learn about the beautiful things Pakistan has to offer. The people are the most hospitable. The clothes are out of the world. And the FOOD. Wow.”

During her travels to the land of the pure, Marjhan is quick to broadcast everything

From her tripΒ to the Badshahi Masjid in LahoreΒ 

 

To looking forΒ khussas in Karachi

“I wear truck art kolapuris on a daily basis with simple dresses or jeans and my khussa collection is getting out of hand and I’m not sorry!”Β Fun fact: her favorite accessories are payals and she tries to pick up a few pairs every time she visits Pakistan.

 

The question is, are these outfits just for the ‘gram? Or does she actually wear them in real life?

“I’d say a bit of both! I love to create looks to inspire others like the time I wore my wedding dupatta with a black gown. I had an idea and I did wear it to a galaβ€” but I also got such great response that others said they would tag me when they would wear their dupattas with a formal dress.Β Pakistani fashion is SO inspiring. It’s glamorous and yet stays true to traditional fabrics and methods of embroidery. I find Pakistani clothes to be the couture of Asia if I’m speaking with a bit of bias.”

 

When asked about her style and the process behind styling these ridiculously fashionable fusion looks, she had a few things to say.

“My style. That’s a tough one honestly. I love glam. But I love traditional glam. Layering jewellery. Wearing very raw textiles. My go to is an all white outfit with a statement dupatta. I’m not really into pearls and frills. I’m not a girly girl. I really appreciate handmade clothes.”

There definitely is an equation behind her statement outfits and they are either

1. Taking one statement piece and creating a fusion outfit that can be worn in the western world

View this post on Instagram

Had to choose between cropping off my head or my sneakers… πŸ€¦πŸ»β€β™€οΈ Found these old season @sanasafinazofficial dhoti pants in my closet and instantly fell in love all over again 😏 Love the way they look with a short kurta and white @commonprojects πŸ”₯ / πŸ“Έ @juliakausar . . . . . #pakistanstreetstyle #dhotipants #dhoti #sanasafinaz #pakistanifashion #pakistanioutfit #shortkurta #commonprojects #sneakeraddict #dhotisalwar #dhotikurta #desifashion #desistyle #indianstyle #karachi #karachilife #khi #karachibloggers

A post shared by 𝗠𝗔π—₯𝗝𝗛𝗔𝗑 π—˜π— π—”π—”π—‘ π—žπ—”π—¨π—¦π—”π—₯ (@marjhankausar) on

OR

2. Super traditional i.e. Patiala shalwar or ajrak and hand block printed kurtas

“To incorporate Pakistani elements into a western wardrobe – start off with accessories such as earrings, anklets and big necklaces with a plain outfit. They really stand out and are great conversational pieces. Dupattas can be used as shawls and stoles which I mentioned before. Generation makes fab anarkalis that I also use as dresses in Singapore!”

Speaking of Generation, it’s one of her favorite places to shop in Pakistan! Along with stores such as Koel and YBQ. Marjhan is also a fan of local markets and bazaars, where she fuels her khussa and payal addictions.

Her style is such that she transitions with ease from traditional, Pakistani outfits to more contemporary Western ones. While I might not be ready to try on a crop top with a tulip shalwar, I definitely will be on the lookout for a nice pair of kolapuris to add to my footwear collection.Β Would you try any of these styles? Let us know in the comments below!

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