Pretty Fashion Forward

Ready to Go: Light Layering

2012-01-24T10:27:00.000+02:00

This whole week is gonna be outfit posts! I've got sooo many lagging & waiting in my draft box! Anywho, since I'm all about the art of layering this week, I thought I'd put up a look I wore last week when the weather was chilly but not too ridiculous (this was what I wore the day I got a kiss from Peter Andre-saw him lost in Dubai Mall & helped him out! I know I'm such a great samaritan helping people in need!) I love the color blue in every single shape, shade & form! So, when I got my scarf (a gift from my sister) I kinda just put the entire look together based on the colors on that one piece.

I've always wanted to do the double shirt look so when I got the opportunity (thanks to Bahrainirants' shirt) I kinda just went for it!

I tiered the layers so they don't look too bulky (the layers underneath were each shorter than the other until I got to the longest bit which was the chec shirt) when I've got them all on & I wanted to make sure that the heaviest layer was at the top (that would make my make shift jacket & when I took it off I've still got a more flattering layered outcome.

What I'm Wearing:

Chequered wool shirt by Gap: Bahrainirants has a TON of shirts that I'm absolutely in love with & wear almost constantly (to his dismay I know it bugs him sometimes but sharing is caring even though in our case he's the one doing all the sharing). The thing with this shirt is although its wool, it isn't super bulky which is why I was able to layer so much underneath it.

Denim Shirt by Reiss 1971 (worn underneath): I have an obsession with denim shirts because they go with everything & are thick enough to keep you warm during our summers when you're walking around the malls & freezing your fanny off! I like them also because they're the most dynamic item you can ever own & will go with almost anything in your wardrobe I guarantee it!

Grey Tank Top by Deus: I came across this brand while on our honeymoon. It's an Australian brand & most of their stuff including their store looked like it was mainly for bicyclists or at least cycle enthusiasts. Very boho & completely cool! The store itself looks super cool & has a cafe too!

Turquoise Jeans by Dr. Denim: Also a purchase during our honeymoon & I absolutely love, love, love them! I bought them in Singapore but have no idea what the shop was called so please forgive me. These are the most comfy pair of jeans I own & what's cool about them is they've got guy & girl lines so they cater to both & if you like some of the denims from the men's section they might have the exact same ones but catered to women. Was that confusing? I hope not!

Shoes by Melissa: Another honeymoon purchase, from another super funky boutique on Seminyak Road & of course I can't for the life of me remember the name. But they had some of the coolest things ever! From accessories for women & men, to houseware, to tees, to bathing suits, even furniture. They seriously had everything all under one roof.

Scarf by Bimba & Lola: I'm going through my Native American phase so when my sister asked me what I wanted from Spain, I said anything with feathers & ethnic prints! So she got me more feather extensions for my hair & this gorgeous aztecy print scarf! I absolutely love it & scarves are vital during winter & for me even during summer (I switch to a lighter jersey when it's warm out) because it's the cover up that's got multiple uses, it'll keep you warm & brighten up an outfit.

xoxo for now my PFFers,

P.S. I'm off to Beirut to get all my bloody scars checked up on but I'll be back very very soon! I'll try to blog from there but if that doesn't happen stay tuned to next week! Wish me luck!

P.P.S. Video of the Day: Bahrainirants & I saw this posted up on my sister's facebook wall & I soooo had to share it with you! Isn't this THE cutest thing EVER??? I'm posting up the one that seriously cracked me up! There's a bunch of them there so click here, here, & here for the rest! ENJOY!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Something's Got a Hold on Me by Etta James (Bahrainirants is a HUGE fan & this is one of his favorites so I just had to share! She also passed away a couple of days ago so I thought it would be only appropriate to commemorate her in this way. Her voice is pure magic & her outfit is super retro chic! Wish I could pull off so much mascara & eyeliner! Enjoy!)

The Fashion KAGE is back: New Season Looks

2012-01-23T09:42:00.001+02:00

Since moving to Dubai, I've noticed how unique this place is especially when it comes to fashion & developing your own style (in comparison to the rest of the GCC-I'm sorry Bahrain).

I've been a HUGE fan of KAGE since their very first collection (click here) & my love for this brand has not wavered since. It's all about flaunting a woman's femininity with doses of hipster chic & va va voomness (It's basically HOT is what I'm trying to say here). I saw this video & just had to share it! I love, love, love the Spring 2012 collection & can NOT wait to get my hands on a couple of pieces!

When it comes to fashion & style it's all about knowing what a girl/woman/lady would want & making it happen in the most flattering way! I'm super excited about this collection because this to me is what the artistic geniouses behind KAGE do!

Thank you KAGE for keeping us obsessed with you & your fantastic clothes!

xoxo for now my PFFers,

P.S. I found this link & just had to share! I think I was using this as an inspiration board when Bahrainirants were planning our wedding... Really wanted to get the beach wedding vibe... OH WELL!

P.P.S. Article of the Day: I came across this article in the National Times by Richard Glover & just had to share! It's funny & witty & let's face it although we really do love what we own, have we ever thought of the people making it & what they must be thinking? ENJOY!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Youth by Daughter (Another great song introduced by Nadim, I absolutely love the lyrics & the accoustics in the church make her voice sound almost heavenly! I hope you like it too!!! Music is really the light on your darkest/grumpiest days! Hahahaha...)

Ready to Go: Layer on the Coat

2012-01-22T10:15:00.000+02:00

The weather in Dubai is finally getting super chilly (slight exaggeration here)! So, I thought I'd post on the art of layering for a little help! I've got a couple of parts to this segment (for the crazy weather we've got here: sometimes it's cold, sometimes it's hot) this one's all about the jacket & what to layer underneath it especially if it's an unflattering shape.

I was flying home to Bahrain when I wore this because everyone was telling me how much colder it was there so I wanted to be prepared & super comfortable! The thing is with jackets like these, you'll need to wear something a bit more tailored underneath to help you flaunt your figure because you're not really going to be hanging out in a jacket all day/night (unless you're outside)! & by pairing it with a pair of washed out (almost textured pants), I drew attention away from the unflattering bit of my outfit to my legs (which are a pair of denims that aren't super tight but a little more structured & form fitting then the jacket).

When it comes to winter, & the cold, many of us (including myself) really don't care what we look like while we're out in the open as long as we're warm (that's normal though right?) so we tend to either forget to focus on what we're wearing underneath or we just loose momentum to get dolled up in winter (leading to a super lazy & unflattering outcome).

What I'm trying to show you is all you need is the right combination to help get you back on track, like a fun print shoe, comfy & cool denims, & something on top that you usually would wear when the weather isn't necassarily 16 or 17 degrees (that's cold for us GCC residents)!

What I'm Wearing:

Hunter Jacket by Burberry at The Outlet Mall: I own one but I got it from H&M so when I saw this a couple of months ago I just HAD to have it! I absolutely, positively, love this jacket & can imagine myself wearing it with almost everything I own! & I know it's not really flattering but sometimes that's what fashion's about it's loving something sooo much that you work with what you've got to help make it a tad bit more suitable for your shape!

Black Cardigan by Cos: I love this brand & I absolutely love this cardigan! I got it for Bahrainirants ages ago but it has slowly found its way into my wardrobe

Tank Top (worn underneath) by TopShop: I got this right before our honeymoon because I loved the type of cotton & color of the top. Kinda had an 80's feel which you know I love! I'm not a huge fan of statement tanks/tees but this one says 'Sweet Dreams' which reminded me of this song also from the 80's!

Bleached Denims by Stella McCartney at The Outlet Mall: I loved these the minute I laid eyes on them! They're a statement on their own & look like something my mom would've worn back in the 90's! They're super comfortable & are one of my wardrobe staples! I never thought Stella's jeans would be this fabulously comfortable! Love them!

Shoes by Pretty Ballerinas: You probably have these memorised by now! I wear them because they're my go to pair when I need the right kick to an outfit! They're comfy & as you all know I'm all about the flats! LOVE these with almost everything in my closet!

Scarf: A gift from one of my ex-colleagues from India! I've had it for years now & can't stop wearing it!

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Hate it when you have guests who visit & then leave! It gets kinda lonely in Dubai...

P.P.S. Site of the Day: I came across this article & fell super in love with the next generation of would-be super models! So, Cindy's little girl is one of the first faces for Versace's jr line! What do you guys think??? Is 10 too young to model? Or since it's a jr line & her mom was with her on set it's a-ok?! Lemme know!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Wandering Star by Polica (I've been blessed with many, many people that constantly fill my life with fantabulously great music! I'm married to one but I'm friends with many! I got sent this email by one of those ultimate music buffs-he was the first to introduce me to Florence & the Machine back in the day- & just had to share this song from this band with y'all! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks Nadim for this song & the many others I've fallen seriously in love with! Keep 'em coming yo!)

Coco's Home

2012-01-17T08:32:00.002+02:00

Whilst browsing The Coveteur, I came across one of the coolest posts by them! A photographical tour of inside Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's apartment in Paris. I loved how her entire home, from top to bottom is covered in details & touches that till today are reflected in her clothes (thanks a lot to Mr. Lagerfeld). I absolutely am in love with this place & find it quite inspirational (I love how like fashion, different people style their homes to suit their individual personality)! I'm hoping I can find a way to sneak in (or take some sort of tour if that even exists) of the place next time I'm in the city of lights.

I've selected a few of my favorite images I hope you enjoy!

The famous spiral staircase where she used to sit & watch her shows

A chandalier chandelier that she designed herself full of crystals (she was very superstitious & believed in the power of crystals)

Her library where she would entertain her guests (& even journalists)! She also designed the couch!

Her writing desk where most of her sketches were made

Coco Chanel was a leo which is why she had plenty of lion memorabilia around the house

One of the most prominent pieces of furniture where many of Coco's iconic pictures were taken

Thanks to 'the Coveteur' & to Hooked on Houses for the images

xoxo my lovelies,

P.S. If you do know of any tours of her apartment please do let me know!

P.P.S. Site of the Day: Wanna know (or see) my favourites from The Golden Globes last sunday? Please click here! I know what am I doing promoting my other blog but I thought it would be pointless for me to repeat myself no? I would most definately add Salma Hayek to my list though she looked gorgeous!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car by Billy Ocean (because I just found out that he's coming to Dubai in February! & I got BEYOND excited! I.MUST.SEE.HIM! 80's icon revived thanks to the ME! WOOOHOOO!!!! Excitement!!!

My Love Affair with Accessories

2012-01-15T10:40:00.000+02:00

I'm planning on keeping this post short & sweet so bare with me ma lovely PFFers! As you all have figured out by now that my obsession with accessories is kinda on the rise with no clear sign of slowing down!

A great necklace, pair of earrings, or rings can be exactly what your outfit's been starving for! I know, I'm starting to sound like a broken record here so I'll let my latest discoveries/obsessions speak for themselves!

1. Elyse Marie Vieni: Chain Reaction Necklace for $290 AED 1,065.03

I can't for the life of me remember how or where I found this site but I fell hopelessly in love with the chunky rock feel of the brand! You will literally need only this to wear on an evening out or with a pair of jeans & a tee for a dressy daytime look! Love the layers & different textures that'll add just the right about of 'OOMMPHH' to your entire look!

2. DANNIJO: Amara Earrings for $295 AED 1,083.39

I've found an unbelievable love for this brand & it's quirky designs! These earrings are for the ladies who are all about pushing the boundaries & going OTT with accessories! I love them! They're kinda the love child of art nouveau & rock which you wouldn't necassarily think would mesh but they do so perfectly well! Aren't they just super pretty? & they'll go with everything in your closet I guarantee it!

3. Sophia 203: Love Necklace in Blue for around $180 AED 661.05

I came across this necklace via Al Moda blog! I saw one of the blogs editors tweet a picture of her wearing this necklace & I fell head over heels! What woman doesn't love hearts? We're the sex that's ALL about the pitter patter pump machine! Absolutely lovely & super duper feminine!

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Have you guys seen the latest from the lovely Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton? I'm talking about the pre-fall collection! GORGEOUSNESS to the MAX!!! Click here to get a taste & to check out more looks! I'm posting up one of my favorite looks! ABSOLUTELY beautiful & I can seriously see myself in this! I'm thinking I'm all greyed up for winter but HEY!

P.P.S. DIY of the Day: I've had this saved somewhere for forever & just came across it today & thought I'd share! Sometimes getting creative & using your hands is all you need to kinda awaken your creative fashion juices! I absolutely LOURVE Erica Domesek from P.S. I Made This! It's a phenomenon that's swept the world (thanks to her) which is taking something you like & reinventing it to make it your own! Such a cool & unique concept! Kinda wish I had that kinda creativity all the time! Who doesn't like pearl necklaces? & this is SUPER simple to do! Can't wait to try it out myself!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: This Head I Hold by Electric Guest (thanks to Bahrainirants for making me listen to this song yesterday! I'm absolutely hooked! There's something about his voice that's SUPER quirky! Love it & hope you do too!)

Ready to Go... Wedding Dressing on a Budget

2012-01-12T13:48:00.000+02:00

Another Thursday & a brand new 'Ready to Go...' post (yes, Thursdays-for sure & perhaps Mondays-not too sure yet- are gonna be my outfit post days! Yay right?!)

Anywho, I've been meaning to post this up for AGES now but completely forgot about it because of the 800+ pictures (outfits included) on my iPhone so this one kinda got side tracked.

Ok, well I must admit that when it comes to weddings especially here in the Middle East its quite an investment & lets face it slightly annoying that you can't REALLY wear the same dress more then a few times (3 times tops in my personal experience) because you basically see the same people/crowd at them all. Which is why I started investing in accessories & cocktail dresses that I genuinely like & can downgrade to parties & evenings out without REALLY feeling bad about it financially. Call me eccentric or just a plain jane but in my personal opinion (& your partners/parents) this really does work! I saw this dress at BCBG & fell hopelessly in LOVE with it! It was put on hold (for someone else) & a size too small so I kinda just gave up on it, long story short I found one in my size & seriously went CRAZY doing ma happy dance because I loved it & was over the moon that it was MINE! The thing with this dress is it was on sale (a big NO NO here in the GCC) but being at least two seasons old a lot of people kinda forgot all about it.

As for my chunky blingy necklace, it too was something I saw while working at 'The Fall for Fashion' event in Bahrain at Saks & fell in LOURVE with it instantly! Like serious love! It too was on sale & thought they were TWO PERFECT PIECES that are dynamic & useful that I can play around with & wear separately or together (again) whenever I wanted!

Why would I wear two discounted items to a wedding (let alone my own cousin's)? Because it's kinda been a tough financial year on the world & I thought it would be money well spent buying something that I genuinely liked (let's face it we go OTT for the masses not for ourselves at these thangs) & would wear again for many-a-occasion. & how many of us have dresses (expensive ones) hanging out in our closets (enjoying each others company) that haven't seen the light of day in quite some time? I'm thinking shop smart & you'll actually enjoy wearing them more in the long run (& I've grown to love great bargains). I also must admit that this isn't the first dress that I get during the sales & also not the only one that's on sale & get super complimented on on numerous occasions.

What I'm Wearing:

Light Grey Lace Dress by: BCBG Max Azria at Seef Mall for BD 70 AED 700(I first saw it at City Center but found it in Seef so don't forget the hidden gems just waiting to be discovered in the boutiques there)

Chunky Crystal Necklace by: Armani Collection at Saks in Bahrain City Center for BD 84 AED 840 (they've got a few AMAZING accessories there so stop by & browse about! I'm sure you'll get your hands on a couple of investment pieces)

Shoes by: Christian Louboutin at Beirut Souks (I bought this NOT on sale & have worn them to events because they're nude, comfortable which in turn makes them classic shoe that'll never go out of style)

Husband by: Mr & Mrs Faraj (who have blessed me with a man who insisted on learning how to tie his own bow tie that evening instead of wearing one that was ready & when I asked him why he didn't save himself the stress he responded 'because every guy should learn to tie one for times like these'.

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Started yoga last night after a few months of zero exercising & I must say it's a gem of a place! Quirky & cute but if you're a germaphobe then definitely stay away! It's very very quirky! Where? Gems of Yoga right by KFC off of Sheikh Zayed Road.

P.P.S. Link of the Day: I saw this last week on Who What Wear & loved every single one of the outfit socks posts! I'm feeling quite inspired & I think I might try this out myself this weekend! It's been ages since I've worn socks with shoes & everytime I try to I end up taking them off but, enough is enough! Will keep you posted!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Somebody that I Used to Know by Gotye (I heard this on the radio here in Dubai but never knew anything about it but thanks to ma dear friend Tania who posted it up on my wall & introduced me to it I am completely smitten & in love with it! I'm sure you all know it so enjoy!!!)

My January 2012 Wish List

2012-01-10T13:02:00.000+02:00

I started off 2012 with a bang & a shopping fast which in turn fuelled my shopping itch (especially during the sale season) & into creating this lust list of everything I seriously would LOURVE to make mine in the new year! It's a great incentive for me to start saving up more to finally splurge my little heart out in the not so distant future (fingers crossed)!

So, if life (& the universe) have finally blessed me with a millionaire shopaholic Fairy-god Mother, I hope she reads blogs & manages to make my wish list into a reality list!

1. Chloe's Elsie Mini-Shoulder Bag at Saks.com for AED 4720.66

I saw this in a dark burgundy (& in an even smaller size than this) & fell hopelessly in love because it's the PERFECT companion for a night out/wedding (if its a casual one). I love you my precious & I can NOT wait to make you mine!

2. Noir Jewelry at shopbop for $253 AED 929.09

I'm seriously going through a weird chunky necklace phase! I've been weirdly drawn to a bunch of necklaces that I would have NEVER thought I'd like a year ago or even a couple of months ago! I blame the ageing process or trying to revive my wardrobe with super cool pieces (that when I get bored of will be able to shove in the back of my dresser until its needed again). I fell in love with this brands entire collection at shopbop its super fun & funky & will be perfect with a summer tan!

3. Halston Heritage at asos.com on sale for £212 AED 1,201.21

I fell in love, love, love with this dress it's such fun especially for a casual wedding by the sea (yes, we have one this summer & is one of the biggest reasons why I want it to be mine). I would wear it with a bright shoe & really blingy earrings.

xoxo for now ma lovelies,

P.S. I'm also TOTALLY in LOURVE with a pair of Chanel sandals that I saw at their Boutique in Dubai Mall & want them OH SO VERY MUCH but with a price tag that physically hurt ma heart, I need to either find a job or save for a while before I can make it mine... ALL MINE!

P.P.S. Competition of the Day: Love Karl Lagerfeld? Love net-a-porter? Well, have I got THE PERFECT competition for you! A weekend away with your love/bestie/sibling/parent in Paris! Even I entered in hopes of winning a weekend away with the hubster in Paris because he deserves a break & who wouldn't want to run off to the city of lights with their loved one? Oh, & we (my family & maself) don't EVER win any competitions so I didn't really think it would hurt to enter knowing that. I'm not kidding you not a single carnival raffle not any raffle as a matter of fact! Oh well, c'est la vie! I hope you guys have better luck!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Love on Top by Beyonce (I heard this song for the first time with an amazing person, Noofie, & fell absolutely in LOURVE with it! Reminds me of classic 90's music! The video is pure perfection: simple, lovely & elegant! All you focus on is her, the dancers & the song I wish more music videos were like this! Oh, & she's wearing an AMAZING pair of Isabel Marant Willow high-tops that I've been blogging/longing for forever (click here) & that my friend Tala's been obsessed with also! If you're interested leave your name on the waiting list (YEP, there is one here)

Food Coma-licious

2012-01-08T08:47:00.000+02:00

A couple of weeks ago, right before we stepped into the new year, a couple of bloggers & myself got invited to have a feast-a-lishicious lunch at Leila restaurant in Mirdif City Center. A franchise I'm already familiar with (& brought to the UAE from Lebanon), I got ready to dive into some well deserved (well... I knew that 2012 meant healthy me & getting back on track) yummy Lebanese cuisine but with a hell of a lot creativity & twists that'll make any foodie's mouth water. I'm talking about all types of 'traditional' dishes that have been tweaked in an exclusively yummy Leila way. What are my favorites so far? Don't miss out on the kibbe, which is completely scrumptious (with spicy stuffing), they're stuffed Aubergine in Yoghurt/Laban (OMG!!!) & all the desserts especially they're Gazal Banat- the arabic version of Candy Floss- ice cream (we had 3 of those between just four girls because it was THAT good).

I thought I'd bid fair-well to such great tasting food (at least for now because Leila's planning to debut in my hood soon! Woop woop! Where you ask? Right opposite of Burj Khalifa)!

P.S. Thanks again to the Expose Communication team for once again being super hospitable & to everyone at Leila for not judging our completely unstylish food behaviour especially around dessert time! Oh, & for the rose! I actually put it in a vase with the Leila tag because it was that much of a GREAT double treat!

P.P.S. Event of the Day: SO, I was just going through my mail post weekend away in Bahrain (yes, tears over my poor island) & I get THE COOLEST thing EVER! What you ask? A leaflet/poster thingy informing me of the DURAN DURAN concert on March 8th organised by DoneEvents! Am I ecstatic? JES! Did the teen in me go WOOOHOOO? Hells JES! Will I be there singing & dancing along? Definitely! Might even pack a pair of leg warmers just in case they sing a couple of the'r oldies! WOOHOO I CAN'T WAIT! 80's feva all the way!!!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Come Undone by Duran Duran (I'm cheesy like that! So obviously had to pick my SOTD to be one of theirs! Mainly because it got stuck in my head the minute I saw the flier & that they're too cool for school! The epitome of the greatness of music band in the decades past! Hope you enjoy my DD flashback!)

Ready to Go...

2012-01-05T08:46:00.000+02:00

Falling in love with a brand New Year & missing the holidays that brought it about! I'm hoping for more greatness & positivity this brand year & a dismissal of the negativity that had plagued us all in 2011!

Anywho, with a brand new year come brand new outfits I'm working on more & more of them so don't you worry I will definitely share them with you I promise!

What I'm Wearing:
Denim Jacket by Acne: I got this ages ago from Liberty of London & I'm still absolutely in love with it! This brand makes denim art & I can not ever imagine not owning at least one of their denim jackets! Love denim anything/everything!

Striped 3/4 Tee by Cos: I originally bought this when I was back in London for Bahrainirants so its from the Mens section but have officially taken it over & basically made it my own! I'm still obsessed with all things nautical especially stripes!

Grey Hoodie by Sade: yes, you read that right! I went to the Sade concert a couple of weeks ago & developed an even BIGGER crush on her! I just had to have this hoodie maybe because it says 'Soldier of Love' -the name of her album-on the bottom or maybe cause I just absolutely LOVED it. Cheesy & geeky? HELLS YEAH!

Pants by Reiss 1971 Collection: I LOVE these pants! They're elasticated at the top & are absolutely comfortable! You can't help but want to wear them ALL DAY every day!!!

Shoes by Vajra Bali: Bahrainirants & I bought these (yes, matching) shoes on our honeymoon & they're basically the Balinese version of Toms & I absolutely LOVE them! They're super comfy & I wear them with just about everything

Accessories:

Watch(es): Vintage (my mother's gift to my father on their 1 year anniversary) & a Casio (the middle pic with the reindeer)

Rings: Wedding band from BJC, Skull & 3ain aka the letter 'A' in Arabic from Yazi's, Beatle ring Christopher Kane for Swarovski (I bought all these except for ma wedding band-DUH- ages ago! Some I ordered online (the Swarovski) & others at the quirky & cool Boutiques in Bahrain)

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Bahrainirants & I are off to Bahrain this weekend & we're super excited & overwhelmed to see our loved ones & our teeny tiny island! Sending u all much love from home & speak to y'all on Sunday!!!

P.P.S. Sale of the Day: Ok, by far my spending fast has been kinda hell-ish especially with all these sales teasing me! But if I absolutely had to pick just one sale to focus all your energy on (this weekend because you know it'll change by next week) it has got to be the SHOPBOP sale! They've got different categories: 30%, 50%, & my personal favourite 70% off sections as well as many, many more happy sale options in the making

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: I Follow Rivers by Lykke Li (Yes, you're probably sick of this song! Apparently it was playing over the entire summer but I love the live version of this song! Super chill, relaxed & she's absolutely gorgeous! I wanna play the drums & be cool like dat! Hahahaha... One of my New Year's resolutions is to learn how to play an instrument so let's see if music's in ma blood)

Male Worthy: Gruff Beards & Cufflinks

2012-01-03T08:14:00.000+02:00

I thought I'd start 2012 off with a bang! I've been asking my beloved Bahrainirants to contribute to my blog for FOREVER & at last that day has finally arrived (WOOHOOO)! I'm hoping to have more posts by him this year ( fingers crossed) so stay tuned!

Gruff beards and cufflinks

At the behest of my wife, I’ve decided in this guest feature to casually throw around a few opinions of mine regarding men looking presentable. Men’s Fashion has taken so many strange turns over the years going through peaks and troughs of cool - but over the last decade and a bit, a set of principles have quietly emerged and have been gaining ground on a world of androgynous looks and photocopied ideas. A group of very interesting people coming from London, New York andTokyo decided to take a stand and take back men’s fashion from the runways and glamour. These designers decided to turn away from fashion house mergers and the large scale mass production of looks and began focusing more on a bespoke idea of functionality.

Everyone wants to look good, and fashion is an important part of that. As a man, I don’t see the need to focus my attention on this season’s looks or the must have this or that. Apart from our personal and professional lives, we already have far too many things to keep up with: sports, military history, the perfect moustache, charred meat, adrenaline packed action, gonzo journalism, pub quizzes, the secrets of ninjas, and so on and so forth.. Fashion should be a cornerstone of every man, but more of an undertone to our daily living.

Before you go any further, I would like to reiterate that what you are about to read is only my opinion. Some of the points might resonate with you and some won’t, and that’s absolutely fine. I am by no means an expert in anything other than my opinion; in fact, I’m the world’s goofiest dancer and tend to ramble on more than I should..

I have a few rules to dress by that I would like to share, hopefully removing this contrived need for fashion and getting back to buying and wearing things because we actually need them.. Please note that I am only referring to fashion - special edition sneakers, very old bottles of alcohol and Joseph Stalin’s nose hair as memorabilia do not count as things we do not need but desperately want..

Subtle speaks louder than anything else: the last five years have given way to jeans with excessive stitch work on the pockets, logoed t-shirts for teams that don’t exist and enlarged brands covering the entire garment. Why would anyone other than a professional athlete or a formula one team driver want to wear logos? You’re actually paying to have this company’s logo plastered all over your body.. If you’re going to be a walking billboard, then at least get paid for it..

Always wear your best stuff: The French have this wonderful belief that every occasion is a special one and that’s something I can get onboard with very quickly. Make it a habit of always wearing your best clothes, you’ll look better and will feel more confident. Why keep that incredible blazer tucked in a closet for the right moment when any moment is as good as the other?

Buy things by people who make things: I’m a sucker for tradition and firmly believe in buying something from someone who specializes in making whatever you’re buying. For me, a watch must be acquired from a timepiece maker whether it’s a Glasshütte or a Swatch. You know why a Rolex is just as good as a Timex? They both keep better time than a designer branded watch. The primary function of glasses is to protect your eyes, why not buy a product from a company’s who’s raison d’être is making glasses? They’ll know how to design the product, how it works and how it should rest on you.. You’re not going to a seafood restaurant to eat chicken, know what I mean?

For variety, go back to basics: I love t-shirts and over the years I’ve become intrigued with the cotton and the cut. Take it from someone who has a t-shirt collection that extends into the hundreds, the more basic the t-shirt the more useful it is. If you find a t-shirt you like and fits you well, you can buy a bunch of the same in different colors and there you have it.. A uniformed variety that doesn’t need much thought..

All you need is one item (of everything): Developing the best utility wardrobe requires a bit of time and patience, but it’s not rocket science. There are a few items that every man needs in his wardrobe to go about his day in whatever fashion. Regarding these “few items” you can stretch it to whatever you want, as long as you have the basics: A crisp shirt (white is essential but a light blue wouldn’t hurt), a pair of Converse sneakers, chinos, blue blazer, soft driving loafers, an evening suit, Two pairs of jeans (one dark the other medium wash), a white t-shirt, a proper pea coat, formal black shoes and belt, an everyday white shirt, a navy blue/OR grey suit (both if possible), a good pair of brown shoes, at least one standout tie and a great sweater. You can expand on this list in any way you like, but this should be enough to get you started to take you from dressing down to a dinner at the Savoy. After a trip to Iraq, I was taken aback by an oil rig driller who wore his jeans shirt with a stained rocknroll nonchalance that immediately made the jeans shirt a staple in my closet..

Afterthoughts on accessories: I’m a big fan of hats, scarves and socks.. That said, there’s a time and a place for everything.. You look as ridiculous in that fedora tilted to the side as the older lady wearing her daughters clothes – no one will take you seriously.. A little word of advice,, unless the climate calls for you to wear a scarf and hat, then the less accessories you wear, the less of a peacock you’ll look like . Remember the first point, subtle will always go a lot farther than loud.. I find socks the perfect opportunity to express yourself and your love for color and pattern.. Break free and wear whatever you want, you can never go wrong with socks, in fact the wilder the better.. something quite comical about your feet being able to startup a conversation that always sets the night off on the right note.

Give your clothes a story: people who douse themselves in high end fashion can only prove one thing, their credit card limits. It’s very easy to walk into a boutique in some major city and take an entire look off a mannequin, but then you’re just dressing like someone else.. As a personal challenge, it’s always interesting to mix your outfit: something expensive, something affordable, something personal and something old.. As you continually mix to include different facets, you develop a style that defines your character – which, let’s face it, is so much cooler and distinct than anything you can buy off any rack..

Go Big or Go Home: Detail, and attention to it is what differentiates someone from being fashionable to not quite there yet. It may be that no one will notice the length of how far you’ve gone to perfect that double Windsor knot, but believe me, you’ll know and the satisfaction from that is quite powerful. If you’re going for a look, then go all the way.. If you can learn to survive and be independent in the world, then you can learn to tie a bowtie, no excuses..

And there you have it, nothing groundbreaking and nothing you don’t already know to be the gentleman debonair you already are. As a man, I don’t feel the need to wear skintight shirts or distressed denim, or have someone’s logo printed on my bottom..

I like smelling like a mix of charcoal and cologne..

xoxo for now from Bahrainirants & myself OH & happy 2012 ma lovely PFFers,

P.S. Much more to come from me in 2012! 'I got a feeling that tonight (or this year's) gonna be a good, good night (year)'!

P.P.S. Blog Crush of the Day: I've come across some of the coolest bloggers Stateside & thought I just had to share it with y'all! Blog: www.songofstyle.blogspot.com & I think she's just pure fabulousness! I love her outfit & nonchalant approach to fashion! It's easy, fun & VERY California! What do you guys think? I seriously have THE BIGGEST STYLE CRUSH on her ever!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Paradise City by Guns 'N Roses (I thought it befitting to pick this song as my SOTD since it's one of Bahrainirants' favourites! He air guitars it every time it's playing! I miss this fantabulous band & I hope like many rock/boy bands of the past a reunion tour is in the works)

New Years Shopping List

2011-12-29T16:18:00.000+02:00

I'm sure, like me (& my sister) many of you have been struggling with what you feel like wearing & what you should be wearing this New Years Eve. I've gone from wearing a GORGEOUS silk dress (the one I won at the Maison Sez competition but thought it was too dressy for the party I was going to) & then thought about my cute black ballerina-esque dress from Miss Selfridges (but this one was too casual) but now I've kinda sorted my look out (will post it up ASAP)! What you may ask have I decided to wear? A cute, flirty skirt, & a slightly sexy/textured top with tights & funkified shoes! Why the change of heart? Because there are things we seem to forget when we're getting our New Years attire ready which are:

1. The likelihood of someone (or yourself) spilling something on your outfit

2. That you need to be comfortable as well as look good because the likelihood of you just sitting down & not moving is HIGHLY unlikely at a NYE party! It's more like a dancing, socialising, etc frenzy which requires a WHOLE LOTTA comfort

3. You wanna stay true to your personality there's no point in dressing up (or down) if it won't feel like you because then you'll end up worrying about it all night long instead of just going with the flow & having a great time

So, to help you my PFFers avoid all of these little hiccups (even thought I think point number 3 is kinda linked to point number 2) I've put up a list of the basic ideas that can take a simple outfit & add the right amount of spice to you!

The Spice List

1. When in doubt? Accessorise! So simple, all you really have to do is pick the right kind of accessory to spruce up your look. If you haven't noticed I'm a HUGE fan of accessorising because that's how you can dress up or dress down a look. I've put together a couple of ideas to help inspire you when you're out shopping! It's about getting one strong piece that can pull together an entire look whether they're earrings, necklace, bracelet or a ring one accessory, the right accessory can make all the difference!

From Topshop:

(from left to right)

Mesh Stretch Bracelet Pack for £20 AED 114.67

Bead Collar Necklace for £100 AED 573.35

Tigerseye Necklace for £30 AED 172.01 (on SALE you guys)

From Net-a-porter:

(left to right)

Assad Mounser for £288.75 AED 1,655.56

Aurelie Bidermann for £778.75 AED 4,464.99

Kenneth Jay Lane for £127 AED 728.16

2. Too cold out? Wear a jacket! But not any jacket! Pick something with a bit more edge so instead of going out there & buying an entirely new dress/top/skirt, recycle something from your cupboard that you love/know you'd be comfortable in & invest in buying something that'll transform into a wardrobe staple like these jackets below

From Net-a-porter:

(left to right)

Sass & Bide for £503.13 AED 2,884.71

Preen Line for £275.62 AED 1,580.28

Halston Heritage for £770 AED 4,414.82

From TopShop:

(left to right)

Black Star Blazer for £30 (On SALE) AED 172.01

Animal Print Blazer for £30 (it's on SALE) AED 172.01

Sister Jane Geometric Jacket for £40 (also on SALE) AED 229.34

3. Shoe crazed? Then go for it! No one ever really thinks of the importance of picking the right kind of shoe for the right kind of occasion. So always plan ahead what kind of shoe you plan on wearing that evening? If its a dinner, then you've got the freedom to wear whatever you want because you know you'll be sitting down for most of the night! But if you're going out dancing make sure you've worn them out before & platforms are the comfiest in my opinion! So, don't forget platforms for dancing & your favorite uncomfortable heels for dinner! I once went out in my favorite GORGEOUS Moschino Cheap & Chic heels (they were new-ish so super uncomfortable) so I spent the ENTIRE night just in so much pain & couldn't really have fun so I've learned my lesson & the importance of having a cool & comfy shoe on when you're out dancing!

From Boutique 1:

(left to right)

Elie Saab for AED 1,540

Rupert Sanderson for AED 2,018 (SALE price)

Alia for AED 8,860

From Net-a-porter:

(left to right)

Alexander Wang for £404 AED 2,316.35

Dolce & Gabbana for £450.63 AED 2,583.70

Jimmy Choo for £857.50 AED 4,916.50

So, if you're gonna go NYE shopping instead of buying a new dress, buy these three things! You're basically reinvigorating your wardrobe with new options, building your wardrobe staples, & NOT spending countless hours looking for the right dress, skirt, top because if you look hard enough in your own closet I'm sure you'll find just what you're looking for!

I hope you find these helpful & I'm wishing you ALL a very happy, merry New Year! 2012 PLEASE BE GOOD TO THE WORLD!!!

xoxo till 2012 my munchkins,

P.S. I'm dedicating my last & final post to my lovely Husband (who is everything I could have ever asked for & much more), my super supportive parents & siblings, my beyond amazing in-laws (whom I love very much), & some of the bestest friends God has ever blessed me with! Thank you ALL for being a part of my life & for your constant love, countless support, & for being my angels here on Earth!

P.P.S. Video of the Day: I've decided to end this year with lots of laughter & hanging out with AMAZING friends! I hope you all do the same! I've had 3 different people tell me about these videos & if you haven't seen them yet, I'm glad I can share & if you have sorry I'm putting you through this again! But I'm positive you won't mind! There's a part two click here & three click here whenever you're ready! ENJOY & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Foreign Language by Flight Facilities ft Jess (thanks to my Bahrainirants for introducing me to this FABULOUS song! I haven't been able to stop listening to it! Absolutely love everything about it from the beat, the video which is SUPER retro-no clue if it's really the video though but its still cool. I hope you likey!)

Sweaters A-Plenty

2011-12-27T08:50:00.000+02:00

Whenever winter comes around (yes, it's officially here in Dubai especially in the evening) all I can think of are jumpers, sweaters & anything in between! I'm sooooo obsessed with them that I even wore a nice chunky navy blue knit for Christmas day... It got seriously hot all afternoon but the minute it striked 6 pm everyone got warmth envy (but then I started dancing & we went back to square one).

Anywho, I've been surfing the net for the cutest & bestest sweaters out there & here are my selection! I hope you like 'em!

1. Better Off Dead (aka B.O.D.): I came across these while surfing Fashiolista a few nights ago & fell in lourve with their blatant poke at the fashion worlds largest brands! They're fun, super comfy looking & a HUGE shout out to modern grunge! Yes, if you haven't realised, winter makes me go all dark & goth/grunge like! If I weren't married I wouldn't even bother washing my hair! They've also got a quirky & fun collection(s) for men too!

B.O.D. Vault Collection called Premium Cut for $79 AED 290.10

& yes you did read that right, it says 'Karl the Butcher'!

B.O.D. Death & War Collection called Anna & for $79 AED AED 290.10

Need I say more?

B.O.D. The Ancient Call Collection called LV Rituals for $79 AED 290.10

B.O.D. The Cable of Oddities Collection called YS L'Hommie for $79 AED 290.10

2. Maje: I've gotten back into my obsession with French brands! I fell in love with Maje when I first came across they're pieces back in the early naughties studying in Beirut & quite honestly have never looked back! I absolutely LOURVE Maje (& Sandro-they're sisters after all) but nothing ever says winter more than a seriously classy cable knit sweater & tons of grey! Cream? & grey? I know but it kinda all works for me!

Jasmine Pull for €175 AED 839.24

Cable knit is probably the least flattering type of knit due to the combination of wool & design but if worn for the correct body shape it can go from blakh to 'yes, I can pull this off' in no time! How? If you're petite, you can wear this any way you like but don't go super oversize cause then you'll look like you're wearing something 3 or 4 sizes too big for you. If you're curvy (curvier bottom) make sure you wear a light weight material underneath, like a jersey skirt & have that knit tighter up top. If you wanna wear it loose (for the ladies with sexy behinds) make sure you take a look at the back as well as the front & keep in mind how tall you are as well (because you don't wanna look like a chunk up to with stubby legs).

Jubilee Pull for €170 AED 815.26

I personally love this but if you're not trying to draw the eye to your hips do NOT get this type of sweater because the little cuts at the front draw the eye straight to them so be weary! However, if you get this one size up (the way I would) those cuts would probably be a bit lower drawing the eye towards your legs (which is why I would personally get it a couple of sizes bigger).

Henni Pull for €195 AED 935.15

I'm sure you all know why this made the cut? Yes? That collar is FABULOUS! I absolutely love the prepster/rock combo! It's a fashion match made in heaven! & I'll save you my talk on who this will look good on because I'm sure many of you love it too & it's a simple enough silhouette that'll flatter all body shapes (except my boxy one but I'll make it work! How? Tuck it into a high waisted skirt)

3. Net-a-Porter: I can't help myself, I know in almost every single one of my posts I've included something from this site but I absolutely LOURVE them & that little black box makes my heart pitter patter & the fact that they've got a sale but I can't go credit card happy right now is tearing me up inside (Long story! On a shopping fast until February). The brands are fabulous, the sales are wonderful, the styling magical, & again those boxes... You just can't possible have enough of them!

Stella McCartney Knitted Cotton Sweater for £765.63 AED 4,390.85

I picked this because what else can help keep you going & survive winter more than a sweater with palm trees on it? I fell in love the minute I laid eyes on it! Fun, quirky, & warm (literally & figuratively speakin' here)

Matthew Williamson Embellished Collar Sweater for £433.12 AED 2,483.92

I obviously picked this cause of the color combination & the bell shape cut! For winter, what else can brighten up those dreary grey days (I have yet to go out of my comfort zone & buy bright colors so here's ma attempt number 1). I definitely want these 2 in my closet now!

4. Boutique 1: One of my favorite shopping destinations in Dubai! I love this boutique for oh so many reasons (the option of door to door delivery & paying cash upon arrival naming a few). A one stop shop for all my hearts desired designers all under one roof right here in the Gulf (definitely a dream come true)

3.1 Phillip Lim Tucked Front Pullover for AED 1,960

I love him oh soooo much! This sweater is just beautiful, so beautiful in fact that I didn't even realise that I had been staring at it for a while! Just admiring its sheer beauty! The attention to detail emacculate just look at the cuff & pre-tucked in front (he made it user friendly for us all). I want this in my wardrobe, some way, some how! The tucked in front is what got me hooked because I've always wanted to do the half tuck thang but was always worried I'd look a bit too pretentious (has that ever happened to you?). A couple of my friends pull it off & make it look so cool but given my personality, I just never got around to doing it but now my beloved Mr. Lim took care of it for me! YAY!

xoxo for now & I hope this list has inspired & helps keep you warm this winter,

P.S. The Dubai Shopping Festival is only a couple of days away & thought I'd link you up to their site so you can find out more about what's happening over those 32 days & what bargains you should start preparing for!

P.P.S. Tumblr of the Day: I came across this site (Sexy Sweaters) also through Fashiolista & fell in love with their quirky & random designs. Sadly, they haven't officially started selling their jumpers yet but browsing through their archived pieces make me feel all warm & fuzzy & a bit like a loved up teenager! I hope you like 'em!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: To Be With You by Mr. Big (so a friend of ours just gave us a fantabulous wedding present & it just so happened to be a karaoke machine! Yes, Bahrainirants & I went absolutely balistic! We can now sit & karaoke in the comfort of our home! hahahahaha... Anywho, post Christmas food coma, a couple of friends came over & it was the first time I got to really go through the song list & came across this one! I remember hearing this song for the first time as a teenager in Bahrain in the 90's with my older brother who came home from school one day with a VHS recording of MTV from a friend of his in Saudi cause, we didn't have cable at the time, I fell in love instantly & have never ever experienced that kind of feeling ever again with a song or music video. I guess the novelty of it is what left a lasting effect on me!

Ready to Go...

2011-12-26T10:24:00.000+02:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas & that they're enjoying (recuperating) on boxing day (today)! I promised to post up what I wore when I made it to the Grazia 'Style Hunter' pages so here it is! My look that day & I'm pretty sure you're gonna see me in this blazer A LOT because it's officially one of my FAVORITE things in my closet!

What I'm Wearing:

Jacket/Blazer from Miss Selfridges: I don't remember the last time I ever bought a blazer but this one I fell hopelessly in love with! I think it might have been the fact that it's jersey cotton (one of my FAVORITE materials EVER! All my Melmes scarves are/were jersey). I love the deep 'V' cut because it creates the illusion of a (curvier) waistline which as you all know is something I happen to not have!

Tank Top from American Apparel: I absolutely LOURVE everything from AA! They're super 80's inspired but with basics that you seriously couldn't have lived without! I love them OH SO MUCH! I heard something quite heartbreaking that 2012 might not be a great year for them! So, if any of you know/heard anything please calm my panicked mind (because I'm gonna need to stock up on a whole lotta thangs)!

Pants by Something Else from Urban Outfitters: I've been obsessed with tapered pants/jeans for a very very long time & especially anything in print or quirky (my Styling teacher actually told me it was because I liked my bottom half a lot & I try to draw the eye towards my best feature). Anywho, these soft cotton pants are the next best things after PJ bottoms! I seriously LOURVE them!

Belt from Moschino: I'm obsessed (obviously) with the 80's & 90's which is why I just HAD to get my hands on this! I remember EVERYONE having this belt back then (or those letters on a bag too) & quite honestly it made me reminisce! I also just couldn't imagine my wardrobe without them which is why I ordered them online & waited patiently for Moschino to deliver them straight into my loving arms!

Ballets: You've seen these for a while now, my Pretty Ballerina flats! One of my best buys from London a couple of years ago! They're super comfy (unlike some other brands coughfrenchsolecough)!

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. I just started a tumblr account! Not too sure what I'm planning on going/doing with it but do stay tuned & check it out! Still trying to figure it out but I think I'm kinda getting there! Hope you like it!

P.P.S. Link of the Day: I have a weird habit of never doing much to my hair at weddings, parties, or even during Eid & New Years celebrationings but then I came across this link from DailyCandy & I fell hopelessly in love with the concept of an easy & quick up-do! They've got a couple more options but by far my favorite is the top bun ballerina style! I'm gonna attempt to do this for New Years & if I succeed will definitely post up a pic or two! If you happen to fall in love with a do please a-do share (cheesy but I just had to do it)!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Santa Baby by Michael Buble (this has got to be one of the best versions/renditions of this song! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Listen to the lyrics they're adorable & slightly shallow but I think everyone who's obsessed with fashion & the nice thangs in life would secretly ask Santa for all the lovely things they're heart desires but he's the only one who actually pulled it off. I met someone who's absolutely in LOURVE with him so I dedicate this to you)

It's Almost Christmas Time!

2011-12-22T11:27:00.000+02:00

In an ideal world, a perfect world, I would wish for many of the impossible things that went wrong this year to be undone. For all those people we have lost to return to us with open, welcoming, & loving arms happy, healthy & beautiful (the way we always picture them to be). I would wish for Bahrain to find it's inner peace with itself & its people, for this hatred that seems to have appeared out of nowhere (since February 14th) to disappear & for its inhabitants to return to the happy, forward thinking islanders that we were & still some day hope to be. I would finally wish for a world where when promises are made are kept, where stories of corruption are found in story books & a place that holds nothing but promise for greatness for us & the many generations to follow.

But sadly, we don't live in an ideal/fantasy world, & although I like to preach optimism, some of those things I dream of will come true (you hear me Bahrain/Bahrainis? Get your act together)... eventually but many will remain just that, a dream, a fantasy that I'll keep holding on to deeply.

I know enough depression, let me go back to what this blog is all about, lots of fashion & many thangs/items that I might not need but deeply want! So, to help me find my positivity & keep me sane & the shallow lovin' fashion blogger that you all LOVE (yes, now you have no choice but to love me). I give you my x-mas wish list of all the things I wish I had & will try hard to one day buy! & isn't the retro Santa ADORABLE???

Sandro for € 345 AED 1, 651.78

Loved these amazing Sandro sneakers at Galeries LaFayette in Dubai Mall! I seriously went crazy for a couple of seconds admiring their gorgeousness!

the Nikon J1 & V1! yes, I still want this! It's such a terrific idea & I can't help but wonder why no one thought of it sooner? & yes, I want it in pink (or red)! I'm not too picky... any of them will do! The coolest thing about them is that you've got lense options! Such a great concept! I can't stop saying that!

Maje was £424.38 & now is £202.08 AED 1,163.95

I tried this jacket on at Galeries LaFayette but it was too small! I'm soooo happy I found it at net-a-porter! I'm tellin y'all the leather is softer then a baby's behind! I swear! Yes, its on SALE!

Zadig & Voltaire € 275 AED 1,316.64

I've been in in lourve with this watch since the first time I laid eyes on it back in early 2010! & I'm still in love with it! Yes, I'm still obsessed with skulls! I think I always will be! A similar one is on sale at Galeries Lafayette at Dubai Mall!

I hope you've liked my little list & I hope you share my sentiments for a better 2012 even more so! I'm wishing you all my lovely PFFers, a very Merry Christmas! May you get all the lovely gifts you dream of!

xoxo,

P.S. Thanks to my beloved iPhone for being my trusty camera! & to net-a-porter, Zadig & Voltaire, & Nikon for letting me use your amazing images!

P.P.S.

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Even if I Don't by Rachael Yamagata (Bahrainirants made me listen to this song ages ago & I fell in love with it! Thought I'd share & I hope you like it too! The video is adorable & the lyrics can perfectly describe whatever state you're in!)

I'm a Grazia Stylista!

2011-12-20T10:24:00.000+02:00

A quick post to let y'all know that I FINALLY made it onto Grazia'a 'Style Hunter'! Wooohoooo!

Hahahahahaha... It's in last weeks Grazia Middle East issue (the one with Jennifer Aniston on the cover).

Stay tuned to find out exactly what I was wearing!

xoxo,

P.S. Thanks to Grazia for making ma day & my trusted iPhone for snapping it up!

P.P.S. Site of the Day: I got this e-mailed to me by my lovely father! Who is constantly a pillar of support despite me driving me crazy back in the day with my bad spending habits! I love you Booboo! Anywho, this site is pure FABULOUSITY! My dear (& crazy) friend Yasmeen Rasool is featured here! She told me about it AGES ago but it completely slipped my mind! How cool does she look? & how amazing is this site? Brownbook has a couple more of their UBER stylish team on it too! So enjoy 'the art of the trench'!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Take You Higher by Goodwill & Hook n Sling (it's such a cute song! Inspired by Angus & Julia Stone's Big Jet Plane, this song kinda speeds it all up! Absolutely love both versions & both videos but it all depends on what mood your in I guess! Hope you enjoy it too!)

All fashlink'ed Up!

2011-12-19T09:44:00.000+02:00

A few weeks ago, I got invited to attend a pretty cool event held at the gorgeous Pavilion in downtown Dubai (I know I'm late but better late then never right?). The pre-official (huh? Just go with it! hahaha) launch of fashlink, which is an app/site that basically makes every girls dream come true. How you ask? You can surf through the many local & international designers, put together a lookbook, wishlist & you can even take pictures of pieces from your own wardrobe to create your own clothes archives online. The last bit is what completely sold the entire fashlink concept to me! Payal, one of the leading creatives behind the site/app (she also grew up in Bahrain-woohoo), described it perfectly: "Remember that scene from Clueless? Where Cher takes pictures of her stuff to remember what she's got? It's that but in a more modern way". All you really have to do is take a picture of whatever you have against a white background & send it over to the uber IT-tastic crew at fashlink to get them uploaded into your very own account (you must create a profile etc beforehand so don't forget). Wanna know another reason why I absolutely LOURVED this site? It offers a platform to new & emerging local talent to display their latest & greatest pieces without having to pay a hefty sum to create their own site/open their own boutique. They're official launch is early 2012 but do feel free to surf online & download their app on your iPhone/iPad.

Payal Patel talking us through the cool options offered on the site/app

No clue what I was talking about but seemed very important at the time

Maha from the Oversized Shades & Coffee asking most probably about the wardrobe & site connection (she was extremely excited about that concept)

from left to right: Maha, Payal, me, & Naomi (Jr Fashion Editor at Grazia)

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Thanks to Ana Zahra for a couple of the images!

P.P.S. Link(s) of the Day: It's a new year-finally- & we've got many holidays nearly upon us (xmas, NY), birthdays, anniversaries, & basically any other excuse for any girl to ask for a pressie of some sort! Thanks to the lovelies at DailyCandy for feeding into my shopaholicness & creating an even longer lust list for me to deal with! It's a list of gift ideas for basically the person who has everything (well, nearly everything in this case because let's face it I don't have any of those things they've put up on this list!). My favorite bits are items: 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 21, 23, 27, 29! What are yours?

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: By Your Side by Sade (this song made me literally cry at the concert! Cheesy I know but it's such a beautiful song & her voice is just beautiful & after the year that we've had God it speaks volumes to me! I LOURVE YOU SADE! Yes, Bahrainirants at some point told me to zip it cause I was THAT annoying! Hahahaha... She's MAGIC! Yes, it's my new way to describe extremely phenomenal musical talent!)

Happy BAHRAIN Day!

2011-12-16T01:35:00.000+02:00

I'm fitting in a VERY quick post to wish my beloved Bahrain a VERY, VERY HAPPY NATIONAL DAY! & may 2012 bring with it LOTS of positivity, love & peace to ALL Bahrainis! To finally unite us once again because at the end of the day all that really matters is the true spirit of every Bahraini!

I'm proud to be a Bahraini because...

1. Our tiny island looks like a tiny sea horse! LOOK I SWEAR IT DOES!!! SOOOOO CUTE!

2. The AMAZING outdoor market initiated by Al-Riwaq Gallery! Absolutely FABULOUS! Thanks to Bahrainipreneur for the image! It captures the AMAZINGNESS of Bahrain in a simple image! We're chilled, intellectual, & most importantly social!

3. The AMAZING young & talented youths that evolve & grow be it in fashion, blogging, art or in anything else they set their minds to! Call me bias but nothing & no one comes close to Bahraini talent! So so so proud of my buddy Munther (& co) & their amazing effort in creating a uniquely Bahraini t-shirt line!

xoxo for now PFFers,

P.S. I am soooo proud of my tiny island & the many races & people that live there! United as one, we can become a GREAT & FABULOUS place but divided we fail in every way possible. So, for my future & the future of every SINGLE BAHRAINI out there let us set aside our differences & unite in the spirit of the future, the spirit of a brighter & better Bahrain! Happy National Day to Bahrain & to all its beloved people!

P.P.S. Link of the Day: This video/movie was released waaaaaay back then but it reminds me of this cozy safe Bahrain. A Bahrain full of greatness & possibility! To a better tomorrow & an even better Bahrain! Please 2012 bring with you greatness our future generations depend on it!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Malfa Al Ayaweed by Khalid Al Shaikh (this song reminds me of my youth, & the perfect discription of all that is Bahrain. & of course it was a TV show theme song but it still is ALL about us, caring for one another & being positive. At least it is to me! I hope this year makes us forget the past year of pain & unites us all together!)

Black is Back

2011-12-13T10:15:00.000+02:00

As soon as the weather starts changing, I find my inner goth clawing out! It's been a warm-ish winter for us here in Dubai but after a quick trip to Prague (bachelorette trip, need I say more?) I got my winter fix (with -2 weather as a high)! I found these dresses to be a perfect mix of retro chic & girly goth but with a little lace & vintage gauze anything is possible I guess. & of course since Florence Welsch from Florence + the Machine came into our lives it's all become kinda a norm don't you think?

Rosa Maxi Dress at Nasty Gal for $78 AED 286.46

The thing that I absolutely love the most about this dress is how fun & flirty it is! The lace in the back with the satin bit at the front (kinda reminded me of a girdle) for something that's pretty much very conservative you can see a little bit of the naughty in it! Is it ideal for the festive season? Many people won't agree with me but yes! I believe a black dress can go a long, long way & it's all about the accessorising (I know, again?! But I'm such a sucker for using a great pair of earrings or a necklace to spice up a look)

Wendy Nichol Gauze Vintage Slip Dress for $560 AED 2056.61

When I first saw this dress I fell ABSOLUTELY in lourve with it! It's a combination of 'Little Women' meets the 21st century (it's not taboo anymore to wear sleeveless). I lourve everything about it from the slip underneath to how delicate the layer of gauze is. This is a perfect dress for all season & any season! & if you're into the unique & of course the vintage then this is THE PERFECT DRESS for you!

LNA Contrast Skater Dress at Boutique 1 for AED 655

I know, not very gothic-y but this appealed to my girly side holding onto the dark goth feel but not at sweeping lengths! I think this dress for all the parties would be perfect for the evening more so than the other two because it'll offer you enough warmth (with the long sleeves) without being too over powering especially if you plan on going out to a party or two. Pair this with fun tights (like polka dots) or deep reds (to get you feeling festive) & you're ready to go!

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. If you ever do make your way over to Prague make sure you book a dinner out at SaSaZu! One of the best meals I've ever had! Make sure you ask your waiter to let you into the club once your done with your meal to dance off all those calories (they've got a door straight to the club from the restaurant itself so you don't really have to walk out & walk back in! It just doesn't make any sense) & a nice long brunch at Cafe Cafe! Officially the YUMMIEST croissants I've had in a long time!

P.P.S. Link of the Day: Ok, if you haven't noticed by now I'm completely obsessed with DailyCandy! I absolutely LOVE IT! They constantly inspire me to kinda think outside the box & although I worked in a gift wrapping company, I've come to realise that I can NOT tie a ribbon properly if my life depended on it! So, since sharing is caring, I thought I'd pay it forward & help someone else out who sometimes might get stuck wrapping! Hope this helps!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Cherish the Day by Sade (yes, prepping myself for her concert this friday & I'm super PSYCHED about it! Are you huge fans? What are your favorite Sade songs? She's magic! Pure magic!!!

Ready to Go: Double Bill

2011-12-11T10:12:00.000+02:00

Ok, so if you haven't noticed ma beyond afro-ish hair lately it's due to a brand new chop! I'm bored & barely do anything with my hair so I find myself in constant need to just keep cutting it off! I hope you forgive my disheveled look! On to the fashion, a few days ago I woke up missing my jeans (& I knew I was running errands all day so had to be super comfy). & on one of my errands I discovered how disproportionate my knees were when compared to ma legs (but will spare you the details).

Anywho, moving along & embracing my physical mishaps as a blessing from the heavens, I threw on my denims & a super comfy jumper (still have hope that it'll get colder in Dubai) with a pair of flats & was off to run & rush around town. This combo may be nothing new to many of you, but what I'm trying to show is that just a bit of accessories & a pair of patterned flats can completely change up your look especially if your a denim lover like myself & kinda got bored of stuff in your closet!

What I'm Wearing:

Jumper from TopShop (I bought this one last year but I own a couple of their winter jumpers & I'm telling you they can go a long long way)

Denims by Diesel (yep, I still loveth their cuts so why change a classic? & they flatter us well-endowed women who have been blessed with junk in our trunks)

Ballets by Pretty Ballerinas (I've had these for over a year & I still get compliments! They're super comfy & honestly the print is a chic option to go about your business in style)
Watch is vintage (a gift from my mom to ma dad on their first wedding anniversary! The leather is super tattered & worn out but I love it!)

Necklaces:

Turquoise with Balinese coin from a boutique off of Seminyak in Bali, Indonesia

Multi-Charmed from net-a-porter by Venessa Arizaga (a wedding gift & I seriously can't stop wearing it!)

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Have gone back to my salad phase! & currently loving Baker & Spice's selection as well as Paul's! What & where are your favorites located?!

P.P.S. Site of the Day: I came across this called Wantful because of DailyCandy & think it's such a brilliant idea! Basically if you get stuck on gift ideas all you do is list your recipients interests, Wantful then puts together a list of 16 items that match those particular interests & within the budget that you set & sends it over to your friend/parents/sibling/lover & they then can pick what they like out of that list! Do you think it's too impersonal? Or do you like it? Would like to hear back from y'all! I kinda think it's a great idea for your those days when you're stuck &/or have to think of a bunch of gifts to give out!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Lady Luck by Jamie Woon (Yep, I am going through a Jamie Woon phase! I just can't stop listening to him or his music! Obsessed slightly to be honest! I hope I'm feeding into your obsessing & that you're not really hating me for getting them stuck in your head! I LOVE YOU JAMIE! PLEASE COME TO DUBAI!!!)

Ready to Go...

2011-12-06T09:15:00.001+02:00

I haven't posted up outfit pics in FOREVER so here I am! Sharing & caring! I think I should allocate one day (out of the three that I post on) as my 'Ready to Go' days... Whatch guys thank? Lemme know!

I wore this on our blogger adventure to Abu Dhabi at Maison Sez with the Expose-Communications crew! It was perfectly comfy for the long ride to & from AD!

Anywho, sending you guys lots of love & I hope you likey!

What I'm Wearing:

Cardigan by Mint by Jodi Arnold (that I found at a sample sale in London)

Polka Dot Dress by Appletree (also one of the best buys EVER from Portobello Road)

Shoes by Russel&Bromley (loved them from the moment I laid eyes on them)

Belt from by Malene Birger (got this years ago from Aussie land when I went to my bro's graduation)

Necklace by Vanina (one of THE coolest brands to come out of Lebanon. I absolutely love it! & wear it with almost everything I own)

Feathers in my hair all thanks to Elie & Jean Salon in Bahrain (I kinda had a nervous breakdown because I started speaking in a louder volume than I usually do just out of excitement at the cite of the feather extensions. I think all this native obsessions are due to this fact! I want more so if anyone knows of different sizes to get me please share!

xoxo,

P.S. I would also like to report that my Fashpirations in Dubai are growing WOOHOO so stay tuned for more of those! Super excited about that!

P.P.S. Theme Song of the Day: So, Bahrainirants & I for some sort of reason started to go back in time. To our childhood series that inspired well lots of the fashion back then & today conjure up AMAZINGLY FANTASTICAL feelings & emotions! Hope you enjoy the one I picked for today! & yes, it's apparently back in 2012!!! YEEEHAWWW!!!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Weightless by Marconi Union (I get this e-mail from my brother titled 'the most relaxing song in the world...', I kid you not, he literally wrote it out like that! If any of you know my brother, a hard core house music aficionado, could never possibly send out any song that is really relaxing! But I swear to you, I'm listening to it as I type this out & I'm beyond relaxed! Very yoga-ish meditation worthy but relaxing all the same! & since many of you might be reading this post at the office (I've linked it to SoundCloud too), I thought I'd pay it forward & help you relax! For more on this song click here for the article! Hope I've paid it forward today! Oh, it comes with a warning, do NOT listen to it while driving! It's seriously that relaxing!)

All I want for Christmas is...

2011-12-04T17:25:00.001+02:00

I started today thinking that I might wanna blog about an outfit or something but after the PHENOMENAL Hermes-filled day I had, I kinda changed my mind. So, I was running errands, walking around ma beloved Dubai Mall when I noticed something right smack in the middle of the fashion catwalk area Hermes's event called, Festival des Metiers. Yep, it was transformed into a mini-factory! Well, not really more like you walking into a pleasant rendez-vous with a couple of Hermes craftsmen (some of them have been working there for over 40 years). It was such an inspiring day, I watched them make a single silk scarf from scratch & the attention to detail that went into it was breath taking! I absolutely LOVED it! It gave me a different view of the brand (Bahrainirants & I had a talk a while back & I said I don't think I want a Birkin...ever. GASP, HORROR! I still don't want one now but I've kinda found myself lusting over something-will get to it soon enough).

Hermes scarf for £750 AED 4,294.84

I want this scarf SOOOO badly! No, like I REALLY DO! This wasn't the one I saw being made but I saw the sample up close & it's just GORGEOUS! This scarf has the most color combinations (it went from 100 frames for each color down to 35) the brand has ever used in a single scarf! The face itself has 15 alone to get the realistic colors of the Apache's face! Maybe it's because I'm going through my native American phase (I've got feathers in ma hair) or maybe it's just because this is a GORGEOUS piece of work but I really need it in my life! & in this color in particular I absolutely love it! However, the hefty price tag is a bloody killer. Worth every penny when you actually see the amount of work that goes into it (the seam of the boarder-french style-takes up to 45 mins for each scarf!)

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Check out the pictures of the stations located around you saw their watches, shirts, ties, bags, accessories even sadals being hand-crafted right infront of you! The event will last till the 6th of December, 2011 from 2-10 PM!

the scarf making process

all the different craftsmen available

P.P.S. Soundtrack of the Day: I fell in love with this song the minute a friend , Wassim, introduced it to us while we were decorating our Christmas tree! The beat is amazing! & I guarantee it'll get super stuck in your head! You might even wake up humming it (it happened to me I swear!)

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Night Air by Jamie Woon (We were watching one of the GREATEST shows on planet Earth (How to make it in America) when I came across this song! Thank God for Shazam & Bahrainirants for finding this song within seconds of me falling deeply in love with it! Hope you likey too!

Marni at H&M: OBSESSION BEGINS

2011-11-30T08:43:00.001+02:00

OOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGG! Marni for H&M?!?! SAY WHAT!!! Am I ecstatic? Excited? Happy? Over joyed? YES to them ALL! Absolutely GORGEOUS, AMAZING, PHENOMENAL collaboration & I CAN NOT wait to see the collection! A wishlist is already in production in ma head: lots of accessories.. & shoes! & I know that my mom will definitely be on board coming to visit me for a quick shopping spree (I hope! Because I serious do need it)!

So, WHEN's the launch? 8th March 2012 (yes, I can't wait till 2011 is OVER!)

WHERE? Stay tuned closer to the date for the launch locations here in the GCC

But for now, I'll leave you with the videos & a couple of images! Enjoy & yes, I know it's gonna be FANTABULOUS!!!

yes lovely men you get to take a little bit of Marni with you!

OH HOW I LOVE THIS ENTIRE LOOK! I want it all from head to toe! I want the hate, the entire outfit & accessories

I love you Mrs. Castiglioni, I really honestly do!

xoxo for now ma beloved PFFers,

P.S. Marni at H&M Video: I hope you likey! I'm excited!

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P.P.S. Video of the Day: I know that technically it's not Movember anymore but I loved this awareness video put together by the lovely team at Unisono! Taking time out of their day to spread the word of awareness is greatly appreciated!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: I woke up this morning with this song stuck in my head! So thought to maself 'WHY NOT MAKE THIS MA SOTD'! Woooohooooooo!!!

My Adventure at Maison Sez

2011-11-28T15:57:00.001+02:00

This BY FAR has been one of the bestest months of ma life! No friggin' JOKE first all the Versace for H&M loveliness & now (to be specific TODAY'S) adventure of a lifetime in Abu Dhabi to visit the UBER chic Maison Sez Boutique (opened just a little over 8 months ago, this unique treasure trove's concept is particular & special mirroring the life/home of Ballerina Tamara Karsavina who travelled through europe promising her loved ones to collect unique finds from each place) with the lovely owner Madonna Morgan & the Expose Communication team & a whole bunch of fantabulous local bloggers.

It was everything any girl could ever dream of a limo ride with loads of snacks to the venue, we chit chatted, got to know each other more (I'm of course the newbie, the fresh meat in Dubai's world of fashion bloggers) & of course got all excited about what was in store for us upon arrival.

After an hour plus drive (felt like a few minutes to me) we got there & were greeted by an adorable garden lunch/brunch set up with lush velvet chairs & a full on buffet of perfectly sized bites to match our perfectly manicured nails (hahahaha... mine started to peal off but in my head it was seriously ALL beautiful). After a quick bite we were rushed back into the boutique to solve our riddle (yes, we were EACH about to get a special gift from the superb store & we seriously could NOT wait to literally dive into all the clothes & begin solving them! Before we knew it each blogger was coming across her unique find & rushing to the changing rooms to see if their tee/top/dress fit right or not! We were then given another surprise, an exclusive viewing of last season's pieces that will be on sale in a couple of months for up to 80%! Did we die? Yep, just a little but before you could even begin to comprehend we were rushed into the London room (Maison Sez has two sections: the Paris and the London section, both unique and different but both with troves of fashion treasures just waiting to be discovered) where we grabbed & snatched up all we could before going outside for some more tea time fun in the garden!

all the bloggers meeting up at the expose communications main office

filing out into the elevators

13 bloggers plus expose communications staff crammed in a single elevator

hummer limo (I've never been in one of these before! I felt so P.I.M.P)

snacking & chit chatting in style

Madonna giving each of us a clue as we leave the limo

blogger Mahryska trying to take a pic of us all standing infront of the boutique

Dana from expose communications taking over as photographer

no clue why everyone's laughing

entering into area 1 of the 2 Paris rooms in the boutique

blogger Lisa from 'in between the contrasts' falling hopelessly in love

Lisa being photographed by Anna from 'annaLikes'

fell in love with this entire rack of sequence-y & sparkly pieces! pure gorgeousness!

the expose communications girls, Dana & Rama, with Madonna while we feasted outside in the garden

the twins from 'pintsized fashionista' they're adorable in real life!

the buffet feast

anna striking a pose & looking slick with Tina from 'tinayums' boombox bag

Mariyah taking pictures of ma get-up

also of Nadya from 'the fierce diaries' national pride nail polish

Maha playing around with the Moshi Moshi

the riddle

Paris room 2: the first thing I saw & happened to fall in love with turned out to me the answer to ma riddle! was I on cloud 9? YEP! & the envy of the ladies? I think so!

Maha & I happy with our gifts!

Mariyah walked around like this for quite a while

alizey with her Stella McCartney tee (she was on cloud number 9)

Madonna & I strike a pose

Lisa still looking for her find

yep, she found it

our polaroids with our dresses & Madonna

Madonna telling us about the final surprise our trip to London...

my bargain buys from the shopping capital! A Rebecca Taylor Dress...

...& grey cardigan by Aviu

fell in love with Layla's shades from last year's Lanvin for H&M collaboration

chilling with our good bags & some refreshments before taking off again

the goodies in ma goody bag! Yum, their from Hey Sugar & I devoured the cake pop!

I absolutely LOURVED Dana's ensemble so had to include it! the tee is of course Kage at Maison Sez & the aztec print skirt was to die for

Anna taking a pic of Mariyah laying on the ground with her goody bag (she took a group shot of us from the floor)

a final surprise (we thought it was planned) as we were leaving! it was super cool

getting back into the limo with all those bags was slightly exhausting

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Thank you to everyone at Expose Communications! Especially Dana & Rama for putting up with 13 girlies who are fashion crazed! It was such a great event! One of my first in Dubai & I will never ever forget it! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, it seriously was a GREAT day! Thank you also to the lovely Madonna for giving the UAE it's first concept boutique! I absolutely enjoyed the clothes & getting to know you & the store better! I'm wishing you ALL the best! & can NOT wait to see what you come up with next!

P.P.S. More thanks to Spread: Thank you to the lovely bloggers I met today! It was nice to fit in & feel like a part of a community of some sort! I hope to see you all again soon!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Take Care by Florence + the Machine (it's a remake! I'm obsessed with her & remakes aren't I? I think she can do no wrong in my eyes! What do you guys thinking of this? A huge YES? NO? MAYBE? Or will you just pass? Lemme know!)

My Metallic Wishlist

2011-11-22T10:05:00.001+02:00

As the festive season approaches, I find myself falling helplessly in love with all this shiny & shimmery. Maybe it's all the Christmas decorations we're seeing in the malls or simply because all things metallicy just make me beyond happy. That's why I've decided to make my November Wishlist consist of everything that falls into that category! So anything that makes me feel warm & fuzzy inside is something I'm gonna share with you to help get you ready for the NEW YEAR (yes, can't wait till 2011 is over & I'm hoping 2012 brings with it just great things)!

Zatchels Satchel at Liberty of London for £105.00 AED 605.53

The inspiration behind this post! I absolutely loved it!

L'AGENCE Metallic Silver Wrap Dress at net-a-porter £254.17 AED 1465.78

Wrap dresses are a HUGE hit & miss for me because I've got a boxy body but for the curvier ladies don't hesitate to go wrap crazy. & this dress is perfect for all occasions so think of it as an investment!

Vince Sequince Dress at net-a-porter £354.17 AED 2042.47

I absolutely LOURVED this dress! I would wear this day in & day out (slight exaggeration here) but it's a fun piece to have in your wardrobe & it'll be something that you can dress up (for new years) & down (for a nice, quiet dinner)

Diane von Furstenberg Sequins Metallic Dress at net-a-porter £590.62 AED 3406.05

I absolutely loved this dress! The sequins & the color are an absolute pass! I really think all you'll ever need is this dress to help spice your wardrobe up.

Stella McCartney Mini Bucket Bag at net-a-porter £475 AED 2739.28

Ok, yes it's metallic & that's one of the reasons its on the list but I also LOURVED the material, the size, & the chain detail. This in my book, will definitely be a wardrobe staple that you'll be able to pass down to your future fashion loving kids/neices/what have you.

Oasis Shimmer Metallic Shell Top at asos
£38.00 AED 219.14 & Metallic Tweed Skirt £50.00 AED 288.35

I loved this entire look from head to toe! The bronze-ish top combined with the tweed gold top is just gorgeous! Exactly what I would like to wear this holiday season.

Cambridge Satchel Company at asos £120.00 AED 692.03

Trying to cover all metallic bases here! A silver zatchel there, a silver satchel here to help keep every type of satchel lover happy! These will help ease you into a more metallic prone wardrobe if you're just not too sure about them!

Henry Holland for Le Specs at asos £99.00 AED 570.92

The frames metallic that's why they made the list! & they were too cute I couldn't leave them out!

Ted Baker Metallic Shorts at asos £99.00 AED 570.92

I'm beyond obsessed with shorts which is mainly why these made the list! How could I have a wishlist with no shorts on them? They're fun, flirty, & enough shine to help you reign in 2012 in style!

Klaxon Glitter Shoes at TopShop £58.00 AED 334.48

These are the perfect pop of metallic for any girl who isn't too keen on the head to toe look. This will help freshen up any ensemble & make it holiday worthy!

TopShop Velvet Glitter Polka Dot Dress £46.00 AED 265.28

I picked this dress because it's cute & it helps two kinds of people out: the ladies who are slightly more conservative who don't like showing too much skin (especially their arms) & this'll help keep you warm because usually New Years in Bahrain gets a little chilly!

Lulu Frost Lucky Number Charm Necklace at net-a-porter for £246.81 AED 1423.33

I've seen the number 3 in A LOT of things that have happened to me in my life so I truly believe that it's my lucky number/charm something which is why I would pick this but don'tchu worry they've got a whole entire range of lucky numberos to pick from! I hope yours is included!

Chloe Stacey Brass Snake Cuff at net-a-porter for £275 AED 1585.90

The perfect accessory & I love the size/color/everything about it. Exactly what you'll wear for many years to come!

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Jewellery Arabia has officially opened today & will be there till the 28th of November at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Center! Enjoy all the bling!!!

P.P.S. Movie of the Year: Hala2 Lawain, Where to Now, by Nadine Labaki. I watched this movie last night & it brought me to tears. This is a reflection of how religion has become politicized & can completely tear apart a community. It reminded me A LOT of what my tiny island has gone through this year! Everyone needs to go watch it to remember how we are all one & that this is all our home! I hope we can all learn a lesson from our past to help rebuild a better tomorrow

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: What the Water Gave Me by Florence + the Machine (I'm still confused about the new album! I need to listen to the entire thang & then decide! But one thing's for sure I like her singing live & her music videos as well shot live in a studio or something. She's much more mesmirising that way!)

Fashpiration: Festivals

2011-11-20T13:58:00.000+02:00

Sometimes my fashpiration comes from friends/family while at other times, I look to those random strangers from festival season to get my creative fashion juices flowin'! I've had this in my post list for quite some time (kinda like a fire alarm's break for emergency warning thang). Well, here I am breakin' my fashpiration alarm! I've found that some of these looks were super fun & creative, while others are kinda the opposite effect of fashpirationing (not sure what made up word will help describe this but I'll keep thinking). Hope this helps spread some fashpiration your way this morning! Sending you all lots of fashion & life positivity!

Name: Melly

From: Alabama
Style inspiration: Agyness Deyn

Wearing: Portobello Road shirt, London jeans, Jeffrey Campbell shoes, Ray-Bans, Private Gallery headband

Name: Aimee

From: New York City
Style inspiration: Man Repeller
Wearing: Heatherette dress, Chanel earrings, Cutler & Gross glasses, Topshop bag and shoes

Name: Owen and Christina

From: New York City
Wearing: Owen: H&M shirt, Capsule T-shirt, Levi's 511 jean shorts, Vans; Christina: Wildfox shirt, Topshop necklace and shoes, Urban Outfitters hat, Marc Jacobs bag

Name: Thomas

From: Chicago
Style inspiration: Pharrell Williams, Lupe, and Kanye

Wearing: PacSun shirt, Levi's pants and shoes, Hot Topic

Name: Florentina and Adolfo

From: Mexico City
Style inspiration: Comfy clothes

Wearing: Florentina: Missoni dress, Chanel bag, Ray-Ban sunglasses, her mother's scarf around her head; Adolfo: Comme des Garçons shirt, Levi's shorts, Urban Outfitters suspenders, TOMS Shoes
(not a huge fan of her headpiece/bandana but the entire look together kinda works)

Name: Ellie Goulding
Job: Musician

From: U.K.
Wearing: Peter Jensen sweater, Asos top, Burberry pants, Dr. Martens boots, Pamela Love necklace, Persol sunglasses

Name: Lia
Job: Musician

From: New York City
Wearing: Electric Feathers jumper

The Non-fashpiration

Name: Etty and Perry Farrell

(I know it was the festival that he helped create but WHAT IS SHE WEARING? For goodness sake, she is a hot mama but why in the name of fashion would you wear that if you're not a 20-something? I don't think Dolce & Gabbana had this in mind when they designed it!)

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. Thank you to style.com for providing the fashinpiration images from this year's Lollapalooza!

P.P.S. Website of the Day: I must admit that I came across this site from one that Bahrainirants reads religiously! But I just thought it was such a cool, creative site to inspire you (& if you've got a problem like me, help you) get organized! I Am Packed is breaking boarders & barriers literally! Absolutely in love with this site!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Valentine by Jessie Ware & Sampha (think this song is fabulous beyond words! Quirky, cute & mushy! The perfect 3 elements that when combined create the ultimate adorable song that you can just listen to over & over again! Whatchu guys think? Is it a yes or too quirky?! Would love to hear from ya!)

AHHHH Versace for H&M BLISS!!!

2011-11-17T14:41:00.001+02:00

Ok you guys! I can't believe I actually survived today! It was COMPLETE & UTTER CHAOS! Imagine a pack of wolves tearing through its prey! Yeah, kinda like that! With the Versace for H&M collection being the prey in this analogy. Why so graphic?! BECAUSE IT WAS CRAZY, actually above & beyond crazy! Such a friggin GREAT rush! I enjoyed every single second of it! If you were there, you know exactly what I mean & if you weren't that's ok there's always the next collaboration (so don't forget to stay tuned for ma next collab-competition). Here are a couple of pictures taken by my dear friend Tania (I swear to you she's God sent, what other friend would wake up at 6 am just to tag along & help me out). They might be shaky because we were rushed & pushed & shoved & almost trampled on (so trying to take pictures of the action & shop was quite a difficult task, exhausting actually).

To make matters worse I made her walk over to the mall. Me? Evil? NOOO! I'm glad we didn't take our cars because I heard it was chaos trying to park & make it in time for the launch

This was how empty the mall was! Kinda like a ghost town or mall in this case

This was the queue outside

Right as the action was starting! I'm glad it was organised & controlled enough (thanks to PBG PR for having a casuality free event)

The rush down the escalators

This blurr of people was because everyone was just moving super fast!

The staff running around trying to keep up & stay organised

There must have been over 20 people in a single square meter (Ok, slight exaggeration here but it sure felt like that. I was shell shocked the first few minutes & only snapped out of it when Tania yelled 'YELLA MOVE'! That's how crazy it was!

The staff trying to put everything back in place & help people find what they were looking for!

No free changing room??? FINE I'll just try everything out here!

The queue for the changing rooms (I've never stood in a line so much in my life but when you're there you don't even realise that in a hour time period you queued almost 3 times already)

Bonding with a GREAT mother who was helping her daughter out (she promised me a leather biker jacket that of course I never got-the competitive bartering over that beautiful studded jacket was intense)

Louise (one of my competition winners) & I queueing up to pay! Yep, I went back to the 90's woop woop!

It felt like I was a celebrity for a second there! I was looking at Louise like that because this photographer was telling her to do something with her hair... I still have NO clue what he wanted her to do

Trying to get maself organised! Emphasis on trying!

I hope I kinda gave you a glimpse into this launch to top all launches! I absolutely enjoyed every single second of it & CAN NOT wait till the next one! Huge thank you's to all who organised at BPG PR & for Al Shaya Group for once again giving this Bahraini blogger one of the greatest experiences of my life!

xoxo ma PFFers,

P.S. My lovely Bahraini spies spotted empty rails & shelves at Bahrain's Versace for H&M launch! & some serious bartering in the changing rooms! People apparently were waiting right outside for left overs! This collaboration has caused a serious LUST complexity in us all!

P.P.S. Lust List of the Day: Net-a-porter's party season dresses are friggin GORGEOUS! Absolutely love love it! Hope you do too!!!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Take Care by Drake ft Rihanna (Thanks to my lovely 't.' for introducing to this song! I find myself get more & more hooked on Riri & her fab collaborations! & I'm glad I finally got to listen to a Drake song & like it from the get go-I know! But I'm being honest here. Do you like it too? Would like to hear back from ya)

Versace for H&M: 12 hours to go

2011-11-16T17:23:00.001+02:00

I just can't help it! One more video to share & image before the BIG DAY TOMORROW!!! Woohooo! Good luck to everyone & I hope you all get the outfits that you want!

Good shopping ma PFFers,

xoxo,

P.S. I saw this the other day at MOE while walking around & I went CRAZY! Was I excited??! I most definitely was!

P.P.S. Gadget of the Day: Ok, I saw this Nikon camera (on instagram) & went CRAZAAAAAY! I'm super OBSESSED & MUST have them in my life! I lost my camera at my wedding & have been really annoyed by it but now I'm just day dreaming about this ALL day (yes, I want the pink one)! You likey???

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: I Don't Wanna Know by Florence + the Machine (I heard this last night & JUST had to share! How cool is this cover? I fell in love with it ALL over again! What do you guys think? Pass or fail?)

Drum Roll Please

2011-11-15T08:50:00.001+02:00

We're two days away from this UBER exciting launch & I just wanted to announce the winners of the Versace for H&M competition VIP pass at The Dubai Mall on Thursday the 17th of MOvember (get it?) at 8am-bright & early!

The Winners are:

MAHA & LOUISE ASHLEY

Ladies, please contact me via e-mail so I can give you the details on when & where we're gonna meet Thursday morning so I can give y'all your lovely invites!

I'm sure you've all set your eyes on a piece (or two or five) from this collection. But, just to refresh your memories (& to cement my shopping strategy the day of) on the outfits that are about to be sold this Thursday, I thought I'd share some of ma favorite outfits worn by the many celebrities who attended the launch in the BIG APPLE! Who & what's your favorite from the collection? Would love to find out!

Blake Lively in a Versace for H&M ensemble

Emma Roberts also in a wild Versace for H&M get-up

You guys know why I put this up right? Its because of my beloved Alexander Wang with Emma Roberts & Zoe Kravitz

Jessica Alba in two of the pieces I'm setting my eyes on! Yep, I want the ENTIRE look! From head to toe!

Selma Blair looking HOT in HOT PINK (I have no clue why I just repeated the word HOT maybe cause this outfit is a HOT commodity?) This is her post baby bod! IMAGINE!

Alan Cummings in head to toe Versace for H&M! I love it when men break the fashion boundaries!

Mark Ronson also looking HOT in HOT pink! & I must admit only he can pull off a top to toe pink look this good & makes it look effortless!

A HUGE GIGANTIC thank you to all who have participated! Stay tuned for more competitions to come in the near future! I also wanted to thank my readers I enjoy getting feedback & e-mails from you so please continue doing so!

xoxo for now,

P.S. Thanks again to Al-Shaya Group for this opportunity I'm super excited & blessed!

P.P.S. Website of the Day: I came across THE coolest shopping site ever called NOT ON THE HIGHSTREET.com (via twitter of course) & thought it was the coolest e-commerce site to come out of the UK since net-a-porter blessed our lives! What's different about it you ask? Well, it supports & hosts small businesses giving them the perfect platform to begin growing their brand! Cool? Me thinks so! So, if you're a jewellery/clothing/accessory designer don't forget to apply & try taking your little business onto the next level!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Weights&Measures by Dry the River (I absolutely LOURVE finding random songs & bands that I've never heard of before! This song & this band is incredible! I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I've enjoyed it! Kinda sad but still pretty moving right?)

i LOVE snow globes

2011-11-13T21:36:00.000+02:00

OMG! I just came across THE COOLEST ARTICLE EVER (they've also linked their article to my blog HOW COOL IS THAT-Remember my Karl Legofeld post ages ago?! Ok, I'm slightly exaggerating here BUT it's because I'm SUPER excited! I don't know if you know this about me but I'm a serious (& I mean SERIOUS) snowglobe collector! I've got hundreds! I've run out of room LITERALLY because everyone (since finding out about my obsession) have got me a couple whenever they came across interesting ones-they're all interesting to me though (sad, slightly...).
Anywho, I came across this & I really, really CAN NOT imagine my collection without it! A Karl Lagerfeld snowglobe?! SAY WHAT! Exclusive at Sephora for their collaboration! WHAT!!! I don't own a fashion-y one! & I MUST HAVE IT! I really, really MUST!
How do I get one? Will the collection launch at the Sephora's here in the Middle East? & if so, can I pretty please with a cherry on top get one?!

Ok, I need to end this post because my head's about to explode from excitedness (& I don't wanna scare off our guests who are visiting)!

Isn't it the coolest thing EVER?!

xoxo for now,

P.S. It's not too late to participate in the Versace for H&M competition!!! Only a few more days to go! So hurry up before its too late!!!

P.P.S. Picture of the Day: I can't remember who I got this from on twitter (follow me I'm PrettyFash4ward) but I thought it was THE CUTEST thing on EARTH! Seriously! This little kid is dressed up as the old man from 'Up' the animated movie! HOW CUTE!!!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: I Got by Young the Giant (Bahrainirants was surfing on his iPad last night when he came across this frigginly amazing band! So, I thought I'd share it with you all ASAP! I absolutely LOURVE this song & have officially subscribed to their YouTube channel cause I wanna know more about them & their music! Super, super cool!)

Ready to Go...

2011-11-10T14:25:00.001+02:00

I've been growing my bangs out for forever & this is the first time (for as long as I can remember) that I can flip my hair around! Slightly excited about so I thought I'd share! Anywho, my sister-in-law was in town for the Eid Holiday so Bahrainirants had a bunch of different activities for us to do (mainly involving food of course) so the night that I wore this get-up was for a nice long dinner at La Petite Maison (I'm sure you all know it & how yummy the food is-food coma is an understatement).

What I'm Wearing:

Top: Tucker snake print top from Bloomingdales at The Dubai Mall (fell in love with this top from my internship at Grazia so I finally got my hands on it)

Pants: Black trousers from Reiss Bahrain (I saw these while working on the Fall for Fashion Campaign & realized how badly I needed a pair of skinny black pants-being a wardrobe staple & never having found ones that I liked, I'm glad I finally got my hands on the perfect pair for me)

Shoes: Peep-toe nude Christian Louboutins from Beirut Souks (Got these for my engagement night so they kinda have a special place in my heart! & I personally COULD NOT afford a pair if I didn't get a little financial help-making them even more special to me)

Accessories:

Charm bracelet: a gift from Bahrainirants from a street market sale in London

Necklace: Chunky chain & plastic shell necklace from Stella McCartney at net-a-porter (I got this ages, ages ago & I haven't stopped wearing it! Super in love with it!)

Ring: Dolce & Gabbana watch ring which I got on sale right before they closed down at Moda Mall in Bahrain

I kinda went OTT with them (the accessorising) but sometimes I just wanna throw a ton of stuff on because 1. I haven't worn them in a while (does that happened to you?) OR 2. just feel like accessory cluttering!

It's the weekend already (woohooo!) so I hope you all have a great weekend ma PFFers!

xoxo,

P.S. Don't forget to send in your answers (via email or as a message on the blog) for a chance to beat the queues & get your hands on a couple of your favorite pieces from the Versace for H&M collection! Click here for a refresher!

P.P.S. Videos of the Day: A glimpse into the Versace for H&M launch party that took place off the Hudson River on Tuesday with the 500 VIP guests invited to privately view the collection launching exactly a week from today! I'm super excited that Jessica Alba's wearing the entire look that I want! Great minds think alike? Wooohoooo!!!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Every Little Step by Bobby Brown (because I miss good ol' Bobby! & what music is more appropriate for this collaboration than a 90's tune that seriously kicks bum! Oh & I've been watching episodes of 'The X Factor' & one of the performers sang this song! Love & miss the 90s very much! Can't wait to bring 'em back with a couple of Versace for H&M's pieces!)

Its ALMOST here: Versace for H&M

2011-11-09T09:35:00.000+02:00

OOOOOOOMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGG!!! You would NOT believe what came in the mail for me yesterday morning! I woke Bahrainirants up to a door bell ringing only to have him walk in with a courier package! I found myself tearing into the plastic wrapping (there were two layers) & finally got to the amazing surprise waiting for me inside! A super cool bag with a funky fuschia folder, a retro Versace print notepad & of course a couple of invites to the launch on the 17th of November 2011 at H&M's flagship store at The Dubai Mall!

Yes, can I say it one more time OOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGGGG!!! I'm soooo excited/honoured/excited mix in a couple more exciteds & above & beyond HAPPY for such a great opportunity! I feel so blessed to be doing what I do & finally having something like this happen is what I've been dreaming of since starting this blog almost four years ago!

I do hope to get to do more in the future & to continue bringing you all a little bit of fashion with lots of attitude & love! Because I do love fashion, with all my heart & I've been an avid supporter of all the H&M COOLaborations (get it?!) since they started back in 2002 with their first, working with one of the fashion industries guru's Mr. Karl Lagerfeld.

I also wanted to pay it forward & give the opportunity to one of my readers to come join me on the day (which is the 17th of November 2011 from 8-9am at The Dubai Mall) to be the first to preview & shop the collection. But first you'll have to answer this simple question:

Who has yet to collaborate with H&M?

a. Alexander Wang

b. Madonna

c. Kylie Minogue

d. Karl Lagerfeld

The first person to ANSWER this question CORRECTLY will come meet me at The Dubai Mall for a quick meet & greet before we rush out to do ourselves a little shopping! Are you excited?! I know I am!!! This is the first time I ever do this & getting to meet some of my readers is making me nervous & super duper excited (WOW! Can't believe my internal dictionary only has the word 'excited' to describe what I'm going through right now)!

Thank you again to AlShaya Group & to their ENTIRE H&M team for this AMAZING gift! I look forward to working with you more in the near future! This Bahraini blogger is ETERNALLY grateful!

xoxo for now my PFFers,

P.S. Still not sure what you wanna get from the Versace for H&M collection? Click here to get a glimpse with their prices (1 KWD-Kuwaiti Dinar- amounts to almost AED 13.32) to help you get your finances in order before the big day!

P.P.S. Videos of the Day: You can view all the different videos created for the collection here. The music is SUPER disturbing I feel like its part of a horror movie! As a concept its super interesting watching the girls walk around like little dolls! Lemme know what you think! Do you like it? Or is it too scary movie-ish for your taste? You can look through all 3 rooms by changing them at the bottom right corner of the screen! Enjoy your little walk on the dark side!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Crave You by Flight Facilities (Was about to post this video up as part of my VOTD but thought it was more befitting for my SOTF because it is a GREAT song to have playing in the background as you look through the Versace for H&M collection! So now I've given you 3 different options to help you sort out what you likey & no likey so when the 17th is here all you gotta do is grab & go!)

Fashpiration: Friends Edition

2011-11-08T10:04:00.001+02:00

Sometimes you get a fashion freeze, your need for inspiration is clogged up (maybe too much inspiration or too little or maybe your clothes just aren't speaking to you lately) which is why many of us turn to blogs, stars, & in my case friends to help jolt my brain fashion muscle back into over drive! One of my besties, Tania Nawbar (one half of the L'atelier Nawbar team) has been (& always will be) a fashpiration (have to admit I stole this fake word from my cousins). She stays true to herself through her clothes combination, accessories & most importantly jewelry choices. I love how it always looks effortless & most importantly honest. A lot of people in our part of the world just don't get the opportunity to be free & Tania is one of those people who will always break the boundaries to protect her freedom & that particular ability to express herself through fashion. I took these pictures on my last visit to Beirut whilst strolling in Beirut Souks! If you're ever in Beirut, don't forget to go down to Hamra & meet this lovely lady (bias? not really!) & get your own dose of fashpiration at her l'atelier!

What Tania's Wearing:
Hat: Panama Hat
Top: Shredded from Liberty's of London
Underneath: Vintage Story Boutique from Beirut
Bag by the ever so stylish brand Marni (I've been in lourve with that bag since the very first moment I saw her carrying it)
Gladiators: River Island (Tania's best buy EVER-her words & I agree with her)
Accessories, of course, are all L'atelier Nawbar

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. I hope you all have a great weekend! & that your Eid shopping isn't too super busy & rushed!

P.P.S. Website of the Day: www.faikaalhassan.com (Yes, being super supportive/bias by giving props to my lovely mom! She's been painting for over a decade & has finally compiled all her great work here on her site! I hope you enjoy it & the music featured was hand picked by her as well! Fairouz is one of her favorite musicians of all time-& mine of course thanks to her. So proud of you mama!)

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Islands by The XX (because this song was Tania's favorite! She had it on repeat in my car-literally! & since this post is all about her & her loveliness! I thought it befitting to pick a SOTD in honor of my dear friend!)

Fall for Fashion... Literally!

2011-11-04T20:52:00.000+02:00

I was fortunate enough to get asked by the Grazia ME's Junior Fashion Editor, Naomi Chadderton, to assist her on a uber cool styling event in collaboration with Bahrain City Center's Fall for Fashion campaign at the Ixir Kempinski Hotel. It was A LOT of hard work but I'm glad we managed to get it all done! Thankfully, I took a couple of images before the show started (basically we styled these models in various brands-Marc by Marc Jacobs, Versace Collection, Reiss, DKNY, BCBG & many others- for a mock fashion shoot). The models walked down, strutted their stuff onto 'the shoot' & started posing! It was fun watching them break it down! If you missed it stay tuned to many more fashion-y events to come! I'm super glad Bahrain's getting back on track when it comes to fashion! Hoping the only way is up!

Grazia Middle East's Junior Fashion & Beauty Editor testing out one of the retro Vespa's used for one of the shoots!

One of Saks' many displays at the event

Our set up (from left to right): Marc by Marc Jacobs jumpsuit, Karen Millen, BCBG long pleated dress, Versace Collection peach dress, Reiss green pleated dress, DKNY sequince evening dress, YSL jumpsuit at Saks

Saks' pieces at our set up: YSL jumpsuit, Valentino white ruffled dress

The pink chocolate fountain! There was a candy bar right behind it too! The 10 year old girl in me kinda went crazy over this!

xoxo for now,

P.S. Wishing you all a great weekend! & happy Eid shopping!

P.P.S. Event of the Day: Bahrain's La Boutique 92 has an exclusive jewellery collection showing at Das Boutique here in Dubai until the 10th of November! Don't forget to pass by & take a look!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Lover's Carvings by Bibio (I saw this video open on one of Bahrainirants' tabs & started listening to it, liked it & thought I'd share! I hope you like it too! Give it a couple of seconds until the lyrics start! Lovely song!)

EID Worthy Attire

2011-11-03T10:38:00.000+02:00

I've just realised for almost 90% of my life, & for almost every Eid holiday I've been wearing either a skirt or dress. Since denim is mostly a no-no for our festive day, so I thought for this Eid I'd think outside the box, push my boundaries a little by dressing differently (without breaking the uber 'no casual rule'). I've compiled a couple of outfits to help us all out! Don't worry, I'll include a dress/skirt or two for the sake of tradition! & remember these pieces are a guideline to help you out when you're out shopping this weekend & find yourself stuck in a style rut! Good luck & let me know, if like me, you'd welcome a brand new Eid outfit change up!

3.1 PHILLIP LIM

Belted structured-satin playsuit

£577.50 AED 3387.69

ELIZABETH AND JAMES

Heidi belted silk-satin top

£231.87 AED 1360.18

(This top with the pants below if you have a lovely behind-Khaleeji genes-cause of the length the top will help conceal the behind while the color will draw people to your upper half rather than your lower)

LELA ROSE

Printed cotton-blend pants

£498.75 AED 2925.73

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Enclume 140 metallic leather and velvet ankle boots

£634.38 AED 3721.36

(these lovely ankle booties with a fabulous pair of pants & top-see below images- with a toned down top)

3.1 PHILLIP LIM

Tapered silk-crepe pants

£315 AED 1847.83

INHABIT

Chunky-knit wool-blend sweater

£385 AED 2258.46

(The toned down knit keeps your look casual without detracting from the pants & shoes)

Kelly Bergin

Tie Shirt

$240.00 AED 881.28

Cut25

Cuffed Shorts

$210.00 AED 771.12

(These shorts, & the shirt on top are perfect for a day out & about wishing your loved ones a happy Eid! The cool thing with these two-& with seperates in general-is you can wear them with almost anything in your wardrobe later on)

Riller & Fount

Maverick Jumpsuit

$202.00 AED 741.74

Tibi

Leather Pencil Skirt

$620.00 AED 2276.64

Riller & Fount

Rosebud Maxi Dress

$275.00 AED 1009.80

A.L.C.

Helene Pleated Mini Skirt

AED 1,805

Tory Burch

Multi Jeweled Leaf Dangle Earrings

$150.00 AED 550.80

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Mini Charm Heart Stacking Ring

$48.00 AED 176.26

ELIE SAAB

Cutout Suede High Heels

AED 1,000

(On sale! Woohoo isn't it such a fun heel? & the neutrality of it will take you beyond just this occasion & season)

xoxo for now & happy Eid shopping,

P.S. I know my list might cause you more confusion than help but what I'm hoping I achieved was emphasizing that a dress & skirt are the classics (which is why I've included a few options) but they don't have to be classic in style. Opt for a leather skirt rather than a regular black pencil one or even a pleated one (very in at the moment) rather than your same ol' thang! The whole thing with introducing the pants into the mix was to also provide you with an option other than cotton or denims. Sometimes a print in a softer fabric could make your look more formal & dressed up if it's styled in the right way (think cotton print pants make sure you mix in a softer fabric such as silk or chiffon). Finally, with my jumpsuit, I think for the more conservative ladies, a jumpsuit is fun & funky in & of itself so all you have to do is throw on a cute cardigan or blazer & you take it up a couple of notches!

P.P.S. Image of the Day: OH MY I totally freaked when I saw this! Can you guess who it is? It's Heidi Klum's halloween costume! Freaky & super disturbing! I can't believe she tweeted the entire process! So SOOOOOO scary!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Mysterious Ways by Snow Petrol (I'm all about the remakes! Absolutely lourve this U2 cover by SP! Super calm & chill! I feel like I'm back in highschool I swear! I need to go polish up my DR. Martins! Whatchu thank? You likey?)

Ready to Go...

2011-11-01T18:16:00.001+02:00

I haven't posted up a look in a while & since I found the PERFECT excuse to put a look together I thought why not! A REALLY good friend of mine, also a previous contributor on PFF- aka Mr.PFF, gave me these uber cool sneakers by French brand (originally Chinese though) Feiyue. He said that no one else would appreciate them other than me (it just so happens that Bahrainirants' a HUGE fan of the brand & kinda filled me in on its history). Ever since I got them (last thursday) I've made it a point to put together looks just so I can wear them! Yep, I'm kickin it back old school style. If only I had high tops this cool in highschool! Anywho, last night we went on a little stroll & I kinda got excited about the sudden 'cooler' weather we've been having here in Dubai so I wore a nice comfy jumper (it was thin don't worry) & we were off to stroll around downtown!

What I'm Wearing:

Jumper by TopShop (bought this ages ago & I've used & abused it-same applies to my denim shorts)

Denim shorts by Adriano Goldschmied (yep, I've had them since '09 & have yet to find a pair I'm in love the way I am with these)

Sneakers by Feiyue (they're super comfy & I seriously can't stop wearing them! I need to also tell Mr.PFF about all the compliments I got from sneaker lovers back home in Bahrain)

Necklace a gift from my mother on her trip to Italy. It's an A for ma name & the horseshoe is for good luck. I absolutely love it & feel the positivity rushing in!)

The mini-mannequin was a wedding gift from my sister & her friend when they flew out here to visit us! It's from Pottery Barn (yes, I'm obsessed Rachel style!) & it's soooo cute! Since we don't have a dresser yet this helps organise my necklaces & accessories!

xoxo,

P.S. Stay tuned for some fashpiration! Yep, my brilliant cousins came up with it! Fashion + Inspiration= Fashpiration! God I'm finally doing math in a way that actually makes sense to me!

P.P.S. Gadget of the Day: How would you like to stare at the big wide sky & count stars?! Now you can thanks to the DIY Star Projector! I absolutely love the idea & that cheesy side of my personality usually wins! So now, how do I get my hands on one? & will Bahrainirants mind?! Thanks to DailyCandy for filling my life with important gadgets I never would have known about!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Treat Her like a Lady by The Temptations (heard this song for the first time in the car today & fell helplessly in LOURVE! Such a cool, retro song! Cheese fest anyone?! Hahahaha.. Miss & love the 80's! Thanks to Coast fm for constantly keepin that decade alive!)

asos CRAZED!

2011-10-30T15:11:00.002+02:00

I'm feeling really under the weather today! Got a cold, cough, & a headache so I thought what better way to cheer myself up then by doing some online retail therapy. You might not believe this but I've never bought a thang from asos (I know! I really can't believe it myself)... EVER! But I've had Bahrainirants order a couple of things from there every once in a while so I thought I better try it out myself! We've been browsing the site since we flew back yesterday & I've compiled an asos wishlist! It's not like shopping in Dubai is lacking in any way, don't get me wrong, I just thought it would be cool to try out something new! I just realised that I'm all about skirts, dresses, & flats & I'm not quite sure why though!

Staple Gathered Chiffon Maxi Shirt Dress

£95 AED 562.58

ASOS Floral Dress with Dipped Hem Smock

£70.00 AED 414.53

ASOS Maxi Skirt In Mesh Spot

£45.00 AED 266.49

ASOS Midi Dress in Chain Print

£40.00 AED 236.88

Staple Double Button Through Maxi Skirt

£100.00 AED 592.19

V ila Aztec Pattern Oversized Cardigan

£45.00 AED 266.49

ASOS LEO Velvet Slipper Pumps

£35.00 AED 207.27

ASOS LEANDRA Loafer
£35.00 AED 207.27

River Island Animal Print Chain Detail Slipper
£30.00 AED 177.66

(I've been obsessed with these slippers since my internship at Grazia! I think its time I get them!)

ASOS LEO Velvet Slipper Shoes With Metal and Jewel Crest
£50.00 AED 296.10

Ugg Sheepskin Insole

£20.00 AED 118.44

(I know this is completely random but I just imagined how comfy this would be if I walked around with them at the bottom of my shoes)

ASOS Pearl Pointed Collar

£15.00 AED 88.83

ASOS Frog Ring

£10.00 AED 59.22

I hope y'all enjoyed ma little asos obsessions! I'm sure as I continue my browsing I'm gonna find more & more thangs I'm gonna want to make mine ALL MINE! So, I'm gonna have a tough decision to make! But that cute blue frog is definitely on that list!

xoxo ma PFFers,

P.S. I've got more on the Versace for H&M collection! I'm super excited! It's a behind the scenes look at the collections video! It sounds interesting & slightly scary especially when you've got Donatella as a puppeteer!

P.P.S. Performance of the Day: I'm watching the X Factor as I type this out! Yep, shopping & great music will definitely get you feeling like your good old healthy self in no time! Absolutely love, love, loved this performance! It gave me serious goose bumps! Gorgeous voice, beautiful & magical performance!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: We found love by Coldplay (YEP, its a remake! Already by the one & only Coldplay! It's totally different! & I must admit I'm seriously, seriously digging it! Whatchu thank? Is it true this is Coldplay's last album? Heard a rumor & I'm hoping it's not true! WEEP!)

Me & ma Mulberry part 2

2011-10-27T12:35:00.000+03:00

I've been meaning to post this up but never got around to it so I must apologize for the delay (especially to you ma Bahrainirants). Everyone knows that you can never go wrong with buying me something fashion related but combine that with something I blogged about (& have repeated to friends & family on numerous occasions) that I REALLY, REALLY wanted & you've hit a home run. That's exactly what Bahrainirants did when it came to ma bday present this year. I've been talking about how GORGEOUS the Mulberry Carter is for FOREVER but not any Carter it had to be the Double Handle Birds Nest Croc leather Carter (particular? YEP I am). It was sold out in the UAE & the only way to get it was from the UK so my poor hubby went searching far & wide until he managed to get his hands on one! By the time it made it in Dubai, he had to take off & he was too eager to keep it a secret for much longer. & these images are from THE exact moment I started opening it up (a sad blogger indeed is one who asks for images to be taken while open her dream gift). It is a GORGEOUS bag, worth the wait & most definiately the price tag but I would definately advise you to take EXTRA care of the handle because the leather is SUPER sensative (mine already got damaged).

Please excuse my cheesy pic! Thought I would do it again for this Mulberry so it doesn't get too jealous (if you wanna know what I'm talking about click here for a quick refresher)...

xoxo for now ma PFFers,

P.S. I'm all about investing on things that'll age well such as accessories & bags lately!

P.P.S. Shopping tip of the Day: I love shopping but bargain shopping takes/makes it all the more rewarding! Knowing that you can buy a dress for lets say a budget that is usually considered cheap (cheap for what us in the Arab world usually pay for dresses especially during wedding season). That's how I feel about my steal at BCBG for ONLY BD 77 (you can find similar prices at their Seef & City Center locations)! Which I plan on wearing to my cousin's wedding in a couple of weeks! I must admit it wasn't the price tag that I fell in LOURVE with, it was the dress at first & the price tag was an added bonus. But steals/bargains like that is what makes fashion fun & challenging especially here in our region because some people just CAN NOT afford a hefty price tag so why not opt for something a couple of seasons old (that you know many people won't wear again) & spicing it up & making it your own? How you ask? Accessorize it with key pieces that are very now & will help take the dress to that particular level that is very you. A great pair of earrings &/or necklace can take a look a long way! So my tip of the day is buy a cute cocktail dress that you love (especially if its on sale) & invest in the accessories that you'll use for more than this one occasion!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Baby, baby, baby & Crumbling Down by HBR (I am biased because I am a HUGE fan of Hassan's but this album is above & beyond, you know the kind of album that you listen to from the first track all the way to the last one? Without skipping? Well, this album is THAT kind! It calms me down, makes me bob my head from left to right, right to left, & most definitely makes me wanna learn how to play the harmonica! I'm all about supporting local talent, & he's a local talent that has been paving the way for future Bahraini/Arab artists who would like to persue a future in singing (especially in english)! Lourve, lourve lourve it!)

Versace for H&M part deux

2011-10-25T23:59:00.000+03:00

As the day draws closer, I find myself getting more excited & hyped up about everything we're about to see (& experience) with the H&M-Versace collaboration! I love, love, LOURVE the 90's vibe of the collection which is basically making me covet it ALL! I just got my hands on more pictures AND the locations so brace yourselves ma PFFers here in the GCC!

The Images

By far the look that I want from head to toe! Including the gold nail polish! I'm gonna get all Versaced out!

I also want this jacket

The Locations

BAHRAIN- City Center (No Men's)
QATAR-Villagio
UAE-MOE Family, MOE Young (No Men's), & Dubai Mall
KSA-Kingdom Center
KUWAIT- Avenues & Marina Mall

xoxo,

P.S. Please make your way down to Saks for such a unique exhibit amptly called 'Shoe' by Syrian artist Safa Al-Set. Open till the 8th of November! You wouldn't wanna miss it I'm tellin' ya!

P.P.S. App of the Day: For all you iPhoners out there! Guess what? H&M have launched their very own app! Now you can browse all the latest news with just a quick tap! Click here to download it from the app store or here for more info from their site!

P.P.P.S. Song of the Day: Higher Love by Steve Winwood (I've been hearing this song almost every morning in Dubai & I can NOT remember ever listening to it before but now I'm OBSESSED! I'm utterly in love with it & the video is classic 80s! Can not emphasize enough how much I lourve that decade!)

Pretty Fashion Forward

Ready to Go: Light Layering

The Fashion KAGE is back: New Season Looks

Ready to Go: Layer on the Coat

Coco's Home

My Love Affair with Accessories

Ready to Go... Wedding Dressing on a Budget

My January 2012 Wish List

Food Coma-licious

Ready to Go...

Male Worthy: Gruff Beards & Cufflinks

New Years Shopping List

Sweaters A-Plenty

Ready to Go...

It's Almost Christmas Time!

I'm a Grazia Stylista!

All fashlink'ed Up!

Happy BAHRAIN Day!

Black is Back

Ready to Go: Double Bill

Ready to Go...

All I want for Christmas is...

Marni at H&M: OBSESSION BEGINS

My Adventure at Maison Sez

My Metallic Wishlist

Fashpiration: Festivals

AHHHH Versace for H&M BLISS!!!

Versace for H&M: 12 hours to go

Drum Roll Please

i LOVE snow globes

Ready to Go...

Its ALMOST here: Versace for H&M

Fashpiration: Friends Edition

Fall for Fashion... Literally!

EID Worthy Attire

Belted structured-satin playsuit

Ready to Go...

asos CRAZED!

ASOS Floral Dress with Dipped Hem Smock

£70.00 AED 414.53

ASOS Maxi Skirt In Mesh Spot

£45.00 AED 266.49

ASOS Midi Dress in Chain Print

£40.00 AED 236.88

Staple Double Button Through Maxi Skirt

£100.00 AED 592.19

£45.00 AED 266.49 ASOS LEO Velvet Slipper Pumps

£35.00 AED 207.27ASOS LEANDRA Loafer£35.00 AED 207.27River Island Animal Print Chain Detail Slipper£30.00 AED 177.66(I've been obsessed with these slippers since my internship at Grazia! I think its time I get them!) ASOS LEO Velvet Slipper Shoes With Metal and Jewel Crest£50.00 AED 296.10

Ugg Sheepskin Insole

£20.00 AED 118.44

(I know this is completely random but I just imagined how comfy this would be if I walked around with them at the bottom of my shoes)

Me & ma Mulberry part 2

Versace for H&M part deux

£45.00 AED 266.49

ASOS LEO Velvet Slipper Pumps