Life Imitates Fashion

Moved!!

2011-02-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

This blog has moved!

Pub Series: Nostrum

2011-01-29T02:04:00.000-08:00

Location

It's pretty much like you're headed to Neighbors. If you're walking down Hamra street and Lina's is on your right, take a right at the corner after it. Walk down that street until you get to the next one. Now, instead of crossing the street, just take another right. The first place is Brick's (will post about that soon!) and right next door, you'll find Nostrum

Food

They serve food until 12 a.m.

Last night was my first time there, so I can't honestly say whether the food is any good or not. However, there were 2 tables of about 8 - 10 people having dinner when I first walked in, and the looked pretty satisfied!

Happy hour:

Nostrum's happy hour lasts from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. and works with a "buy one get one free" system. Sounds good, huh?

Music:

This must have been my favorite part of the night! Great DJ, I must say. Before even walking in, I heard the music playing from way outside. I love going to pubs and listening to chilled out music, but this is definitely more my style. It's great for the weekends when you're looking to have some fun. Here are some of the things they played last night:

Miss California - Dante Thomas (haven't heard this in ages!!)
Keep Their Heads Ringing - Dr. Dre
Ruff Ryders Anthem - DMX
Temperature - Sean Paul
Whatever You Like - T.I.
Ayo Technology - 50 Cent

Atmosphere:

The inside looks great! According to the manager, they're going to redecorate soon and make it look even better. They're adding couches and more of the amazing paintings they have up (bought from a store in Gemmayze).

The bathroom stalls were really cute, indicating who goes where with "Chicos" and "Chicas"

The staff were really friendly and very lively. At one point the waiters were dancing as they were serving people, which shows that they're having a good time and it really puts you in a great mood.

They served us 2 shots on the house. One was our choice, and one was their special Nostrum shot, which I do recommend if you're interested in a fruity taste. All in all, I really enjoyed my night. It was disappointing that it got so empty right after happy hour on a Friday night. I think when more people discover this place, it's going to be a big hit.

Pub Series: Flo + Burger Nation Review

2011-01-24T00:24:00.000-08:00

I was late with this post, so I added a review on Burger Nation as an apology!!

Today's post will be focusing on Flo.

Location

It's further away than most of the pubs on Hamra, but still a hot spot for anyone who enjoys Hamra's nightlife. It's right next to Flying Pizza. Or if you're coming from bliss, just take the road going up at Charlie's Hot Dogs. I can't honestly give proper directions from people coming from Hamra, because I always just walk in a certain direction until I see something familiar. For some reason, I can never memorize exactly where Flo is!

Food

They serve food at Flo. Like Neighbors, the food is served until 1 a.m. I really enjoyed their nachos, and also the chicken quesadilla. Although it probably wouldn't be a great idea to have the chicken right before a night of heavy drinking. In that case, I would suggest a plan to specifically go there to eat one day.

Happy hour:

Weirdly enough, happy hour does not exist in Flo!

Music:

I always enjoy the music at Flo. You neevr know what kind of music you'll end up listening to. The selection ranges from Destiny's Child to Michael Jackson to Bob Marley. It starts off with very lounge-y music, and then moves on to livelier songs. Some of my favorite songs heard at Flo are:

The General - Dispatch
This is the Life - Amy MacDonald
Billy Jean - Michael Jackson

Atmosphere:

Flo is pretty funky on the inside with a mixture of modern and classic elements. I love sitting upstairs, and that's where I usually am; it's comfortable and the best place to be seated if you're a big group. I sat downstairs for the first time on Saturday and I realized that you get to see a lot more people downstairs. Upstairs you're pretty much isolated. So if you're about 2 - 4 people, I would suggest you sit downstairs, but a bigger group would definitely be more comfortable upstairs.

Ladies, you won't be bored on your trip to the bathroom. There's a really funny quote waiting for you in there. It's also done in a really cool way, because it's written in mirror image and placed right next to a mirror, so you have to read it through the mirror. Hard to explain, so go check it out!

Here's something that Neighbors is missing: Hypnotic shots!

Best time to be there?:

I don't think I've ever gone to Flo and not found anywhere to sit. There's a constant flow of people coming in and out, so you're generally safe whatever time you get there. I would recommend around 10 - 10:30 p.m. That's when the music starts to build up a little bit, making it the perfect time to start your night.

That's all for the pub, now on to my apology/review.

Burger Nation

It was heartbreaking to see one of the best coffee shops, Cafe Najjar, replaced by a burger place, yet somehow exciting because I always have to go to Achrafiye to get myself a good burger.

I finally had dinner at Burger Nation last night, and here is what I thought.

The Food:

The food was really good. I have to say, there was nothing I tried that I did not like. There was an insane burst of flavor. I first of all definitely recommend that you choose to "make your own burger" instead of picking one off the menu, because then you get exactly what you're craving. And I also definitely recommend you choose garlic mayo as your sauce. The flavor is so out there, trust me you will be using your fries to wipe off any of it left on the plate.

The Atmosphere:

It's very modern, and it kind of puts a smile to your face. The outdoor seating is great, and they have heaters for when it's too cold. The inside is nice as well, I really like the paintings on the wall. Even their place-mats are entertaining to read!!

The Service:

I just want everyone to keep in mind that Burger Nation is still relatively new, and that this happens everywhere. But the service really wasn't that great. The appetizers (try out the onion rings by the way!) took a while to get to us, they even completely forgot one of them. Although we had ordered our drinks, I had to ask twice about my diet 7up, and my friends' milkshakes took a while because apparently the bartender wasn't there to make them. Other than that, they were really friendly, and I'm going to assume that this happened because they've newly opened. Let's hope the service gets better!

Pub Series: Neighbors

2011-01-16T00:31:00.000-08:00

The holidays are over, which means it's back to work, back to university and back to this blog!
I will be kicking off my pub series with my favorite pub on Hamra: Neighbors! So sit back, and enjoy.

Location:
Neighbors is a small pub located right next to Ristretto. For those who still don't know where that is: if you're on main street Hamra, take the right that comes after Lina's cafe. Keep walking straight down until you've crossed a street, and then it should be directly on your right.

Food:
They do serve food! It is served all the way until 1 a.m. and it's pretty good, in my opinion.
I would recommend the mini burgers and potato wedges. To be completely honest, I expected the food to be just alright. But I can truthfully say that I will walk down there just to have a plate of those potato wedges, so don't miss out!

Happy hour:
Happy hour starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m.
By 7:30, the place is usually packed, so if you're interested in making it in time for happy hour I would suggest getting there as early as possible. That's not always the case though, last night I got there at 8 and it was packed by 8:30. Better safe than sorry though!

Music:
The nice thing about Neighbors is the variety of music they play. During first half of the night you would be listening to some pretty chilled out tracks, and then as the night progresses, so does the music. Usually (especially on weekends) by the end of the night the music gets pretty upbeat, and despite it being a cozy little pub, people are out of their seats and enjoying their time.

Some songs they played last night that I loved were:

Man's World - James Brown
Walk The Line - Johnny Cash
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Everybody Hurts - R.E.M

Atmosphere:
The best part about Neighbors is, besides the music, how unbelievably chilled out this place is! The seating is comfortable, whether you're on a couch or on stools. It can get a little stuffy sometimes, but usually you have your space and don't have to worry about leaning back and hitting into the person behind you. You can literally just walk in off the street, everyone's very laid back and casual (no heels required girls!). The staff are friendly too, if you've been there once, they'll remember you the next time you walk in.

Best time to be there?:
To be on the safe side, I would recommend to be there by 7:30/8:00. The problem with that, though, is that you're there quite early and so might end up leaving early. If you're lucky enough to find a table, I think 10:30 is the best time to be there. By that time, the music starts to get a little more lively, as do the people.

And there you have it, pub number 1 is done! If you have any suggestions about other aspects I should focus on, let me know in the comment box. If you would like to suggest pubs for me to check out, leave those in the comment box too! I hope you enjoyed this, until next Sunday.

Images from: Neighbor's Facebook Page

Coffee Shop Series - Starbucks Coffee (+ Hamra Christmas Street Festival)

2010-12-20T04:23:00.000-08:00

I really like Starbucks Hamra because of their new balcony. If you're a smoker you can smoke up there, you get a great view of pedestrians on Hamra, and when the weather's good it's the best place to sit. Of course Starbucks is a non-smoking coffee shop, so other than the balcony, you have the outdoor seating. The only problem with the outdoor seating is that they haven't taken rain into consideration. I was sitting out there on Friday and it rained on me! Thankfully it wasn't pouring.

The Drinks

I used to love their Frappuccinos, but recently I've stayed well away from them. They taste different now for some reason, maybe it's just me. Anyway, my new obsession at Starbucks is the Caramel Macchiatto. It's perfect if you want to warm up with a cup of coffee and are in the mood for a slight sweet taste.

Other Pluses?

They have Wi-Fi, but it's not free. That's actually the first coffee shop I've written about so far that doesn't provide free internet. I believe it costs $5 for 1 hour, and 10,000LL for 2 hours. The connection is decent.

I don't like the service at all. They got my drink wrong twice, they always add whipped cream to my drinks even when I specifically ask for my drinks without it. They're very impatient at the cash register, they always tell me what I owe before I'm even done ordering. Finally, they are very slow when making their drinks. The last time I asked for a sleeve because my drink was too hot to carry, the man told me that they didn't have any and walked away. I had to ask again for a second cup just to be able to carry my drink.

As you can see, I have some serious issues with the staff at Starbucks Hamra!

Hamra Christmas Street Festival

I walked around Friday afternoon, and then came back in the evening, at around 6. They had some really funky jewelry on sale, I bought a really nice ring! But what impressed me the most was the entertainment which was organized by the AUB Music Club. I only saw 4 performances, and they were all pretty good, I saw:

Hiba Kadri and Sarah Aridi
Jean Pierre Abou Jaoude
Jamil Jabbour
Tina and Julien

In all honesty, they were all good, but two of them blew me away. The first was Jean Pierre, wow. Amazing voice. And also Tina and Julien, Tina had a beautiful voice, loved the performances!

Tina and Julien

Jean Pierre

Coffee Shop Series - Lina's

2010-12-14T22:24:00.000-08:00

Before I start, this post might sound slightly negative because on the day I happened to be there, the whole place was completely unorganized. However, other comments are out of pure honesty :) Let's begin, shall we?

It's a very cozy place, and their seating is really comfortable. They have a study room in the back, which to my knowledge is a non-smoking area, but again when I was there people were smoking. I love sitting by the window because you can just sit and watch people as they pass by.

The Drinks

I am honestly not too fond of Lina's coffee. I never found an iced drink that I really liked. I do like one drink though (which is perfect for the winter!) which I think is called Cinnamon Cappuccino (the reason I'm not sure is that when I was there, they had renewed their menus and all they had was the French version, I literally had to play a guessing game with the waiter to get my drink!). The drink tastes like Christmas in a cup! They add some caramel syrup to the blend making it just perfect.

Other Pluses?

Although their coffee isn't anything out of the ordinary, their food definitely is. I guess that's their specialty, but their sandwiches are really good. I especially loved the crab sandwich with avocado.

They have Wi-Fi, but I couldn't find out more about it since when I was there they apparently didn't have any usernames and passwords to give out.

Despite the fact that I could barely read the menu, and the Wi-Fi was there yet not quite there, they did have good service. The waiter were friendly, which made the experience slightly better.

Coffee Shop Series - Cafe Younes Gourmet

2010-12-10T23:41:00.000-08:00

I know that it's Saturday and I'm a day late, but it completely slipped my mind yesterday and well, better late than never right?

The thing that I love about Cafe Younes is the outdoors seating area. I think it has one of the nicest ones out of all the coffee shops around the area. When the weather is just right, there's no where better to sit and enjoy your coffee. The only problem is that there is rarely an empty seat outside, which is why I don't get to sit there much! To my knowledge, the downstairs indoors area is supposed to be a non-smoking area, but recently I've seen a lot of people sitting there and smoking. The upstairs area is also non-smoking, and is perfect if you're looking for a place to work or study with your laptop. Literally, if you look up, all you see are people and their laptops lined up side by side.

The Drinks

As usual, my preferred drink has something to do with Caramel! The Caramelized Coffee is by far the best caramel coffee I've had. It's very sweet though, so if you're not a big fan of sugar I don't recommend that you try it. The French-Press is also really good. Their American Coffee is alright, it's not the best but it's good enough if you get to sit outside!

Other Pluses?

They do have free Wi-Fi, but the connection is not that great. If you're a patient person, you'll be fine using it. If you're there to do hardcore research, I wouldn't advise using the Wi-Fi.

Their food is good, as well as their desserts. The chocolate spoons are my favorite.

The service is great, I've never had any problems with wrong orders, late orders or even missing orders.

For everyone who enjoys something sweet once in a while, make it Cafe Younes' Caramelized Coffee, you won't regret it.

Coffee Shop Series - Gloria Jean's Coffees

2010-12-08T03:55:00.000-08:00

Gloria Jean's is just off of Hamra Street. It has, by far, the best study/work atmosphere. Everyone has his or her nose buried into a book or laptop. Sometimes it feels like you're walking into a library, and when you speak people actually look up at you with a look that says "how inconsiderate". So if you're looking for a place to concentrate without any major distractions, my recommendation is Gloria Jean's!

The Drinks!

The coffee itself is not bad. I like the Creme Brulee drink, which is ice blended, it really does taste like Creme Brulee. I also like their Caramellate if you're looking for a cold drink. Theis Espresso is not bad for a quick caffeine fix. I honestly haven't explored their drinks any more than that, because a lot of their forzen drinks were too fruity for me (I can't stand fruit tastes in my drinks) so that would be interesting for fruit lovers, and their hot drinks are very standard.

They have quite a big seating area indoors, and it's a non-smoking area. They do have a smoking area outdoors, but it consists of about 7 tables and they're usually full, so it's a hassle getting a table outdoors.

Other Pluses?

They do have free Wi-Fi, but I suggest you use it on your phones, because it works a lot faster. Once, it took about 17 minutes just to load Wordpress. This is probably because 99% of the people at Gloria Jean's are using the internet. If you're patient, go ahead and use you're laptops, but if you're like me, use your phones!

Also, the service there is great. The people that work there are very friendly, they actually make you want to come back.

They also offer a Gloria Jean's card, where you get a hole punched into your card every time you buy a drink, and after buying 10 drinks you get a free one.

Last, but definitely not least, the desserts. To all those Sugar Daddy's fans out there who can't be bothered to drive to the bakery, just take a walk down to Gloria Jean's. They get their desserts from Sugar Daddy's, and even have my favorite: Red Velvet Cake... yum.

Coffee Shop Series - Caribou Coffee

2010-12-05T21:57:00.000-08:00

After being extremely active on Foursqaure, I've gotten a lot of comments on the amount of tie I spend in coffee shops. I was told that the little "shouts" I send with my location made people want to go out and try the drinks I was talking about. So in order to ensure that I'm more active on here, I've decided to start a new series on my blog: Coffee Shops. Starting today, I will be posting a sort of "review" of coffee shops around Hamra. I will be posting them every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If you like the coffee shop scene, stay tuned! If you know any good coffee shops in Hamra, let me know about them in the comment section. Now on to our first coffee shop of the series.

If you want to find me on Hamra, 5 out of 7 days a week you'd probably find me at Caribou Coffee. I like the outdoor seating they have, along with the corner couches upstairs that face the windows. There are 2 things that I don't particularly like about Caribou:

1. The bottom floor is a non-smoking area, the outdoor area and the top floor are smoking areas. This means that when the weather gets colder, it's going to be hard trying to find somewhere to sit upstairs, as it's not a big area.

2. It is always full!! If I found a place to sit at Caribou every time I went there, I would probably be there 7 out of 7 days a week. I guess that's a good sign though if everyone likes it. It's just irritating when I'm craving their coffee and find that there's not one empty seat for me to take.

On to the drinks!

The first drink I was obsessed with was the Cold Caramel High Rise. I literally could not get enough, I would be there every day just because I was craving it badly. The obsession shifted once I tried the Hot Caramel High Rise, which is even better.

The Turtle Mocha is pretty good too. I've tried the cold one and it's quite similar to the Caramel High Rise, except it has bits of Snickers chocolate on the top. I've heard that the Hot Turtle Mocha is pretty good too.

For the straight forward coffee lovers, they have a great American coffee. Perfect to start your morning with.

Now, for the drink I have fallen in love with (for now). The Caramel Espresso Shaker. Why do I love this drink? I'm a huge fan of caramel, I like iced coffees, and I don't like huge mugs.. this drink has caramel in it, is iced, and is in a mini cup, which is perfect for me! I can actually finish this drink.

Other pluses?

You get an hour of free wi-fi while there. Also, their mugs, cups and napkins are very entertaining and motivational (I actually took one of the napkins home and stuck it up on my board). Next time you're at Caribou Coffee, take the time to read your cup and see if anything motivates you!

Shine @ Hard Rock, Beirut!

2010-11-29T23:28:00.000-08:00

I went to Hard Rock Cafe last night because everyone knows that Mondays mean open beer and buffalo wings over there. Apparently everyone also knew that there would be a live band playing there, leaving me absolutely clueless. I found out that this band was named Shine, and that they were so good that they played at Hard rock through all of November.

They finally came on, and I was impressed. They could possibly be the best unsigned band I've heard here in Lebanon. Although the female singer is extremely lively, jumping around on tables and chairs, I would describe her voice as close to Celine Dion's, she can hit all her notes beautifully. The male singer was overly energetic, I think the only time he stayed still was during the song Chasing Cars, where he decided to lie down on the floor.

They knew how to engage their audience, and I was really upset that I hadn't heard about them earlier. November is pretty much over, which means so is their performance. At least that's what I thought, until they came on stage and announced that they were staying for another month!

So this is all that I have to say to you all. If you haven't gotten the chance to see them perform, you have to. It is so worth it. They are lively, they make the crowd move, and they are insanely talented. They play Saturday to Thursdays from 9 p.m.

Go book a table at Hard Rock now!!!

Shi Tayyeb w Shi 7elo - Review

2010-11-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

The event took place in EM Chill on Mar Mekhayel Street. I got a little lost at the beginning, but finally managed to make it there. The setting was very laid back, which I really liked. The first thing you see is a buffet brought to you by Garden on a Plate. The food looked great! I couldn't have any myself because being a journalism student leaves you with very little time to enjoy certain things, and so I didn't have much time to spend there. But I did enjoy the black and white Egyptian movie they were showing, with some relaxing Arabic instrumentals playing in the background.

Then came the jewelry. The pieces were presented on stands and tables, and the designer (Zinab Chahine) was sitting behind one of the tables, busy working on a necklace for one of her customers.

Again, I was really impressed with the jewelry, and also with the designer. I got to meet Zinab, and I thought she was really sweet. She told me that her now successful business started off as a hobby, where she took a picture that interested her, put it on a chain, added some wire glasses to the man in the picture and wore it out that night. Now, she's always busy making or altering jewelry for her many customers.

She also showed me an endless number of charms and explained that she also does custom designs, so you can choose whatever charms you want and put them on a bracelet or necklace. I'm definitely going to be doing that once I have some time to pick out the charms I want. I really do suggest that you all check it out, I'm going to post the link to her Facebook page again. There are some great ready-made pieces, and the best part is that you can choose your own designs to make it one of a kind.

Facebook Page!

I forgot my camera, once again, so here's the best I could do!

Old movie projected on the wall

Stands holding jewelry

Jewelry I now own :)

That's all for today!

Sandra J: From Beirut to Kuwait

2010-11-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Usually my blog posts would target readers in Kuwait when I'm back in Kuwait, and readers in Lebanon while I'm here in Beirut. Well today's an exception, this one is for all the readers in Kuwait!

Sandra J. offers a variety of handbags, luggage, flats, laptop bags, wallets, bracelets, etc. and is usually found in Kulte, Verdun and Cream, Saifi Village. You can also find their products in Paris and Geneva.

For those living in Kuwait who are interested in these products, good news! Sandra J. is now available in Kuwait!

You can find them at Galleria 2000, boutique N.11 in Salmiya!

Check it out!

Things Worth Going To

2010-11-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Before anything I have a reminder for you all,

tomorrow is the "Shi 7elo w Shi Tayyeb" event, where Zinab Chahine will be presenting her very unique jewelry (Ctrl+Z Designs), and Aline Khokaz Ian will be presenting her very appetizing home-made dishes (Garden on a Plate)! It is taking place at Electro Mechanique on Mar Mekhayel Street and starts at 6:00 p.m. See you there!

There's another thing going on that's gotten me all excited! The Beirut Dance Company is performing from the 4th to the 14th of November at the Monnot Theater. It's titled "The Dress" and starts at 8:30 p.m.

I haven't been to a ballet in a very long time, so I'm really excited about this. I'm going to try and get myself some tickets! For those who are also interested, here's the number that you can call for reservations and more information: 01/20 24 22

That's all for today!

The Slaughterhouse - Review

2010-10-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

All week I've been hearing just about everyone talking about the Halloween party taking place at St. George. It was an interesting idea since the event was taking place inside the building, the DJ line-up looked great, and one of the most important things when going to events: tables were available for reservation.

I'm going to start with the things that I liked about the event to be fair. One particular DJ blew everyone away, DJ Base. His choice of music was great, it kept the crowd moving. The whole concept of the party being inside St. George was also very creative. Everything coming from behind the bar was great too, an alcohol-poisoning-free night for everyone! Also, people and their costumes, wow. There were a lot of very original costumes, everyone looked great, and they really put an effort into it.

Unfortunately for me (and a lot of other people) our table for 30 apparently didn't exist anymore, which left 30 people expecting to have a place to sit, standing on their feet. Being a girl, I can tell you that the worst part of it was that I had no where to put my things down to dance, and I was in heels so I'm paying for it right now. Also, I don't know the exact numbers, but picture a venue that would clearly only fit 800 people, and now put in about 1,200 people. It was hot and there was barely any room to breathe (let alone dance). Thank God for the long hallway leading to the bathroom, because that's where we ended up going for air.

All in all: great location, good music, amazing crowd, but disappointing organization and a waste of music since there was barely room to dance. I don't think I'm going near an event with the same organizers in the future, sadly.

Stolen Jewelry & the Re-Opening of Starch

2010-10-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's late, but here's a quick review of H&M: it was horrible. I wasn't able to find anything! I guess people are hitting the stores faster than I am these days.

Starch was a boutique in Saifi Village which focuses on Lebanese designers and their collections. Today, they're re-opening with a list of new designers with new collections!

Here are a list of the designers:

Fashion:

"Emily Cremona" by Deena Wassef & Rouba Mouawad

Nadine Mneimneh

Racha El Abbas

Jewelry:

Rana Mikdashi

Bags & Accessories:

"Margherita" by Ghita Abi Hanna

Interiors:

Najla El Zein

On a different note, the jewelry designer Rana Mikdashi's collection was stolen yesterday. Two people on a motorbike snatched it. She will still be presenting her jewelry, but keep an eye out for the stolen pieces, here's the link to her work: Rana Mikdashi's Jewelry

So, for whoever is interested, the re-opening will take place in Saifi Village, on the same street as Cream. And it goes from 5 to 8 this evening. Enjoy!

What's Up, H&M?

2010-10-17T01:34:00.000-07:00

All I've been seeing lately are people walking up and down Hamra with H&M bags in hand.

Yesterday, I recognized one of the H&M carrying people and called her over to ask her what all the fuss is about. Apparently, the collection includes a lot of great pieces! She also said, though, that everything was selling like crazy, so there isn't a huge variety of sizes and colours.

I think I'll drop by H&M after lunch today, so I'll report about it later on!

Shi 7elo w Shi Tayyeb

2010-10-16T00:15:00.000-07:00

Good morning Beirut! The sun is out, and it looks like it would be beautiful to be sitting outside. Unfortunately I've put myself under house arrest until I'm done with all of my assignments. So no sun for me!

Those of you who liked Ctrl+Z Designs are going to be very happy with this post.

On the 2nd of November, you'll be able to purchase this jewelry at an event being held in Electro Mecanique, Mar Mekhayel.

In addition to jewelry, Aline Khokaz Ian will have her homemade food there.

Now, I just checked out her group and although I was put off when I heard that it was vegetarian, I must say that the food looked extremely appetizing, and this is all from just pictures so I can't wait for the real thing.

Wait, there's more! The Facebook event page promises that we can "sit down and relax to the sight of vintage Egyptian movies on screen and the sounds of your favorite classic Arabic singers." I'm really excited see all this honestly, I love how the theme of the jewelry and the theme of the event complement each other.

So, I will definitely be stopping by, but I kind of need help. I have a confession to make, I have absolutely no idea where EM is, so if anyone could point me in the right direction (either in the comment box or via email) I would really appreciate it.

Event's Facebook Page
Ctrl+Z Designs
Garden On A Plate

I'll post a reminder once we get closer to that date!

Shoes? Check! Jewelry? Check!!

2010-10-10T02:45:00.000-07:00

Let's jump right in!

Girls, whoever is interested in buying a pair of Nike High-tops, keep checking out the Nike store in Beirut Souks, because they constantly bring in new models. I finally bought mine, and I'm very happy with them. Here they are:

I made it to Lunatic, I absolutely love the store. I love the exterior design, I love what they're selling. You can find pretty much anything you want in there, and it's so funky, it just made me happy while I was looking at their stuff. For now, I only bought some jewelry, but I'm going back for other things! Here's what I bought:

I don't know what I'll be up to next, so I can't promise anything. But I do promise that whatever it is, I'll make it worth the read!!

Rain, Rain.. Chill Out!

2010-10-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

I had every intention of checking out Crown Outlets yesterday.. but I didn't. And I have an explanation!

I was planning on heading down at 1, right after my classes, because I know for a fact that if I get home and get comfortable, I definitely wouldn't be in the mood to walk over there.

As I was walking out of LAU at 1, I felt a slight drizzle of rain, which kind of discouraged me from continuing the walk down, so I detoured to my house. Good thing I did too, otherwise I would have been stuck there until about 3!!

I might pass by Crown Outlets today though, but first I'm going to be in Beirut Souks.

Once again, my cousin spotted something he thought I might like in Beirut Souks. (I should really make him my "fashion hunter", haha).

What did he spot? Nike High-tops for women! I've been trying to get myself a pair of trainers, but they always look too big on my because I'm quite short, yet my shoe size is slightly larger than would be expected. Also, skinny jeans don't help. I figured though, high-tops are bulky from the bottom and the top, so it might balance it out. I'll be checking those out today, and hopefully find a pair for me! These are what they generally look like, for those who don't know:

Also, I haven't forgotten about Ctrl+Z Designs. I've picked out all the pieces that I want, all that's left is to contact Chahine. The reason I delayed this is because, if I have time, I might try and swing by Lunatic in Monot today. This way I can just buy them on the spot rather than go through the whole ordering process.

Let's hope it doesn't rain on me today!

Ctrl+Z Designs

2010-10-05T07:21:00.000-07:00

While going to fetch us some goodies from Sugar Daddy's to satisfy our sugar cravings, my cousin noticed some funky jewelry in the window, and brought back a business card for me to check out.

(Excuse the webcam quality)

Naturally, living in an internet-dominated world, I looked for the business' page on Facebook.

According to the page I found (and the card) Ms. Zinab Chahine is responsible for the very unique jewelry I was going through on their photo page. It is a home business, and according to her "everything is very affordable". She also offers custom designs for those who would like it, and everything is handmade.

I personally really liked the jewelry, I will definitely be buying some very soon (I am picking out the pieces I want as I type). The jewelry holds a lot of Arab culture in it, mostly Lebanese culture but includes a lot of different Arab elements in the designs as well, which is what caught my attention. I love holding on to a little bit of my culture, but seeing it interpreted in a new and different way, which is exactly what I saw in these designs.

Since it is a home business, you will have to contact Chahine in order to make arrangements for purchasing. The jewelry is also available at a store called Lunatic in Monot (it is no longer being displayed at Sugar Daddy though). The contact details are on Facebook, but I'll give them to you here as well:

E-mail: ctrl.z.design@hotmail.com

Phone: 03 610 436

Click here to see photos of the jewelry on Facebook.

I'll be doing a follow up review about the jewelry when I buy my own, so stay tuned for more!!

Crown Outlets - Fall 2010

2010-10-02T02:56:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything, and as usual I have my excuses. I thankfully managed to survive my first week back in university. I'm using the word survived here very specifically because, as all of you who are familiar with LAU's registration this year would know, the online registration system suffered an endless amount of glitches this semester. This means that my first two days back consisted of long hours camping outside of an office, just to be able to register for my major courses. All that is over now, though, and I'm back on track.

Crown Outlets! For those who don't know, this is a worldwide outlet chain, and it's back in Beirut with its Fall 2010 collection for both men and women. The thing I like about Crown Outlets is that every time their customers come in, they ask what the customers would like to see more of, and they act on it. This year, the collection features even more brands (chosen by customers) which means a whole new variety of things to choose from.

These include:

UGG Boots
Juicy Couture
Ed Hardy
Christian Audigier
Abercrombie & Fitch
True Religion
Bebe
Fred Perry
Hollister

Again, as this is an outlet chain and all the items are bought in bulk, the prices are 50% less than the market price! Here are the dates of this season's open house:

Friday 8th October: 10:00am - 9:00pm

Saturday 9th October: 10:00am - 9:00pm

Sunday 10th October: 10:00am - 6:00pm

The place is where it usually is, which is the 1st floor in Crown Plaza Hotel (above roadsters) in Hamra.

I very strongly advise everyone who is interested in going to go on Friday, and go as early as you can. The later you are, the less you find and the less you have to choose from.

Here's the link for their photo gallery on Facebook, which gives you a preview of this season's collection:

Facebook Photo Gallery

I will try to stop by on Friday, although I won't be able to get there before 1:00pm due to my classes, but nevertheless I will come back and let you all know how it is.

Stay tuned! I promise I will try to be more active :)

"Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style." - John Fairchild

Back In Beirut: Hamra Lovin'

2010-09-19T02:06:00.000-07:00

Finally back in Beirut! Unfortunately This post is not going to include pictures because I keep forgetting to take my camera out with me.

I arrived on Friday and went straight to Gloria Jeans, oh how I've missed their coffee. I ended up in Ferdinand's later that night, which is one of my favorite pubs on Hamra. The music was great, as was the atmosphere, so all in all it was a great night.

Yesterday morning I had coffee at Caribou Coffee, another great place with great coffee. The weather was absolutely beautiful so I insisted on sitting outside. It was sunny with a really nice breeze. I later headed to Buttermint for Lunch, and Flow even later on at night.

Something occurred to me yesterday while sitting in Caribou, the reason why I love Hamra so much is this: It's almost like New York, but with an Arab twist to it. And I'm not talking about the architecture, I am of course talking about the fashion!

I've been seeing more and more different and funky styles walking around, which is great. I love the fact that there are a lot more people out there who are experimenting and expressing themselves more through fashion. My mission for the next few months is to stop people who I think have a unique sense of style, snap a picture of them, and share it with all of you. I don't know if they'll be open to it, or if they'll think I'm a creepy stalker, but it's worth a try.

Other than that, I will continue with my usual shopping and style updates, along with the lifestyle section of this blog (where to go and when to go there). So stay tuned Beirut, that and a lot more will be coming up soon!

It feels good to be back.

The English Tea Lounge & 2010 VMAs

2010-09-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, the 2010 VMAs took place last night. Now, I promised myself not to get sucked into the best/worst dressed thing again, but after seeing Rihanna on stage, I was inspired to. You'll see why in a bit.

Before going on to the VMAs, I have to stop and talk to you all about The English Tea Lounge. I had brunch there this morning and it was absolutely amazing. True, it's location is in a mall, but you kind of forget all about that. It's in on of the secluded areas of The Avenues, and the furniture makes you feel right at home. The food was great, the coffee was great, and the music in the background added a great touch to it all! I didn't have my camera on me so bear with the phone pictures.

The couches are very cozy, it almost feels as if you're sitting in someone's living room.

I thought the menu was really cute.

You really feel like you're sitting in an English tea lounge, they have every different combination of breakfast/brunch foods that you can imagine.

The presentation of the food was really fun as well. You have finger sandwiches at the bottom, pastries in the middle, and the sweet goods at the top.

Finally, you have your mini scones.

Whoever is in Kuwait or visiting, go and try it out one morning, trust me you won't regret it.

Now, on to the VMAs, here are the celebrities, and my thoughts on their fashion picks for the event:

I haven't been keeping up with my reality shows lately, so I kind of missed the part where Audrina went that blonde, but I definitely like her better as a brunette. As for her dress, I like it, it's simple and glam, perfect for the occasion.

Another girl from The Hills, Lo Bosworth. I've always found Lo to be classy on the show, she's always got a great sense of style, and it showed last night too. Great dress, great colour, finished off with simple strappy heels. All in all, a great combination.

Oh Katy Perry, what have you done. I like the top of the dress, and the bottom of the dress.. separately. I really don't think it goes together, it looks like she's trying too hard to stand out, and it's not working for her.

I actually really like this whole outfit. She did really well with the dress, and the shoes are fabulous, I actually really want a pair now. Great picks.

I am actually loving Lady Gaga's look for the evening. She's in Alexander McQueen, and she is working it! Yes it's weird, yes it's quirky, but it's good weird and quirky. Even the spikes coming out of her head aren't making me cringe. Very nice.

I really like the top of Ciara's dress, but I feel that the dress just looks horrible the lower down you go. I was a bit iffy about the feathers at the top, and the fact that they change colours from black to brown to white just ruined it for me completely. Unlucky. Hey, she was on most people's best dressed list, just not mine.

I think this is the best that I've seen Hayley Williams. She looks all grown up in her Miu Miu dress. The dress is adorable, her hair up looks great, she just looks very mature and very natural. I love it.

Rihanna. I'm going to be very blunt about this. She looks like a bride-zilla serial killer who managed to get out of her straight jacket. Honestly that was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw her (I have a wild imagination). Her hair is crazy (and not the good crazy), the little band on her head looks like it was bought at Claires, and her outfit is just insane. Not good insane, just plain old insane. Sorry Rihanna, you made me do it. (I kinda feel like Chris Brown saying that!)

That's all for today folks, I did go shopping this morning and yesterday morning, so there will be some outfit posts soon hopefully. I'm back in Beirut on Friday, so get ready for some new additions to this blog within the next 2 weeks.

Links:
http://toofab.com
http://mtv.com

Prepping For The Cold

2010-09-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

It seems that every year, I seem to find a new love for a store here in Kuwait. Last year, I was in love with Forever 21. Everything that I picked up looked great. This year, it's absolutely horrible, I can't seem to find anything at all. Topshop and River Island are average so far, but the store that stole my heart this year is H&M. Which is funny, because last year it was pretty much at the bottom of my list. Honestly, when it comes to looking for everyday clothes, H&M is more than perfect at the moment.

I've got a week left here in Kuwait before I'm back to reporting on Beirut shopping. In this week I'm sure I'll be heading back down to the stores to see if any of them have any new collections and whether they're any good or not, but for now I'll show you my pre-fall/winter shopping from H&M:

I picked this sweater up because of it's colour, first of all, it's a very soft pink which I love. I also picked it up because it looked so comfortable, and it really was.

This grey sweater is perfect because I feel that it can be dressed up and dressed down. It works for both night and day, and is light enough to keep on indoors during the winter time.

Now, focusing on the bag. This is not H&M actually, it's from Aldo accessories. Why did I pick it up? Well, I would only wear a bag that small if I were going pubbing, clubbing or to a concert. And to be completely honest, I am not taking a pricey bag to any of those, because from past experiences I know that you can get alcohol stains and cigarette burns on your things because no one is ever careful by the end of the night. Carrying this bag around is ideal because it still looks very elegant, and at the same time you won't be stressing out about it all night.

We're back to the H&M pieces now, and the thing that caught my attention about this black sweater was the fact that it came with a belt, because my favorite thing in the world is to add waist belts to my outfits, so I had to have it.

This is also a style that I love for the colder seasons. I'm not that big a fan of pants generally, so I love it when I find cute sweater-dresses that I can pair with tights. I love the colour, Camel is very in this fall/winter, and it fits beautifully.

I will definitely make a point to go back to these stores and have a final look at them before leaving. After this week is over, it's back to the fashion scene in Beirut! (Look out for some new changes)

Wake Up And Smell The Fragrances

2010-09-03T03:02:00.000-07:00

Today's post is going to be all about perfumes. Last night, I went on a perfume hunt. I got a bit tired of the perfumes that I was using at the moment, and I was determined to find myself some new fragrances with a similar yet different smell to those that I was already using.

The thing is that I'm extremely picky about my perfumes. I don't like citrus smells, nor any fruity smells for that matter. I don't like candy smelling perfumes, nor do I like flowery perfumes. I like the more heavy scent, which made it very difficult for me to find anything!

The perfumes that I am using at the moment are:

Sicily by Dolce & Gabbana

This is pretty much my signature scent. I think I've been using it for the past 5 years, I can never let it go. The sad thing is that they've stopped making it, so it's really hard to find these days (but I always manage!)

Coco Chanel by Chanel

I went in to the store initially planning to buy Chanel No. 5, because my mum used to use it when I as younger, and I remember that I loved it. When I came to smell it again, I realized that I would never be able to wear that, it's just not me. So I ended up falling in love with Coco Chanel.

Agent Provocateur

I actually bought this one because the sales woman was extremely convincing. I went in to buy a new bottle of Coco Chanel, and she had told me that she had the perfect perfume for me. So she showed me Agent Provocateur, and she was right (as she always is). I couldn't leave the store without it.

While I really do love all 3 of these, I needed a change. So after sampling over 15 different perfumes (which gave my nose an extreme rush by the way) I finally picked out the 3 that I liked the most.

Amarige by Givenchy

"Amarige perfume possesses a blend of violet, mimosa, soft sweet spices, and orange flowers, accompanied by fruity notes of fresh citrus, melons, peaches, and plums."

Although the scent notes included in the perfume are made up of flowers and fruits, it does not smell like that at all. Trust me, I cannot stand flowery or fruity smells, so I would not have bought it. It's not as heavy as my other perfumes, but is still carries this heavier feel than most perfumes. I bought it because of that, because it wasn't too sweet but still had a very feminine touch to it.

CH by Carolina Herrera

"An intriguing fragrance mysterious and complex opening with a floral accord of bergamot, orange, grapefruit and a juicy melon. Bulgarian rose, jasmine and praline are at the heart and the base is an oriental delight of cinnamon, woody notes and leather."

I really cannot explain what this one smells like. It's very unique, ad I loved it. It's somehow slightly sweet while still carrying a very harsh oriental smell (which I love). You really need to smell it for yourself to really understand what I'm saying.

Hypnotic Poison Eau Sensuelle by Christian Dior

"Notes are: sambac jasmine, sweet heliotrope, bitter almond, caraway, Damask rose, ylang ylang, orange absolute, tuberose, vanilla, greem stems, green leaves, sandalwood, musk."

This one was definitely my favorite of the lot. This, to me, is the perfect blend of scents. I'm aware that it probably doesn't appeal to many, but I absolutely and positively love this perfume. I sprayed it on my arm last night and I would find myself smelling my arm every 3 minutes, literally. It's a great perfume, I really do recommend this one to anyone who has the same taste as I do when it comes to scents.

That's all for today, I know that this wasn't really a fashion post, but I guess we could place this in the lifestyle section, haha. Until next time!

Links:
http://www.myperfumesource.com
http://www.perfume.com
http://www.mimifroufrou.com

Forgive Me Fashion, For I Have Sinned

2010-08-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but that's only because I was working hard on breaking the ban, and I actually managed to lift it before the week was over!

Alright, first off, the cafes. The nicest cafe I sat at since I posted last was Supreme Cafe at the Freezone near Villa Moda. Wow. It was absolutely beautiful. First off, there were barely any other people there, which was great because you could actually hold a conversation with someone without yelling across the table. Secondly, the view was beautiful, the cafe is completely glass and you have a gorgeous sea view in front of you. I didn't have my camera on me, but I'm going to try and go back to that area today (all the cafes there have the same view) and I'll be sure to have my camera with me.

Another good one was Lino's Cafe in The Avenues. I like the fact that when you ordered a small drink, it actually looked like a small drink, and not a small one on steroids! I always have trouble finishing my drinks, so this place was perfect for me. It's located on the top floor at the very end of the mall, so it's away from all the crowds and the noise. If you haven't already noticed, I'm not a fan of crowded coffee shops!

On to the shopping!

I bought a couple of things from Express when I was at The Avenues. The reason that I like Express is that they have some simple pieces that can be worn everyday, but at the same time they're not too basic, there's always something about them that makes them look a little different than the plain old t-shirt.

I love the sleeves on this top, and fit so nicely that I got it in black as well.

Again, it was the sleeves that drew me to this top.

Although I have a closet full of boots, I really needed a new comfortable pair to wear to university. Heels show no mercy when your university is built on a hill.

I went a little crazy when I was at Villa Moda. I'm not going to talk about it too much, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Marni

I know that this looks like a summer colour, but I figured that it would be great in the winter when I'm dressed almost completely in black, it'll add some colour to my outfit.

Yves Saint Laurent

As you can see, I've been limiting my purchases, but that's only so that it doesn't look like I'm buying too much. I just keep going back every other day to pick up the next 3 pieces. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be going back to 360 Mall to pick up a skirt that I really liked.

Day 1 Of My Shopping Ban: Disaster!

2010-08-23T02:52:00.000-07:00

So my shopping ban has not been easy on me at all, and it's only been a day! Let me explain a little bit better why this ban came about:

1. Because I've already spent a lot of shopping money in a very short amount of time.
2. Because I pick up whatever I think looks good, and in a week all the stores will have recieved their new collections, which means that I'll probably go back for that.

Therefore, the ban is meant to have me wait for the new collections. It's not going well at all.

Yesterday I was at 360 Mall. For those of you who don't know, the mall has a circular structure, hence making it go around 360 degrees, and so hence the name.

From my window shopping, this is what I noticed:

Mango has some really great pieces. There was a Royal Blue satin top in specific that I was dying to pick up, but my mother did not budge with the ban!

Nothing new or special. Their collections always look very similar. I did like the carry on luggage set that they had, so if anyone's looking few a new carry on, check out the ones at Juicy.

Amazing boots!! I was so tempted to pick a pair up, but I knew that it wouldn't fly by my mum. They looked like hiking boots, yet more feminine and with a platform to it.

They were adorable, and that's the style of boots that are in. So for those of you who aren't banned from shopping, go get yourself a pair.

Horrible. It was absolutely horrible. I don't think anyone should even bother checking it out. I'll update on this when the new collection comes around, but for now there is nothing worth buying.

Karen Millen is never a disappointment. The only problem is that a lot of things from the new collection look similar to the last collection that was out. Also, they have amazing coats on sale, but they're rain coats, and therefore too thin to keep me warm in Beirut's cold. Too bad, isn't it.

On a more cheerful note, once this ban is over I will be getting a number of different things that are definitely worth the wait. I'm not going to mention what they are just yet, so you'll have to wait and see. Trust me, you don't want to miss these purchases!

I remembered also that I forgot to show you all a dress that my mother had previously bought me from River Island. I can't model it because it's completely see through and I haven't bought anything to wear under it yet, but I'm sure you can imagine what it would look like.

Finally, I had McDonalds last night. I love McD's in Beirut, but once you're used to food somewhere else, you'll never be fully satisfied by anything else.

Random thought: even though McD's tastes very different in Kuwait than Lebanon, I sat down in Caribou Coffee yesterday and I got flashbacks of being in Caribou on Hamra, the drinks taste freakishly alike!!

That's all for now, don't forget to check back to see what I'm getting after the ban!!

Pre-Shopping Surprises

2010-08-22T02:15:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's post I mentioned that I wasn't going shopping, this is because I had a little high school reunion with a bunch of my friends. It was great seeing everyone and catching up with them. It's crazy to see how much we've all changed and grown since then.

We ate at a Lebanese restaurant in Marina Mall called Ayyame.

The food was pretty good, and so was the whole atmosphere, so all in all it was a good night. I can't wait for the next gathering we have!

As I promised, just because I didn't go to a mall with the purpose of shopping or window shopping, does not mean that I don't have anything fashion related to show you all!

My mother and I have a system, due to the fact that I don't really shop that much in Beirut, every time she finds a nice piece here in Kuwait, she'll pick it up for me. Which means that every time I come back here, I always get little surprises when she shows me what she bought me. There are only 4 pieces, but I love them, so here they are:

Jacket from Express

Top from River Island

Sweater from Express

Top from River Island

Also, I finally bought a new laptop. I was initially thinking of buying myself an iPad, but after asking about 4 iPad owners what they thought about their iPads, and their reactions didn't really fit the specifications that I was looking for. It seemed like the iPad was more for entertainment than anything else, and what I needed wa a computer! So I decided to get myself a VAIO W-Series. It was a huge change from my Toshiba satellite. The first change was going from a 15.4" screen to a 10.1" screen. I bought a mini on purpose, because I wanted a laptop that I could easily slip into my purse, case and all. Let's be honest here, I'm already short, I don't need something that feels like a 5kg laptop weighing down on my shoulders (the VAIO is only 1kg). So this will be the last post I write on my Toshiba, it's been going strong since 2007, but it's time to go now.

Bye bye, Satellite.

Hello, VAIO.

That's all for today! I'm hitting 360 Mall tonight for some window shopping. I've been put on a one week ban because I've apparently spent too much so far. But I will never fail with bringing you all some fashionable news.

Skyscraper Heels & Sushi

2010-08-21T02:27:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I headed out to Marina Mall in the morning. It was the most beautiful thing I had seen!! There was close to nobody there! It was empty, and there was no noise, and no crowds pushing and shoving, and no baby strollers bumping into you. There was a clear view of the entire mall, and enough space for 5 people to walk side by side. It was amazing.

Usually, Zara would automatically cause me to repel away from it. I'm not saying this because I think that Zara doesn't have nice clothes, I'm saying this for the following reasons:

1. Zara's clothes are always of great quality, but normally look very "deja vu" in the sense that it's nothing new.
2. Everybody shops at Zara, so it's kind of hard to look original.

Yesterday, though, that's where most of my shopping took place. I found a couple of simple pieces that could be used for a number of different looks. That's one good thing about Zara, the fact that a lot of their clothes are basic, and so can be accessorized to be dressed up or dressed down. Here are the pieces that I picked up:

I love the loose fit of the sweater

I found the belt of these shorts really unique.

As you can see, I've started stocking up for the winter.

This is a very cute sweater that can be worn with almost everything. It's beige and the buttons are pearl white.

I cannot wait to add accessories to this dress!

I then made my way over to Oysho, the best place to buy undergarments! The reason I love Oysho so much is that it satisfies my Hello Kitty fetish to the fullest. While I won't be showing you all the pieces that I bought, I will show you a pair of PJ bottoms that I picked up. They just look so comfortable, and they feel equally as comfortable:

Right before I left, I left my phone number at Nine West, because I had seen a pair of shoes online that I just have to have, and that's when I realized that I needed a new pair of black heels. So I made my way to Aldo and found them! They were simple, which is what attracted me to them. All I needed were some black heels, and that's exactly what they were:

It was my sister's birthday, so we went to Edo for dinner. If you're reading this blog from Kuwait and don't know what Edo is, you should be ashamed of yourself! It is, in my opinion, the best Japanese restaurant around. The restaurant was originally a villa, giving it a very home-y feel, the food is amazing, the service is great, and price is superb compared to the quality of the food. You're getting the best tasting sushi for the best prices here; or at least that's what I've seen so far. So if anyone is not in Kuwait but plans to visit some day, don't forget to try out Edo, especially if you're a sushi lover like myself!

That's all for today. I'm off to the hairdressers to pretty myself up. There won't be any shopping done tonight, but don't worry, I never run out of fashionable things to blog about!!

The 3 C's: Coffee, Clothes, & Cheese

2010-08-20T01:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I hit mall #3: Al-Fanar Mall.

Sorry about the blurry picture, I had to take this while crossing the street!

I decided to break my "shopping to coffee" routine and start with the coffee this time. So I grabbed something at Le Notre. It's got a really nice seating area, but the coffee wasn't all that great in all honesty.

I did go to the mall in the evening, but this mall is an exception because it's almost never crowded. It was actually quite nice. I checked out Topshop and River Island, and while they had some pretty cool pieces, the material was always a disappointment. I tried on gorgeous dresses which were either completely see-through or just looked plain cheap because of the material.

Before my disappointment could hit rock bottom, I made my way across the street to H&M. While I didn't find everything I wanted from the H&M in Marina Mall, I did manage to pick up a couple of pieces for the upcoming seasons.

I got home at around 12:30am, and that's when I got the news that my mother and sister were hungry, and it was up to me to satisfy that hunger with a quick and light dish.

I'm not all too familiar with the kitchen to be honest, but I did make a promise to myself that I would become more acquainted with cooking this holiday. So I took my ass into the kitchen, and looked around to see what I could whip up in 5 minutes or less.

I found a bag of Mozzarella cheese, and a tub of fresh basil, and decided: Mozzarella salad! It was the only thing I could think of that would be done before hunger started to turn into irritation (and I'm talking about my own hunger as well!).

It was actually pretty good!! Now the presentation in the picture isn't that great, because I just chopped everything up really quickly and put it together. But since it came out tasting really good, I'm going to prepare it again sometime with a more decent presentation. All you need for the salad is: Mozzarella cheese, basil, fresh ground black pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

It's a perfect midnight snack for those who are fasting as well, because you don't really need to add salt, and therefore you won't wake up dying of thirst the next day. Have it with a piece of slightly toasted olive bread on the side, and you're good to go.

And now, the clothes from H&M!!!

I don't know why, but ruffled shirts are constantly grabbing my attention these days.

A more classic shirt, but still ruffled at the collar!

And again with the ruffles, haha. In all honesty though, it was the colour that drew me to this piece.

I bought a leather jacket for when the weather starts to turn a little bit windy. The scarf was bought because I normally cannot stand leopard print anything, but I really wanted to try it out, so I decided to start small.

This leather skirt is beautiful when worn, everyone should own one! Oh and to my big-booty girls out there, don't be alarmed when your regular size of this skirt feels too small, it's leather and we need breathing space. So pick up a bigger size feeling guilt free, God knows I did, because we're lucky enough to have some junk back there (and the good kind of junk!).

These rings came together as a set. They're really cute, and you can always mix and match with them which is great.

That's all I've got for now. I'm off to Marina Mall, this time while the sun's up so that I don't have to force my way through the mall. Oh, and Happy Birthday to my sister!! Finally 15!

Remember: Size doesn't matter, as long as you know you look good, that's all that counts.

Ramadan: The Worst Time To Shop!

2010-08-19T02:07:00.000-07:00

As it's Ramadan, you have two choices of when to go shopping. You can either go between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Or wait until 8:30pm onwards. I made the mistake of heading out to The Avenues Mall at 9:00pm last night.

My first stop was Forever 21. It was a pleasant surprise after the disappointment it was in February. I didn't come out with the usual 5 bags or more, but I did manage to properly fill up at least one shopping bag. You do have to look very carefully, because a lot of the good pieces are hidden between a mass of really unattractive pieces.

After my semi-successful buys in Forever 21, I continued on to other stores. Topshop, River Island, Express, and much more were filled with great clothes, shoes and accessories. Unfortunately, because of how crowded the mall was, I actually fell out of my shopping mood, which almost never happens!

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on my yesterday. So imagine this scene, but minus being able to actually see the floor!

I have therefore made the decision to never go shopping in the evening during Ramadan, because instead of retail therapy, you just get even more stressed out. It was horrible. This is why I am leaving my shopping for Friday and Saturday morning. There were so many great pieces, but the crowded mall completely put me off shopping.

I sat down at Paul to calm down from the near breakdown caused by the masses pushing their way through the mall. Although I'm not that big a fan of Paul in Beirut, I really enjoyed it here! I don't know why, but somehow it seems that I never know what to order in Beirut, yet as soon as I sit down at Paul here, I know exactly what to get.

In short, the stores are filled with great clothes people, so make a shopping date as soon as you can. And if you're in Kuwait, for your own safety and sanity, refrain from shopping in the evening during Ramadan!!!

Here are the things that I picked up from Forever 21.

I found this ring and could not help buying it. It looked very unique, I loved it. They kind of reminded me of brass knuckles!

Remember: shopping is supposed to be relaxing! Don't make it a chore.

A Fresh Start

2010-08-18T04:04:00.000-07:00

Since it's been ages and ages since I've posted anything, I've decided to take this blog in a slightly different direction which will allow me to post more regularly.

For those who are familiar with my blog, you would have noticed that I've tried a number of different things to do with fashion, from "who wore what"'s to "what's new on the runway".

I finally realized that the best ting for me to do was just keep a fashion and lifestyle diary! And so, this is what my blog is going to be from now on. I will still be posting about fashion and shopping, I'm just making it a little less limited now. So here's to a fresh start!

I got off of a plane at 6:30pm yesterday, landing in Kuwait. The airport was nothing short of hell, but everything that came after that was great.

I went for coffee at The Lounge. For anyone who is in Kuwait or ever visits Kuwait, this is a great place to go for a quiet coffee with someone. It's very relaxed and comfortable, and it's very rarely full. It's located in Marina Crescent in Marina Mall.

While I was there, I walked into H&M, and I got the shock of my life. There were so many things that I wanted to pick up. I was far too tired to take things into the fitting room so I decided to leave that for later, but really, H&M's new collection is great, I suggest that everyone get their behinds to the nearest H&M STAT!!

Before going home, I picked up a pair of flats by Gianna Meliani that were too cute to leave behind.

Stay tuned for more of my fashion and lifestyle diary entries!

Bag Frenzy

2010-07-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

It's summer, and we're all running around trying to do everything that we planned on doing.

Trips to the beach, a day of shopping, clubbing and pubbing, and of course, attending summer concerts.

I have come to find (and love) that cross body bags are the perfect accessory for girls on the go this summer. They're not as much of a hassle as your regular handbags, they're light and have room for the essentials, and they're also really cute! All you have to do is sling it across your body, and you're good. You have both of your hands free, and easy access to all your stuff as the bag lies perfectly on your side.

That is why I am stocking up on them at the moment, and I think all of you should do the same.

Topshop

Louis Vuitton

River Island

Cream

Also, another shopping guide for Beirut will be posted very soon. It's possible that I'm going to head out to do that tomorrow, so keep checking up for it!

"I love clothes and fashion more than music."

- Roberto Cavalli

McQueen Auction and a Special Beauty Post

2010-06-18T02:05:00.000-07:00

I know that I usually only post about fashion and style, but today I am going to make an exception and talk about beauty. I went shopping for some of my essential makeup products, and realized how important they are in a girl's life! So here is my first beauty post, enjoy!!

My daily makeup consists of a thin line of eyeliner on my top eyelid, and some mascara. It's very minimal, but makes a huge difference. It's quick, easy and effective. My favorite products to use are:

Rimmel "Exaggerate" Eyeliner

First off, liquid eyeliner is always the way to go. When I first started experimenting with makeup, I was far too scared to try liquid liner, and so always stuck to pencil eyeliners. Once I got over my fear and tried it, I instantly appreciated the difference that liquid liner makes. I like Rimmel's "Exaggerate" because it's a very rich and dark black, which means you don't have to double layer it for the full effect. Also, it stays on all day, an re-application is hardly ever needed (unless you've gotten water on it and wiped your eyes like crazy). It's no waterproof, but usually doesn't run in water unless you really wipe where the eyeliner is.

Bourjois "Volume Glamour - Ultra Black" Mascara

I have tried dozens of different brands for mascaras that really give your eyelashes volume. Most of them worked, but I ended up with very clumpy eyelashes instead of just full-looking ones. Bourjois was the answer to my prayers! The second you apply the mascara, you can see the difference with your eyelashes, and it doesn't clump at all. I really do recommend this mascara.

Now that the everyday makeup products have been covered, every girl knows that she has evening makeup essentials. It's always great to try out different things with makeup, but we all have our signature look for times when we're in a rush or are drawing a creative blank when it comes to makeup. Here are some of the products that I could never live without:

Boots No. 7 "Stay Perfect" Base

No one should ever apply eyeshadow without applying a base first. This base by Boots No. 7 is by far the best that I've tried. With this base, not only does your eyeshadow stay perfect all night long, but you can even fall asleep and wake up with your makeup looking perfect. It really does live up to it's name, trust me there have been too many times where I've fallen asleep with my makeup on, and it still looks perfect in the morning.

M.A.C "Select" Cover-Up

Everyone wants to go out and have fun after a long, tiring day. No one wants to do so with bags under their eyes. All you need is a dot of this cover up on anything from bags to pimples, and they disappear like magic. I hate the cover-ups that look too white after they're applied, and this one does just the opposite, it blends into your skin perfectly. However, for the best results, you need to use this next product on top of it.

M.A.C "Studio Fix" Powder

I don't usually like powder that you apply to your entire face, but this one is so light that it doesn't even look like you have anything on. I like to apply the powder to my face, and then with a tissue very lightly wipe off the excess in order to maintain a very natural look, while at the same time giving me a clear complexion. It's also great for nights where you're planning to be taking a lot of pictures, because as human beings we have natural oils on our faces that sometimes show in photos, but this "Studio Fix" powder is here to prevent exactly that!

Make Up Forever "Star Powder" Eyeshadow

I bought this eyeshadow 3 years ago because the sales woman was very convincing, I wasn't really interested in it. 3 years later and I'm still using this eyeshadow. It's loose powder eyeshadow and it is amazingly vibrant. It's shimmer really does give it a "stardust" feel. My favorite shade is "Pearl Gold", it manages to go with everything that I wear. Definitely a great buy.

M.A.C "Black Tied" Eyeshadow

I love this eyeshadow because when applied it looks very black, as opposed to the sad grey that a lot of eyeshadows turn into 3 hours after being applied. Also, it has a very pretty shimmer to it, making it stand out more than the boring matte black eyeshadow shades.

M.A.C. "White Frost" Eyeshadow

This eyeshadow is the perfect final touch, just dab a little bit of it under the arc of your eyebrows, and you're ready to go out. It's a beautiful colour, it's very subtle but very effective in highlighting your eyes.

In other news, a few McQueen pieces are going to be auctioned off on the 30th of June. Here are two dresses that are going to be part of the auction:

For more information about this auction, visit Bonhams.

"British fashion is self confident and fearless. It refuses to bow to commerce, thus generating a constant flow of new ideas whilst drawing in British heritage." - Alexander McQueen

Surviving The Heat In Style

2010-06-14T05:28:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, that’s for sure. How do we know this? because of the scorching heat outside. Now, the one thing that I’ve noticed is that it’s easier to play around with your fashion sense during the colder seasons, because you’re able to layer and add bits and bobs to things. When it comes to summer though, I feel like I want to be wearing the least possible amount of garments on me, because it is far too hot. Due to this, I’ve decided to dedicate this post to finding ways to look good in summer while still saving ourselves from suffering in the heat.

We all know the essentials for summer: shorts, shorts, shorts! But shorts can get quite boring eventually. Luckily, fashion doesn’t really leave room for boring. I am going to show you how to use the simplest things to your advantage, in order to save from looking plain every day.

Summer Scarves

Who said that scarves should only be worn in the cold? As long as you pick the right scarf, you’ll have the perfect accessory for the summer. A light, colourful scarf will bring life to the plain old tank top and shorts look. It’s an easy look to get, just throw the scarf on and you’re set!

Both available at Topshop

Sunglasses

As we all know, sunglasses have become a fashion accessory. They add brilliantly to an outfit, especially when there’s something striking about them. Pick up a pair in a unique colour, or mirror lens sunglasses, or even ones that are just big. They can also later be used as a hair accessory when pulled up, so it’s pretty much a win-win situation!

Dolce & Gabbana

Ray Ban

Brooches

Big, bold brooches make a huge difference. If you’re wearing a plain tank top and shorts, you can just place the brooch somewhere on the top or even shorts (Don’t just place it at the top where people usually place their brooches, place it somewhere different, like at the bottom or on the pocket of your shorts). This gives a very funky feel to the outfit.

Both available at Topshop

Sandals

This season, the sandals I have been seeing are far from the standard sandals we were used to. This is perfect, because they really do liven up an outfit. Get yourself a pair of sandals that are different to what you would usually wear, trust me, they’ll look great and they’ll add amazingly to whatever you’re wearing.

Aldo

Kurt Geiger

I’ll leave it at that for now. I hope you all enjoyed this!

"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to change it every 6 months" - Oscar Wilde

Tribute Top and Getting Ready For Fall

2010-06-13T03:49:00.000-07:00

I was in Saifi Village yesterday, and I decided to look around at the stores. When in Cream, I found this really cute thing they were doing, where they had some really nice tank tops with flags of different countries on them for the World Cup. Amidst those tank tops, I found another one I really liked… and so had to pick up. It’s a white tank top with the British flag on it, and on the flag it says “Tribute to McQueen”. I absolutely adored it, tried it on, and adored it even more. The nice thing about it is that it’s not a standard tank top, and therefore can be worn in different ways to create different looks. It can even be worn as bar casual, or dressed up for a chilled out lounge. Here it is!

I also picked up British Vogue, and saw that regardless of the scorching heat outside, designers already released their pre-collections for fall, and I am going to share the new (or recycled) trends for fall 2010.

Seeing Red…

No, they’re not talking about a deep blood-red, we’re talking about bright, flashy, red carpet-red. It’s back for the colder seasons, and even brighter than ever. I think everyone should own something red this Fall, this way we can all contribute by adding colour to the dark tones of Fall and Winter.

Michael Kors

Valentino

Pull Them Up…

High-waist trousers are still in, so don’t throw them out just yet! I remember very clearly when I would refuse to wear anything but my low-rise jeans, specifically the ones that had only one button. Now, most of my pants are high-waist. What’s the plus side of high-waist trousers? They give you length.

Celine

At Ease…

One more thing that doesn’t need to be stashed in the back of your closet this Fall: the Military trend. It’s back, and it looks like it’s going to make quite a statement. The jackets, the pencil skirts, the earthy colours… I love them! So if you missed out on the trend last time, here’s your chance to sport the look before it dies out for another 9 years.

Burberry Prorsum

Dior

Roll Them Down…

You better wear your miniskirts every day of this summer, because come fall, they’re not the skirts to be sporting. This fall, it’s the midi length that’s going to be taking over the fashion scene. I know this length doesn’t suit everyone, especially someone who’s my height, but there are ways to pull it off. Note to all my short girls out there: when it comes to midi length skirts, bu6y the pencil skirts, not the loose ones. Buy the high-waist skirts, not the regular ones. And finally, never leave the house without your heels if you’ve decided to wear a midi skirt!

Bottega Veneta

Alberta Ferretti

Jungle Fever…

Unfortunately for me, Leopard Prints are back. I have never owned anything with leopard print, and I doubt I will be doing so any time soon. I usually give in to trends shortly after I’ve seen enough of them to grow fond of them, but my fashion sense will definitely be putting up a fight with this one. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m not that impressed.

Emilio Pucci

Lanvin

Now that we've followed the fashion industry's rules, and took a quick look at what's in store for Fall, the next few posts will be dedicated to summer, as I'm sure we are all feeling the heat at the moment.

"Happy, happy fashion - there is not much more to it than that." - Marc Jacobs

CFDA 2010 Fashion Awards : Winners

2010-06-12T02:18:00.000-07:00

For those of you who remember, I had previously posted the CFDA Fashion Awards nominees. Well, on the 7th of June the awards were given out, and here are the winners!

Women's Designer of the Year:

Marc Jacobs

Men's Designer of the Year:

David Neville & Marcus Wainwright (Rag & Bone)

Accessory Designer of the Year:

Alexis Bittar

Swarovski Young Design (for women) Award:

Jason Wu

Swarovski Young Design (for men) Award:

Richard Chai

Swarovski Young Accessory Design Award:

Alexander Wang

2010 MTV Movie Awards

2010-06-07T01:58:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, the MTV Movie Awards took place last night. As always, when we have big celebrity events, we have an endless number of stars who fall victim to fashion-analysis. So here we go with some of the attendees of the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.

Katy Perry

I'm not that fond of the dress, but it's not that bad. The whole "nothing but diamonds" look is getting a little bit boring, if you ask me, because more and more celebrities are going for it, and now it's just a tad over done. The blue hair is an interesting change, and I like the way it makes her eyes pop. The one thing I absolutely HATE about this whole thing has to be her nails. Yellow should not be put on nails in the first place, and matching it with this outfit is just a horrible disaster.

Jessica Biel

She looks absolutely beautiful, as usual. At a first glance, it looks like a very simple and classy outfit: a white shirt tucked in under a black, high-waist skirt. However, when you look closer you see all the fun little quirks about the outfit. I have to say that my favorite part is the belt, it adds a little colour to the outfit while able to stay subtle.

Lindsay Lohan

Her outfit makes me feel like I'm back in the 70's, and someone had a very bad encounter with a disco ball. It's not that bad, honestly, but I don't think it's something to be worn to the MTV Movie Awards, it's more like something you would save for Halloween. I don't really like how there's a very obvious like between the colours, I would have preferred it more if it faded from grey to white

Vanessa Hudgens

I really like this dress on her. It's very cute and feminine, it goes perfectly with her look and personality. I really like the silver on the sides and the embroidery. I can't find anything about this dress that I don't like (except for the fact that I'm not too fond of Ms. Hudgens, but the dress shouldn't suffer for that) so I'm going to leave it with a two thumbs up.

Scarlett Johansson

There is no doubt that Scarlett Johansson is absolutely stunning, and that she always dresses to impress. While this dress is simple and elegant, I'm not a fan of it on her. I feel like it takes away from her height. The dress makes her look like she's being cut off at the knee. Conclusion: the dress and Johansson are both stunning, but separately.

Christina Aguilera

The chains are interesting, and the top of the dress is beautiful. It's the bottom that's bothering me. It's not the style, I really like dresses that are short at the front and long at the bottom, it's the material of the skirt. I don't like how it's shiny, and at some parts multi-coloured. Great top, horrible bottom. But the shoes are great!

Those were the most interesting dresses that I've seen so far, if I come across any more, I'll be sure to post them!

Pictures from: thisis50.com

Fashion is not frivolous. It is a part of being alive today. - Mary Quant

Celebrity Focus: Lady Gaga. News on McQueen's label.

2010-06-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I’ve been trying to avoid talking about Lady Gaga when it comes to fashion. The reason behind this is that sometimes I’m not even sure if I like what she’s wearing, or if I think it’s absolutely horrible. However, Gaga is showing up more and more on the news because of her fashion sense, and the Brit Awards in February were the starting factor of me considering finally taking on Lady Gaga’s fashion. So here I am, and here are the dresses:

I decided to start with this outfit, as it was the most simple out of all the ones I picked out. I really like it; I love the low v-neckline and the very fresh pink. The shoes provide the dark, solid colour needed to break the pink, making sure that it’s not too overwhelming. So far, so good for Ms. Gaga.

Although this dress has the basic structure of the previous, including the low neckline and hints of the same pink colour, I am not a fan of this outfit at all. I’m not sure if she was trying to look cute by wearing a Muppet head, but it just looks a bit frightening to me.

Since we’re on the topic of frightening, here’s another one. It’s great that Lady Gaga is unconventional when it comes to fashion, and that she does really well when trying to make a statement. But bondage? Really? Maybe the dress would look alright, but that mask makes her looks like a potential serial killer.

Frightening outfit number 3 consists of a ‘hair-skirt’. First of all, the dress looks like it’s cutting all circulation from her upper body… someone needs to make sure her dress fits before wearing it out in public. Secondly, the hair is really creepy. This isn’t even creative; this just makes my skin crawl.

I really like this dress. I love the origami feel of it. Now this is a bold, statement that I am glad Lady Gaga made, because she pulls it off and looks fabulous without looking plain and boring. This is the Lady Gaga that I would like to see more of.

This outfit confuses me. She looks like she’s naked, and someone wrapped her in bubble-wrap to save her the embarrassment of being nude on stage. I’m not too fond of this one. Some may look at it as art, but to me it just looks like Gaga was trying too hard to shock the world with her outfit.

For some reason, every time I see this picture, I get an image of Chanel’s little black dress. I’m not trying to compare Lady Gaga’s style to Chanel though. It’s just that to me, this picture looks like a more modern spin-off of the traditional Chanel cocktail dress. Very nicely done.

I am absolutely loving this outfit on Gaga. It just oozes this rock star feeling. I think she carries herself really well in this, despite the fact that it’s quite plain compared to the rest of her wardrobe. Sometimes it’s alright to go simple.

I am actually not going to comment on her dress here, because it looks like something anyone would choose to wear, but her hair. The hair looks like it’s ready for appetizers to be put on top of it and served to the audience. I got used to Lady Gaga tying her hair into a bow, but this is too much for me to get used to.

Who wouldn’t want an outfit that shot flames out of the chest? But that’s not the worst part of the dress, moving downwards, it disturbs me how little this outfit covers. Gaga, very few of us are interested in seeing what you’re willing to show, please put it away.

As if that was bad, this is the outfit that drove me to put Lady Gaga in the spotlight for this post. The infamous outfit worn to the Brit Awards. This outfit is obviously trying to make a statement as a response to people gossiping about Lady Gaga being a man. Alright Gaga, we believe that you’re a real woman, head to toe. Honestly, she needs to save a little something for the imagination.

Also, I just thought it would be interesting to mention this: I’ve heard a lot of people comparing Lady Gaga to Christina Aguilera, calling her a Christina look-alike. But has no one else noticed how similar she looks to Judith Light (Who’s the Boss)?

For some closing news, for those of you who didn’t already know, Alexander McQueen’s replacement has been announced. His long-time colleague of 12 years, Sarah Burton, will be taking over the McQueen label. When rumors first surfaced about who his replacement was going to be, I was definitely rooting for Ms Burton, as she had been around McQueen the most, and would definitely do a good job in carrying on with the label.

Also, if you enjoyed my Celebrity Focus post, you’ll be glad to know that I am going to post a Celebrity Focus piece every Tuesday and Thursday, picking different celebrities each time. If you didn’t enjoy the post, however, let me know in the comment box so as to avoid me boring away any readers that I have!

Picutres from thefablife.com

"I don't design clothes. I design dreams." - Ralph Lauren

Back.. again. Birthday Bargain Shopping, and THE Dress!

2010-06-01T23:10:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I might have lied a little bit in my last post by saying that I was going to be more active, but I’m almost done with my finals which means that it’s going to become a reality very soon!

I will be having a very refreshing break from my finals though, as it’s my birthday on Saturday! The only reason I am mentioning this is because… I obviously went shopping for the occasion!

Before I went shopping, I sat down and thought about what exactly it was that I was looking for. I ended up deciding that I want a simple dress that looked a little different from what I would usually wear. Additionally, as this birthday is my 21^st, I knew for a fact that something would either be spilled on or burn my dress in the celebration process (I’m very clumsy), and therefore I did not want to spend hundreds of dollars on a birthday dress. What does that mean? That’s right, another ‘bargain shopping’ post for Beirut!

I found my dress on Hamra, in a store called Duroc (I’m guessing because that’s what the bag says, but I’ll update it if I’m mistaken), it’s next to Starbucks. The funny thing is, it was the store with the worst display I have ever seen. I normally would not have gone in, but after looking at so many horrible stores with sad excuses for dresses (I tried on a white dress in one store, and it was completely see through!!) I was desperate enough to give it a chance. The front of the shop slightly depressed me, until I got to the back where the dresses were. I actually pulled out 6 great dresses to try on out of that little hole-in-the-wall. The prices are very reasonable, my dress was only LL 92,000, and my goal was to find a dress under $100 so that if anything were to happen to it, it wouldn’t be that much of a loss. I am very much considering going back for another dress that I really liked. So, I have a message to send: don’t judge a store by its window display; it is very possible that the old woman who owns it just has really bad taste.

On to the shoes! Another hole in the wall, or rather hole in the ground. This store is slightly more eye-catching on Hamra, it’s called Rubi and it is a store which sells bags, shoes, and faux bijoux. I saw a pair of shoes in the window and thought they looked amazing, and so I went inside. I have to admit, there are a whole bunch of “hooker shoes”, as I’ve heard them being called, but there is an equal balance of shoes that people would actually wear. I tried the shoes on and loved them. Now came the moment of truth, finding out how much it cost. I definitely wasn’t going to spend more money on shoes than I did on the dress, because I was more than certain that by the end of the night, knowing me, something would go terribly wrong with the shoes on my feet. Imagine my excitement when I was told that the shoes were only $50! Obviously, I bought them immediately.

Moving away from bargain shopping, I finally picked up the dress that I bought for my cousin’s wedding. (This is my proof that I have been very busy, as I bought the dress in April, and only picked it up last week). It is perfect. They tailored it to fit me exactly, and I love it even more that I did when I first bought it, so here it is!

Dress: 5th Avenue, Le Mall

Gaza: investigate the raid, end the blockage. Sign the petition

Dressing is a way of life - Yves Saint Laurent

Feels Like Summer!

2010-05-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

I know that I haven’t been blogging as frequently, in fact I haven’t posted anything in a while. There is a very good reason for this though. It’s almost the end of the semester, so I have heaps of work to get done. Another thing is that I’ve joined a gym. I never thought it would be possible, but I did. So those are the factors in my life that are taking away from my blogging time. I am not giving up though, I’m going to try and make some time from now on.

Whether the weather likes it or not, summer is here. Everyone is tanned again, and Riviera is back to its old self: filled with oiled up university students standing in the pool with a drink in hand, while slightly moving to the music. As summer so obviously comes with beach time, I’ve decided to dedicate this post to summer 2010’s swimsuit trends.

Cutaway Monokinis

Gottex

Max Azria

Max Azria

Note: if you’re a tanning junkie, these swimsuits are NOT for you! Cutaway “monokinis” are for those who like to go to the beach in style. They’re really funky, and can give off a very sexy vibe. You have to be careful picking yours out though, because a little extra flesh exposed can turn that sexy look into a skanky one.

One-shoulder bikinis

Marios Schwab

Victoria's Secret

I personally love the “off the shoulder” look when it comes to clothes, and now we can get this look with swimwear. These one-shoulder bikinis are very cute, and come in a number of different styles. The only thing I would worry about is how supportive that one strap is, as I have a very bad history with bikini tops slipping off. If I can find a way to secure that this style of swimwear will stay on me at all times, I am definitely buying myself one!

Colours, colours, colours!

Ed Hardy

Forever 21

Forget that simple black bikini, this summer it’s all about standing out in vibrant colours. I don’t know how well that’s going to work with me, since I’m someone who is very dedicated to black, but I’m willing to give it a shot because the colourful bikinis that I’ve been seeing at the beach are too cute for words.

Plunging necklines

Hurley

Jessica Simpson Swimwear

Poko Pano

They were in for a while, and now they’re back. Again, this is not the best choice for sun soaking girls, as it will leave you with a very awkward tan line. However, these will d great for beach parties, which come pouring in with the summer heat. There are many different styles and these are often accessorized, making them not so practical for swimming, yet perfect for partying.

Vests?

True Religion

I’m unsure about this trend. I’m actually leaning heavily towards disliking this trend, but I night grow into it. For now, all I’m going to say is: it looks like it would be quite hard trying to swim in a vest. What do you guys think about this trend?

Stay tuned, as I will be searching the streets of Beirut (and possibly beyond) throughout the week for stores that hold all of these very in and very stylish swimsuits!!

And finally, check me out on Chanty's Blog. And definitely check out Beirut Beauty, the other blog mentioned with mine!!

Sources:

Fashionising.com

About.com: Petite Fashion

Seven Carats - All That Shimmers

2010-04-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Seven Carats is an online store, founded by Layal Chemaitelly. She is also the designer of all Seven Carats items, and they are all her original ideas. Shipping will not be a problem for anyone, as Seven Carats ships all over the world via DHL. You must now be thinking, "that's great and all, but what is Seven Carats?"

My cousin told me about SC very briefly, and I decided to go online and check it out myself. When I did, I have to say I was extremely impressed. It is an online accessory store! Not only are the designs breathtaking (not to mention hand-made), but there is also an enormous variety of items that SC offers. Here is a list of items that can be found at SC:

Divine Scripture Covers – These are covers for Holy Books, customized to suit almost any personality!

Mobiles/Laptops/iPods/Cameras/Cars/Keys/Lighters – SC crystallizes all mentioned items with your choice of colour and design, and in the case that you don’t really know what you’re looking for, they are willing to discuss some ideas with you until you are satisfied with a design.

Other – There is even a crystallized “argeeleh” available online, it’s just too cute!

All crystals are guaranteed Swarovski crystals, and the items and designs vary between different styles and budgets. Definitely check out the site as there are a number of great pieces up for grabs.

Something I’d like everyone to notice is the extra tab at the bottom of the website which reads “Give Back to the World”; this takes you to a page with a form to fill out in order to make donations to the needy. I think that it is absolutely great that people are still taking the initiative to raise awareness about those who are in need.

In conclusion: Ms Layal Chemaitelly is an amazingly creative designer, an impressive businesswoman, and someone with a big heart. Additionally, everyone should visit the site because trust me you will find at least one thing that you'll really like.

Due to my lack of inspiration yesterday, I do not have an outfit shot, but I did learn one thing: You can make ripped jeans and a white tank top look good by simply over-accessorizing, so stock up on that jewelry!

Also, the blogs that I spoke about yesterday are available on my sidebar under "Blogs I Follow", look out for more to be added soon.

"A fashion that does not reach the streets

is not a fashion." - Coco Chanel

(Note: All pictures obtained from Sevencarats.com, and are copyrighted by Seven Carats)

Fashion Bloggers to Follow!

2010-04-26T22:56:00.000-07:00

I personally enjoy reading a lot of fashion blogs, and that's the reason that I'm currently following 20+ of them. I use Bloglovin to stay up to date with all the blogs that I follow, and with Bloglovin, you see the title of the blog and then the beginning of the post. I will click on a post judging by how interesting it looked at first glance. So, over the past few days, I've been keeping track of all the posts that I've read and which blog they belong to, and I've constructed a list of must-read blogs!

So, if you enjoy reading fashion blogs, here are some that I recommend you check out (Click the titles for links!) :

Beauty and the Budget

I fell in love with this blog. It was one of my favorites from when I first started to discover different fashion bloggers. The thing that I love about it is that it targets high school and college girls (therefore making sure to stick to a reasonable budget when talking about fashion) yet does not let the money-factor affect how great the items being shown look!

Tweet

In all honesty, the reason I first took a look at this blog was its name “Tweet”. It put a smile on my face. My smile then grew when I started to go through the blog. It is generally very image heavy, but not in the bad sense where the pictures look like they’re there just to fill up some empty spots. The pictures are not only relevant, but inspiring and very pretty to just look at. It’s a great blog to follow, you won’t be disappointed!

The Clothes Horse

This blog is definitely inspiring. The outfit shots are brilliant and even a lot of the other pictures posted up there will trigger some sort of fashion inspiration from within. It’s a great place to get ideas of what to wear, and generally a good way to put you in a cheerful mood!

Cakes and Lace

Just the name of this blog excites me, come on now… cakes and lace! This blog is the perfect place to check out all of the new, strange, and funky aspects of the fashion world. I am about a million percent sure that if you’re into haute couture, you are going to love this blog.

Not only do these girls have great blogs, but I contacted them and they are lovely people. Usually when I read blogs that are out of this world, the bloggers seem intimidating, but they really are sweethearts.

Sneak Peek for tomorrow: I will be devoting my entire blog post to a certain company that I stumbled across yesterday. All I am going to say is this: if you like adding "bling" to just about everything you own, and love unique pieces of jewelry, you should check out tomorrow's post!

Once again, here's my outfit from yesterday:

Top: Zara

Vest: Topshop

Pants: River Island

Necklace: Forever 21

Bangles: Forever 21/H&M

"I think fashion is about suspense and surprise and fantasy.

It's not about rules." - Wolfgang Joop

Shoes - Never Enough

2010-04-26T00:14:00.000-07:00

I decided to focus on shoes today, and this will somehow add to the Beirut shopping guide, as I am going to be telling you the place which I refer to as "shoe heaven".

It's gotten a bit to warm for boots now, and yet still a little too chilly for sandals, so what do we wear? The oh-so-cute "ballerina shoes" come in handy during this time of the year. Of course, one would want to stock up on them, and have them in just about every colour possible, right? Well, at Sport et Loisir in Verdun, I managed to get myself 3 very cute shoes for only LL 49,000 each (not on sale!). I also found a few cute ones next door in Bershka going for the same price. So if you need a pair, get down there as soon as possible! LL 49,000 as a starting price is definitely a great find. Here are some of the ones that I bought:

(Sport et Loisir)

(Bershka)

Now for news that will excite those who, like me, enjoy reading fashion blogs. I am currently following 20+ fashion blogs, thanks to Bloglovin (seriously, a savior in the blogging world!), and have been marking down the number of times each blog has posted something that caught my interest. So, tomorrow I will be posting a list of my "Top Blogs", and I do recommend that everyone interested should check out the blogs that I am going to put up.

Finally, yesterday's outfit, let me know what you think!

Top: Zara

Shorts: New Look

Necklace: Henry's Handmade

Shoes: Sport et Loisir

Bracelet: Diva at Miss Selfridge

"Fashion is very important.

It is life enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure,

it is worth doing well." - Vivienne Westwood

Crown Outlets, Alexander McQueen and Wikifashion

2010-04-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

What is the greatest find for those who are looking to buy more for less? Any store or event that includes the word “outlet”! Luckily, Crowne Plaza in Hamra (the hotel that Roadsters is in) is giving us just that, for 3 days.

The clothes that are going to be available are from the spring summer collections, and include brands like:

Bebe
Fred Perry
Hollister-California
Juicy Couture
Ed Hardy
Christian Audigier
Abercrombie & Fitch
True Religion

They guarantee prices of at least 50% less than the original price. The open house will be taking place in Crowne Plaza Hotel (1^st floor) on Friday 30^th April (11am – 10pm), Saturday 1^st May (11am – 10pm), and Sunday 2^nd May (11am – 7pm).

Remember, this is an open house event, not a store. So if anyone is interested, make sure you catch it on any of the three dates. I think it would be interesting to look around and see. The beauty of shopping is that even in a sea of clothes that could never be worn there will always be that one piece that fits you perfectly. So go check it out!

I have 2 news items before I end. The first is a sneak peek at Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2010 shoes, only 3 of them are being shown, but they are definitely worth the look. As usual his genius came into play when designing these shoes, it’s so sad to know that his designs came to an end so soon. Here are the shoes. (Thank you for bringing this to my attention, you know who you are!)

The other piece of news is this: Wikifashion.

I’m sure just about everybody in the world is familiar with Wikipedia. Well, now we have something called Wikifashion! To quote the main page would be the perfect way to explain what this site is here for:

“Wikifashion is a project created for and by the fashion community. It is where you can find and catalogue anything fashion related, such as blogs, style icons, brands, and magazines. You can start contributing or editing existing articles by creating an account.”

So, to all the other fashion bloggers or fashion followers, if you would like to see this unlimited supply of fashion resources, sign up and contribute a little. A little bit from everyone will eventually build one of the best fashion encyclopedias online!

And finally, here is yesterday’s outfit!

Sweater: Warehouse

Top: Topshop

Pants: Dorothy Perkins

Shoes: Sport et Loisir

Watch: Toy Watch

Bracelet: Cream

"Fashion is never in crisis because

clothes are always necessary."

- Achille Maramotti

Day 3: Saifi Village... and a little extra.

2010-04-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

I went to Saifi Village yesterday, for some reason every time I go there I can't help but smile. I think it's all the colours in the stores that I go into! My first stop was Cream, I absolutely love that store. Unfortunately I had put myself on a budget before I went there, because I really shouldn't be buying any more things at the moment, but I did buy 2 small items. If you love bright colours, weird designs, and things that will make you stand out, then Cream is where you should be shopping. It's very funky and up to date with the latest trends. It's technically a high-street fashion store, so the prices are a little but over the average, but the pieces are worth the buy. Along with all the wearables, they sell books and magazines that they feel appeal to their customers. It's a great place to go and check out.
I bought a bracelet from there. I also bought a book, despite all the negative comments among a sea of a 50-50 "yes/no" divide, I wanted to decide for myself whether or not I like the book "Why Men Marry Bitches".

My next stop was a store called Sun Flowers. It's technically the same idea as Cream, very bright colours and unique pieces. There was one thing that stood out for me there though, clutches in bright colours with metal plates of Arabic calligraphy on them. They are beautiful!! I will be going back for one when I've had a long enough break from shopping, haha. I think everyone should go and see these clutches, they're really great.

Now for some news. Due to an overflow of exams, presentations, and projects, I may not be able to check out stores on a daily basis. So, my shopping guide will be spread out rather than come one after the other. Because of this, I'm adding something new that will ensure a daily post from me. A new mission along with this one, except this mission is called: Mission Dress to Impress. This mission consists of me taking a picture of my every day outfits and sharing them with all of you. The two reasons I am doing this is as follows:

1. I do not want to slack off when it comes to this blog!
2. I feel like my style is getting too plain and boring, and this will motivate me to spice it up!

So, I will leave you with yesterday's outfit, and come back for more tomorrow!

Thursday, 22nd April, 2010.

Blazer: Zara

Tank top: New Look

Harem pants: Topshop

Shoes: New Look

Necklace: Freedom at Topshop

"When a person is in

fashion, all they do is right."

- Lord Chesterfield

(No more "tweet your comment" link... because I fixed my comment box!)

New Wardrobe Arrived!

2010-04-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

After a long, long wait, my clothes have finally arrived!
Despite the fact that not everything I specifically ordered was available, I trusted my mother's taste in clothes and was right to do so. I fell in love with every single piece.
Also, along with my clothes came my camera charger which I forgot back home in February. So now, there will be a lot more pictures to go along with all the writing.

Here is my new wardrobe

Top: Topshop

Shorts: H&M

Dress: Topshop

Overall Dress: River Island

Top: Zara

Shorts: Miss Selfridge

Top: Zara

Vest: Topshop

Pants: Topshop

Dress: Xanaka

Necklace: Freedom at Topshop

Bracelet: Diva at Miss Selfridge

(I'm not sure where this piece is from, but will update when I do!)

Sunglasses: Mirror Lens from Ray Ban

I hope you enjoyed that just as much as I did !!

"The only rule is don't be boring

and dress cute wherever you go.

Life is too short to blend in." - Paris Hilton

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Day 2: Hamra

2010-04-21T00:36:00.000-07:00

Alright., so I went back to look for those unnoticed stores I was raving about in my post yesterday.

The first one was the dress shop. I personally bought a dress from there in Christmas, and it was beautiful. The quality isn't bad at all, of course it isn't the best, but it isn't bad for a dress that will probably be worn while clubbing, and is therefore prone to getting cigarette burns and vodka stains on it. I got it for only LL 50,000 which was a really good deal for the dress. This place is right next to Nando's on Hamra, and it's called Vittoria.

The next shop was the one that blew my mind. I went back yesterday and was slightly disappointed. Half of the store was filled with fake Louis Vuitton and Chanel purses, which means that you can't really ensure that the quality of the pieces they have will be any good. However, the fluorescent purses that I mentioned yesterday were going for $100 whereas the "better quality" ones (I guess) were going for about $200-$300. So if you don't mind carrying it around for only one season, it's worth buying it from this store. They also have a lot of cute bracelets with leather straps. I think that everyone should at least check it out once, because if you look hard enough you'll definitely find something you like. This store is located across the street from Marrouch, but a little further down from it, it's called Lolita Bijoux.

And that is Hamra street covered. Tomorrow there will be a special post concerning an entire new wardrobe which I will be receiving today (FINALLY!!!) and after that I will continue my shopping guide, next target: Saifi Village.

"Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress on their days off that are the most intriguing."

- Alexander Wang

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Day 1: Hamra

2010-04-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a walk down Hamra street, looking at all the different stores that were there. I did see a few that I liked, some were the cliche stores that everyone enjoys going to, and others were not as noticed.

A store that I feel all girls should go to is Pieces. It's an accessory shop that everybody in Lebanon should know, since it's the jewelry that is usually found in Vero Moda, except now they have an entire section for themselves. They have a lot of cute things for very affordable prices. I bought myself a waist belt with a little ribbon in the middle for only LL 25,000... so worth it!

Of course, then comes H&M. I worked at H&M for around 2 months in the summer of 2007 (outside of Lebanon), and when I had gone to H&M here during its first month of being open, I noticed that a lot of the items were old season pieces that they were trying to get rid of. Now, though, it is finally in-sync with the branches abroad and are up to date with the latest collections. Again, they have very affordable prices for pieces that are practical to have for every day wear.

Further down Hamra, I saw a few unknown stores that caught my eye. These stores are the kind that you have to go to with a bucket of patience, because you might go through an entire rack of dresses that you would never think of wearing, and finally come across an absolutely beautiful piece. Today, I am going to take yet another stroll down Hamra street and devote my attention to those places, what they're called, and where they're exactly located.

Another store I enjoy going into is towards the end of Hamra street and onto Sadat Street. If you walk up that street, slightly forward from Mashrou7a, there's a little boutique called Catwalk. They frequently change their window display, and every time I walk by there's always a dress that I'm interested in. The price range is reasonable, with dresses averaging at the price of $100. So if you're looking for a dress to wear at night for a dinner or party, Catwalk would be a great place to look.

Finally, the store that blew my mind. I had done my shopping and was walking around, not paying attention to the stores, until I saw THE store. The only problem is this: I cannot remember the name of the store! I do remember where it is though, so I am taking the responsibility of going back today, getting the name of the store and taking my time looking around in there. It is a little hole in the wall in from of Marroush, and I did not expect to see the pieces that were available there. Everything was so bright and so fresh. They had the bright fluorescent coloured shoulder bags that you can just sling on across your chest (going for $100 each). From the window I also saw a lot of interesting jewelry and clutch purses. Seeing as this has been my longest description of a store in this post, it is obvious how excited I got when I found it. I am dragging myself back down there today for a more detailed post about it (along with all the other unknown stores that I mentioned earlier) tomorrow.

In conclusion, it doesn't really seem like it from the outside, but dig deep within Hamra and you will find stores you had never noticed existed. Check back tomorrow for a post on unnoticed stores in Hamra.

"Every day is a fashion show

and the world is your runway."

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Mission: Where to Shop

2010-04-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

I had become accustomed to leaving all of my shopping for when I go back home. I usually travel back from Beirut, do all my shopping for the upcoming season, and come back. This year came as a shock to me, as I was not able to fly back home to do my spring shopping. Because of this, I am going on another mission.

One of the advantages of shopping back home is that I can shop with my mother, and therefore I did not really limit my purchases to essential pieces that can be worn more than once in different ways. So, when I tried shopping here on my own, it was a complete disaster. Over the next two days, I am going on Mission: Where to Shop. I am going to cover Hamra street and Saifi Village, in search of shops with items that university students like myself can make use of.

I will be looking for single affordable pieces that can be worn multiple times and can be manipulated into a number of different looks, along with looking for pieces that I feel are "must-haves". In short, my next two blog posts will be shopping guides for university students in Lebanon, suffering from the "shopping confusion" disease. I feel like somebody should take on this responsibility, and since I have gone through this disease and know how heartbreaking it can be for shopaholics, I am going to carry this responsibility.

Stay tuned for shopping updates, and a special blog post on Wednesday (details about this later).

"I don't do fashion, I am fashion."

- Coco Chanel

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Mission: Accomplished

2010-04-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

I went on my hunt for a dress today, and I found one! It was in the store Fifth Avenue in Le Mall. There were so many beautiful dresses, and for all kinds of occasions. To me, the number of really nice dresses overcame the number of dresses that weren't so great, and that's hard to find these days. It's a great store for evening dresses, so if anyone has an occasion coming up, I really suggest Fifth Avenue.
I'm having my dress altered so I'll be posting pictures when it's ready.

Cream - Saifi Village

Before going to Le Mall, I went to Saifi Village. During the summer, I had heard about Cream, a really interesting boutique. I kept trying to find out where it was, never did find out, and forgot about it. Today, I finally found it thanks to a friend of mine who thought I'd be interested in the store. I absolutely loved it. I was in a rush, so I only looked at evening dresses, but I'm going back tomorrow morning to look around more. It was so colourful, I couldn't help but smile the entire time I was in there!

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Reiss

2010-04-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

I know I have been quite inactive lately, but that can be blamed on university. I am going to commit myself a tad more to this blog though. I actually felt useless while inactive.

Now that I've said that... on to the fashion related news. I have been looking for a dress to wear at my cousin's wedding, and couldn't find much. The dresses I tried on were either too long, didn't look as good as they did on the hanger, or weren't in my size.

I was planning on continuing my search for a dress on Saturday, and still might, but my mother sent me a picture of a dress that she thought would look nice.

Reiss

Apparently it's not as nice in the picture as it is in real life. I like the colour, and since the wedding is going to be in the summer it'll go good with a tan and gold accessories. I'm going to have it shortened, also. According to my mum, the colour looks more like an orange-pearl colour, so I'm excited to see it.

I'm still going to be looking around for dresses though, so I have a feeling either a dress post is coming up, or a rant about how I can never find any dresses!

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D&G : Beirut Souks

2010-04-10T01:57:00.000-07:00

A lot of new stores are opening up in Beirut Souqs, Downtown – Lebanon. It is probably one of my preferred places to go shopping here in Lebanon at the moment. Not only are there a number of new stores setting base there, but the collections are finally in sync with the collections being launched worldwide. So, what exactly does this mean? It means that we are finally receiving what the rest of the world is receiving on time!!!

No more of the late season collections, no more looking for items online and not finding them in the stores in Lebanon. Now, more and more things are available, and I absolutely love it. In honor of these up to date stores, I’m going to dedicate this post to D&G by Dolce and Gabbana.

While Dolce and Gabbana is a more high end designer label, D&G focuses on the more casual aspect of fashion. D&G allows us to buy great pieces designed by Dolce and Gabbana, yet are wearable in everyday life, unlike the more formal and couture items found at Dolce and Gabbana.

Here are some of my favorite D&G pieces

I really like the shade of green here, it's very bright and fresh. The black straps are interesting as well, they give the dress a unique look.

This is just adorable. It's very feminine and I'm loving the ivory colour. This is a skirt that can be dressed up or dressed down, very practical!

I love blazers, and I love bows. I own blazers, bows, and blazers with bows on them. So it's no surprise that this piece caught my eye. I like contrast of the pastel colour and the solid black bow.

This is a very cute, very fun dress. It's something to wear when you have a formal event on a sunny day. It screams "spring is here!".

This might look like an odd choice, but I absolutely love this shirt. It's an over-sized, lace up shirt. It reminds me of pirates, which made it all the more interesting to me. I would love to match a shirt like this with a pair of

denim high waist shorts.

Floral Print: My Apology

2010-04-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I might have been a little harsh about floral print in my previous post. Now that I’ve calmed down from my shopping disaster, I will take the time to fully explain my feelings towards this trend.

I realized that I wasn’t being completely fair after I had posted a poll about floral print on IFB. Most of the responses were positive ones regarding this trend, and one girl said that she was wearing a floral dress at the moment that she was replying. If so many people are interested in floral, then it can’t be half bad, right?

Now for my explanation: I enjoy floral print under certain conditions (no matter what, criticism must come out of me). If the print is big, then I don’t mind the floral being in bold colours against a darker background. If the print is small, though, I would rather the colours be more neutral and subtle. Here are a few examples of, in my personal opinion, the good and the bad of floral.

This dress is something I would wear. The floral print is big, the colours are very bold, and the background is dark. This, to me, is a great way to pull of floral. Forever 21

This is a little bit too much for me. I don't think I would ever pick something like this up. For me, it's too busy. The flowers are everywhere and there's a splatter of colours, it's a little too intense. H&M

This is what I like to call "boring floral". The print is small and almost blending into itself. The colours are dull and depressing. Other than the cut of the top, there is nothing at all appealing or flattering about it. This is a definite no when it comes to floral. H&M

This is an example of small print that I do like. The floral print is in very neutral colours, the background is a vibrant red, which dominates and overcomes the floral print, taming it even more. The belt is a great way to break the big solid block of pattern. All in all, a very cute dress. Forever 21

I don't particularly like this top. I feel that the colour is too bland, and the flowers are too sparsely scattered for the combination of print size and colour. There's just nothing that stands out to me about this top. Topshop

Now, this print on a skirt or even a day dress would look fantastic. Light colours against a white background, it's very fresh and a great way to wear floral. However, this combination of floral and vintage is not working out at all. For me, a shirt like that is in no need of that much pattern. One of them needs to go! Topshop

That would be my honest opinion about floral print. As I had expected, I did get sucked into the trend. Thankfully, though, it happened with limits.

Spring: A Tragedy for Party People and an Invasion of Floral Print

2010-04-05T02:15:00.000-07:00

I have spent most of the past 2 days in stores and shopping malls, on a mission to find a dress for my friend to wear on her 21st birthday. It must have been the most frustrating time I have ever gone shopping. She wasn't the one who was frustrating me though, it was actually all the stores.

I love shopping, and I'm a firm believer of retail therapy, but this week's incident is making me reconsider the joys of shopping, or rather the joys of shopping for party dresses. I am used to seeing 2 sections in stores, one would carry casual wear and the other would carry the more formal wear. This spring all I saw was this: all the stores were under occupation of floral print, with a few party dresses taken hostage.

I was very excited about nude colours being very in, but I barely saw items in those colours. I was literally stuck in what seemed like a massive, overgrown garden. We found 2 dresses at the most, in each store, that would be seen as acceptable to be worn to an evening event. It seemed like the designers of those stores had completely given up on their partying customers. Store after store we went looking for the perfect dress, and all we found were explosions of flowers on garments.

I don't mind trying new things, and am very open to trying out floral prints, but the amount of floral was ridiculous. I didn't see anything that I would personally pick up and try on. Most of the items looked like something you would buy while farming, so that you don't get your good clothes dirty.

This is my first fashion rant, and I'm hoping that as the season progresses, the collections will get better. But until then, I am going to boycott floral prints (until I finally give in and buy something floral).

Really though, to all the stores around Beirut: more nudes, more formal dresses, and a little less floral print. You know what they say, "less is more".

Grey Is For The Young...?

2010-04-02T03:11:00.000-07:00

While checking out the latest news on Style.com, I noticed a new trend that I’m not at all excited about. In fact, I think this will actually be the only trend that I absolutely refuse to get into. For some strange reason, a number of celebrities have decided to get some grey (or silver) dyed into their hair. Some designers even got their models to walk the runway with grey tints in their hair. I don’t understand this, because the last I checked a lot of women were getting their hair dyed to get rid of grey and silver streaks. Now, women who don’t need to worry about grey hairs are encouraging it! Here are a couple of pictures, so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about.

Kate Moss

Pink

Pixie Geldof

Kate Lanphear

Daphne Guiness

What do you all think about it? I personally will never understand the need to dye my hair a colour that it will inevitably turn the older I get. I don’t mind the platinum white on short hair, I think it works… but grey? It’s like encouraging wrinkles to appear prematurely.

Spring 2010: Fashion Trends - Part 2

2010-04-01T00:46:00.000-07:00

As I had promised, more trends for this spring are going to be shown on this blog… and here they are. Last time, I discussed hot pants, patterned pants, blazers, and jumpsuits. This time I’m going to be moving on with all the other trends that are coming out this spring. As usual, I have mixed feelings about the upcoming trends, some I absolutely love while with others I remain undecided. Let’s take a look at more of this spring’s fashion trends.

Knee High Socks

Designer

Gaspard Yurkievich

Alexander Wang

Affordable

River Island

Topshop

Believe it or not, I am so happy to see that knee high socks are in fashion. I have a few pairs myself but have never gotten around to wearing them. I think they’re adorable when matched with the right things. Thumbs up on this trend!

Military Fashion

Designer

Burberry Prorsum

Wunderkind

Affordable

Topshop

River Island

I remember getting really into the military fashion when I was younger and looking back I see that I really wasn’t picking the right pieces to get the look. Now it’s back, and I am older and wiser. It’s a great way to look formal and still uphold that “chic element”.

Ripped Jeans

Designer

Cheap Monday

Affordable

River Island

Topshop

Again, a fashion statement I made when I was a lot younger has come back to life, and I love it. I actually bought myself a pair of light blue ripped jeans from New Look in February. It’s a great way to be comfortable and keep up a very laid back look. I think everyone needs a pair of ripped jeans this season.

Bows

Designer

Diane von Furstenberg

Temperley

Affordable

Topshop

Bow headbands are very in this spring. I have a number myself, from little boutiques in Kuwait, and some from Topshop. They provide a nice way to make your outfit look cute by just adding the headband. Although you can’t really where them everywhere, they’re good to have around for the times where you can wear them.

Designer Pictures from: fashionising.com

Other Pictures from: topshop.com, riverisland.com

Topshop

2010-03-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

For those who don’t already know, Topshop provides its customers with high street fashion at very affordable prices. They frequently have pieces designed for them by prestigious figures in the fashion industry. Topshop also collaborated with Kate Moss, making her a regular Topshop fashion designer. I didn’t used to like Topshop much, because the products we were receiving here in the Middle East were seasons behind. Now, however, Topshop in the Middle East is in synch with the stores in London, providing us with the latest fashions.

I adore Topshop now, and some of my favorite pieces are from there (including a jacket from the Kate Moss collection). So, I have decided to put up a couple of new pieces that I particularly liked, and thought everyone should have this spring. (Mind you, I am not one of those people who merely preach, I’m going try and get a hold of all these pieces myself!)

This babydoll dress came right on time for spring. It's fun, it flows, and it is nothing less than girly. I absolutely love it, labeling this a must have!

When I first looked at this dress, the candy pink was too much for me and the lace didn't mix in so well, in my opinion. For some reason, though, I now really want this dress. I feel like it could be pulled off both with and without a belt, and be worn both during the daytime and at night (depending on your accessories).

This dress is just plain cute. It follows this spring's colour code of pale and pastels, and has two little ribbons on it, what's not cute about it? It's the perfect every day dress that you can fall back on if you run out of things to wear. Also, because it's plain you can change the look up a lot by mixing and matching.

Sheer materials are back in fashion, and I am glad since I get another shot at trying to pull them off! This dress is very soft and feminine, the colour isn't too harsh, and it wraps so perfectly. Definitely something I'm going to try and get into my closet.

It is true, I'm giving in to the harem trousers. I was insanely against them, but I guess since their comeback they've started to grow on me. These are a cute pair, they're a nice dark grey and they're silk. I'm going to give them a shot.

I love vests, and this one looked unique to me. The colour is very earthy which will match perfectly with this springs pastels. It also seems like it would just drop into place once worn. I'm imagining wearing this over a cream coloured, short dress. Pretty!

Usually, if I were to tell you to match a cream coloured knit sweater with pearl accessories, you would naturally assume my target audience was aged 60+. BUT this sweater is an exception. It is so down to earth, and I'm already comfortable just looking at it through my monitor. Match this with pearls and cute jeans shorts, and you have a very cute outfit for this spring.

How do you try and get that "bad ass" look while still looking feminine? These shoes! Matched with a short black spring dress, this will keep you looking girly, but is kind enough to add a little edge to your look. Loving it.

I am hoping and praying that they included these in the shipments to the Middle East! I love gold, I love ribbons, and I adore charms, therefore making this the perfect bracelet for me. It looks like a lot of fun, meaning that if you were to wear it, you'd look like a lot of fun too. Thumbs up.

And of course, saving the best for last, my number one item on the list: Topshop's contribution to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. It's going for only £16, it's cute, and it has the FTBC logo on the inside, to remind you of how you helped out.

Pictures from Topshop.com

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer 2010

2010-03-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer is the genius way in which the fashion industry, namely the CFDA, have responded to the issue of breast cancer awareness. Along with raising awareness, it raises funds for breast cancer research and care for patients with breast cancer, among other things.

The 2010 Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign was launched today, with Kylie Minogue (who fought a battle against breast cancer herself) as the face of this year’s campaign. Claudia Schiffer and Sienna Miller will also be in this year’s campaign.

Additionally, FTBC makes it fun to be a part of this charity. Why, you ask? Well, because now we can fight cancer with fashion. A number of high street stores have picked certain articles of clothing to be a part of the FTBC collection. All of the money that these pieces bring in goes toward the charity. There are some very cute pieces at affordable prices, so for whoever is able I really encourage you to go out and buy yourself something. I am personally going to try and find the “love to love” vest top from TopShop.

Here is the FTBC collection for 2010:

So, if it's as easy as purchasing one of these items then why not? Show your support by going shopping. You'll feel good for contributing to the cause, as well as feeling good because you just went shopping! Help spread awareness about breast cancer, someone in the world's loved one is fighting it as we speak.

Pictures from the FTBC website