Snapshots from the Seychelles

Just got back from the Seychelles extremely sunburned (I didn't put enough sunscreen!) and already missing the relaxing vibe and the sound of crashing waves. 

I wanted to share my experience with you through some photos that I took. Enjoy :)

Could anything be more beautiful? I felt like I was in a postcard accompanied by a  soundtrack of crashing waves and  chirping birds for three days 

The food is a mix of creole, seafood and fruits. The cone of rice in the above picture is actually Watermelon Rice, so bizarre! 

All you need is a good read, a hat, water and sunscreen :)

If you are looking for a mini break and some place to recharge, I HIGHLY recommend the Seychelles.. and if you have extra space I'll gladly go back when my sunburns heal :)

Win your DREAM HOLIDAY!

I have news today of a REALLY cool competition between the exclusive One &Only Resorts and 

My-Wardrobe.com . Its really easy to enter and the prize is SO worth it: an exclusive vacation for two to stay at a One & Only Resort of your choice plus a £1,500 voucher to spend at My Wardrobe. 

Basically, not only do you get a free vacation to an amazing resort but a great wardrobe of clothes to wear on the trip :) I'd say thats a great combo! 

How to enter:

1) Click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/OneOnlyResorts/app_286345031483024

2) Select a ONE & ONLY RESORT from 4 options: The Palm Resort in Dubai, Le Saint Geran in the Mauritius, Reethi Rah in the Maldives, and The Royal Mirage in Dubai

3) Select a THEME: Relax & Recharge, Tailored Journeys, Indulging Senses, or One &Only Celebrations

4) Create a COLLAGE of outfits you would wear on your vacation using items sold on My-Wardrobe (its really easy - just drag and drop)

5) Enter your details and click SUBMIT

6) The competition is open from November 8 to midnight of December 7 and you have up to FIVE times to submit a collage of outfits. 

7) The prizes are really worthwhile - 3 or 4 night stays for two at your chosen One & Only Resort with massages, free dinners, your choice of wellness packages plus your gift card of £1,500 to spend at My-Wardrobe

Good luck! :)

Outfit Du Jour

It is our one year anniversary and my husband has whisked me off to the Seychelles for the weekend (yay!). It was freezing last week in London but here it is boiling and humid! Talk about drastic weather changes! I had to unpack my winter clothes and repack for a sunny vacation all in a span of two days... not to mention getting my body ready for a bikini session (mani, pedi, waxing, eyebrows etc)!! 

Here is what I wore today:

Zimmermann dress, Havaianas (the most comfy beach slippers in the world!), Dior sunglasses, 

Essie Snap Happy nailpolish

Now I'm off to get gloriously tanned! :)

Celebrity Hairdressers at Belle Femme

Ever looked at pictures of celebrities and thought, "OMG, I love her hair!" Then you showed your hairdresser in Abu-Dhabi or Dubai the picture, told him to copy it but you ended up with something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?! Well then I have some great news for you! 

From November 26- 29, the winner of 'The Best Salon in Dubai' Belle Femme is hosting three celebrity hairstylists directly from New York  to cater to your every whim.

Marie Robinson, the owner of  The Marie Robinson Salon in NYC, is one of the most influential hair colourists and stylists in the industry. She boasts a long list of celebrity clients including 

Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Scarlett Johansson, Liv Tyler and many more. 

She has also been highlighting my hair for the past two years

AMY Huson is a colorist at the Marie Robinson Salon and is better known for creating 'incredibly naturally looking hair'. Her work has been exhibited in ads for Louis Vuitton, GAP, and DKNY

Allison Woodruff is a stylist at the Marie Robinson Salon and has worked on many fashion shows including Marc Jacobs, Dior, Prada, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and MiuMiu. She works with clients to create hairstyles that compliment their lifestyle, face shape and hair type.

 (I'd say that is refreshing for the U.A.E- every time I ask for a cut at my regular salon, I end up looking the same. ALWAYS!)

My experience with Marie Robinson

I first discovered Marie Robinson when I visited NYC before my engagement and needed a fresh and natural look. The way she highlights hair fascinated me! She can foil just the ends of your hair, or a piece here and another one there, and you end up looking like your hair is naturally highlighted and not painted. Not only did I fall in love with my hair, but almost everyone complimented me on it! 

The highlights lasted for six months and then I went back to her before my wedding and again when she visited Belle Femme before the summer. I refuse to let anyone else touch my hair now, even though it is growing out and is in need of some TLC. I can't lie and will admit that Marie is quite pricey but oh so worth it! I promise you will LOVE your hair when she is done and will never turn back to a regular hairdresser!

I recommend you book your appointment from now as the celebrity stylists tend to book up fast. I already took my appointment!  See you there!! 

Happy hair styling ladies :)

Snapshots from London

One of the things I love about travelling is being INSPIRED. While I was in London last week, there was so much to look at, take in and appreciate. Just walking in the streets gave me so much inspiration and  filled all my senses.

The store fronts were creative and inviting, the clothes and accessories were presented beautifully in the shops, and chatting with salespeople who knew what they were selling and have an obvious love for fashion made me want to buy more. People walking along the streets were dressed in funky and super fashionable outfits. Each restaurant, whether small or big or Michelin rated, had its own special charm with mouthwatering menus and displays of food. It all just made me so happy to be there. 

Here is a  compilation of a few favourite pictures from my trip to London:

Clockwise from top left: Selfridges and a London bus, Hyde Park, a London taxi, Hyde Park 

A beautiful centrepiece hanging from the roof and spanning all the floors of Liberty, the storefront at Marc by Marc Jacobs

Clockwise from top left: One of Harrods Christmas storefronts, Keys at Mulberry, Santa's workshop  with Anya Hindmarch's products at Selfridges, hanging telephones at the Conran Shop, BareMinerals advert, LED ceiling display at the shoe department of Selfridges

YUMMY FOOD! 

Top Row: fresh vegetable and fish displays at Novikov Restaurant

Bottom Row: simple yet decadent plates of food at Dinner, a new restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel serving recipes from the 1700s! 

All bundled up and freezing while walking to dinner- it was 2 degrees Celsius out! :)

Where are your favourite places you go in London?

CELINE'S IT BAG- The TRAPEZE

For a guide with CELINE bags, sizes, and colours for Spring/Summer 2013, CLICK HERE (link)

(Source: www.purseblog.com)

Move over Chanel: there is a new IT bag and its on the radar of all fashionistas. The Celine Trapeze Tri-color bag. It is on waiting lists around the world with customers fighting to get their hands on one! It is only sold in brick-and-mortar boutiques and almost none of the reputed online stores carry it. 

The Trapeze is available in many colour combinations, leathers and animal skins and comes in two sizes- small and large. It is carried on your forearm via a rigid leather strap or on your shoulder by a softer shoulder strap. The sides can also be folded in so the bag takes more of a square shape.

Trapeze Tri-color bags from the Winter 2012 collection 

My experience with the Trapeze bag

SOMEHOW I did not know about this bag until I went to London. Every SINGLE woman in Knightsbridge was either carrying a Trapeze or frantically trying to get her hands on one in the boutiques and department stores. Arabs and Asians all seem to be OBSESSED with this bag!

I went to Selfridges and asked a salesperson (S1) on the ground floor where Celine was. 

S1: "Are you trying to get a Trapeze bag?"

ME: "Yes but first let me carry it and see what the fuss is all about!"

S1 whispering: "Well I used to be the manager of Celine and can get you a bag. Go upstairs to the boutique and tell them that I sent you. Tell them you are travelling and NEED to get your hands on a bag."

I laughed and went upstairs to the boutique. I saw a young Arab guy snapping a pic of the one Trapeze bag they had on display. Salesperson 2 (S2) then JUMPED from where she was standing and said:

S2: "You can't take photographs of this bag!"

Arab guy: "My sister is in Kuwait and intends to buy one but she wants to see if she likes it in this color."

S2 replies rudely: "Well EVEN if she does, it is not for sale. There is a waiting list for this bag and this one is only for display."

The Arab guy leaves and I asked her:

ME: "Will you be getting any more in stock?"

S2: "NO"

ME (whispering): "Well S1 downstairs told me to tell you that I am leaving on Saturday and that you could get me a bag if I let you know."

S2 (also whispering): "Oh you know S1? Well then we are getting a new shipment on Friday and if you call at 9:30 am sharp we will let you know which colours and sizes we have. If you like any of them, then you need to come to the store ASAP and grab one. There is a very long waiting list!"

I took her number and left the store. I honestly couldn't believe why there was so much fuss over one bag!!! 

I then went to Harrods where another saleslady confirmed that there is a HUGE waiting list for the bag. She didn't let me photograph it BUT she let me carry it. I found the smaller version to be much more comfortable to carry than the larger one. 

Moral of the story? We women, myself included, are CRAZY when it comes to Fashion! Now of course I want a Trapeze because it is IMPOSSIBLE to get!! That must be Celine's strategy - make a bag, gift it to the celebrities and socialites for free to carry around town and then make it impossible for regular customers to get their hands on one!

Celebrities carrying the Trapeze bag

From left to right: Alessandra Ambrosio - Amanda Seyfried - Olivia Palermo 

What do you think of the Trapeze bag? Would you put your name on the waiting list for it?

The Little Black Jacket

Last Sunday, I went to the Saatchi Gallery in London to see Karl Lagerfeld's exhibit for his coffee table book, THE LITTLE BLACK JACKET. He dressed up all these actors, actresses, muses, singers, and artists in the infamous Chanel black jacket and snapped pictures of them. The photographs are exhibited in a dark room and are mostly in black and white so you can't help but focus on each photo and nothing else.  All I can say is -  WOW!

The Black Jacket that was originally designed by Coco Chanel over 50 years ago

First of all, I was amazed at the different combinations of outfits he and his team created using one simple black jacket. Second, Mr. Lagerfeld captured these people so beautifully that I found myself stopping and staring at some of the photographs for a while before moving on. There is a rare essence to his photographs, each of the subjects were captured in their raw form and the end result is captivating. If Karl Lagerfeld wanted to quit his day job and become a photographer full time, I believe he would be even MORE successful (if thats even possible) than he is today! 

Here are a few of my favourite photos from the exhibit:

(Notice Dubai's Fashionistas Sama and Haya Abu Khadra at the bottom right corner)

My favourite photograph from the whole exhibit is this one of Violette D'urso - 

she seems so deep in thought, happy and at peace

A stack of The Little Black Jacket books on display at the Exhibit

If you love anything Chanel, I highly recommend you buy the coffee table book The Little Black Jacket, the pictures will blow your mind! I put mine in the living room and can't wait for my guests to come and see it :)

What do you think of the photographs taken by Karl Lagerfeld?

What to wear this Formula 1 Weekend?

With Formula 1 Abu-Dhabi Weekend starting tomorrow and continuing for three fun-filled days, the question on every Fashionista's lips is most probably, "WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?!"  I have compiled three looks to guide you when choosing your outfits depending on which events you will be attending. 

Remember, it will be hot, there will be lots of walking involved, and the days will be long so wear something fashionable yet comfortable and outfits which will take you from day to night. 

Have a great time this weekend my fashionistas! :)

LOOK 1 

 WATCHING THE GRAND PRIX & CONCERTS

It will be hot and you need something to keep you cool outdoors. Wear plenty of sunscreen and sunglasses! This outfit will look good on the circuit and at the concerts 

1. TOPSHOP Playsuit - cute and comfortable with an all-lace sexy back
2. MARC BY MARC JACOBS Sunglasses 
3. KENNETH JAY LANE Bangles 
4. SAM EDELMAN leopard studded pumps - there is a lot of walking to and from the race so I highly recommend wearing flats or wedge trainers. These flats are really pretty! 

LOOK 2

IRIS LOUNGE ON THE ALLURE TERRACE

People will be probably dressed casual but chic here.  I would recommend wearing a pretty day dress with flats or wedges. Carry a slightly larger bag that will fit all your necessities

1. Maxi dress by ACNE  - chic, comfortable and light enough to wear outdoors
2. Marc by Marc Jacobs Satchel to fit everything you will need throughout the day
3. Ancient Greek thong Sandals - this or wedges would work with a maxi dress 
4. House of Harlow Sunburst Pave long Necklace 

LOOK 3

SKYBAR OR ANY OF THE PARTIES AT NIGHT

Dress to kill for these events. SkyBar was very crowded, hot and stuffy last year so I recommend you wear something short and light. I suggest either a short dress or evening shorts and a pretty top. 

1. Option 1- cut out Mini Dress from ZARA
2. Option 2- Sequinned 3.1 PHILLIP LIM top
3. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG gold twill shorts
4. MAWI teardrop earrings (I'm OBSESSED! with these earrings, they are show stoppers!)
5. CAMILLA SKOVGAARD studded sandals 
6. ANYA HINDMARCH gold clutch

What do you think of these outfits?