Confashions From Kuwait

I recently received an e-mail from a fabulous fellow blogger Sofia El Arabi of Fashion Bakchic , a  Moroccan-based blog. She e-mailed me to introduce me to her fashion brand as well as her blog , what Sofia doesn't know is that I'm a fan of her blog and I have been following her posts for almost a year now. What intrigues me to her posts is the way she cleverly mixes traditional North-African pieces with her uber-chic and modern clothes and accessories.  Sofia's recently launched her fashion brand  Bakchic ,  inspired by all the energy of Casablanca . The collection offers a colorful variety of casual chic ready-to-wear and oversized clutches. On her blog, Sofia used one of her colorful clutches in her Outfit of the Day post, and I loved the way she styled the clutch with her outfit.  You can check out Sofia's blog right here , as well as her clothing line on her online shop Bakchic.com here .

Remember my  Altuzarra  leather gladiator sandals, designed in collaboration with  Gianvitto Rossi ? The ones  I got them from  Net-a-Porter's   Sale last month? I think they're one of my favorite S/S 2013 purchases. Actually I've been building my day-to-day outfits around them. I loved the fact that I could wear them with caftans too. Today I chose to wear them with a white summery and flowy dress though, by a brand called  Dress Gallery which I got from Boutique N . I accessorized the dress with my tribal-inspired necklaces from Boutique Black Pearl , and my oversized  Marni  clutch.

Hello there new collections, you've been missed! I was browsing the selection of new items at AlOthman Boutique , and I just couldn't resist the cuteness of this mini floral-print leather cross-bag by Sophie Hulme .  Its compact size makes it perfect for hands-free shopping and travelling. And it goes well with my Suno top (shown here), which just made me realize that it makes me look preggers! *cringe* It's OK, I'll still wear it for my "bloated" days, besides it's very comfy!

I've always wondered what it takes to design a caftan for Ramadan. This thought has been crossing my mind almost every year, especially during Ramadan's gatherings and after observing the variety and the vast selection of caftans/thoubs/darra'a worn by family and friends, and designed by talented, and not so talented, local designers. I believe some designers are a true talent in the way they cleverly mix patterns or use unexpected details in their designs. Some go out of their way and travel to exotic places to get unique fabrics just so to make their designs even more special and unique. Of course, in such cases the high price tag is justified. On the other hand we have some designers who choose to take us for granted and price their design 4 or 5 times more than their actual cost. In fact their fabrics were bought from the fabrics market in Kuwait City for around KD 1/$3 per meter and then paid the tailor something around KD 40 per piece. And let's not forget th...

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Shoes, bags, and fashion accessories in particular, are the main items that drive my lust to shop. So the day I discovered Paire.us , an online boutique concept where you can shop an unparalleled selection of statement designer jewelry, was one of my happiest shopping moments. The most hard-to-find designer accessories were just an online click away?! Euphoria! A few months ago I placed an order on Paire.us and bought a couple of things including my Rodarte Stars hairpiece which I have previously posted about here . And this amazing Diana Broussard's Nathan chain necklace made of marbled green plexiglass, as seen on street style icon Miroslava Duma . I'm glad I bought it because unlike some chain necklaces, this one nestles beautifully into my neck so it moves comfortably without chocking or snagging the hair. There are so many drool-worthy pieces you can buy online, here are my top favorite five pieces: Rodarte  halo hairband with barbed wire details (heart...

It’s that time again, browsing the sale of some of my favorite shopping destinations online and off. Most shops now are in their final round with more designer shoes, clothes and accessories are up to 50 or 70% off! This is a great opportunity to bag fabulous designer items from the Spring/Summer collections, which we get to wear almost 9 months a year, and to pick up a fantastic bargains. So  while browsing AlOthman boutique the other day, I found some amazing statement pieces to jazz up my wardrobe. Let's start with the shooooes.  The Nicholas Kirkwood for Peter Pilotto printed lace-up sandals were priced at KD 398 and now they're KD 199. I also loved the bright shade of red on this Alexander Wang ankle-strap heel, it was priced at KD 170 and now it's selling for KD 90.  My oh my! Look at this lace-up heel with exotic skin detail by Aperlai . The heels were priced at KD 249 and now they're selling for KD 125. I've been eyeing this fish...

Last week I was invited to Visual Therapy's first art show, which took place at Dar Al Funoon . Due to personal commitments, I couldn't make it to the actual event but I made sure to check out what's left of it the next day. Kuwait-based   Visual Therapy  is a blend of various projects, which work together to provide an aesthetic platform for innovative work and ideas in all creative fields. Projects include the blog, studio, gallery, and shop. Last week  Visual Therapy   presented its first ever art show titled Not Just a Pop-Up , and it featured original artwork and prints by Kuwaiti artist F160 and Brooklyn-based artist Zebadiah Keneally . A local graffiti artist Monstariam also painted a live mural during the show. I can't believe I missed this!!  Serves me right for not properly managing my time effectively. Anyhow, I'm glad I went there the next day because the paintings done by  F160   were beyond amazing. So detailed, so vibran...

New items have been added to Dear Confashion page. Click here to view the new additions. Featured item is by  The Neon Gifts .

When I visited family and friends during this holy month of Ramadan, the first thing I noticed was how people accessorized their caftans, and specifically who wore the most beautiful big ol’ baubles around their necks. Some were... eh... and some were ah-may-zinggg! And for some reason I was always more drawn to the type of necklace that literally weighs you down! The past year I can safely say that I managed to collect unreasonably sized necklaces in my arsenal thanks to Danish jewelry brand  Monies . I first discovered the brand last year during my  trip to Istanbul  and now I can't seem to have enough of this brand. Luckily for me, or maybe unluckily,  Nass Boutique  stocks  Monies . They're the kind of pieces that  set themselves apart because of their uniqueness.  According to their site,  Monies  was   founded by Gerda and Nikolai Monies, who have turned over 40 years of experience into an elegant, ava...

Today's sale browsing edition is one of the worldwide leading online shops for women luxury and designer fashion  MyTheresa.com!   And here are some of my favorite pieces which are currently on sale. Chloé's ruffled top Chloé's textured strappy leather sandals in papaya Proenza Schouler print leather pouch Dolce & Gabbana's leather sandals decorated with multicoloured tassel detail Aquazzura's  electric blue  suede sandals Christopher Kane light pink silk skirt with lace applique detail

Again I got a little bit behind with keeping my blog up to date. Work and family commitments have had to take precedence over everything else. My instagram ( @confashions ) however is quite active. Let's just say that I have decided to focus more on quality posts than quantity. Anyhow, let's kick start the posts with an  Outfit of the Day post. And today's outfit gives a warm welcome to Ramadan and its lovely atmosphere. I love how everything around me suddenly becomes so serene and spiritual, I love our family and friends gatherings, and I love how everyone accessorizes their caftans and how they wear them. I got my caftan from Noonopink by ReeM.M's Ramadan collection 2013. I remember when I went to her studio to buy a caftan I was completely blown away by her creativity, quality, and craftsmanship. I wanted to take a photo of each piece on display and show the world how talented some of the designers in our region. But that would ruin the joy of we...

Channel downtown cool with Rag and Bone ! Helmed by British designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, this label is all about wardrobe essentials with an urban edge. From the brand's signature ankle boots to cult favorite skinny jeans at up to 60% off , TheOutnet.com brings you an exclusive edit not to be missed!

Oh how I love getting e-mails from new designers! Allow me today to introduce you to   Dina Khalifé ,  a Madrid/Beirut-based accessories and textile designer. She has started her brand in December 2011 through Rabih Kayrouz’ Starch Foundation , a non-profit organization based in Beirut that gives a chosen few emerging Lebanese designers the opportunity to develop their collections, enhance their skills, promote their brand and present their designs for a period of 12 months. I have previously posted about it here .  Dina Khalifé ’s collections combine silk, cotton and woolen scarves, charismatic jewelry, fun and colorful clothes and hair accessories. Each collection begins with scarf design, featuring hand drawn illustrations, and playful images on high quality fabrics. Intricate jewelry from themes or objects depicted in the scarves, as well as a range of clothes, further complement the creativity in each scarf harmoniously. The designer is planning on participat...

A few months ago, I have received from Beauty Essentials WLL a sample of  Glam Glow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask after reading on my instagram that mine was finished. I later found out that it's being sold at many hair and beauty salons in Kuwait. Basically, it's a ten minute at home facial mask that works to create radiant, glowing skin. It activates moisturizing collagen synthesis which provide gentle resurfacing exfoliation, and helps to leave skin smoother, brighter, and softer. I first got introduced to this product in Dubai last year. So I decided to give it a try. The goopy green stuff made my skin feel good, look goof, and smells wonderful! As it dried there was a burning sensation but it was bearable. I can't tell if I imagined it but my face did appear to feel tighter brighter and glowy... at least for the first couple of hours. I'll keep using it for now until I find a better option. What about you? What's your favorite beauty face...

Seen by Sirdab 6 , one of the top go-to brands for comfortable and chic caftans and the brainchild of talented designer Mrs. Souad J. Al Sabah , has just revealed images of its Ramadan 2013 collection. I love how the caftans look very dreamy and as if they're floating around. Actually, when I went to  Sirdab 6 ' s exhibition several weeks ago, which I have instagramed about, I couldn't tell how the shape or the silhouette of the caftans looked like hanging from the hangers, which can be very deceiving because once I selected a couple of caftans to try them on, I was pleasantly surprised by the hidden details and how each piece had a special character. I ended up buying a beautiful and colorful one.  In addition to that,  Mrs. Souad was kind enough to send me another caftan of her designs as a token of her appreciation and I instantly fell in love with it (you really shouldn't have!). Can't wait to wear them this Ramadan an...