Confashions From Kuwait

My apologies for the radio silence. I'm sure you haven't noticed, but still — I apologize anyway. A combination of busy calendar, work, moving, and kids testing my limits, have buried my will to blog to the bottom of my priority list. But I will survive. I read once that If you buy most of your clothes and accessories for a fantasy version of your life, instead of the reality, you’ll end up with a lot of clothes to store and nothing to wear, and not to mention a bigger outstanding balance. When I reflect on these words I find that many of my purchases unfortunately fall under that category, and now that I'm practicing some self-control, I'm always second-guessing my shopping's wish list. Take for example these flask bracelet by Cynthia Rowley , I first spotted them on instgram during the Spring 2013 NYC fashion shows and presentations, and I wanted them ever since! But what would I possibly do with a flask bracelet! Am I suddenly going to take a sip in the ...

Another lazy summer ootd post. I can't help it! The heat is unbearable so don't expect a proper ootd photoshoot anytime soon. I chose to wear this for our last week's family gathering, a pair of boyfriend jeans by GAP , a striped button-down shirt with little bugs details by C x Faconnable , a pair of Tamashee najdiya slippers in red leather (you can shop for them online here ), and layered necklaces by Tiffany's and Amman-based jewelry Lama Hourani . 

Dior Fusion sneakers. The most talked about sneakers in social media accounts. They made their runway debut during the Spring 2014 couture show, and I instantly fell in love with both Dior 's and Chanel 's sneakers, which unfortunately won't go into production. And now that the Dior sneakers have finally landed at the brand's boutique world wide, for some reason my passion suddenly fizzled out. Could it be that the sneakers have been overly exposed on the social media? Or maybe the thought of dishing our KD 330+ on a pair of sneakers is not sitting well with me (yup I'm trying to get wiser with my purchases, especially with all the "shopping mistakes" I've done past seasons). That said, I do strongly appreciate their beauty and the couture craftsmanship behind them, especially after seeing this video. Thoughts?

Acne Studio's 'Adriana' sneakers are on the top of my must-buy list for Fall 2014. The playful enameled plaque is what got me attracted in the shoes. I wanted to buy them last season actually but of course my size was sold out. This season I'm in luck! Found a couple of e-tailers which I could buy them from. Now all I need to do is decide on the color. How about those?

Sometime if I really like a piece of clothing and it doesn't fit, nothing stops me from buying it. There're always a way to have it altered to fit my body. Take for example this summery dress by  Zero+Maria Cornejo , which by the way, I never imagined myself buying from this brand because its design aesthetic usually does not appeal to my taste. Anyhow, I saw this perfect-for-our-long-summer dress with beautifully pleated wide sleeve on one side and the other sleeve was narrow and ruched. I really liked it and it was on sale 50% off at AlOthman Boutique , the only problem is that it didn't fit. So instead of letting it go, and being the stubborn shopper that I am, I took it to the tailor, made it slightly longer in length and slightly wider, made it as loose as possible without looking frumpy using black cotton fabric, and voila it fits! I'm happy with the results, and I think it's a piece I'll end up wearing for years to come! I paired my  Zero+Maria C...

Remember when I first posted about Aennis Eunis back in 2011 ( previous post here )? The designer, who graduated with an architecture degree, has recently set up a pop-up store at Level till the end of August, inspired by Arabic Calligraphy.  Using various structural elements combined with calligraphy, Anas introduced new dimensions to his work and, as he stated, is ‘a call from the past’. Featured here are two styles from the Aennis Eunis FW14 collection available at Level Shoe District .

This week TheOutnet.com has a new edit from the ‘King of Cling’ Azzedine Alaïa , who shot to fame in the 1980s for his form-fitting designs.  A supermodel favorite, the brand’s signature aesthetic is evident in avant-garde accessories that really pack a punch. Expect fierce heels, must-have totes and waist-cinching belts – all at up to 55% off ! Shop here now !

How pretty are those sparkly details and meticulous embroidery on this pair of flat shoes, spotted at  Uterqüe store in the Avenues Phase II. I'm sure it comes with a budget-friendly price tag!

Spotted this a-line full skirt at H&M the other day and it reminded me of  Stella McCartney's print, which she has used for her pre-fall 2014 collection. Stella McCartney collaborated with artist Gary Hume to use the artist's signature screen prints on her sweatshirt. Click here to check out similarities. 

The caftan and the panama hat. An essential addition to any beach bag. However, I wasn't vacationing at an exotic beach destination. What I had was a major bad hair day. So I decided to to wear my newly purchased Tarsila Schubert hat, she's an artist based in Dubai-UAE and did some customized limited edition panama hats for Sauce Boutique in Dubai and La Pausa home accessories Shop in Kuwait. I wore my colorful  Jallabiya poncho caftan, and a pair of Loeffler Randall raffia sandals. 

Messy high-bun? Sleek ponytail? undone side fish braid? Been there, done that. So, this summer I'm going to try out these fun and unexpected ways to keep my hair off my face when the humidity is on or when I have a really super duper bad hair day, which is 90% of the time.  What's your go-to hairstyle for this Summer? Photo credit: Style.com

One of the prettiest and most neatly wrapped packages I have ever seen was delivered to my doorstep the other day. It was from a newly-launched Kuwait-based online business called Craft and Co .   Craft and Co  offers a carefully curated selection of stationary products, home accessories, jewelry and other bits and bobs which are everything but ordinary. A great source for gift ideas I must add. Shop for gifts you'll love to give. No matter the occasion or recipient, you're sure to find the perfectly unique gift here. I've added my name to the waiting list to be notified for the Booksi dock, an iPhone charger made from old books (sold out already), among other cool things.  Check out the site by clicking here .

I know Ramadan is over, but I can't seem to stop wearing caftans! There's something so effortlessly chic about them. They're also one of the most comfortable garments a girl can wear, especially in the summer!  I love the way my caftan moves with the air and with the body. So I decided to keep on wearing my caftans until the end of the summer.  I chose to wear another amazing creation by  Salma Musab , whom I posted about a few days ago. The caftan can be worn with or without the tassel belt and also you can choose to make it sleeveless or short sleeves depending on the ruching on the shoulders and how tight you'd want to tie them. I accessorized my caftan with the bananas embroidered clutch Sophia203 made in collaboration with Kuwait-based brand ecru , and of course layered-up on the necklaces. Speaking of caftans, who is your current favorite caftan designer and why?

I recently came across this new brand which really appealed to me in the sense of practicality, wearablity, and shelf life. Allow me to introduce you to Pallas , a family-owned Paris-based atelier that specializes in a single, intricate craft: Le Smoking . Established by Daniel Pallas in 1961,  Pallas  initially worked with Céline and Balenciaga on their prototypes for coats and jackets, but no one wanted to produce with  Pallas  because the work was too expensive. To cut a long story short, now the company is emerging from behind the scenes with a collection of “chic minimalist” silhouettes based on le smoking .  It's so refreshing to see an updated version of  le smoking . I'm dying to get this  floor-length white cape-like blazer (regional designers, please do not attempt to re-create this look, thank you), and accessorize it with a pair of killer Alaïa's heels a tiny clutch, and minimal jewelry. According to The Wall...

You have probably already seen a post of this caftan on my instagram @confashions , but I though I'd shed some light on a new local talent I discovered this Ramadan thanks to my super stylish friend Soos.  Allow me to introduce you to Salma Musab , a new Kuwaiti designer in the caftans scene. I have never seen her designs before and I think this is her debut collection. For Ramadan, Salma blended patterns and details of Middle East with modern and sleek western design aesthetics, creating beautiful selection of modern-day caftans that would stand the test of time. I instantly fell in love with the golden/pompom tassel details on this sleeveless white and red caftan. I decided to pair it with my two-tone Balenciaga basket woven raffia clutch, and minimal golden accessories.     What I loved about  Salma Musab 's caftans, is that they came in beautifully packaged bags, and each had its own silk padded hanger and a scented potpourri in a decorative b...

When one of your favorite online shopping websites surprises you for Eid (heart heart) with a beautiful gift and a personal Thank You note!! How thoughtful is that?! Thank you so much Net-a-Porter for making my day!

The elaborate decoration and details on this beyond stunning  Giambattista Valli's haute-couture  dress are just INSANE!! I spotted it while browsing the eveningwear selection at AlOthman Boutique. It was like nothing I've seen before, in terms of craftsmanship and quality. It was as if every pearly-like sequin was carefully studied before sewn into the garment. Truly a piece of art! Perfectly suited for a glamorous winter wedding. I didn't bother to look at the price tag, why ruin this beautiful moment?!