Reader's Opinions: Which is your favorite?

I have adored Justin Giunta's jewelry for his Subversive line since... i first started reading magazines? Anyways, i first fell in love with his Sunken Treasure necklaces, i loved the more-is-more pile-on-the-chains, drip drop metal on metal on pearl on crystal Pirate aesthetic. I believe his stuff changes season-to-season, but he never removed his Sunken Treasure collection. Im considering maybe getting one of the necklaces now (or

 maybe waiting for next season) but i cant decide which. The ones with the color stones had a bit too much filigree-ish detail for me so these are my faves. Which do you think i should get?

Option #1: Silver Sunken Treasure

Option #2: Gold Tropical Treasure Necklace

Option #3: Sunken Treasure Clear

Tell me which you like best. Thanks!

#3: REPETTO

Im sure all of you already know Repetto, but i just wanted to mention how much i adore their Paris store. Opera is one of my favorite areas in Paris (it has such a different feel) and Place Vendome is my absolute favorite place and any street leading from Place de l'Opera to Place Vendome is sure to be filled with wonderful things that make me happy. Repetto is on that very street, Rue de la Paix. The store is quite large and 100% charming, filled with ballerina clothes, shoes and a fantastic array if their super-comfortable classic flats in any style you want. Few shoes are comfortable for me and thats why i really love Repettos. They are so soft and durable that no other ballet flats compare. I prefer them infinitely over London Sole, Pretty Ballerinas, etc.

This is my #2 favorite shade of red. My #1 favorite, "tropical red", is not as versatile, though.

Repetto is located at the side of Rue de la Paix closer to the Place de l'Opera.

Gossip Girl

Believe it or not i was too busy to the last episode of the fantasticaly overdramatic Gossip Girl until today and i love what Vanessa is wearing here! The blue leopard is just the right amount of kitsch and color to set of her tan magnificently. It would have looked even better with longer hair and the necklace off but this is just super regardless! I do not understand the people who say she's not pretty, i think she's gorgeous; she looks like a amazon-lioness with a perfect complexion! Mashallah.

taken from legally-purchased iTunes episode

VesperATOM

Sandy Cheeks by VesperATOM featuring adidas shoes

I think its a girl who does these on Polyvore. Its quite old but thought it was cool. Sharing. She takes al these seasnal fashion Check out her other stuff, very fun!

#4: TOPSHOP

This is a no-brainer. You go to London, you are under 35, of COURSE you go to Topshop. It is so dizzying, so huuuge, so filled with trendy, sparkly, colorful, so you stuff you want, you need, you have to have right now that honestly, who can resist? And their stuff never looks cheap like H&M sometimes.

Wonderful, super miniskirts! My favorite garments on earth. They make me feel free and child-like and happy. The two in the middle were made by Topshop using Liberty fabrics, which are some of my favorite fabrics ever. I could spend hours feeling the cottons on Liberty's top floor.

Tops Oxford Circus have one of the most amazing selections of accessories in all of the world IMO because not only do they have a full range of Topshop's stuff (including GIANT tackbomb crystal necklaces which would look amazing on simple sweaters and neon Union Jack wallets) but they also have toons of other brands like Peekaboo vintage (who have nice hats), Mikey, etc. etc. My cousins called me a geeziya for loving this tiger necklace but they're so elitist and DONT UNDERSTAND ME!! (drama).

This picture is horrendous. These are actually pink. I fell in love with these salmon pink acid washed jeans and haad to get them, not realizing that they were too big. They are the most comfortable jeans i've ever worn. I usually despise wearing jeans cause they're so uncomfortable and am always in skirts and tights. These are truly an exception. And i always adore their Boutique stuff, downstairs for the unknown designers and i really liked a dress that was Barbara Hulanicki (the designer for the original 60s London Biba) for Tops but it emphasized all the wrong parts of body. 7aram though, it was so nice and fluttery with huge detached butterfly sleeves and a great cut.

And looving these right now!

Btw i wasnt gona do a post on Topshop cause ots so obvious until a Chinese woman in Haymarket actually said that she had never heard of it before. 9ar feeny: WHAAAAT???

Topshop Oxford circus, London,

next to Nike. Its enormous, you'll see it.

#3: JAPAN CENTRE AND MINAMOTO KITCHOAN

London is all about Japan and happy Japanese goods with their bright colors, cute cartoons and promise of eternal smiles under the wrappers. Peanut-cartoon themed bento boxes and every Japanese supermarket item you could dream of is in this wonderful supermarket-dreamstore hybrid that is Japan Centre on Piccadilly. They even have that square gum with the round things that they used to bring in Kuwait!

If you go, their custard-filled pancakes are to DIE!!! Sooo good!

For a more refined version of Happy Happy, head over to Minamoto Kitchoan for all sorts of wagashi (japanese confectionaries) and delicious jelly-type bean paste desserts in the sweetest wrappers.

My favorite is the cherry blossom thing. On the outside, it is as soft as a cloud, like you're taking a bite out of a marshmallow whipped in heaven, but a bit heavier. Inside you have this grainy bean cream/paste with an intense and refreshing cherry blossom taste. Alao love their waffle-cookie, or "Fukuwatashi-Senbei". Mmmm to Minamoto!

Japan Centre: 212 Piccadilly

London

+44 20 74344218

Minamoto Kitchoan: 44 Piccadilly

+44 (207) 437-3135

#2: YEAR ZERO

The nicest people ever in the coolest store ever.

Thats T and the gang. By the way, you guys know the two on the right are ROCKY and LOUISE MAZZILLI, right?? They are totally famous and design Voyage, the crazy OTT store on Conduit street close to Viv Westwood. 

Amazing Boy Wonder lego chains.

Hey so this is currently one of my favorite stores in London. mostly 'cause its extreme. Okay not that extreme but whatev. They have fantastic Rumi Neely-esque fully ripped tee shirts, amazing jeans and crazy Janelle Monae-meets Willy Wonka jackets. They

 do all sorts of insane cartoons on jackets and shirts and stuff.  One of my faves was a fully ripped hoodie jacket. But i had already overspent the WORLD and so didnt out of respect for my credit card. Their chains, necklaces and accessories are so me i fully expected the store to have my name written on the front. 7asafa i didnt take a picture of their catalog but if you send them your bags or wallets (like Vuitton monogram or Chanel wtv), they will grafitti them in the most incredible way with whatever you choose. This is one of their things:

MILES TONS UNIVERSES better than that Sprouse carp Vuitton was trying to hawk this past winter. I have seen their catalog and that stuff is totally 100% professionally MAZ. No other way to describe it. Im def sending them something soon.

Me in the hotel with my beloved Mario chain. 

This was their latest show. 

Year Zero is on 37 Beak Street just of Carnaby. You can call them at 

Tel: 02077 34 77 27

Or visit their site: www.yearzerolondon.com

Song du Jour: Jump out of Your Car

lamni. 7arra :D

I really love these guys. Plus their really nice.

انحسار نواب الاسلام السياسي يمهد لرئاسة أمة جديدة

WE MADE HISTORY

as anyone who knows me knows, i hate the politicisation of Islam and those long-bearded hypocritical, two-timing, self-serving fanatics with every fibre of my being and so i will willingly chronicle their downfall and the rise of the progressive Liberals and Moderates.
aKuwait in the news around the world:

ALOMMAH.ORG

على الأرجح ستكون نتائج الإنتخابات البرلمانية المقبلة نقطة فارقة في تاريخ الحياة الديمقراطية، اذ أن المؤشرات الحالية تشير الى تراجع كبير لمرشحي التيار الديني السياسي، وتفوق المرشحين المحسوبين (والقريبين) على التيار الوطني في الدوائر الأولى، الثانية والثالثة، مع وجود عناصر وطنية في الدائرتين الرابعة والخامسة (نتائجها متأثره بالإنتخابات الفرعية).

معظم الإستجوابات – وهي حق دستوري مطلق لأي نائب – جاءت بصورة "انتقامية" إما لمصالح حزبية أو تكسب انتخابي
"معظم" أصوات نواب الإسلام السياسي المستقلين معروضة للبيع، أما الحزبيون منهم فكانت أصواتهم موجهة الى "العلاقات والمصالح التجارية"
and remember:
ونتذكر جيدا انتخابات الرئاسة عقب حل مجلس الأمة في 2006، اذ كانت الجهود – عقب حركة نبيها خمس – تعمل على تنصيب السيد أحمد السعدون رئيسا للمجلس، وكانت وعود الاسلاميين من النواب للتصويت في هذا الإتجاه، ومع وجود هاجس كبير من الشك في تصويت نواب الاسلام السياسي حينها، الا أن الجميع تقبل النتيجة بما فيهم السيد السعدون، إلا أن الأيام كشفت بأن ممثلي "حدس" (فرع تنظيم الإخوان العالمي – الكويت) وجهت أصواتها الى السيد جاسم الخرافي! وأكد هذه المعلومة السجال الذي دار بين السيد حسين القلاف والنائب السابق ناصر الصانع.
قد تحقق الإنتخابات الحالية ثلاثية جميلة

ASSOCIATED PRESS

KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Kuwaitis elected female parliament members for the first time and rejected a number of Islamic fundamentalist candidates in a weekend vote that many hoped would bring stability to the country's rocky political scene.
...Kuwait has led the region in giving its people democratic rights..."This is a message that the Kuwaiti society has started to move away from such movements that are based on hatred," said political commentator Sami al-Nisf.
...instability has virtually frozen development at a time when Kuwait is grappling with the global financial crisis and falling oil revenues, which account for 90 percent of government income.

"Frustration with the past two parliaments pushed voters to seek change. And here it comes in the form of this sweeping victory for women," said one of the women elected, Massouma al-Mubarak, who was also the country's first female Cabinet minister.

just one thing confused me about this article:

"Her supporters celebrated with fireworks and drove her home in a motorcade of honking cars like Kuwaitis normally do after weddings."

ummm... i have NEVER seen a Kuwaiti after-wedding 4-in-the-morning motorcade!! What the hell is this reporter talking about? Hahahahahha.

NEWYORK DAILY NEWS

Kuwait gets first women in Parliament as four female representatives elected

AL JAZEERA

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra in Kuwait said: "This is definitely seen by many people as a female revolution here in Kuwait ... really a historic day.
"There is a new mindset here in Kuwait ... there is a wind of change in this country and it's definitely going to reverberate across the gulf region." (inshallah!!) "In the third constituency district, Aseel al Awadi and Rola Dashti ran against the most charismatic Islamist and Salafists, people who have dominated political life in Kuwait over the last ten years," Ahelbarra reported. "And they got more votes."

Dashti... stressed that all four women elected represent a wide variety of Kuwaiti women.

In depth

Q&A: Political crisis in Kuwait Video: Political infighting disrupts Kuwait's markets Profile: Kuwait

"Yes all of us are educated, but we also have a woman who won who is married to a non-Kuwaiti, one who is divorced, one who is not yet married, one whose mother is Lebanese," she said. "We represent different social strata."

the Islamic Salafi Alliance and the Islamic Constitutional Movement, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, were dealt a heavy blow.

ISLAMONLINE.NET

"This is our time," Sara Akbar, Chief Executive of oil firm Kuwait Energy Co, told a women-only rally supporting female candidate Dashti.

CNN

(CNN) -- Kuwait elected its first female lawmakers in the conservative Gulf state where men have dominated parliament for nearly five decades.

ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA

Kuwaiti women have achieved another historical milestone by winning their first ever seats in the oil-rich Gulf state's parliament
It's a victory for Kuwaiti women and a victory for Kuwaiti democracy," a jubilant Ms Awadhi said after the announcement of results.

"This is a major leap forward."

Ms Awadhi was expected to win but no-one predicted she would come in second place.

Ms Dashti, who has a doctorate in economics from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, is the chairwoman of the Kuwait Economic Society.

She had been a leading figure in the struggle of Kuwaiti women to win their political rights.

FRANCE 24

Quatre femmes élues pour la première fois au Parlement

Quatre femmes font une entrée historique à l'assemblée. Les femmes, qui n'ont obtenu leurs droits politiques qu'en 2005, n'avaient vu aucune des leurs gagner lors des deux précédents scrutins.

STOP READING. GO CELEBRATE!!!

VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOT CHAK CHAAAAK!! (clapping in the backgroud) 7ayaw il da2ira il oola!!! YAAAAAAAY! Only to prove to you that we are the world's best da2ira, we are the only one this time to have a WOMAN that's right, Ma39ooma al Mbarak LEADING the polls out of ten people with TWENTY ONE PERCENT of the vote!!! NUMERO UNO. I was dissapointed to see Hassan Johar reelected cause I think his motives are shifty, also annoyed to see 6ab6ab back in the game (but notice that Mr. Vote-for-me-or-you'll-go-to-hell was only NINTH this time with a paltry percentage of the vote!! Elimination next! The happy news is that he'll have his insanity checked by TWO women, the admirable professor Aseel al Awadhi (who came SECOND in the 3rd da2ira GO ASEEL) and Dr. Rola Dashti!!! HOORAY!!! In the second da2ira we have Salwa al Jassar pushing through, becoming the "fourth corner of the earth" (madre shako), stabilizing our august institution and ensuring more egalitarian strides in the future.Can't tell us to back down now! Take 1) THAT and 2)THAT 3) and THAT 4) and THAT!! GREAT JOB KUWAIT!! Walla I'm SO proud! These four women made history! Narakom fil majlis bi2ithn Illah!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ILA AL NAJA7!!!

inshallah. ya rab tinji7ooon. im dyying to know the results. inshallah shay i9eer o 6ab6aba2i ya5sir. wInshalllah kil ili sharaw aswat akher marra ya5siroon ma3aa (hint hint nudge nudge mister-500-kd-per-kid-wearing-a-teeshirt-with-his-name-on-it-and-money-bags-delivered-to-neighbors-in-exchange-for-votes). Inshallah inshoof 7areem fi il majlis o il a7wal tit'3ayar hal mara! La tay2isoon min 7alat dawlatna al7een. Always keep in mind:

fact 1- we have the most active parliament in the Gulf and arguably in the Middle East

fact 2- il sha3b il kwaity is the most involved with sho2oon il 7okooma and the most politically aware.

fact 3- the kuwaiti woman has the most prominent voice (politically and otherwise) in the Gulf

fact 4- il sha3b il kwaity has the most power ka sha3b in the Gulf because our entire country since its founding was built upon the principle of power-sharing (im not saying that hasnt changed over the past 100 years but our foundations are still there) with the government. 

fact 5- we get so caught up in all of this because we LOVE it and  we LOVE our country and we will never let it go under and we will never just give up and leave. 

WOOT WOOOT cant wait for the results!

#1: UNIQLO

Still in our train clothes and starving, T and I head over to Fortnum and Masons for an incredible breakfast. I, here, am eating the perfect French toast. New Chma8 tip: If you are wearing one with a blazer, make it extra long and puffy and then put only one side behind the blazer, leaving the other side to hang in front. Fresh and actually looks quite nice.
I am actually very surprised at how few people know about Uniqlo. First of all, their stores are HUGE and they are all over London. Its not Kuwaiti style though. I love it cause their stuff is actually very good quality and they are super-simple and colorful. Everytime i go i buy a TRUCKload of stuff. These are very very few items out of the mountain that i bought. They are so easily mixed and matched and i always get things extra large if i can (cause i like big things.) I went on a color shopping overload as an extreme reaction to the funereal Paris style and naturally binged on Uniqlo. I really advise you guys to go in. Dont look for "pieces". look for colorful basics. thats where so many people get confused and cant find anything at Uniqlo. they are looking for something that stands out on its own. Thats really not what the store is about. Its all about the "perfect supplements" to your wardrobe or being the perfect backdrop to fab accessories. The pefect sky blue cardigan will be amazing against your giant plastic tiger necklace, for example. Love it. Plus, its Japanese. Check out their bags, aren't they SUPER? The Uniqlo Tokyo area-guide and catalog with real Japanese opinions!!


Cousin T's me-influenced pop look. Both orange-red thin-knit waffle cardigan and BOMBER MAN t-shirt are from Uniqlo.
This is our first few hours (after dropping off my load of bags at the hotel of course). I was so hot in my blazer and wool skirt that i changed into new clothes right in the store. My ruffle-front white button-down, soft stretchy cotton skirt and cardigan are all from Uniqlo.
Eleventhst, if you going to London soon def check it out and you wont regret it. Everyone else too. Also look out for their collaborations. My faves are UT and Opening Ceremony for Uniqlo men.

Swinging London

hey guys. just came back from a three-day escape to London (aka. the BEST CITY ON THE PLANET and my birthplace!) Unfortunately, my psycho computer wont recognize my camera chip toaster thing and so i cant post pics of the all the fabulous things at the moment. i went CRAAAAAAAAAZY shopping at Uniqlo and Topshop and Carnaby/Newburgh though!

Accessories

For me, accessories always make or break the outfit. The whole point of accessories is to personalize your look. A dress by Marni, for example, is always a just another dress by Marni until i wear it my way. There is always a specific vibe that comes with something that clicks with me and most of the time i acheive that vibe by pairing my clothes with accessories. I'm not speaking here of going to school clanking with bronze, beads and gold. It could be something as simple as a watch or a discreet bow in the hair that really makes it yours that day, that moment. I really hate "it" accessories because they are so impersonal. How many times are you going to see the same "NetaporGirls" with armloads of Tom Binns cuffs and Pink Moon braclets without getting bored to tears? Such a shame.. it all looks so mechanical! And in their quest to look up-to-date, they bypass the most interesting part of dressing up, having a style that (however subtly so) is that is dinstinctly you. No one has to define their individual style, it will always be identifiable as itself and trying just ruins the whole thing. No fashion mistake could get worse than trying to look unique! What im trying to say is you can find wonderful accessories everywhere and people so often overlook the places where i find some of my stuff that they miss out on so much. So i thought i could share.I love pink, plastic and bows. I adore this highly impractical pink plastic teddy bear charm bracelet i got from a joke shop in Victor Hugo. The bow is one of my favorite, so simple yet it falls most perfectly between my clavicles. I got that from Beyond the Valley on Carnaby Street in London. The metal teddy bear pendant with crystals at the end i got from a dodgy shop called Ad Hoc on Kings Road in London. 
I love wearing these all stacked up, its such a fairy-taleish combination! The stacked bracelets on the far right are from some Indian shop in Soug al Mubarakiya. The resin flower bracelet in the middle is from a Korean accessories shop in the Marais, Paris. The pearl bracelet i got for my birthday from a friend of mine.
This is actually one of those magnetic twisty multi-purpose things and i bought it from a Chinese vendor in one of the stalls on the other side of the Champs-Elysees Christmas time. I commonly wear it as a necklace, but this time i twisted it into a knot to wear as a dramatic bracelet. Worn with other things its OTT, but worn alone, it is perfection.

More next time...

Plastic Guns

I ordered all sorts of fruit and gun necklaces from this plastic website. They are so light and are the kind of stuff you wouldn't think of buying til you think of buying them. 7abait il contrast ma3a il aswad. Very Slytherin-as-Muggles (although thats a bit of a contradiction bes go with the flow). Shraykom?