The Outlet Mall - My Second Home

The outlet mall is a place where you go to feel rich when you’re not. You can pretend that you wear designer clothes only and you can afford to buy the most expensive item in the store. And the outfit you’re wearing for the occasion is the one you bought the last time you visited.

The only problem is that the outlet malls are always located far from the city centre, as if they are sending out a message to lazy shoppers. And as far as I know, there is no plan for metro line extensions or relocation. Such a shame…




In Wear,50Dhs











GAP,69Dhs











GAP,37Dhs

Ladies Who Lunch

‘Ladies who lunch’ don’t exactly eat all the time. They also do yoga, shop a lot and spend weekends at spa centers. Isn’t simply fabulous being one of them? It’s a guarantee for packed closets, bunch of diamonds, lack of love and neglected kids, in that order exactly.

Coming from a place where ladies lunch only if they prepared a meal by themselves, I found the whole concept extremely convenient. Very neat and fashionable, good for skin, good for nails, relaxing for the mind…Such a shame it comes with downsides.




Oxigene,147Dhs









Monsoon,749Dhs











Gap,39Dhs

World Cup Fashion Issues

I didn’t expect to have fun watching the World Cup matches, but a little fashion touch wouldn’t hurt. Besides a few tight team shirts that I liked for a completely different reason, there’s nothing fashionable to see on the court or around it.

What happened to those Italian guys? It was all about the coiffure before and now suddenly it’s all about football? I don’t get it!

And where have all the WAGs gone? I want to see them clapping from the audience, pretending they understand the rules, all made up, with tones of make-up and a perfect blow-dry. Now, that would be a good World Cup game.





Gant,146Dhs











Monsoon,656Dhs











Soaked in Luxury,95Dhs

Dubai Summer Surprises

Dubai Summer Surprises – we’ve seen it before, we know what it’s like and we know when it’s coming, so what’s so surprising about it?

Now, that would be an amateur’s question. I took the ‘opening walk’ (as I call the initial visit to the malls when the sales have just started) and I must say that surprise levels are just satisfactory. Not even the articles from the last sale still standing on the same shelves can ruin the excitement of a good bargain.

And if you are still waiting for a piece of couture for pocket money, you’re gonna live one surprise-less life.




American Eagle Outfitters,60Dhs











Bebe,20Dhs











Monsoon,656Dhs

Singapore Shopping Festival

I was one of the shopping pilgrims heading to Singapore to grab a piece of Singapore Shopping Festival. All of my favorite fashion magazines said it’s a ‘must-do’, so who am I to oppose? Got a little bored with Dubai sales at the time and decided to stretch my legs around a new shopping mine field.

The number of shopping malls was more than satisfactory (every building has one instead of a parking lot), but what I found inside was not as exciting as I thought it would be.

After a few days of digging through the darkest corners and the deepest shelves, exhausted from all the hope, I was approached by a local woman who was doing a survey on the subject. I couldn’t wait to tell her how disappointed I was, since I came ‘all the way from Dubai’ to spend my ‘hardly earned dirhams’ and look what I got!

Maybe it was a little harsh considering the fact that I came back home with additional luggage.




Le Chateau,59Dhs









Monsoon,806Dhs











Monsoon,749Dhs

Do You Wear Pink?

Women are divided into two large groups – those who wear pink and those who don’t. They exist in the world independently, keeping the pink border line between them intact. Not only do they not swap clothes (because there’s nothing in their closets to match), they don’t even have coffee together. Pink is more like a state of mind than just a color.

I personally belong to the last group – I hardly remember a brief phase of pink-loving when I was five and haven’t had a single pink garment ever since. However, being a fan of bold and daring fashion statements, I’m ready to introduce pink to my wardrobe now. Let’s start with shoes – I want the pinkest of them all! Who knows, maybe my pink acquaintances become my new best friends.



Autograph,160Dhs









H&M,79Dhs









Next,120Dhs









Top Shop,200Dhs









H&M,29Dhs

Fashionable Cars

Manolos…check, LV bag…check, convertible…check… Yes, a car is a little pricy for a single fashion accessory, but you want to be thorough, right? Details, please! So, I suggest you take good care choosing the right color. It should match your eyes, nail polish and of course, most of your wardrobe. Engine power, maximum speed and other vehicle properties should not be your concern, you hardly drive anyway. What’s important is that the car looks good on you and that you look good in it.

You’ll agree that the most fashionable of them all is her majesty convertible. Regardless of the brand, it looks great on both men and women, for completely different reasons though. And what’s a little humming in your ears and inhaling all those fumes on the road when you get to be seen with the wind in your hair, looking at least 10 years younger, pretending you’re taking the exit to the Palm. Put the loud music on and you’ll become an idol to already amazed Dubai tourists watching you from the Big Bus.



CCDK,100Dhs









River Island,225Dhs









CCDK,75Dhs









Top Shop,40Dhs









H&M,69Dhs

Lebanese Make-Up

Facial, make-up, Lebanese make-up?!? This would be a list of services in a local beauty salon… Does anybody find this a little odd?

Why is the Lebanese make-up a separate category? Is it because of the quantity of make-up required or the special make-up artist’s skills or for all the care that these special customers demand?

If you think twice, Lebanese make-up IS a special category. It might not be your style and it might not suit your features, but it certainly is a recognizable signature of Lebanese women.


Next,110Dhs









H&M,39Dhs









Top Shop,145Dhs









CCDK,100Dhs









Next,95Dhs

Lebanese Fashion

What is so special about Lebanese fashion and why do they call them Italians of the Middle East?

I’ve been following their style for a while, simply watching the beautiful Lebanese people walking around Dubai in their smart outfits, sometimes too smart for the occasion. Ok, I was following the guys only, I have no idea what the girls wear and I always expect them to look like one of their famous folk singers.

What you can’t know until you visit Lebanon is that Lebanese fashion is much more artistic then you’d think. Skirts are not that short, shirts are not that tight and the jewelry is more charming than shiny. And what makes them even more fashionable is the fact that they might be the nicest people on the planet.






CCDK,100Dhs









H&M,109Dhs









River Island,275Dhs









KinyobixFridayxDonna,60Dhs









In Wear,40Dhs

Shopping. Shopping. Shopping.

For true shopaholics an adrenalin kick should follow even the mentioning of the word ‘shopping’. If shopping ever helped you get over a flu, you’re definitely one of them. Should I mention a self-confidence boost, beating depression or healing a broken heart? Yes, definitely a shopaholic. Or why shouldn’t we call it a shopalover, shopaholic somehow sounds like you have a problem of some kind. And you don’t, right? You can stop whenever you want!!

And why stop? Money spent on clothes would not get you a serious investment anyway (cars and rent don’t count). So go ahead, build your style, stuff your closets, whatever you do best, no regrets. Shopping might show as a good investment after all.



Next,40Dhs







Vero Moda,150Dhs









Monsoon,538Dhs

Dubai World Cup

What’s the dress code for Dubai World Cup? Official recommendation would be ‘a modest dress’, whatever the word ‘modest’ means in your world. There’s no rule for the dress length, quantity of jewelry or type of shoes. Why bother defining the level of dressing up in Dubai when it’s always the same – infinite.

Dubai World Cup is an ultimate fashion event though and trying to define a fashion faux-pas would only scare off the most inventive ones. I say let’s give it a go and see how many sequins is too many.

Look, there are horses too. We forgot…





French Connection,248Dhs









Benetton,300Dhs











Monsoon,222Dhs

Shopping for Kids' Clothes

Who says you can enjoy only shopping for yourself? Shopping for kids’ clothes can be just as exciting. As a matter of fact, I recommend it as a therapy on your fat days. Why would you bother thinking about your own spongy thighs when you can mock someone else’s?

For those who are struggling with raising a kid, seeing the child as an accessory can help. Ok, this didn’t come out right. I meant that styling this gorgeous little clown can make your day. Like a manicure!

And if you find a garment too cute for someone who is too young to appreciate it, you can always keep it for yourself. Who knows how much you’ll shrink after that new low-carb diet.





Vero Moda,165Dhs










Koton,99Dhs









French Connection,198Dhs










Monsoon,92Dhs

Designer Shoes and How to Get Them

How to get your hands on those beautiful, magnificent, shiny designer shoes? I won’t keep you waiting for this one - there is an old and tried out technique your grandmother told you about – marry that guy next door, better known as ‘controversial businessman’ or probably called ‘respectable lieutenant’ in your grandma’s time, whatever, the principle sustains.

This would be the easy way. You can always get crazy and find yourself a really good job instead, but then you won’t have time for a pedicure, so what’s the point in wearing the fancy shoes then?

And it’s not about whether you can afford them or not. These days it’s more about whether it’s sane or not to give away a small fortune (a few thousands in every world’s currency) for something that’s going to sweep the dust. And to think that for the same amount you can buy a fine, used, ‘lady driven’ car…

So, what does your heart say?

I thought so…




Benetton,178Dhs









Vero Moda,195Dhs









Monsoon,111Dhs











French Connection,338Dhs

Who Needs Winter Clothes?

One of the things I like the most about living in Dubai is not having to wear winter clothes. Who needs sweaters, fur coats and wool caps when you can wear shorts, sandals and strapless dresses all the time. If you get unreasonably nostalgic though, a freezing mall or a restaurant will give you an instant relief. Just pick one.

Love the fact that I don’t have to wonder what’s the temperature outside and what I should wear today – it’s always sixty degrees and I should wear the least possible, as long as it’s legal. And no, it’s not getting any colder in the afternoon.

It’s still fantastic how much money women spend on winter clothes. I guess it’s like buying clothes for special occasions, and that’s no time to get thrifty.




Koton,99Dhs










Mango,169Dhs












Koton,49Dhs