Quantcast
Channel: R Nadia Sabrina
Viewing all 354 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Behind the Blossoming : Part 2

July 7, 2015, 9:47 pm
$
0
0

We did this scene for the aere shoot to show how I'm in the middle of doing my work running my own label, aere. One of the things that I do continuously since I started aere is planning collections. Usually, when I come up with a collection I already have in my mind what I want. For instance, how many tops, jackets, bottoms or dresses do I want to make, what kind of fabric as well as the colours or theme for it. I usually decide on what I myself would want to wear. I will then have a meeting to brainstorm with my production and design team with my assistant designer, Ina and she'll come up with sketches based on the directions that I gave. So they will translate what I want into beautiful sketches for me to choose from. When I've chosen them, technical drawings will be prepared for me to comment on and then we will send it out to the manufacturer. After about 1 or 2 weeks, we will receive the samples made by the sample makers based on the technical drawings we sent out and then we have to make amendments to the samples and sometimes the samples need to be made again and again until we are finally happy with the end result before I decide to approve it for it to go into production. This process can be quite long as some designs would take longer than the other. So actually it all starts with a vision and imagination of how I picture it to be.I'll share and go more on detail on the processes of how I do my work soon on the blog. (I initially wanted to keep this post really short) :D

Back to the content of this post. :) The photos in this post are all behind-the-scenes shots of me taken by @kneok at Lisa's kitchen earlier this year. Disclaimer though, when I'm doing work or have a meeting with my team on designs or production, it's usually much much more messier than this! And sometimes I do have meeting with them in the pantry, but not a proper beautiful kitchen like this! Hehe. You can also see some paper dolls cutting on the table. I actually asked my team to cut that out for me for me to mix and match the looks for my catalogue shoot at around the same time as well as for that shoot. I needed to have something visual to plan out and coordinate different looks and the paper dolls really helped me doing that. It actually reminded me of how I love to play dress up with using paper dolls. The joy!

Anyway, in this scene, I styled a casual look wearing aere's OLIVA Oversized Buttoned Cuff Top, VIOLA Faux Leather Pleated Skirt and a dUCk scarf. 

I'll share with you the next scene here on the blog soon!

This  is a continuation of my post Behind the Blossoming : Part 1 where I blogged about the first scene of the shoot I did with my dears Lisa Surihani and Ruzana Ibrahim for the Blossoming of Grace collection where we did a shoot outdoors of us having tea and desserts while chit-chatting. You can also read Dreams Do Change : WW Magazine Feature. where the Blossoming of Grace collection was featured. Click aere to browse the available full collection.









PEACE & LOVE!
↧
Search

Fairer & Lovelier

July 10, 2015, 7:44 am
$
0
0

Being busy and on the go, I tend to neglect things that at the time I feel aren’t as important, such as health. Nowadays, I spend lesser time on resting or taking care of myself, such as skincare. But, the longer you neglect it, the more it shows. Even when we are not in Ramadhan, my challenge is drinking lots of water daily, so during Ramadhan it is an even bigger challenge for me. So I have to take care of my skin in other ways.


I’m always on the look out for an affordable skincare range, so I received a few recommendations to check out Fair & Lovely (“FAL”). As the number 1 whitening brand in Malaysia,it’s got to be worth a try right? So I gave it a shot. Developed in 1975, Fair & Lovely is dedicated to offering women fair looking skin and it's dermatologically tested. I was also told that it also improved your skin in general so I was keen to check it out.

I am currently trying these new products from FAL:


FAL Advanced Multivitamin Cleanser and Moisturiser. Containing Vitamins B3, C and E, the FAL Advanced Multivitamin cream promises to target 5 skin tone problem to give you a fairer and radiant skin. However, my main concern is not so much on being fairer, but to remove dull skin and improve my complexion.

Fair & Lovely target 5 skintone problems like fairness treatment:-

1.     Skin marks – Like laser treatment
2.     Sun Tan – Like polish treatment
3.     Dull Skin – Like face peel treatment
4.     Dark Circles – Like antioxidant treatment
5.     Skin Lightening – Like vitamin mask treatment

Incorporating FAL into my daily routine is quite simple. I just use the FAL Advanced Multivitamin cleanser and then apply FAL Advanced Multivitamin Moisturiser as my moisturizer especially before putting on my makeup. The FAL Moisturizer is also said to reduce dark circles around the eyes. These things really creep up on you unexpectedly, so although I have been blessed not to have visible dark circles, it helps to incorporate a regime to keep it at bay. It’s good to take proactive steps to prevent things before they come.

So I’ll give this a try and see how it goes. If you are looking for affordable whitening skincare and want to check FAL out, check out their facebook at https://ms-my.facebook.com/fairandlovelymalaysia. They are also running a contest called Ceria Berseri Aidilfitri, so make sure you enter if you want to win attractive prizes! Are any of you guys using FAL and have any experiences to share? Do drop a comment okay?

Lastly, check out Fair & Lovely Ramadhan video and see how FAL gives you instant fairness during Raya !




PEACE & LOVE!

↧
↧

An Online Gem

July 13, 2015, 3:47 pm
$
0
0

The online world is a very big place. For those who love to shop in the comfort of their own homes, there are lots of websites that serve as a one-stop shop for just about everything you need: delivered straight to your doorstep. We just gotta love technology right? I myself love shopping online since I started working about seven years ago because I find it more convenient and I really don’t have time to window shop for stuff offline.

So I recently discovered a new online destination that you just HAVE to check out: GEMFIVE (www.gemfive.com). It’s a great website to find pretty much all the things you want and need, and also to discover new things and brands at a click of your mouse button.



It’s pretty awesome: There are lots of gadgets (my fav, if you don’t happen to know), beauty & health, home & living and also fashion! Yep. The cool thing about this is that GEMFIVE is bringing in brands not just from Southeast Asia, but also from Korea, Spain, Sweden and even the USA as well. It’s definitely worth checking out.

In conjunction with the Raya season, GEMFIVE have actually dedicated a whole section focusing mainly for Raya clothing. Look at some of the awesome deals below!:




All the Muslimah wear..

And to those who fancy some blings to shine up their overall outfit, they have a good selection of accessories as well:



While I seldom accessorise myself, I do think this Momento Rose Quartz jewelry set will subtly enhance your outfit:


The interface is also as simplified as it gets, and very user-friendly too. The GEMPicks and Special Finds sections offer specially curated suggestions if you’re like me and just browse the online world without having making up my mind yet as to what to buy!

There’s also GEMdeals – special offers on selected items or brands that make it so tempting and irresistible NOT to click that buy button. I can spend hours and hours just browsing: All these home appliances to buy for my house… Hmmm… online window shopping is just the best!




GEMdeals that makes your shopping experience even better!

Oh..and right now, GEMFIVE is running a contest! All shoppers stand a chance to win the daily prize of a smartphone! And today is the LAST DAY to enter! So what are you waiting for? It’s time to start shopping on GEMFIVE!

PEACE & LOVE!


↧

In the News : Life & Times

July 14, 2015, 8:27 pm
$
0
0

Time really flies! Raya is coming up in a few days and I feel like I haven't done enough this month even though I've tried my very best. 

I feel like it was just yesterday when I talked about aere and hinted on the aere x dUCk collaboration during the interview on BFM Radio (read - aere On Air : BFM Radio Station). That was actually 2 months ago and at the same time I felt that so many things have happened in between! The day I went for that interview I also blogged and mentioned about how busy I was working on a few exciting things (see Powering Confidence). Some has actually passed by and was a success and some I'm still working like crazy on right now with my team. The fashion show at Royale Chulan went well and the releases of the aere x dUCk collaboration went well at all stockists too. The response has been really good online and offline for the recent releases and I cannot describe how thankful I am for the overwhelming support, love and response by everyone.  I'm going to mention it again and again because I really feel that I can't say thank you enough. Alhamdulillah.

Today, aere is in the news again about the aere x dUCk collaboration with dUCkscarves. It was a write-up from the interview with the press they did of me and Vivy Yusof right after the aere's aere EID Fashion Show 2015 presenting the aere x dUCk pieces. I remember there were a number of them from the press who pulled me away from the crowd to do quick interviews but at the end there were more who actually called both Vivy and me aside to have a very longgg interview (it was until midnight).  

To read the article  scroll below as I scanned the feature for records purposes :) I actually have a lot of BTS photos but I'll share in future posts hopefully. 

Thank you NST and Amalina Kamal for the accurate reporting of the collaboration and the interview and Happy 170 years Birthday! :)


I'm truly humbled by all the features. All might and power comes from the Almighty and everything belongs to Him and everything happens as He wills it. All praises to the Creator for all the gifts and blessings. Happy last few days before Raya everyone. Selamat Hari Raya and Maaf Zahir Batin. :) Be safe when travelling during the raya season and enjoy your time with your loved ones! 








PEACE & LOVE!
↧

A Modern and Chic Muse

July 15, 2015, 3:53 am
$
0
0

During the festive season such as Raya, there are days when you just want to throw on a relaxed and casual outfit. Today, however, you can still have a relaxed and casual look while making a statement too!. Determined to make a bold, yet subtle statement, I decided to pair this black Carina top and Vela skirt (both from aere) with a light pink shawl topped off with a black and gold belt to show the world that I am ready for them. That I mean business.  

To me, Raya is not just about wearing kurungs and kebayas. There is nothing wrong with being a little creative for Raya. Is it common? Maybe not. But it’s comfortable and adds a little funk and variety!


The colour combination Black, Gold and peach pink of this OOTD is, amongst others, inspired a little by the Modern Muse Chic from Estee Lauder.

Estee Lauder is one of my favourite fragrances. I blogged about the Modern Muse perfume last year here. (http://www.rnadia.com/2014/07/the-scent-of-modern-muse-be-inspiration.html) and I am excited for the Modern Muse Chic. This July 2015, Estee Lauder will be introducing the Modern Muse Chic, a new fragrance that blends in two contrasting scents: Vivid Florals and Ebony Woods! I really, really just can’t wait.

But what does modern muse mean and what does it entail?

To me – a Modern Muse is a strong-willed woman, who knows what she wants and she is deeply confident in her own capabilities. She is also inspirational, someone people look up to. However, she is also soft-spoken and feminine.


This is something I also try to represent in the designs that I make for my label aere and the clothes that I wear.  I think we should embrace modernity and be creative, daring and a little bold in our appearances – but always stay true to your own self and style.

Estee Lauder has retained Arizona Muse as their Muse (hehe) for this new perfume, and they have made an excellent choice as I have explained in my post last year (see the Scent of Modern Muse / Be an Inspiration).

The perfume’s appearance itself is very, very stylish and chic. I love the little navy bow and the gold-toned studs which adds a very creative touch. But the fragrance is a twist and different from the Modern Muse perfume. I just can’t get over how the two contrasting scents work so well together – truly capturing the essence of the strong yet feminine side of a woman.

The Modern Muse Chic will be available July 2015. In the meantime, there’s a contest for you to win the Modern Muse Chic perfume!

Details are as follows:
1)    Take a photo of your chic look of the day;
2)    Upload your picture to Instagram with the hashtag #mymodernmuse and share what makes a Modern Muse Chic;
3)    Stay tuned to Estee Lauder Facebook page to find out if you have won the prize!

There are 3 units of 50ml Modern Muse Chic to be won – so go ahead and try your luck!


Log on to www.esteelauder.my/modernmusechic for more details.




PEACE & LOVE !

↧
↧

Her Third Raya : Expect the Unexpected XVII

July 23, 2015, 9:33 pm
$
0
0
Selamat Hari Raya everyone.

Where did you spend your Raya holidays?

I didn't expect it, but when I was asked this question many, many times, I found myself pausing and in a daze. It's such an easy, innocent question, but it hit me hard. I only realised how difficult it was to answer this question when I was asked during an interview for a magazine. I stopped and I couldn't answer it at all.

The reason why I couldn't answer it was because I suddenly realised when I was suddenly asked that question, in my mind I was thinking: When will I be visiting Jibrael's grave? But at the same time, I couldn't say it out. Of course, people mean well when they ask this question. But I was afraid to talk about it because I was afraid of people's reactions if I had actually expressed what was on my mind at that time.

I was scared of the look that's sure to come after I mention my daughter's name. It's either the "uncomfortable" look or the look of pity or sympathy, or even the tears on someone else's eye. That is not how I want people to remember my beautiful daughter. It's painful to see those looks even though I know in my heart that they mean well. So through the years I've learned to contain my feelings. So, I just say: "Oh yeah, I'm raya-ing in Kuala Lumpur and will be going to Ipoh to visit my Atok on the second day of Raya" but the truth is, I always pause and need to compose myself. Flashbacks and images replay in my head when it happens. Sometimes I stutter when I answer, and sometimes when the words don't come out, I just smile. Or I'll try to  avoid the question or deflect the question by pretending not to hear it and ask the person who's asking where they are going. But it was all overwhelming.

One day, I was in the surau with some friends. And then, suddenly I myself had the courage to ask the innocent question which I myself feared. I asked : "Are you excited for Raya?" And then a friend of mine said: "no". Even though it's not the answer that everyone expected for Raya (it's Raya everyone is supposed to be excited!) but somehow I felt relieved. Because someone else was feeling the same thing I did. The only thing was that I was afraid to admit it. I was afraid to admit that I was not looking forward to Raya because something feels missing. That, and the fact that Ramadhan, the fasting month is ending.

I then asked another friend : "You beraya kat mana? (Where are you going for Raya?)". Then after she answered, I suddenly opened up. I told her that I was planning to go to Jibrael's grave the day before Raya. Then I would visit my grandmother's grave and usually the night before Raya, we will gather at my aunt's house where my grandmother used to live. My grandmother passed away 2 years ago when I was in the hospital carrying Jibrael. I couldn't see her one last time or pay my last respects to her when she passed away so her passing also affected me very deeply. The last time I saw her I told her I was pregnant with my daughter. We still make it a point to gather at my aunt's place.

Anyway, I've wanted to share how I feel for the longest time, but somehow it's easier for me to share about my work rather than my personal feelings. And to be honest, I actually wanted to blog every day for the past week. Talking about it is even more difficult than writing. I have so many contents in my drafts and folders that I want to share here. But I just couldn't, because I had this mental block. I couldn't write about anything else until I wrote about how I feel, not having Jibrael here with me. I just couldn't. I did posted a lot on Instagram though. I just had to to battle and struggle against the blocks and emotions.

Like I said earlier, I've actually planned to go and visit Jibrael and my Grandmother's graves on the day before Raya, Thursday last week. I also planned to run some last-minute errands. It turned out, the day before Raya, that I couldn't bring myself to get up and go. It was just so difficult. I still can't understand it, until today. I was just so confident the day before that I would be able to go with the husband. But on the day itself, both of us just couldn't. It came to a point where I broke down when I least expected it. I didn't go.

The reason I was so confident that I could bring myself to go was because on the first Raya without Jibrael in 2013, I went on the morning of Raya itself. The year after, in 2014, I actually went the day before which I felt was a good thing because I could focus more on my family and relatives on the first day of Raya. So, since I was able to do it last year, I thought this year was going to be easier. Wow, was I wrong.

It's weird that I started blogging about expecting the unexpected (read : Expect the Unexpected) but I myself most often forget to expect the unexpected. What I felt on that day, how I couldn't even bring myself to go was totally unexpected. I spent the whole day at home, didn't have the strength to go out and at the end of the day I felt bad that I couldn't go. I started to blame myself. I felt that I didn't want to go out at all that whole day, but then I promised my family and relatives that I would be at my aunt's house. They had a theme and prepared a lot of food for the last berbuka puasa. It was a family tradition since I was little so I pushed myself and went. The husband and I arrived really late though. Initially, I didn't feel the joy or celebration at all. I didn't even want to take photos.

But at the end of the day, after talking with my family, catching up with relatives, playing with my nieces and nephews I felt much much better. I tried my best to do what we do best together as a family. I really am blessed to have wonderful family members and relatives who's been so supportive and non-judgmental towards what I've been going through especially the past few years.

Fast forward to the next day, last Friday, Khubayb and I didn't talk about going to the grave, but in the afternoon of the first day of Raya or Syawal, we were both mentally and emotionally drained from the day before and there were just so many triggers and I was just so emotional on that day. But I tried myself not to breakdown. I didn't. In the afternoon of the first day of Raya, I told the husband that I want to go. He thought that I wasn't ready, that's why he didn't mention it. So we went.



I snapped this when we visited Jibrael's grave on 12th April 2015. 
I blogged about it in my post Second in Heaven : The Supposed Special Day but I couldn't share this photo when I blogged about it earlier.

There's something about going though, it feels so surreal. On the way to the grave yard, I couldn't even look up. I wrote a post on Instagram. The post I shared with its caption below. The fact that I couldn't share a photo of her, or I couldn't plan for the clothes she was going to wear, or I couldn't collect duit raya for her like other mothers do is in itself heart breaking. Everytime I heard other parents planning for their children for Raya I'm happy for them  but in my heart and mind I wonder what it would be like if she's here. Instead of planning where to get her clothes and other stuffs, I had to think about: "When do I go to the grave. What do I do? How do I make her grave prettier" So it's weird. It feels like the photos that I take with my husband on that day, it's incomplete. It's as if we're supposed to hold her in the middle. But Alhamdulillah, we have each other. Without the love that we have for each other we wouldn't have been able to be blessed with our child in heaven. And I know that we have to be strong because she's having the best of celebrations where she resides, the place beautiful beyond imagination, heaven. We just have to be patient till we get to meet her again, one sweet day.





"Our family portrait. Another raya without you. Imagining you'll be wearing pink and yellow too today. :) But I'm pretty sure the children in heaven wears the best clothes that we on earth can't even begin to imagine ♡ You're too beautiful for earth and today Abah @kneok and Mama miss you even more than the normal days. It pains me that you're not here but I know that we both have to be patient and be strong till we meet again. You're in our hearts and mind, always. Till we reunite again one sweet day. InsyaAllah with your younger siblings too. We miss you so much Putri Jibrael Zumirrah. Al-Fatihah.  #strength4jibrael #akarnsLOVE"

All praises to the Almighty for granting me the strength to start and share my feelings which I have been containing for quite some time. All praises to Him the Most Loving who has blessed me with my daughter in heaven who has taught me more about life than anyone in this world has. Alhamdulillah.

I started to write this blogpost since last night but I've thought about it since the days before Raya. Wow, it's already quite a long post and I haven't even shared on my feelings when I visited her. I'll do that in my next post, God Willing.


PEACE & LOVE!


↧

Visiting Jibrael & Friends : Expect the Unexpected XVIII

July 25, 2015, 8:40 am
$
0
0
When I finally had the strength and went to the grave with the husband, I didn't cry at all. In fact, I no longer felt anxious or nervous. When I arrived, I felt at peace and I smiled, because I felt that where I was at the moment was the closest that I can get to her. It felt surreal though, because every time I go to the grave, the surrounding is so peaceful and serene. It was not sunny, the weather was a little gloomy but just nice and redup. There were chickens too. Everything was suddenly in slow motion.

(Oh, by the way, this post is a continuation of my post Her Third Raya : Expect the Unexpected XVII where I shared how I've been feeling the days leading to Raya)

The hardest part was actually before going there. But when I arrived, it felt that a burden had been lifted. When we arrived at Jibrael's grave, I couldn't even look at her grave at first. I initially looked at her neighbours, smiled and saw that there were so many little babies that were buried around her. I saw twins too. Some small baby sized graves and some a bit longer than the others. I felt like: Ok, Jibrael has a lot of friends in heaven. And I'm pretty sure she has many friends over there. 

After awhile, I looked at her resting place. The place where her body was buried. 

We haven't done up Jibrael's grave yet. But when I see her neighbours, I felt that their graves look quite nice. Beautifully done up. This time around, there were actually small  little flowers growing on Jibrael's grave. 




I spoke about doing up her grave with the husband before. We've been talking about it for the longest time, every time after we visit or when a birthday or a day of a celebration (like raya) comes up. I mean, it's been more than two years. So I know that we should have done it a long time ago. But we still haven't, even though we've been there many times. I sometimes get angry at both of us for not having the strength to do it. It seems like it is the right thing to do but it's just so difficult. 

It's weird. 

I would've thought that a child would have to think about these things for their parents. Instead, I have to think about all these about my own child. My eldest daughter. As a parent, I should have been busy thinking about strollers, baby car seats, how to feed her, put her to sleep, her toys, her new clothes, playdates with her friends and other baby stuffs, not about her tombstone and grave. Right ? It doesn't seem natural. 

It's exhausting. Writing about this is also tiring. It's really heavy. Sometimes, I don't even know why I write this. But then I read a comment on a previous post also under Jibrael's tag, she said that I should share my feelings because it would help. And I've read comments from other mothers and mothers-to-be who asked me to keep on writing because it helps them too.

And even the counsellor that I met a few months after Jibrael's passing in 2013 also advised the same. As I'm writing this, I'm not sure if this is helping or not. I know nothing can bring her back. 

What I know and believe is this: When my husband was praying while we were at Jibrael's grave, I understood that. Yes. Nothing can bring her back here. I accept that for the moment I found out she left this world. But, the most important thing is that she is definitely having a great and wonderful time in heaven. Yes there is a lot of pain and heartbreak for us who's longing for her and missing her in this world. That is the price we pay for love. But we live in a world where pain and heartbreaks exist. She is not experiencing any of those. And that is inspiring. It inspires me to strive to go to that place where no pain and heartbreak exists when my time in this world is up.

I took a photo of her grave and her neighbours' grave for my memories sake. I find it beautiful. 




I wanted to post it on my IG that day. But, I stopped myself because I realise that what I see as beautiful might not be beautiful for others. Just like art, a photo is also very subjective. Different people see it differently. I know I shouldn't be thinking of what others think and just do whatever I like or feel right but I stopped because I wondered. And to be honest, I also fear sympathy or pity comments. Because when I share it's just me sharing what I feel beautiful. I can't share photos of her so I just share photos which for me bring good and beautiful memories of her. 

I thought: when people look at this photo, probably people will look at it as a negative thing. As though its a sad thing although it is something that they are uncomfortable or fear. Because it reminds people of death... For me, however, it reminds me of her life. It reminds me of her existence. So, that's the difference of perspective that which I have come to realize. 

Let me tell you one thing, yes, the bodies of these children are buried here, but their souls are actually roaming free in heaven. People might pity these children who died at a very young age and pity their parents. But these children struggled and fought for their lives.  Their soul is so pure and without sin. So much so that God rewarded them with Heaven. God is Great. Subhanallah. 

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, but sometimes, I feel that a picture is just an illusion. What you may see as sad (reminders of little children being buried), is actually happiness on the part of their souls because they are at a place where its beauty cannot be described and is beyond our imagination. We can't see that. We only can see what's in front of us. We can't see a lot of things that exists but I am blessed to have a child in heaven and truly believe that she's there. We must have absolute faith. Of course there are moments where I falter, or break, or become weak but God has blessed me in a way that I'm able to rise back up when the unexpected happens so far. Alhamdulillah. 

One of my best friends once told me that I am so lucky and blessed because I have a child in heaven. It is a goal for each parent to raise their children to be the best that they can be and the best of the best are those who would be granted heaven. And Jibrael has been promised heaven. Once a mother, always a mother and the sacrifices will not end until the end of time.

Anyways, 3 years and 3 Rayas ago, in 2012, I fasted the entire month and only found out three days before Raya that I was carrying Jibrael. It was such a beautiful experience.  This year, both my husband and I thought that history would be repeating itself. I allowed myself to believe that I was carrying Jibrael's little sibling. As much as I was frustrated and devastated when I couldn't fast towards the end of Ramadhan this year, I know that His timing and His Plans are better than my own wants. Of course, I accept that Jibrael is gone, but I'm still struggling to deal with the aftermath. Moments like this, trigger emotions and feelings. Especially when facing everyone.

Of course, most of the time if we feel it or there's an unexpected trigger, both me and my husband will talk about this with each other because it is easier to talk with someone who is in the same boat. Other people may not notice it, but he grieves too. Because when I talk sometimes it doesn't really come out. I guess I did need this to be written to get it off my chest. It's not for others but for my own self. Because when I re-read all my previous posts about my daughter, then it slightly soothes my aching and also serves as a reminder to myself. Sometimes I just need to reorganise my thoughts. Especially when the triggers kick in to overwhelm me. I guess, what my readers commented in my previous posts and what my abovementioned counsellor told were right. Writing does help. And if my readers find it beneficial too, especially other parents, that will be a bonus too and I'll be glad to know...

I'm sure Raya and other celebrations are always bittersweet for people who have suffered childloss or the loss of someone they really love. I know because I've been feeling it ever since I lost Jibrael as well as my grandparents. May Allah grant us the strength and patience to pull through and may we re-unite beautifully with our loved ones in Heaven. May they inspire us to strive for heaven and become better individuals. One step at a time. Of course, loss teaches us to be more thankful and grateful of what we currently have. We have been blessed with the gift of life and we should make the best of what is given. 

Life is short and my daughter Jibrael taught me that and I really have to learn it the hard way. She lived for 12 hours after she was born and of course she also lived inside of me. The departed children have been rewarded with heaven for their suffering at a very tender age here on this Earth. (Even we as adults are afraid of death, can we imagine how the babies and little kids must have felt...? I can't imagine the pain that the have to go through in this world when they were fighting for life) 

As Muslims, we must believe in the hereafter and strive for that. If not for the loss of Jibrael, I may not be able to realise all of this. I might be able to say it, but not be able to truly feel it. It's not that easy for me to explain how I feel. She's no longer here. But she's the one person who taught me the most about life. She's an amazing teacher. It's a little ironic, if I think about it.

All praises to the Creator for blessing me with one of the best gifts in my life, my child in heaven, my eldest daughter : Putri Jibrael Zumirrah. Continuous Al-Fatihah tak putus for her and her friends in heaven. May we all get to meet this children of heaven, one sweet day.

Below are images I captured when I visited my daughter Jibrael and her friends. A beautiful view in my eyes. The closest earthly view I can have of Jibrael and some of her friends in heaven. Where she really is, is beautiful beyond imagination and can't be seen by our limited senses and mind. 

All praises to the Most Loving, Most Merciful, our Creator to whom we belong and will all return.







PEACE & LOVE!

↧

Golden Oxblood

July 28, 2015, 8:29 am
$
0
0






You know when I said I had a LOT of unpublished drafts, I wasn't kidding. After going through some of the drafts here, I found this one. Can you imagine that this has been waiting to be published since April 2015 and somehow I never just got the chance to publish it until now? I know, right. I'm trying to clear off all my backlog of unpublished drafts. We'll see how well that goes. :)

Anyways, I intended to share with you guys this lookpost of what I wore for my husband's birthday dinner earlier this year on the 5th of April. Gold is a very rich colour that not only attracts attention to it, but also elevates and brings out other colours worn with it. I wore this VIOLA Skirt in oxblood from aere which is also a very deep and rich colour. The gold shawl balances the oxblood very evenly. Since I was going out for a dinner, I chose to wear a deep maroon lipstick to go with the skirt. The skirt is one of my favourites as it has a lot of shape and heft, giving me a structured feel. There is also just a little subtle shine from the fabric, which is not too flashy, but not too dull either. When photos of it are taken with flash, it looks a bit shiny, but in real life the faux-leather effect is actually very subtle. I'm quite happy with how this skirt from aere's Blossoming of Grace collection turned out. (See Blossoms of Indigo and Pastel Blocks to see how I styled the VIOLA in other colours)

I've always been looking for a gold shawl,  so I decided to try this one from Chique Veils. Their shawls are mainly from Turkey. It's square though, so I had to figure out a different way to wear it than my normal rectangle shawls. I remember the last time I wore squared shawls was when I was in university and when I started chambering many, many years ago.  I quite liked the outcome. It looks very flowy.

I wore a neutral coloured top to tone down the look. My fav part of the Bishop Sleeve Crop Top in Nude by Maatin Shakir from Fashion Valet is the sleeves of course. I've always loved this kind of vintage look sleeves and it feels so comfortable wearing it. Since it's a cropped top, I wore a black spaghetti strap top inside. 

These pictures were captured quite late evening just before I went to dinner with the husband. Bless him for taking these photos on his birthday :p Hehe. Until my next post!










PEACE & LOVE!
↧
Search

One Year with FV - Open House

August 4, 2015, 6:03 am
$
0
0

Yesterday I went to my first official open house of the year. I didn't take as many photos as I would usually have taken but there are enough photos for me to come up with this blogpost. The open house was hosted by Fashion Valet, Fadza and Vivy. It's FV's first company open house. The open house is for all the brands at FV, influencers and the whole FV team.



Our first open house photo together. The past week I have been skipping all sort of events because of an unexpected family emergency. It really brought my family together and we had to leave everything else and focus on family. I realised yesterday that my last post on my IG was 5 days before and being the instagrammer that I've been, that almost never happens nowadays as I've been sharing on a daily basis. Time really passed by. I've been occupied with family matters and what happened made me realise even more that nothing is more important than family and family will always come first especially in times of difficulties. There are times that we just have to leave everything else. And I'm glad I did.

Since I started aere a year ago, I've worked a lot with the FV team and its different departments. They have really supported me from  day 1 and has been aere's first stockist too!  I must say I'm really blessed to get the opportunity to partner up and work with FV. So, even though my mind is still thinking about my family, I tried my best to be there at the open house.


Peeps I'm comfortable with. Friends I see almost everyday 
- Hui Chin Teoh, me, Veen Dee Tan, Jaja Anuar and Kho Min Jee


With the inspiring lady behind INNAI, Izrin Iz-low. 
I wore Innai x FV for my first Raya this year :) 
Love their batik designs.
Will share the look on my blog soon!


With Azrina Bakar who I work so much with for aere!
It's been amazing knowing this talented lady. 
We've even travelled to China and India together last year.
Coincidentally she just launched her brand Abirea on Fashion Valet. 
Congratulations Ina! :)


With Fashion Valet buyers Jaja Anuar and Roselyn Khan. 
Took this photo because we're all matchy match.


I was so excited when I saw this beautiful lady wearing aere's ORION Dress from the latest collection. I straight away said hi and ask if she doesn't mind me taking her photo. We both introduced ourselves and I found out that she's a singer, songwriter and an actress. Her name is Daiyan Trisha.
An example of how fashion connects people. :) Hehe.


Just coz we matched :p

And below, group photos with the FV team. 
Missing few people though including dear Marissa and Athirah.
Till next year, insyaAllah.




PEACE & LOVE!
↧
↧

Peplum and Stripes for Raya

August 5, 2015, 9:19 pm
$
0
0







So I wore this outfit when I went to FV's open house which I blogged about in my post "One Year with FV - Open House". It's the Lana Modern Peplum Kurung with Striped Panels in 2 of my fav colours. Blue and Nude. I also like it because I get a free belt with it. The outfit is from emel x Liyana Jasmay available at FV.

Coincidentally, when I was about to go down from the car on the way to the carpark I saw Melinda Looi walking out of the open house. And juuustt as we were about to find our parking at KLGCC, the spot that we took was actually her spot as she just went out of that spot in her car. Didn't get to say hi but it was a real coincidence as both Balqis and I in the car were actually wearing emel on that day. Random. :) I know.

Anyways, I just realised that since 2013 I've had pieces of emel's raya collaboration outfits. I wore emel for raya last year too and they invited me as one of the 6 bloggers to attend a buka puasa, charity and fashion event together with Diana Danielle. (I just realised I haven't blogged about that event -_- Too late now.

Anyways, you can see "Laced with Intricacies" for my Raya 2014 look and "Raya on Fire Part 2 : Black Eid | Gold Look" for my Raya 2013 look in emel by Melinda Looi. I wore an emel shawl too in my post "Weekend Style : Baby Yusuf's Birthday" and also found a post I did 4 years ago in 2011 of me wearing a Melinda Looi Shawl in my post Dusty Pleats. I started to wear their raya outfits when I blogged two years ago about their Raya 2013 collection with dear Diana Amir. At that time I was invited by them to walk the runway with other personalities, bloggers and influencers, friends to Diana (Blogged in Giveaway Diana Amir x emel Fashion Show Tickets). I paired the whole look with a Sugarscarf which matched the skirt, bag and shoes.




PEACE & LOVE!
↧

Feature in NONA Magazine : August 2015

August 23, 2015, 8:55 pm
$
0
0


I miss blogging! I haven't been able to blog in awhile. Alhamdulillah I had a successful show for aere at KLFW 2 Fridays ago and I really can't wait to share you the many many stories behind the scenes and at the show. Thanks to the amazing team and partners that I have who supported me for the show. So many things to share, the craziness, the drama, the fun, but so little time! Will try my best and share bit by bit. :) 

I'm just overwhelmed and grateful  at how the media has been so supportive. It's so nice of Nona to feature me and aere in their August Issue. They asked me about how I started, the story behind the name aere, when I launched aere , inspirations, designers/labels I adore locally and internationally, how I see aere in 5 years time and other questions!

They put me in the 'Sembang Pereka' segment. I know it has been one year since I started aere and it was launched on 28th October 2014 but I still am not comfortable when people address me as a designer (pereka). Having no formal background in fashion makes me feel like that I guess. I would rather be known as the one who's running my own label and deal with the creative direction of my label, at the moment :) 

Come to think of it, the context of this interview is very much different from my last Nona interview as the one they did back then was about my legal practice, the law, how's my life as a practising lawyer was, blogging and being a mother. 

I blogged about my last feature in Nona way before I started aere while I was still practising as a lawyer back in 2013 in my post Feature in the May Issue of Nona Magazine : Mothers Day Edition. Noticed that I didn't scan the 6-page-feature back then. Should try and find them and scan for my record purposes and for me to read in the future (if I can still find it). Probably 5 years from now, so that I can probably reflect on what I said. When I did that interview in 2013, never would I have ever imagined I'll be leaving legal practice / being a lawyer and switch careers. God knows best! We can only plan but we will never know what God has planned and determined for us until it happens.

Thank you Nona Magazine and Fiezreen Ahmad for the feature!

I'm also featured in Wanita Magazine for the August Issue. I'll try to blog about that soon too.

Everytime I'm featured in a magazine, I still find that it is surreal. It's not something which I have imagined when I was much younger or when I was still in school. I'm truly humbled by all the features. All might and power comes from the Almighty and everything belongs to Him and everything happens as He wills it. All praises to the Creator for all the gifts and blessings. Alhamdulillah.

Recent features : Read aere in the Sunday News, The Sun on Pastel Dreams, In the Cosmos, Starred, Dreams Do Change and In the News : Life and Times.

















PEACE & LOVE!
↧

Silver Blue Lining

September 20, 2015, 4:08 pm
$
0
0







Oh, how I've missed blogging so much! It has been more than 3 weeks since I last blogged and it feels really weird. My fingers have been itching and I'm feeling restless because of the fact that I have postponed so many things that I want to blog about. A lot of things happened good, bad and interesting that I've been wanting to share but time has not permitted me to. I've been focusing on aere and my own health. The haze has really affected my health this time around and I've been home bound most days. However, I am glad that the weather is getting better because of the rain the past few days. Alhamdulillah the sky seems brighter and we can see more clearly now. After the gloom comes the bright, sunshiny day. :) 

"Every cloud has a silver lining".

A lot has happened the past one month and every single day I was thinking about the things that I want to share over here. It has also been a busy, hectic and emotional month this past month for me and I don't even know where to begin with the blog! 

So I begin here with sharing this look I wore yesterday for my brother-in-law's wedding outside KL. Khubayb, the family, relatives and I went road tripping for his solemnisation on Saturday and then we slept overnight at a cozy home stay place to go the the bride's reception yesterday on a beautiful Sunday. 

The theme for our side of the family for the reception yesterday was grey and blue so I wore this combination of aere's URSA Top in Blue and ISSORIA Drape Skirt in Silver. It was really windy when these shots were taken and that made me feel so happy. For the purpose of this OOTD shoot which was done after the wedding on our way back to KL, I tucked in the front part of the top, but probably I'll share how I wore the URSA tucked out to attend the wedding in another post.

I love the ISSORIA so much and I remember how hard I worked with the team in perfecting this design when aere first launched the Nature of Grace collection last year. It has all things that I appreciate. Pleats, folds and drapes. It took many many months to have it just the way I specifically wanted it. This skirt is very dear to my heart as it was aere's first ever skirt released during the release of aere's first ever collection last year in 2014. A lot of people asked me for a restock and due to popular demand from aere's lovers I decided to release the ISSORIA in new elegant coloursthat I myself love last Monday, 14th September 2015. 

Me being a fan of neutral and basic coloured pieces, I love to keep everything in the same colour and tone, in this case aere's silver ISSORIA and grey Sugarscarf and one particular piece which pops out like this aere's URSA Top in Blue. 

I wore this skirt in blue in my post 9 months ago ISSORIA Blues. Reminiscing :) Till my next post! All photos captured by @kneok the Khubs.







PEACE & LOVE!
↧

My New Foundation

September 24, 2015, 7:40 pm
$
0
0
I admit, I am one of those who just loves makeup. It is sort of my guilty pleasure. I’ve had a fascination for makeup items since I was so little. When I was really little, I used to go to my mother’s bedroom, to her dressing table and check out all her makeup stuffs. When she was not around I would actually browse through her stuffs, try on all sorts of makeup on my face and then quickly wash it before anyone found out.

That was when I was in primary school. When I went to high school, I started to collect my own sets of makeup. Eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss. (Some I actually just took from my mom!) I was just so excited with the different kinds of makeup and how it made me look like. You know how it is. When we were little we want to look so matured and follow the footsteps of those who are more matured than us. Then when we‘re older, we try to look younger. Haha. Of course there were horrific moments when I couldn’t believe how I looked like when I put on the makeup. I’ve been experimenting since I was 10 years old and even more openly when I was 13. Wow, that sure was a long time ago!

Like any other things in life, you learn through experimenting, experience and mistakes. When I saw the outcome wasn’t good, I try not to repeat the same mistake again. You can’t learn to do it overnight, unless you’re really super talented and skilled. In my case, it really took a lot of practice. When I was in university, I didn’t use makeup as much but when I started working, I did. It does make a lot difference. Without makeup, I normally get comments that I looked too young and too naïve to be working or taken seriously. And when I started working, apart from having substance, I felt that it was important for me to look presentable especially in a world where first impressions really count. With the right kind of makeup, and the way you present yourself, people will start to take you a little bit more seriously. At the same time, of course, your work will speak for itself too. I became more confident, when I wore the right makeup.

Anyway, to me the most important part of makeup is definitely foundation. It’s the base you wear before we wear anything else, even powder.  I’ve tried a number of different foundations as I grew up and recently, I was introduced to try out THEFACESHOP Oil Control Water Cushion Foundation.

It is really different from the other foundations that I have tried and used in the past. It’s quite interesting because of the microfoam. It’s a new innovative type of makeup product that contains whole liquid foundation in a hard foundation case by using microfoam. So far, I quite like how it gives fresh coverage to my face and doesn’t look cakey or too heavy at all.

This Korean product is also said to control sebum and it does just that and also gives out a clear moisture radiance that prevents my other makeup like the blusher and bronzer from sliding off. This foundation really helps my makeup to last for quite long.  It provides the perfect base for it. The cushion delivers quite close to the perfect long lasting makeup look from morning to the end. The packaging is nice and sleek, and the mirror is definitely handy.




What I love the most about it is the light and fresh application with the finest coverage throughout the day. I tried it on from morning and it lasted for the whole day. Even at the end of the day, my face wasn’t oily at all. You know some foundation products that tend to go a little clumpy on your skin after a few hours or when you are sweating? Well this super product makes sure that doesn’t happen to your skin. Even if you need to freshen up your application, you can do it smoothly by just tapping the sponge on the face without ruining your entire base.

Even though the coverage is very good, it’s also very breathable and leaves my skin moisturised. My skin doesn’t feel clogged or cramped at all when wearing it without any other makeup, you know that sensation when you feel suffocated. Instead it feels weightless. I also like how it gives off a luminous but naturally subtle shine.




If you want to check them out, THEFACESHOP is running a Oil Zero Challenge that you can check out at their website here (Oilzerochallenge.thefaceshop.com.my). You can also check out their facebook page atwww.facebook.com/thefaceshopmalaysiatoo where you can sign up for a membership to redeem a discount code. Give it a try and let me know the outcome okay?!

Check out the Oil Zero Challenge website
Oilzerochallenge.thefaceshop.net.my

www.facebook.com/thefaceshopmalaysia



[THEFACESHOP is the first Korea’s cosmetic company committed to nature which creates products from approximately 600 natural ingredients and received the First class nature-friendly cosmetics entitlement by 2014 ASIA TOP BRAND. THEFACESHOP Malaysia has 49 outlets throughout nationwide to serve your everyday beauty needs]

PEACE & LOVE!




↧
↧

Pop of Colour

September 27, 2015, 9:23 pm
$
0
0









I had a good weekend with my family. Grateful for the time spent. It was my brother-in-law's wedding on Saturday so I spent the whole day with my in-laws, and I visited her with the husband and my niece. It was beautiful. Last night I had a good and enjoyable family dinner. The only sibling missing yesterday was one of my bros who just started his studies in a new campus. 

Eventhough the haze is back, today is getting better because of the rain this morning. Hope everyone will stay safe. It was windy yesterday when kneok took this shots. We had a quick lunch at Tray Cafe KL and shared this delicious beef dish. 

Anyway, for a casual Sunday yesterday I wore an all neutral look with a pop of orange scarf. Skyla Cape Top by Thesur from Fashion Valet, my new watch (same with the husband) from Mem Watches available at FV, the newly released LEVANT Pants from aere and Sugarscarf. Also wore jewellers which are gifts from my family as well as from Jeoel (will blog about that) and Wandelust + Co from FV. 

Love the Wanderlust necklace and how it's stated there "be grateful" and "remain present" at the back. A good reminder for all of us :)

Have a wonderful and productive week ahead lovelies!















PEACE & LOVE!
↧

Bold Baby Blue

September 28, 2015, 9:41 pm
$
0
0







This is what I wore today. I have a meeting and a briefing today and I just thought of wearing something more formal with an edge and a touch of a fun colour which I rarely wear. A different shade of blue.

I'm feeling this all black look with a pop of bold baby blue today. Paired the OSTRIA Classic Longline Dress Shirt, SALVIA Faux Leather Trimmed Blazer, ASTER Faux Leather Trimmed Pants and Sugarscarf.   

This look reminds me of my post Powering Confidence which I did a while back. It feels like that was a long long time ago. How time flies.

Ibnu Aswan captured this OOTD shots of me with Farid's camera because I left my lens. The camera and lens are pretty awesome and I'm tempted to change mine to this camera!

Till my next post! Happy working everybody!





 


PEACE & LOVE!

↧
Search

Shades of Grey

September 30, 2015, 10:08 pm
$
0
0








And today we entered October. Time sure pass by so fast. So much has happened this past year. 

Anyway, I've been feeling grey lately. Hence, the all grey look.

Here's an all grey look captured by kneok recently. I'm wearing this Skivvy Cropped Top from House of Bubblegum, a new watch from MEM Watches and aere's AQUILA Skirt all  available at Fashion Valet. I'm wearing a studded bag I love which I got from Bali a few years ago and some Jeoel accessories too which I'll blog in a later post.

Till my next post!





PEACE & LOVE!
↧

Exploring Phuket 3 : Snorkeling in Phuket

October 4, 2015, 3:25 am
$
0
0








The haze is getting worse in Kuala Lumpur and I've been at home trying to avoid it for the weekend as we both are feeling a little unwell. Somehow, my mind keeps thinking about the fresh, fresh air, the warm sunny blue sky and the crystal clear waters of Phuket. So I decided it's a good time to continue blogging about it!

I would just love to be in the middle of the sea right now, swimming care-free and just snorkelling away with the fishes. It's one of my most favourite activity during a beach getaway. It's definitely a must!

I love to swim. It's one of my most preferred exercises. But there's just something about that special feeling when you are swimming in the sea that can't be beaten. I first snorkeled in 2007 in Pulau Perhentian Kecil in Malaysia. That was my first experience when I went with a group of friends. I loved it so much I went back again to Pulau Perhentian Kecil a month or two later in the same year. Hooked. I went snorkelling again  for a few times in Pulau Redang, Malaysia in 2013 and Krabi Thailand in 2014.

The first time I went I was quite scared because I'm not much of a good swimmer at all but because I was with friends, I was just super excited. When I first saw the beautiful array of fishes and the lovely corals, all my fears disappeared. In my first snorkelling activity, I even saw baby sharks (okay that was initially scary but it was harmless) and turtles too when I was at Perhentian all those years ago. After that, I couldn't get enough of it.

In my previous posts Exploring Phuket 1 : Getting Around & The Hotel and Exploring Phuket 2 : All White at Palm Seafood , I shared about what we did the first day we were in Phuket to prepare for our snorkelling and island hopping day. Well, on day two, we woke up super early with our provisions and set-off for our much-anticipated activity! I'll share about that in another post.

Usually the boats will bring us to the normal spots for snorkelling where there will be a lot of boats around in the same area. This time, our ushers told us they were going to bring us to places outside of the over-crowded touristy spots and instead would bring us to spots where there were not so many people, these so-called hidden gems with crystal clear waters and a more relaxed environment. There were other boats, but not a lot.

The best thing about snorkelling to me is the calmness, the peace and just observing the undersea world. When you see the sea and the ocean from above it's already something gorgeous but observing life under it is just something that you have to experience for yourself. I'll share some underwater photos as well as the private boat ride in my next posts soon too.

We had a good time snorkelling and were especially grateful that my friend Sarah brought her underwater camera so we took quite a bit of pictures. But, we couldn't take all of our sweet, leisurely time to swim with the fishes because we realised that there was a big dark cloud that was approaching and that it's about to rain. So we quickly went back to the boat and continued our journey to Racha Island. Did it rain? Well find out in my next post. Hehe.

Oh, and for all of you who asked: I got my outfit from a swimwear shop in Singapore when I was there last year.







PEACE & LOVE!
↧
↧

Celebrating the Strength of Women

October 6, 2015, 1:09 am
$
0
0


I'm deeply and greatly inspired by a number of women around me. When I get to know them I find them strong in different ways especially in facing challenges. From my family, relatives, friends, acquaintances and sometimes even strangers who I just met, I'm just so inspired by the level of strength in a woman. We all have our hidden troubles and challenges that we don't share about with the world but we still face it, keep on walking and remind ourselves to smile as well as be thankful for the simple but major fact that we are alive and are able to breathe.

"You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have left." ~Unknown~

Time really flies. It's almost ONE year since the birth of aere. Alhamdulillah. aere's first collection was launched on 28th October 2014, last year and now we have just entered October. And today, aerefully launched its fourth collection, the Strength of Gracecollection, in celebration of all of the strong women. 

I have been waiting for this day as I've been wanting to have my own workwear collection and have been thinking of having my own pieces designed specifically to be worn for work. I remember when I started working many many years ago, looking for working clothes was always a challenge but it was a fun kind of challenge though. :) Consisting of fashionable and wearable work-wear pieces, the aereStrength of Gracecollection is the first fully focused collection of the aerework wear line, aere MIGHT.


Having been in the legal and corporate world for 7 years before focusing fully on my label, I believe that other than having substance, being smart and hardworking it is also very important to be presentable and to look good to climb up that corporate ladder. 

This collection is about providing a stylish choice to all of the working women out there that reflect her strength and confidence because today’s ‘woman’ is everything. We have to juggle a lot of things, don't we?

For me personally, this collection is not just dedicated for the professional working women in the corporate world. It is also for the entrepreneurs, the creative heads, the full-time mothers and all women juggling multiple roles in our modern society today. She’s soft and feminine, yet active and strong, she has to be. She plays multiple roles: she works hard and aims high and I feel that they all deserve some form of recognition for their choice. Today, there is a better environment and there is less of a perception of a woman's ability and competency in the workplace and that itself is a cause of celebration. But of course, it is equally important to be able to carry yourself impeccably by dressing well.


When I founded aere last year, I already had in mind three different lines: aere NIGHT (evening wear), aere MIGHT (work wear) and aere LIGHT (casual wear). So the Strength of Grace collection is a part of aere MIGHT. In aere’s previous collections, Nature of Grace, Blossoming of Grace, aerexdUCk and Essence of Grace (KLFW collection) there were already pieces that we designed for aere MIGHT. But this is the first collection that fully consists of work-wear pieces that I have always wanted to do.


This collection consists of fashionable pieces designed to incorporate subtle elements of style and sophistication made of materials that are durable, versatile, easy to care for, and, most of all, comfortable right off the shelf. Focusing mostly on soft and neutral hues to accentuate a woman’s softness, there are jackets, classic longline dress shirts, blouses and pin tucked pants, amongst others, that are suitable for the office. These classic work-wear pieces have been given a modern interpretation by aere with its signature zippers and buttons and are engineered to be multi-functional. For example, the GALLIA Adjustable Zipper Skirt offers three different ways of styling: A-Line, mermaid or flared with just a pull of aere’s signature zippers and the ALUMEN Adjustable Palazzo Pants which can convert your stylish straight-cut pants into a more casual bell-bottom or flared look palazzo. Additionally, these pieces can be paired with other pieces of the aere MIGHT line.


When I was naming the designs, I was inspired by names of winds (soft) and metals (strong) : BRISA, GALLIA, PLATINA, OSTRIA, ALUMEN, LEVANT. Since aere is also Latin for air, I felt it would be apt to name the pieces after elements of softness and also strength.

Below are some logbook and campaign photos of the Strength of Grace collection. I'll probably share the behind the scenes story and photos soon!


































Model : Deanna Ibrahim
Art Director & Stylist : Me & Ibnu Aswan
Photographers : Husaini Mustapha & Farid Rosli
Makeup Artist : Sahir Sabri
GA : Mia



The limited aere pieces from the Strength of Grace collection are available online today at FashionValet and selected physical stockists soon, priced between RM149.90 – RM239.90. There's a contest on aere's IG aimed at celebrating achievements of all us women out there and to spread and inspire strength and success. Do check it out! 


PEACE & LOVE!

↧

Unwinding Weekends

October 18, 2015, 1:50 am
$
0
0


Hello everyone, what's up?

I have been resting at home this weekend and today I was just sorting out my photos on my hard disk while having a tv-series marathon with the hubs at home. I found these photos from March earlier this year and just realised I haven't blogged about it. Well, I currently have a LOT of stuffs I haven't blogged about but somehow I chose to do this first.

I guess I was instantly drawn by the colour of what I wore. Ox-bloood is a colour that is rich and luxurious that people do not wear enough! I just love the deep colour of it. Since I had a wedding at noon on that day. then we had plans to watch the movie Cicakman 3 later that night, I wore this LUNARIA Faux Leather Panelled Dress in ox-blood from aere and paired with a neutral coloured dUCkscarf. Just for fun, I wore a matching maroon lipstick too. 

Love that the dress is so comfy that I can wear it from a wedding to just having a simple dinner and watching a movie with the husband. The faux leather panelling on the dress makes me look a bit slimmer with the cutting too and there are functional pockets for me to put small items including my phone. The good thing is that it doesn't scream for attention too much, but is still elegant and classy enough (imo) to wear for a wedding or event.

Speaking of ox-blood (or maroons), my hubby even managed to take a picture of me with an unsuspecting lady also in a similar colour. Hehe. Okay it wasn't intentional. I only realised when I was choosing the photos. It's a really nice colour, isn't it?

Attended the wedding of Rus Mezani , then had a nice dinner with assam laksa and cendol while my hubby had mee rebus, and then ending the day watching my friend Lisa Surihani acting in Cicakman 3. Cicakman 3 was a very good local movie and I liked that despite it being funny, it also tackled a lot of important messages too.

It was a good way to unwind on a weekend. What do you guys like to do on weekends? Activities that you cannot normally do on week days? Or just stay at home? This weekend was more of a stay-at-home one for me. But sometimes I do like to go out too. I guess, I'm now learning more about the importance of weekends! Normally when I was working, weekends would be reserved for work, but now, I'm learning how to relax and rest a bit more so that I would be better prepared for the weekdays!

Enjoy what's left of your weekend!

PEACE & LOVE!











↧

Casual to Work : The Jacket

October 18, 2015, 9:05 pm
$
0
0



Hello lovelies :)

It's Monday and I feel great and blessed to be alive and breathing! I had a lovely weekend with the husband, well rested on Saturday and met my friends yesterday. 

This post reminds me of what I spoke about when I gave a talk recently for Petronita at Petronas. One the things I talked about was the importance of dressing well at work as well as the essential basic fashion items we need for work. The jacket is one of it of course. For me personally putting on a jacket will instantly change the whole look, even if the top I'm wearing is a casual top, like the one I'm wearing here. 

Sometimes, we want to wear a casual top to work because we plan to go meet friends or have casual events right after work. So, what I usually do is that I keep a jacket with me so that for formal events and business meetings where we need to look more serious, I can just grab the jacket and automatically I feel like I will look more professional and serious. At the same time, I would not want to compromise on my own personal style when I go to work so I usually wear jackets which has features or touches which I love. 

If you look at the photos in this post you will get what I mean. Without the jacket, I look more casual but once I put on the jacket I look more serious. At least that's what I think.  :) You may or may not agree with me, but I will always feel I give a more serious vibe when I put on a jacket.

I'll talk about it more in the blog soon. 

I'm wearing aere's SATYR Textured Metal Jacket, ASTER Faux Leather Trimmed Pants and HEDERA Glister Top.

These photos were captured earlier this year on 10th March 2015 by my dear blogger friend Shea Rasol. 









PEACE & LOVE!
↧
Viewing all 354 articles
Browse latest View live
Search