"Un Peu D'air Sur Terre"

Everyone needs a bit of bounce in their walk, 

a true smile that shadows that plastered smirk;

that little thing that makes waking up in the morning worth their while. 

A little bit of "Air on Earth" a la the Lacoste Ads, which I adore. 

Finding one in that choc bloc full with ads magazine makes me smile. 

Wishing you an airy life with lots of O2 to go around, 

I feel like I should plant a tree now. lol

Made you smile? 

xx

Baroque 

Ps. *Sigh* if islands floated around. 

Photo Credits: Ads of the World

Less is not more.

For if you take things away, how on earth are they supposed to be more? 

It violates the very founding rules of arithmetic; when you subtract (-) something you loose "x" number of things, yet when you add (+) something you get more of those "x"s.. 

Hence, more is better than less, and more > less. 

But in this case, "a picture speaks more than words.."

I love. I need. You know it's officially summer when the whole bundle/cluster your arms with bracelets, bangles, chains, etc. race starts.. (**in a chic way like the picture above, not those zillion personalized name bracelets that we have become accustomed to and quite bored of to be honest..)

Whoever said "less is more" should change his day-job,

xx

Baroque 

Photo Credits: Jak and Jil

Ps. Turn the tap off; mute the sound. 

"To Twit or not to Twit"; a modern question.

I have been having the urge to "Twit" and despite getting some negative feedback from a lot of Facebook comrades and my best friend who thinks I will be sucked into the "twitter-ness," I twitted, and think it's cute (**it satisfies one's inner narcissist and makes one believe that there are people out there that want to know 'what you are doing right now?', but best of all whiles away the boring minutes that one experiences on somedays..)

No idea, if I'm gonna keep on twitting (**I have like 10 updates in 10 days or so, very slow twitter-wise), go personal in my twits as in actually twit under my own name and not my blogger alias, or if I'm gonna put a twitter bar on the side of this blog.

I'm still contemplating it seems. 

But apart from the fear of twitter taking over my life, I have no idea what negative externality I'm gonna get out if twitting...  

Personally and like ever sane human would do, I'd go with things that provide me with more satisfaction than threat, hence I'd really only twit if its going to be a positive experience, but like blogging has shown me a lot of people are going to be "lost in translation."

Twitter seems to be the newest forms of online social utilities that keep people not only connected but in sync with one another and what they are up to- easier to manage than face book and quicker for that matter.

I'm all for keeping people in sync, but a bit against going too personal, since if there is something that this society has taught me, it's that there seems to be a fine line between personal and public that I- Baroque- do not get even if I was born, raised and have never lived anywhere apart from here, as well as having dived in head over flippers into our society and am currently snorkeling in it.. (**post-weekend-holiday vocabulary, lol)

But like always, once you let things get to you, thats when you seem to be caught in a bottle-neck- you against the societal status quo and the whole phenomenon of "making everyone happy"/"have no enemies", which most "open-minded" people in our society seem to be swimming against.. 

It's no use really, for the only thing you'll get swimming against the current is fatigue, diminishing will-power and aching muscles at the end.. 

Why not just go with the flow and let that current take you where you want to go?

That, my friends, is why they tell you to swim across the coral reef, and not snorkel above it.. 

You see everything you really wanted to get out of snorkeling (**those amazing colored fishes, and extraordinary underwater life) without potential harm from those poisonous fire corals, or damaging the actual reefs..

"Swim with the current and be wary of the waves.."

Simple advice from a life-guard, that can be implemented on anything in life, even twitter it seems...

Still contemplating professional swimming. I mean "twitter-ing," 

xx

Baroque 

 

Ps. Did I answer your "Life is a Beach" Speculation Nty? 

"I could while away the hours conferring with the flowers.."

This one goes out to N, a reminder of the "Froth on the Cappuccino: How small pleasures can save your life" book she bought me and the sentimental message she penned inside. 

Flowers are a guilty indulgence that I don't get around to pursue much.. 

For: 

a) Picking flowers breaks my heart, call me crazy but I'm big on the let it live in its own environment and admire it from a far.. 

b) I never go to florists in Kuwait, and a florist will never outdo a simple flower stand in the middle of a bustling high street with the most beautiful doses of color that brighten your day and subdue the dullness of the concrete all around. 

c) I hate the fact that flowers have the shortest staying power, and I feel guilty for letting them die slowly.. 

Nonetheless, anything flowery makes me smile.

Be it the odd fleeting flowers that I see on the roads after a rainy season, the flowers that fight our poor infertile dry environment and attempt to bloom in our garden,  or anything flower-related/printed/inspired.. 

So I thought I'd share a couple of flower-related picks and pictures: 

-My ultimate favorite flower shop/florist in Fulham Road (**London), it's in the Michellin Building and has the most remarkable collection of flowers all infused together in a make-shift stand; we once found cotton flowers (**actual cotton, the flowers that get picked to make most of our clothes), it's such a sight for sore eyes and something really unexpected- a pop of color on that street.. Plus, it has a small section of the restaurant (**no idea what its called, it's in the Michellin building too, that overlooks this amazing stand, such a pity I never got to sit there although I make it a habit to take the long road and pass by that place whenever I can)

-Don't you just love blooming flowers especially one's in flower-beds?

I'm a big fan of flower-beds-on-window-sills, they add a certain charm to buildings.. 

-My current favorite flower motif/inspired print would have to be Oscar De La Renta's Spring RTW 2009's dresses and cute jacket.. 

-Lastly, my ultimate favorite spot in Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens most distinctly the Flower passage leading to Kensington Palace from the Prince Albert Memorial which is opposite to the Royal Albert Hall. 

You literally are surrounded by those beautiful things on both sides- a day wouldn't be complete without a pleasant stroll amongst the flowers.. 

Happiness has been said to consist of joy that is derived from the simplest things.. 

Flowers make me happy. 

Wishing you a flower-iffic day, 

xx

Baroque

Ps. "الحمداله والشكر على كل شيء"

PPs. A kiss to the froth on my latte that was stirred in all summer.

Photo Credits: Oscar De La Renta

NB. Song in title is part of the Scarecrow's song in the Wizard of Oz. 

Khaleejiya on the Sartorialist?

Is it just me or does the girl on the left look utterly "Khaleeji"/"خليجي"?

She does not only look like she hails from here, she also has such a similar style.. 

or maybe she reminds me of an acquaintance or looks similar to someone I've seen? 

Oh well, they say: "يخلق من الشبه أربعين"

Either way, she looks great!

I love the monochromatic combination of tapered high waist pants, skinny belt, sweater decked with scarf and not to mention those cute ankle boots!

Have you ever been told you had a familiar face/mistaken for someone else?

xx

Baroque

Photo Credits: The Sartorialist

Chanel Goes Old-School.

Remember the days when you used to lug around that burdensome school bag full of giant textbooks and notebooks? 

Well, guess what seems to be in fashion and just debuted on Chanel's fall runway? 

A School Satchel. 

Seems like Karl is bringing it back "Elementary" style, for I certainly remember carrying much larger backpacks come Middle School.. 

The bag's cute, but reminds me of those ever tiny Harijuku-esque backpacks sported by many Japanese Girls, you know the Hello-Kitty ones that are so tiny they look like a blob growing on those girls' backs? 

The Chanel bag looks cute on the runway, but let's face it, I don't feel like it would go real way over here.. 

Imagine the times you'd have to take off that bag, get your wallet out, and then wear it again; what a hassle, and the double shoulder straps aren't exactly attractive. 

On the other hand, I loved the thought of the satchel- it reminded me of my long lost school days (**okay not long, I just graduated a couple of years back, ah nostalgia!). 

School : punishment when you're still going through it, yet beautiful memories when you graduate..

Such an oxymoronic phase in life that some people dub the "best time in your life" 

 xx 

Baroque

Photo Credits: Fashionation

Wisdom: not food for thought, or unruly teeth.

I believe that wisdom is a trait a person accumulates.. 

It is not something that is passed down to you through genetics, through a will, or something that you study/graduate with.. 

For it's not something your parents, or anyone can teach you.. 

Essentially, "الي ما ايعلمه أمه وابوه اتعلمه الأيام والليالي"

So hence, there are things that your parents never teach you, such as the fact that a lot of people "ما فيهم خير" or like Fastidious Babe once twitted "The least reliable investment is that in people"and that "مو كل امدلقم يوز", and the whole "الحق امبتشينك ولا تلحق امفرحينك"..

For let's face it, no matter how many times your parents might have mentioned those lessons/quotes/proverbs/fables (**essentially things aimed to make you think critically and learn life lessons) you never seem to really pick them up and go on despite those valuable tips.. 

And then like always, "ما طار طير وارتفع إلا وقع", SMACK you get knocked down, get a scar/bump/bruise that will forever remind you of that valuable bit of advice that you overlooked.. 

Hence, in the spirit of spreading the wisdom/advice around and equipping others with the safety measurements and precautions needed to live this so called life, I- Baroque- am a big advocate of talking about your experiences and things that you went through with others especially people younger than you..

In fact I believe that it's not just a "do", it's a "must", for in the end don't we all eventually "learn from other people's mistakes and experiments/interactions."

We wouldn't have known about gravity, if that apple hadn't fallen on Newton's head, nor any of the zillion other things scientists/theorists/researchers experience and record; which eventually gets passed along to us in the form of books, research papers, theories, fables or even a simple proverb.. 

Spread the knowledge. 

You never know when you might one day benefit from it,  

xx

Baroque

Ps. Thank you's: some long overdue, others still on their way and some still waiting to be mailed. 

Mickey Ears.

No trip to Disneyland is complete without a souvenir Mickey's Ears Hat, or in my case that adorable Minnie Mouse Ear headband that I can't seem to get enough of on every trip to Disney.. 

Despite the fact that those Minnie Ears aren't at all comfortable (**they pull out my hair, and are so tight I feel my head is gonna pop), they help set the mood, and one feels that they are in fact in another world; hey, no one would be caught dead in the hats that are sold and worn in Disney Parks; only in Disney! 

Guess what? 

They're bling-ing those Mickey Hats, and making them more individual, at least a select few of them.. 

The Disney folks have invited Celebrities/Fashion Designers to add their personal touches to a Mickey Mouse Ears Hat all for the sake of Charity; those personalized hats will be auctioned off with proceeds going to charity.. 

Celebrities include Geri Halliwell, Estelle, Daisy Loewe, Giles Deacon and Luella Bartley. 

Don't you just love it when a company shows that it does indeed possess a charitable conscious and actually proves it's mission statement of "making things come true"? 

I miss the Magical Kingdom and the Disney Atmosphere.

If everywhere was as magical as a Disney Park, the world would be a utopia.

Hoping all your dreams come true, 

xx 

Baroque

Ps. Altitudes and latitudes are only geographic terms. 

Photo Credits: http://www.missomnimedia.com/

For the Love of Furniture.

I sometimes wish I had the patience, the time and the attention span to be a fan of interior design and all that "art of putting furniture together" stuff... 

Unfortunately I don't.. 

But my best friend does, and like they say, "you are influenced by those you keep close."

Thanks to her endless talks about interior design class, a couple snapshots of her mood-boards sent through BBM, unforgettable strolls through the Harrods Interior Design section in which we planned a couple of imaginary future rooms and loads of "shares" on google reader of extraordinary pieces of furniture, I can say I've come to appreciate the fine things that make up interior design..

Furniture is not just something you sit on/use, it's a whole new field of art to moi now.. 

I'm not a pro or anything, but I can appreciate modern design and beauty in such once seen mundane everyday pieces like this "Fendi Casa Crystal Chair.."

This chair really stands out, it's such a "modern gem" and has the facets to prove it.. 

Functional yet stunning and a distinctive piece on it's own..

I'm in love.

 xx

Baroque

Photo Credits: Trendir

If the word "Cool" could be embodied in a person,

She would be it. 

Anything "London" is Hip and Happening,

xx

Baroque

Photo Credits: Face Hunter

"كشخه" Art?

What would happen if art married fashion? or at-least had consumerist tendencies?

The following pieces answer just that.. 

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac in his new art exhibition dubbed "Triumph of the Sign" blends consumerist signage (**mostly famous fashion house labels) with canonized pieces of Art History.. 

According to Dazed Digital, his work is essentially "classical masterpieces pitted against brand logos.. consumer culture versus highbrow art.."

Eye sore? 

Or a fascinating anthropological discussion of how consumerist signage/alleged high status labels have reached high popularity somehow reaching if not surpassing those famous works of art? 

As my esteemed Art History University Professor always said, "art is an interaction between the viewer and the painting."

So yeah, 

Like life, Art is what we make it... 

xx

Baroque 

Photo Credits: Dazed Digital and Bloomacious 

Credit Card + Freezer= Perfect way to deal with recession and dwindling funds.

Snapped this pic from a magazine a long time ago..

Would you ever go ahead with it?

Drastic times call for drastic measures, but this is simply ridiculous.

xx

Baroque


Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from Zain Kuwait

Attention Advertisers.

Never thought there would be such an amazing advertising possibility in the simple supermarket checkout conveyor belt.. 

If someone was to coin this idea here, i bet they'd get millions.. 

Yup, I'm a total sucker when it comes to consumerism and ingenious advertising.. 

xx

Baroque

Ps. Sparkle Sparkle. 

Photo Credits: Design Swan

Al-Kowt Festival in Pictures

I know this is long overdue, but I was tres preoccupied and still am it seems.. 

Anyhow, so the Al-Kowt Festival was a delightful 2-day celebration of our rich Kuwaiti Culture in its full grandeur..

From the Bin Hussein Band that demonstrated the sea/coastal influences in a series of songs and dances that were practiced on the pearl diving ships, etc... 

All the way to the Maayouf Band that presented the Bedouin facet of Kuwaiti culture with a live sword dance and desert influenced songs..

The Kuwaiti National Museum as well as other Kuwaiti traditional craft houses were present showcasing their artifacts and work.. 

The festival also included a spectacular showcase of vintage cars, which had many people swooning over them.. 

Overall, it was an amazing eventful 2-days that were definitely successful, and will be missed.. 

We should definitely have more cultural activities taking place around town;for our culture is in dire need of preservation and promotion amidst this highly globalized one-culture all encompassing day and age in which we all wear the same clothes, speak the same lingo, and have the same ideals/generalized beliefs..

Our culture makes us distinct.

It gives us our own identity as well as helping us remember everything our ancestors went through so that we can get where we are now from long journeys for trade to laborious pearl dives and everything in between..

 

In context and for the mere chance to to re-quote my favorite saying (**i think wrote it a zillion times on my blog already), 

"اللي ما له أول ما لا تالي" (**thy who has no history has no future; an Arabic traditional saying)

Are you willing to embrace your "أول" (**history) to get to your own hopefully glorious "تالي" (**future)?

xx

Baroque 

Ps. Over is not just a spacial dimension.

Oscar De La Renta on Michelle O's wardrobe.

"I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there...You don’t go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.” -- Oscar De La Renta  in WWD Fashion .

I believe in a certain degree of protocol when it comes to those events and a firm believer in "كل شي لاشي".. 

You wouldn't go in track pants to meet the Emir, or anything less than conservative for that matter.. 

How about Michelle's outfit ensemble for the Queen? 

She went fairly simple, for the wife of the President of the US/leader of the new world/superpower right now; I thought she was going to go a bit upscale, something as formal as her "swearing in" outfit (**even though personally i didn't think her outfit back then was that good)..

But no, she dressed in a a black skirt-suit and pearls.. 

Maybe I expected something more elegant along the lines of  the late Jackie O, or the ever haute Queen Rania for that matter... 

Or just maybe she's trying to make a statement with the recession?

Either way, she could have jazzed up that drab outfit a bit and made it more presentable for after all she was visiting the Queen, not going to a job interview/internship.. 

Whoever said you had to be monochromatically boring in order to look polished and elegant should be hung by Michelle O's generic pearl necklace,

xx

Baroque

Photo Credits: MyFashionLife

Quote from Fashionista