Enma Mall VIP Tour

 Last week, I got to be part of Bahrain’s first and biggest Influencer meet up at Enma mall Bahrain, where a selected group of bloggers and influencers were given a VIP tour of the Mall, located in Riffa.

The influencers , apart from myself , included Makeup artist/ blogger and fitness instructor Najla Bastaki, Ali Fareed- Food and Lifestyle blogger, Azhar Hubail – Makeup Artist and founder of makeup brand AH, Hamsa Sayeed- Lifestyle Coach, Mahmood Janahi – Winner of Chopped at Nino, Bahrain’s most loved baker and founder of Mahmood Janahi Cakes, Mohammed Saad - Sports Nutritionist, Mohammed Sadeq- Founder of WEDO Bahrain ,Khaled Janahi – comedian  , Omar Farooq - photographer, Ameera Al Kooheji –TV presenter and 96.5 FM’s  Imran Al Aradi- Comedian and RJ.

The tour started off with breakfast and a welcome note by Wafa Obaidat of Obai & Hill at Le Chocolat, where we dove into a delicious spread of traditional Arabic breakfast, complete with Mahiawa, Balateet and some amazing stuff (part of the new menu) which I can’t pronounce or spell. We got an insight to what Le chocolat offers, a taste of the new items on the menu and as always, excellent service.

Our first stop of the tour was Grands Medical, a tiny pharmacy that stocked mainly beauty- related products, including Bioderma’s micellar water, that made an appearance on my favorite’s video, Vichy, and a few new brands that I got to learn about- I tried the Vichy Dercos hair mask, a part of the goody bag from Grands and ended up loving it!

The second stop on the tour map was Bazelt Gallery and after swooning over a pair of amazing Fendi Glasses and making a mental note of the make(to pick it up later in the month), we visited Lifestyle Jewelry , that stocked some amazing watches and diamond jewelry. Obviously Najla and I were too attached to the diamonds to say goodbye, but hold on, we get more attached to another store.

Latif Shoes was next on the list- a local brand that stocks quality footwear, handbags and accessories. We got a quick update on the brand’s history, before moving on to value brand F&F and Twenty Four, where you don’t need to burn a hole in your wallet to stock on some on-trend pieces. The store offers trendy clothing for men, women and children- complete with accessories and footwear.

Here’s when there were some collective “oohs” and “aahs” from the ladies- our next stop was Grimas, professional makeup products and supplies. Grimas is a well known brand of stage make up , which is why their makeup is of top quality and lasts long. They even stock Halloween makeup supplies, everything you need to disguise you with a new nose or even some fake blood. Here’s where Najla and I got even more caught up. Especially Najla, because she was in her zone- swatching shadows and all!

All the walking around wore us out a little so we got to chill for a bit at Segafredo, pit stop for some quality and much- needed coffee! A quick group photo followed and we were headed to Moods, a Bahraini home wear brand that stocks some seriously creative stuff. The store was huge and the range they offer, even more. From oversized bean bags to cutlery and bed linen, this store has it all under one roof. I highly recommend a visit to Moods if you’re moving houses or simply redecorating.

Moving on, we also visited Baraka sports where along with a full range of sports gear, you also get to check out the different foosball tables for sale! Our final stop before moving on to food outlets was ‘My Little World’- a creative play space for toddlers where kids can play in the various areas designed to fit every child’s ambition.

With the tour almost to an end, we got to check out Shawaytnah and Dig’in Pizza before finally stopping at Mado. If you follow me on Snapchat, you guys would already know that I love the eatery. We feasted on delicious, freshly made kunafa and Turkish tea to end the tour.

So the next time you’re in Enma mall, make sure you visit a few of these places and don’t forget to pick up Vichy Dercos hair mask from Grands Medical and have a taste of the food at Mado, Which I personally love!

For more images, click here.

Blueprint

 While I’ve not been enjoying the heat, I definitely have been enjoying  summer style. Ripped jeans, chiffon shirts, short skirts and slogan tees have been my go-to pieces for the past few weeks. If you follow me on all my social media platforms, you would know that I’ve been using my ripped denims and my white cropped jeans a lot . So I decided to give them a rest for the weekend and decided to break into this bright floral number I picked on sale. I didn’t shy away when accessorizing either, which is why I went for more color with my mini green satchel and caged pink heels. Paired with a denim vest, a simple up-do and minimal jewelry, my look this weekend was loud, but effortless.

On another note, I was recently invited to the first and biggest influencer meet-up on the island, where a selected group of bloggers were given a tour of one of the malls in Bahrain. We were well fed, spoiled rotten with gifts and were given a very educational tour of different shops in the mall. My snapchat story has expired, but I will be drafting a blog post with a few pictures and I cannot wait to share my experience with you guys!

Don’t forget to follow me on snapchat (ashwathysk), Instagram (@askthestylecouncil) and Facebook to stay updated with all my posts and stories!

Dress: Quiz, Jacket: F21, Shoes: Spring, Bag and Chain: Acessorize

Jordan Almond

Style isn’t always about loud outfits, high heels and “look-at-me” prints. Sometimes it’s just a few comfortable basics paired together and pulled off with ease. Basics should never be ignored and they are the components that make a  wardrobe complete. While I do have 70% of my closet with more statement pieces, the other 30% is pure basics. From vests to solid colored blouses and the dream jean, they are a very important part of my daily looks.

If you follow me on instagram and snapchat, you guys know that I would love to live my days in ponte leggings and an oversized tee and as much as I love the usual fuss- free style, here’s my updated version of a relaxed look.

Ripped jeans are like what crop tops were to me last season, an obsession. I cannot get enough and although my mom asked me if I actually paid to buy torn clothes, I cannot resist the urge to spend on a well fitted pair of destroyed denim. They’re the epitome of cool at the moment and what I love about it is that you can pair anything with it and still get away looking like a lot of effort has been put into the look.

Try a simple crepe blouse in the day time or throw on a satin vest and a velvet blazer for the night and you’re good to go. In this look, I went for a blue on blue vibe, pastel against denim with accents of silver . Don’t let the heel of the sandals fool you, they’re surprisingly comfortable!

Jeans: Quiz, Blouse and Bag: Mango, Necklace: Zara, Shoes: Pull&Bear, Bracelet: Pandora, Watch :Guess

Traditional Twist

 My Ramadan style this year has been quite simple, apart from my luxe velvet turbans to spruce up my outfit.

I have been sporting  different styles of turbans from The Future Heirlooms Boutique off late , and I’ve received so many compliments on them! If you follow me on snapchat and Instagram, You’d have noticed the wine colored turban I wore to the Four Seasons Media Ghabga recently, and  because I couldn’t do a night shoot for the look, I decided to feature this embellished navy version on the blog.

Surprisingly, these babies go with almost anything! I’ve accessorized them with casual dresses, jeans, flowing skirts and now an indo-western combo. Perfect for the season and the festive period soon to be upon us, these beautiful turbans can be purchased online at www.thefutureheirloomsboutique.com

They have a huge selection from printed to plain and more embellished , gatsby-esque turbans

Game Changer

Who would’ve thought that a dress over dress could look this good? Some of you might recognize this striped number I wore to the Lacoste event a few months back. While I had worn it buttoned up and on its own, I decided to sport it as a coat over this deep berry colored dress. Multifunctional, print-perfect and in its monochromatic color scheme, it’s probably the easiest dress to style up, or down.For this look, I thew in a deep berry tone to really pop against the black and white. (Remember to never add too much color to your look if you're keeping it sophisticated and classy.) Subtle sparkly peep-toe platforms, a structured bag and sleek straight hair completed my outfit.

On another note, I cant believe that it’s July already. Half the year has passed by so fast and It’s only made me realize how precious time it, which is why I intend to make the most out of it and wake up everyday to get the things that I’ve been putting away for too long.

Like they say, I didn’t wake up today to be mediocre.

Dress as overcoat, Bag: Mango, Dress: Topshop, Shoes: Payless, Necklace: Macy's, Bracelet: Swarovski