Shop For Stylish Maternity Swimwear

If you want to go on holiday, irrespective of destination, you need plenty of forward planning. Getting spending money together, buying essentials such as suntan lotion and sunglasses and making travel arrangements are all very important. However, packing is also vital, and knowing which clothes to take is sometimes problematic. When pregnant, going on holiday, even for a day trip to the seaside has its difficulties, such as knowing which clothes to take. Anything with the word ‘maternity’ such as maternity bras is usually a safe bet.

You might not believe it, but there are many items of maternity clothing that can be worn during the summer. The image of plain stretchy pants and oversized shirts may enter your mind when asked to sum up clothes for pregnant women, but items like plus size bras often serve to help whoever’s wearing them to look good as well as feeling protected and comfortable. The variety of maternity clothes made today has never been greater.

Maternity swimwear is a must-have for any mother-to-be who wants to keep exercising while carrying their child. Like many other items of maternity clothing out there, it not only protects your stomach from the elements while swimming, but it’s also comfortable, durable and looks just as good as conventional swimwear. A maternity swimsuit would be perfect for taking to the beach on a day out, just as a treat while going on the rollercoaster ride that is pregnancy.

There are items of beachwear suitable as maternity clothes. One such example is a jersey cover-up, which helps to cover up your bump perfectly, while also being lightweight yet elegant. For women who were only a few months into their pregnancy but still had a noticeable bump, a holiday was off-limits due to a lack of suitable clothing, but this has changed. Now, with an ever-expanding range of maternity clothing for summer, they can go out wearing comfortable, accommodating clothes which also look fantastic.

Shopping For Sunglasses

Black Friday is fast approaching and on top of my must-buy list is a pair of sunglasses. I broke my last pair of aviator two months ago - probably from too much travel and heat temperature. It's taking me awhile to find the right pair because I like to take my time and choose wisely. I am also sort of picky on frames. While some ladies go gaga with an expensive bag, I on the other hand, cherish eye wear. It's an accessory I absolutely cannot live without.

Even on a bad hair-day and I must go out to face the world, I just put on a huge pair and my spirit seems to soar. As fashion queen Victoria Beckham said, "Sunglasses hide a multitude of sins." And I thorougly agree. Even if you didn't sleep well last night or you don't have the time to put on mascara - or your false lashes for that matter, you still look like a Hollywood star with the proper, exquisite frame.

I found this website called Glasses.com where I enjoyed browsing their stylish collection of women's sunglasses. But before I go further to add on my shopping cart, let me just share you some tips on how to buy a pair of sunglasses:

1. A good pair should block 98% of ultra violet light to avoid any eye ailment. After all, the ultimate purpose of sunglasses is to protect our eyes.

2. Choose polarized lenses as they permit only vertical light rays to pass through them, not horizontal, and thus they reduce glare.

3. Are you going to wear it everyday like I do in this perennially sunny city? Make sure you are comfortable on the colors of the glass before parting with your cash. Most sunglasses have grey lenses because grey is a neutral color hence making it comfortable for eyes. While red, brown, and yellow can be trendy at times, they can distort color.

4. While a stylish frame makes for the over-all impact of a sunglasses, make sure it is also durable and lightweight - especially if you intend to stay hours and hours lounging on the sunbed or playing golf.

I am currently looking on Glasses.com for a wrap-around model which I think are quiet neat on the face. They also provide thorough glare and dust protection as it eliminates them from creeping in around the lenses.

We Are Going 70s

Whew! The Halloween Costume Party invitations are pouring in. The latest one to arrive is from Hubby's scuba diving club. And they are giving a grand prize of one night stay at a splendid 5-star hotel to the couple in best costume.

I'd like to win of course. I need a weekend getaway to unwind. But Hubby just don't understand the fuss about the costumes. I hope that is going to change this year. I am not going to let him be himself for a change lol! He's been doing that for years - every Halloween party - so come on! I am not going to be the only one theatrical next week.

Last night after supper, I tried to pull off my convincing powers and managed to talk to him about his costume. He dreads the topic. Always do.  But I steered the conversation to his birth year the 70s. Think 70s stye fancy dress, Afro wig, flared trousers, groovy disco, the heavy rockers KIss, or simply be a crazy hippy guy. He thought  for awhile and when I was about to faint for waiting his answer, he agreed. I breathed out a long sigh of satisfaction and danced the footy jig hehehe.

So here I am looking online for some accessories and costume inspiration. I found two costumes and will let him choose later tonight. Have a look:

A groovy disco dancer costume.

Or 70s funky colored suit complete with platform shoes, yeehaa!

As for me, I hope looking for sexy costumes would be easy. I want something shiny inspired by the Dancing Queen.

Posh Vintage Bike

I saw this on display at Fendi store in Dubai Mall.

All decked in leather.

An entry for

Red Maxi Shirt Dress

One of my favorite pieces on my closet. I especially love the tribal beaded neckline.

                      Photo taken at The Meydan Hotel.

An entry for

Red-Hot Mondays

Little White Dress

I'm a fan of white clothes. Shift dress, skirts, wide-leg pants, shirt, blouses, vest, I have pieces of them in white. On weekends, when I prepare Hubby's clothes for the day, it'll be white shorts and white polo. He laughs at it and jokes he looks like a sailor. I told him plenty of times that it looks good on him - fresh and neat - but he just shooks his head and smile.

Anyway, here's a little white bubble dress when we visited Ferrari World Theme park last month.

An entry for

Chic In Black : Tutu Skirt

 Remember when tutu skirts were the hottest thing in town?

Black tutu skirt fromWG Exclusive Party Collection and Black jacket from Mango

An entry for

Thrift Hunt: Nike Tank Top

Though I am partial to dress and romantic blouses, I like wearing  tanks from time to time -  but I hate paying for the pretty ones at a steep price. I got lucky once 'coz I was able to get a good bargain =). I bought the Nike tank top at flea market for 1AED.

At FMX Championship 2011, Jumeirah Beach Residence

An entry for

Chic Black Monday: Abaya Fashion Show

It was November last year when I first witnessed an Abaya Fashion Show at The Dubai Mall. The abaya or cloak is a long over-garment considered a national dress for women in United Arab Emirates.

An entry for

Dive Into The Season's Sexiest Swimwear!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With year-round sun in Dubai, a staple in my wardrobe is a swimwear. I probably buy one or two swim suits every year. I try to experiment with different brands and for the current year, I am buying on American fashion retailer, Express

Since they branched out in The Dubai Mall two years ago, I immediately became a fan. They offer clothing for both men and women but I particularly adore their sophisticated weekend outfits. When I heard that they  were launching their new spring women's swimwear I just knew it will be a perfect excuse to buy a new bathing suit. The collection is fabulous with its bold hues and body-loving shapes.

I am eyeing this leopard print beach wear and I know it will look fantastic on our next weekend getaway. We are a family who loves beach and water parks so we are looking to spend our 5th wedding anniversary next month in Jumeirah Beach Hotel. We are  fan of Jumeirah Hospitality and my little boy just goes crazy in Wild Wadi!

Now here's a special treat for you my dear readers. If you are a legal resident of United States and above 18 years old,  sign-up on Express e-mail for a chance to win one of ten $200 Express gift cards. The sweepstakes rules are simple - no purchase is necessary to enter or claim prize. All you have to do is sign up and you have until April 21, 2011 to do so.  Good luck!

Gifts For Her: Eco Friendly Diamonds

Come Valentine's Day, there is no better way to sweep your loved one off her feet than a gift of beautifully cut diamond. It is the ultimate symbol of love and commitment. 

However, diamonds are uber expensive because mining them entails a lot of risk both to the environment and the people concerned. You have to dig deep into the earth just to get one carat. These holes leave an ugly scars on the eco system, pollutes the environment, and adversely affects the health of humans and animals around the area.

I come in good news today because you no longer have to bear guilt on buying diamonds. There is a growing trend right now about man-made diamonds. A diamond seed is placed in a laboratory with  carbon environment. It is allowed to grow molecule by molecule just as it grows deep in the core of the earth. This makes the eco-friendly jewelry identical in every aspect to the real mined gem.

Moreover, while colored diamonds are rare and far more expensive, lab grown gems come in variety of colors such as green, pink, blue, and red. Lastly, because of the least environment impact, these man-made diamonds are far more cheaper making 14th February Gifts easier than you thought.. This is your chance to sweep your loved one off her feet this Valentine's Day with  a stunningdiamond that won't break the bank.

Discovering Miu Miu

It can accommodate my DSLR and that's the best part! Thanks, Honey. I love you...mwaah!
Miu Miu store in Dubai is located at Villa Moda, Emirates Towers Boulevard

Cartier Accessories

Howdy glamorous fashionistas!

I got good news for you today if you still can't decide what to buy yourself for Christmas. How about a Cartier watch to match your Cartier handbag?

Marcello from House of Cartier, The Dubai Mall

The photo is from the 2010 Festival Colbert - an exhibit of French Fashion Houses. Naturally, Cartier was included and ladies kept on hovering around this uber-exclusive Marcello bag. The Cartier booth during the festival offers its clients an option to customize the bag: you choose what color, python or calfskin, and you choose as well which Cartier charm to decorate your bag. The bag arrives after six months of placing your order.

And so for devoted Cartier fans, your chance to own an authentic Cartier watch has arrived. It will definitely not cost  you more than what you paid for the  handbag. Essential-Watches.com offers the best prices on the internet for new and pre-owned authentic Cartier Watches.

Essential Watches of Beverly Hills have wide range of Cartier watches such as the iconic Ballon Bleu and Cartier Roadster. All purchases comes with a box and pertinent papers. New and pre-owned time pieces are marked accordingly. Moreover, customers receive a one to two year guarranty.

Visit Essential-Watches.com to complete your Cartier collection of accessories!

Stocking Filler: Panerai

Chatting with my friend S last night, she revealed how she is enjoying my stockings filler posts. She went on to say that I should go get one for myself since I do not wear any time piece. I rely on my Blackberry to tell me if it's lunch time. S, however is fiercely devoted to her Cartier accessory. She even pulled the strings for me to attend the 2010 Cartier Exhibit at The Dubai Mall.

S works for luxury retail here in Dubai so she gets discounts and freebies every now and then. She is generous to share them that my birthday and Christmas presents are always from the French fashion house. She just arrived from a holiday and I know she is late on her Christmas shopping. So last night during our conversation she asked what brand of watch do I fancy lol!

Perhaps I am saving for a Panerai watch. Our family goes snorkeling and swimming a lot that only a  submersible watch will work best for me.  I want something elegant, yet sporty, and with an attitude.  Panerai watches are known to have large illuminated dials and tightly sealed steel casing. Their reputation started when they were commissioned by Italian Navy in 1860's to create a watch that can be easily read underwater.

But the thing is they are very rare. They are produced in a very limited number of pieces that they almost have a cult-like following.

Stocking Filler: Patek Philippe

I received my copy of Holiday Gift Guide from a popular Paris-based department store yesterday. Although I recently heard that the Hublot is one of the most sought after watch, I learned that many sophisticated customers -- especially those that are fascinated with history of time piece -- opt for the brand Patek Philippe.

 The exclusive Patek Philippe Store in Dubai Mall

Patek Philippe was established in 1851 and dominated the Swiss watch market for over 150 years. They are credited for inventing the "Perpetual Calendar" which as we all know now, keeps track of how many days in each month and knows when it's leap year. The luxury brand can also boast that from the 53 auctioned watches, 50 of the highest prices ever paid for were Patek Phillipe.

Patek Philippe has a store in The Dubai Mall.  For pre-owned authentic Patek Philippe, you can visit Essential-Watches.com

Stocking Filler: Rolex

This will probably the most show stopper of all your stocking fillers ((^_^))

I mentioned to you my dear readers that I am looking for online deals on time piece for Hubby's Christmas present. I am glad to share with you that I found a fantastic website that sells authentic new and pre-owned Rolex watches. 

All time piece you purchase from Essential Watches comes with one-two year warranty. They have established business located in Beverly Hills, CA and joined Ebay in 1999 with 99.9% positive feedback.

Waste no time browsing over those luxury gift guides and check the latest deals on Essential Watches!

Shop For Wholesale Clothing

Currently, my favorite words are: Product Shipped. =)

Since the successful arrival of a watch I purchased online, I am now joining the numerous people trawling the net for online deals. The latest good news I can share with you my dear readers is an online shopping apparel that offers wholesale clothing. It is called ApparelCandy.com and they are based in Los Angeles, California.

Their wholesale products include dresses (with plus sizes), skirts. tops, jeans, accessories, cosmetics, and perfumes. Being a huge fan of shift dress, I share with you my top picks from their uber budget friendly collection.

Unit Price: $7.00  / Prepack of 6 $42.00

A white/cream dress is a must in sunny Dubai so I always make it a point to buy them in winter where they (together with summer clothes) absolutely sell at a cheaper prize.

Unit Price $7.00 / Package of 6 $42.00

I love the flirty, fun style and the metallic burgundy hue which is so bang on the trend this festive season. The dress is perfect for those office parties or ladies night outs.

Sneak Peek: VB Bags for Spring/Summer 2011

 I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw these handbags designed by Victoria Beckham. I previously shared that I always go for the structured bags. I like them to keep their shape even when stuffed with just about anything. It gives one's over-all look more polished.

Oh VB! You are my one true fashion icon!!

Victoria Beckham Bags Collection for Spring/Summer 2011

Topshop Catwalk Show 2010

Thank you to The Dubai Mall, yours truly was given a front row seat for the exclusive Topshop Catwalk Show. The chic event was part of Harper's Bazaar Fortnight of Fashion. My posts will come int two parts. You will find the clothes collection here. Shoes & make-up line will be featured on my second baby, The Pink Zest!.

Without further ado, I share to you what I coveted most from the clothes collection. Anybody who wants to use my photos can do so provided they link back to this site. Thank you.

An entry for