@fashion: my first makeover experience on a TV show!

I have just finished working on a TV fashion makeover last week and I am so excited to share with you what goes into producing a TV show from the behind the scenes work to the final result that I personally loved! Hope you enjoy the process and don't forget to watch the video at the end of the post :) Here is Mounia, a gorgeous soul, who just didn't know - or as she put it - doesn't have the time - to reflect her beauty to the world! The picture of her on the left  is what she sent me from her office, before the makeover. My first impression was that she looked tired, old and frumpy! Getting to know her on a personal level I can tell you she is anything but that!

mounia before_after

Mounia is a hard working 37 year old career woman with 2 gorgeous kids, who leaves to work at 6am in the morning and comes back home anywhere around 7pm. She often has after office work events to attend to and as she doesn't have the time to commute back home to change, I took that into consideration putting together the outfits below. Her days off on the weekend are spent with her kids and so practical comfort is key here.

Corporate business

Look no 1. Corporate. Structured Grey jacket on white trousers and blouse with statement accessories.

As Mounia is not a big fan of colours, I tried to take her away from the 50 shades of grey and neutrals she lives in to a lighter basic outfit to start with, all white - perfect for the summer - and showed her how to mix and match different jackets to turn it into corporate. The pop colours were added through accessories, shoes with interesting print and bold coloured bags.

Corporate business casual Etoile La boutique

Look no 2. Cream and gold jacket on same white trousers and blouse with statement accessories. Perfect for office too.

night look Etoile La boutique Ingie Paris

Look no 3. Leaving from office to business event, all she needs to do is change into this amazing statement coat from Ingie Paris, swap her work bag with a clutch,  and add a necklace!

Day to night

Look no 4. Using the same jacket and shoes from look no 2, we created a new outfit with this amazing leather fitted dress from Jitrois. Again, all she needs to transform it into a business event night outfit is take jacket off and replace bag with a clutch!

day look casual Etoile La boutique

Look no 5. As Mounia won't want to spend her weekends in anything close to corporate or heels, we chose this laid back casual outfit that could take her from lunch with the kids to the mall in style.

reveal look Etoile La boutique

Mounia's wide smile, the final result of the quick one day makeover, is the best reward I can ask for. I personally don't believe in extreme TV makeovers and drastic changes to impress the audience. What I loved about this experience working with Rulan Al Omari and the team of experts,  is that we agreed that our goal is to bring out the best in Mounia by reflecting her true character : Fresh, young, successful  and a woman in total control!

Mounia's makeover included the work of beauty experts Jaques Hanna for the hair makeover, Samira Olfat for makeup tips and Dr Majd for that perfect smile.

Wardrobe from Etoile La Boutique.

Watch the full makeover in video here

How NOT to shop maternity fashion!

If there is one sad place you’d like to go to at the mall for a crisp dose of depression, it’s the maternity shops. Take one step in and you are drowned with horrible images of how you would look like wearing that frumpy tunic, hideous shirt or even worse - their idea of a dress. Horror images come to my mind looking at those endless rails that should come with a “not suitable for viewers with photo epilepsy “ warning! The only thing you can reach for in a maternity store is a much-needed basic classic pair of denim in a straight (or if you’re luck, skinny) leg with that wide elastic cotton waistband. Maybe some leggings with that same band too. A maternity bra/sports bra, maybe two. And this is where it ends. Literally.

Now to be fair some high street fashion stores’ maternity sections are more forgiving, as I have found a really cool pair of jeans trousers and shorts at H&M and Topshop and a very wide selection online at asos. But maybe I was lucky at the stores, because stepping back and looking at the whole section they have dedicated to “mama” fashion - you will think I don’t want to ever be a mama if mamas look anything like that!

Seriously, why does strict maternity fashion stores have to be so hideous and cheap looking? Ok, pregos do get bigger - mainly around the waist, i.e adorable baby bump and the bust. But that’s it; they don’t grow into a full rounded walking watermelon (I hope) for any designers to design a tent for them to hibernate under!

Ok enough b****ing about the so-called maternal fashion lack of taste or style. Let’s look at the bright side - there is one! It’s right there in your entire favourite, go to stores where you love shopping for your favorite brands and in your own wardrobe .  You can absolutely style that bump by doing a bit of adjustments in the size department, a bit of creativity in the layering department and by learning some amazing line and design visual illusion tricks - the secret holy grail is out!

Tops: Go one size bigger to fit that blossoming bump and bust. Bonus tip: As you will develop a round appearance on top, opt for non round necklines and designs, no scoop lines or crew- simple! Go for V necks, boat necks and off the shoulder that show some skin and break the balloon effect! You can even use your own, just layer over a longer cami or tube top worn under. Trick is to pull the tune top so it sits below your bust, allowing more length to cover that bump all the way to your hips. Have fun mixing and matching colors and prints!

Bottoms: Do not walk towards the button, zipper pants or skirts rails - they just won’t do, even in a bigger size. Instead hunt for low elastic waist pants or ones with wide cotton bands. You might be surprised that your regular size still fits if you pull the waist a bit lower. Once you’re mid way in pregnancy then go for a size bigger. Go for peg pants, pajamas style printed pants with an elastic waistband and plenty of legroom and tapered hemlines and sweatpants- all perfect for pregnancy and still so in. Pair with a nice t-shirt and blazer or a denim shirt.

As for skirts, cotton is your go to material - with or without a wide elastic waistband. As cotton is naturally stretchable (with a bit of lycra), you can position the waist of the skirt a bit above your natural waistline for a comfortable fit, or below. I still wear my S size cotton straight skirts, they just feel a bit tighter now but not uncomfortable. Again, you can always go a size bigger, important thing is the waist doesn’t pinch or else you’d end up taking it off in public - it does hurt and itch like hell when it’s tight! Go for skirts with asymmetric hemlines as they add interest and divert from the roundness!

Dresses: You all know that the empire waistline (the one that sits right below your bust) is best for pregnancy, so stock on those. But the usual stretch cotton dresses in maxi or midi work just as fine! They will show your silhouette more as they are body hugging, but in a sexy stylish way. And you can always add a blazer, denim jacket or shirt on top to break that spray on lycra effect. Get one LBD as it will be your savior when you get that next invite to a fancy dinner or event.

Scarves and accessories are THE ESSENTIALS when styling maternity outfits. They add interest, colour and individuality. Even though you might feel too lazy to bother with what goes with what at this stage, do keep some statement necklaces and scarves in bright and neutral colours at hand. You can thank me later.

I can’t promise you will still manage to pull off all your wardrobe items as it does get frustrating at times trying to find a suitable outfit for an important event with a wardrobe full of “am so tiny for your toes to fit in now” closet staring back at you. But with a bit of creativity mix and match you will find that dressing up is still fun and your bump is something to be stylishly proud of!

Image credit asos.com

Dressing your mood: Street Style Inspiration

  "Cream colored ponies and girls in white dresses... Vanilla dreams muffins and Snowflakes on my eyelashes... Silver white winters that melt into springs... These are a few of my favourite things". So obviously an all cream look is one of my favourites this season. Translated into fashion: This means white, off white, ivory, cream, beige, eggshell, vanilla & all that's so pure and smells like fresh linen. - When the sound of music meets fashion

Completely incomplete. Fully empty. Clearly misunderstood. Seriously funny.

Oxymoron: a phrase in which two opposite words come together. Translated into emotions/mood: Bipolar. Translated into Fashion: Black on white. - Such a modern classic! 

"I'm not different for the desperate sake of being different. Only for the sake of being myself." Vivian Stanshall. Being different. Against the grain. That one odd thing that stands out in a sea of normalcy. Called personality. Translated into music: Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Translate into Fashion: Signature style - Creative - where it could be as simple as a pop of colour, somewhere...

 

image credits: harpers bazaar. Contributor: Rana Saab

Introducing the Man-ual! Every man's guide to all that is style!

Man-ual 1: SS-2014 Season has Gone Pastel-listic!

Roll up your sleeves gentlemen, suits are becoming a playful attire as designers are taking cuts, fabrics, & colors into a new dimension.

We keep assuming that fashion is a wheel, and that trends through out history keep coming back, but I'm happy to tell you that things have changed and we are about to see a bolder approach to men fashion regarding suits.

Taking a look at what Ermenegildo Zegna, Tom Ford, Ozwald Boateng, and many other designers tackled for the coming season, here is what we observed:

1.Sleeves are no more a rack to place four to five buttons in a row, Zegna introduced sleeves with no buttons at all or even long sleeve extensions that wrinkle up around your wrists adding a slight contrast to a simple blazer.

2.Double-breasted blazers that take your simple suit back to the posh 1980's,giving your a structured figure and a classy feel. what is making DP blazer bolder these days is the signature buttons thats add a little twist of modern.

3.Pastel & Light shades and tints of Blue, grey, ash, & beige is all over the runway for SS-2014. Aim for calm colors with a derivative combination for the shirt and tie.

4. White it out! white is no longer the suit color for weddings and occasions only, unleash freshness and chicness with a white suit this summer and give your suit a relaxed luxury feel with a contrasting tie and shoes.

5. Cropped trouser ankles show off that little piece of skin between your trousers and your shoes with cropped trouser ankles, you can even use those crops to showcase your new set of designed socks.

About Maya Sebai-

Maya is a walking visual owl, tackling fashion and style with her design eye for colour, cuts, texture and art. Coming form a Graphic design and multimedia background, she always adds a fresh approach to her layouts. Her love for fashion led her to join ranasaab.com as an aspiring stylist with a focus on men's fashion, an area she feels is under explored and under exposed! With that in mind, she started the MAN-UAL concept. A Manual that Guides men through efficient and time saving fashion inspiration to match their characters. With her enthusiasm for mens fashion, Maya focuses on giving today’s man a sneak peek at the trends and styles that he would use efficiently while juggling his busy life schedule.Aside from men's lack of attention to style, she is also very much affected by reading and believes it’s the most powerful and out reaching technique to evolvement. She is inspired by Ozwald Boateng. For more on MAN-UAL, You can send us a shout out at maya@ranasaab.com and follow on Instagram: @ranasaabstylist

BRAND MANIA

I love people who are true to themselves and confident enough in their own skin to pull off any outfit and carry themselves with poise. I believe everyone should feel great about the way the look and have fun reflecting their best image to the world! No fashion is “in” unless it’s “out” of your unique style. But you are NOT what designer brands you wear! It saddens me to see/hear some people judging themselves and others by their latest “it” buys or lack of it. Since when has high street brands become an indication of a lesser social status? Yes, some people do think that they can not be seen sporting anything less than a designer branded look from head to toe. This is not just wrong, it’s a pity. It only shows that you lack self confidence, style and creativity. Am definitely pro designer brands – we all love the luxury, quality, attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into creating each unique piece – but I wouldn’t buy any piece just because it’s a designer label. I will only invest in it because it looks great and fits perfectly on me – just like any other label. And I specifically hate “in your face” printed logos. We all mix designer with high street and we won’t have to explain ourselves for it! Copying the latest catwalk or window look won’t win you the style stakes. Creating your own unique style will. Look inside yourself and outside your window for inspiration – and am not talking shop windows :) Street style is the truest form of real fashion. Your own unique personality should show in the details of how you style your look. Get inspired by your favorite designers, style icons, movies, songs, books, nature… but please don’t turn into another copy cat fashionista!