Pastels in the Desert + Little Things For Lots Of Happy

April 24, 2018

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I'm a little bit obsessed with pastels. Okay. I'm a whole lot obsessed with pastels. But with Bahrain's scorching summers and humidity, you need something soothing to look at. Plus, with the bleakness of desert sands everywhere, {case in point- this location} you have to bring colour with your outfit!

This top is heavenly to wear because of the loose fit and the soft material. It's not just your typical wrap top. It has a subtle collar and a not-so-subtle bow. I love how it has soft but smart cuffs and cute little buttons on the cuff. With the collar and cuff details, it's great for work attire. The powder blue colour is such a work classic, too.

I paired it with one of my most worn and most loved pair of pants, these rose coloured ones from ASOS. Speaking of pants, someone recently asked me how to purchase pants online without getting the dreaded camel toe. I told them that the best way is to not get pants that are tight and stretchy. If the fabric has too much lycra in it, it's going to cling to all the wrong places.

This pant is made from a very soft and light linen-like material. The tapered leg makes it super comfy and the ankle length gives it an effortless feel. The material and the looseness of the pants make it perfect summer office wear.

I accessorized with a pretty necklace in white gold, that I had bought from the gold souk many years back. I love the unique twisted shape of the blue stone in the pendant. A thin bracelet and a ring completed the accessories.

Wearing colours both on top and bottom, it was best to go with neutral shoes. These pointed nude low block heels became a favourite of mine very quickly. They go with everything and are super comfy. As I had mentioned before, I have stopped buying shoes from brands in Bahrain as I never get my size. Now I buy directly from manufacturers in China who have the shoes I want, in the size I need. Unless Bahrain starts getting shoes in size 43 and 44, I'll be buying them online. It's always a risk, but I'm left with no options. Sigh.

I wore this outfit on a hot day, and I pulled my hair back into a half bun. So chic and so practical when you want your hair away from your face on a busy day!

Top: Koton, Pants: ASOS, Shoes: Online.

On a personal note

The past few weeks have been an exciting ride getting to know new colleagues and meeting new people. I love meeting new people. Getting to know their story, their background and their passions is so intriguing.

I've been doubly busy because my parents have been away all this time, leaving the management of the house to me and my brother. It's incredible how much you suddenly have to do when your family goes from four to two. {Yay, I rhymed.} The washing, the cooking, taking care of the cats, the cleaning of the house, making sure all the bills are paid, whew! I have never eaten out so much in my life!

Lately I've found myself focusing on making myself happy. Even with work being crazy, I'm making the time to relax. I've gotten back to reading psychology and self-help books. I had signed up for a program when I was in college, in which I used to receive one self-help book every month. I went through lots of self-help books. Some were fantastic, but the rest were mostly cringe-y. I stopped reading those kinds of books for a while, but I've gotten into them again recently. Because of my college reading experience, I've learned how to weed out the truly amazing self-help books from the cliched, cheesy stuff. And there are some fab books out there. Don't let the 'self-help' tag put you off. There's nothing to be ashamed of in helping yourself.

All that self-help reading eventually led me to start this blog inspiring women to dress up and love themselves, and 7 years later, my own inspirational blog book, Loving Yourself In Style.

Getting back to making yourself happy. These are a few little things that I've been doing, and you can, too: