A lady’s look is never complete without accessories

Sogol Zabihi is a Persian-American talented jewelry designer who has made a name for herself with a high end line that sells in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt. Her designs have a strong statement and are best described as sassy, fearless and bold.

Zabihi moved to Dubai when she was just a year old where she grew up and learned about people’s different cultures and tastes. Once she graduated from high school, she continued her education in Management Information System in Los Angeles. She later moved back to Dubai and worked at her family business for few months before deciding to start her own line, Jewels by Sogol.

Zabihi started designing jewelry in 2006 after she traveled to the South of France where she got inspired by the beautiful jewelry designs. “The jewelry designs were so lavishly made that I had to share the inspiration with other women,” she said. “Over the past five years of designing jewelry, I have gained more experience in this field and have learned to identify the different preferences that women have.”

Jewels’ style is unique, strong, hip and girlie by all means, and her brand is trendy, chic and elegant. “My customers are usually young women who are, in one way or another, engaged in the fashion industry,” she said. “The Middle Eastern art incorporated into each of my jewelry provides a sense of royal luxury to women, and the wide range of colors brings uniqueness to each look. The creativity of the designs within each piece gives women an edge on fashion.”

According to Zabihi, adding a piece of jewelry can change one’s outfit drastically. “A lady’s look is never complete without accessories. You can be wearing jeans and a simple white top for a day look and just add on a chunky gold necklace to take that same look to a night look,” she said. “This is why I have always been so passionate about jewelry and thus share my passion with women everywhere.”

Another reason why Zabihi loves jewelry is that it fits everyone, regardless of their body size. As a result, earrings, necklaces and bracelets make great gifts.

Her Jewels items are made with Swarovski crystals and are gold plated and finely hand painted in Italy, which exquisitely enhances their beauty. “Jewels has a wide range of collections with different style preferences for women. I mostly use bright colors to give a sense of liveliness to each piece,” said Zabihi. “The bright colors are somehow a symbol which represents Jewels, making it stand out and give dynamic energy.” Her most recent collection has neutral colors for the winter such as pearls, white, black, green, blue and brown.

One of Jewels’ best sellers are the Cleopatra earrings, and customers want more and more of this design. “It has inspired me to make similar designs of these earrings. I have also made jewelry for events such as the Formula one in Abu Dhabi and World Horse Races in Dubai,” she explained. “Choosing the colors is super fun. I have always loved colors, especially bright colors because they are very fashionable now and never seem to be out of fashion.”

Zabihi feels grateful when she sees someone wearing her designs. “I feel grateful to know that my pieces are loved out there as much as I love each piece,” she said. “It makes me happy to know that my designs make other women feel special when they use them to finish off their looks.”

When asked who she would choose to wear her designs, Zabihi said Oprah. “She is such a talented and inspiring lady. Intellectual and motivated, she is the driving force of so many ladies in the world.”

According to Zabihi, upcoming trends in the jewelry industry are mostly focused on size and color. “Big, bold and chunky is what is to mainly expect and bright colors are the main focus. Skulls, Fatima hand and eyes are always in fashion, but creating something different is key,” she said.

To her, the most important aspect of success in jewelry designing is to listen to what customers want and need. “At the same time, a designer should take risks with creative designs that stand out from the rest of the jewelry out there,” she said. “Women always want to feel special, and they can do that by wearing unique jewelry.”

Jewels by Sogol can be found in:

Sak, Sauce boutique, Bloomingdales - UAE

Saks - Bahrain

Mosaic Boutique- Kuwait

Amuse Boutique- Egypt

Queenie Padilla shares her rebirth after performing Haj in Makkah

By all accounts, a young Filipino singer-actress dubbed "the future leading lady" was on her way to stardom before she had a spiritual rebirth.

Queenie Padilla was starring in primetime TV shows and would sing and dance in production numbers on popular variety shows in the Philippines. She was the other half of a romantic pairing ("love team" in local showbiz parlance) meant to set hearts aflutter. At 20, she was living her dream — or so she thought.

"It was a deceiving dream," Queenie told Arab News as she sat wearing an abaya and a veil on her head. Devoid of makeup, her face is just as angelic and even more beautiful than when she was all dolled up for guest appearances and shows.

The Saudi media had recently picked up on the story of the Filipino celebrity who went to Makkah and came back with Islam reignited in her. After performing Haj for the first time, she declared to all and sundry that show business was now behind her. The YouTube video in which she tearfully shares her life-changing Haj experience was going somewhat viral; it was garnering likes and getting shared and re-shared among Muslims, and not just in the Kingdom. "Inspiring" was the consensus.

What triggered a 180-degree turn for the young lady who was dead-set on pursuing a showbiz career a mere four years ago? How did the decision come about? And, how did she break it to her fans?

Queenie said she had been so worried what the producers, directors, managers, and especially, her fans would think. Everyone had expectations of her and she was feeling the pressure. She had to ask herself: “Am I going to live my life disobeying Allah or am I going to make the final decision in living my life as a good Muslim and really practice Islam the right way? There was a struggle but I had to make a choice. So I made that choice. I quit.”

Queenie calls herself a revert to Islam because it was only eight months ago that she embraced her faith wholeheartedly after visiting her mother in Australia, where she grew up nominally Muslim with her two sisters and their youngest brother.

Her father Robin, who comes from a big showbiz clan, famously married Queenie's mother in Muslim rites inside prison as he was serving a 21-year sentence for illegal possession of firearms in the early 90s. He was pardoned by the then president, and he left jail in 1998 no less famous than when he entered it. He remains one of the Philippines' most bankable action movie and TV stars to date.

The busy life of a celebrity didn't leave much time for Robin to educate his family about Islam as much as he would want, but Queenie credits him nonetheless, because if it weren't for him they would not be Muslim.

“When I went to the Philippines, my father told me to wear a hijab and pray. But I didn't know why I was praying. I was ignorant about Islam and about being Muslim. At that time I hadn't yet tasted the sweetness of faith. I think that's why I was misguided.”

Their mother started practicing Islam herself just two months before Queenie did, and she let her eldest daughter know her desire for her children to become good, practicing Muslims. Queenie says that when she first saw her mother after the latter rediscovered Islam, she was pleasantly “shocked.”

“I saw this glow in her that I've never seen growing up as a child. Everything that came out from her mouth was all about Islam and Allah. And she was reading the Qur'an constantly and listening to lectures and she wore the hijab. I asked her if she was afraid of wearing the hijab in this society. She said she wasn't because she has piety, and that's all that matters."

Over dinner, they would have conversations about the Hereafter and whether or not they obeyed Allah with their deeds and actions.

"It got me thinking," she said. "I started evaluating and asking myself if I was really happy with my job, and I realized that there was something missing in my life. There was emptiness inside. I wanted to feel what my mother was feeling because she was so happy and content — and peaceful. I told her, 'Oh please, I want to learn more about Islam.'"

And she did. As she learned more about Islam, she knew she had found what would fill the void she was feeling: renewed religious fervor.

“It was an amazing feeling. I think it was a calling from Allah. The more I learned about Islam, the more it became my passion. And every day, when I gained more and more knowledge, the missing parts of myself began to grow. The emptiness is gradually going away too,” she added.

Queenie went to the Kingdom solely as a pilgrim and not an actress, although she met the Filipino community just the same. She visited the International Philippine School in Jeddah and other Saudi private schools where the students' reception was uniformly warm.

Her most unforgettable experience in her brief two weeks here, however, took place in a hospital where she visited a 30-year-old Filipino woman with a rare form of cancer. Queenie prayed for the patient who dreamed of going to the Kaaba. Shortly after, the woman reverted to Islam and declared her formula of faith in Islam, making Queenie “the happiest person alive.”

“The patient awakened me in a way; she reminded me that sickness or death could hit us anytime. Every day as Muslims, we should prepare,” Queenie said.

Queenie’s parents, now married to different people, are very happy over her decision to fully practice her religion. Her next mission is to share more about Islam with her sister Kylie, who is an up-and-coming star in her own right back home. Queenie also plans to major in business, and at the same time, take up Islamic studies.

These days, Queenie speaks with a conviction not previously seen in some of her TV interviews, in which she appeared reserved and even a little nervous. She has transformed into a lady who conveys the message of Islam to people with courage and confidence, even if she admits her knowledge is still limited.

Queenie — or Khadija, the Muslim name she recently adopted — is sure to lose fans once she leaves the glare of klieg lights completely, but she looks to have gained new ones in her journey of proclaiming her faith.

More opportunities for disabled Emirati women

ABU DHABI // Nada Al Bustani saw her life reflected this week in a study that shows the hardships disabled Emirati women face in areas including education, employment and participating in their communities.

The study released by researchers at UAE University and the Ministry of Social Affairs found three quarters of disabled Emirati women struggle to find work, 64 per cent have difficulty finding marriage partners and 80 per cent encounter negative attitudes towards them.

"I've worked in places where people didn't know how to deal with me," said Ms Al Bustani, 41, an Emirati who was born with a bone disorder that requires her to use a wheelchair. "I've had to advocate for the fact that I need a bathroom that is accessible."

The report into life for disabled Emirati women was released on Wednesday and funded by the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy.

"They are easily ignored or neglected by all people," said Dr Abdelaziz Sartawi, the study's lead researcher and chairman of the special education department at UAE University. "It's not only a problem in the UAE but in all developing countries, and in the Arab region."

The researchers tackled the topic of disabled women because it is rarely discussed in the Arab world, Dr Sartawi said.

"There are no studies in this domain," he said. "We thought it was very important for us, and the country, to know what is going on and to deal with the issue appropriately."

The study was one of several grant-winning projects from the 2009 Emirati Family Research Competition.

Researchers surveyed 150 Emirati girls and women with disabilities, and 150 able-bodied women. They also interviewed 38 parents of disabled children.

The study found women with disabilities suffer from "double discrimination", because of their disability and because they are female.

"Women are usually protected in any society but here if you have special needs, especially if you have mental retardation, protection is a little bit extra," said Ms Al Bustani, a PhD candidate at the University of Wollongong in Dubai studying emergency management for vulnerable and special-needs populations.

She said Emirati families were sometimes scared to send daughters with disabilities into the world, and the effort to protect women could hold them back.

"You are stopping the person from living their life in a full manner," Ms Al Bustani said.

Other women might hold themselves back because they are ashamed or afraid, said Awatif Akbari, who is blind.

"Some of them, they don't want even to move from the house," Ms Akbari, 34, said.



The report also found disabled women face numerous obstacles in school, in vocational training and at work.

Parents of daughters with disabilities told the researchers their children had encountered a lack of acceptance from peers and teachers, inappropriate examination systems and difficulty finding transport.

"If you look at the curriculum, it's not designed at all for them," Dr Sartawi said.

The visually impaired might need access to Braille materials or special computers, and the hearing impaired to sign language interpreters.

An even higher number of parents said their daughters faced work-related problems, with 74.7 per cent saying their daughter had trouble finding work, and 73.3 per cent reporting it was hard for their daughters to find a work environment adaptable to their needs.

"Usually the first thing I look at when I go to an interview is, are there ramps, is there a bathroom?" Ms Al Bustani said.

The parents also reported a lack of opportunities for marriage.

Researchers concluded policymakers and advocates must create more opportunities for disabled women. They also suggested increasing community outreach to families and recommended more clubs and programmes.

The UAE is already "stepping up" to create programmes, Dr Sartawi said.

Ms Akbari said the situation had improved in recent years.

"I think it's becoming better, you know, because of awareness," she said.

Ms Akbari and Ms Al Bustani found jobs they enjoy - Ms Al Bustani with the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority, and Ms Akbari with Tamkeen, a training centre in Dubai for the visually impaired.

"As to marriage, I don't think about this because now I feel that I have my freedom," Ms Akbari said. "I don't feel that I have lost something."

Kuwaiti women who studied abroad adjust to life at home

Fatimah al-Qattan, Director of Public Relations in an international company, said she was forced to study abroad because the University of Kuwait did not offer Business Administration as a scientific major. Despite her family's initial concern about her staying alone for a long period of time abroad, they eventually agreed she should go.

"And this was a great opportunity to rely on myself, especially since I studied in the United States and not in one of the Arab countries, which in the end maintains the same framework of Arab culture, customs and traditions," she said.

But her return to Kuwait was not as easy as she anticipated.

"When I came back to Kuwait, I thought I was going to work in the major I specialised in," she said. "Unfortunately, I did not find something that suits me and was in line with what I studied, which drove me to go back to school in Kuwait to complete my studies and reach the position and work that I want."

Al-Qattan is one of many young Kuwaiti women attempting to work in a field not normally open to women.

Al-Ma'rifah magazine published a study earlier this year prepared by global consulting firm Tony Blair Associates, Kuwait Vision 2030, that said the educational system is incapable of preparing the workforce to cope with the challenges of the future.

The Director of Public Relations and Information at the Ministry of Higher Education in Kuwait, Ali al-Halabi, told al-Shorfa the ministry makes opportunities available for young men and women to study abroad regardless of gender.

"The Ministry is providing the opportunity to both males and females to submit applications to complete their education abroad after finishing high school," al-Halabi said.

He said custom, however, including parents' fear of their daughters travelling abroad, keeps the ratio of men to women studying abroad unequal.

"The selection is not made according to sex at all, but according to ratios and school grades, given the fact that the proportion of males normally exceeds that of females, due to the customs and traditions that govern society and make some parents fearful of their daughters travelling abroad by themselves, which leads to the ratio of males reaching 65% and females 35%," he said.

Nonetheless, the decision to leave Kuwait to study constitutes a challenge, especially once young women return to Kuwait and reintegrate into society.

Dalal Ibrahim, an architect, said she has faced great difficulty since returning to Kuwait.

Ibrahim grew up in London, and then moved to live with her family in Kuwait when she was 10 years old. When she finished her high school education, she went to study at the American University in Sharjah.

"My mother objected due to concern that often haunts mothers with regards to their children, especially the girls, but my father was supporting me because he was aware of the extent of suffering that I had been through for the duration of my high school studies because I did not adapt to life and dealing with people in Kuwait," she said.

After finishing her university studies, Ibrahim strived to stay out of Kuwait as long as possible.

"I have already travelled to the United States for six months, which paved the way for me to work in a very prestigious company in Kuwait where I am treated like a foreigner," she said.

Ilham al-Qattan, Social and Psychological Development Advisor, said readjusting to life in Kuwait is more difficult for girls who grew up abroad than it is for girls who only left the country for their studies.

Although many girls are affected by the short years of life away from home, she said it "becomes easier for them to adapt when they return to their original society, with some exceptions".

But the situation of those who grew up abroad is very difficult, because many of the cases that she has dealt with show a clear rejection to adapting with the Kuwaiti society as a result of the customs they acquired in the West, al-Qattan said.

Kuwaiti girls use mobile phone while driving

More women use mobile phones while driving than men, a local study conducted on motorists’ use of mobile phones revealed. The study showed that 62.5 percent of women talk over mobile phones or send text messages while at the helm of their vehicles compared to 37.5 men.

This study was conducted by a research team from the Kuwait Society for Traffic Safety last month. More than 100,000 vehicle users were surveyed in this study, in which important traffic issues considered the root cause of car accidents were also identified.

Both men and women, citizens and expatriates, drove 100,000 cars in a month across different areas in Kuwait regardless of the traffic situation. According to the study, women aged between 18 and 35 used mobile phones the most while driving, especially sending text messages or chatting through the BlackBerry, IPhone.

I drive a lot and I have noticed that most women use mobile phones during driving. Women glued to their phones concentrate less on driving which leads to car accidents. I don’t use the phone while driving, though there are times when I use the device hands free. I witnessed an accident that was caused by a woman spoke over phone and failed to concentrate. She wanted to take an exit road from the Fifth Ring Road while she was in the left lane. The car hit her vehicle, It’s really dangerous,” Abdulridha,
a 50-year- old citizen told the Kuwait Times.

Women do not fully agree with the study’s findings. “I think that this percentage is fabricated because I think most people use mobile phones while driving. I see men and women using the phone while driving. I do use the phone while driving but when I do, I always try to use the device hands free. I try to take only really important calls. I know I shouldn’t be doing it but I am trying to stop. It’s just so hard,” stated Linda a 27-year- old Canadian.

Fatma, a 29-year- old Kuwaiti believes that the statistics released are not accurate. “I agree that many people in Kuwait use mobile phones while driving. I see that men have this bad habit more so than women. My brother met with an accident because he used the phone while driving. I don’t use the mobile phone when I drive. Everything has it’s time. So I wait till I reach the place and then call back . If it is really urgent , I stop by the side of the road and make my call,” she noted.

For many the act of sending text messages while driving is more dangerous, “I never send text message while driving. Here, you not only reduce concentration, you deviate your attention from the road to look at the screen of your mobile phone, and accidents usually happen within seconds. I always see women and men using mobile phones while driving. They may harm the innocent as well,” stressed Noof, a 24-year- old woman.

Nawar Negm has been awarded the title of Arab Revolution Woman of the Year 2011

Nawara Negm is an Egyptian activist, journalist, and blogger.

Nawara Negm (aka Nawara Nagem or Nawara Najem) is a spokesperson of the ''real'' opposition in Egypt, and not those who just rode the wave in the very last minute, and those who would leave whenever it got tough.

Nawara Negm was actively present in Tahrir Square Cairo January-February 2011, along with the rebellious youth standing up against Hosni Mubarak''s dictatorship. She witnessed most of the twists, including police brutality and the "Baltajiya" phenomenon (hired x-cons that brutalize civilians) topped with molotov cocktail attacks, all of which attempted to terrorize the protesters and put a stop to the legitimate peaceful manifestations.

Nawara Negm proved very valuable in reporting to the media her observations, including Al Jazeera TV.

After Mubarak''s second speech, in which he reiterated he was not leaving power, Nawara Negm promised she would bring him to justice for the crimes he has committed and the innocent blood that was spilled. The opposition''s demands changed from Mubarak must leave, to Mubarak must be judged. She also accused his regime of being behind all the fabricated Coptic-Muslim tensions and explosions, which she explained are a way to undermine any popular revolutions and to tear down the social and religious fabric of the country. She added that Mubarak is punishing the people of Egypt for daring to ask for their rights, but that he will not get away with it.

As a journalist, Nawara first wrote for El-Helwa newspaper, then for Al-Wafd Newspaper (owned and run by opposition party Al-Wafd), before joining Al-Dustour daily newspaper. Nawara also works as an editor and translator for News Channel Information Technology Egypt-Kanat al Maaloumat al Msriya(one of the specialized channels Nile TV).

Nawara Negm graduated from Ain Shams Faculty of Arts - English Department. To note that she is no other than the daughter of the leftist poet Ahmed Fouad Negm and Islamist thinker and journalist Safinaz Kazem.

The inspirational Nawar Negm has been awarded the title of Arab Revolution Woman of the Year 2011.

Advancement of women across the Arab and Muslim world

The female figurehead of Tunisia's victorious Islamist party has said that its brand of Islam would help rather than hinder the advancement of women across the Arab and Muslim world.

Souad Abdel Rahim, whose stylish appearance in smart suits and silk blouses, worn without a hijab or headscarf, has made her a key element of Ennahda's rise to prominence, told The Daily Telegraph: "The doors are open for women now."

She said the victory of the party in last week's parliamentary election, in which it won 90 out of 217 seats, sent a message to other moderate Islamist parties across the region that they should provide a "framework" for women to advance themselves.

"We can sense that there has already been an impact. Even in Saudi Arabia, women can now vote," she said, referring to a recent decision by the king to open municipal elections to women for the first time.

Ennahda was suppressed under the secular dictatorship of President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, who was overthrown in a popular revolution in January.

Its leader, Rached Ghannouchi, returned from London after two decades in exile in triumph, but his electoral victory rested on his insistence that the party would preserve Tunisia's liberal traditions and respect democracy.

Saudi youth needs and interests

Everybody's youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
In the journey to propelling creativity, Saudi youth have never lagged behind. Imagination and passion are now seeing the fruit of their labor. Youth is indispensable; they are the future.

In this independent view of Saudi Arabia, more initiatives as Youth in Depth, or YND, will give voice to axiom and hopefully eradicate ignorance. In educating minds, many initiatives are harbored by established personalities, and Youth In Depth is another step toward the bigger picture. Their X factor is the youth.
YND is a non-profit organization that produces a monthly newsletter made by the youth for the youth. Young minds have developed the newsletter in an aim to highlight contemporary talent, achievements and interests of the Saudi youth. They have adopted a role to encourage youth to be more active and to take on more effective roles in society.

YND’s team told Arab News: “We hope to accomplish all of this by helping youth express their opinions, views, suggestions and concerns. We want their voices to be heard! We also hope to achieve all of this in original ways that are interactive and engaging rather than plain informative.”
So, if you are an aspiring writer, have a talent and seek to reach out to the core of Saudi Arabia, this might be your cue. Arab News got in touch with the young initiative and found out what they have to offer.

Introducing the YND Team
The Founder is Yara Hejazi, a junior banking and finance student at Dar Al-Hekma College. Adeem Subaihi is the general manager. Haneen Krimly is part of the editorial board and web development, Ghusoon Hussain is in the editorial board, Sarah Koshak handles public relations and Najla AlBassam is their graphic designer. Heba AlAttas and Rakan Felemban work in the media committee, Yasmeen Hejazi and Moaiad Al-Homaid handle event management, and finally, Badr Abdulghani works in the Marketing and Distribution Committee.

Tell us about the writers, their backgrounds and how you all came together.
We at Youth in Depth believe that everyone has the right to be heard, which is why we allow all young writers to have a chance to get published. There is an enormous group of talented writers in our community, many of which barely get recognized. So, basically, anyone can become a writer for YND, as long as you have the talent and you have something to say!

How did it all begin?
The organization officially launched on April 2010. Yara, our founder, conducted an online survey to understand more about the youth’s needs and interests, then she began to reach out to the community and the team started to take form. At first, it was only Yara, Adeem Subaihi, Sarah Koshak and Haneen Krimly.

Who is your target? How do you plan on making a difference?
Our target at the moment is everyone from ages 15 to 28. We look for talented Saudis who want to express themselves and want someone to understand their concerns and recognize their achievements. YND targets all the Saudi youth in Jeddah, for now, and in all of Saudi Arabia later on. We are planning to make a difference by inspiring youth and encouraging them to put themselves out there, to reach out to their community and prove their importance in our society.

Tell us about the newsletter’s philosophy.
The newsletter’s philosophy is basically: Understand the youth’s concerns, figure out their interests, highlight their talents and recognize their achievements. We gather all of that and publish it for readers to see and perhaps feel that inspiration and encouragement they need to get started with their own projects.

How is the response so far?
The response has been overwhelming. We’ve been receiving all sorts of positive feedback from readers and youth supporters. Many people responded to the fact that we inspired them, and in return, they started with their own projects hoping that we’d write about them. And we did. We’re just so amazed by the extremely gifted youth we have in our community. We like to keep it small and simple because our aim is not to fill up over 30 pages of low quality content. We only want simple but rich and effective articles with worthy stories to tell.

Where can we find a copy of YND?
Our distribution points consist of high schools, colleges and universities, coffee shops, malls and more. The physical newsletter is published every couple of months, although we are proud to announce that our blog has just been launched on Oct. 1. The blog has even more exclusive, rich and inspiring articles that couldn’t make it on the physical newsletter because of the word count limitations. You can view these amazing articles by logging onto: www.youthindepth.org/blog
For a detailed list or a digital copy of the physical newsletter, you can check out our website at www.youthindepth.org

What do you plan on achieving or changing through your publication? What usually derives the matter of YND?
We love to see our young generation reading something with attention and interest. We hope this newsletter brings more people back to reading articles that inform and inspire them. Yes, each issue has a certain theme that relates to current situations and events. We usually plan the structure of every issue a while before it’s supposed to be published. We always try to give the priority for new and upcoming projects and initiatives over those that have already been talked about. Our purpose is to give these youth groups and initiatives a little push by showing our full support and to give others the confidence that they can do the same.

Nail Art for Arabian Girls

Gone are the days when nail care and décor simply meant a manicure finished with base and top coats of nail polish. These days you don’t even have to wait for your nails to grow long!

With artificial nails and elaborate pictorial adornment, nail care has become nothing less than another integral part of the female desire to be completely beautiful — hand to toe.

Today, acrylic and gel nails give nail-biters and girls cursed with brittle nails an escape from the tomboyish hands they have always had to endure.

Nail Art, located on Al-Kayyal Street in Jeddah, is one of the few beauty salons that do artificial nail sets — and do them well.

The process is long, but worthwhile. Artificial nail tips are glued onto your natural nail, and then gel or acrylic is placed over it to smooth it out. The amazing part is that the nails look natural even sans nail polish!

The set usually lasts around two to four weeks, depending on the individual. The pros of acrylics are that polish lasts longer on them, nails are stronger, and you can indulge in whatever length you desire without the hassle of having to wait and grow them out.

The cons are the price and the effect on your nail bed. Nails are usually filed so that the tip sits on perfectly.

This means once removed your nail is weakened from being filed and covered. The upkeep of the nails entails the refilling of the gap from your cuticle to the acrylic.

Nail Art charges SR15 to refill a finger and SR35 per finger for the whole process (SR350 for a whole set). This is expensive, especially compared with prices abroad.

Nail Art also specializes in — well, nail art. This entails elaborate miniature designs painted on the nail using a fine-tip applicator, called a stylus, or a Nail Art Pen — which are definitely part of a global trend.

Ladies can get flowers, butterflies, and even leopard-print designs on their fingertips, making even this minuscule part of their body an eye-catching accessory or canvas for art!

At a cost of SR20 per nail, this too is quite a cost for beauty. A complete set with designs is a little youthful, while more sophisticated women might opt for just a single nail art design for some added flair.

You can also have your artificial nails pierced and wear nail rings as well. Glitter and crystals can also be glued on.

Nail art is definitely a younger trend, while artificial nails have no age appropriateness because depending on the person, you can either get natural-looking French manicured ones, or if you are a preteen, acrylics decorated with miniature portraits of Miley Cyrus!

The Nail Art salon is an ultra-girly place. With its deep pink interior and bubbly staff, it is the ultimate girl hangout.

Targeted toward the younger crowd with its trendy service and nail decadence, Nail Art is one of the few places you can walk into with bitten, short nails and walk out of with flawless, feminine ones in less than two hours!

Iran frees actress Marzieh Vafamehr

DUBAI: Amnesty International says an Iranian appeals court has overturned the lashing sentence against an actress who appeared in a film critical of the Islamic republic’s hard-line policies.

Amnesty’s website says Marzieh Vafamehr was released from prison earlier this week after her sentence of one year in prison and 90 lashes was overturned on appeal.

There was no report on Saturday on Vafamehr’s case in Iranian media.

Vafamehr appeared in the Australian-backed film “My Tehran for Sale,” which was shot in the Iranian capital. It tells the story of a young actress whose stage work is banned by authorities.

It premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in 2009, but is banned in Iran.

Tweet your mother’s name to show love and pride for her

JEDDAH: Saudi tweeters have created a hashtag called IsmOmi (Arabic for “my mother’s name”) in an attempt to break a longstanding taboo that prevents Saudi men from mentioning the name of their mothers.

The hashtag enables them to say their mother’s name and allows them to bypass a critical society.

Hashtags are created by adding # to a “tweet” on Twitter. They are terms invented to add to tweets on a given subject and build a community of tweets or build toward a “trending topic.”

Saudi tweeters see this as a way to express their love and gratitude for their mothers. It is also considered a step toward empowering Saudi women. Saudi tweeter Khalid Al-Ahmed believes the hashtag is a healthy way to break down some of the social customs that he sees have unnecessarily burdened Saudi society for decades.

“Women’s names have been the obsession of Saudi men forever. They see this as something they must protect and keep unrevealed. It is shameful for them if people know the name of their mother, sister or wife,” he said. “A Saudi man would blackmail another if he knew his mother’s name,” he added.

Saudi women are frustrated by this attitude and Saudi men should be more reasonable, according to a tweet by Abeer Hamdoun. “Refraining from mentioning your mother’s name is the first step toward undermining Saudi women’s rights. The younger generation are too shy to say their mother’s names for no reason at all,” she said.

“Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) was not shy of his mother’s name and King Abdulaziz used to call himself Akho Noura, which is Arabic for Noura’s brother,” she added. Ahmed is a 28-year-old man who changed his Twitter name to “Omima’s son” to celebrate the love and pride of his mother.

“I don’t see anything wrong with saying my mother’s name to random people. It’s like saying any other name,” he tweeted. “Without my mom I wouldn't be here. Her name is Omima, and you bet I'm proud to mention it,” he added.

Breast cancer combat: 15 super foods to the rescue

The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”

If so, these words bespoken once by Sir Thomas Edison bear profound witness to the fact that large bodies of data are now being published with continued efforts in research toward the beneficial effects of food therapy in treating all kinds of ailments.

As October was breast cancer awareness month, I’d like to dedicate an entire article to all the women who deserve to be treated with a ladle full of TLC served with a side dish of gastronomic-advice!
Breast cancer remains the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Exercise and putting curbs on that cigarette are important ways to reduce your risk, coupled with following a right diet, which will go a long way in promoting better immunity against fighting a wide range of illnesses. The easiest, least-expensive way to reduce your risk for cancer is just by eating a healthy diet.

Here’s a list of some promising tumor zapping foods ideal for women. Don’t worry on those calories, for once just go binge!

Green IS envy
Spinach, asparagus and broccoli are nutrient dense, full of essential minerals, vitamins and antioxidants and are high in folic content. A diet low in folates makes an individual susceptible for DNA mutations that cause cancer. Green vegetables have a chemical component called indole-3-carbinol that appears to inhibit estrogen’s power to promote the growth of breast cancer cells. Broccoli contains the phytochemical sulforaphane that stops breast cancer cells in their tracks and encourages them to self-destruct. In one Western New York Diet Study, premenopausal women who ate the most broccoli had a 40 percent lower breast cancer risk than women who didn’t gorge on them as much.

Soak up the sun with some lemonade
Don’t skip on your daily dose of sunshine. In just 10 minutes, you can soak up as much as 5,000 IU of vitamin D if you expose 40 percent of your body to the sun, without sunscreen. Vit. D plays an important role in simply shrinking and triggering the cell death process of cancer-cells, according to JoEllen Welsh, a researcher with the State University of New York at Albany, who studied the effects of vitamin D for 25 years.
Furthermore, oranges and lemons contain “Iimonene,” which stimulates cancer-killing immune cells (lymphocytes) that may also break down cancer-causing substances.

Smile giddily with a milk moustache
Vitamin D curbs the growth of cancer cells. A report presented at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) showed a link between increased vitamin D intake and reduced breast cancer risk. It found vitamin D to lower the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 50 percent.
While milk contains a good amount of vitamin D, make sure you opt for the low-fat variety to gain its maximum benefits.

Sprinkle some turmeric with love
The wonderful benefits of turmeric could not be raved less about. It is a ginger-based herb used in the form of ground powder, which is a very popular seasoning found in Indian dishes mainly for adding flavor and color.
The key feature of turmeric is in its anti- inflammatory action, which is a key mediator in the multiplication of cancerous cells. Countless studies have proved its efficacy in treating a wide range of ailments placing it among nature’s most powerful healers.

Ever so ginger-ly…
Researchers have discovered ginger’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties that give it the ability to kill cancer cells in various ways. Ginger root was recently the subject of a research report presented at The American Association for Cancer research conference in Phoenix. In the study, ginger actually suppressed cancer cells suggesting that the herb was able to fuel apoptosis, or the death of the cancer cells. More research is required to confirm if its properties can halt the progression of cancer altogether.

Pop em’ cherries
Cherries contain flavonoids and extracts known to inhibit cancer-cell proliferation. They also contain natural anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants. Sit pretty and pop one, two, three or…(okay you get it) into your mouth as a treat! The more sour, the better!

It ain’t fishy!
Studies show eating some fish twice a week is good for your health, especially if salmon figures on top of the menu. This super food contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which research shows lowers the risk of breast cancer, reduces inflammation, improves blood flow and may improve response to chemotherapy.

Do the tomatina
Diced, sliced, pureed, pasted or sun-dried tomatoes are well-known for containing lycopene: a powerful, cancer-fighting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. No wonder it’s the most popular veggie in the basket. Choose the brightest red and chop!

Flaxseed
This tiny wonder food contains cancer-fighting compounds that protect because of their ability to reduce the chances of cancer cells spreading. Flaxseeds are packed with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids that fight inflammation in the body.

More power to the berries
They’re real yummy and thankfully another plus is that strawberries, blackberries and raspberries contain a common and powerful cancer fighter called ellagic acid. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries especially contain an abundance of antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of a number of cancers.

Be pretty with rosemary
Rosemary may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes. An extract of rosemary- carnosol, has shown to inhibit the development of both breast and skin tumors in animals. Rosemary can be used as a seasoning. It can also be consumed as a tea: Use 1 tsp. dried leaves per cup of hot water, steep for 15 minutes, strain and drink. Rosy, ain’t it?

Sweet with sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain many anticancer properties, including beta-carotene, which may protect DNA in the cell nucleus from cancer-causing chemicals outside the nuclear membrane.

Crunch those almonds
Eating almonds on a regular basis may have a positive effect in the fight against breast cancer for two reasons. Almonds are high in monounsaturated fat, which is a healthy bonus. Plus, they are high in flavonoids, which are implicated in the natural removal of cancer-causing agents in the body.

Tea-time, anyone?
Green tea is loaded with polyphenol antioxidants considered to have anti-cancer properties. A study presented at Experimental Biology in 2008 shows that the green tea antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) significantly slowed breast cancer growth in female mice.
Say, “Care for some high tea?”

Extra virgin olive oil
Olive oil is simply a healthier type of fat and eating it in place of unhealthy saturated fat and trans fat lowers cancer risk. The other benefit is that olive oil comes from a fruit that contains many of the therapeutic cancer fighting compounds, like phenols and lignans. Researchers at Northwestern University have also discovered that the oleic acid in olive oil actively suppresses a gene associated with the development of a very aggressive form of breast cancer and even improves the effectiveness of the cancer drug treatment.

Source : ArabNews

Fasting women risking health by taking tablets to delay periods

TAIF: There is a growing tendency among young women, especially unmarried ones, to take drugs to delay menstrual cycle in the holy month of Ramadan.

“Out of their eagerness to observe fasting throughout the month of Ramadan without missing any days, many young women customers, including unmarried, are coming to buy Primolut N tablet. The sale of the tablet is on the rise with the advent of the fasting month of Ramadan,” Al-Watan daily reported, quoting a pharmacist in Taif.

According to the pharmacist, most of the customers of this tablet are unmarried girls. “They are not at all bothered about the side effects after using these tablets. They approach familiar pharmacists to buy it without a prescription,” he said.

Primolut N tablet contains the active ingredient norethisterone, which is a synthetic hormonal product similar to the natural female hormone progesterone. It is used in a wide range of menstrual disorders.

Primolout N is used for timing of menstruation and to treat disturbances in monthly bleeding, premenstrual complaints, menstrual cycle related complaints of the breast, endometriosis and heavy menstrual bleeding.

Ummu Faris, a private sector employee, says that she takes the tablet out of eagerness not to miss any days of fasting in the holy month. “Being a married woman, I had never encountered difficulties while buying the tablet,” she said.

Reem Salem, whose marriage took place one month ago, said that she started using the tablet one week before marriage to delay menstrual bleeding for some days. “I consulted this matter with one pharmacist, and started using it as per his advice. I stopped using it two days after the marriage,” she said.

Nawf Al-Owad, an unmarried young woman, says that she has been using this tablet for about eight years. “I use this medication only during Ramadan. I never experienced any complications after using it,” she said.

Hayat Ahmad, another unmarried girl, says that she uses contraceptive drugs obtained from her married sister to delay menstrual bleeding during Ramadan. “I use this secretly without telling any other members of my family to avoid any misunderstanding among them,” she said.

Dr. Hanan Oyara, consultant gynecologist at Al-Ameen Hospital in Taif, warns young women against using such tablets. “Using such tablets may lead to serious health complications, including a possibility for sterility,” she said.

Echoing the same view, Dr. Fatima Younis, internist at the same hospital, says that these tablets would cause serious complications among women with hormone deficiencies. However, some other medical sources played down side effects of using the tablets.

Dr. Dalal Namnaqani, consultant pathologist at King Abdul Aziz Specialist Hospital in Taif, says that taking this drug should be under medical supervision and that the quantity should be limited and only for a temporary period. “There may not be any serious effects if young women use them once,” she said.

Despite all these medical warnings, there has been huge increase in the number of customers for this tablet.

Muhammad Al-Sayyid, a pharmacist, says that a large number of women, especially girls, are coming to buy this tablet to delay menstruation. “This was more evident during Ramadan as well as during the Haj season. Similar was the case with the newly married women,” he said, adding that most of these women come without a medical prescription despite repeated warnings from medical experts.

Saudi scholar Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan earlier issued a religious edict (fatwa) permitting using of the tablet to delay menstrual bleeding provided that it does not do any harm to the health of the persons concerned.

How to Do Arabic Makeup

Face:
Makeup Forever Camouflage Palette #1
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
MAC Set Powder in “Invisible”
MAC Emote Blush
NYX Peach Blush

Eyes:
MAC Indianwood Paintpot
Urban Decay Book of Shadows
Baked
Last Call
Perversion
MAC Vanilla Eyeshadow
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner
Ardell Wispies Lashes
Bourjois Clubbing Mascara

Lips:
NYX Circa Lipstick
Bare Escentuals Buxom Lipgloss in “Amber”

Brushes:
MAC 239- flat stiff brush
MAC 217- or MUG Stiff Dome Brush
MAC 219- pencil brush
MAC 224- fluffy dome brush

NYX Eyeshadow Dupes:
Antique Gold
Burgundy Pearl
Highlight
Black

MAC Eyeshadow Dupes:
Amber Lights
Plum Dressing
Carbon
Vanilla

Collection of Swedish Hijab - 2011 New Fashion

Hijab is thing that Muslim women wear. They look more gorgeous in hijab. There is new fashionable hijab shown for 2011 in Sweden this week called the veil. This is mostly wears in party, weddings. This hijab mostly wear by Muslim women in Swedish. But because of its beauty non Muslim also wearing this hijab is well. It is a new trend style of hijab for 2011.This hijab makes a woman more beautiful. I think if you are a Muslim women and wear hijab you should wear this hijab is well.

Kuwaiti women place fifth worldwide in obesity

A recently published book revealed that Kuwaiti women took fifth place on the worldwide obesity index. The book, titled “Top 10 Of Everything 2011,” studied the percentage of women younger than 25 years of age suffering from obesity. The book revealed that in Kuwaiti, 31.8 percent of women in this category suffer from obesity. According to the book’s British author, Russell Ash, first place was occupied by the Kingdom of Bahrain, where 42 percent of women below the age of 25 are obese or overweight.

In second place was the United States with 36 percent, followed by Portugal and Spain with 34.3 percent and 32 percent respectively.

This revelation was revealed at the same time as a local campaigner revealed that almost half of Kuwait’s female students are overweight. Gethealthykuwait.com found that 45 percent of female students tested for obesity were found to be overweight or obese,” said Sami Al-Bader, Chief Nutritionist of Gethealthykuwait.com. The campaigner’s press release read that “out of 232 teenage girls tested in six schools, expert nutritionists found that 17 percent suffer from high cholesterol levels while nine percent have high glucose levels.

Obesity is determined by measuring a person’s body mass index (BMI), a measurement that compares a person’s weight to their height. People with a BMI between 25 kilograms per meter squared and 30 kilograms per meter squared are considered overweight while those with a BMI between 30 kilograms per meter squared and 35 kilograms per meter squared are considered obese.

In many cases, the BMI results we are finding in schools is higher than 30 when the healthy range should be between 20 and 25,” said Al-Bader. “This means that many of these girls are well into the obesity stages. Parents must be especially conscious of these alarming results because they are the foundation of their children’s dietary and nutritional requirements.” “Healthy eating behavior starts at home and parents must encourage healthy eating habits for their children,” he added.

Al-Bader, who is also the Diet Care Operations Manager for the campaign revealed that among the reasons for increased obesity in Kuwait is a lack of activity, caused partially by the hot climate, office based jobs, bad eating habits and overeating. He explained that obesity is not a matter of a better physical appearance. He said that obesity is a dangerous illness that can increase the likelihood of various diseases, such as heart disease, type two diabetes, breathing difficulties and certain types of cancer.

Kuwait times

The Creative Space - Beirut - A journey- not to make clothes, but to make designers

The Creative Space was launched on June 1, 2011 in Beirut, Lebanon. It is a free intensive educational program that aims to inspire and empower youth from various backgrounds, through fashion design. Gathering for seven hours a day, five times a week, the initiative functions out of a vibrant space in Saifi Urban Gardens.

The project is run by Sarah Hermez, a graduate from the BFA Fashion Design program at Parsons the New School for Design, and Caroline Shlala- Simonelli, a part-time faculty member at The School of Fashion at Parsons the New School for Design and Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Caroline has had a long and highly praised career in the fashion business. During the summer, Sarah and Caroline taught a class of five students between the ages of 16-22, from different backgrounds, lifestyles and education who lack fair opportunities and have an interest in fashion design.

Their goal was to guide their students on the road to discovering the roots of their creative ideals through fashion, creating an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration while promoting individuality. Throughout the two months, the class worked together to create an haute-couture collection, with each student responsible for designing and producing at least two garments that contributed towards the final collection, that was showcased in a selling exhibition in the beginning of August 2011.

The long-term vision for The Creative Space is to develop a participatory, democratic educational system that also serves as a brand, a system that generates income by producing and selling collections in which profits are equally distributed among designers, giving them opportunities to work and sustain their lives.

The Creative Space is a journey- not to make clothes, but to make designers.

Saudi Princess Amira Al-Taweel Best Dressed at Prince William and Kate's Wedding

I’m sure many of you know of the Saudi Princess Amira Al-Taweel, which literally means “the tall princess”(yup that is her real name). The 26-year-old princess is the 4th wife of the global tycoon Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talaal, nephew to Saudi King Abdullah and the 13th wealthiest man in the world. She is one of the first Saudi royal ladies to step out with her husband in public and also to appear in public without her abaya or scarf. She is the Vice President of the Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal foundation, spends time helping and visiting sick children, orphans and abused women across the world. She also travels with her husband to meet world leaders to improve the image of Saudi Women. She is famous for openly saying that she would be the first to start driving in KSA.

Princess Amira is definetly a style icon with her glossy wavy black hair and bronze skin. At Prince William and Kate's wedding she was listed as the top 5 best dressed and for the best hair. In my opinion I think she was the best dressed, best makeup and best hair (Her hair reminded me of a Pantene Ad)! Overall, she looked STUNNING. Loved the custom made Zuhair Murad dress. She looked super elegant in a lace overcoat over a plain dress with a cute belt and bow. She accessorized with a gorgeous hat, clutch and satin pumps for a perfect outfit to fit the occasion.

Her hair and makeup was just amazing. I find a lot of Saudi girls and women don’t like to wear nude color lips. Its more of a tanned skin, bright lip color which has been the trend for a while now. But why not try some more natural colors?

Heres how to get her Look:

Face:

Chose a Face & Body Foundation to unify the complexion invisibly (MAC & Makeup Forever both have great ones). Apply it in small dabs only on the T-Zone. To get rid of dark circles and imperfections, use a matching concelar and pat on under your eyes and on any blemishes or marks try Studio Sculpt Concelar from MAC. Use a liquid concelar for a softer finish. Finish off with a pressed powder Try the Studio Fix powder from MAC (apply with a large powder brush instead of the sponge).

Eyes:

Apply a drop of a nude MAC Paint Pot on the eyelids to tone and unify the skin. Then, apply a few drops of Make up Forever's Lift concelar on the eyelids and brow bone to brighten the eyes. Make your eyes the main focus of this look and think Au Natural. Use a peachy pink eyeshadow to dust over your eyelid. Try expensive pink from MAC and use a very natural soft highlight try Shroom from MAC.

Use a liquid liner and thinly line your top lashes and use kohl inside the eyes. Finish off with a few layers of lengthening mascara. If you want your lashes to be thicker, dust some loose powder on your lashes before you put on your mascara.

Use a matte blush on your cheekbones. Smile and start at the apples of your checks and follow your check bone upwards towards your hairline. Try Melba from MAC which is a nice matte coral peach.

Eyebrows:

Brush the eyebrows with a soft brush combing the hair upwards. Then draw dots in the empty spaces with an eyebrow pencil (never go for black even if your hair is black. Try the darkest brown instead). Brush agin to blend and soften the effect.

Lips:

Go for a naturally pink lip by applying red lipstick all over your lips and blotting it all off on a tissue. Apply clear lipgloss on top. There you have an oh so natural soft pink lip!

This princess seems to have mastered the Art of Nude Beauty.

Muslim headscarf banned in an Islamic country

The hijab, the traditional headscarf that many Islamic women wear and that has become a subject of heated debate in countries like France and the U.K. , where large Muslim populations live, has been banned - in Tunisia, a majority-Muslim country in northern Africa. Lately, Tunisian police have been enforcing, "with renewed vigor," a 1981 decree that "prohibits women from wearing Islamic headscarves in public places." The restriction requires that Tunisian women not wear Islamic dress in schools or government offices. "Police...have been stopping women on the streets and asking them to remove their headscarves and sign pledges that they will not go back to wearing them....Human-rights groups describe the move as unconstitutional.

Middle Eastern designer dresses – Evening wear and bridal dresses

With increasing globalization, the Middle Eastern fashion trend changed gradually. The Middle Eastern designer dresses are not only being preferred by the Middle Eastern customers but are in demand globally. The range of Middle Eastern designer dresses starts from the contemporary dresses to evening formal wear and bridal dresses. The most extravagant Middle Eastern designer dresses are the bridal and evening wears which are being designed by the top end designers. The Middle Eastern designer dresses in the category of bridal and formal wear are a mixture of traditional Middle Easter style and wedding styles. These Middle Eastern designer dresses are available in styles like strapless wedding gown in white color and are also available with a veiled headpiece with a wedding gown that goes down to the floor and at back of the dress. Such Middle Eastern designer dresses for wedding are also embellished with embroidery.

The Middle Eastern designer dresses for bridals can easily be recognized due to their distinctive style with beads and embroidery. Most of these are handmade which clearly tells that these dresses are not inexpensive and have good resale value for the customer. The Middle Eastern designer dresses for bridal/formal wear are now available in low cut designs, strapless, and mermaid style with lots of laces. Along with high collars and half sleeves, the cathedral length and layered petticoats are seen frequently in these dresses.

Dubai has become a shopping paradise for tourists from many countries. Although it is still in the process to be exactly like New York, Paris, Milan or London but the charismatic presentation and awareness offered by Dubai to shopaholic is worth appreciating. In the context of fashion world, Dubai surely has excelled in the Middle Eastern designer dresses. The Middle Eastern designer dresses in Dubai show their individualism and identity. In Dubai, the Middle Eastern designer dresses range from casual wear to radical designs and the tourists can easily get the desired dress as per the occasion.

However the Middle Eastern designer dresses industry needs a major boost in terms of many dimensions. If Dubai Fashion week wants a transition to major industry, then proper planning needs to be developed between the designers and government authorities. In this context, the Middle Eastern designer dresses manufacturers need to communicate with the production companies, international even organizers and textile retail industry. The top end Middle Easter designer dresses manufacturers need to address development and growth opportunities in the clothing industry and arrange more events to attract more public. The Dubai government must encourage the Middle Eastern designer dresses top end producers in order to develop, increase and promote the fashion from the Middle East. In order to promote the Middle Eastern designer dresses, the need is to strengthen links with international designers, international fashion weeks and retail and textile professionals.

مقابلة مع سارة آل الخولي

تأمل لحظة تتويج الليلة لها في مسابقة ملكة جمال الكون 2011 ، ومقرها دبي شركة سارة ملكة جمال الخولي يحصل بصراحة عن قضايا قريبة من قلبها : تمثيل مصر والخطط المستقبلية لها ، ويحدد لها ما عدا.

تخبرنا أكثر قليلا عن نفسك. عندما لم تحصل في النمذجة؟ وكان هذا شيء كنت قد أردت دائما أن تفعل؟

لقد ولدت من أب مصري وأم كرواتية في ليبيا ، والآن أنا أعيش في دبي. أنا واحد الشقيق الاصغر الذي أعتبره واحدا من أعز أصدقائي. أدرس في الجامعة الأميركية واختصاصي في العلاقات العامة. على مدى السنة الماضية ، لقد كنت مشغولا للغاية مع واجباتي ملكة جمال العالم ومصر هذا العام هو 100 مرة أكثر انشغالا بالنسبة لي ، لاني الان واجبات لملكة جمال الكون مصر ، فضلا عن ملكة جمال البحر الأبيض المتوسط. أحيانا يحصل متعبة جدا ، لكني أحب ذلك. وتعطى لك الفرصة لتفعل أشياء كبيرة ومذهلة في حياتك. هواياتي هي التسكع مع أصدقائي ، والتسوق ، ومشاهدة الأفلام ، والسفر ، والأزياء ، والسباحة ، والتصوير الفوتوغرافي وغيرها الكثير.

هل من أي وقت مضى يعيشون في مصر؟

وقد قضى معظم وقتي في دبي لدراستي ، ولكن قضيت وقتا في ما بين في مصر عندما كنت أصغر سنا.

ماذا تمثل مصر بالنسبة لك؟

انه لشرف المجموع ، خصوصا أن أول امرأة لتمثيل مصر في مرحلة ما بعد الثورة.

في السنوات القليلة الماضية ، ومصر لم تكن ناجحة جدا في الوصول إلى المراحل النهائية لملكة جمال الكون. ماذا عليك أن تحضر إلى الجدول الذي يجعلك مختلفا؟

وأعتقد أن ممثلي مصر ملكة جمال في السنوات القليلة الماضية ولقد تم كل عظيم ، ولكن أعتقد أنني يمكن أن يجلب الخبرة إلى طاولة من السنة الأخيرة في مسابقة ملكة جمال العالم 2010. أيضا ، بعد أن نشأ في دبي ، ولدي كل التقدير الكبير للجنسية نظرا للثقافة أكثر من هنا. وبصرف النظر عن هذا ، وأنا أشعر أنني لديها شبكة دعم كبير من حولي -- الأصدقاء والعائلة جنبا إلى جنب مع دعم كبير من بلدي ، والناس في دبي وكذلك تم ذلك فعلا داعمة ومشجعة ، بحيث يتم دفعة هائلة في ثقتي .

مع ما يجري في مصر في الوقت الراهن ، ما هي الرسالة التي يمكن أخذ معك الى البرازيل؟

ما يحدث حاليا في مصر هو مقلق بالنسبة لي. ومع ذلك ، أعتقد أن الثورة لا يأتي أبدا من دون مجموعة معقولة من الخسائر. وقد حرمت مصر من الديمقراطية لعقود ، والناس بحاجة للتعلم والتعليم في كيفية التعبير عن آرائهم بحرية من دون أن ننسى أن تحترم القوانين والقواعد المعمول بها.
بالنسبة للاضطرابات الأخيرة على الحدود بين مصر وإسرائيل ، وأعتقد أن الشعب المصري لن تتسامح مع الانتهاكات لكرامتهم تحت اسم السياسة. لقد ارتكب خطأ من جانب إسرائيل ، ونحن نتوقع استجابة من شأنها أن ترقى إلى مستوى الموقف. وقال ان الشعب المصري هو قبول أي شيء أقل من اعتذار رسمي ، وبالتالي على اسرائيل ان تفعل ذلك.

ما هو رأيك في الجراحة التجميلية؟ هل من أي وقت مضى تذهب تحت السكين؟

ليس لدي شيء ضد جراحات التجميل ، ولكن أنا شخصيا شهدت العديد من أصدقائي لعب مع الكثير من خصائصها أنها لم تعد تبدو طبيعية أو ما شابه أنفسهم ، وهي ليست جذابة جدا. يجب أن تعرف حدودك دائما في كل ما تفعل -- لا تفعل الكثير ، ولم تفعل سوى القليل جدا. قد يبحث البلاستيك المرأة جذب انتباه الرجل لبعض الوقت ولكن بعد ذلك سرعان ما ذهبت عليه. وأعتقد أيضا النساء اللواتي سن برشاقة ستكون دائما جميلة طالما أنها تعتني بنفسها.

هل كان لديك الفساتين التي صممها الخاص ومقرها دبي ، مصمم رامي العلي. كيف يتحقق التعاون؟

ملكة جمال مصر كان تنظيم عقد رعاية مع رامي. لقد كان رائعا جدا مع كل شيء ، وأنا أشعر بأن الثياب التي خلقها بالنسبة لي هي لافتة للنظر وأنيقة.

أخيرا ، ماذا تريد أن تفعل بعد حملة ملكة جمال مصر؟

سوف أنهي دراستي في الجامعة الأميركية في الشارقة ، وبالتأكيد سوف تكون متجهة نحو مهنة في مجال الإعلام.
كونها ملكة جمال يأخذ الكثير من العمل الشاق والتفاني. هنا ، سارة آل الخولي أسهم بعض من النصائح لها أعلى للبقاء في الشكل.

Toxicity Exhibition by Lebanese artist Nancy Debs Haddad

Lebanese artist Nancy Debs Haddad shows her photos and sculptures in Espace Kettaneh-Kunigk, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 16, 2011. The exhibition named "Toxicity" features 17 photographs and eight mixed-media sculptures. It is centered on antique machine pieces which Haddad treats like human subjects, from which she invites her viewers to draw stories

Modern kaftans are most preferred choice of Arab women

Kaftans dresses are getting worldwide attention and praise especially in the Middle Eastern countries as they are adding elegant and charming look in women personality. Kaftans are becoming symbol of gracefulness and higher standards of women outfits. In the Middle Eastern countries, where majority of women respect their local customs, kaftans are helping them a lot to align themselves with the latest fashion trends by remaining in their society’s established parameters.

Due to the increasing popularity and fame of kaftans, world famous designers and brands are channeling their resources and expertise in bringing new innovations and styles in kaftans. Expert designer kaftan and several other professionals trying hard to add new elegance and aesthetic look in women outfit.

Kaftans are made of pure and extremely soft chiffon. Its softness could be termed as fluid like movement which delights its wearer a lot. Besides softness of chiffon, its availability in multicolor fabric providing extra edge in designing of highly attractive kaftans which are being worn over multicolor abayas. There is no doubt that present shape of kaftans is the result of extremely hard work of designer kaftan. In addition the embedded small and twinkling stones with hand embroidery are creating magnificent appeal to kaftans. Silk embroidery work is being performed by hands not with machines so that its durability could increase.

These elegantly designed kaftans are delighting women a lot as they are enabling them to amuse themselves with the latest trends of fashion industry without leaving aside their own customs. In fact in the Middle Eastern countries where hijab considered as most important element of women outfit, kaftans are easily fulfilling this requirement. New fashion trends and changing dynamics of fashion industry are compelling designer kaftan to produce more innovative and versatile kaftans in order to satisfy niche market demands.

Kaftans are available in different colors and sizes. The most important feature of kaftans is that, they are versatile. They could be worn on every occasion as they are not bound with seasonal variations. They could be easily matched with different abayas and could create magnificent and irresistible attraction in their wearers. So ladies, hurry up, it is your time to avail significant benefits from changing trends of fashion industry. Just avail the standard quality kaftans and start adding new grace in your personality. Although kaftans are a little bit expensive but their cost is nothing as compare to the extreme attraction and grace in wearers’ personality.