I'm sure all of our messages inbox are filled with the Black Friday sales. But this year seemed to bring many retailers to do their  sales . This year everything is on sale! So I figured it can be overwhelming with all the fuss to pick up the best deals. Today I will list the brands on sale and my favorite picks.
Whenever I come across really good deals, I will keep updating you through updating this blog post.

Zara up to 40% off  Selected items:

Friday 23rd Only! It is new for Zara to do generous mid season sales. They are known for 2 major sales at the end of each season.  However blending in with other retailers, they launched 40% off selected items which is great because you still can pick up and wear pieces that are still on season but with a discount on the price tag.

My favorite picks:

     Shop Here                                                      Shop Here

Two really classic styles, a leather jacket and black trousers, a really nice way to add Rock and Roll to your look. Edgy yet elegant.

Mango 30% off Everything:

All the weekend. Actually a great deal, because it is on every single item, even New Collections. Perfect opportunity to buy your basic pieces (like a coat, an elegant suit..) and to buy items that are trendy for the season. 

* Prices on photos are the original prices, so you have to reduce them by 30%.

             Shop Here                                                                               Shop Here

           The black boots and the Saffiano effect bag are two beautiful basic pieces that are yet very stylish.                               

                               
             Shop Here                                                                        Shop Here

You are not late on the Snake print trend. These 2 bags are a subtle way to add the AW19 trend. The bag on the right is a very similar design for the Chloe Drew Bag.

             

These sandals are really useful and a must-have piece. Really classic, will never go out of style and you can't go wrong with these.

    Shop Here 

Bershka up to 50% off selected items:

Bershka always does sales, so it's not a surprise to be part of the Black Friday deli-ma. But what a better way to buy the pieces you have been wanting this season.

Ted Baker up to 30% off Everything: 

The discount is applicable online and may vary in store, lasting all weekend.If the store near you doesn't carry the sale, you can always order online and they deliver within 2 working days.
What a dream, I love this store, and it is a good opportunity if you have been lusting over their beautiful pieces. And if someone wants to give you a generous Christmas gift, it is a perfect time.

                                    

Really amazing pieces by Ted Baker

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Parfois 30% off Everything 

Parfois have really cute affordable bags and this weekend they went down by 30%.So here are my favorites.

Other stores:

Tally-weijl up to 50% off 

CenterPoint up to 50% off

Max up to 50% off

Khoury Home up to 70% across all Lebanon

Desigual up to 40% off

Vero Mode 30% off Everything 

Happy Shopping everyone  and remember to shop smart! 

Ready for a new Favorites post?This past two months I have discovered new products that I'm loving and will be sharing with you today.

Ocean Salt Scrub by Lush:

I really like Lush, their products are eco-friendly and cruelty free plus it's made of  natural ingredients. The Ocean Salt Scrub is one of their famous products and my favorite. I have never used something so effective and instant, it takes of all the unnecessary layel and waste on the skin and leaves with a really soft clear face (or body). 

Accessories by Accessorize  :

So I went to Accessorize store recently and I really liked their stuff. They are more durable than other affordable accessories . I picked up some of their  bracelets and have been wearing them every day, very chic and elegant, especially the rose gold hair clip I found , I mean how pretty!

Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara:

This is really good for not clumping your eyelashes.  I like how natural it looks and it feels light on your eyes. Very handy for daily usage.

Benefit Bad Gal Bang Mascara:

So when the lady at the store try it on me, it looked absolutely amazing,  it lifted my lashes while separating them. Anyway at home, it is being clumsy somehow. I don't know if I am applying it the wrong way or because it is new it has excess product in the brush. Anyway it is worth the try.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturiser(Anti-pollution ):

I ran out of the Moisture Surge one, so I decided to try this one. It say that it protects the skin from pollution which I think is very needed. But what I actually like is that it absorbs fast into the skin and doesn't cause any oily face issue.

NYX HD Foundation:

If you have dry patches on your face or a dull complexion , this will be very good for you.  So it gives a fair amount of coverage, but it keeps a subtle glow in the face. Plus it really sinks in to the skin and feels really light on.

XO, Ghinwa 

I've been thinking lately of creating more posts about fashion, not a typical outfit-ideas-type of posts, more like information about the culture, business and academic of the industry. So I am publishing this post first to give you an idea of how this fashion world twirls.

Fashion Levels:

1. The highest level of fashion is Haute Couture. It is the most advanced form of clothing, where every piece takes a lot of craftsmanship and many hours(sometimes 6000hrs) of work. It is definitely the most expensive(100,00$ and up) and the most scarce. Haute Couture focuses mainly on reflecting the artistic and innovative side of each brand.

        There is certain rules Haute Couture houses have to follow. Some of the Haute Couture brands are Elie Saab, Chanel, Christian Dior, Maison Margiela, Ralph and Russo..

                                        Zuhair Murad Fall Couture 2018

     2. Second level comes as Pret-a-porter, or Ready-to-wear(RTW). It is a more wearable and available to people. It is still considered luxury. Pret-a-porter is the most profitable for a brand, because it is more selling and less costable. 

     Pret-a-porter brands are much more than haute couture ones ex: Saint Laurent,  Isabel Marant, Off-White... Some Haute Couture brands produces RTW also like Chanel, Elie Saab,  Versace , Christian Dior.

 

Elie Saab Ready-to-wear  Spring Summer 2019

     3. High end high street/Premium  and Diffusion Brands. Diffusion Brands for example Marc by Marc Jacobs,  Mosccino Cheap and Chic are developed by luxury brands but are cheaper for people to buy. High end high street (Coast, Ted Baker, Reiss... ) have a defined style and a more premium quality. Affordable but of a higher price than high street.

 








Ted Baker

Reiss

       4. High-street and mass market , this is the most affordable level. With brands like Zara, H&M, Top shop, ASOS... These brands in general focuses on producing as much as possible to as many people as possible. Pieces are produced in factories usually by machines. Quality is sometimes sacrificed due to more affordable price tags. 

Fashion Calendar:

Haute Couture brands showcase their pieces in January and July of each year in Paris which is why it's called Paris Fashion Week (PFW).

   July is when they show the following Fall/winter collection, and January is when they show the following Spring/Summer collection.

Pret-a-porter brands showcase their Fall/Winter collection in March and their Spring/Summer collection in the end of September. RTW fashion shows happens in New York, London, Milan, Paris.

So if you love fashion and want to stay up to date with the shows, look up for these 4 months.

From the runway to your closet:

The Fashion shows are usually the hub where designers set trends for upcoming seasons. High street brand sends their people "Fashion Buyers" to identify trends so that they can create something similar or inspired by the runway and display in stores.

For example, animal print was seen multiple times in Ready-to-wear  F/W 2018 shows,

Victoria Beckham F/W 2018

 
Dolce and Gabanna F/W 2018

If you go now(Fall 2018) to stores like Mango, Zara, H&M, Bershka... You will spot many pieces that are animal print and it is not a coincidence.

  Zara Fall 2018

Bloggers and fashion magazines always state the trends for each season and translate them into affordable options.

So there you have it, a small insight into the giant world of today's fashion.

(Photo sources:InstahauteCouture/ Vogue.com /Zara.com)