I went down the rabbit hole

 TGIF readers! 

After last weekend, which seemed to last forever I am sure it took a lot to get back into the swing of the week. 

Apart from wardrobe styling, my actual job is as a Business Strategist/ Consultant/ Coach/ Mentor, a path I have chosen to follow to empower individuals in their respective businesses. Whilst I was scheduled to see clients this week, it turned out to be a challenging one, so some meetings were postponed. And it so happened that these cancellations actually gave me some time to work on another project which I have a crushing deadline for. 

This made me realise that sometimes the universe knows what is best, that things will happen as they are meant to. The trick is to accept this when it happens, not to fight it, as it generally brings us to the opportunities meant to be on our path. For a long time I chose to disregard this serendipitous occurrences, however big or small they may have been. But as I opened myself up to the premise that anything can happen... Anything literally happens!

I have had to learn to take each day as it comes, knowing firsthand what working from day to day, month to month, all with the promise of a vacation as a break from it, can do to the soul. This was the pace of corporate, constantly chasing the money for the good of the 'business', working towards targets and deadlines, oblivious of the harm I was inflicting upon myself. At this point, it felt like life was a hamster wheel, and each day ran into each other, same same, different people. Little by little my soul was stripped, and after enough time my body decided to give me a push. And it was not a little push, it was a downright scary rabbit hole I didn't have the energy to navigate. I took some extended time off to recuperate, and in that time I started seeing that my passion is what my life should be about. I realised that even though I had a plan, it may not have been the plan that was destined for me. 

And down the rabbit hole I ventured...

Where I found the time to recuperate, heal and learn to listen to life, instead of dictating to life. And at the bottom of the rabbit hole I found health, my connection with the Divine, rediscovered the written word, explored my creative side and started working on improving myself. After going through many processes of growth (and will probably continue for as long as I am breathing...) I found a space where I am able to add value and empower others. I discovered the other side of 'chasing the money', the side where making a difference is the bottom line, equipping others to find their rabbit hole (hopefully without the health issues) and ultimately open themselves up to "anything can happen". 

After all, having gone down there myself, I can be the google maps, assisting in navigating the way! 

😊

Today's look is a mix up of glam and casual, a perfect representation of my life after going down the rabbit hole. Being open to anything, this outfit is an expression of that, some sequins, textures and sneakers, literally a bit of everything!

 

Outfit details:

River Island Dubai skirt (old)

Spree top (old)

Lacoste rose gold sneakers (Asos)

Michael Kors bag

LV scarf

Ralph Lauren sunglasses (Bali)

Make a Statement beaded earrings

Swarovski bracelet

Chanel lips

Ciao for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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Knowing my limits

Hi lovelies, 

For those of you who follow me on social media, you would have seen that I have recently stepped down from my role in the Islamic Fashion and Design Council of South Africa. This was a very profound week for me, as I had to come face to face with startling realisations and make some tough decisions. 

These realisations focused mainly around work, were all preceded by warning signs and whispers from those close to me; and when I evaluated the direction I'd like to pursue in terms of my future, the choices were pretty clear. It's rather easy to try and keep juggling too many balls, in fact for me it is easier to do that than to actually stand back and evaluate what I really need to do. I just juggle in auto mode. However, this week, accompanied by the crazy work schedule I was trying to manage, all directed me to one obvious decision. And in the same manner in which I exited the corporate world, it again took me a while to accept what I needed to do. But once the decision was clear, I took the step without hesitation.

I understood that something in my life needed to shift, to allow me the space to grow in the direction I know I need to go. Most of my weighty decisions are usually accompanied by prayer and the call for Divine guidance, as I believe things happen the way they are meant to. So I sat with the choice I needed to make, reflected on how my inability to make the decision sooner impacted my life and would continue to do so to my detriment. I contemplated what was necessary and what was non negotiable, and reassessed my priorities. With the insanely crazy year I have already had, its hard to believe that I haven't come to the conclusion sooner, that I needed to let go of things to be able to step into a new space.

What I have learnt, and will continue to learn... is to listen to my intuition and not ignore warning signs. I have learnt that letting go of something is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it is essential to do this at least a few times in life. I have learnt that we cannot always determine exactly how the future turns out, we can only take each day step by step, living authentically and true to ourselves. I have learnt that ultimately whatever has been decreed, will be, regardless of the path we choose to take to get there. 

Today's lookpost is a light one, reflective of the space I find myself in today. I feel lighter and ready to face whatever comes my way, this super casual ensemble represents the openness with which I aim to approach life. 

The sequin parka paired with a black t-shirt and skinny jeans is an everyday chilled look, finished off with sneakers and an easy backpack, which I grabbed in London on my last holiday.  Perfect inspiration for mommies managing kids during the school holidays.

Outfit details:

Coast & Koi sequin parka

H&M t-shirt

Style Republic skinny from Spree

Adidas ZA sneakers

French Connection leather backpack

Woolworths scarf

Dream necklace from Lovisa

Ciao for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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Ramadaan Insights

Welcome readers!

What a blessed week we've just had, celebrating Eid midweek makes for a special week. I think school holidays contributed to it being a really relaxed buildup, where my preparations weren't rushed and everything fell effortlessly into place.

This week, I am continuing the theme of gratitude, but with a different twist. The last week of Ramadaan brought huge insights accompanied by an immense sense of inner peace. These realisations focus on how to contribute to meaningful connections, starting with my family. With life being so busy, one easily coasts through everyday, not really present, resulting in missed connections. These meaningful connections may be brief interactions with the kids or hubby, or long conversations with no distractions. This happened often during the fast, where our interactions were more than superficial platitudes (which is what one would usually get from teenagers).

I came to the understanding that if I let my kids know that they are integral to my learning and development, and that they contribute to my personal progress; as much as we do to theirs, they will approach the parent-child relationship with a different perspective. They've become more tolerant, even when I was enforcing a restriction (such as no music during Ramadaan) and were being so thoughtful to each other as siblings. There were still incidences of the sibling fights, but I have seen a tangible change in the relationships during the past month. 

We have spent more time together as a family unit, as there were no social engagements, and I know pretty soon we will be back to reality of busy schedules. But I really wanted to take the time to honour the blessed time we had during this month. I believe in showing appreciation when the kids have done a small task, or made small improvements in behaviour, as it is the intention which matters. I believe that by affirming and acknowledging them, it makes them feel respected and that their effort has been appreciated.

These boys have taught me to laugh, at myself, they have brought a vibrant energy to my life, for which I am eternally grateful. And along with the frustrations, they have made me proud, made me feel accepted without judgement, and most importantly brought joy and love with a different dimension. 

Thank you to my three gifts, who helped me see life with a new perspective, who showed me that life does not have be so serious all the time.

"There are two lasting gifts we can give a child.
The first is roots.
The second is wings."

-Unknown

And today's OOTD is one captured by my youngest son, who accompanies me often, who has long conversations with me and is such a sponge for knowledge. He attempts everything with an intensity always striving for perfection. With that intensity he has brought profound lessons for me.

This outfit features a one of a kind sequin parka, locally manufactured by Coast & Koi, who specialise in handmade bespoke shoes. This parka was the only item of clothing manufactured which I grabbed the moment I saw it. Paired with a pair of leather boots I've had in wardrobe for about 7 years, another investment piece!

Outfit details:

Coast & Koi sequin parka

Black knit (old)

Black skinny (old)

Country Road boots (old)

Michael Kors Bag

Mimco oversize link bracelet

Trenery scarf

Giorgio Armani sunglasses from Sunglass Hut

Caio for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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Marsala Eid OOTD

Happy Friday readers!

Every time we get a glimpse of life without winter, like earlier this week, the promise of Spring fills the air, albeit temporarily. We had just such an experience this past weekend, where Eid day dawned bright and fresh, all cleansed from the previous days' constant downpour. The weather was such a blessing, and I had fully intended to bring out the faux fur coat, but really, with the gorgeous sun out I decided against it. I usually don't specifically shop for Eid, as I can generally put something together from my existing wardrobe (the kids are my priority of course!). I pulled this Marsala lace number from the closet (purchased a little before the fast and never worn), and paired it with my favourite sequined glam blazer. 

I was happy to have scored some good shoes on the ZARA sale, one of them matched the outfit perfectly, and the scarf is the only particular piece I bought for Eid, a lovely embellished Kashka from Riehana's scarves. It's always important to invest in pieces that can be incorporated into other looks, where they can be dressed up or down, for a glam occasion or even a regular night out. 

Classic pieces that won't date easily will transcend many seasons and if the quality is good, it will last long while still looking impeccable. 

Overall the day was an enjoyable one, spent in the company of loved ones - an additional blessing one has to be mindful of on this celebration. The feeling of community in the neighbourhood is so special and the kids (particularly my youngest who visited every night with plates of treats) enjoyed the interaction. The teenagers clearly have their own agenda which includes friends and hanging out, so after family time they each headed off to spend some time with their peers... Just a little reminder of their growing independence!

Enjoy the pics... along with some family snaps thrown in.

And onto the family snaps:

The youngest just needs a smile and he's ready, the teens need to 'prepare' for photos!

They have sprouted right past me, I'm no shorty and I'm wearing heels! 

My main guy and I

My afternoon outfit:

Marsala lace dress from Threadz Clothing

Old sequined blazer (Sass)

ZARA Embellished heels

Riehana's Scarves Kashka scarf

Chanel bag purchased abroad (old)

Rebelfunk necklace

Diamante earrings (old)

Gifted Country Road Ring

Caio for now,

RuBe xoxo

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