Superbalist favourites for AW18

Hi lovelies!

The cooler weather is creeping up on us and this means it's time to haul out those boots and sneakers and start packing away those sandals. Ankle boots have been a staple for quite a few seasons, and for me, sneakers are always a necessity in my wardrobe. I pair my sneakers with anything, from denims, to skirts, dresses and formal trousers. It immediately gives any outfit an edge, however, the type of sneaker one chooses is what will make or break this look.

Superbalist have asked me to pick three favourites to transition into Autumn from their boots and sneaker ranges. These are my picks (ones which I will 'add to cart' in an instant!), ranging from really affordable options, to the more pricier options. This is one of the things I like about Superbalist; one can find high fashion, trendy items as well as classic pieces in various price brackets. This ensures that they cater for all shopper requirements!

My choices from their sneaker range: 

Aztec OG metallic by REEBOK

These pale pink sneakers are trendy and the feminine at the same time. It's a must-have for any fashionista

Coco by DAILYFRIDAY

These glitter sneakers are slightly more adventurous and really well priced.
A definite must do for courageous trendsetters

 Old Skool platform by VANS

The Vans Old Skool revamped to sport the platform sole. A platform sole is super edgy,
and this canvas sneaker is so versatile

Shop these (or your own choice of) sneakers here

These are my picks from their range of boots:

Merle by VERO MODA

Metallic boots are a huge trend which saw an introduction last Winter, they
will be back this winter in pointy versions with little kitten heels if these are too chunky

Available in both Silver and Gold

Lara by BILLINI

Long boots have been around for seasons and seasons, and just see a tweak here and
there. The over the knee is still a Winner for this Autumn/Winter season

Naja leather boot by VERO MODA

These cowboy style low heeled boots is a classic which will last for seasons to come.
They're great quality and oh so stylish!

Available in tan and black, so if you're keen on them, get them in both colours!

Shop here for your own choice from their wide range of boots to complete your Winter outfit.

For shopping on the go, I frequent the Superbalist App, it's simple, easy and accessible for anyone wanting to shop online.

Download the app here:

iOS

Android 

Sign up and receive R250 off your first order, and with free delivery on orders over R350, there will definitely be some items in your checkout cart!

Happy shopping!

Ciao for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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Madinah to Makkah... The first umrah

Hi lovelies!

I've been so busy doing Hajj write ups this week, that I felt it was appropriate to do my next instalment. I have also chatted to so many people and I cannot contain my excitement for the prospective hujaaj, for what they're about to experience! Right now, for prospective hujaaj, hajj may seem like it's still far off, with all the administration and preparation required ... but trust me, it will be here in a flash!

After spending a spiritually rejuvenating 12 days in tranquil Madinah, we prepared to depart for Makkah. Prior to leaving, our spiritual leader held refresher umrah classes, discussed the history and generally got us into the right frame of mind for our approach to Makkah. This was the next step on our life changing journey, one where we've accepted the most important invitation of our lives. For me, it was a journey I had pictured in my minds eye for years, I even had a vivid dream (years prior to this journey) of my first sight of the Ka'bah. So the prospect of finally realising this dream and fulfilling a life-long aspiration had me in tears and filled with anticipation. I was preparing for the monumental moment where I stepped into the Haram for the very first time. 

We were briefed on logistics, and were ready in our ihraam (special clothes required) to leave the hotel. For women normal attire can serve as ihraam, and doesn't need to be white, for men however, the ihraam constitutes the two pieces of white cloth. As with any movements for hujaaj during this time, the Saudi government provide buses for the 450km journey into Makkah. About 15 minutes outside of  Madinah we stopped off to perform Thuhr (mid -afternoon prayer) and made our nieyah to enter into the state of ihraam (we were already dressed in the garb). 

The bus ride was actually an unexpectedly pleasant one, especially after the horror stories I've heard from previous hujaaj about how awful this bus ride is. We made one stop along the road to eat and navigated our way through various checkpoints before arriving at our hotel. We left Madinah just before 1pm and arrived at our hotel after 9pm, this is after all the security checks and delays, but overall it was still a good trip! Soon after getting our luggage and checking into a very lovely hotel room, with a view facing the Haram we were ready for our umrah. Our group made arrangements to meet in the foyer an hour later, and in the meantime hubby and I explored a bit looking for food. 

We met up with our group, each and every one on a spiritual high, with our hotel just across the road from the Haram, we didn't have far to go. As we entered, through King Fahd gate, our spiritual leader prepared us for the first sight of the Ka'bah. We kept our eyes downcast, as we descended the stairs towards the Ka'bah, filled with wonder and awe. We then stood in front of the Ka'bah, our eyes still downcast, and only when we had our duah for this very moment prepared, did we look up. It was breathtaking, emotiona,l and before I realised it, the tears of gratitude and awe were streaming down my face. I really needed a few moments to take it all in; to absorb the magnitude of this moment, to  digest the fact that I was indeed a guest the house of Allah (SWT)! ♥️ This moment is one that will remain etched in my memory bank forever. Algamdulilah!

We proceeded to perform our tawaaf (7 circumambulations) with a relatively empty Haram (by this time it was already past 12am) and thereafter the Saai. Throughout this I could not tear my eyes away from the Ka'bah, this monument to which I have directed my musallah for prayers every single day. It was now an actual physical presence, with such magnetic attraction I didn't want to leave.  Had we not been beyond exhausted, I'd want to stay for hours more. After the saai, we clipped the hair and returned to the hotel room to freshen up, shower, change and grab an hours shut eye before Tahajud.

This experience is like nothing I have ever encountered, the spiritual high is inexplicable and so grounding. It's as if I had found the place which communicates with my soul. This is where my soul is at HOME, the place which will forever call for my soul to return!

Ready to leave our hotel

The bus was pretty comfortable for the long drive ahead

The mosque at Bir-Ali

Shortly after entering the state of ihraam for the first time

The 'rest stops' along the route to Makka

The road between Madinah and Makkah is mainly barren, rocky desert

After completing our first umrah

Ciao for now,

RuBe xoxo

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Inner Work is never easy

Welcome readers!

Can you believe it's March already! 2018 certainly started with a bang, and life has continued on an accelerated pace. For me as a businesswoman, wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend. There have been some significant shifts in my life and notable shifts in relationships. This has all been as a result of intensive inner work which started more than 2 years ago and has been a constant journey since.

This inner work is aimed at me, understanding myself at a level which is not always comfortable, but is especially necessary. At times this type of work makes me feel broken, and other times like a total b***h, but as always it serves as a path to healing and moving forward.

I have written about life with teenagers, and the challenges I face as a parent to young adults, and I know that without my own work, I would never be able to afford my kids the space to just be themselves. I grew up in a tribe where traditions are important, culture is weaved into the very fabric of our daily lives. And yet, when I dared to step out on my own, and looked at the tribe from the outside, I realised that we need to evolve. I needed to evolve, to become a person where traditions do not rule my every decision, nor does it dictate my parenting or interactions. Traditions are important, for sure, it forms part of our identity and ancestry, and yet there will always be space to incorporate new traditions. One of the 'cultural norms' I choose to challenge is hiding ugly truths, this is something we choose to do in our communities, families and extended networks- and even go as far as pretending everything is fine. Typically something huge happens (such as terminal illness diagnosis, abuse or divorce) and nobody talks about it, preferring to tell children that nothing is wrong or we go about life as if nothing has happened. Just by doing this, we take something fundamental away from our kids, we teach them to ignore their intuition and gut feel for when things are wrong. We teach them that certain things are taboo to talk about, to think about and some topics are off limits. I believe in always being honest with my kids, even when it may be the hardest thing to do. I believe that they need to know I am human too, prone to mistakes, prone to bad decisions and that I don't always have the answers. 

I would not have been able to arrive at this point without working on myself, looking at what makes me tick and what my core values are. They're not always the same as the tribe we come from. (I use the word tribe loosely, which refers to our family & community networks which we grow up in) My intention is for my kids to trust me, to ask any question and know that they will get the truth. The answers would be age appropriate but still the truth in it's basic form. Our kids are faced with situations we cannot even comprehend, and without having that safe space to talk about it, they can find themselves disoriented. But before I was even able to provide the safe space, I needed to be safe. This meant I needed to learn to drop all judgements which I have been conditioned with since birth (which is a continuous area of work), I needed to understand what matters and discover what my own value system is. Equipped with this, I am able to navigate the world from a place of authenticity, and be a safe haven for my kids. This sounds really simple, but in reality is the hardest to achieve, as it means taking a hard critical look at the self (without judgement but with acceptance). 

There are so many amazing women offering conscious parenting courses, mommy circles, self development and NLP courses; all aimed at being the best we can be. Whilst it can be a daunting task to take the first step towards it, the reward is extraordinary. Relationships take on another dimension and interactions become meaningful. 

Today's outfit features a very colourful kimono I received from Reem Couture. Manufactured in satin finish, it is perfect for a night out or even dressed down as I have done with brogues. This kimono is reflective of my life, so many colours, facets and dimensions, which I keep discovering as I dig deeper into the self. Paired with a jeans and fringe bag, it's perfect for a coffee with the girls or a date with one of my sons. 

Outfit details:

Reem Couture Kimono

H&M Jeans

Dune London Brogues

Riehanas Scarves pom pom scarf

Lovisa Rose quartz earrings

Rebecca Minkhoff Fringe bag 

Giorgio Armani Sunglasses

Caio for now,

RuBe xoxo

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Ameer turns 18 ❤️

Welcome lovely readers!

It's unreal that I have another kid turning 18! I cannot grasp this phase I have embarked upon, it's beyond challenging, it pushes me to new limits everyday, but also brings loads of laughs and fun. My second born turns 18, a mere 18 months after his older brother, and it seems that it snuck up on me in the blink of an eye. Once again, I find myself sentimental, and the image that's stuck in my head of Ameer is of this little wailing baby, who immediately latched, drank his fill and fell asleep! My labour experience with him was difficult, with the cord wrapped around his neck and him going into distress just before being born. It was a long delivery, spanning over Friday Jumuah, which was when the contractions started getting really intense. I requested an epidural and for some reason it only worked on the right side of the body, I could therefore feel everything on my left side throughout the birth! It was indeed an indication of life with Ameer, always something new around every corner.

I look at the young man he has grown into and my heart swells with love and pride; he is focused, responsible, loving and mischievous. He has presented us with challenges at every single turn, some of them forced us, as parents, out of our comfort zones. Over the years there have been emergency room trips, school meetings to discuss his inclination to challenge rules and boundaries, and during those same meetings we end up discussing your sterling academic achievements! We have realised, through him, how strong parents need to be in today's society, how we need to be a part of his life and contribute constructively to it. And through all of these experiences, we have developed a precious bond.

Ameer, 

Everyday I see myself in you, 

And everyday your dad says the same. 

You have inherited the best of both of us, 

Your compassion, kindness and fun demeanour,

Is so much like Dad, 

Your singleminded focus, drive and easygoing nature,

Mirrors so much of me. 

From the moment you were placed in my arms,

I felt a peace, a connection so profound.

Your strong personality made itself known

in the first few moments you arrived in this world. 

Your fun and happy-go-lucky nature getting you out of scrapes,

Your charming smile melting hearts with ease.

As you grew into a young man, 

You made your needs known very clearly,

Unphased by obstacles in your path. 

Your adventurous streak has gotten you into hot water,

And your curiosity and zest for life brightens our home each day.

The unmistakable bond with your brothers is evident,

It's solid, and like an ever present security blanket.

I pray that you find your groove in a world, 

Fraught with distractions and trials.

I pray that life ahead is fulfilling, 

That you walk in the way of our faith, 

Proudly Muslim, 

Proudly Our Son.

My second born turning 18 has been another HUGE moment for me, and yet I feel that I am needed more than ever before. To guide, to protect, to love and launch into the world. 

I'll be sending a piece of my heart out there, to go and make a difference, and live purposefully. I pray for his life to be blessed with joy, happiness, peace, contentment and love. ♥️

Happy 18th birthday my Special Boy!

Mum & Dad

Only 18 months apart and like true brothers

You love all the little cousins and they adore you in return!

Always laughs when you're around! Your little brother looks up to you in so many ways

The always smiling little boy

Your first birthday party

Ciao for now,

RuBe x♥️x♥️

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