Monday, June 08, 2015

Trending Muslimah Clothing Fashion 2015

I remember when I first decided to don on my headscarf (hijab), I was 13 and starting secondary school. Back then the most fashionable clothes we (my sister and I) got to wear were something from our mom's wardrobe. It didn't help that my mom was not the fashionista that she is nowadays. We would turn up at school during extra-curricular activities on Saturday wearing brightly colored floral blouse (the one that only makcik2 wore), matched with equally bright floral hijab, black pants and (gasp!) white socks and flats!

This fashion ~~disaster~~ experiment lasted till I was in second year in UTM. With the help of my roommate/bestie, Eva, and housemates who were all fashion forward, I started to dress my age and get to know what's hot and what's not.

Back in my early twenties, being fashionable while wearing a hijab probably did not complement each other. Most ladies wearing hijab were either dressed in baju kurung, or wore baggy long-sleeved t-shirt (most of the time with their Uni logo and some famous caricature of a man with goatee printed on the shirt) and trousers.

Since the past few years, this has changed as the fashion industry is booming with Islamic fashion and modern muslimah women are always thirsty to try out the new trends. Fashion designers are always working their best to provide to various fashion audiences with new creative ideas for muslimah women to enjoy. Every year new trends will come in to wow everyone and some may last for quite a while. However, if you are the type of individuals who love fashion but hardly have the time to research on new trends, here are some to give you some information about. Among the trending forecast of muslimah clothing fashion for 2015 could be seen as below.

1. Maxi dresses

Maxi dresses have been in the fashion industry since the early times and it is one which will never get lost in time. This is because maxi dresses have that versatile element which makes it perfect for women to flaunt to any places or occasions. Whether to work, a date, dinner parties or a casual day out running errands, maxi dresses will never make you look out of place. Besides that, it has that modest yet feminine touch that fits the Islamic image of women. Choose from the various stunning maxi dress designs available in the market and show it off with confidence.

ZALIA embroidered maxi dress (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Julissa Dress (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

ArtDeco Annina dress by Jovian Mandagie (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Wrap Cascade Sequin Maxi Dress by Zalia (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

2. Kebaya kimono

Fashion designers have taken the traditional Malay/Indonesian kebaya and Japanese kimono to a new level by introducing a modern fusion of the kebaya kimono design. Kebaya kimono is a new fashion muslimah piece that definitely suits muslimah women of all ages. It could be serve as an outerwear for your top or act as a blouse. This kebaya kimono can be turned from formal to casual wear by simply mix matching with other pieces of clothing.

Inhanna Kebaya Kimono worn with jeans for a casual look (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Inhanna Suri Kimono Cardigan (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

3. Hijab styles

Another muslimah fashion trend which has been evolving and developing throughout the years are the multiple styles of hijabs. Muslimah women create various hijab looks to a more modern approach to fit their personality. Besides that, women who are thinking about changing their hijab looks can simply watch tutorials on Youtube.

When I looked back, I'm inclined to think that Muslimah clothing fashion started with the hijab. Tudung bawal used to be the most favourite hijab among Malaysian Muslimah. Then tudung awning made its appearance and this was followed by shawl hijab.

The latest trend in hijab fashion is something that can be worn easily and instant, without all the hassles of adjusting and pinning on safety pins to create the stylish look. Instant shawls are currently dominating the market with various instant design offered by fashion designers:

Madison Flower Instant Shawl by Sugarscarf for ZALORA (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Instant shawl Nicole (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Zeez by Ziera Zain (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Instant Shawl Maira Hanna from Maira Collections (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Besides this list, I have my eyes (and heart) on another type of Muslimah fashion clothing namely abaya. It used to come only in solid black or dark green, abaya now can be found in all colours. It is simple to wear, modest, chic and easy to match with all types of hijab. Abaya is also a favorite because it suits all types of body shapes. Previous years, only the elderly and the conservative Muslimah wore abaya but today, abaya is worn by women of all ages including teenagers.

Aisha Modern Jubah by Bella Amara for ZALORA (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Fashion designers have also taken the original abaya design and adapt it to suit all occasions. Once worn only to religious functions, abaya nowadays can also be worn to the office, for casual outing as well as to official function:

Gene Martino Ladies Jubah Modern with Jacket is suitable for office wear (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

Peach Casual Jubah by BYN for casual wear (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

I would love to own this abaya by Jovian Mandagie for ZALORA (Photo credit: Zalora.com)

If you are looking for more inspirations on Muslimah clothing fashion, a great site to check out is Zalora.com. With hundreds of fashionable items from both international and local brands, as well as great discounts, just be careful that you don't get addicted to their site.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Imperial Palace Hotel Miri

If you are looking for a stay-cation hotel in Miri at a wallet-friendly price, then this hotel may just be perfect for you. The Imperial Palace Hotel certainly wow-ed us during our brief stay here a couple of weeks ago.

Through Agoda.com, I managed to secure a standard king room at RM175 nett, which is inclusive of breakfast for 2 adults. Being 2km away from Bintang Mall, it is close enough to shopping area minus the headache of looking for parking space. By the way, parking is complimentary for stay-in guests.

The king-sized bed

The bed from another angle

The entryway

The mini fridge

The beverage station

Safe box

Toiletries come in standard packaging

The bathroom comes with a bathtub

The hotel pays attention-to-details when you see a bath mat folded into a ribbon such as in the photo below:

Marble floor in the bathroom

The view of the room from one angle

Since it was a stay-cation trip, we decided to try out their jacuzzi-styled swimming pool. The kids loved it, and I did too, to a certain extent. I thought the pool needs cleaning because there bottom felt slimy and there were dead insects in the pool. Sorry, no photo of the swimming pool since we did not bring our phone down.

The view of the hotel corridor

Lastly, we loved the buffet breakfast at Menawan Restaurant. They have quite a selection suited for the adults and kids. Their nasi lemak is served with generous selection of dishes and their rice congee is really delicious. We ended up over-stuffing ourselves, LOL!

Overall, I recommend this hotel for both single or family travellers looking for value-for-money hotel :)

Rating: 8/10

Monday, May 25, 2015

Grand Borneo Hotel, Kota Kinabalu Sabah

Coming down from Kundasang, we decided to spend the rest of the day shopping at 1Borneo Mall before going back the next day. This time, I chose Booking.com to book the Grand Borneo Hotel which is adjacent to the shopping mall.

We booked a Gallery Twin Room for RM140++, which is appointed with twin beds as the name implies. It was quite affordable considering its location and the fact that it was a new hotel with modern decor and facilities.

I am impressed with the modern contemporary black and white hotel design despite its really tiny and fully maximised space. It is certainly a good value for money as guests are mostly people looking for a place to crash after a busy day shopping at the mall next door.

My only fault with the hotel is their limited parking. However, being next to a mall means that guests can also park at the mall's parking. Still, the hotel's reception is fast and friendly, and the room comes with free WiFi, which is increasingly becoming an essential service in a hotel.

The room comes with two single beds

Modern wallpaper encased the flat plasma TV

The beds from another angle

The work desk

Tea-making facilities complete with complimentary instant beverages

Classic black-and-white bathroom

Shower area

Sink area

The really basic toiletries provided

I think the hotel hits the right target i.e. shoppers who are here for the shopping and really not so much for the hotel stay. Despite that, they still ensure that their services are excellent and the rooms satisfactory. Really worth the money spent.

Rating: 8/10

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa

We went to Kundasang, Sabah last March for a mini vacation and it was really a last-minute arrangement. Thanks to Agoda.com, we were able to book a room at Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa. There are two types of accommodation at this hotel - a chalet and a regular hotel room. We booked a family suite room at RM370++ per night. The room could easily accommodate 3 adults and 2 kids. It has one bedroom and one living room with sofa bed, two TVs, a small fridge and a bathroom with a bathtub.

The journey from the airport to Kundasang took about 2 hours more or less. Luckily our kids fell asleep during the ride and only woke up when we reached there. The hotel's direction was quite unclear and we ended up lost and had to U-turn before we finally found the route to this hotel. It was situated on top of a small hill. From the roundabout, take the third exit (3 o'clock direction) and proceeded to drive up a winding route before reaching the hotel.

Photo courtesy of: Agoda.com

We reached the hotel at 12pm and were told that check-in is only at 2pm (due to school holiday season). The staff at the reception counter was not very friendly and only replied to our queries in a curt manner with hardly a smile.

Anyway, luckily the hotel room made up for the lack of hospitality. Although the hotel's name implied a resort-like experience, I certainly do not recommend this hotel if you are seeking for a stay-cation. The spa was even closed on Sunday (seriously, and they call themselves a resort & spa hotel??) much to my disappointment. This hotel is great if you are only looking for a comfortable sleeping place.

View of the bedroom

The living room comes with sofa bed and a TV

The room does not have an aircond as the weather outside gave natural air-conditioning temperature. It was similar to being in Cameron Highland except that in Cameron Highland, you still get night activities where else in Kundasang, by night-time all the shops were close and it was really dark outside!

The work desk and a small fridge

As usual, my two kids were super excited to stumble upon a bath tub, and wanted to take a bath immediately. We soon discovered that the little rubber sealant was missing. I then decided to use one of the hotel glass to create a sort of vacuum to cover the hole to stop the water from draining. So all was well again.

Bathtub with hand-held shower

The next day we woke up early and was rewarded with the clear view of Mount Kinabalu peak. It was really breathtaking.

The view of Mount Kinabalu peak from our room

Overall, the hotel does not fall into the category of a resort hotel judging by the level of service they offered. To me, it is just an average 3-star hotel with really good potential except that the management needs to look into upgrading their services, refurbishing their room and perhaps, hospitality training for their front-desk staff.

Rating: 5/10

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Four Points by Sheraton, Kuching

While en-route to my hometown via Kuching, I took the opportunity to try Four Points by Sheraton.

Located just 5 minutes away from the airport, I could understand why it was a favourite place to stay amongst business travellers.

From the outside I was impressed by the modern exterior of the hotel. Considering that few hotels in Sarawak are modern enough or refurbished to adopt the modern decor, I quite liked Four Points for its modern contemporary design. There is no musty odour of old carpet, or lumpy mattresses that haven't been changed for a decade.

View of the room from the entrance

Warm wood colors dominate the room, while yellow lighting creates relaxing ambience to soothe business travelers after a long day at work.

The room is appointed with a queen-sized bed

Modern contemporary design rules while still maintaining the full functionality of the hotel room

The TV cabinet also accommodates a minibar and tea-making facility

Four Points by Sheraton Kuching declares itself as a non-smoking hotel

I am impressed by the non-smoking stance taken by the hotel in their efforts to promote eco friendly practices.

Lipton tea and Nescafe 3-in-1 for caffeine addicts who enjoy a cuppa first thing in the morning

Marble tiles at the entrance

From another angle of the room

Green frosted glass that separates the bedroom and the bathroom keeps one's privacy while also adhering to the open concept which is becoming more common in modern hotel design.

Simple yet modern bathroom design

Love the colorful packaging of the toiletries

The bathtub sadly is missing one handle despite the hotel being relatively new compared to others

From another angle

The shower cubicle with ceiling mount rain showerhead and hand-held shower

In the wardrobe

Sadly, the hotel service is rather woeful. From the moment I arrived to the minute when I left, the service was such a letdown that I doubted if I should stay here again.

My arrival was greeted by a tired and aloof reception staff who was not interested to find out why the hotel is still charging service charge despite the recent announcement by the Government instructing all hotel and restaurant establishments to cease service charge.

Upon reaching my room, I discovered that the housekeeping staff had forgotten to replenish shower cap and dental kits. So I rang them to request for those items to be brought up. I did not even finish my sentence before the staff hung up on me leaving me fuming on the other end. Around 15 minutes later, a staff knocked on my door and delivered only the dental kits. I was exhausted since it was quite late so I decided not to make a fuss out of it.

Similarly, when I called for room service as I was feeling peck-ish, my calls went unanswered. A staff eventually returned my call but the way he entertained the call made me wonder whether he had ever attended customer service training.

Lastly, I was stressed out during check-out because the staff took ages trying to swipe my credit card despite knowing that I was rushing to catch a connecting flight to my hometown.

There was no sense of urgency or apology offered knowing that I was distressed and kept looking at my watch. Finally after I asked her if it was absolutely necessary for the transaction to go through, she finally asked me to sign an offline version for billing later on.

It was quite a shame to see such a fine establishment but lacking of trained customer service.

Overall, I may consider to stay here again during family trip (just because the room itself is modern and nicer compared to other older hotels) but staying here as a business traveler may not be the experience I wish to have.

Rating: 6/10

Update: After a brief operation period, Four Points by Sheraton Kuching has now been closed.