While tiered gowns and elaborate showstoppers are plentiful on the catwalk, a new style movement has taken the reins, giving you a seriously awesome alternative to your everyday work blouse.
Spearheaded by niche labels like Jacquemus and Monse, the spotlight is very much on unique shirting at the moment. Typically blue or monochrome and pinstriped, these shirts are far from your average button-downs. They may only have one sleeve, or contrasting fabrics placed in seemingly random places. One hemline may fall six inches shorter than the other, or, there may be bows that cinch in the fabric at the waistline.
If you fear this look may be too alternative to suit your personal style, try achieving it with an existing one from your wardrobe. You can do this by leaving the bottom three buttons unbuttoned, instead tying the two shirt-tails together in a knot.
Or, close your shirt in a manner so that the buttons do not match up to their corresponding buttonholes – instead skip the top button, and work your way down.
Leave the top five buttons undone and shrug the collar off your shoulders, or wear your shirt completely backwards.
Next time you’re in a store, about to buy yet another printed blouse that’s a cookie-cutter silhouette of the other shirts in your wardrobe, stop yourself, and look for something out of the ordinary.
The experimental shirting pieces that I speak of aren’t too hard to find on the high street – your local H&M, Zara and Mango stores are sure to house some.
If you’re an avid online shopper, check out the label Lost Ink at Asos.com. It’s new-season shirts feature exaggerated trumpet sleeves, ruffled waists and lace-up sleeves, all on a traditional, collared, button-down shirt canvas of a cotton shirt.
hlodi@thenational.ae
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million