What it takes to look cool in Bahrain

What's hot and what's not. GulfWeekly's Mai Al Khatib checks out the stylish girls and guys in Al A'Ali Mall making the most of some of Bahrain's hottest outlets.

Abdul Rahman Isa, 18, Mohammed Ali,_16, Mohammed Ali, 19, all Bahrainis:

Abdul Rahman: I don't care about what's popular or the brand; it's what makes me feel good that's important. I love the really flashy colours, gelled hair and accessories.

Mohammed Ali: Right now I think the old styles are coming back, like the sixties are very 'in'. I like to dress casually too.

Mohammed Ali: Fashion to me surrounds the clothes that I like and the bright colours that I wear. Casual is my style - to me, fashion is comfort.

All were unanimous about their favourite designers - Gucci and Lee Cooper. And they all agreed that they enjoy shopping at Splash, Zara and Next.

1. Ali Mudara, 23, Bahraini

I can't live without fashion. If I am not happy with what I am wearing then I will not be happy with myself. My style depends on my mood not on what's 'in'. My two favourite designer labels are Industry, which is a funky and trendy weekend style, and the other is Country Road, which is for everyday wear. I find that Bahrain is starting to move up on the fashion front. We have a lot more variety and I am a lot happier than before.

2. Bayan Al Sayed, 19, Bahraini

Right now I find that long tops, tight fit jeans and medium-sized bags are really fashionable. My favourite designer label is Gucci as you can see I am carrying Gucci. Bahrain is really growing in terms of fashion.You can see that with all the new shops that are opening up in Bahrain like the ones in Al A'Ali Shopping Complex. But even with the new stores opening, the store that I constantly shop at is Zara.

3. Sarah Janahi, 18, described herself as half Bahraini half Filipino

I don't really go for trendy; I just go for what looks good on me. I consider fashion to be what is comfortable to wear and makes you feel good. Sometimes I just want to go out in sweat pants and a hoodie or jeans and sandals. My favourite designer label for clothing is Miss Sixty or Juicy Couture because it's in my age group and it's really funky. That's why Miss Sixty is the store I shop at the most. As for accessories, I love bags and my favourite bag designer is Gucci.

4. Mohammed Abdulla, 18, Bahraini

Ed Hardy, Monte Blanc and Gucci; that is fashion! Style comes naturally to me. I prefer to dress casually in shorts and I believe that accessories make the outfit. I have lots of hats. I have three Ed Hardy hats which are specialty caps designed by the man himself, Ed Hardy. I also have two Burberry caps, one Lacoste and one Polo hat. My favourite design though is Burberry. I think 2008 is going to be a great year for Bahrain as far as fashion is concerned because all the leading designers are coming to the kingdom. I usually have to travel to London and Dubai to find the labels I want. The hat I'm wearing I bought over the Internet. But now with the new extensions and new malls like City Centre and Moda Mall we will see some real changes.

5. Meaze O'Loughlim, 33, Irish

I try to be casual and go with the kind of trends I see around at the moment; window shopping and popping into different stores. I had just lost a lot of weight so now I am getting more into clothes that I feel more confident in. Before I used to only wear white and black but now I am going for more colours. There are so many great designer labels at the moment and I definitely think that Bahrain is moving up right now fashion-wise. Coming from Ireland and seeing the way people dress over here, they really take pride in what they wear and what they buy. I shop a lot in Al A'Ali Shopping Complex and Seef Mall. You will always find me at Zara, Mango and Forever 21.

6. Mousa Al Otaibi, 28, Riyadh

I look through different famous magazines and check out what my favourite celebrities are wearing and then I try to emulate that in my own style. I like to keep pace with the latest styles in the market. I am very much into denim and casual shirts. I go to GAP a lot for casual wear but I love Versace. My sunglasses are Versace and I wear them all the time. I travel to Egypt, Turkey and sometimes Dubai for shopping but I think I will be coming to Bahrain a lot more now.

I don't think Bahrain is completely developed in terms of fashion but it is getting there - it just needs a little more time.