The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Wobbling under the weight of ridiculous price tags, many of Cairo’s fashion addicts are now left to choose their battles; either opt for a cheaper version of their favourite, or merely lessen the damage of bankruptcy by disregarding unnecessary items that add up figures to the cheque.

But come what may, one thing a real fashion addict can never dispose of is the final touch of a piece of jewelry, which can do wonders to an outfit. One of the places that saves the hassle of finding what’s both affordable and trendy is I AM – an accessories shop in Mall of Arabia.

Located next to Paul, the little shop has a minimal setting of black and white, letting all the shiny little items do the magic. Displayed next to the entrance is a collection of trendy earrings, including a floral ear cuff (105LE) made of leaf-shaped plastic stones of mint-green and powder-pink. While the first needs nothing but a pierced ear lobe, those who have their ear frame pierced will find a collection of sets to choose from, starting from 90LE.

Though the previous collection offers trend, I AM has other accessories that offer both trend and value through a collection of gold and silver–plated jewellery. From the 925 silver-plated accessories, we liked a pair of hollow triangle earrings (225LE) and a gold-plated necklace, to which a charm in the shape of 3 dots is attached. Bearing in mind that the brand is trying to maintain a certain price range, the pieces of this collection are microscopic, if compared to other collections.

But I AM boasts a decent collection of bags, from which we liked a velvet-embellished tote bag (425LE). Other than that, there’s a limited range of items like scarves and hats, including a tribal-patterned pink and beige scarf (299LE) and a burgundy head turban made of wool (120LE), which can come in handy in the winter.

With such a colourful spectrum of trendy-yet-affordable accessories, I AM is the silver lining to many a fashion addict’s financial woes – when diamonds are unaffordable, I AM’s accessories are a girl’s next best friend.