Muslimah Style: Neira

Reader's Contribution



My name is Neira, I am 29 and live in the UK and at the moment I am a full-time mum to a beautiful boy. Originally I come from Bosnia, and I've also lived in Sweden for a number of years. I have started wearing the hijab about 4 years ago and never looked back.

My Style

My style does not resemble the typical Bosnian style, probably because I do not live there and don't really get the chance to visit very often. My husband is of African descent and having lived in Sweden and the UK for the past 15 years also has had its impact. I just found a style I think suits me and don't really try to fit into a certain box.

The clothes I wear are mainly from high street shops, some are from Islamic shops like Shukr, but I find that they are more expensive. I try very hard to adapt the "mainstream" clothing and hijabify it and match the colours and layers, etc. Most of the time it is tunics/day dresses with jeans, and in summertime I love maxi dresses and wear those with cardigans, although these are not very practical.

I almost always wear an underscarf/bonnet that contrasts at least a little bit with the hijab and do a lot of matchy-matchy. Being very very pale and with colourless eyebrows and lashes I feel that I need at least a little bit of make-up, and I do love make-up. I rarely wear jewellery anymore, partly because I have a small child and also I find myself pulling the hijab over the ears all the time so it is just not worth the hassle.

My inspiration just sort of happens! I see pieces of clothes I like and try to work around the one item, be it a tunic, dress, hijab or a skirt. I also get inspired by beautiful sisters that I see around me, on the Internet and particularly by the tips from Jana and others featured on this blog :)

Top Tip

My one tip is I have quite a lot of underscarves which I cut to be like a headband (cut off the back part that goes around) as otherwise they slip back. I then started cutting up t-shirts to get the exact colour underscarf I wanted and if they are long sleeved, I use the top part of the t-shirt with the sleeves as a bolero to wear on hot days under a tunic that might not have long sleeves, and the bottom part of the t-shirt makes up the bonnet. So look for cotton stretchy t-shirts that don't cost much and are available anywhere, like in Primark who have a lot of cheap t-shirts in many different colours.

What did you think of Neira's style? If you want to be featured on Hijab Style, send in your photos and top tips to hijabstyle @ hotmail . co . uk

Readers will be able to vote for their favourite entry, and the winner will receive a FREE hijab of their choice from The Hijab Shop.

New Year Offer from Bellissima Scarves

Here's another great offer for all you online shoppers! Bellissima Scarves has a New Year Offer with 20% off all purchases until 15th January 2010! Simply use the coupon code HS0110 at the checkout to get your discount.

Aab Special Offer

Abaya company Aab are giving 25% off all items until January 2nd 2010! All you need to do to receive your discount is type in the code WIN09 in the ‘promotional code box’ at the checkout. You can also sign up for the Aab newsletter to receive details of further exclusive offers.

New Arrivals at Amirah Fashions

Online retailer Amirah Fashions have added lots of new items to their range, including some beautiful silky rectangular Turkish hijabs and stylish abayas. These are just a few of my favourite scarves from their website:

Muslimah Style: Tiananda

Reader's Contribution

My name is Tiananda, I'm 22 years old and living in Indonesia. I've worn hijab for almost 6 years, and I'm happy I've decided to wear it!

My Style

My style is anything comfortable and affordable! I usually wear casual outfits, but when I'm in the stylish mood I'll mix and match my clothes. If some girls have a bad hair day, sometimes I have a bad hijab day! That's the moments when I think I look ugly in any outfit! In case it happens, I always go back to my favorite shirt, skirt and matching coloured scarf. Maybe I'll look plain, but it will save me from feeling unhappy the whole day.

Style inspiration for me comes when I see fashion blogs (real girls wearing real clothes) or walk into a department store. I easily fall in love with simple designs, smart details, plain colours, stripes, or flowery patterns. But remember, a cute outfit on other girls doesn't mean that it'll look good on us. Choose wisely, save more!

Top Tips

1. Go to a flea market or a discounted sale in department stores to save money.

2. Invest money in comfortable shoes, trousers or a skirt that you will wear frequently.

3. Mix and match clothes to get a new look without buying a new outfit.

4. After you dress up, look in the mirror. If you think your outfits are ok, then you'll feel confident throughout the day.

You can see more of Tiananda's style over at her blog, tealovecoffee.

What did you think of Tiananda's style? If you want to be featured on Hijab Style, send in your photos and top tips to hijabstyle @ hotmail . co . uk

Readers will be able to vote for their favourite entry, and the winner will receive a FREE hijab of their choice from The Hijab Shop.

Sale Finds

Many stores have already started their sales and special offers in the run up to Christmas, including Promod, Long Tall Sally, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Wallis. I'll probably be holding out until Boxing Day Sales, where there are likely to be even better discounts. But here are some hijab-friendly bargain finds for now:

Purple Double Breasted Coat £50, Wallis; Shirt with pintucks section £16.20, Promod; Jade wool mix cardigan £15, Dorothy Perkins; Toni Bangles £7; Stella Clutch Bag £14, both Monsoon.

Hijab Style on Twitter

Now you can keep up-to-date with new content from Hijab Style even more easily via Twitter! Just click on the link to follow and receive updates every time a new post goes up!

D.I.Y. Style: Customise with Trims

The Christmas holidays are a great time to get stuck into some craft projects, and if you're a bit of a novice like me, you'll be looking for something that's quick and easy to do.

One of the simplest ways to customise your plain hijabs is by adding trims to the borders. You can find all sorts of trims at craft stores like HobbyCraft and haberdashery stalls at local markets, where they are usually pretty inexpensive.

When I had a go at this, I used a plain cotton hijab from 2hijab, but you could also simply buy some fabric and hem the edges. Then all you have to do is measure out the correct length of trim for your hijab, and sew it on using a simple running stitch in a thread of a similar colour, securing it at the ends.

And the best thing is, you can add several rows of different trims, or remove them and add different ones whenever you like! Is this something you'll be trying out?

DoBuy: The Fabric of Faith Promo Video

DoBuy is a documentary film by Soniya Kirpalani which aims to explore how international luxury brands in the UAE are stifling local labels, and takes us on a journey with several designers including Hijab Style favourite, Rabia Z!

This film is actually set to be shown at festivals across the world, including The Cannes Film Festival! Check out a small promo clip here:

Style Spotlight: The Almost-Abaya

Fall 2009

I hope you're all enjoying the beautiful snow today!

This post is about the almost-abaya creations featured on the Fall 2009 runways. Many designers have included long-sleeved, full-length gowns in their collections, in a range of styles and colours, which provide great inspiration for budding dress-makers and designers. Below are some of my favourites.

Staerk and Lanvin both went for belted, narrrow silhouettes in charcoal black. Whilst not the most hjab-friendly, I love the simplicity of the design and of course the corsage on the Staerk dress.

Staerk; Lanvin

Gareth Pugh; L'Wren Scott

From sporty to glam, these two dresses are both really wearable. I adore the chain link detailing on the Azzaro dress, making it perfect for an evening out:

Chado Ralph Rucci; Azzaro

Colours weren't restricted to black either; these creamy white gowns are gorgeous:

Dennis Basso; Tommy Hilfiger

Brighter colours and patterns also featured; I love the full skirt of the Stephen Burrows dress and the creative graphic print from Yigal Azrouel:

Stephen Burrows; Yigal Azrouel

Sophie Theallet; Ports 1961

Images: Style.com

Fashioning Faith

“Fashioning Faith” is a fantastic film by Yasmin Moll, a PhD student in Sociocultural Anthropology at NYU, about young Muslim women redefining what it means to be Muslim in contemporary America, and features several American Muslimah fashion designers:

Muslimah on The Sartorialist

Ever-popular style blog, The Sartorialist, has finally featured a hijabi on its pages! The lovely lady's photo can be seen on the post entitled 'On the Street....Chapel St., Melbourne'. With over 400 comments already, it's proven to be extremely popular, and its clear that Muslimahs can inspire with their unique sense of style just as magazine editors and models do. I encourage everyone to check it out and leave positive comments too!

Thanks to Leila for the tip :)

Winter Blues

Temperatures are dropping rapidly these few days, so be sure to wrap up warm before you leave the house! A good winter coat is always a smart investment, and I just love this beautiful teal colour. I'd keep accessories to a basic black and add gloves, neck scarves, thick socks and legwarmers and lots of layers to stay toasty!

Teal double breasted swing coat £85, Debenhams; Blue pocket wide leg jeans £25, Dorothy Perkins; Frill cuff black leather gloves £22, Accessorize; scarf £9.99, H&M; Sabina black boot £99, Jones Bootmaker; Traner handbag £24.49, Aldo.

Wearing the Muslim veil in America: What it's like

Wearing the Muslim veil in America may cause awkward moments, but this hijabi finds more positive than negative in her choice.

By Husna Haq Correspondent / December 12, 2009

Boston

I knew I was in trouble the moment I sat down. I’d just taken a seat next to an elderly Asian woman on the D-line train, on my way to a college class last year. She immediately stiffened. I began reading a book. She started twitching and looking around the train. We passed the first stop. She took out her pocket Bible, reading rapidly aloud as she rocked back and forth, clearly agitated. I felt awful, but I didn’t know how to calm her. Before we reached the next stop, she gathered her bags, hurried down the aisle, and quickly took a seat next to someone else.

Read the rest here.

We Have a Winner!

Congratulations to Amna V from Sarajevo for winning the December Giveaway! Readers voted for her entry as their favourite. Your necklace and earring set will be winging it's way to you shortly. Her entry was:

"My top must-have wardrobe item is a handbag. I think that a handbag symbolizes a woman's power and a woman's personality. A woman chooses bags which define her and reflects her mood and her sense of fashion. Even if almost everyone thinks the handbag designs matter a lot, I still prefer something I am comfortable carrying around with. I like it light, spacious, and with many compartments so I can just put all my stuff inside - cellphone, keys, wallet, magazines, make up and just every item that every woman needs. Also, because I go to high school, I like when there is enough space for my books too.The most important for me is that a bag can "carry all" so when I go somewhere I don't have to bring other bags with me."

Keep an eye out for Hijab Style's next giveaway, coming up in the new year!

High Street Hijab Picks

You can find some beautiful hijabs in regular high street stores - here are my favourite picks for this season. Where do you like to shop for scarves from?

Black woven paisley scarf £15, Dorothy Perkins; Floral shot lurex stole £22, Accessorize; Purple jacquard border stole £20, Debenhams; pink scarf £9.99, H&M.

Voting Time - December Giveaway

It's time to vote for your favourite style tips for the December Giveaway! Below are the 5 finalists' entries. You can vote for your favourite in the box at the top right hand corner of this page. The winner will be announced on Monday 14th December!


Entry 1

My top must have wardrobe item is a long sleeved top with a round neck. They go with everything and they are especially useful for layering, for wearing under short sleeved t-shirts, skinny strapped maxi dresses, the fact that Primark do them in a range of colours is also brilliant, black, blue, turquoise, red, pink, white, brown, green, loads more you can mix and match.

Couldn’t live without them, well I could but they make my life as a Muslim who wears a head scarf much more easier, and I can still wear current fashion trends even if they are short sleeved or straps.

Entry 2

My top must-have wardrobe item is a handbag. I think that a handbag symbolizes a woman's power and a woman's personality. A woman chooses bags which define her and reflects her mood and her sense of fashion. Even if almost everyone thinks the handbag designs matter a lot, I still prefer something I am comfortable carrying around with. I like it light, spacious, and with many compartments so I can just put all my stuff inside - cellphone, keys, wallet, magazines, make up and just every item that every woman needs. Also, because I go to high school, I like when there is enough space for my books too.The most important for me is that a bag can "carry all" so when I go somewhere I don't have to bring other bags with me.


Entry 3

My must have item is definitely my pair of jeans. They are the only thing that withstand my toddler :-) I just pop them in the wash and presto they are as good as new, no ironing needed no nothing. I wear them with heels to look nice and with flip flops to go do grocery shopping or take her to the park. They work for both summer and winter. My jeans are probably the most abused yet loved item in my wardrobe.


Entry 4

The top must have item in my wardrobe is probably a big selection of bandanas (small squares) in various plain colours, they come cheap also! I would first put the tube piece over my head, tie the preferred colour bandana over this and then put over the longer piece.

Voila! I will always have a scarf to match my outfits! I only have four basic plain colours of the al-amira two piece hijab (black, white, navy and gold). I also alternate these pieces to create a different look!


Entry 5

My wardrobe must have is my favorite black wide legged trousers from Dorothy Perkins. They have very thin widely-spaced pinstripes, this draws the eye down and gives the illusion of a slim leg!

For a smart look : I add elegant heels, a silk tunic/shirtdress, a simple hijab and for a splash of colour a chunky necklace.

For a casual look: I add flats, my pink paisley print short dress, simple Amira black Hijab and a black cardigan.

I love it because it will easily carry me from morning to evening, it is low maintenance and I can rest assured that it doesn't stick to my legs.

Muslimah Style: Amena

Reader's Contribution

My name is Amena. I'm 26 years old, and live in the UK. I work as a part-time Biology teacher at a college.

My Style

My personal style is "Boho chic", I'd say. I enjoy accessorising with flowery headbands, pins and necklaces. I also like to use loose, flowing scarves and enjoy experimenting with different colours. I like to push my fashion limits and experiment with different styles, coupling different types of clothing together to ensure I remain modest and pairing clothes from different shops. I'm not much of a "designer" clothing person, but I do enjoy wearing all sorts of different clothing styles and wouldn't mind a few designer items in my wardrobe!

This might make me a bit uncool, but I LOVE wearing PJ's! Outside of the home, one of my favourite things to wear are elegant dresses to parties.

I'm inspired by colour and also makeup, so I often match my scarves to my makeup if I'm going out. The accessories I use are head bands, necklaces, rings, bracelets - anything girly! I love the colour purple. But, I enjoy wearing all colours. I give myself challenges to make up outfits and different styles based on different colours and fabrics.

Top Tip

My number one style tip is, if you live in a fairly cold country, to layer your clothes to achieve a modest look when it's difficult with some of the clothes sold in high street stores.

Don't forget you can check out Amena's hijab style videos on her YouTube channel.

What did you think of Amena's style? If you want to be featured on Hijab Style, send in your photos and top tips to hijabstyle @ hotmail . co . uk

Readers will be able to vote for their favourite entry, and the winner will receive a FREE hijab of their choice from The Hijab Shop.

Bellissima Scarves

Bellissima Scarves is a new company launched by a sister who aims to bring Italian elegance to the UK hijab scene. The range is fairly small, but the selection is stunning!

You can also get a 10% discount on all scarves when you use the coupon code 30db29596e when placing your order (valid until 15th December 2009).

Abaya Elegance

For those who love their black abayas, mix classic items like this double breasted coat and leather bag with a floral scarf, kitten heel shoes and vintage jewellery for a beautifully elegant work outfit:

Tea Leaves abaya £69.99, Aab; short double breasted coat £60, Topshop; floral scarf £9.99, H&M; Lily leather strappy shoulder bag £75, Accessorize; vintage pearl ring £8, Dorothy Perkins; Sausser shoe £55, Aldo.

P.S. Don't forget to submit your entry into the December giveaway too!

Head-turning hijabs

CNN just published an article looking at hijab fashion around the world, and speaks to several Muslimah designers:

By Olivia Sterns for CNN
December 7, 2009

Islamic fashion lets women cover up in style

London, England (CNN) -- Just because a woman covers up it doesn't mean she can't show off her individual style. That is the belief of a growing number of fashion designers in the Middle East who are cutting conservative clothes with fashionable flair.

Traditionally the Islamic headscarf is a symbol of modesty, but today more and more Muslim women are dressing in eye-catching outfits, albeit with their heads covered.

"Modesty is not the opposite of fashion, and fashion is not about showing more of my body," said Amina al-Jassim, a Saudi designer who makes haute-couture abayas, the long-black cloaks typically worn by more conservative Muslim women, which are also mandatory in Saudi Arabia.

Read the rest here.

Hijab Style on IMS

I was recently interviewed about the blog for French website Association IMS. You can see part one of the interview here, with part two coming soon!

How had you this idea of creating a site of fashion for Muslim women ?

Jana : I started the blog in September 2007, after feeling frustrated at the lack of anything in the fashion media that was geared towards Muslim women and their clothing needs. There are plenty of magazines, websites and blogs that were talking about fashion, however Muslim women often face very particular problems when it comes to putting together outfits from high street shops that meet their criteria of modesty. So I saw that there was a need to have somewhere to address these problems and also to provide inspiration and encouragement to those wearing hijab.

As the UK’s first style guide for Muslim women, I post everything from outfit ideas, street style, articles, interviews with Muslim designers and coverage of Islamic fashion around the world.

So far the blog has received a lot of positive media attention, including being featured in The Guardian and Vogue.com.

One for the Weekend

Winter doesn't have to mean sticking to just black and grey; teaming lighter colours with neutrals looks fresh and goes a long way to help lifting your mood too. Try layering this sweet crochet dress over a long sleeve tee, and add a long cardigan in mole or light brown, your favourite jeans and a pretty floral scarf for a casual day outfit. Finish off with a pair of comfortable ankle boots and a roomy bag and you're good to go:

Cardigan £47, Mango; crochet dress £20, New Look; floral scarf £9.99, H&M; high rise boot cut jeans £20, Next; Mable brown ankle boot £69, Jones Bootmaker; Cossignano bag £30, Aldo.

P.S. Don't forget to submit your entry into the December giveaway too!

Hijab Style Alert: Jersey Scarves

I'm not usually a fan of clothing made out of jersey, as most high street versions tend to be far too clingy and tight fitting. But ever since seeing some of Rabia Z's collections, I've wanted to try out jersey scarves as hijab, as opposed to the cotton and polyester ones that most scarves are made of. I just love the way jersey elegantly drapes and hangs, as well as the fact that the fabric is super-soft and comfortable. For a better idea of what I mean, take a look at this video interview of Rabia Z where she wears a black jersey scarf.

These are a few I found from online retailers, H&M also do several nice ones. But of course, it's always cheaper to make your own - check out this guide on how to make your own no-sew jersey scarf. Is this something you'll be trying out?



Cobalt jersey snood £12, Dorothy Perkins; viscose jersey scarf £15, Esprit; Jodie jersey scarf £15, Ascension; stud embellished scarf £16, Promod.

IFF 2009

The eighth Islamic Fashion Festival took place November 23rd-25th in Kuala Lumpur, and this time round featured designers from around the world including Morocco and the UAE. You can read more about the event in these articles from the Malay Mail, The Star and NST.

Live Chat Session

The Live Chat Session is now closed! Thank you to all who took part! Ummah Vouchers have now released their exclusive discounts and they will be valid until midnight GMT.

You can view the chat archives here.

December Giveaway

This month, Hijab Style is giving away this beautiful necklace and earring set, courtesy of Sara B. Designs.

All you have to do to win is write a couple of lines about your top must-have wardrobe item. Why do you love it? How do you wear it? Share your tips with all of us! The best answers will then be chosen and posted here so that readers can vote for their favourite!

To enter, e-mail in your answer, full name and city with 'December Giveaway' in the subject line to hijabstyle@hotmail.co.uk

The deadline for entries is midnight GMT on Friday 11th December. Don't forget to tell all your friends and family too - the giveaway is open to entrants from all countries!