23 February 2010

Loose Hijabis..

I'm fed up with my current hijab style and am feeling the need for a more loose, free look: It is almost spring after all, even if it doesn't feel that way. I have been searching for some nice looks to try out that preferably require fewer than half a dozen pins (not likely really) and here's what I found..

A video by the ChicMaya, can't wait to try this look out

If you would prefer not to sweat all day but still want to wrap 2 pashminas in a loose style, try this out:
Other styles I like:


Malayasian:
Chic and party worthy:

More of a winter look:

Alternatively, if you are just bored with life and can't really be bothered (i.e. me..), then this is the look for you:

22 February 2010

21 February 2010

Hijabi Beginner: 5 Cons Of Hijab


I wrote a 5 Pros Of Hijab post a while back so I thought it was only fair to make a post on the cons too. This is so that you know what you are getting yourself into before you decide to put it on making you less likely to take it off later. And by 'it' I mean the headscarf as Hijab is not a cloth you can simply wear and in essence, is something that is applied to both sexes. So here goes:
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1. Finding what clothes your are comfortable with can be a bit of a predicament at the start: Although most women who get to the point of wanting to wear the headscarf will be dressed pretty modestly already, some are not (including myself in that). I found it very hard when I first started wearing the scarf, to decide what 'sort' of hijabi I wanted to be. Abaya? Skirt? Jeans? Leggings..?! I tried them all and in the end settled for the middle (jeans/skirt). I would defiantly recommend you get that nailed and read on it thoroughly before covering your hair. Oh, and doooon't let any old person influence your decision - I did this and it led nowhere. In the end I realised that everyone has had different experiences, you just have to do what you feel is right.

2. 'Muslim' men.. The Quran explicitly and categorically commands men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity before it tells women to lower their gazes and cover. Paradoxically, I have found it is non Muslim men that fulfil this requirement by not 'checking out' hijabis or modestly dressed women and Muslim men that don't. Okay, firstly and obviously, they are not all like this so I am not making a sweeping generalisation but talking from experience. Secondly, this is never eeever a good thing nor should it be flattering - they look at anything that moves, it's really repulsive actually.

*Translation: "Nothing grabbed his attention.. except a french abaya.." - I'm pretty sure this is right but my Arabic reading isn't amazing so could somebody verify?

3. Shopping: Yes, that cute, pink 3/4 length sleeved dress will need to be bought with a perhaps not so cute long sleeved stretch top in future.. sorryy. And cardigans are pretty much a must but, of course, that's only a problem if you're not hot on them and who's not hot on cardigans?!
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4. Bad Bun Days.. :S Basically the equivalent of a bad hair day. I had one on Friday, it was like a deflated souffle at the back of my neck which was really annoying and itchy.
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5. Headphones: Omg, a nightmare to put on in public. It does depends on the style you are wearing and I think the most un-headphone-friendly hijab style has to be the Turkish wrap where you make a knot around the neck..
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Soo that's pretty much it for me, hope it was helpful and doesn't put you off too much :S Oh, of course, there's the whole terrorist bomb thing blah blah blah.. but just as long as you don't wear a back pack (who would anyway?!) on a train/tube/bus and don't have a suspiciously large bun you should be alright..

18 February 2010

Reader's Look: Sha Sha's Hijab Style

Sha Sha is a reader and loves to experiment with her hijab which she is wearing part time at the moment. She gets her inspiration from Morocco and loves Berber style and I happen to love her style! Check it out:
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Loving the colour-combo:
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This is soo adorable:
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I found 2 tutorials that are not the same but pretty similar to her hijab style. You can sort of work out how its done anyway, just experiment.

A version with neck coverage, if you want it:

If you have your own unique hijab style and want to be featured, just email me :D

17 February 2010

14 February 2010

More Outfit Ideas From Looklet

Two more looks. Products of my free time which is officially over as of tomorrow morning..
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Just add a scarf if your a hijabi, otherwise they're good to go :D

12 February 2010

Hijab Fashion: Copycat Style

I love the model's style in this photo, it's so chic and polished but, no doubt, comes with a heavy price tag. Here are some items inspired by the look that wouldn't break the bank..

THE SCARF
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1. Large print floral - ASOS.com

2. Black and orange floral - missselfridge.com

3. Black and pink floral - charlotterusse.com

THE COAT
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1. Black mac - debenhams.com

2. White blazer - forever21.com

3. Red jacket - debenhams.com

THE BAG ^-^
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Okay, they are my greatest weakness so I got slightly ahead of myself when looking for the bags and the price limit slipped my mind a little on some of them. But I have said before and will continue saying, if there is one part of your outfit you shouldn't be stingy with it's definitely the bag. You could be dressed head to foot in Prada but if you ent got the right bag you might as well have bought your gear from Peacocks..
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1. Accessorize - £32

2. Yesstyle - Not available but I'm in love with it so had to be in there, soz.

3. Zappos - $269 (Gustto)

4. Katespade.com - see No.2 comment :S

5. Zappos - $188 (Marc by Marc Jacobs)

(Yehh, I know the bags show no resemblance to the one in the pic, sorry..!)

11 February 2010

Smart, Formal Or Casual?

As I have so much time on my hands this week, I have just spent the best part of the morning messing around on Looklet.. Here's smart, formal and casual looks I put together. Just add a scarf :D
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Formal:
Casual:

And my personal favorite, smart:

10 February 2010

Feeling Blue?

Ever feel a bit hard done by that you don't quite look like they do in Vouge? Well fret no longer because neither do the models..
Before and after airbrushing (i.e. tweaking them on the computer):
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Still don't feel better? OK, hmm.. Soz, got nothin'

08 February 2010

The Hijab Magazine: A Fashion Review

A while back I was complaining that I had spent a ridiculous amount of money on the November 2009 Hijab magazine (pictured). Now that I have received and 'read' it (by which I mean look at the pictures, as they have a single mediocre columnist who writes one page in the whole "magazine"..) I decided I'll review it as I now have a week off uni during which I am at my leisure to embark on any pointless thing I desire, yayy :D Although this should stop you wasting your hard earned cash, so I guess it's not completely without purpose..

I scanned some of the particularly offensive 'looks' in:

Who thought that harem trousers tucked into shiny black, pointy heeled boots, coupled with some sort of hideous crop top from the 90's worn over a red polo neck would look even remotely worthy of space in a fashion magazine??!! And who agreed with them?

The extensive abaya collection, does not fair any better. I give you the towel abaya.. or is it a suit? Whatever it is, clearly it was the same fashion genius responsible for the harem look above that thought sticking bits of old bath towel onto clothes was ground breaking stuff:

I know a lot of you are probably going to think the next look is 'alright actually..' but would you pay for it? Would you even pay for a magazine that featured it? Most people would be able to put a better outfit together at home. This is not fashion, it's non-fashion. And speaking of money, they do not even publish the prices of their featured clothes.. very useful.

This next one is a shocker. I'm speechless. (But vividly reminded of star trek/wars):

Just what every girl wants to be wearing on her wedding day, a dress with bubbles on the skirt and an over sized collar.. A bubble-bearing collared wedding dress. That must be the bright spark that thunked up the harem look again..

Speaking of which... They threw a poncho and yet another collar into the mix and voila - an outfit that would get you sectioned.

To be fair, it's not all bad, in fact I would happily wear either of the next two dresses but the vast majority of the outfits featured in this magazine are disasters. I don't see why you should have to pay about £15 to get it shipped here and then have to riffle through 15 disgusting looks to find one nice one that you could have put together anyway.

Guess I'll be sticking to my weekly Look magazine then..

03 February 2010

The Ribbon Hijab Look: Love it or Shove?

I'm feeling rather put out today as I have messed up my chemistry exam biiiiggg time this morning :( Anyway, thought I'd post as have decided I couldn't really care less about doing Pharmacy anyway, if I fail I can study English which is what I wanted to do in the first place, but that's another story.. What I like to call the ribbon hijab look:
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I'm curious to know what you think of this look. My mum thinks I'm weird but I am loving it for no reason at all, a bit of tweaking to the odd scarf look and I think it would work. So what dya reckon, love it or shove ittt? (..and yes, SM is the home of the original love it or shove it posts, I do wish other blogs would think of their own ideas. Just thought I'd clarify that because I'm in a bad mood lol).