Haute Muslimah

Christian Dior Spring 2012 Couture

2012-02-14T21:55:00.000-06:00

Classic houndstooth, sheer pieces and exaggerated full skirts were the name of the game at the Christian Dior Couture show in Paris. Although Bill Gaytten being the interim designer is most definitely not Galliano, he did an impeccable job with this collection. It didn't have the crazy wildness of a Galliano show, but a more quiet drama...

Click to read the rest of the post at 3abaya.com!

Sail Away in Hijab House

2012-02-13T11:23:00.001-06:00

Hijab House recently sent me a few items from their new Ecuador Rose collection, including the Stripe Sail Dress and the Boysenberry Jersey Hijab I'm wearing here. The scarf is so comfortable I've been wearing it all the time. As for the dress, as soon as I received it in the mail I flipped. It's by far my favorite from the collection. I love the fact that it's so huge. It's like this ginormous tent dress and it's perfect. The fact that the dress is the epitome of modesty in itself is genius. You really don't have to add much to it as it's quite the statement piece.

I did belt it just to show you that it can be done and still look lovely. The dress itself is lined and very breathable, which makes it perfect to wear this summer in 100+ degree temps down here. It was actually about 40 when I took the photos which is why I added my neutral H&M jacket for some warmth. I'm only 5'2 and this is quite long on me. I also have on 4 inch wedges, so I'll probably just have it hemmed a couple inches so I can wear it more comfortably. The most exciting thing about the dress is the pockets- who doesn't love a dress with pockets? The neck is high enough that you don't have to worry about exposing anything. It is sleeveless so you can easily wear it with a light layer, in fact, I have a few more photos in this dress with a different top I'll be showing you later this week.

I wore the scarf with a hot pink undercap underneath. Without an undercap, jersey scarves tend to loosen on their own throughout the day. With one however, they stay in place pretty much all day without even a single pin! Some jewelry, a necklace wrapped as a bracelet, and a ring complete the look.

Peter Pan Collar

2012-02-08T17:39:00.001-06:00

photo via The Sartorialist

It's easy to see what's so captivating about this photo, and what makes it so lovely. A pleated skirt paired with a cable knit sweater and the little peter pan collar peaking out is perfectly now. This is one of my favorite cool weather looks and it's so easy to wear in all it's modest glory.

You can try wearing a bigger, chunkier sweater over a skirt to make it even more modest. The trick is to keep the skirt a little dressier and top it with a casual sweater. I did something similar here recently with an oversized sweater. The addition of the collar really makes it stand out, so you can wear a collared shirt underneath and try tucking a small hijab into the top for a similar look. Another option would be to roll the sleeves of a button down shirt over the cuff of a sweater for a different feel. What do you think? How would you wear the skirt/sweater combo?

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And just quick a note for all you lovely and supportive readers- My son and I have been sick with a variety of fun stuff, some of which are: a cold, an ear infection, an eye infection and so much more! I won't bore you with the deets, just letting you know if I haven't replied to your emails or posted often, that's the reason! InshaAllah we get better soon because I have a ton of stuff to post about, including a Hijab House review, a Helay scarves review and maybe even a giveaway or two! Oh, and check out our latest sponsor, Hijab-ista, with their ad (top right sidebar). Please show some support and get to "liking" them on facebook!

Blogger Spotlight: The Merchant Daughter

2012-02-01T12:04:00.003-06:00

It's easy to take inspiration from other bloggers, but especially in the case of designer Dian Pelangi, who takes fashion risks and always comes out looking good.

Much of what she wears, especially the bright scarves, pants and dresses, are her own designs. Which makes perfect sense considering her last name means rainbow! She can work the most dramatic pieces into her wardrobe without looking overdone, and she most definitely has a way with hats. You can check out her very own blog here, where she chronicles her fashion journey through the streets of Egypt, Milan, Venice, Indonesia, and Barcelona just to name a few.

You can also see her designs on her official website here, where she showcases her designs for kids, a mass produced line, DP by Dian Pelangi, and a bridal line as well! Just to let you know though, her website is all in Indonesian, not English. How do you feel about her sense of style? It's incredibly jet-setty fab, don't you think?

Peplum for Haute Hijab

2012-01-30T11:50:00.001-06:00

Spotted on the runways at shows like Cushnie Et Ochs, Bouchra Jarrar, and Jason Wu (among so many others), it's no surprise that peplum is the hottest silhouette for spring. The shape is so feminine and perfect for a nighttime party look...

To read the rest of this post I wrote for Haute Hijab, click here!

Bouchra Jarrar Spring 2012 Couture

2012-01-24T14:21:00.001-06:00

'Bouchra Jarrar. Who are you?' That was the first thing I thought when I took a look through her collection. Like many of you, I'd never heard of her. Turns out she worked as an assistant to Nicolas Ghesquière of Balenciaga for 10 years, before heading to Christian Lacroix until it's end (Lacroix, the business, is no more). Born in France, the daughter of Moroccan immigrants, Bouchra showed her ready-to-wear collection during the Paris Haute Couture shows along with designers like Dior and Versace.

Now you might be thinking, how is this couture? Where are the dresses dripping in beadwork and all the other incredible, albeit sometimes unwearable, clothes? Yea. I don't know. But I love what she's done here. What did she do, you ask? Took basic pieces that everyone needs in their wardrobe, and upped the perfection factor. Here we have the most wearable haute couture I think I've ever seen. Her focus wasn't on unnecessary extras, but on flawless design.

photos- style.com. duh.

Jarrar says this collections was a "continuation of the wardrobe, of the story I've been telling since the beginning." And rightly so, her collections are all bits and pieces of a super-fantasmagorical wardrobe. One we all wished we had. In our super-oversized closets.

Dainty

2012-01-23T10:17:00.000-06:00

I'm trying out new ways to take photos in a modest way. I didn't really like the way I was doing it before. Instead of full body shots, I'm going to try to focus in on different pieces from my outfit. We'll see how that goes...
In other news, my brother bought me a new camera! Such a nice guy, I'm so lucky to have amazing family, Alhamdulillah! Oh, this is the brother that also buys, and now makes, sushi for me. Among other yummy stuff... if only I hadn't moved so far away from them! I'd be getting a Starbucks for breakfast and sushi for lunch. Oh, and my sister in law would make me the best Pakistani food ever. Wow. Can you tell I'm homesick? Or maybe I'm just hungry.

It was a bit chilly (yea I know, it was like, 60), so I layered a cardigan over a tunic, belted them together, and added a long rust colored blazer to top it off. And my trusty polka dot hijab from Hijab-ista. See, it's so easy to dress it up or down.
My shoes are my absolute favorite, a recent purchase from Topshop, the one in Chicago. The cap toe, quilted white shoe is so classic. I like to pretend I bought them from Chanel... which was basically across the street.

What I'm Wearing:

Scarf- Hijab-Ista

Blazer- Forever 21 (my last purchase, in Sept of 2011)

Belt- H&M

Cardigan- Old Navy
Tunic- J.Lee Silver

Flats- Topshop

JWu X Target

2012-01-18T21:05:00.001-06:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Can NOT wait! Jason Wu for Target is coming Feb. 5! From all the high-low collabs we've been seeing, I think I'm most excited about this one. Here's to hoping we don't have another Missoni crash...
Are you excited about this one?

Best and Meh

2012-01-18T14:20:00.004-06:00

I do apologize for not writing this sooner! Unfortunately I have this eye infection that's left me with blurry vision for the rest of the week. Hopefully it'll be gone by Monday if I'm lucky (InshaAllah).
If you were one of those people who wanted to know what I thought about the fashion at the Golden Globes, read on for my top favorites and the ones that left me saying "meh."

Best

Emma Stone in Lanvin was without a doubt my top favorite.

Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann is stunning. She does fashion so well.


Dianna Agron in Giles Deacon. The whole laser cut swan, red, ensemble is so striking. Her lipcolor and hair are perfection.

Jessica Alba in Gucci is a bombshell. How is she so glowy?!

Helen Mirren in Badgley Mischka- she always dresses perfectly for her age. Um, actually I'd wear that.

Meh

Natalie Portman in Lanvin. Um a side bustle? Really?

Frieda Pinto in Prada. The dress is so ill fitting and why. why didn't you do anything lovely with your hair?

Reese in Zac Posen. She looks strangely big. Like her hips grew. Which is cool if it's natural but it just looks weirdly out of proportion. But her face is gorg.

I feel like everyone's going to hate me for this one, but Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace is so not a favorite for me. She's so "ice queen" and rarely deviates from that look. Everyone was talking about how she dressed in something so vibrant, compared to her usual black and blush dresses, but yea no. I don't see it.

Lastly, Lea Michele's dress is so embarrassing I refuse to put the photo on my blog. Check it out here and you can see why.

Who were your favorites, and least faves?

Go Put Some Spants On!

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

Having read this on Racked I'm now obsessed with the idea of "spants," a skirt, pant hybrid. I think it's genius and so modest! Personally, I always wear longer shirts with pants, and shorter shirts with skirts. But I could wear a short shirt with spants! Ok, I'm not sure I should be getting this excited about a made-up word but I am! I think it's awesome! Take a look at a few of my favorite pieces from the Prince of Darkness aka Olivier Theyskens' latest Theyskens Theory Pre Fall collection below-

I don't know about you but I'm kind of loving this mash-up of pretty and tough going on here. I love the boots, the loose pants, long dresses and florals. The runway photos remind me of a moody teenager. But a very well dressed one. What do you think?

You Win!

2012-01-14T21:18:00.000-06:00

The winner of the Stephanie Johnson giveaway is DesiHalwa!

YAY you!

Email me- asma@hautemuslimah.com, send me your address, and tell me which pouch you decided on!

Blogger Spotlight- Mademoisellle M

2012-01-13T15:44:00.000-06:00

Comptoir de Cotonniers cardigan / The Kooples shirt / Etoile Isabel Marant trousers / Isabel Marant sneakers

Belgian blogger, who took the Turkish name Marsiya when she converted to Islam almost a year ago, is one of the most fashion-forward Muslim fashion bloggers out there. She's got an enviable selection of clothes, shoes and accessories and is always kind enough to give us a peek into her wardrobe. Isabel Marant is one of her favorites designers, and if you follow her blog, Le Blog de Mademoisellle M, you'd know this! (You might be familiar with her previous blog moniker-Mademoiselle M).

She does a great job of mixing high street (like Zara and H&M) with designer for everyday looks. She kind of embodies that laid back cool- I imagine I'd dress like her if I had the contents of her closet!

Do you guys read her blog? If you don't, you should go check it out now!

Vintage Parka / H&M fur collar / 7 for all Mankind jeans / Isabel Marant sneakers
Etoile Isabel Marant jacket / Diesel sweater / H&M pants / Isabel Marant boots

P.S. MashaAllah

More Celebs Pretending...

2012-01-11T11:22:00.002-06:00

When Celebs Tumblr

and don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a clutch from Stephanie Johnson! ends friday.

Would it Kill You to Stop Doing That?

2012-01-09T10:57:00.002-06:00

Remember this? Well, I did get published in the book: Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?
And Henry Alford himself sent me an advance copy of the book last month with a handwritten note on the first page. YAY. Not only is Haute Muslimah mentioned, the portion of the book I'm in almost takes up a whole page! I'm so excited!! Now go read the book. It's funny, I promise you'll enjoy it.

P.S. Alhamdulillah :)

Gold and a Giveaway! (Giveaway now Closed)

2012-01-06T12:51:00.000-06:00

Remember way back when, when I wrote about how I wanted a skirt from Langford Market? Well, I bought it and I love it. It's really elegant and dresses up this simple red shirt. My scarf is from my current favorite company- Hijab-Ista. I've been wearing their scarves so much I'm afraid they're going to fall apart from all the use, but they're holding up really well! The scarf is kind of ruffly so it gives you a little volume. I'm not a fan of the huge scarf look, but this is perfect for me. I added a thick bracelet from Pakistan and this necklace from InPink.

While in Chicago this past December I took my Stephanie Johnson clutch out for dinner. I mean, my husband was with me as well. It was a cozy evening with the three of us. And all my accessories.
This pouch came with a wristlet which made it so easy to carry around. I got my first SJ pouch from the LuckyFABB swag bag (there I go with my faux rhyming again) which can be seen here.

The best thing about the bags are that they're soft and you can stuff them full to capacity without them losing their shape..it's pretty incredible. In one bag I can put: my camera, phone, contact solution, all contents of my wallet, glosses, lipstick, a compact, and I can't even remember what else! Actually, I lied. That's not the best part. The best part is that the people at StephJo have let me do a giveaway of their large pouch right here! Wait! It gets even better! (I feel like Bob Barker right now). You can choose whatever print you want.

Keep reading to enter the giveaway- It's super quick and easy, trust me.

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

Click here to see your fabric choices at Stephanie Johnson!

The winner will be picked at random one week from today on Friday, January 13. (oooohh)

My apologies- this giveaway is only open to U.S. residents

But fret not, if you don't live in the U.S. or you don't win, you can still get 25% off of your order with code: hautemuslimah until Jan. 31st!

Good luck!

Oh, and you're free to follow me on twitter and facebook too... I mean, if you want.

Sunshine and Green

2012-01-05T10:59:00.003-06:00

Islamic Outfitters sent me a few things from their online store, including this gorgeous green tunic. I recently wore it for a casual luncheon with family friends. I love how soft and comfortable, but still beautiful, it is. It's so easy to throw on to dress up a pair of pants or a skirt. They also sent me an abaya, and although it was way too long, the fit elsewhere was perfect! I'll have to show you guys once I hem it. With my handy dandy sewing machine. That I bought a few months ago. And don't use as often as I should...

I'm just wearing trouser jeans from Gap which are currently THE most comfortable jeans in my wardrobe. Instead of going with the usual cream or gold colored scarf to match the embroidery, I thought I'd try this floral crinkle scarf from Hijab-ista (below)!

Overall, I really liked the way the tunic felt, and I must keep in mind for next time to iron it before I wear it. But I think I might have a slight allergy to my iron.. I don't know.. Oh, I know the material looks kind of heavy in the photos, but it's actually surprisingly light! There are also small slits on both sides of the shirt which you can see in the photo below. I know some people don't like that, but it does make for easier running. I mean, if you had to.

Islamic Outfitters is currently having a sale with 25% off of your order with code: 555. See what they have to offer, and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter for more sales and other info!

A Polka Dot TIKKR Watch

2012-01-03T10:43:00.000-06:00

Bam. See how that title rhymed? Oh yea. My mom always told me "you're a poet and you just don't know it." Ah, the confidence she instilled in me... ok fine, it doesn't rhyme but it seems like it should!

So Cory, the Chief Time Keeper over at TIKKR sent me the newest watch they have to offer. And guess what? It's a polka dot watch! Although I'm sure you figured that out from my title because you're observant like that, aren't you?

A close up:

If you're one of those people who read my blog regularly, hey you!, then you know I love polka dots. They're like my thing- I especially love them in scarves and on the runway! And this watch is the perfect addition to my collection of polka dotted accessories. If you'd like to buy one yourself, TIKKR is now selling them on their website here. What do you think? Do you like a good, solid, giant dotted watch as much as I do?

Exclusive Hijab House Lookbook: Ecuador Rose Spring 2012

2012-01-02T12:12:00.000-06:00

After building up a dynamic online presence, especially through Facebook, hugely popular Australian clothing company, Hijab House, recently launched their website to the thousands of fans who were so anxiously, and not so patiently, waiting. One of the coolest things about the brand is that they actual have brick and mortar stores in Australia! Who's with me in hoping they'll open one of their insanely fashionable stores here in America?

I'm happy to announce that I'm one of the two bloggers representing looks from the newest Hijab House collection, Ecuador Rose! Jana of Hijab Style being the other. I know I wasn't the the only one eagerly anticipating the looks from their latest collection, especially after they released the above Ecuador Rose Spring/Summer 2012 video, so when I received the Lookbook I almost fell over from excitement.

It's not so easy to find Islamic clothing that is so on trend. The styling, the actual clothes, everything is so on point and I would wear every single piece from the collection. People usually associate loose fitting clothing with dowdiness and frump, but that's not the case here.

If you're drooling over these looks, and can't wait to get your hand on them, you won't have to wait long!

The Ecuador Rose collection will be out in about 2 weeks. What what! Continue reading to take a look at the Lookbook in it's entirety, along with the prices for every Hijab House piece!

What do think? What are your favorite pieces from the collection, the ones you absolutely can't wait to own? I LOVE the Jil Sander inspired pieces, and that purple dress is insanely gorgeous!

Take a Cue from the Kardashians for NYE!

2011-12-31T14:10:00.000-06:00

I'll be back to posting regularly soon, but in the meantime, check out my latest post over at 3abaya.com:

If you're going to any parties for New Year's Eve or anytime soon, chances are you're still wavering over what to wear. I know I don't pin down a complete outfit until the night or day of the actual event. And if you have not a clue what you're wearing, I've got a few outfit ideas I'll be sharing with you in the hopes you'll find some inspiration for yourself!

To begin, let's take a cue from the Kardashians. (Who knew I'd be coming back to them for modest inspiration? Not I!) So how can you work these looks into your night?

Keep reading here...

Do It!

2011-12-30T13:56:00.000-06:00

This has been one of the best years for my blog and I have you, and Allah, to thank! You guys have seriously been wonderful readers, with your comments and suggestions, emails and support. You probably don't know how much it means to me but I'll try to explain. It hasn't always been easy to be a Muslim fashion blogger and in the beginning, I didn't know exactly what I was doing. I do consider this one my jobs, along with being a mom/wife, and freelance writer, it doesn't always get taken seriously. I put a lot of hard work into what I do, and I love it. Over the years, and with all the feedback from you lovely readers Haute Muslimah has slowly gained momentum and although it's doing really well, I want to take it further and continuously make it better. I got the excellent idea to do a short survey (from Elaine) to get to know you guys a bit more. Don't worry, it's completely anonymous, so feel free to be honest :) It'll be really helpful for the future of Haute Muslimah and help me make better decisions about my blog. So without further ado:

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Traveling in Style

2011-12-29T21:18:00.001-06:00

Check out my latest post on 3abaya.com and read an excerpt below!

How many of you are traveling over the holidays? I am! And I'm going somewhere with a completely different climate. You might think I'm going somewhere warm and sunshiny, but that's not actually the case. I come from a warm place and I'm jetting off to somewhere cold and chilly! One of the hardest things for me is packing. I never know how much to pack and always end up over-packing and still forgetting at least one essential.

Keep reading here...

2011-12-28T22:47:00.005-06:00

I hope you guys are having a wonderful break!

I'm still not home yet, but I'm back from my vacay! Can you guess where I went this winter?

KIS- Keep it Simple

2011-12-20T14:57:00.000-06:00

For more modest celeb looks, click here!

This black and white ensemble is so genius, I really don't have to break it down and explain how to "modest-ify" this as it's fairly obvious. Jayma Mays is rocking the heck out of a pleated white maxi skirt and black long sleeved shirt. I'm going to go ahead and assume you've got both of these staples in your closet.. what?! You don't? Go buy them now! These two items will take you far, I tell ya. So, how would I wear it? Instead of a tight black shirt, I'd probably switch it up for a nice silky black blouse and do a half-tuck a la Elaine. I love how simple everything else is. Would you wear it any different?

Ok, so I'm down South right now visiting my in-laws and relaxing with orange trees (that yield lemons?) and humid, warm-ish weather, and the smell of biryani permeating the air. Life's good, Alhamdulillah.

Doing anything fun this winter break? Or something ridiculously boring? Do tell!

I Love it When an Olsen Pretends She's Broke

2011-12-18T15:39:00.001-06:00

Yes. Mary Kate has upped her game. She definitely has the bag lady look going on here. "Homeless chic" is what I think they're calling it these days. Although this is a little more cray cray than normal... I think?

Phat Sneakers

2011-12-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

See those shoes? Yea so they're Isabel Marant. She's this French designer. Her clothes are like what Chloe Sevigny would wear if she were French. The clothes have this whole laid back, I'm-not-trying-too-hard, I-just-look-this-cool-normally, look to them. I want to wear Isabel Marant in my downtime. And I want to be that girl who can rock those big sneakers with no irony. Just like I want to rock those big hipster-cool glasses with irony. Ooh, perhaps together? If that ever happens, trust me, you'll be the first to know.