The Only Way is Hijab

Doubling up your Hijab/Scarf

2012-12-12T20:25:00.001Z

I uploaded a photo a week ago with me doubling up a Hijab/scarf, a friend of mine sent me a picture that same week with her styling it the same way and she looked so beautiful (ma).

I believe overlaying a scarf creates an elegant hooded shape and really suits all.

I have been doubling up for a while now and have kind of made it my signature look, it’s pretty simple to achieve. All you need to do is tie your Hijab as normal with any plain colour and then take a smaller thin rectangular scarf to drape over.

My advice would be to use a cotton Hijab underneath so the overlay doesn't slip off.

Best thing about this style is the fact you can use any Hijab/scarf to overlay. I have always been fond of silk designs but in the past never managed to style them correctly. With this look you can pick up any scarf without worrying will it cover all your hair or if it will work.

Check out below a couple of looks I have created with 2 scarves;

Black cotton hijab with a gold silk scarf layer over

Black cotton Hijab and beige plain scarf to layer over

Black cotton hijab and gold plain scarf to layer over

lilac cotton hijab with silk blue and red to layer over

brown cotton hijab with plain green to layer over

Faux Fur Jackets This Winter

2012-12-06T19:46:00.001Z

Quick blog on a last month buy of mine which I wore for my birthday J

I am not the biggest fan of the cold weather and really struggle with dressing up when it’s freezing; to be honest I would definitely always opt for warmth over glamour! However as it was a special occasion I wanted/had to make the effort.

My effort is actually the Gift of The Week (from H&M)

This dressed up piece I am talking about is the dark grey faux fur jacket with a hook-and-eye fastener, only £34.99 at H&M (click here)

This fur jacket is totally snug warm and feels incredibly soft, an item for an evening out. As the jacket is really fluffy, you really don't need to do much more to yourself, keep the outfit simple i.e. teaming up the faux jacket with some black jeans and boots would make a statement.

Other fur jackets I love at the moment are;

The Pink Rock & Roll fur coat (click here) from Miss Selfridge's (on sale now for £65) this warm colour can be placed elegantly next to beige, white and maroons.

If you want to go even more daring check out this gorgeous feather jacket from Topshop! (click here) Made with real chicken feathers this piece would be a show stopper at an occasion. I REALLY want it, but paying £90 for something I would (probably) wear once, not one I can purchase right now (fingers crossed it’s in the sale!)

My First Marriage Event!

2012-09-15T19:40:00.000+01:00

Every (well most) girls dream about her Prince Charming riding along on a horse, swooping her off her feet and living happily ever after!

Some of us assume that we will bump into him/her on a train, wedding, uni or even at work. But unfortunately that’s not always the case as it’s becoming even more so difficult to meet/find ‘the one’. Now, within the over 26’s age bracket and still using the excuse of career and travel, I do feel I have come to a point that my ‘fairy tale’ may need a little nudge.

So here comes the Marriage Event, for all those who do not know what a Marriage Event is, please see the definition below;

“A Marriage event is created for Muslims who are looking for a partner for marriage, to meet within a Halal environment”.

I have always been curious about Marriage Events as I have heard so many different stories, from Horror to Great! Someone once told me it was like a ‘cattle market’, you’re given a sticker and watched within a group while people write your number down to want a one to one. I was also told it was ‘survival of the fittest’, it’s made up of ‘overly made up people’ showcasing their beauty to attract potentials. All the above made me never want to be a part of anything like that, in fact the thought of that was my nightmare!

However, I did want to go check it out as I wanted to explore ‘all’ avenues of meeting a potential husband.

The event was held 2 weeks ago in a Hotel in Manchester and cost £25 each (although it was £15 2 days before the booking was made) - this did not include dinner (gutted!), just refreshments i.e. Twirl bites, Bombay mix, nuts etc (and water). I guess the funds went into the glam setting (as I don’t want to say out loud that the organisers perhaps are making a lovely profit playing on people’s emotions to meet someone).

My lovely sister in law decided to take me to the event and that 25min car ride was the most nerve racking ever. I guess being the first time for me, I just didn’t know what to expect. All I knew is that I would be way out of my comfort zone and the thought of meeting so many people for marriage at once panicked me! As we got close, It was really interesting trying to find a parking space as I kept spotting others who were going, which made me even more so nervous as they were in traditional outfits and I was in jeans and a casual top, I was kind of worried if I had not made enough effort for this!

After sitting in the car for a further 10mins getting a ‘pep talk’ from my friend that ‘I will be ok’ - we decided to make the run in. The lobby of the hotel was pretty quiet and we were told by the concierge to head to the 2nd floor (they instantly knew why we were there - cringe!). Heading to the 2^nd floor must have taken forever as nerves were really now at its optimum. When we finally found the room before we entered we were asked to find our name on a list and given a sticker with a number ‘I was S19’ (Sister 19) and told to sit on table 5. Both my friend and I walked in to find a room almost set like a wedding venue, about 10 round tables with mixed groups sat down. On our table there was just one guy sat there, my 2 friends and I joined him with a Salaam (the event hadn’t quite yet started) and we all sat there pretty quietly. Skimming the room, you could see everyone was quiet (just friends talking amongst each other). The event was running about 20mins late, but the room gradually filled up with the late comers. At this point our table had 4 guys and 3 girls (me included) and no one quite said a word. I guess we were waiting for a bell to tell us we could start! The table had sheets of paper of topics for us to talk about i.e. Hobbies, work and expectations on marriage. (I guess this was in case things got too quiet or maybe to patronise us because we may not have social skills). The table also had cards to write down email addresses and phone numbers if you saw someone you liked.

After 45mins (late start), the host finally did an introduction followed by a beautiful duaa on Marriage and off we went. We were told we had 15-20mins to talk and then the brothers would be told to rotate to another table! On the table we awkwardly all introduced ourselves and chatted about generic stuff, I am a natural talker so I was fine just chatting away, but some on the table were pretty quiet and I felt that the confident ones were clearly dominating the topics. The range of people at the event was interesting from a scientist, to a fireman, to someone that worked at a supermarket and groups that hadn’t lived in the UK for long. There was mixture of ages from 25 to 55? We chatted to everyone, 4 at a time for the 15-20mins slot. We also found some of the guys there was really not taking the event seriously, I felt it was almost like they was forced to go to make up numbers (it would have been interesting to know how much they paid compared to the girls, as typically the 50 girl slots were filled first and there was 9 spaces left for males at the event). I also found that everyone was Pakistani too (not that I mind, but there was definitely not a mixed group at all). I was actually sat on a table with 2 brothers who told me they wasn’t interested in ‘non Pakistanis’ (awkward15-20 mins).

After 90 mins of chatting, I was so exhausted I had forgotten what I had said to people. I could feel a headache coming on and I was also getting bored. After Magrib we had the chance to have one to ones with anyone that we liked (it was a free for all) and was really really awkward. We had organisers calling us by our numbers i.e. ‘S19 - B12 (Brother 12) wanted to talk as did B3, B21 and B17! To be honest S19 just wanted to go (didn’t meet anyone who suited me) and thought how awful that would be to talk to someone and the other one waiting on the table to chat next!

I do believe the event I attended was not great and lacked organisation and a wide range of people, I do feel that if you are thinking about going (do!), just remember to read up about the people going i.e. there are some events set up especially for professionals and specific culture groups.

I must say this is my first and last marriage event, I didn’t have the best experience, and in fact writing up about it has brought up bad memories!

My Duaa’s go out to all singletons looking for a partner, Insha’Allah you are blessed with someone amazing. Try not to worry too much as everything is written for us and I have faith in Allahs swt plans.

If anyone has any thoughts or advice on events give us a shout! i.e. do you have any ideas on how these events can be organised/done better?

Outfits in Dubai

2012-08-05T16:57:00.001+01:00

I am well overdue in regards to writing this blog! I was actually in Dubai in June and just wanted to upload a couple of outfits I wore in the 40'c heat :)

Desert Safari - Wearing bright pink in tie dye

If you have read my previous blogs, you have probably realised how much of a fan I am of Harem pants for summer! I actually bought lots from Thailand (which were incredibly cheap) in April and took them all away with me to Dubai. You can pretty much pick them up from anywhere (Boohoo/High Street and even Markets.)

For comfort/modesty and keeping cool, you really cant go wrong, they are definitely an essential for holiday wear.

I went to Dubai with my 2 beautiful sisters and had such a amazing time. Here are a couple of the outfits I wore.

Henna with Sisters in Desert Safari

Dinner at The Atlantis - Double hijab and gold hand band

Jumeirah Beach Road - Wide linen trousers

The Atlantis Aquarium - beige and white

Souk Madinat Jumeirah - blue & white

I <3 Bukhoor - very casual in yellow and blue

Boat trip on Dubai Creek and shopping in Dubai Mall

Atlantis Dubai

A lot people tell me how they are not the biggest fan of Dubai (due to the lack of culture left), to an extent I do agree however you can't take away how beautiful the Emirates have made it! If you do have the chance to visit, make sure you check out the places I have mentioned and take time out to see Abu Dhabi (you will find amazing culture there!).

Shiekh Zayed Road

Arab Kaftans for Sale

2012-06-24T18:48:00.000+01:00

This is a long anticipated blog; sorry it took some time to upload.

I think today is an exciting day for ‘The Only way is Hijab’. We are now beginning to sell some of our stunning finds and hidden treasures online.

Our first set of special gems, I have been personally picked by myself and flown over from the UAE. We have a small number selected to understand interest levels here, so it is a first come first served set up. However, I have now got access to an amazing supplier, so we will be sending more over in August Insha’Allah if the demand is there.

My range is inspired from Arab tradition and of course the way Kim recently rocked her dress in Dubai!

One size fits all, the dresses come in 2 layers, an under garment long dress and a layer for the embroidered design.

Arab Boutique - 7 designs

Kim and Mom in Peach and Purple

So let me showcase the range…

1. Purple with Silver embroidery

2. Salmon/Peach with Silver embroidery

3. Royal Blue and Silver embroidery

4. Fuchsia Pink and Gold embroidery

5. Dusty/Pastel Green with Silver embroidery

6. Blood Red with Silver embroidery

7. Sky Blue with Silver embroidery

Full Range

In regards to price, each dress will be on sale at an introductory price of £150 (excluding P&P).

I am in the process of setting up PayPal, waiting on authorisation in the next couple of days. In the meantime if you like any, email me direct on theonlywayishijab@gmail.com and I can hold some on reserve.

If your not interest in purchasing at this present time, please give feedback if this is something you would like in the future as we will ordering more in.

Printed trousers - for when summer comes!

2012-06-18T18:51:00.003+01:00

Sorry for being a bit AWOL on the blogging lately. There has been a lot going on personally for me, with work/career, decorating and other stuff (as well as Euro 2012!) - but hopefully I should be back on it now :-) Nadyah has been off in Dubai/Bahrain so she'll have some cool stuff to blog soon too, and we'll have some dresses on sale for you guys!! Exciting stuff. But for now, I wanted to show you my new find! Admittedly we can barely call British weather summer, however there are the odd days where the sun peers through, so it's nice to have the option to add some colour into your summer wardrobe, and I'm loving printed trousers lately. There are plenty of printed leggings and skinny jeans available, however, it's harder to find looser options. These from River Island (£30) are amazing - loose fitted and light enough to keep you cool on warm days. During the day, open toe flats or wedges are perfect. In the evenings, heels work.

I've matched with a white blazer I had made in Thailand (cost around £90 for blazer and trousers). If you wear hijab, a plain one would balance the print well. Choose any bright colour - especially a green or pink which matches the trousers. I'm on the lookout for more printed trousers, so give me a shout if you find something cool!!

Baggy Hareem Pants

2012-05-21T20:12:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post about my baggy Hareem pants I bought from Thailand last month.

I am the biggest fan of these trousers and will always big them up! They really work to cover you up and also look pretty funky/stylish.

They have been creeping into the high street, but I reckon they would be really easy to make or request to make from any Asian store as they are pretty much the trousers from Asian suits.

Had a little research on-line, and found La Redoute do some stylish ones (not as baggy, but pretty modest).

Boohoo (click here) however have really impressed me they have a brilliant range, they actually replicate the ones pretty similar to Thailand.

The orange one is a bargain for £12! (note with printed pants, I would always go for a plain Hijab!)
My outfit is literally;

Plain beige shirt top from Primark (£4 and in store now), black Hijab with a beige scarf drooped over.

Wearing a long black top under Primark shirt.

Brown leather jacket from Zara.

Beige heels from Aldo.

Brown leather clutch.

Now that it's (just) starting to get hot, for any of you who are not a fan of maxi dresses and skirts, this is a great substitute.

Boohoo Orange Hareems - £12

Boohoo Printed Hareems - £20

Hareems From Thailand

I bought loads of hippie pants from Thailand, I will upload them as and when I wear J – Look forward to having a bright summer J

Arabian Kaftan Dresss

2012-05-07T20:33:00.001+01:00

I am sure you ladies have seen the latest trends of long Arab dresses now popping up in the UK.

I was in Bahrain last month and came across this number which I recently wore for my friend’s wedding.

Yellow Arabian Dress

Full View

Detail of Dress

I absolutely adore this dress; the colour I went for was a sunny yellow J which suited my tanned skin. There are so many different colours to choose from, in fact I kinda regret not grabbing the hot salmon dress too.

You can’t really see in the image in this photo, but I teamed it up with sparkly Gold Heels from Aldo and layered up 2 H&M hijabs, cream and gold. Also had the matching gold clutch (of course) to match the shoes ;-)

The dress comes in 2 layers, undergarment which is a simple plain yellow cotton kaftan and the overlay which is thin 'see through' this has the detail. Under the dress I wore a thin long top to cover arms. Due to the time restraint I was unable to have the dress altered with longer sleeves, this can easily be done.

I do think the colour and style does give the wow factor and I will be grabbing more when I have the chance.

In fact I am actually going back to Bahrain next month and will be bringing a few back to sell in the UK. I will upload the range for all those who are interested.

If you have a special request in regards to colours, let me know and I will make sure I bring too.

Kim Kardashian in Arab Dress

Hoping to start selling in July 2012.

Thailand – Stunning Beaches and Beautiful People (over 50% in Phuket are Muslim!)

2012-05-02T21:38:00.000+01:00

Having only been back for 3 weeks, I am still grinning about the amazing experience I had in Thailand! What a place and should be a ‘must go’ on everyone’s list.

Patpong Night Market - Bangkok

My adventure started with meeting Nooreen in Bangkok! We spent our first evening haggling at the busy Patpong Night Market where we managed to grab stupid cheap deals on all sorts of goodies! It’s amazing how much a price can drop if you’re determined; it’s also good/fun banter with the locals! (on a negative - I did end up being 12kg OVER my weight allowance coming home! But the extra compensated on the stuff I got! – I am very pleased and will blog some outfits I got too.)

At the Market I opted for very casual kaftan from Dorothy Perkins and matched up with brown linen shawal gamese pants (don’t be afraid of splitting up your Asian outfits) The trousers are perfect for hot weather!

For the visit to the temples, I opted for blue 'light' denim jump suit from Zara and a light white cotton sweat top. Perhaps because I am tall jumpsuits suit my shape and help me to remain cool, plus they are really comfy to explore in. Jumpsuits are one of my signature outfits!

Nooreen and Me - Bangkok

Zara Jump Suit & White sweat top

In Thailand we managed to visit a number of temples which were amazing! The monks were brilliant; they were really sweet and welcoming. I also found it really refreshing how they made sure all tourists were covered and wore no shoes when entering. Reminded me of visiting a masjid.

a Young Monk and Me

After Bangkok, I headed off to Phuket (south Thailand) whilst Nooreen ventured North.

Me in Phi Phi Lake

Phuket is beautiful with beaches like you have never seen! You won’t be disappointed at all. If your thinking about going to Phuket I would recommend to stay at Karon or Kata and where possible try not to stay at Patong (vibrant and brill for a chill, but not a very family friendly overnight stay). We did do a stopover on the PhiPhi island (where they filmed The Beach (Dicaprio) and scenes of Jurassic Park), this Island was one of the best I have ever seen!

Muslim Thai Women on Scooter

In Phuket, you won’t be disappointed with food at all as the majority of restaurants are Halal. It was really amazing to see so many Muslim Thai people. It was defiantly a pleasant surprise and really inspirational watching Hijabi sister’s belt down the roads on their scooters. I found the Thai people good fun but also peaceful/respectful. They have defiantly adopted a great balance of remaining devotional and enjoying their lifestyles.

Big Buddha - Phuket

Phi Phi Island

Plan your Thailand trip very soon as I feel you will miss out if you never get to visit <3

Our View: Hijab is Not to Protect Men, But to Honour Women

2012-05-01T18:42:00.000+01:00

Hijab is Not to Protect Men, But to Honour Women - pretty interesting article I read just now. Very relevant in an age where there are many discussions going on in Europe and around the world about the hijab being a sign of oppression... that's already skewing non-Muslim perception of Islam and women, but this article focusses more on how the MUSLIM perspective is being skewed. It's becoming more of a common misunderstanding in Islam that the hijab is a sign of a pious sister, and that if you are not wearing one, or not dressed in a way that is deemed Islamically appropriate, that you are tempting guys away from their deen.

And if have that perspective WITHIN Islam, what's sad is that reinforces other perspectives outside of the 'Muslim world'.

It's might seem like a very subtle difference, but the purpose of the hijab is about 'protection of women’s physical safety and presence from men, not the protection of men’s spiritual state from women.'

Men should stop blaming uncovered women for any deficiencies in their deen, and women should stop thinking that they need to cover to help the men stay on their deen.

I think only once we have that clear in our heads, as Muslims, will the rest of the world start to understand. Otherwise we end up re-enforcing skewed perspectives.

Just some food for thought :)

Thailand - perfect beaches, scuba diving, sunsets, elephants, tigers, mountains and motorbikes

2012-04-25T20:57:00.003+01:00

Thailand blog! Sorry for being a bit AWOL lately.. literally flew in from Thailand last Monday and headed straight into the office, and then spent the weekend finally recovering!

But what an amazing place Thailand is! Me and Nadyah both spent part of the holiday together, then she and her sister went one way and me and my friends went another. We were in Bangkok together. Such a vibrant city, so much to do, see and so incredibly cheap. We were getting full body massages every other day for £3 a go, dinner would be anywhere between £1.50-£3 and snacks from the supermarket would ring in around 20p. I got a tailored blazer custom-designed and suit trousers all for around £80 (what would normally cost £500+ in the UK).

Below are a couple of pics. The first few are from the hotel - what amazing views! I am wearing a Gat Rimon jumpsuit from ASOS - jumpsuits are great for warm weather as they are still quite loose but cover you. This one is silk, so more suitable for evening wear than daytime. The print pattern is pretty cool too - big fan of prints for summer! Nadyah is wearing an orange kaftan top from Dorothy Perkins, and her trousers are actually shalwar kameez! See how you can be creative :)

Nooreen wearing Gat Rimon printed silk jumpsuit, Nadyah wearing orange kaftan from Dorothy Perks and shalwar kameez trousers

On the balcony again

View from the restaurant on the rooftop of the hotel in Bangkok

Shirts are also good for covering up in hot weather. You can throw these over vest tops if you are wearing a hijab too. Mine's from Gilly Hicks, which is owned by Abercrombie, bought in America, but you can get similar from Abercrombie or Hollister.

Playing with the tigers! Wearing Gilly Hicks shirt and Topshop trousers

Thailand is full of amazing culture. The temples are amazing in terms of architecture and it was interested to learn about Buddhism. There are a lot of similarities between it and Islam, and it was cool to see Buddhists praying in the same way we do, with their head to the floor in the sujood position (although of course, we don't pray to statues in the same way they do). Also, in terms of the way they live their lives - e.g. they believe suffering is inevitable, similar to the way we believe we all face tests in life. Both religions teach how suffering can be avoided and we can find 'true' happiness by not dwelling on the past or focusing unnecessarily on material things. Below I'm wearing Zara boyfriend jeans - I wouldn't normally want to wear jeans in such hot weather, but these are really loose to the point where they almost feel like harem pants. They aren't as thick as normal jeans so they worked quite well.

Zara boyfriend jeans and New Look blouse

Also wearing a green Thai skirt while in the Grand Palace!

Buddhists praying

After Bangkok, we headed to the islands – Nadyah to Phuket and the Phi Phi islands (where the Beach was filmed) and me to Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. Koh Tao is famous as a scuba diving destrination, and I got my open water license which was simply incredible! A lot of ethnic people seem to be afraid of the water(!!) and I’m by no means the best swimmer, but I’m so glad I overcame any kind of fear of water and did it – the corals and fish you see down there are beautiful!

Sunset in Koh Tao

Then headed up to north Thailand - did a Thai cooking course, rented motorbikes, drove up the mountains, went on elephant rides, saw some waterfalls and we were also lucky that it was Thai new year. To celebrate, as it’s a ‘cleansing’ festival, they celebrate with a huge 3-day water fight on the streets. Nowhere else would it be acceptable to throw a bucket of water on a passing stranger! After having the same happen to me – while actually riding a motorbike – I had no mercy! Any and everybody got soaked!

Was an awesome trip.. we'll be posting up some more pics soon, and Nadyah will be posting up a blog too. If any of you are planning any holidays, we'd love to hear your outfit ideas - especially if you are going somewhere hot. We're also both excited about summer - always presents more of a challenge in terms of dressing modestly than winter, so we'll have plenty more blogs with summer wear coming up... once the weather brightens up!

Holiday Clothes

2012-03-26T21:40:00.015+01:00

Nooreen and I are jetting off to Thailand this Friday (inshallah) and we are so excited! I have been shopping for my holiday and can't wait to blog my outfits when I get back. I thought it might be cool to share my outifits/ideas from my last holiday in Dubai.

I must admit I am not a fan of ‘really high’ temperatures as it can be a nightmare to dress in. I opted for linen most days in Dubai. These trousers I am in love with, my brown linen Aladdin style gamese hareems! These are great substitute for a skirt as they hide the shape which allows you to pair up with a shorter top.

I Struggled to find hareems in linen online (those trousers were bought years ago from France). However I looked online and found these stunners! (click here)

This whole outfit above is ideal with a thin black top underneath to cover arms, it really hides physique as well as look updated and elegant.

The Hijab I am wearing is actually a sarong which I have double tied lightly with a thin piece hijab, its a pretty light fabric and helps my head to keep cool.

My second outfit is a kaftan top (one of my favs), this is thin/light and worn over a thin top looks modest. I have paired this up with black linens and double tied a hijab. These tops are hard to find so I have scoped a few out; I am loving Colleen's range (click here) and Next (click here). The colours are awesome!

Pairing kaftans with linen trousers and thin sweat tops really works, its splashes so much colour and perfect for beach weather. The challenge however is findig a thin top to wear underneath. The tops I have are actually from the UAE, they are pretty similar to 'Skin' tops sports people wear under football tops (see here). Primark and Sports direct tend to have them too (Look out for them).

Saving the best till last – here comes the Maxi Dresses! These are suited to all and are now bursting in the high street. The trick with them is to find a matching thin top for under and a dress long enough to hit the floor (for all the tall ladies like me, Miss Selfridges and Mango tend to have really long dresses), if too long use a loose belt to pull up slightly. Boohoo at the moment have a great range, I am loving the orange (click here) and patterned (click here). Both are under £30!

Hope some of the ideas have helped some of you with planning your holiday wear! Look out for our Thai blog in a couple of weeks :)

Happy Holidays

The world we live in: black boy murdered for wearing a hoodie... woman murdered for being Muslim

2012-03-25T10:26:00.000+01:00

We've just seen a black teenager murdered in Florida for 'looking suspicious' - carrying a bottle of ice tea and some skittles - because he was wearing a hoodie. And in shocking and disgusting news, now an Iraqi woman has died in California after being found beaten up with a note left next to her reading "go back to your country, terrorist".

In the same way that Trayvon Martin looked like many of the kids running around innocently anywhere in America or in London, Shaima Alawadi looked like any of us. It may or may not have been her hijab which put her up as a target, but it's sad that institutional racism clearly still exists, and Islamaphobia clearly exists.

Shaima was a mother of 5 and it's heart-breaking to read about both of these stories in our news. It's even more heartbreaking to see that Trayvon's killer has not even been arrested yet - will the same injustice happen to Shaima, and then over and over again?

People are so quick to share a pretty video about a killer in Africa, but when there is clear injustice going on in their own back gardens, it's dismissed. I urge everyone to share this information so people are aware of what is going on in this world we live in - ignorance is not bliss.

Read full story at the Huffington Post
Sign petition for Trayvon Martin

Skincare Part II - Sensitive Skin

2012-03-21T21:22:00.000Z

Nadyah wrote a nice little post the other day about moisturisers and I just wanted to add to that. I've always had problems with buying moisturisers as my skin is super-sensitive. Anything I put on it - it reacts. That's turned out to be a blessing actually, as I've always stayed away from using foundation or heavy make-up, which in turn has always allowed my skin to breathe and stopping it from clogging up. I rarely get spots, but do often get dry skin and psoriasis, especially in winter.

How do I manage this? Natural products. I am a true believer in looking after what you put both in and on your body, and anyone who really knows me knows that I am crazy about natural products. For example, in terms of haircare, I could (and will in a future blog post!) write about how ingredients in most of the shampoos and conditioners that you see in the shops are actually harming the health of your hair (especially if you do not have straight hair!!), and I've become obsessive about reading labels on products. In terms of face products, I normally use a moisturiser, a night cream, an eye cream and my only rule is keep it as natural as I can.

I LOVE Neal's Yard Remedies. Their products are mostly organic. For the last couple of years I've been using not just their moisturisers, but also their face serums which are amazing (serum goes on before the moisturiser). They are quite expensive (£40.50-£43.50 for 30ml) but you only need the tiniest bit each morning and it feels amazing on your skin. I've tried the Wild Rose Beauty Elixir, the Brightening Serum and I'm currently using the Soothing Starflower Daily Essence. The Wild Rose one is probably my favourite, but to be honest they are all great.

They have a great selection of moisturisers too - their Wild Rose one has an SPF of 30. I've always struggled with sun protection as the chemicals in most of them do not go well on my skin - especially on my face - so this is perfect. Sun protection IS important, even for us brown-skinned people, and not just when we are on holiday. And for nighttime, their Beauty Sleep Concentrate is amazing to replenish your skin while you catch up on your zzzs! I would definitely invest in a night cream as well a daily moisturiser as your skin does a lot of healing at night, and needs something thicker.

I have also used Neal's Yard's eye creams and gels, but they are relatively expensive and I've found others which seem to be just as effective - I'm currently using Green People's version here.

If you have sensitive skin like me, just take a look at what you're putting on your face. Read the label. Anything you find in Superdrugs which promises it's great for sensitive skin probably has a bunch of chemicals in it - just try going natural and see if it makes a difference :)

Skincare – Potions & Lotions

2012-03-18T20:13:00.009Z

Choosing the right moisturiser for some girls can be such a difficult and frustrating decision! Sitting happily in the late 20’s category, I have found myself everyday becoming paranoid about dark circles and fine lines! Alhamdilah I do think I have nothing to worry about as often or not people think I am in my early 20’s (whoop! Best compliment a lady could ever get!).

I worked in skincare for over 5 years (part-time), and must have tested and trailed every brand from ‘Witch to Lancôme’ to ‘Vaseline and Bio-Oil’.

I do think when you are in your late 20’s that it is really hard to find something which suits, as you don’t want anti-wrinkle creams as they literally stretch/pull your skin (which can’t be a good thing!).

However you do want to catch any premature fine lines and perhaps slow down the process of ageing skin.

I must say the skincare creams I swear by are Boots No7! It’s the only stuff I use as I find it so luxurious.

I use the -

No7 Protect & Perfect – Beauty Serum (click here) £19.50

Reveal younger looking skin with No7 Protect & Perfect Beauty Serum. This powerful blend of protecting and renewing ingredients helps reduce the appearance of pores, smoothing lines and wrinkles in 4 weeks.

Yes! It works; I have watched expression lines fade because of this! I use this day and night before I moisturise, all you need is a dollop the size of a 5p coin and smooth over the areas that make you paranoid. Skin serums are amazing and I do think they are a must! I remember when working at Boots years ago how the serum was out of stock for ages as the shelves kept getting cleared! I don’t think it was anticipated how much of a success the serum would be.

Next,

No7 Protect & Perfect – Day Cream SPF 15 (click here) £21

No7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream visibly improves fine lines and first

signs of ageing and now contains ultra UV-Ageing Protection.

I LOVE how this feels on my skin, it’s so creamy and light, the danger here is using too much at one time, it can’t be helped as it feels fab!

Lastly…

No7 Protect & Perfect – Night Cream (click here) £22

No7 Protect & Perfect Night Cream helps to provide hydrated, smoother revitalised skin

At night I can smoother my face with this! You must go into a Boots store and try some on your skin, the texture is immense. It feels like a treat every night!

Note – at Boots they do 2 types of protect and perfect creams, one is an intense one (gold), avoid this as it’s for an older lady so wouldn’t suit a younger group. If you are in your early 20’s I would say keep it simple, literally ‘Simple’ (moisturiser), as there is no need to indulge quite yet (enjoy your youth!) ;-)

Also remember No7 are always on 3 for 2 and if you’re lucky you can have a £5 off voucher too! So be tactical when buying! You can get a an awesome offer at the right time!

NYC Part II: Standing in the spot where Malcolm X was assassinated

2012-03-05T20:46:00.001Z

Not too much fashion in this blog - but hopefully interesting to you guys nonetheless! Those of you who live in London may have heard about the biggg Malcolm X event at SOAS University two weeks ago – it was insanely packed out, with hundreds of people lining up outside, not able to get in. The chair of the event was on the Board of Directors at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial in New York, which is sited at the Audubon Ballroom where he was assassinated. I've previously been to the Malcolm X Masjid on another New York trip on 116^th street in Harlem, but as I was heading to NYC anyway a few days after the talk, I had to stop by the Memorial.

And what an experience! Standing in the spot where Malcolm X gave many of his speeches and where he last stood was pretty surreal. Malcolm X is such a big figure in both black and Islamic history, and he often doesn't get the credit he really deserves. If - at all - his legacy is taught in history classes at schools, it's normally as a contrast and comparison to the non-violent teachings of Martin Luther King - an unfair mis-focus on his true and final beliefs. But to be standing in the building where he spoke his final words was both incredibly empowering and humbling at the same time.

When we walked in, we met Paul who was working at the front desk. Once he found out we were from London, he left his post and offered to show us around. He first took us outside and showed us the ballroom from the exterior – where historical photos show the famous sign that has since been torn down. The building itself was close to being completely destroyed after Columbia University brought it, but eventually agreed to preserve part of it. Paul also showed us the park across the road, where police would normally gather every time Malcolm had a speech in the venue. Significantly, on the day of his last ever speech, there were no police to be seen. Go figure.

Historical photo of the outside of the ballroom

Inside, in the moments before his death, he stood onto the stage and greeted the crowd, there was an altercation somewhere in the crowd. While everyone's attention was caught, others took their opportunity to shoot at Malcolm.

Standing in the spot where Malcolm X would give his speeches from

Malcolm being carried out on a stretcher after being shot

I had taken a friend who works with me, and who didn’t really know much about the Malcolm X story but Paul broke it down to her - everything from his association with the Nation of Islam and what they believed in, and the part of his life where he realized the Nation leader Elijah Muhammad had been sleeping with other women and had fathered many children, and then his conversion to sunni Islam and the El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz part of his life. For anyone who hasn't yet read Malcolm X's autobiography, I urge you to - his story is simply fascinating.

Artwork inside

From the 'Freedom Sisters' exhibition that is currently running

The Malcolm X mosque - this was originally a Nation of Islam mosque where Malcolm preached, but later became a Sunni mosque

It was an awesome experience and something a little bit different from the typical tourist spots on a NY trip... anyone ever visiting the Big Apple.. I highly recommend it. They also have an exhibition called 'Freedom Sisters' running at the moment, all about the women who made an impact on the fight for freedom from slavery. You may know about Rosa Parks, but there are other women such as Harriet Tubman who escaped slavery but then made the trip back south to free her family and then others, and C. Delores Tucker who was the first female and first black secretary of state. Slavery may not exist in the same way as it once did, but civil and human rights are still an issue in many communities and societies, and we can learn from both these women and the incredible life of Malcolm X.

Betty’s a good Muslim woman and wife. You see, Islam is the only religion that gives both husband and wife a true understanding of what love is. The Western “love” concept, you take it apart, is really lust. But love transcends just the physical. Love is disposition, behavior, attitude, thoughts, likes, dislike – these things make a beautiful woman, a beautiful wife. This is the beauty that never fades.

- Malcolm X – The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Making black and white interesting..in NYC :)

2012-02-28T13:04:00.004Z

Hey guys!! Blogging from America’s East Coast right now J I was in New York for a few days for work (my company’s HQ is in NYC…handy!!) and now I’m visiting a few friends in Connecticut for the rest of the week.

Always love NYC! Reminds me a lot of London, and I love New York for the same reasons – the diversity, the great spots to eat, the fact something is always going on.

There will be a part II blog about NYC in a few days, so this is a pretty quick one - with two outfits I've worn actually using the same top but in two different colours (black and white/cream). They are probably the most boring tops - plain batwing tops from Topshop, £16 each - but it's interesting the different ways you can make them a bit more exciting. I couldn't find the tops online on Topshop's website, but I've seen them instore at every one I've been to the last few weeks. The first outfit I've paired them with bright trousers (also Topshop) and men's style work boots from H by Hudson from Office. They are on sale but almost sold out in all sizes, but these you can get in almost any shoe store. Real leather if you want a bit more quality or there are some you can get for around £25 too. Perfect for walking around the city! You can match black with literally anything, so play around with different colours - red, green, beige... really easy.

This one I've added a statement piece of jewellery. I actually bought this necklace in Cairo in Egypt a couple of years ago for a few pounds - it's the type of thing you'd be paying £15+ for from TopShop. But you can see something simple changes an otherwise very basic outfit. This was the day I had to go into the office so I am wearing low black heels to finish off.

Here are some other cool necklaces you can try:

Spike collar from Topshop

Woven scarf necklace

ASOS Statement Pearl and Jewel choker necklace

That's all for now - I'm about to head out skiing for a couple days in the mountains!! But will blog again in a few days about some other really interesting I did in NYC!

My Laser Eye Surgery – 22/02/12

2012-02-25T19:16:00.005Z

I just want to say massive thanks for all the best wishes over the past couple of days, it was really appreciated J

I am pulling a 5min blog about my experience and my thoughts so far.

4 days ago I underwent laser eye surgery, alhamdililah I am feeling great today J

I have been wearing glasses since I was 11 years old and started to wear contacts once I hit 16. Being the only person at home that needed glasses has always been pretty rubbish. I do think for people who wear glasses we only understand how sometimes simple things like running, swimming or even going away can be a task. I have also never felt confident in glasses as I didn’t think I suited them.

Anyways, it’s all behind me now. It seems so strange at the moment to walk around and to be able to read from so far, I keep bench marking myself next to anyone to see if my vision is better (lol. It’s pretty amazing!) I am still really overwhelmed.

For anyone who is thinking about having Laser Eye Surgery, my advice is to ‘go for it!’ I will be pretty honest in how I found it;

The actually surgery was sooooo easy and I shockingly didn’t feel anything, I must admit I am pretty much a chicken when it comes to pain! But the procedure was over under a minute. In the room there was the surgeon, 2 nurses and a hand holder (she is optional, I had her holding my hand 15mins before I was to go in! awkward Lol.) You lie on a bed and they basically put a plastic ring round your eye (nope, not a clamp like Final Destination 5) all I was told to do was look at a red light, 19 second later left eye done, same again with right, 23 seconds later, I am sorted. I couldn’t believe that was it. I plonked on Ray Bans and hugged my hand holder. I was too chuffed! I could already see and I was texting everyone. Lol.

Also on the day I just want to note the little community spirit from the patience, being a naturally chatty person, we were all given each other a pep talk. It was so funny to watch people go in and out and give each other a high five! The support is amazing. This is a whim, I met a 21 year old Asian guy who was a student who went in before me (22^nd February Manchester Optical Express - 1420), if anyone knows him get him to give me a shout, I am dying to know how he’s doing!

Anyways… after was when the horror story started (please note when reading this I am a chicken and have a really poor pain threshold!). The advice given is to sleep straight after as the atheistic fades out. Unfortunately I was messing about for at least 3 hours before I hit my bed. And I will tell you what, I have never been through so much pain ever, it felt like I had a ripped contact lens in my eyes and had been punched, my eyes kept watering and I couldn’t open them. It was very dramatic. Lol. I am not one to cry but I was sobbing because I could not see!! (My little sister was like my angel as she really calmed me down as I kept running into walls, I couldn’t relax), it was awful and took forever for me to sleep.

The next day alhamdilah I was ok, apart from feeling like I had a hair in my eye it got better. I went to see the optician and he said everything was perfect! He tested my sight and I have 20:20 vision!! I have been told to carry on with the drops and come back next week.

I must admit I do have red eyes (as in blood shot).I have been hiding in doors as I feel like a virus carrying zombie but that should clear in a couple of weeks. I am also not allowed to wear eye make up for 2 weeks (being a worrier I won’t do for 8 weeks to play it safe). I am starting to realise a lot now and I am going to start taking care of my vision more, as I think once it’s repaired you realise how much of a special gift it is!!

Please let me know if you have any questions and I am happy to advise more.

Will keep you updated on how I go xxx

Hats & Stripes

2012-02-15T13:28:00.026Z

This seasons latest look has to be stripes, they have been popping up everywhere in the high street. I'm loving them because they are great at making you look taller and slimmer :)

Check out these stunning Beatle Juice trousers, they are harem cut and satin fabric. I have matched this up with my black leather jacket and a blood red Hijab to splash in some colour.

The black stripe trousers are actually available now in River Island (Click Here) for £30. I think this is great night outfit as it is both bold and full of character, I really love it :-)

The next outfit was a little experiment which I am not quite sure about; I have always wanted to wear a hat with a Hijab but never quite found one that I can pull off? My head seems too big! I probably would wear hat in London as I am not sure Manchester is quite ready for such a bold look. I must admit I feel I may have the Hijab wrong as it possibly clashes with the jacket and the hat. I do think its a little risky teaming up a striped jacket and hat - I guess its all trial and error.

The Navy Stripe blazer is again from River Islan

d as is the Blue Belt trim trilby hat (click here) for £15. (click here) for £55.

What are your thoughts about Hats on Hijabs?

See the iconic Kate Moss look;

I kinda love it and is what I am aiming to create.

Here are a few more examples I love, I do think it’s a hard look to pull, but done

right it can look amazing. I will be blogging a summer hat look in the not so near future. Look out for this :-)

Hijab’s, Hair Loss & Frizzy Hair

2012-02-10T17:40:00.032Z

There is a massive misconception of girls believing that the Hijab cause’s hair loss and thinning. I’m coming up to my '10 year Hijab anniversary' and I personally don’t believe this is the case. In fact I would say wearing a Hijab has helped to protect my hair from elements such as the sun, wind, air, rain, pollution, styling chemicals, mousses, gels and hairspray... this list could go on. It’s a shame that I hear girls using this in one of the reasons ‘they do not want to wear a Hijab’ :-(

I must admit I find wearing my Hijab all day can sometimes make me feel flustered and restricted, so as soon as I hit my home the first thing I do is take it off and take my hair down. After a long hot day this is the best feeling ever :-) (freedom!)

I do feel it is extremely important to when possible let your hair down (in the right environment of course) as it helps to relax your head and lets the air hit your scalp.

For all girls who are worried about any kind of hair thinning or general hair maintenance, I have pulled together some hints and tips on how to style your Hijab and ‘awesome’ products I have tested from around the world that can help;

In regards to daily Hijab use I suggest the below;

• Avoid piling lots of fabrics - this increases pressure on the scalp which could possibly lead to thinning, hair loss and patches – for a special occasion great! But daily wear I would say keep it simple.

• Pulling your Hijab tight - although it looks stunning, try do this once in a while, as this can cause thinning at your partings.

• Try wear Cotton Hijabs day to day - for work I wear the lightest fabric ever and I try tie this loosely, I do this because I want to be comfortable and I also want to make sure I am not creating permanent partings by pulling too tight.

• No one ever sees under the Hijab - so it doesn’t matter how your hair is tied, use scrunches rather than bands to bun your hair as they don’t rip your hair out.

• When possible remove your Hijab and let your hair sit free - crocodile clips are perfect to tie your hair day to day at home.

For ladies who have concerns about hair i.e. thinning, patches, loss or even wellbeing. I must say I have tested and trailed so many different items as I myself have a love/hate relationship with my locks and have been through a stage of my life when I did experience my hair falling out (bad times).

First of all let me say I was way at the back of the line when god distributed tamed hair. I am the perfect example of 'John Frieda Frizz-Ease before model and nicely fit into all hair products labelled 'hard to manage, unruly, dry damaged, brittle, frizzy and stressed'. (Lol. Ok maybe I am being a tad harsh on myself) but yep I would say I am not a fan of my hair (I blame my parents, I have African and Middle Eastern heritage, so some sisters may understand my pain. Lol).

I have a number of products which I promise has worked wonders for me;

Thicken your hair

Whilst in a Bahrain salon, an Arab lady shared her secret on how the Emirate women manage to keep their hair thick and volumised. They use ‘Mane 'n Tail’ (click here) – this is a product used on horses which is also sold for humans too. This has worked wonders for me and has thickened my hair (read reviews on this, its brilliant and I would 100% recommend if you have concerns of your hair thinning ) the price is great and it actually had a shout out on the 'Kardashians' when Khloe tried it. This will inshallah help your hair to become volumised and thicker. Truly recommended in the UAE & I love it too!

Receding Patches

Sometimes hair partings can get too comfy and we often find that hair stops growing in certain parts. A lovely Thai lady told me that FRESH Aloe Vera plants help alot, use the juice from this to rub in your parting/scalp. I had a plant for years and every couple of week’s used to snap a bit off and pump the goo onto my scalp (no, I am not kidding!) Did it work? I would say it did help as it stopped my parting from settling in one spot and it’s allowed hair to carry on growing, this is something to share with your brothers too as the Thai men really rate this for baldness. You can get aloe vera plants from any garden centre, it makes a beautiful house plant as it’s handy with burns too.

More Aloe Vera - My sister who lives in the UAE actually brings me back aloe vera hair mask called Fashkool. It is fab for moisture, I try and use this as often as possible as it keeps my hair frizz free. Look out for any products with Aloe Vera it is definitely an amazing magical potion.

If you visit Dubai grab a tub (click here) – (its a shame can’t be bought in the UK).

Frizzy Hair

I am going to be bold! Everything available on the high street has never really worked for me; I know I am the extreme subject with harsh cave-woman hair. But I have spent lots on designer brands and I never seem to create the same look as the girls from the commercials.

Exciting times though - I was in Miami last summer snooping around beauty shops when I bumped into the most beautiful Latina girl ever, her hair was (ma) perfect, curls of what I could only dream about. I had to tell her how amazing she looked, when I told her she smiled at me and told me that she was a ‘curl consultant’ yes her profession was all about taming curls! I spent a good half hour complaining about my sorry excuse for curls and she gave me a list of products I must try!

Ladies please meet the ‘Nexxus’ range from the U.S! This is the most amazing hair shampoo & conditioner I have ever tried and you can buy it online in the U.K (click here). I promise you it has made my hair soft, moisturised and shiny. After a shower I can allow to dry naturally and the curls remain intact. It is a must try. I reckon the curl consultant has literally changed my confidence as I am now more than happy to ‘whip my hair, Willow style'; at any (all girls) party. I will carry on using this shampoo as it helps to calm my mane.

One last product as a day to day top off…

Is Himalya Hair Protein cream (click here), this helps de-frizz day to day and again another supplement to help with any hair loss. I have used this forever and I do believe has helped maintain good strength and condition.

Please girls don’t ever hesitate to get in touch if you have any concerns’ as I am more then happy to help you as much as I can in maintaining your mane. This blog could go on forever as there are so many other hair products I love.

Also if you know any great products which helps with hair loss, frizz or even something awesome, please let us know :)

How do we fix our Muslim communities?

2012-02-05T19:26:00.004Z

I've been meaning to write this blog for about a month now.. sorry it's taken so long but it's definitely a subject I feel strongly about and think we all need to take more notice of. When I was in California over Christmas/New Years, and the previous times I've been there, I've come to realise exactly how different it is to grow up as a Muslim here (the UK), compared to there. I wrote up a status on the Facebook page about how they get the youth involved, and the way people are able to balance their deen but stay integrated into society.

To be very honest, I grew up loving God, but having little interest in practicing my religion. We feel forced to go to learn Quran, when all we want to do - as 7-year olds - is play on our bikes with our friends. We're taught to read Arabic, but understand nothing. We're in a class of around 25 other kids, and are lucky if we get 10 minutes of one-on-one recitation with the 'teacher'. If we're naughty, discipline is being smacked by a snooker cue. We go to Jummah and the khutbahs are all in Urdu (except the money collection plea at the end - always in English). Our Islamic schools are not built with strong 'education' methods as the base. I read an insightful article recently about how the high prison rate of UK Muslim youth is blamed on out-of-touch Imams, which sums this up quite well (link at end of blog). And that's something, sadly, that I've seen firsthand.

The fact is, we grow up in a very mixed environment, where going to the pub/club is the norm. Friends start drinking age 14 on the streets. Boyfriends/girlfriends and drugs are a part of life. But all of these things, we do not talk about. Not to the Imams, and definitely not to our parents.

I went on a two-weekend 'Quran in English' crash course last Ramadan, explaining its themes, topics and stories. It was quite possibly the best Islamic education I've ever had, but I had to wait 22 years. Why were we not brought up being educated that same way? And why are there not more of these kind of events? What was shocking was the teacher was telling us a story about how he had set up a similar youth class in a masjid. But the elders who ran the mosque were so frustrated about the young people being around, making noise or talking - you know, being normal teenagers - that they told him to move his class to a local youth club instead.

Anyway, I thought this was the way it was everywhere. It was only over the last few years as I've been spending more time with my family out in America that I've come to see Islam working differently over there. Let me try and sum up the contrast:

Imams/leaders who are in touch with the youth: Take Imam Suhaib Webb as the perfect example. Here you have someone who used to be a hip-hop DJ. He converted to Islam and now uses his experience to relate to the issues that the youth are going through now. This is the person leading the masjids and community - he was born into the same lifestyle many of us have grown up around. As well as that, how about female role models, such as Yasmin Mogahed? We have so little female inspirations in this day and age. We need more people in tune with the youth over here leading us - not someone who's fresh off the boat with an old-school mentality.
Islamic infrastructure more than the traditional masjid: We need both mosques and organisations that provide a place for young Muslims to interact, learn and relax with each other in a halal environment. Organisations such as the Ta'leef (http://www.taleefcollective.org) and the MCA (http://www.mcabayarea.org) in the Bay Area do just this. They actually set up events and programmes, so it's not just a place of worship in the traditional sense, but a way to really engage with Islam as a way of life. These type of places, as well as others including prison outreach programmes, are the way that these communities are bound together. People become more open-minded and include everyone in society - those of different races, cultures, socio-economic backgrounds and more. None of this: 'I don't go to that mosque.. it's a Bengali one.'
Don't be scared to talk about sex: My cousin and her husband in Cali have actually set up an Islamic radio station, 'One Legacy Radio', which addresses the very issues that we are afraid to mention. With shows covering everything from family matters, relationships and divorce, youth issues, the seerah of the Prophet, fitness and popular culture. There are debates and even 'Real Talk', a show co-hosted by Imam Suhaib Webb, where all of the typically 'taboo' subjects are a go - whether it's sex, pornography, drugs or racism. The fact is, we need to be more open about these subjects - something, culturally, a lot of us are not used to. Only then are we able to acknowledge and overcome the challenges our society and the future generations of Muslims face. As well as radio, they are soon expanding into other areas of entertainment, so stay tuned in. You can check them out: http://onelegacyradio.com or on FB: http://www.facebook.com/OneLegacyRadio

What I see as a challenge, and a necessity, is for more communities to follow these models, to be innovative, to understand the youth and to reach them at their level. The fact is, we can be Muslim and at the same time be integrated into society. To put it metaphorically, Islam is the perfect content. It's the marketing that's outdated.

Here are a couple of useful/interesting links:
One Legacy Radio: http://onelegacyradio.com / http://www.facebook.com/OneLegacyRadio
A support network for revert sisters: http://www.facebook.com/SOLACEforrevertsindifficulty
Article: High Prison Rate of UK Muslim Youth Blamed on Out Of Touch Imams
If anyone has any other links to share, leave a comment or email us and we'll add them in.

Winter picks: Oversized Knitwear (Part 8 of 8)

2012-01-30T13:44:00.009Z

I think this year (although I may be shooting myself in the foot as I am freezing today) has been quite a mild winter; I haven’t been stranded once by snow nor have my fingers turned blue. I am bit gutted though as I invested in some funky wellies and bought 3 new coats. Lol.

An item of mine I have been living in at the moment is my ‘Heaven Sent Laddered Knit’; I purchased this from Bank in November for around £32. The reason why I am in love this top is because it can compensate as a oversized cardigan (with no buttons) this means whilst shopping you don’t need a jacket.

The top also keeps you warm/cool whilst indoors due to its laddered knit. I teamed the top with a fitted turtle neck jumper underneath or a thin sweater depending on day.

I have been on a little hunt to find the top for you girls as they are no longer in store. I found this maroon one online for only £15 which I really want; however they are out of stock - I am going to keep a close eye in case more come in (click here).

I have found some similar buys:

Loving this;

ASOS Oversized Pocket Front Knitted Jumper

Now £22 - Perfect for full cover.

And for Spring this Slouchy Kimono Top from Warehouse (£35) is excellent, great colour and light fabric!

May I also just add that I bought the Hijab I am wearing in the photo from Central London (3 for £5!) from a random store (I can’t remember where but there were quite a few rails of the same offer at a number of shops.) I think I was being a bit of a snob when I saw the offer as I was convinced the fabric, size and quality would be poor - however I am made up with how easy it is to style and how great the fabric is! I regret not getting more (this is a major hint to my London friends to bring me some up! Lol). I don’t think you can ever have too many block coloured hijabs as you never know when they will come in handy with an outfit.

Girls – please always let us know if you know other places that sell blocked scarf’s for dead cheap.

Please check our previous Winter Pick blogs:

Part 7: Cape Sweaters
Part 6: Head Bands & Hijabs
Part 5: Mixing leather and shearling
Part 4: Winter picks: I Heart Ponchos
Part 3: The (Faux!) Fur Coat
Part 2: Cape, Mac and Snood jackets
Part 1: Our Top Winter Picks

Winter picks: Cape sweaters (Part 7 of 8)

2012-01-22T19:25:00.000Z

Although we've had some sunny days, but it's still bitter cold outside! I don't think we'll get higher temperatures for a few months yet, so here's part another of our winter picks.

This time it's my favourrrite dark grey cape sweater from New Look. Have had several friends asking me where the top was from when I've been wearing it - both my Muslim hijabi friends, and also non-Muslims. I got this in the sale just before Christmas so they may not have it still, but there will be similar things in-stores! Nadyah blogged about a cape coat previously here and ponchos here - there's a reason this shape keeps popping back up... super super modest!! AND super stylish. And super easy to wear. I've worn mine here with New Look trousers and New Look brown heeled boots (I think you can guess I like New Look!!).. on another note, my hair seriously needs cutting :S

Apologise for the quality of this pic, but I took this last night. I switched up the pants and swapped the completely dark look with some blue trousers (bought for £10 in the Topshop sale last week!), so you can see how you can create different looks quite easily. Keep an eye out in the sales right now for similar styles as there's still a lot of Autumn/Winter stock (bought a few more bits and bobs in the Topshop sale today..)

If you've missed them, check our previous Winter Pick blogs:

Part 5: Head bands on hijabs
Part 4: Winter picks: I Heart Ponchos
Part 3: The (Faux!) Fur Coat
Part 2: Cape, Mac and Snood jackets
Part 1: Knitted cardigans and cable knit jumpers

Hijabi on Holiday

2012-01-16T13:33:00.016Z

We have hit 2012 and I have 25 days worth of holidays to take (Good times!) I have already scheduled in Thailand in April and will try going on a cheeky trip to Dubai at some point too :) and perhaps throw in Morocco :)

I must admit I am truly missing the sun this year, normally I am well adapted

for winter, but I really need to get away soon!

Once upon time when asked 'what was my favourite season?' I would be more than happy to pick winter over summer, when it’s a cold day I actually have a little smirk. Why? Because when it’s cold it’s easier to dress. You can always pile more layers to keep warm, but when it’s hot there is only so much you can take off to stay cool :(

For some of my Hijabi sisters out there, sunny holidays can be the most difficult/anxious time of the year, especially visiting somewhere hot; it can be hard to remain cool when covered.

I went to New York in July last year and temperatures hit 36’C+. It was extremely sweaty and unbearable.

The colours I opted for were whites and beige; I always kept my hijab a simple tie to remain cool.
My life saver must have been my 'floral baggy pants', for me harem pants are a special gift for modest girls. They are very in, look cool and trendy and are baggy as hell! So you can get away with a shorter top. A cute baggy long sleeve linen top worked a dream (keep an eye out for these in Primark this Spring) with some simple flip flops.

Personal Tip - Teaming a floral Hijab up with floral trousers/top, is a major no. If the trousers are jazzy, it needs to be a plain Hijab, if the trousers are plain go all out with a jazzy/loud and proud patterned Hijab.

I also adore jump suits! I think for hot weather these are extremely practical (until you need to nip to the loo of course.) They have some amazing ones in Zara (which I believe are starting creep back into the high streets for Spring/Summer) and even in the local market. If you team

them up with a fitted top underneath it can literally be a life saver on a hot day. I have

noticed that the ‘sales’ have cleared room for summer wear – I am getting too excited now. I wi

ll definitely blog in more detail closer into summer about how to remain cool and modest i

n heat and my best summer picks :)

One more thing – just want to give a massive shout out for NYC, Masha’Allah what a city! The people are amazing with so many Muslims too; I can’t tell you how many times someone openly gave me salaam; Halal places were also at hand too. Definitely somewhere I would visit again and would 100% recommend to anyone as a place you must see!

Jay-Z and Beyonce, Islam, the perception of women.. and how they all fit together!

2012-01-14T18:08:00.002Z

Just some quick thoughts I had. No matter how integrated or disconnected we are from mainstream media, undoubtedly, we will have all have heard of Beyonce. And Jay-Z. And now Blue Ivy Carter, their little girl, born a few days ago. Congratulations to them, she is of course a blessing from Allah.What’s actually interesting is Jay-Z announced in a poem he wrote that he is going to stop using the word ‘b!tch’. My first thought was how in Islam (read: Islam, not in practice/culture) for a women to ever be regarded in this way would be a great sin. After all, some of the most pious people in Islam have been women – everyone from Maryam, the mother of Jesus (peace by upon him), Khadijah, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), Asiyah, wife of the Pharoah, and Fatima, daughter of the Prophet.

We’ve had female scholars, we’re taught that heaven lies at the feet of our mothers and we’re taught not to flaunt our bodies and assets for the world to see, but instead to preserve and protect ourselves. We're taught that we are equal to men, that we can have our own lives, our own incomes, careers and more.

I can appreciate in today’s world and when culture has to some extent overtaken Islamic principles, women are not always seen in this light, but still, when I compare what Islam teaches about how to treat women and what we see in the rest of the society, I can honestly say I am glad we have an alternative view.

But going back to my original point, Jay-Z realising the status of a woman and publically announcing this is a great thing – as it’s announcing to the entire world something we as Muslims already know and realise. The hip-hop world (and as hip-hop has grown, the rest of society too) has long been known to undervalue woman. Jay-Z's made mistakes in his past when talking about women in his music, referring to them in derogatory terms, but the fact he has now matured enough to make this assertion can only have a positive impact on society going forward. I sincerely hope that as a cultural icon this is the case (whether we should be following Jay-Z as much as we do is another issue entirely).

Anyway, that was just a point of realisation for me… to appreciate what we are taught about women and to smile at the fact the rest of society is finally catching up =)

Read the full poem:
“Before I got in the game, made a change, and got rich,/ I didn’t think hard about using the word B—-./ I rapped, I flipped it, I sold it, I lived it/now with my daughter in this world/ I curse those that give it./ I never realized while on the fast track/ that I’d give riddance to the word bitch, to leave her innocence in tact./ No man will degrade her, or call her out her name/ the women won’t despise her and call her the same./ I know it’s gonna miss me/ cuz we been together like Nike Airs and crisp tees/ when we all used to hang out front/ singing 99 problems but a lady ain’t one./ Excuse me miss, can I be your mister/ cuz I can tell the difference from a little girl and a sister,/ She never grew up, her father left her alone/ I promise not to talk like we used to/ until Kingdom Come./ I’m so focused on your future,/ The degradation has passed/ I wish you wealth, health, and insight/ forever young you may pass./ Blue Ivy Carter, my angel.”