Work Style: What I Wear

It seems like ages since I've posted a Polyvore set on the blog! This set basically shows what I wear to work.

I've been mixing up my outfits, and swapping my usual abaya for maxi skirts and blouses/t-shirts as the weather gets a little warmer. I know this outfit may seem really casual, but I do work in a primary school, so casual and comfortable is the way to go! I'm slowly building up a collection of Converse and cardigans as I pretty much wear them everyday. Stretchy bead bracelets are an easy way to accessorise without adding too much. I like to wear a mix of different ones and stack them up with other bracelets (usually ones that I've made) =)




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Review: Hijab Obsessions Jersey Hijabs

A couple of months ago, I ordered a few jersey hijabs from Hijab Obsessions. Hijab Obsessions make each of their hijabs by hand and have such a wide variety of colours and styles available. I ordered the Burgundy Shimmer hijab, Teal Shimmer hijab and the Maxi Black hijab. I've never actually worn jersey hijabs before so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to try them out as well as purchase some new hijabs (and clear out some of my more worn out ones).

The maxi hijab is huge! (obviously it's in the name). Everyone needs a plain black hijab in their collection and I think this is my staple. It's large enough to wrap around twice and create as many folds and drapes as you like. The jersey is super soft and stretchy, and it's not slippery, so it can be worn without an underscarf. This is a great hijab for winter as the material isn't thin and will keep your head and neck warm. I liked this hijab so much that I ended up purchasing the Lavender Pot Pourri printed maxi hijab at Smoky not Smudgy this year!

The shimmer hijabs are so pretty! Perfect for special occasions as well as for everyday wear, they aren't too shiny and provide just that something extra to what would otherwise be a simple outfit. The shimmer is subtle and is throughout the hijab so there is always a little sparkle as you move. An underscarf is a must with the shimmer hijabs as they are quite slippery and need the underscarf to keep it from moving out of place. The jersey material is also soft and smooth and great for creating drapes and folds. As the shimmer is in the actual material, it doesn't feel rough or itchy which is definitely what you don't want from your hijab!

I'm still experimenting with ways to wear jersey hijabs. I like that jersey hijabs don't need a lot of effort to style as they can simply be wrapped around and pinned with minimal fuss. Perfect for work (and those lazy days!). I'm looking forward to ordering a few more once I've cleared some space on my hijab hanger =)



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An Evening in Barcelona [OOTD]

I only managed to get one decent OOTD picture whilst on holiday! As it was pretty hot in Barcelona, I didn't want to layer up too much so I paired a maxi dress with a lightweight blazer and a thin hijab (wrapped around once and without an underscarf). I didn't take any jewellery with me (totally forgot) and only had my sunglasses as an accessory (which were in my bag).

This was taken at the top of the Arenas de Barcelona Shopping Centre =)

 

 Maxi Dress - New Look

Drop Pocket Blazer -  New Look

Bag (Nica) - TK Maxx

Hijab - Green Street

 

What do you think? Any tips/ideas for outfits in warmer climates (than the UK)? =)



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OOTD and EOTD: November Wedding

I attended a wedding a few weeks ago (Saturday November 3rd to be exact) and have only just managed to edit the pictures and do a blog post. I decided to wear the royal blue farasha (which I wore for Eid ul Fitr in August). The loose fit of the dress meant that I could layer up with a long sleeve top worn underneath to keep warm.

OOTD (at the end of the day)

Henna and Accessories =)

 

Paired with the same nude heels and the same silver clutch, I decided to go a bit brighter with my eye makeup. Seeing as I've forgotten to re-order my contact lenses, I was stuck wearing my glasses for the wedding (not exactly the best look, seeing as they have a brown frame). I used the True Colour eyeshadow quad* which comes from Avon's Arctic Goddess collection, appropriately named for it's release this month. There are four decently pigmented eyeshadows and although the colours are not usually ones that are associated with Winter months (I usually go for more warmer and deeper colours). I decided to make use of the quad and paired the darkest shade with Toasted (from UD Naked palette) over the eyelid and used a mixture of the lightest colour in the quad and Sin (also from UD Naked palette) as a highlight on the inner corner.

EOTD (photo credit to my sister) =)

Bear in mind these pictures were taken at the end of the day (around 7pm) after having applied my makeup at 11am so you can see how well it lasted over the day. I used the ELF studio eye primer as my eyeshadow base which works well for me, although after it's finished, I'd probably invest in UDPP to see if there's a difference =)

*pr sample

What do you think?




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UnderMyAbaya: Winter Warmer

Haven't done an UnderMyAbaya post in ages! This one is inspired by the lack of sunshine and warm weather now that it's nearly winter here in the UK (just waiting for the snow to arrive).

 

AX Paris Patterned Sweater / Warehouse Straight Leg Jeans / New Look Buckle boots / Dorothy Perkins Bangle / Topshop Scarf

A cosy and comfortable under abaya outfit that's perfect for keeping me warm whilst not looking like I've got too many layers on (not that that's a bad thing). A knitted jumper dress/top worn with a pair of straight leg jeans that are tucked into the knee length boots (to avoid the whole soggy and uncomfortable trouser hems that are always a result of typical British weather). Accessorise with a simple bangle and a printed hijab to add something a little different and bring the whole outfit together.

It's easy to put an abaya (and probably a coat aswell) over the top of this outfit, and avoid looking too bulky.


What's your perfect winter outfit?



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OOTD: Eid

This is the outfit I wore for Eid! A gorgeous blue farasha with some (very heavy) diamante work on the neckline. I love the loose fit (it comes with ties on the inside to give the outfit some shape) and the flowiness of the material (it comes fully lined which is a major plus!). I wore minimal accessories, with only a few stackable rings and a silver clutch. Started off the day in nude heels, but for the evening I wore flat sandals as we were having a barbeque =)

[I also wore this outfit for my Graduation in July =) ]


How did you celebrate Eid, and what did you wear?




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Hijabi Threads + (semi) OOTD [review]

Last Saturday I popped down to the Hope for Syria fundraiser, which was held not to far from me. The first stall that I came across was Hijabi Threads. I had been meaning to purchase a few of their hijabs from their Facebook page as I love the prints and they have reasonable pricing (+free p&p), but unfortuantely never got around to it. The first one to catch my eye was the Miss Ethnic Mix hijab and I didn't hesistate to buy it. I am gutted that I didn't pick up the Black Paisley maxi hijab (or the taupe version) though and will definitely be purchasing this in the future.

The Miss Ethnic Mix hijab is a blend of different patterns, from polka dots to paisleys, and the main colours are neutral (beige and black) but with hints of blue and orange, making it a very versatile scarf as it can be worn with a number of outfit colour combinations. I wore this hijab paired with a simple black abaya to a blogger meetup (we had a lovely picnic!). The weather was pretty hot that day, and this hijab was a great choice as it is very lightweight and thin, making sure that I didn't get overheated throughout the day. It was also easy to style (I added folds into my hijab style for the first time, and they didn't slip/fall out) and the lightweight fabric made it easy to drape.

photo credit to MangoWhirl =)

The Miss Ethnic Mix hijab is a standard size hijab, and I found it to be large enough to provide enough coverage at the front and back. I think this will be my new 'go to' hijab (I've already worn it 3 times this week alone) =)

Check out the Hijabi Threads facebook page here =)



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Hijabi Tip: Glasses and Hijab

I have to say that at the moment, I wear my glasses more than contact lenses. Mostly because I can't be bothered with putting lenses in, taking them out, cleaning them etc. so glasses are just a quick and easy way to make sure I can actually see where I'm going! Wearing glasses with hijab can sometimes be a pain as the arms of the glasses are squashed between the back of your ear and your head, leaving you with a headache/earache and a not very comfortable hijab. Also, if your frames are wide from the front, they can create a gap, which may mean that the odd hair will come loose.

Here are some idea's that have worked for me (and can also apply when wearing sunglasses). Let me know if they help =)

Wear your glasses over your hijab. Now I'm talking about after you've pinned under the chin/wrapped the hijab around once, then put the glasses on and carry on wrapping your hijab. This way the arms of the glasses are not in direct contact with your skin (so no more pain) and there is no risk of any hair showing from underneath. Also, this style makes is a lot more practical if you have to remove your glasses as they simply slide back in. Perfect for when it's raining and you need to wipe your glasses in order to see again!

If you're not keen on wearing the glasses over your hijab, then I would most definitely recommend wearing them over an underscarf. I use tube underscarves as they don't need to be tied at the back of the head, and again don't cause earaches. They are also a lot easier to put on as they are pretty much a supersized hairband. Simply wear the underscarf first and make sure that your ears are at least partially covered (so that the glasses don't touch your ears/head) and then wear the glasses. Wrap hijab as you normally would.


Here is a few hijab tutorial that I've come across which may also help =)





Any other tips that you'd recommend for glasses wearing hijabi's?



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Hijabi Tip: Earrings

As a hijabi, it's pretty difficult to wear earrings when your scarf has to cover your ears. Luckily, there are some great hijab tutorials where you can wear earrings and keep your ears covered. I love these styles for special occasions, such as weddings and for Eid. Check them out below =)

Alz786uk - Hijab Tutorial/Style with Earrings

Marafy- Back to School Hijab Tutorial


Sabrina from Slice of Lemon




Amenakin's Hoojab tutorial for earrings, glasses and stethoscope (can also be adapted to a regular hijab)


Or, if you don't really like wearing earrings, turn them into hijab pins by attaching them onto a stick pin with a jumpring =)


If anyone else has links to tutorials for hijab styles with earrings, then link them in the comments below and I'll update this post regularly inshaAllah =)




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Helay Scarves [review]

[Note:Picture Heavy Post]

If you follow me on Twitter, you would have seen my tweet two weeks ago (16/2/2012) about recieving the Adora scarf that I purchased from Helay scarves. Helay scarves is company which is currently based on Facebook. They handstitch all their designs and provide a customisable service where you can order a scarf in different colour's or different types of fabric. The collection is small but I think it's perfect considering that each scarf is handmade. All scarves are 200x60cm.

There was a bit of a problem with the shipping (it got sent back to Helay) but good customer service meant that they were able to send it back to me within a few days (with plenty of emails going back and forth). I love that the scarf comes wrapped in tissue paper and with lilac ribbon along with a Helay sticker. (You might be able to tell that I love pretty packaging) =)

Onto the actual scarf. The Adora scarf is made of chiffon with a paisley and floral design, and has 3 layers of ruffles sewn onto one of the shorter ends. I love that the ruffles are all different designs and fabrics, with a layer of lace ruffles, a layer of the patterned chiffon scarf and the final layer in a simple patterned cream colour.

One of the long sides is overlocked, but not roll-hemmed, unlike the other three (as seen above) and this is great for those who like to fold the scarf a little before wearing it. I simply use the roll hemmed edge and wrap around. The fabric is sheer and quite slippery which means that I have to wear a full tube underscarf with it in order to cover my hair and make sure it stays in place. Also, I found the width to be a bit small in order for me to get my usual amount if coverage at the front, although it makes up for this with the long length. This means that by adjusting how I wear my hijab (draping the scarf more at the front when wrapping around the head for the second time) I can get the coverage that I want.

worn with a lace headband to compliment the lace ruffles

plenty of coverage at the back

I think this will be a great scarf for the summer as the actual scarf is very light, with the ruffles being quite heavy (which also means that the end of the scarf won't blow away) and I would wear this scarf when going out for an occasion, meeting up with friends, or going out for a meal. Would be perfect on a warm Summer evening, paired with a simple abaya/maxi dress and a few bangles.

You can check out the Helay facebook page here =)

Which of their designs is your favourite?



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