Dubai Holiday Haul =)

If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter, you'll know that I went away to Dubai at the end of August with one of my best friends. Along with enjoying the sunshine (up to 40^oC) and food, we also did plenty of shopping! I mostly picked up gifts for others, but I did treat myself to a few bits and pieces. And here's what I picked up!

Starting off with a little Jo Malone fragrance purchase in Duty Free.

 

Taking advantage of the Sephora store that was across the road from the hotel at the newly opened Beach Mall near JBR. Face masks to try out as well as a new felt tip eyeliner.

 

And I couldn't resist a trip to Bath & Body Works. Yes, these 3-wick candles weighed a ton, but they were on offer (3 for 160AED, which roughly works out to £26. A bargain when they were 90AED if bought alone!). My favourite scent (and a repurchase from last years trip) is Mahogany Teakwood.

I also bought myself a purple beaded kaftan, which I am hoping to wear for Eid Ul Adha inshaAllah
 (more pictures to come then).

Anything in particular that you'd like to see a more in-depth post on?



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Hijabi Tip: Style Up an Abaya

So this is actually something that I recently discovered, and it's basically layering sheer tops over an abaya. At the moment there are all these lovely, flowy, chiffon blouses that are in style and they would be perfect for Muslimah's to wear, if only they weren't see through! So, I thought instead of wearing them underneath my abaya, why not wear them over the top, thus adding a little extra something to my usual outfit of a standard plain abaya. This might not be ideal in the winter, when you want to wear as many layers as possible (a lot thicker and warmer than chiffon), but it would be great once the weather starts warming up a little, and we can get rid of the layers on cardigans and jackets.

If you read MangoWhirl's blog, then you might have noticed in this blog post, that I'm wearing a red/burgundy colour sleeveless blouse, which I left unbuttoned on the day. The top is actually jersey at the front and chiffon at the back, with lace inserts on the shoulders (which was covered mostly by my hijab).

Here are a few blouses that I've found online, but there are a lot more available, depending on what colours and styles you like. I personally prefer the sleeveless blouses with a lower drape at the back =)

H&M Sleeveless Blouse / Dorothy Perkins Lace Shoulder Shirt / Dorothy Perkins Black Sleeveless Top/

New Look Rose Black Polka Blouse / Mango Chiffon Contrast Shirt / Dorothy Perkins Black Bird Long Sleeve Top

What do you think? Will you be trying this style with your abaya?



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September Beauty Haul

As P10P:TakeII finished a few weeks ago, I have been buying quite a bit more in terms of makeup and skincare (and just general bits and bobs). Although, in my defense, I have used up more products (which will be revealed in the September Empties post at the end of the month) and therefore needed to restock as well as try a few new things. And here's what I bought!

 

Soap & Glory Flake Away travel size (Boots - £2.50). I bought the travel size tub to test out the Flake Away scrub after reading Aalia's review on her blog Hijabi With Style (check out the review here). I seem to be getting more dry and flaky skin as well as ingrown hairs, so hopefully this scrub will help with reducing the ingrown hairs and removing dead skin.

Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Face Mask 10ml (Boots - 99p). I had a Boots Advantage Card voucher which gave me 150 points when I bought any product from the Boot's Tea Tree & Witch Hazel range, so naturally I picked up the cheapest one there. And one can never have too many face masks!

Dove Deodrant Beauty Finish (Boots - £2.45). Standard deodrant. No explanation necessary =)

 

Dermalogica Top Performer Collection (Dermalogica - £20). I had a face mapping skin analysis at the Dermalogica in Westfield Stratford to see if I should be making any changes to my skincare routine. My skin is dehydrated, I have an oily T-Zone (mostly on the nose) and I have hypo-pigmentation on my cheeks.The sales assistant recommended a few products, however I have had bad expereinces when changing my skincare routine in the past (thanks to eczema and sensitive skin) so instead of buying the full size products I bought the Top Performer collection. This is a set of travel sized products and she also kindly gave me a few samples to take away as well. I'll be trying this new routine out over the next few weeks and will blog any findings =)

Garnier Olia Hair Colour in Golden Brown (Superdrug - £6.99). A new product in stores, which is a permanent hair colour that doesn't contain ammonia. From what I've read, the formula is oil based, rather than water based which means the dye works a lot better (in simple terms) and is less damaging to the hair. Picked up the golden brown shade, but I have no idea if it will show up on my dark hair.

MAC Satin Finish Lipstick in Twig (MAC - £14) [rubbish lighting=no picture]. I went along to the Glamour Beauty Power List Live event at Selfridges in London earlier this month, mostly because I have't been to Selfridges in ages. Tickets were £10 and redeemable on any beauty purchases made on the night. I only picked up a lipstick from MAC, and I'd describe Twig as a 'my lips but better (and more pinkier)' shade. I would have also picked up the new limited edition Vaseline in Pink Bubbly, but unfortunately the ingredients list states wine extract, so I put it back.


I also purchased a few non-beauty items this month, including an abaya and flat lace shoes (as seen in this OOTD post). A few other items include a sweatshirt from David & Goliath (perfect for the autumn weather) and a blazer from New Look (it was on sale) =)






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OOTD: Eid Gathering

Every year, I attend the annual Eid Gathering, which is organised by members of different families, and it is basically a way of us as a family (and a community) getting to know one another and to keep in touch as well as enjoy a meal. This basically means that I am in some way related to every single person that attends (which is pretty cool) even if I don't know who they are (I'm sure we have a mutual family acquaintance somewhere). The kids get given Eid gifts at the end and there is also a raffle for the adults, and it's a nice way to spend an afternoon as it might be the only time (other than at weddings) where I would meet these family members. And this year's Eid gathering was held yesterday and so I thought to show you what I wore to the lunch =)

The abaya is Bisht style (I think) and I love the brown border on the cuffs and neckline. It's made of a soft jersey fabric, but because of the cut and style, it doesn't stick to the body and therefore makes it extremely modest. I paired the abaya with a pair of lace ballet flats from New Look and wore the matching hijab in a simple wrap with a few folds. The only accessories were my side bag (again from New Look) and the F21 gold stackable rings. Simple yet stylish!


What do you think?





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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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HFW May 2012: Day 5 - Special Occasions

Theme for Day 5 is special occasions! Just because we wear hijab does not mean that we can't dress up for special occasions. Here's my special occasion outfit, which I wore to the Smiles Better dinner, hosted by Islamic Help and Pearl Daisy (more on the event in another post). I kept the accessories minimal and simple, as the abaya is pretty blinged out with the pink diamantes and ball chain detailing. I love this abaya as it's one of those really loose free size abaya's with a belt on the inside. It's made from satin and is loose and flowy, which just makes it even more suitable for the occasion =)

Abaya and matching scarf: Gift from a friend

Shoes: Satin Ballet Flats (Debenhams)

Bag: Accessorise (tucked away in the bottom left corner)

Rings: H&M

Check out the rest of the outfits from HFW participants here




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HFW May 2012: Day 2 - Favourite Hijab

So the theme for Hijabi Fashion Week Day 2 is to create an outfit inspired by your favourite hijab.

Now, my favourite hijab has to be this one. The Pearl Daisy Princess Rafi hijab. I love the colours and the paisley floral design, not to mention that pretty much goes with most (if not all) of my abaya's and outfits. It's the essential black hijab that's just a little different. This hijab can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion/event. The size is perfect, not to wide or narrow, nor too long/short. And it's not too stiff or heavy, which makes it great for wearing during Spring time (and possibly during Summer, especially if it's a typically British one!). This hijab has been worn so many times that there are little holes where I have continuously pinned the hijab down in the same place (it's one of the signs of a favourite hijab!).


And here's a quick outfit that was put together this morning =)

[photo credit to my sister]

Princess Rafi Hijab: Pearl Daisy

Purple Stripe Abaya: Green Street

Rings: H&M

Lace Ballet Flats: Deichmann

Sunglasses: Primark

Check out the rest of the outfits from HFW participants here and check back tomorrow for Day 3 =)





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HFW May 2012: Day 1 - Leaders in Hijab

Hijabi Fashion Week May 2012 has officially started and the theme for today is Leaders in Hijab!
So, what leadership roles do I have, and how do I dress for them? Well, you may know that I'm planning on becoming a teacher i'A, and as a way of preparing myself I'm currently a volunteer at a local primary school. As a volunteer, I don't have the authority and power of the teacher (or the headteacher), but I still have a significant role in the classroom to be a good role model. Obviously, working with younger children, it's a lot more appropriate to incorporate colour and prints into an outfit as this makes you more approachable (and less official looking, I think).

And here's my outfit to represent the theme =)

[photo credit to my sister]

Hijab: H&M

Lace band: Green Street

Blazer: H&M

Abaya: Queen's Market, Green Street

Satin Ballet Flats: Debenhams

Spotty...Mini Brooch Pin (on right side lapel, but can't be seen): Dramafree

Sunglasses: Primark

You can check out outfits from more HFW participants here =)




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(semi) OOTD: Wedding Guest

I still didn't manage to get a full shot of my outfit from last Sunday's wedding, but here are a few pictures which I posted on Instagram, including the accessories, henna and eye makeup =)

Bangles and Clutch Bag

Henna and Clutch Bag

EOTD: A simple purple look

 

If anyone else is on instagram, my username is asmaa17 if you want to see the rest of my pictures =)



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Hijabi Tip: Jumpers and Sweaters

I don't know if you've ever had this issue, when you want to wear a jumper/cardigan/sweater but the sleeves on your abaya means that your arms look bulky and it can sometimes be uncomfortable.
Easy solution? Wear a sleeveless, t-shirt style or bandeau style maxi dress, which can be worn over a basic long sleeve top if you want/need arm coverage. Because of the sweater/jumper no one will know whether you are wearing an abaya or a maxi dress. You could even pair together a maxi skirt and long sleeve top (check out MangoWhirl's blog post on 3 ways to wear a black maxi skirt for inspiration and idea's).

Below are some outfit's that are inspired by the maxi dress and jumper combination =)

Bandeau style maxi dress and a cropped jumper:

Vest/sleeveless maxi dress and a cropped jumper:

Long sleeve t-shirt maxi dress with 3/4 sleeve jacket:

Just a note: If the maxi dress is made of a jersey fabric, make sure to get a larger size so that it doesn't stick to you (and thus doesn't show your body shape) =)



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Wishlist 2011

It's that time of year again when there are plenty of pre-Christmas sales going on, and the post-Christmas sales are just over a week away. Last year's wishlist only contained two items, in comparison to this one which will be quite a bit longer.


So first is the Lush Ultrabalm. I asked for sample when I last went into Lush and have been using it on the eczema around my ears. So far it's working well and is less greasier/oily than the product I was previously using (High Moisture Hemp Balm) which is definitely a good thing, seeing as I'm applying it near my hair line.

Next on the wishlist is the Black and Brown Ruffle Abaya, or the Black Long Sleeve Maxi Dress from Sophia Jennah. I've been looking for a long sleeve maxi dress for absolutely ages, and I think either one of the two designs will be perfect for wearing on a daily basis. Also, there is currently 15% off everything until 2nd January so what reason is there not to buy it (apart from the fact that I am on a student budget and currently broke).

Something that I have been looking at for an absolute age is the Philosophy 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath. The scent that really appeals to me at the moment is the Vanilla Birthday Cake (unfortunately they don't have one that smells like chocolate!). Currently priced at £14 (480ml), I have decided that I'm going use up any bath products that I already have before purchasing this one.

Another item on the wishlist that I am on the lookout for is a pair of wedge boots. As you probably know by now, I cannot walk in heels to save my life. So I thought maybe a wedge heel would be better suited, as it gives a little extra height but stays flat on the ground. Not sure exactly what kind of style/colour I am looking for, but I'm sure I'll have fun looking around.

A product I am still in two minds about is the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I know that this palette has been out for quite some time, and I'm not sure I want to buy it because I have numerous neutral/brown eyeshadows which look similar to the ones in the palette. Having said that, I think it would be ideal for travelling because all the colours are in one palette and can easily fit into a small space. Do you think the Naked palette is a necessary purchase?


So that's all for this year's wishlist, although I'm sure that I'll think of a few more things (and maybe edit this post later on). Have you got anything on your wishlist at the moment?



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HFW Nov 2011 - Day 6

Date Night

I'm not married, so this is an outfit that I imagine I would wear in the future (although my style/preferences may have changed by then).

HFW Nov 2011 Day 6 by chocoholic-hijabi

I would keep things simple wearing a pale coloured abaya with a silver hijab. I love lace because to me it just represents elegance and femininity, so this lace cardigan/jacket is great and matches with the cute lace clutch. Girly glittery ballet flats (assuming I haven't learnt to walk in heels by then!) and accessorised with a statement flower ring. Perfect for a (future) date night =)

Date night outfits from HFW participating sisters can be found here =)



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HFW Nov 2011 - Day 5

Eid & Formal

So this is an outfit I wore for Eid last year (see this previous blog post for what I wore this year for Eid-ul-Fitr). I also wore this outfit for a wedding (or some kind of formal gathering) so this is one that best represents what I wear for occasions =) (and it's one of my favourite!)

Abaya - Cuckoo Fashions

Black Hijab - Green Street

Shoes - Unze

Bangles - Green Street

Ring - (unknown)

It's a two piece abaya with a plain abaya underneath and a (sort of) beaded overcoat (for lack of better word) in a purple colour (but it's more of a red toned purple) with silver beadwork. I love the little beaded paisley motifs =)

Check out the formal/eid outfits from other sisters here =)

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HFW Nov 2011 - Day 3

Break the Rules: Abaya + Trainers

Actually, I was going to 'break' a different fashion rule, until I realised that it has become a fashion trend itself. Nevertheless, I have still incorporated this 'not-so-broken' rule into my outfit =)

Abaya and trainers are not really a good combination (in my opinion). Especially when you're wearing a fancy, blinged-out abaya (but I didn't wear mine for Today's theme). However, seeing as I can't walk in heels, and there are some days when I can't be bothered to wear flat shoes/boots, trainers are the only footwear option available (did I mention I hate showing my feet? That rules out sandals!). Anyways, here's my outfit for HFW day 3 =)

Also, the other not-so-broken rule is the mixing/clashing of colours and patterns. But like I said before, it's becoming the norm to wear different colours/patterns in an outfit.

(click image for a bigger picture)

Abaya: Green Street (can't remember store name)

Hijab: Bella Maxi Hoojab (Pearl Daisy)

Trainers: Nike (JD Sports)

Bag: Accessorize

Bracelet and Pearl Hijab Pin: handmade by me

Yay for actual photographs!

Outfits from everyone else who is participating can be seen here =)



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