Dalali AlDoub is a hijabi blogger with a style inspired from unusual places.

Jumah mubarak my lovelies! I hope you are having a wonderful Friday inshallah and that you are looking forward to the weekend. I know I am! I plan to attend a bridal shower and see some of my old friends in San Francisco which is always nice. I don’t regret leaving city life at all for suburbia, but it still is nice to visit the city once in a while.

As you know, I do a Follow Friday post every week on a hijabi fashionista/hijab blogger who I love to follow on Instagram. I want to introduce you all to @Dalalid. She is a beauty blogger from Kuwait. Her pictures are so mesmerizing mashallah! She has a certain trademark look with her doe eyes in terms of the same winged liner look, but she changes the color of both her liner and lipstick so she never looks boring. I love how she mixes up her colors and draws from inspiration from stationery to even graffiti art when she plans her makeup looks. It is also nice to see a hijabi who is on the curvy side be part of the trend setters.

Dalali AlDoub has a keen sense of fresh feminine style.

I definitely look at her pictures for beauty inspiration for my own party looks. One key takeaway I have definitely implemented is that in order to look flawless with makeup, you have to have good skin from the beginning. That means always staying hydrated, washing your skin before bed to ensure that your pores don’t get clogged, and using a moisturizer and sunblock that is right for your skin type. Check out @dalalid on Instagram for more hijab fashion and hijab beauty ideas.

Curvy hijabis can look fab too!

Salaams my lovelies! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend inshallah! I had a great one too. I spent my weekend catching up on reading all about how empowered hijabis are becoming. In fact, the rise of fashion hijabi bloggers caught the eye of The Daily Beast. It was wonderful in every single way except when I looked at all of the hijabi bloggers featured, none of them were even close to a size 6 or up. I love all of my hijabi sisters no matter what size they are, but it was so disheartening to see the lack of inclusion of any hijabis who are curvy or even plus sized.

It is already challenging to be a hijabi, now try adding curves to the mix! There are so many times where I will see a hijabi fashion blogger look absolutely darling in an outfit only to try it on and discover I look like an elephant in the very same outfit. Or I look a little TOO good for a hijabi… It’s a fine line to walk modesty with fashion if you have a fuller chest believe me. There isn’t a maxi hijab in the world that can cover my chest so I typically have to wear a cardigan or jacket to cover my assets up! It can be hard to see why a curvy hijabi would bother with trying new fashion trends. But, those trends can sometimes help you enjoy wearing hijab and feel empowered to talk to others about Islam. Fashion isn’t just about looking good, its about the confidence you get. It allows you to transform yourself into an intelligent human being who has something to say. It is definitely not about hiding in a sea of boring clothes, so take heart if you have as hard of a time styling yourself as I do.

Fellow curvy hijabis, I am here for you. It is all about taking a trend and making it your own. Are there any hijabi fashion trends that you would like me to modify and blog about? Let me know. In the meantime, keep reading for hijabi fashion tips that work for all sizes here!

Indah Nada Puspita captures a fresh almost anime style for hijabis

Salaams and jumah mubarak my lovelies! I hope you are having a wonderful Friday inshallah. As you know, I typically do a Follow Friday blog post on a hijabi that I think is inspirational on Instagram. Today I want to introduce you to Indah Nada Puspita. a super cool hijabi blogger from Indonesia. She launched her own fashion line in 2012. One thing that really struck me was the theatricality of her styling. I guess that isn’t surprising since Indah Nada Puspita’s secret dream is to be an opera singer or Broadway actress.

I love her Instagram account because it illustrates how transformative hijabi style can be. Sometimes, Indah Nada Puspita is almost unrecognizable to me with her style transformations. So that is why I love to follow her and see different ways to shake up my own wardrobe and makeup so I don’t fall into a style/beauty rut. Make sure to follow @indahnadapuspita on Instagram for all sorts of fashion fun and let me know who you think I should feature next on my Follow Friday post!

Until then, keep living well and remember me in your prayers!

Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter is so delicious, there is a purchase limit of two per customer!

Salaams my lovelies! I hope you had a fabulous week inshallah. Okay, so if you are regular reader, you know I try to avoid refined sugar and sugar laden food products. One of my favorite healthy snacks is a slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter topped with blueberries (try it, its delicious). While I was shopping for peanut butter at Trader Joe’s, I happened to notice an item called Cookie Butter. I also noticed there was a mob of people around the display of all ages trying to get a jar. I don’t know about you, but when I see a mob of people, it makes me even MORE curious. Why were all of these people clamoring for this mysterious cookie butter?

I bought a jar and took it home. When it was time for my typically healthy snack, I replaced my usual peanut butter for cookie butter. WHOA. Cookie butter tastes like a spreadable version of the cookie known as biscoff. While I am sure that it is not as healthy as my peanut butter is, I have to tell you that I may have to eat this cookie butter as my “treat” item instead of my typical short salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks. The Hubster even said that he liked it better than Nutella! I don’t know if I personally like it better than Nutella, but its pretty darn good.

Next time you are in Trader Joe’s, make sure to try it and let me know what you think! PS: Expect some more foodie posts coming your way along with some exciting news inshallah!

Reem from Numi Tea enjoying her beverage of choice

Salaams my lovelies! It is my favorite season of all: Fall. Fall is a time where we all snuggle a little closer, enjoy sweater weather, and of course, sip tea. When I reach for tea, I invariably return again and again to my favorite tea brand of all, Numi Tea. Numi Tea is a local Bay area company that blends artisanal teas that are based on global tea flavors around the world. If you have not tried them, please take some time and try them out. I promise they will transport you to far flung places like Morocco, dusty plains of central Africa, or the lush verdant gardens of India without you having to even step out of your pjs. The power of tea is as transformative as it is nourishing to the soul.

Numi Tea is kosher certified as well as organic and offer consumers a sustainable way to enjoy tea.

Here is an interview I had with Reem Rahim, one of the co founders of Numi Tea:

Q: Let me start by saying I love your tea. What made you so passionate about tea that you wanted to start a tea company?

A:Thank you. I’m glad you enjoy our tea. Coming from Iraq, my family has always drunk tea as the hot beverage of choice. So I grew up with black tea all my life. We had also always drunk a Dry desert Lime called Numi Basrah. That was the inspiration for the starting the company. Ahmed had owned and operated teahouses in Prague. During that time, he was exposed to many varieties of tea – green, white, oolong, Pu-erh and many herbal teas. He taught me about all the varieties and nuances of teas and I have fallen in love with the beverage.

Q: Who serves as your main inspiration for new tea flavors? How do you go about product development?
A: This is developed though travelling and trying all sorts of new things. Keeping one’s ear to the ground in terms of trends and what’s new helps as well. Ahmed develops the new tea products and we work as a team to come up with the formulas and taste until they are finalized.

Q: If you have a great business idea, what is the first you need to do to get started?
A: Research the market to see what’s out there. Then refine your idea, who you’re marketing to, what is the problem, the need and the solution. Create a one-page synopsis of your concept.

Q: As a Muslim entrepreneur, what is the most important piece of advice would you give someone starting out?
A; Firstly, I don’t consider myself a Muslim entrepreneur. I am an entrepreneur and keep my religious practices personal and private. I wouldn’t recommend combining one’s religion with their professional life. That will only get in the way and cloud one’s work; and not allow you the freedom to pursue your capabilities. That said, one’s background and personal life always informs their beliefs, principles and ethics. Having grown up in an Arab, Muslim background, generosity, family, fairness and giving back has always been in our culture and is infused into our daily business practices.

Q: When you are not working on Numi Tea as a business what do you do for fun?
A: I spend time with my family – my husband and 5-year-old step-son. I like to be outside and work in the garden or go for walks. I also am an artist and paint when I can. I also love to travel.

Q: What do you hope resonates with consumers about the Numi tea brand?
A: I hope that people firstly taste the difference in quality of our teas and really enjoy those moments of tea sipping. We put a lot of care into making our teas and I hope that care is felt. I also hope that our brand sets an example of a new paradigm in business where you can sell a product and do good at the same time.

Q: In your tea instructions, you add little tidbits like setting water to boil while humming. Who was the inspiration behind that?
A: I’m not sure who the inspiration was. This was something we came up with when we first started to make the experience of unwrapping our packaging fun. We wanted to take the customer through a story and a meaningful experience rather than just drinking tea.

Q: Thank you for taking the time out for answering questions for my Hijabi Life readers. Is there one special tea house you would recommend our readers to visit here in the Bay Area?
A: Samovar in the Castro!

Rhonda’s Collection is a great place to shop for fully lined figure flattering kaftans for a glam look.

I am always on the look out for great places to shop for modest, yet fashionable clothing items. My latest find is an online store that sells butterfly kaftans and other modest fashion designs. Meet Rhonda’s Collections, an online store based in the UK that should be on your online shopping destinations list:

Here is a rundown of how I ordered my items through Rhonda’s Collections:

Online Browsing: For this, I feel like Rhonda’s Collection should do a refresh and add kaftans under the clothing category. All of their kaftans are currently listed under Dresses. I would click the drop down that says Clothing, then select the option that says Dresses (UK 6-12). Other than that, the images are true to what you order and there is a diverse group of options.

Buying Experience: Once you purchase your items, you will get a note with salams via email thanking you for your purchase along with a convenient tracking number that you can use to track your shipment. Very handy especially if you need the items before a big event like Eid or a wedding. They also make sure to always add a free gift with any purchase and it is typically a very pretty piece of jewelry that you can use to accessorize with your purchase.

Shipping: There is FREE shipping for all orders in the UK at special times of the year. For all other countries, shipping is a flat rate of $27! That is a lot of money, so I would suggest ordering with a group of friends, or at least ordering multiple items so you can stock up. It ships quickly and you will get an email notification of when it ships along with a tracking URL. You can track when your package will arrive which is always nice!

When I finally opened my package, I thought the kaftans looked even better in person than they did online! My mom has already told me I need to order her one and one for my sister, so I foresee a lot of shopping with Rhonda’s Collections inshallah. Make sure to check them out for the nicest butterfly kaftans and butterfly abayas around.

Jessica Alba pulls off the cold weather pastel trend perfectly

Salaams my lovelies! I know I should be blogging more, but you know how it goes when you have a full time job plus a little babykins. Life basically happens and then there is no downtime to craft a good quality post for you!

That being said, I am going to make more of an effort to stalk my favorite hijabi style stars and curate the best and the brightest trends for you. Also, since Thanksgiving is coming up, expect a few recipe posts inshallah (God willing)! I actually did an amazing apple tart last night as a test run dessert, but it was devoured in minutes before I could stage and take pictures for you! Neddless to say, I will be replicating that recipe and sharing that with you before Thanksgiving.

Now that we are on full on winter mode, the instant reflex is to toss out all of our spring/summer pastel pieces in favor of darker jewel toned pieces. I adore jewel toned pieces, but I live on a real world budget and need to rely on great clothing combinations in order to avoid spending a ton of money on clothing. One of my favorite tactics is to take a page from Jessica Alba’s style book and actually pair a winter sweater with all of my pastel skirts. I bet most of you already have a pastel skirt AND a black sweater. Pair the two together with some accessories, and voila! You have an instantly chic outfit that would make any Parisian proud (or in my opinion, any British hijabi vlogger).

If you happen to be the one hijabi without a pastel skirt, please visit Hijabi-ista.com and check out their pastel pleated skirts. They are not see through and they are as comfortable as pajamas (I kid you not).

Try out the combination and let me know what you think! What are your tips for wearing pastels in winter?

Haute Hijab creates a stunning new collection for hijabis who want a polished look to their wardrobe

Salaams my lovely readers! I know I have been terrible with posting lately, but I have been in the midst of the summer rush. As you all know, its summer time which means it is now time for graduations, end of school festivities, and weddings! Lots of weddings! I promise I will post about a hijabi’s summer wedding must haves and what is in my own arsenal so that you can be ready for your own wedding season circuit inshallah! I also have some more fun projects in the works that I will share with you all soon. I am so excited about all of them! Lastly, I have recently started a teen halaqa at my masjid so with that, I feel like I have been neglecting you all. I am so very sorry about that and will keep posting when I can so you can get the scoop on what’s hot in hijabi fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

As you know, Fridays is when I do my traditional Follow Friday posts. I have decided to still do my Follow Friday post, but with a twist. Today, I would like to introduce you to Melanie Elturk, the designer behind the elegant Haute Hijab fashion house. Her istagram account not only documents the wildly popular designs of her fashion house, but a sneak peek into her life as a hijabi designer. Since 2010, she has been designing hijabs and modestwear. You can follow her at @hautehijab.

Recently, under her direction, Haute Hijab launched their Spring/Summer 2013 collection Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The line can be viewed on their online store, http://www.hautehijab.com. The line focuses on modest clothing catered to Muslim women but is intended for all who admire impeccable design and modest options. The new launch coincides with the unveiling of a new website, complete with a live instagram and twitter feed, updated product views and a new blog interface.

The new Spring/Summer collection includes skirts, dresses and tops in exquisitely elegant designs featuring stunning baroque lace and of-the-moment stripes and polka dots. The line’s main attraction features a long-sleeved evening gown in both black and ivory. CEO and Chief Designer Melanie Elturk is influenced by vintage designs and feminine silhouettes from times past. “I wanted this line to be a continuation of the last collection, with elegance, sophistication and cutting-edge design being the common thread that weaves our pieces together.”

We can certainly see how Melanie was inspired by the past. We love this elegant baroque skirt which is a stunning black brocade with ruffles in the back that would make even Queen Regent Cersei from Game of Thrones give up her thirst for power for a chance to wear. From polka dots, to brocade, there is something for every type of hijabi in this new collection. Make sure to check out Haute Hijab’s Facebook page for sneak peeks at more of the new collection!

I also recently participated in a blogger for charity project with Haute Hijab! Check out my own Instagram @hijabilife for more details on that.

Salaams my lovelies! As you know, the winter season is fast approaching. Which means there will be plenty of time for beautiful jackets, sweaters, and scarves. However, winter also means having to deal with dry chapped winter skin too. The part of the body that bears the brunt of winter’s harshness is your hands. From the cold whipping winds, and the dry harsh heat of indoor heating, the thin skin of your hands can get dry, scaly, and start to hurt. Since the hands and face are the parts of the body that practicing hijabis expose the most, it makes sense that those areas may need the most TLC. Here are some tips to keep those hands looking pretty year round:

Wear gloves when you can:

In the winter, there are still some crazy people (for example me) that sometimes refuse to wear gloves. However, gloves serve as the first barrier of protection for the sensitive skin on your hands from the elements. In fact, women up until the early 1900s used to wear gloves year round (even in the summer) because those ladies knew that the secret to youthful beautiful hands was to keep them out of the sun! Knowing myself, I still won’t wear gloves in the summer or spring, but I will most likely embrace them more this winter.

Use a hand cream:

Carry a hand cream that you know you will use regularly. I promise you that if you like using it, you will be more likely to use it when you need it. I used to adore the L’Occitane hand cream, but then I discovered this hand cream called Tocca Crema De Mano in Cleopatra. It is the freshest hand cream fragrance I have ever smelled! It’s a mix of pomegranate and cucumber and while that sounds like an odd combination, this smells like a garden after a refreshing rain shower. Just the smell alone gets rid of my winter blahs!

Shape nails weekly

It is recommended in Islam to clip your nails weekly. I prefer to actually shorten my nails by shaping them with a nail file because it prevents nails from getting fractured or broken.

I hope these tips keep your hands looking beautiful all season long! What are your tips for nice hands?

Salaam my lovelies! I hope you had a wonderful New Year inshallah. If you have one new Year’s resolution, I hope it is to pamper yourself a little bit more. As a wife and mom (but even when I was a single student), I used to put my needs on the back burner just to take care of my loved ones. Well, think of taking care of yourself as a way to ensure that you can keep taking care of your loved ones without burning out. So one of the things I barely do is actually buy any hijab accessories or jewelry. Everything I wear is actually given by someone else. Alhamdulillah I can’t complain, but isn’t it nice to wear jewelry that you personally picked out? I know I feel the prettiest with jewelry that I adore!

If you want to spoil yourself, there is an amazing online store called JewelsNGems that has the most luxurious and unique hijab accessories that I have ever seen. Here is my rundown of the site:

Online Browsing: Here I have to say that the company has done a wonderful job in terms of cataloging and displaying their high quality jewelry and accessories. Their tabs allow users to find exactly what they are looking for; whether it is hijab pins or necklaces or ornate Indian style fantasy jewelry.

Buying Experience:Their site is also easy to convert to different currencies and you know exactly what price each of the items are. You can keep adding items to your cart and browse. When you actually check out, it’s via Pay Pal and it is very easy to either check out as a guest or create a Pay Pal account.

Shipping:Given that my order came through during Christmas and this vendor is located in the U.K., I am very pleased with how fast these items came through! I will warn you that as with all U.K. sites that I have come across, the shipping may be more than the accessories you order so be sure to save up and order a bunch of items or share an order with a friend to ensure that you feel like shipping the items is worth it.

Once I received my package, I was struck by the care that went into not only the items, but how it was presented. Each item was bagged in its bag, and the site even sends you a complimentary chocolate (which was European deliciousness and gone in minute!).

Every accessory is the highest quality and each crystal placed on the accessories are held into place by sturdy prongs to ensure that it will stay intact for a long time. The crystals are iridescent and have an incandescent beauty. If you want to feel like a hijabi princess, this is the site for you.

One of the main reasons that I started blogging about modest fashion was because I wanted it to be something more meaningful than fashion as know it. I wanted it to be more inclusive of all shapes, colors, and sizes. I wanted it to inspire and empower us as Muslim women. I wanted it to give back something to our greater community.

That is why I am so eternally grateful to have had the chance to volunteer with Fashion Fighting Famine for their San Francisco show because that is exactly what they stand for. Not only does the organization raise money for local charities within our communities, it does it while inspiring generations of women that modest fashion can be beautiful inside and out.

From the executive members like Anum, Nida, Asma, and Shireen, all the way to the models, there was a collaborative spirit throughout. If someone needed help unloading a car, there were helping hands. If someone fainted, there was a sister to pick her back up. If there was work to be done, sisters would pitch in. As someone who has seen tradition fashion shows from the behind the scenes, there was no diva behavior at FFFSF and I truly believe it is because the beauty of the Adab (etiquette of Islam) of the Prophet (saws).

Seeing this beauty behind the scenes gave me my own courage to face the crowd and be able to MC the show. What a wonderful experience that was! To see a crowd of beautiful women of all ages smiling back at me made me realize that Allah (swt) made us all beautiful alh.

By the grace and mercy of God, I felt like after the first few minutes of being nervous that all my fears went away and I was able to not only enjoy the show, but feel honored to help a wonderful charity like the North American Islamic Shelter for the Abused.

So often, the Muslim community ignores domestic violence as an issue. Thanks to the amazing volunteers and the guests of this fashion show, we are able to give these voiceless women a voice in our community.

I sincerely hope that all of my readers reflect on how just one person can make a huge impact by way of example of this show. Anum, one of the executive members of Fashion Fighting Famine, pushed the group to have a second show based in San Francisco. Thanks to her, she motivated hundreds of women to travel from Dubai, LA, and all over to help our community! So never feel defeated to give back my readers. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.

PS: Major thank you to Nida C. for helping me with my part in volunteering for FFF. Also thank you Rahat for glamming me up. And thank to all of you awesome ladies for showing up to the show!

Simply Zeena Winter 2014

Salaams my lovelies! I hope you are doing well inshallah and that you are having a nice Friday! I typically do a Follow Friday post, but today, I wanted to make it a Fashion Friday post because I am just over the moon in love with a modest fashion clothing line that I am sure that you will love too. Have you heard of Simply Zeena? For some reason, I had heard of the line, but I never had the time to really browse and shop their site online. Another one of the challenges of online shopping is that you just don’t know how something will drape or look on you unless you try it in person. I was lucky enough to have the chance to meet the ladies of Simply Zeena at the Fashion Fighting Famine San Francisco show and see their Winter 2014 collection in person.

The Simply Zeena 2014 Winter Collection is an array of extremely wearable and flattering pieces that can work for anyone looking for a modest wardrobe that is polished and chic. As a working hijabi mom, I need quick pieces like the ones in this collection to put on and go yet still look polished. I love that the materials are wrinkle resistant because who really has the time to iron? Not me! But I also still want to look elegant and professional and Simply Zeena allows me to look my best. I personally bought the purple hoodie and the Audrey which is a classic top in the making. When I wore the Audrey, I felt as elegant as the iconic Audrey Hepburn. I paired it with slim fit black pants, ballet flats and I know I got a ton of compliments from Muslims and non Muslims alike. A mom at Trader Joe’s actually stopped me and asked, “Where did you get that cute top?” I was so happy to share my fashion secret with her and with you. Simply Zeena has clothing for anything you may need. They even sell modest active wear and swim wear. I was super excited to see that.

Online Browsing: Their site is super easy to navigate to find what you need and more. They have a super easy to locate top navigation bar that can take you directly to clothing that are Basics, Activewear (as a gym buff, I LOVE that they have modest activewear), and other categories that make sense for easy shopping.

While Simply Zeena is an online shopping destination, I can’t really give you the good details on how fast shipping is, or the buying experience, etc. However, that gives me a great excuse to go and buy more online. I will let you know how my next pieces come and how the true online shopping experience is. In the meantime, if you have bought from Simply Zeena, what did you think? Share your comments below!

Imaan Ali from The Hijablog rocks the tulle skirt perfectly.

Salaams my lovelies and Jumah Mubarak to you! You are in luck because I have another Fashion Friday blog post for you today!

I don’t know about you, but in terms of modest fashion, you have to get creative if you want to keep your wardrobe fresh. I personally get a lot of my fashion inspiration from Instagram so when I saw long tulle skirts on bloggers like Imaan Ali and Winnie Detwa, I just knew I had to let you readers know about it. What I love about long tulle skirts is that it is something that you can wear not just to work, but kids’ birthday parties, special events, or any time you want to have a girly moment. My favorite tutu moment is when Sarah Jessica Parker is wearing her tutu through the streets of Manhattan in the opening credits of Sex and the City and no one bats an eyelash. While most modest fashionistas may not want to wear that exact skirt, it can certainly serve as a bit of fashion inspiration.

I promise you that if you wear a long tulle skirt, you won’t be getting strange looks because there are some excellent skirts that just have added swing, but none of that dreaded frou frou puffiness of a traditional tutu skirt.

I personally prefer long tulle skirts in neutral colors and a little heavier so that there is less of a puffy tutu factor. For example, this gray long tulle skirt by Anna Hariri is perfect for work because it looks less ballerina and more polished. For some reason, my favorite work clothes are gray and then I pair the gray pieces with more colorful accents. In the Anna Hariri skirt, you can see just how swingy and pretty long tulle skirts can be.

My favorite thing about long tulle skirts is that there is a lining in them because tulle is so sheer. So you can always stay modest yet stylish. What are your thoughts on long tulle skirts? Yay or nay?

Snood hijabs are the perfect way to keep warm during colder winter months.

I personally love being a hijabi blogger because it forces me to see what other stylish hijabis are out there doing. One new trend that has come out in the hijabi fashion world is the snood hijab. A snood is basically a scarf that is knit like a tube. While it was traditionally worn around the neck, some hijabis are taking a step further and wearing it to cover their necks and chest while rocking the turban style or wearing on top of their hijabs for extra warmth during these cold winter months. This cold weather hijab look is not only practical, but it is really cute! I personally have not tried the snood hijab, but check out this really cute sweater hijab style below:

Sweater Hijabs can be practical yet stylish during cold weather months.

What do you think about the snood hijab? Would you rock it during a polar vortex?

New Coca Cola Ad Features a Hijabi

Unless you have been living underneath a rock, I am sure that you have seen the latest Coca Cola commercial that aired during SuperBowl Sunday that featured a diverse group of Americans including a woman who wore a headscarf while singing the classic American song “America The Beautiful.” As an American who does indeed wear a headscarf (also known as a hijab), I almost had tears in my eyes. Why is that? I think it is the first time ever that I have seen a hijabi (woman who wears a headscarf) in a way that does not illustrate her as something “other” or “oppressed.” In fact, I teared up because for the first time, I felt like a commercial was able to capture me as I am: an American. I am not an oppressed foreign woman with no voice of my own. I am a woman who was born and raised in the United States. I am educated and I have the same sentiment for my country as everyone else does.

In fact, I am surprised it has not come sooner. It is sad that it takes market segmentation for companies to realize that there should be more inclusion. Why can’t popular culture be the first to embrace hijabis? Why did it have to be corporate need for profits among immigrants to make the shift? However I am not going to complain because in the end while Coca Cola was inclusive in order to resonate with my demographic to sell soda, it has also blazed the trail for other hijabis to enter the public popular culture sphere. We are women who want to dress modestly, but we also want to be heard and included in the public dialogue. Especially about ourselves. For so long, Americans have had a dialogue about Muslim women without asking Muslim women to participate. That was not only paternalistic, but it was also misleading to the American public. Muslim women in America are here, and we do want a say in what is portrayed about who we are in the media. So thank you Coca Cola for opening that Pandora’s Box. For while it may have brought out the ugly racists and bigots, it has also brought out one last thing: Hope.

B. Hijaby Hijabs are eclectic and beautiful. Perfect for the hijabi who wants to stand out!

Shopping online for hijabs and modest clothing is always nerve wracking. I always wonder if I will still like the items I order when I actually get them, or if shopping for hijabs online is worth it when there are so many hijab options at easily accessible stores such as Target, H&M, and Forever 21. Then I actually get the package and I think to myself, “Why do I doubt the power of shopping at Muslim owned businesses?”
One thing that I noticed with shopping online for my hijabs or modest clothing is that there is always a personal touch when it comes to what you order. These businesses take time to pack your items nicely and send you a personal note, or slip in just a few extras like hijab pins.

One such online hijab destination is B. Hijaby. The owner of the company, Asima Bhatty strives to provide hijabis an eclectic mix of hijabs that you can’t find anywhere else. In fact, she just launched a new collection of hijabs that you need to check out! Her hijabs go beyond the average hijab. B. Hijaby hijabs are wider than most hijabs; which allows you to create intricate folds, create cool turbans, or just give you more coverage in the front. Let’s be real, we can appreciate coverage in the front when possible!

A distinguishing factor of the hijabs from B. Hijaby is that the patterns on the hijabs are unique and regularly replenish their stock. You can be rest assured that when you wear a hijab from B. Hijaby, that your hijab will not be gracing another hijabi at your local masjid (that is until you share your shopping secret with them!). I actually had an instance where I wore a hijab from Target and my husband could not find me because there were 4 other women wearing the same hijab!

B. Hijaby prints range from elegant ombre prints all the way to eye catching animal print hijabs in fun summer colors. B. Hijaby has the prettiest floral hijabs I have seen. Here is a rundown of the shopping experience:

Online Browsing: B. Hijaby is sold through a Facebook page, so browsing is a bit more challenging than a traditional website. That being said, it is easy to look through all the albums to see all of the hijabs and prints since all of the prints are true to the image. Since they are planning to launch a website, I expect shopping and browsing for hijabs online for this brand will be easier in the near future iA. Also, did I mention the scarves are so affordable? I can see myself buying a ton of hijabs.

Buying Experience: Since this time, the scarves were gifted, I am not able to share how the buying experience was. I will definitely be shopping here though and when I do, I will comment on how the ordering experience was!

Shipping: Shipping is fast and easy. Since B. Hijaby is located in the U.S. you are sure to get your package shipped fast. Expect 3-5 days for delivery. All in all, I highly recommend this hijab shopping destination.

Painting laminate furniture like this bookcase can quickly update and refresh your furniture this spring!

How many mommies have a “junk” corner in their house? I can admit that I am guilty of being one of those mommies. As a native New Yorker who lived in apartments her whole life, I never had to wield a hammer, drill (or any other tool for any DIY projects) so that junk corner just kept getting bigger and bigger. My particular corner of shame was a laminate bookshelf that held shoes for 4 adults and a baby. As Muslims, we prefer not to walk around our homes wearing our shoes since we pray on our floors. However, this meant I had a HUGE eyesore of a bookshelf with all of these shoes in it! After harassing the Hubster to head to Ikea to buy a concealed shoe rack, we finally tidied up our “junk corner.” However, now I was left with this laminate bookshelf! I didn’t want to throw it out, but it did not look good with our bedroom decor (which is where we had to move it for space reasons).

Luckily, I have been making plans to expand Hijabi Life to include simple Do It Yourself (DIY) projects around the home to help make your life more beautiful. So I thought to myself, “Why not start with this laminated bookshelf DIY?” It literally only took me 2 days to complete (and only because I need the paint to dry). You can do it indoors in a smaller space like a condo as well. As you can tell from my “after” picture, the results are well worth the effort. I got more space to put up my book collection, the shoe storage issue was solved, and I was one happy mama.

Here is how to get started on doing your own DIY laminate bookshelf makeover:

You will need:

1) A primer for painting laminate furniture. I preferred Zinsser primer because it dries fast and gives a good finish.

2) A small foam roller

3) A tarp

4) A paintbrush for smaller nooks and crannies

5) Wallpaper or stencil for back of bookshelf

6) A small can of paint (Just note, you can use 3 small trial cans of paint to paint a shelf and it costs like $6 if you are a bargain type of hijabi like me). I would recommend using a light flat paint color so the shelf looks more shabby chic, but you can do darker glossy colors if you wish.

Instructions:

1) Lay tarp on the floor.

2) Move shelf on tarp. Remove the shelves for easier access. You will be painting the shelves later any way.

3) Prime entire case and shelves.

4) Let the bookcase dry overnight.

5) Start painting! I even had my babykins help me paint when I got my first coat of paint on the shelf. She had SO MUCH fun. If you would prefer NOT to have the kids help, do this when they are asleep.

6) Make sure to paint the shelves too!

7) When its completely dry, add wallpaper to back of the bookcase.

8) Add shelves back on and add your books, toys, decorative items, or anything else you would like to store!

Did you like the DIY Hijabi post? Let me know and I will add more easy ways to make your home beautiful inshallah!

Haute Hijab CEO Melanie shines in the new Elizabeth gown.

Salaams my lovelies! I feel like it has been ages since I blogged about hijab fashion or hijab style trends. I recently wrote a post about my hijabi obsession with tulle skirts, and when I did, I emailed Melanie from Haute Hijab because I was curious when Haute Hijab would be offering up their own version of a tulle skirt. Melanie does have a tulle skirt in the works, but she made sure to excite us along the way with a new gown launch TODAY!

Melanie from Haute Hijab outdid herself and designed a killer gown made of tulle. Based on the color you select, the gown is lined with either lace and tulle, or polka dot tulle. With long sleeves, a gathered waistline, and a back button placket, the Elizabeth gown exudes an old world elegance and opulence that recalls a more a glamorous era. The gown comes in a cream/gold lace option, a plum lace, and a stunningly chic navy polka dot tulle version. I am personally in LOVE with the cream/gold lace gown and think it would make the perfect dress for a hijabi who wants to wear something for her engagement, nikkah, or even her wedding dress.

The design is also versatile because it allows you to wear your hijab with the dress in two ways thanks to the banded collar. The banded collar allows you to tuck your hijab in if you wish. Again perfect for any hijabi who wants to incorporate a romantic veil for a wedding!

Curvier hijabis will love this new gown from Haute Hijab because it is forgiving on the waistline. Thanks to the gathered skirt, it allows you to have more of a forgiving hourglass shape versus looking like you are wearing something too tight or something that looks more like a potato sack. That is always a plus for me! And since its Haute Hijab, you know that every dart, seam, and stitch is not going to budge. Haute Hijab pieces always last the longest in my closet.

My favorite part about the Elizabeth gown is the movement you get when you walk in it. Personally, when I walk with longer dresses, I end up dragging it underfoot and that is really not too elegant. However, with the Elizabeth gown, it sways and allows you to move with the grace befitting royalty. (I actually kept conjuring up images of Kate Middleton wearing the dress since we know she loves her dresses and she also loves polka dots!). Check the video below to see just how regal the dress is when you walk in it:

What do you think? Are you as obsessed as I am?

International Muslimah Fashion Week quickly turned into a scandal where rumors of a scam erupted.

Salaams my lovelies! Happy Friday to everyone. I typically do a Follow Friday post, but I wanted to address the rumors of scandal regarding a  modest fashion event called International Muslimah Fashion Week. Unfortunately, what was promised to be a few days of bonded sisterhood fun, has quickly turned into a scary situation because of what seems to be either poor planning or bad intentions. Allah (swt) knows best as to what truly did happen, but I will say I was very sad about the sisters who invested so much money and time to be part of what could have been a great event. So many vendors, bloggers, and Muslims were planning to attend and to be told it was cancelled is one thing. However, it is whole other thing to wait till the last minute to cancel. Countless bloggers traveled from all over the world to attend this event and were ultimately stranded in a foreign country! My heart truly does go out to these hard working ladies. However, I am sure they will find the kindness of Muslim Americans can be felt wherever they go. I feel even WORSE for the sisters who scraped and saved to spend over a hundred dollars just to attend this event and meet inspirational hijabis. They may have even flown cross country or internationally to attend. What is their recourse?

When it comes to events, we should demand that they be put on with some professionalism and organization. Last year, I attended a Halal Fest here in the Bay Area and it was chaos! I truly wanted to support a Muslim event, but we need to start expecting that they are organized like all events should be. Melanie from Haute Hijab wrote a great piece on the fallout from the IMFW scandal here that highlights just that. It is time for the Type A Muslims to come forward and start organizing Muslim events that are timely, affordable, and accessible to all with good intentions.

I will make a confession: I was tempted to attend just so I could meet some hijabi bloggers I truly admired and to get the word out about Hijabi Life. I may not be a glamorous hijabi blogger, but I wanted to ensure that my readership got the scoop on all things modest fashion. However, I am really selective about which events I attend and my OWN intentions. If I find it digresses and I am just feeding my nafs for “fame” in the modest fashion scene, I actually pull away. For example, I did MC for Fashion Fighting Famine SF because it was a good cause, but I didn’t want to use it as a means to promote myself. It was more to ensure we helped a local charity in the community. Since I had no such basis for IMFW, I personally did not want to attend it because it felt like I was digressing from my true intent of this blog which is to support my fellow Muslims sisters.

I really do hope for the best for all the ladies involved. Let’s all make dua and think of a better event that inshallah will take away the confusion, hurt, and hate this one may have caused. Perhaps we can have a redo of this event, but at a lower cost per ticket and also with a charity or cause we can all be proud of. OR we can just use this as more reason to BACK organizations like Fashion Fighting Famine who do modest fashion shows but are legitimate and help others. Let’s learn from this and truly come together as a community.

FLOWER BEAUTY is an accessible luxury beauty line that you can buy at Walmart!

Salaams my lovelies! If you follow me on Instagram @hijabilife, you may have noticed that I went on a major organization spree a few weeks back. One of the major overhauls I did was my makeup bag. I had to cull through all my old lipsticks, eyeliners, and other makeup. While I was doing this, I noticed a major trend: I tend to buy the same colors over and over again! I promise you, there is a good reason for this. Since I tend to invest in a few good quality products, I always get colors that I know will look flattering. However, this means that my makeup look is the same day in and day out. It also means that I am literally wasting money because I am buying products I already have. However, I just can’t bring myself to fork over $20+ on one tube of an outrageous lipstick color I may wear once in a while!

So what is a makeup junkie like me to do? Head over to her local Walmart with coupons in hand (yes I still clip coupons).

Walmart launched Flower Beauty with Drew Barrymore about a year ago. Since it was on sale that week (with coupons too!), I decided to give it a go. I bought two lip butters and a lipgloss. Here are my thoughts:

• Cost: For what you get, I am duly impressed. Without my coupon, it was under $10 for each item. However, after coupons and the weekly promo price, it was a little over $5 each!
• Packaging: The packaging is very elegant with a lot of cream/gold finishes. However, the lip butters were an odd tube shape where the cap never fully closed! So beware that you can ruin your purse with those. I solved that issue by actually keeping my lip butters upright in a side pocket in my diaper bag.
• Quality:The lip butters were so great! It was glossy yet not greasy, and the color pay off was just right too. If you love the L’Oreal Colour Riche Lip Balms, you will fall in love with Flower Beauty lip butters. I bought the Wispy Wisteria (a vibrant fuschia) and Princess and the Peony (a classic rose). They applied well with no patches or streaks. I personally did not like the lipgloss as much because I felt like it was too oily and the color came on a bit streaky. However, it was definitely more on par with department store brands versus a drugstore brand!

Final Verdict:  This is definitely a brand that is a keeper. I am just itching to head back to Walmart and try the eye makeup but I need to use up my old eye makeup first! Have any of you tried and loved this brand?