Islamic bridal styles: Think floaty fluttering fabrics and simple shapes

Don’t Panic

A lot of Muslimahs are stumped when it comes to bridal wear, we don’t really have mainstream options and it ends up being more a cultural choice. Growing up as a non Muslim I had a very different view of what I would wear on my wedding day, nothing too bridey just simple and timeless. When it came about I was more interested in being married than the wedding itself and I think that was the right way to look at it. But if I could give the outfit another go I would, actually I had three attempts- The Nikah, the Walimah and the registry office thing.

Should I show you what I wore? To be honest the outfits looked fine in photos but it’s the attention to detail that (as a self confessed perfectionist) gets me thinking shoulda, woulda, coulda… I believe they are the last words of a fool

So here’s my very comprehensive guide to finding your look. In this part we’ll look at the different styles you can go with and see what designers are doing bridal-wise and how we can make them hijab friendly.

Hijab bridal: embrace the childhood dreams of princess dresses and full netted skirts

Sleek vs. Volume

I think I like the sleeker fairy tale style best because in particular the Anne Valerie Hash dress, the look simple and effortless and would stand the test of time. It is slightly easier for a Muslimah to pull off than the traditional full skirt style because you don’t have the cinched in waist, though we will explore ways around this. I was always a bit of a tom boy and didn’t really get bitten by the ‘disney style wedding’ bug. Having said that I am absolutely in love with the Reem Acra gown just above, it manages to combine simplicity and big impact in one beautifully constructed dress.

Islamic Fashion Registry outfit: a long dress with a bolero jacket is a really good choice and gives you a variety of options. The photo of me and my sister always makes me smile!

Bitesize Bridal Guide

Explore your options

As a new(ish) Muslimah I was just getting into my groove style wise and hadn’t really explored the possibilities of what you can wear. Because actually there aren’t that many restrictions, you just have to know what to do with the fabric.

Comfort Confidence

Stick with what you know and love regarding colours, shape and size. It’s tempting to go for something totally out of your comfort zone but you risk the hit or miss factor. My advice would be to look though old photos and find an outfit that you love, and the same for colour. Then with the silhouette and colour of the outfit you’re already half way there.

I’m definitely not saying you can’t get experimental, just make sure you’ve tried and tested (and photographed) all your options on you before you buy. This way you can take the best of all your favourite outfits and work out a way to include them.

All Made Up

Make-up is also a consideration, go with what you’re comfortable with and try and test it until you get the look you want (allow a lot of time for this!). I’m a less is more kinda gal. I look like a clown with too much make-up, my face just can’t handle it. Here I only used gloss, eye-liner a touch of eye shadow and mascara. Trust yourself and your nearest and dearest only, the last thing you want is to feel self conscious!

Tailor Made

I think a lot of Muslimahs get their dresses tailor made and this is probably the best option, here are some tips:

Get actual examples of design details etc. that you want to include.

Be very clear, sketch out exactly what you want and how you want it to fit.

Get measured, even though the outfit will be loose it’s very important that it actually fits well.

Talk the design over with the tailor, get as many fittings as you need until you’re happy.

If you don’t really know what you want find a designer that you’re comfortable with and talk through ideas and sketches. In part 2 I’ll be putting up some questions that inshAllah will help you decide what you want and what suits you.

Muslim Wedding outfits: Break with tradition and choose colour and bold interesting shapes

Trash Tradition

I’m all for going against the grain, it throws up a whole new realm of possibility, from evening wear to vintage gowns as long as you love it remember there aren’t any rules on what style it should be.

The Heart of the Matter

Is the most important thing the dress? no. I had an amazing time and such happy memories of all three occasions! What you need to be sure of is that when you look back on your photos you’re looking at the man you entrusted and shared your future with and that it was the best decision you ever made… Still I guess there’s no harm in having a pretty dress too.

Walimah outfit: choose silk, it's lovely to wear and drapes beautifully I actually quite like the silk and net combination

Next time: We’ll look at the best bridal designers out there and see how we can take their techniques and create an Islamic style wedding dress. Top tips on finding a style to suit you and how to not get lost in it all! I’ll do a couple of sketches based on what we’ve looked at and imagine I can go back in time and change my outfit… hey Doc fire up the De Lorean.

(images: style.com and nymag.com)

Features are blurred behind behive wigs and deconstructed hoods

Comme des Garçons

Rei Kawakubo, the designer behind Comme des Garçons has a strong aesthetic and a bold take on fashion. Spring/Summer 2009 was not the first or the last time she’s played with the idea of hiding faces. It’s great to see designers exploring the boundaries of beauty. The Japanese influence can be seen in the bold but simple shapes and colours and in the experimental look of the models.

These Comme des Garçons looks show a striking vision of beauty

Another version of the veil for Fall from Rei Kawakubo

Islamic Interest

As a Muslimah it’s interesting to see different ways of covering up even if these are more than a little extreme! But in particular a lot of these looks are opposite but weirdly similar to what hijabi’s wear. The wigs were amplified and the faces covered, or in the case of Maison Martin Margiela the face was treated almost like an object and took away the features. The result however was that, much like a Muslim woman, outsiders are confronted with an idea of beauty that is utterly unconventional. I guess we’re both breaking boundaries from totally different angles.

Models faces and bodies are hidden behind fabric on the Maison Martin Margiela runway

Maison Martin Margiela

These featureless models gave the audience a new perspective on fashion, leaving the impression of something eerie but very interesting about the show.

Abstract and fashion forward the models were like walking statuettes (images style.com/nymag.com)

This beautiful abaya style gown with a hint of embellishment is perfect for hijabis

Maternal Instinct

Angelina Jolie with bump dresses with a kind of earthy vibe- the colours are subtle, and the dresses are long. While I wouldn’t necessarily count her among the best dressed I love how she’s flattering her shape without flaunting it. The result is actually that you notice her face and smile before you look at what she’s wearing, and I think that’s a lovely thing. The shapes and details are great for translating into hijabi style, add a headscarf to most of these styles and you have a Muslimah outfit.

Long dresses and and loose silhouettes look beautiful on Angelina

Hijab Fashion

For Muslimah’s inspiration can come from a lot of odd places. I don’t know if it’s just me but I find myself looking at maternity wear and thinking ‘would it be wrong to wear this if I’m not pregnant?’ Maybe it’s because women tend to dress more conservatively when they’re pregnant, the cuts are longer and less revealing, dresses have sleeves and all in all they are a lot looser. Whatever the reason behind covering up during your nine months I’m all for the tendency to err on the side of modesty.

Nicole Richie looking pretty post pregnancy

Nicole Richie

On the other hand, Nicole Richie post pregnancy has also chosen modest loose maxi dresses over a body-con silhouette. This is in spite of being back to her original dress size. She does wear these outfits very well and these summery maxi dresses have become one of her signature styles.

Keeping it simple, Plaid works best when it is the main focus of an outfit

Finding a canvas

I kind of figured out the look I wanted, oversized/mannish tailoring with feminine details. This isn’t the finished article, I had to borrow this shirt off my hubby (which is a bit wrong I know!) but I wanted to play around with the basic style. I always start with the basics of the outfit then play around with details afterwards. I think if you get the base wrong then the details won’t work.

Mix up boyish tailoring with girly details

My Thoughts

If you have slouchy, wide leg trousers like these then tucked in is best.

Keep hijab simple if you’re going for a plaid print

Juxtapose mannish tailoring with quirky feminine details

Go for chunky sandals with flesh colour or totally contrasting socks

I’m thinking to leave it un-tucked over jeans, but it would have to be the right combination I think.

I’ll introduce the details and more experiments in part 2, now all I need is a shirt of my own!! The good thing about these shirts is that they last almost a lifetime and won’t go out of style in a hurry. They are also everywhere at the moment, and very reasonably priced!

With a pared down palette designers this season created a bold vision with a futuristic aesthetic. Mixing unusual fabrics with origami style tailoring gave edgy design a clean, sharp look. Established design houses and young new talent explored cutting techniques that turned loved wardrobe staples into fresh new pieces.

Islamic Style: Slick and intricate details managed to create crisp, clean lines

Muslimah relevance

So why is this interesting to hijabis? Well these origami like folds create shell like structures hiding the body shape below. The minimalistic colour range is modest without being boring. All these are things that can be translated to abayas or other outfits, but unless you’re an expert cutter or lucky enough to afford the originals it’s details to incorporate rather than complete designs.

Islamic cuts: It's all about clean lines and monochrome colours for a modern modest look

How to wear it Hijab style

The high-street has come up with some paper-like fabric folding. The simplest of these is the lines of layers (see Gareth Pugh above left) which will work well on anybody. If you’re feeling brave then there are a few garments that have origami folding, but they often come attached to very tight bodices. The best bet is to go for accessories that carry the trend, an easy way to get that futuristic feeling.

Muslim Fashion makes an impact in this image

Artistic Licence

I couldn’t find where this image came from, I think it was taken from a magazine. I love how dramatic it is, it’s bold and strong even if it’s not 100% hijab. Let me know if any of you recognise where this photo originated from.

Alexander McQueen and Karen Walker do snoods

Muslimah style snoods

Isn’t it weird how once you mention a trend you start seeing it everywhere! Take the snood, not only has it been doing the rounds this season, It’s also been cropping up in my dive into the archives. Karen Walker manages to make it kooky and cool in Fall 2007. Whereas Alexander McQueen in his unforgettable Fall 2008 collection brings drama and exquisite elegance.

Quirky Cool

Islamic style at Karen Walker

Hijab Fashion on the Karen Walker catwalk Fall 2007

Islamic style meets risque sheer fabrics at Kenzo

So now you’re in a Japanese mood let me introduce you to Kenzo’s Spring/Summer 2009 collection. Pretty florals and floaty, lighter than air, dresses to sum it up. The dresses had layers, illusions of layers, and layers of print so you can pretty much tell I was in love at first sight. Most of the dresses were more than a little see through so not exactly hijab friendly in that respect, but the shapes were utterly Islamic.

Kenzo creates elegant silhouettes with stunning drapery

Drapery

The asymmetric drapery works really well here, but I’ve not yet found a way to make one shoulder dresses work for Muslimahs. But basically this is showing you how a maxi dress can look elegant whilst concealing your shape.

Prints

I’m not usually a fan of prints, let alone floral prints, but I do love these. Somewhere between vintage Japanese and English heritage they are subtle and modest. You need something that’s not going to break your concentration during prayer and I think this mix of print and plain are simple enough not to.

The dress to the left shows perfect asymmetric drapery and it’s completely opaque. Now it’s just a question of having the cash!

Tops

There were also a beautiful selection of short dresses (or as I like to call them tops) on offer on the Kenzo catwalk. The mixing and layering of prints take these simple silhouettes to a new and more interesting design.

See below…

Islamic Style: Loose feminine dresses/tops at Kenzo

A lesson Learned

Hmm, what have we learned here? Well aside from the reminder not to wear see through chiffon I think we can say that dresses with strips of fabric don’t have to look like gypsy skirts and that’s always a good thing. The gypsy style had its moment but this feminine floaty reincarnation is far more subtle and sophisticated. And when it comes to my dream wish list, I’m definitely away with the fairies. Kenzo fairies of course.

Pink and punky at Michael Kors (it even covers the ears!)

So recently I put up a post about hijabis in hats, so now every time I see a hat go down the catwalk it catches my eye. Not that that’s a difficult thing to do when you have sky high, fluffy and neon creations in front of you! Modest they are not, but they are fun and fantastic. Just don’t expect me to wear one any time soon!

Futuristic at Narciso Rodriguez

Future Fantastic

Designer Narciso Rodriguez has certainly taken hats to a whole new level, with these tiny little peepholes you really can’t afford to put your hat on backwards!

But if it’s a bold (or crazy) statement you want to make then you can be sure to stand out.

Less is sometimes more

These are some of the wilder hats I’ve noticed, but if you want to see something a little less Alice in wonderland and a little more chic then read on to discover what this seasons catwalks have to offer.

Thakoon does fur hats

A less neon version of the Michael Kors fluffy hat. Thakoon has gone for Russian style elegance in a wintery grey.

Sleek and Simple

Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs (below) have taken a vintage silhouette and revamped it. The smooth lines and seamless appearance of the wide brimmed Ralph Lauren hat gives an understated sleek style

Marc Jacobs hat taken a bucket hat style and made it cute and quirky, but almost impossible to hijabify. So we’re back to the age old dilemma, hijabis in hats, can we pull it off?

Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren go for a simpler, sleeker look

Best of the bunch hats at Anna Sui

Feathered Friends

My favourite of all the hats, Anna Sui has created great juxtaposition with the glamour of rocks and feathers against the cool casual of the woolly hat. A few less feathers and I might actually wear one, wow, who knew!

Islamic Inspiration: Jumpsuits at Derek Lam (image: Imaxtree)

There are some ups and downs when it comes to jumpsuits. As a style staple in most collections now, and having recently designed one, I thought I’d give you the low down.

Modest dressing: Jumpsuits at Derek Lam

Ups

• If you get the right kind they can be loose around the waist in a way that trousers are not.
• They are easy to move in, practical if you do lots of running around.
• They can look amazing, dressed up or casual depending on the accessories and cover-ups (think cardigain or blazer.
• There are lots of ways to make them hijab friendly, see the tips below.
• In the same way that an abaya holds a look together, a jumpsuit can be the perfect blank canvas to get creative with.
• When they’re good, they’re very, very good.

Downs

Now for the bad news…

• Realise that if you need a quick trip to the ladies room you’ll have to take the whole top down (so make sure you’re wearing something underneath else it can get chilly!)
• It’s difficult to find a style that is totally loose and not cinched in at the waist. This Derek Lam design (right) gives the option of having it loose or pulling in at the waist.
• When they’re bad, they’re tragic!

Islamic Style Jumpsuits: The designers

Aside from Derek Lam there are a few other designers we can take hijab inspiration from. Max Mara, Missoni, and Zero Maria Cornejo have opted for a boyish, straight up and down silhouette. For an altogether more flouncy jumpsuit check out Proenza Schouler.

Boyish: from left- Zero Mario Cornejo, Max Mara, Missoni (image: Imaxtree)

How to Hijabify

If we go on the motion that we’ve got a loose base, most probably sleeveless there are a few tips to get it more Islamic.

1. Treat it a bit like a maxi dress, so go for long cardigans or jackets (like the first Derek Lam outfit)

2. Jumpsuit are a style statement all of their own so it might be a good idea to keep the hijab simple

3. If you’re having a problem with covering your chest then go for a lightweight scarf. Worn like a keffiyah, square scarves are great for this.

4. If the the jumpsuit is very plain then go big on accessories to stop it looking sack-like or boiler-suity.

5. Look out for pleats or gathering this creates lots of hijab friendly loose volume.

6. If it has a fastening down the front then try wearing a long sleeved top underneath, this is a great look (try and imagine it on the Max Mara suit in the centre above)

7. This one’s pretty obvious but, stay away from anything other than FULL length, there’s no magic way to hide those ankles I’m afraid.

Loose style: Interesting shapes at Proenza Schouler (image: Imaxtree)