The Best Bits

Thanks to all of you girls for contributing to the forum, if you haven’t already then join the discussion (follow the “community” link at the top of the page). It’s so much fun picking out your style and inspiration, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

From Magazines

Your Own Designs

To Street Style and Inspiration

You can post up your own ideas, personal style or anything that inspires you. It’s also a great place to meet sisters around the world and share fashion tips, the best places to shop for things like long dresses or a jilbab, and style secrets!

(images: via the StyleCovered forum)

Checked Shirt

Long and loose, these shirts are perfect for dressing up or dressing down, always good with denim and perfect with those gorgeous leather boots. Just throw on a headscarf to complete a chic casual look. And I love that furry bobble hat!

Based on the fact I’ll be working all weekend I’m hoping if I dress like I’m not it might not feel like work. Love this outfit, just add a head scarf (and maybe the trousers should be a bit looser). If only I could find a nice hat to fit my Japanese sized head.

(image: nonno magazine)

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Japanese Ballerina

Tutu cute

I love these big netted skirts, maybe it’s my younger years dancing that makes me a little obsessed. I’m yet to find one the right length though. For this outfit, to counter act all the sweetness you need some strong additions (I’m liking the furry hat), something like a vintage biker jacket or oversized slogan tee… you wouldn’t want to give anyone a toothache.

Japanese Maxi

A maxi dress is a perfect addition to the modest fashion/Muslimah wardrobe, they’re lightweight, loose, and comfortable- a bit like wearing pajamas (but more socially acceptable!). Jersey maxi dresses are great for a bay on the beach and seriously comfy, they can be found everywhere this time of year and they are a look that everyone can pull off. To smarten it up just throw on a blazer (I love that look), or just wear a boyfriend style shirt over it and knot it at the waist (My look for the summer). These clippings from a Japanese Magazine show you how to have fun… with maxi dresses… in the sun!

Modest fashion: I love the casual, thrown together look. Because neat isn't always nice.

Love Loose

Slouchy oversized tees, long sleeved or under a shirt, are a perfect hijab friendly remedy to the hot weather. As far as keeping cool goes, you can’t get much better. This Japanese magazine was full of ideas and awesome prints. Wear them with really loose trousers or jeans, or if trousers aren’t your thing, wear over a long straight cut skirt or strappy maxi dress. You can even make them party perfect by wearing under a blazer or cropped jacket and a voluminous skirt. I’m thinking of an Alexa Chung outfit I saw a while back. Now if I can just find the correct issue of Vogue I’ll post it up. Shouldn’t be difficult, only 3 years issues to get through… lets start with January 2006 (could be a long night)!

Hijabi style: This beautiful photograph of a cute Japanese clothes shop was taken by Rei of stylefromtokyo.com

Quirky Cool

It’s seeing photos like this that make me very jealous of my sister being in Tokyo. I can already see things I want to try on and experiment with. It looks like a very Muslimah fashion friendly shop, with a whole lot of tunics. If you haven’t checked out Rei’s blog STYLEfromTOKYO I would definitely recommend it!

Japan style secrect

I have been informed of an untapped source of fashion in Japan. Charity, second hand, (or for our American sisters thrift stores) are a great resource for designer hijab friendly shopping. Wearing second hand is a little passe in some countries and in Japan most people like brand new, which is great for all of us brought up in hand-me-downs or feeling the pinch of recession! Top end designer gear can be found for a fraction of the price. Here are a few reasons to love Japanese thrift shopping:

1. Japanese style tends to be more modest than most, great news for hijabis

2. Japanese girls are always immaculate so you won’t get any tatty or badly marked clothes even second hand.

3. Because people in Japan tend not to buy second hand that means all the more for us! The same goes for any country where this is true, try any up-market area even in this country and you’re bound to find some real gems!

Resort wear Japanese style, they do it so well!

Fashion Japan Style

I love looking through Japanese Fashion Magazines, for a Muslimah there are a lot of ideas that can translate well. No surprise then that I’m excited to share with you what I found. This Japanese Magazine was brought back by my Dad and step Mum from their recent trip, well chosen by my ‘Japan fashion correspondent’ Miya (my lovely sister). I was going to wait till I uploaded them all to post them up, but I couldn’t wait to show you!

I love the contrast of the boxy grey blazer and the frilly loose floral tunic, and that long skirt is stunning! I want it!

Magazines- East vs. West

I think there were even more inspirational images in this magazine than there were in the last one I featured, I love how fashion magazines in Japan feature so many outfits. Every page is filled with different combinations, a contrast in style to the Western mags who tend to feature just one, or a few key pieces.

With all these outfits you only need a few tweaks to get them right for a hijabi. A jacket or cardigan over the maxi dress, some wide leg jeans under the floral tunic (with the jacket sleeves rolled down) and some long sleeves with the skirt. Not forgetting the headscarf of course!

I’ll be posting some more Japanese style features soon enough which is good news if like me you love the fresh but quirky style of the Japanese girls! I think when it comes to non Muslim countries no-one else pulls off modest fashion in such an interesting way. But then again I’m probably biased ! I’d love to see the modest style of other countries though, if you have any photos send them in and I’ll do a post about modesty across the globe!

Hijab style: A masterclass in balance and aesthetics

Origami cutting room

They may not be the most modest prints but they are absolutely stunning. I think I may have had a personality transplant, or maybe it’s just the sun getting to my head but I have fallen head over heels for these Japanese origami inspired prints. It’s not hard to see why, they are full of aesthetic contradiction (in the best way). The prints are bold, but have a lot of depth, layering and staggering detail. They are full of contrasting shapes and colours, but they seem clean and fresh. It would be so easy to get this wrong, but in the hands of Basso and Brooke they are spectacular. I don’t think I’ve ever been more passionate about print!

Muslimah style: With just the right amount of art and fashion I could look at these for days

Hijab friendly?

The garments are hijab friendly in their shape, and there are some more subtle prints maybe a hem detail or an all over pattern with graded colour. With the high-street hot on their heels trying to replicate this style there may be more affordable incarnations. If you wore one of these dresses and kept everything else very clean and basic it could definitely be suitable for Muslimah’s, just think of it as a modern approach to embroidery.

Add a quirky twist to sandals with Tabi Socks

Sock it to me

For Muslimahs who cover there footsies tabi socks are an excellent way to make the most of sandals and peep-toes. The Japanese have started a very Muslim friendly trend here, they are cute, edgy, and are actually designed to be worn with sandals.

From plain to printed tabi socks are cute and comfortable

How to Choose Tabi

The best tabi socks are made of stretch fabric, not the normal sock fabric. This means that there is just one seam down the front and you can see if you hold it up that it’s shaped for a left or right foot. I only have one pair at the moment. I couldn’t find any utterly inspirational socks on the net, but for the plain white ones you can go to any traditional Japanese clothes site. My dad is over in Japan now and I asked him to pick me up some more printed ones so I’ll let you know what he comes up with inshAllah.

I love the cutesy look when worn with peep toes. The good thing is that even if they clash it kind of adds to the charm, it’s definitely a modest way to make a mini statement!