Any hijabi will tell you it's easier to dress in Winter...Summer is a whole other challenge! You want fabrics that are cool yet breathable and non transparent so you can avoid layering.....oh and "with sleeves please".

It's rare to find long tops and dresses with sleeves that aren't sheer..and when I do...I want to know how many colours I can get it in. I do have the advantage of being able to sew what I want, but often don't have the time. Despite the lack of Modest wear...I still love shopping;)

This outfit combo is my go to!

Scarf: Lace, pleated kashkha Laila Couture Fordsburg ( I got it at the Eid fair a while back)
Scarf band: Sowsan
Shirt: Mr. P
Pants: H-twenty one jeans (90% cotton)
Necklace: gold leaf Checkers Hyper
Watch: Swatch
Wedge Sandals: Jet
Bag: LV
Inner: Moondrops (Durban, Overport) couldn't skip it ...it's a white shirt..lol..Moondrops has the largest selection of inners I have seen one shop carry!
Gold belt: WOW Couture


When I want a change, I just swop my shoes, bag, scarf and wear the shirt in another way....tucked in at the front, skip the belt or try another..and the options are endless.

I love this White shirt, because it is a loose fit but has some shaping and has a longer back. Shirts are my staple...I even wear them over dresses and jumpsuits like a jacket and with skirts..the looser fit offers more versatility. A white shirt is a perfect addition to a capsule wardrobe for the budget conscious (who isn't these days?!)

It was really hot when I wore this...so we were running for shade when my highly esteemed photographer(ahem my hubby) took these random pics...Thanks Hun!  It was a relief to be wearing a cotton shirt and mostly cotton pants...

This one is definitely a selfie;p
Right now, the trend in lace scarves are running riot and this one from Laila Couture is really gorgeous!

 At the Home stuff store at Brightwater Commons...

Last seen in this OOTD at the Industry Bakery...:)

Xoxo....

Spring is here and it's not just about blooming flowers, chirping birds and warmer weather. It's a time of renewal, and that part of the year where we begin to alter our mindsets, rearrange our goals, create new ones and ultimately embrace change. What better way to reflect this than outwardly through fashion. We put away our heavy sweaters and keep the lighter ones close by, give away our knits that have seen too many Winters and opt for breathable fabrics for the warmer seasons, in colours that are bright, light and cheerful. 

So here is this Seasons Key Colour Trends:

1. Khaki, 
2. nude, 
3. bold red, 
4. orange, 
5. blues, 
6. yellow

1. Khaki 

A classic, and back on trend this season, in all hues and textures, form satin to suede, in more elegant forms, including smart safari to military. How about a Khaki lace skirt or satin dress? or perhaps bring out those camo or khaki cargos...Mr. Price Sport currently stocks these and I'm pretty sure they are a staple at JEEP and Cape Union Mart stores. 

Liviana Conti S/S 2015 

Ralph Lauren S/S 2015

Marc Jacobs S/S 2015

Chanel RTW S/S 2015

3 ways to wear khaki

* Pair khaki utility or Cargo pants with a more feminine top in chiffon or lace and wear strappy sandals or block heels.

* pair a khaki shirt knotted at the front with a grey t shirt maxi dress and converse takkies

* try khaki accessories: a fringed khaki kimono will hit 2 trends in one go, khaki sun hat, large bag, military jacket, or scarf paired.

Perfectly paired khaki:

Try it with grey, nudes, coral, red and even aquamarine and denim.

Jessica Alba

2. Nudes

Nudes such as cream, beige, white tones, blush and dusty pinks, and earthy stone colours have been on trend for a while now and still going strong into Summer. They are feminine, glamourous with minimal effort exude luxury. Nudes are easy to pair with existing items in your wardrobe as they are not an overpowering palette and can be mixed with other trends. My go to on this trend is to pair nude seperates and accessories such as nude shoes, belts, bags, cardis or scarves to mix with my current wardrobe staples. Consider Nude chiffon skirts, Flowy nude sweaters and dresses, and longer length culottes (think wide leg extra flare pants).

Haider Ackermann S/S 2015

Stella McCartney RTW Spring 2015

3 ways to wear Nudes

* pair pastel or brightly coloured outfits with nude shoes

* use nude shoes with nude pants to elongate a petite figure and make your legs look longer

* pair an all white ensemble with nude heels, clutch, and scarf or belt.

Perfectly paired Nudes:

Have fun with nude shades they are as basic as you can get and play nicely with all colours. Remember though that nude paired with cooler colours are perfect for warm weather.

3. Red and orange 

Popping up subtly in our blushes, lipsticks and even bags. This season they are celebrated in dresses, sunglasses, shoes, and pretty much every piece you can wear from head to toe. Red is overwhelming for the majority of us, so try pops of red in your scarf prints or elements on your bags, clothing or jewellery..think red pom pom key chains, red floral prints and red stone jewellery. The bold will love red skirts, dresses, stilettos or takkies (this seasons "it" shoe)...whatever it is, it is worth a try!

Balmain Spring 2015

Zuhair Murad S/S 2015

3 ways to wear Red:

* try a red shoe with a black ensemble to start out, then pair with nude. 

* Colour block Red shoes with a cobalt blue dress and yellow accents like a belt and black as a neutral colour in your bag, scarf and elements on your dress like a black zip, buttons or a panels.

* Red compliments green, try a red plaid shirt with a khaki scarf or utility jacket.

Perfectly paired Red:

4. Blue

I doubt there is a wardrobe that lacks this colour, whether it's nautical stripes of navy blue and white, blue floral prints, marine blues touching on green, or denim in different shades of blue. 

Chloe S/S 2015

pic courtesy of Style mag

Elie Saab S/S 2015

pic courtesy of Vogue.com

3 ways to wear Blue

* blue skinny jeans with a loose asymmetrical cut or high low hem white shirt and fringed red, tan or teal clutch or wristlet bag

* try a denim skirt with button down front and a red, yellow or nude boxy shirt half tucked in at the the front

* pair a bright blue scarf with a nude ensemble and a yellow clutch

Perfectly paired blue:

This polka dot number hits so many trends in one

5. Yellow

The colour of sunshine, used by colour therapists to energise and reawaken enthusiasm and confidence, it's one of my favourite colours. This colour is not usually widely available but being on trend means you are going to see alot of it....yey!

3 Ways to wear yellow

* Try a yellow cardi or floral kimono over blue, grey, denim, nude or a purple dress or t and jeans.
*  Full length maxi in yellow paired with red, tan, turquoise, purple or nude heels or strappy flats looks amazing.
* for a more subtle approach try buttercup or pale yellow in scarves, belts, bags and jewellery.

Perfectly paired Yellow:
  

Hope you enjoyed this!;)....Please note, that this post mostly serves to inspire you to combine colours and create combinations that you will add to or make hijab appropriate and are ofcourse not entirely hijab appropriate on its own....next up is current trends,  and how to incorporate them in Hijab, finally some feedback on our amazing sponsors and the hijab workshop and hijab styling as a career, the magnetic pin craze and the lady who started it all, spa that is altering the way we see wellness, an adventure safely tucked away in Fourways thats great for the whole family,...and a whole lot more..InshaaAllah till next time;)

Whether you are wearing hijab for the first time or the extroverts "born with it;p"....figuring out how to stay cool in hot weather and still look like you actually cared about what you put together can be exasperating. 

I've kept my family waiting, whilst I frantically dig in my wardrobe and have thrown clothes in a dog pile on my bed, hoping to try each item to see what looks best,will be hijab appropriate and will still allow me to breathe in the heat. I have ashamedly let hours pass by doing this, even to the point where they are already in the car. 

There were times when I thought "What am I doing?? .......Why am I worried about what to wear?? I need to get there on time before its over"..then this anything but classy, expression, floats in my head...."Mother Teresa didn't worry about what to wear....she had to get stuff (a less classy word was in my head) done!" fortunately for Mother Theresa, she had a uniform. 

As a Muslimah I'm not quite ready to resign to an abaya (though I am falling in love with them), I like having choices in COLOUR, STYLE, CUT etc, even if I don't always know what to choose.... comes with the territory of being a Fashion Designer I guess. 

Abayas are also ridiculously priced in SA and their cuts are definitely moving away from what an abaya is suppose to be in an aim to gain more clients (the point?), so I'll probably sew my own...Insha'Allah!

Fortunately the exasperated woman who leaves her family waiting was the old me.... in addition to a number of other useful ways which I will share with you shortly, I plan ahead, whether mentally or trying items out when we are not in a hurry to be somewhere or do something and I'm "generally" (because there are other factors that cause delays) on time . 

It has made a world of difference to my "guilty...shallow be me feelings" (iow....spend some time dressing and you are shallow, don't spend time dressing and you are sloppy...) and given me alot more time to care about more important things. 

Professonal Styling Tips:

1. When you go out, OBSERVE people around you (very briefly, no staring:), and their style and clothing combinations...(only the ones whose style appeal to you)

First determine what about the style or outfit stands out to you the most, it might be a statement necklace, a bag, makeup or shoes or the way a scarf is tied or its colour. This is what you could incorporate into your wardrobe instead of doing the whole outfit. 

Then make a mental note of the combination of items worn and colours. If there is no way you will remember, memos help. Theme outfit combos according to the style the outfit expresses such as cool, trendy, boho chic, elegant etc...This way you will be able to channel a similar style or outfit, or simply have your clothes shopping list on hand (no more buying what you won't wear).

I'm sure you got that up and down stare numerous times, it can be quite awkward. Especially around ladies in sunglasses who think they are invisible, or just talking to strangers such as shop assistants in expensive boutiques (don't mind them, they like assessing if you are there to browse iow waste their time, or actually going to buy their ridiculously priced items), not forgetting, weddings and occasions are the worst..., but then just think.... they need notes and memos too....lol!

If I saw the above...blazer, maxi, belt, oversized bag comes to mind immediately.

Now, practice with the pics below: 

2. SNAP! pics that is, it's always a good idea to take pics of your outfits, on the hanger, or laid out on your bed. Save these pics to an album on your phone called outfit combos. I have one and its definitely helped making dressing easier. You don't have to stick to wearing the same items in the same way in your pic, you could swop items out eg, if you wear a short blazer with dresses, try a long belted cardigan instead...or pull up the sleeves or wear the collar up on your blazer....

3. STYLE your outfits! don't just wear things the way you are suppose to...styling your outfits is adding  a bit of 'you' to your outfit. This would be very similar to the examples given above on the blazer. Wear it your way, and add your own personal touch, like knotting a tshirt over a skirt, or denim shirt over a dress, or other simple changes like wearing your necklace on your hijab, using a brooch on a plain shirt, or even a fascinator....the list is endless, use your imagination and be flexible(so you may want to throw out those fashion rules or limitations in your head out the window). You will also begin to notice other people's style types...which takes you to signature styles.

 Use a statement necklace that contrasts with your hijab colour over rather than under your scarf or pashmina( love this blue one) in this instance.

Try a turban style, and pastel colours (soft ice cream colours).

Change up your scarf style or colour (this mustard looks great)...see below for some pic tutorials.

4. Flex your SIGNATURE STYLE! If you think a certain combination works for you, you will find that you tend to stick with it...that is probably your signature style. I honestly love signature styles, they are another time saver but it is also very easy to fall into a rut of wearing the same style over again when you get comfortable. So keep it fresh by introducing a few style changes to your original signature style....eg. try a different hijab style, bag, or belt, use flats instead of heels, sandals instead shoes vice versa, make it more casual if it's too formal by adding a casual element like a chambray or denim shirt instead of a formal coat.

Rosie Huntingdon Whitely in her signature styles 

What is your Signature Style?

5. BROWSE the net for hijab looks or modest outfits or just outfit combos...save the ones you like. You may develop new uses for your old stuff and find Muslimahs or ladies with similar style choices. Want to wear your wide legged pants, search for wide legged or palazzo pants outfit combos....expand your search options by joining online communities such as lookbook or try new aps (lots of hijab style aps available), they don't have to be time consuming, log on only when you have a few mins to spare and be strict about the time you do spend browsing. 

6. EXPLORE new ideas, trends and styles. Years ago, I dismissed particular styles or cuts altogether as I would assume they would look awful on me. One of those styles was a peplum dress. One day I decided to try it and see what the fuss was all about...turns out it's very flattering and doesn't make you look pear shaped like I assumed. You don't need to be a slave to fashion, following every trend there is on the runway (because some looks are just meant for the runway, and look awful on anyone), but you can have fun exploring what will work for you. Always remember that major brands in Fashion and trends are largely influenced by you, the public, for instance street style. Big designers look to trends and combos that the public create everyday.... 

Here are some new Hijab styles to try including scarf tutorials

Skirt plus shirt:

Flowing maxi, belt and loose shirt

Adopt the style and choose lighter fabrics for Summer

Accessorize:

Bright colours or soft use what suits you

Statement Necklace

Vintage accessories and nudes

Try a modest loose fitting onesie, kimonos and wide legged pants combinations:

Style your Abaya:

Look for items with interesting details like a draped skirt, asymmetrical cuts, etc:

Mix of patterns and texture

Valentino Resort: look at the collar and cuff

Beaded jacket, metallic look pants suit

Hope you find this post especially informative in becoming your own personal stylist:)

Please keep the emails coming with topics you would like discussed and I will try my best to do it justice...and in the meanwhile...don't forget to follow me (stylexplora) on Instagram and twitter and (Waseema Abdool Khader) on facebook...I will follow you right back:)