Summer Comfort for Muslim Women

The summer heat is here girls! It’s time to go forth in our yearly quests for cool, comfy summer clothes.

For sure summer comfort, push those polyester duds to the back of the closet! The best summer fabrics to keep us Muslim gals dry, cool, and comfy, are cotton, linen, and rayon.

Cotton

Cotton is the most popular natural fibre in the world for a reason. Comfort! Why is cotton especially comfortable for the summer? When our bodies perspire to get rid of heat, cotton is able to absorb perspiration quickly from the skin to keep you cool and dry.

Cotton is also one of the softest fabrics available, so it’s great for lounging, sitting in a theatre, or long car rides. Sure, cotton will wrinkle more than polyester, but a wrinkle never killed anyone (a polyester outfit may have though!). Look for cotton-poly blend fabrics if you hate wrinkles. The polyester helps keep the wrinkles away.

It was pretty hard to find stylish cotton Muslim clothes a few years ago, but nowadays, they’re popping up everywhere.

Linen

What is linen anyways? Linen is made from flax plant fibres. It’s more difficult to make this fabric than to make cotton, so it’s sometimes more expensive. But linen is actually two to three times stronger than cotton so it can outlast cotton over the years.

The crisp texture ot linen helps keeps you cool in the heat because, whereas cotton can be clingy, crisp linen clothes tend to move away from your skin, moving perspiration and heat away with it. If your new linen clothes feel too rough, remember: linen becomes softer and smoother the more you wash it while staying lint-free!

If you absolutely can’t stand wrinkles though, get ready to iron. Linen gets very wrinkly! Also, don’t try riding a bike or climbing a mountain in linen as it has no elasticity.

Rayon

Some people equate polyester (a man-made fibre) with rayon, but rayon actually comes from a natural material. It is technically a man-made fibre because there is processing involved, but rayon has a lot of the properties of natural fibres such as cotton and linen.

Rayon is cool, airy, and comfortable, with the added benefit of having silky drape. Watch for rayon-cotton blends which feel absolutely heavenly!

Muslim Women are Suiting Up to Swim!

It wasn't long ago that only a fiercely determined and creative Muslim woman could pull together a modest swimsuit.Luckily, today there's a growing selection of stylish, professionally manufactured modest swimsuits available to such Muslim women, so they can save their energy for the water.If you're in the East, just visit your nearest Muslim fashion retailer and browse the racks. If you're in the West, it's all available at the simple click of a mouse.

What is a Muslim Swimsuit?

It sounds like an oxymoron, but it's not, because when we say swimsuit, we mean public swimming suit. According to our Islamic guidelines they have to cover everything except the hands, face, and feet.Once you get over this initial hurdle of using the word swimsuit for what really looks more like a track suit, examine these swimsuits a bit, and you may begin to appreciate how much work has actually gone into the designs and what this all means to the women who wear them.We're talking about coordinating, functional head pieces and swim caps with enough room for lots of hair, and the latest water repellent, fast-drying, UVB resistant fabrics in a variety of feminine, sporty patterns. Don't overlook practical features such as pull-chords and cuffs to keep fabric from floating up in the water, and zippered mesh pockets. The details are thoughtful and plenty, and Muslim women are apparently taking notice.Last year the biggest manufacturer of such swimsuits, Hasema, reportedly sold 25,000 of their modest swimsuits.

The Pioneer of Muslim swimwear

Hasema is a Turkish textile company who have been in the modest swimsuit business since 1989. They supply retailers overseas, as well as online Muslim stores.Hasema styles are very diverse, from simple tracksuit-type swimsuits, to very glamorous, gown-like suits that look fit for the wealthiest of Saudi Princesses to lounge in. They also sell swimsuits for women to wear amongst themselves - outfits that look like traditional one-piece swimsuits with matching knee-length shorts and skirts.For men who have trouble finding knee-length swim shorts, Hasema has designs for them too. They even have a children's line of clothing. Whatever your needs, whatever your taste, if you're looking for a modest swimsuit, it's worth your while to check out the company who started it all. Their prices are amongst the most reasonable.Cost before shipping is roughly 50-120 USD Visit Hasema.com for more info.

The new designers of modest swimwear

It's amazing what some catchy advertising and word-of-mouth can do for a new business , especially in the internet age. Just take Aheda Zanetti of Ahiida Ltd., and Shereen Sabet of Splashgear, two of the hottest newcomers to the modest swimwear scene.Zanetti cleverly named her modest swimsuits "Burqini Swimwear" (a humorous blending of the words burqa and bikini) and instantly garnered tons of attention for her brand. Search Google for the word Burqini and watch how many pages of results you get.Ahiida currently offers three lines of modest swimsuits: Slim-Fit, Modest-Fit and Active-Fit, each cut differently. You won't be stuck wading in the shallow end in any of these swimsuits; Ahiida swimsuits are really made for swimming. Just check out the head gear, called "Hijood" which look snug enough to withstand ten foot waves . The colors and patterns look really cool too - like something a competitive swimmer would be proud to wear. They are a bit costly, but if you're serious about swimming, it may well be worth the price.Approximate cost before shipping: 170 USD. Visit Ahiida.com to learn more.

Shereen Sabet's brand of modest swimwear, Splashgear, has been the topic of tons of interviews and is mentioned on all sorts of websites and blogs.The Splashgear brand is unique because it allows you to mix and match your own swim outfit. Select the top, the bottom and the head-piece that suits you best. These outfits are trendy, looking more like modest versions of pieces you might find on the racks of an athletic sporting store. Like the Ahiida brand, the swim caps and Swim Hoods are really snug-fitting to allow for some serious swimming.Approximate cost before shipping (3 pieces): 105-120 USD Visit Splashgearusa.com for more info.

The dream of an active lifestyle becomes reality

What does all this mean for Muslim women? It means that the dream of having an active public lifestyle is becoming reality. It's an exciting time to be a Muslim woman!There's no doubt that new brands of Muslim sportswear will pop up as these companies pave the way and inspire others towards innovation.

Bead Some Style Into Boring Hijabs!

We all have a stack of cotton hijab under-scarves and caps that are super comfy but kind of bland.Here's a fun project to add a touch of flair to those boring cotton bits.




Materials:

• Hijab Under-scarf
• Fabric pencil
• Small craft beads of your choice
• Sewing needle thin enough to fit through selected beads
• Thread that matches the fabric color

Steps to Beading a Hijab Under-scarf/cap

Using a fabric pencil, lightly draw freehand or trace any pattern you like onto the outside of the under-scarf. Try a large single flower or several smaller geometric shapes.Thread the needle and tie a knot at the end of the string.From the underside of the fabric, pull the threaded needle up through to a starting point on your design.Now string 1-5 beads (less if they are long, more if they are small) through the needle to the end of the string to meet the fabric.Poke the needle down through the next point on your design, far enough from the first point so that the beads are not bunched up and close enough so that they are not dangling.Poke the needle back up through the fabric onto a point next to the one you just pulled down through.Repeat, beading along the outline of your drawing until your design is finished.

TIPS

For a subtle look, choose beads that are the same color as your fabric.Choose beads of a longer length (like 5 mm) to save time.Beads that are too big and bold, though pretty, may look too flashy on the top of your head. Keep it simple!Have some fun with a little girl's hijab and try using larger beads such as flowers or butterflies. A craft store will have many fun items to choose from.

An interesting interview with the CEO of
Artizara, Sarah Ansari. Discover her inspirations and
ambitions.


MODESTFLAIR: Assalamu Alaykum!

SARAH ANSARI: Wa Alaikum Assalam!

MF: I was instantly impressed by your
store’s professional design, from the logo to
the quality of the photos. How did you come
up with the look for your website?

SA: Thank you very much. The Artizara brand
and concept is a reflection of what we believe
modest clothing should represent: a
conscious choice by smart, confident women
to dress in a way that challenges people to
value them for their intellect and not for the
shape of their bodies. The Artizara woman is cool, self-assured, independent, and
knows what she stands for. That is what is reflected in our products, in our
models and in our brand.

MF: Do you have a physical store as well?

SA: Artizara believes in a borderless world with a free flow of ideas, people and
products. Since the world is our marketplace, Artizara.com has no bricks and
mortar store. We are a “virtual” store only, and we ship to most countries of the
world.

MF: How long have you been in business?

SA: This is our fourth year in business.

MF: What motivated you to start Artizara.com?

SA: It was a desire to bring to the marketplace modest clothing that was a fusion
of East and West, clothing that was inspired by the arts and handicrafts of the East
(particularly Islamic art), with a contemporary twist.

It was also a dream, to market clothing that is geared towards socially
conscious modest dressing women of all backgrounds. Clothing that finds
common ground, brings people together, leads people to realize that the values of
modesty are shared by countless women, regardless of faith or orientation…and
from a broader perspective, all people are alike in many more ways than they are
different.

MF: How do you get inspiration for your designs?

SA: Inspiration comes from everywhere; from books on Islamic art to
contemporary fashion magazines. It’s a real fusion of ideas from many different
sources.

MF: We love that many of your tops have hijabs made to match them
perfectly! How did you come up with this idea?

SA: We believe that hijab in particular, and the concept of modesty in
general, is something “Uplifting”, not “Oppressive”.

By coordinating the hijab, the modest dressing woman is making a statement
that her head covering is not an “afterthought” but an integral (and very
stylish) part of her attire. This is also why our scarves are colorful,
and we go to great lengths to coordinate them with the ensemble.

MF: You’re one of the first Muslim fashion websites we’ve seen that
has its own blog. What made you want to start a blog?

SA: Our customers are our friends. It’s a way for us to communicate with them,
to let them know what’s on our mind, to solicit their help with new
designs, get their feedback, etc. We just started the blog and we will be
expanding it to include many other ideas as well.

MF: If you had to summarize in one sentence your mission for Artizara.com, what
would it be?

SA: Artizara aims to bring to the marketplace modest apparel, accessories and
other products that are a unique fusion of East and West, and a
contemporary reflection of modern Muslim identity.

MF: What are your plans for the future of Artizara.com?

SA: We have big dreams for our little company.

We hope that one day Artizara will be a global brand that will be a
reflection of the Modern Muslim Identity. A brand that will put the word
“cool” back into all kinds of Islamic inspired products, from apparel to
gifts to home décor.

MF: Well, thank you for your time, and I wish you much success!

SA: Thank you for the opportunity; it’s been a pleasure!