Assalamu Alaykum Muslimah Fashionistas! Here's your guide to the best Muslim & Modest Fashions on the WEB! Find store reviews, sales spottings, modest fashion trends, hijab styling and all sorts of modest fashion inspiration!
We call this the Turkish wrap since all of the most fashionable Muslim ladies in Turkey wear their hijabs this way.
The best thing about this style is all the different looks you can get by playing with the ends.It's really easy to get this sophisticated look, but make sure you follow these steps if you want to get it just right!
1. Find a bold, colorfully printed square scarf - preferably silk - and fold it in half without ironing the folded edge.
2. Put on a coordinating underscarf/cap pulled half-way down your forehead.
3. Place the hijab on your head, without tucking at the sides of your head, and pin under your chin. When you don't tuck, the folded edge will be wide and loose around the top of your head (as shown above).
4. Now decide what you want to do with the ends! You can:
leave one end hanging down and toss the other
tie the ends tightly behind your neck
tuck them inside a suit jacket
gather them to the side with a large broach (below)
Tip: Young women tend to wear their hair in a high ponytail under this style.
It may not be a household name in North America, but ask anyone in Turkey about Muslim fashion, and Tekbir will be one of the first brands to come to mind.
Tekbir is lead by Mustafa Karaduman and operated by his six brothers. Since it opened in 1982, it’s grown into a multi-million dollar company with a reported 600 outlets across Turkey, and 50 more abroad as far as the United States and Australia!
Why have Muslim women taken to Tekbir? Tekbir clothing seems to have captured the perfect combination of conservatism and style. This meets the desires of a growing number of young Muslim women who want to dress fashionably while still following their Islamic faith - exactly what Karaduman had in mind when starting his company.
In Turkey, they use the word “Tesettur” to describe this style of modern, high fashion Muslim apparel. Some say that this kind of dress is not just making a fashion statement, but also a religious/political statement that Muslim women can look modern and live active, urban lifestyles.
Tekbir clothing can be described as chic, elegant, and sophisticated. They are famous for producing beautiful skirt suits, and colorful silk scarves that come out in new patterns regularly. Their modest wedding dresses are absolutely stunning. They are known for their quality fabrics and workmanship.
Some complain that Tekbir prices are too high, and this is establishing their brand as a status symbol that only the higher middle class and the wealthy can afford. Critics argue that this is unIslamic, while others state that this is only inevitable in a market where the competition is few and the demand is high.
If not because of price, Tekbir clothing is out of reach for most Western Muslim women due to lack of supply. Since Tekbir doesn’t sell their clothing off of their website, it’s hard for distant consumers to get their hands on this brand.
If you can’t afford to jet across the world in search of Muslim high- fashion, you can still check out Tekbir designs at Tekbirgiyim.com or view clips of their fancy fashion shows on YouTube. Primomoda.com is a predominant seller of Tekbir clothing online.
Are your drawers overflowing with perfectly good hijabs that you don’t wear? Or maybe you have great Islamic fashion sense that you want to turn into a business. Selling your fashions on eBay could be the answer to clearing out your stuff and making some extra cash!
You will have to invest a little bit of time into setting yourself up to sell on eBay. But it’s not complicated; ebay has made the set-up and selling process a breeze with easy, guided steps all the way through. And you don’t have to struggle to figure out anything on your own because there are tons of resources available on their website (see bottom for links to the best resources).Here’s an overview of how to start selling your stuff on eBay:
1. The first thing you’ll need to do, if you haven’t already, is become a Registered User on eBay. Just click on the registration link at the top of the page on eBay.com. You’ll be asked some personal information and you’ll create your very own, unique User ID. Your User ID is the name that everyone on eBay will know you as, (for example, HijabLady77) so think about this carefully before you even begin to register. Many User IDs are already taken, so think of several ideas and prepare to be flexible.
2. After you’ve registered, you’ll need to create a Seller’s Account (it’s free). You’ll do this from the “My eBay” tab at the top of any eBay page. Go to “My Account”, then "Personal Information" and you'll need to fill out some information to verify your identity and set your payment method. Again, you’ll be guided through this process.
3. If you want to be successful on eBay, you'ld better set up a PayPal account. PayPal is the company that handles online payments between eBay buyers and sellers. Having a PayPal account will dramatically increase the number of sales you make and the speed of receiving money (compared to cheques). To register for PayPal, click on the PayPal link at the bottom of any eBay page.4. Now it’s time to get selling! Just click on the “Sell” tab at the top of any eBay page; you’ll be guided through the steps to list your item for auction or as “Buy Now”. There's lost of handy tools, such as a shipping calculator and photo editor, to help you along.
What fees does eBay charge?
They've gotta make some money too right? I mean eBay isn't providing this service out of the goodness of their hearts! Good news is the fees are small. There's a small, non-refundable, insertion fee for listing each item ($0.60 for items beginning at $10.00 - $24.99) and another fee if the item sells (around 5% of the final sale price). We think the fees are pretty fair considering the services that eBay provides.At eBay, they've thought of everything to make the selling process seamless. Give it a try, but be warned: you might get hooked!
UPDATE: VIDEO OF BROOKE SAMAD FROM YOUTUBE! (SEE MY INTERVIEW WITH HER BELOW VIDEO)
My interview with designer and owner of Maraboonline.com, Brooke Samad...
ModestFlair: Assalamu alaykum and thank you for chatting with us! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Brooke Samad: Walaikum Asalaam! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk with you and the ModestFlair readers.
’I'm the owner and designer behind Marabo. I’ve been doing this for a little over two years now. I’m a convert to Islam, live in New Jersey with my husband and I have a degree in international politics from New York University and my Associates in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
MF: When did you decide to start Marabo, and why?
BS: Two years out of college, I was working in the corporate world, itching to do something creative. I decided to go back to design school and wanted to try designing with Muslim women in mind. I wasn’t sure if I would ultimately design a full fledged collection or just some items for myself, but I knew I was tired of the limited options available in mainstream stores.
MF: We love that you carry skirts and tops designed with fun, printed fabrics; Muslim clothing has often been very plain. Has it been a conscious choice to use printed fabrics?
BS: It’s funny, my personal taste tends to fall more in the plain, minimalist sphere. I’m always trying to push myself to wear colors other than the plain, white, gray and black. That said, I did want to experiment with more color for Muslim women. I tried some fun prints and found that the more daring the print or color, the better our customers actually respond. I think a lot of our customers are looking for modest items that are special and unique. A lot of times we have to settle for things that aren’t so interesting or fashion-forward because we can’t find anything else appropriate.
MF: What is the most popular design on your website right now?
BS: The Bow-Tie skirts have been very popular online this season. We also saw strong sales of the Havana Pants.
MF: How do you choose the chic accessories (jewelry and belts) offered on your site?
BS: When selecting the accessories, I look for fun and really unique pieces. I try to choose pieces that are a little bit ahead of the curve in terms of style and trendiness. I don’t want to offer my customers the same thing they can find in all the other stores.
MF: What is a Marabo “house party”(metioned on the website)?
BS: House parties are an option we provide for women who want to have a “shopping experience.” We invite women to host a house party for us, invite their circle of female friends and family, and we bring the whole line to the party so the guests can try on items and get a friend’s opinion. It’s a great way to shop in a comfortable and fun, all-female environment! Our gift to the hostess is that she gets to shop at a discount.
MF: What do you have planned for the upcoming fall & winter seasons?
BS: We have a beautiful and exciting fall collection on the way. You’ll be seeing a lot of plaid and herringbone as well as some other fun fabrics. Clean and tailored silhouettes are big this season. Inshallah our customers won’t be disappointed.
MF: We're looking forward to that. Thanks for your time!
BS: My pleasure! Keep up the great work with ModestFlair! May Allah bless your efforts.
We call this the Turkish wrap since all of the most fashionable Muslim ladies in Turkey wear their hijabs this way.
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