Workplace Fashion for Muslim Women

What to wear to work? If you're a Muslim woman who works in a professional or corporate environment you need that professional look. Here are some ideas for the workplace that are seriously fashionable.

Choose the Right Colors If you've got to get dressed in a hurry, just remember: you can never go wrong with basic black. The black work dress to the right is from thehijabshop.com All neutral colors and muted/subdued colors are also great for work .The idea is that your clothes shouldn't be too loud and distracting in an environment where business is of the most importance.

Invest in Quality Suit-Sets Every working woman should invest in quality suit-set. Choose basic colors, and then you can mix up your looks by changing the shirt you wear under the jacket or interchanging jackets. There's just something about those buttoned jackets and lapels that say: let's get down to business!But make sure the shoulders fit you well, because nothing makes you look bigger than you actually are than buying an over-sized jacket.Check out al-Farah.com for more suit-sets like this one to the left.

Pick Straight-cut Skirts If you prefer to wear separates, look for straight/pencil-cut or A-line skirts. Save the dramatically flared skirts for something a little more fun!Look for a kick-pleat at the front or back for ease of movement - it's a major comfort bonus. Try maraboonline.com for straight-cut skirts and skirts with kick-pleats, like the one shown here.

Muslim Baby Fashions!

Maybe babies don't care how they look, but it sure is fun for moms to dress them up! Here are three different ideas to get baby clothes printed with custom Islamic messages for those tiny muslims & muslimahs!

muslimbabyshop.com Here's a gret little online shop where you can buy short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts printed with cute Islamic messages. Choose between white, pink, or blue shirts. This would be a great unique gift for under $10. Sample messages include: "I'm an itsy bitsy Muslim", "SALAAM" and "Little Muslimah"

Order Custom Printed Shirts Online We found tons of stores online where you can order your own message to be printed on baby clothes, bibs, hats, blankets, and more! You can even upload your own images! This way, you could use images of Arabic phrases like "MashAllah", your baby's name in Arabic, or the Kabah...Check out: customizedgirl.com

Create Your Own Muslim Fashions at Home This is an easy project to try yourself or with the kids. Crayola (and other brands) sells fabric markers, crayons, and paints that you can use to decorate fabrics - and they won't wash away in the laundry if you follow the instructions. Draw free-hand or stencil your Islamic messages/drawings onto shirts, bibs, blankets, or whatever your heart desires! Visit crayola.com for more info.

A Coat or Jilbab for Every Body Shape

Apples & pears aren't just for fruit salad anymore...they're apparently body shapes as well!

All us Muslim ladies are built a bit differently, so let's see what styles of coats and jilbabs compliment some of the most common body shapes. Although most of these photos (from Nordstroms.com) are of shorter coats, these rules work for coats of longer lengths and jilbabs as well.

Big Busted & Slim Well here's a body shape most of us wouldn't complain about, but it can be a dilemma for Muslim or modest women.You need a coat with a smooth, streamlined look all the way down the front. You want to avoid double- breasted coats (where one side overlaps the other), and huge buttons or embellishments down the front, because that just adds extra bulk and attention where you don't want it!

Apple (sweet, not sour) Shaped An apple shape means you have some bulk around the waist, and maybe bottom. A great idea for hiding those bits is an empire-waisted coat. An empire waist has a seam under the bosom that flares out in a very feminine, chic way - and hides bulk. Also, try long coats to drag the gaze downward whenever you want to draw attention away from your upper half.

Pear Shaped Many women are less endowed up top, have a thin waist, and are fuller around the hips & thighs.To compliment this body shape, pick a coat that's slightly narrower at the waist then flares out to cover the wider lower body.Double breasted styles, wide lapels, big buttons, or fur will add fullness up top.

Full Figured If you're a plus-sized gal don't make the mistake of buying a huge over-sized coat, because that will just make you look bigger than you actually are. Get your coat in a size that just skims your body without being snug.Choose a cut that falls away from the body, preferably down to the feet.Avoid fur or down coats that will just add extra inches to your size.

Tall & Narrow Tall and narrow women sometimes feel they have a boyish frame. To combat this, pick a tailored coat that flares out at the waist to create a slightly more womanly look (hips).A horizontal line at the waist works to break up the length of the body, and could also be achieved by the use of a loose belt.

Petite Shorter women should choose coats that fall above the knee to add length to their appearance.To create a more womanly look to a petite frame, pick a coat with some feminine embellishments around the front and waist.Wide lapels, double-breasted coats, and fur will add bulk to a small upper half. Avoid big poofy coats.

Al-Farah Interview

An exclusive interview with Terry Cormier of Al-Farah.com...

ModestFlair: Assalamu Alaykum! For those of us who don’t know, can you tell us what “Al-Farah” means and why did you choose this name for your store?

Terry Cormier: Al-Farah means the Joy and Happiness in Arabic. We chose that name because it is common in many languages. “Farah” is used in Urdu, Arabic and English. Also, when you dress nicely and according to your beliefs you feel good.

MF: You’re one of the few online stores that also have a retail store. Where is your retail store and how long has it been open?

TC: We started as an online business and then decided to open our first retail store in Anaheim, CA (aka Little Arabia) about two years later. Our retail location has been open just over a year now.

MF: How does a virtual store compare to a bricks & mortar retail store in your experience?

TC: Online we can reach many people that don’t have modest clothing readily available to them, but with the retail store we get the benefit of meeting our customers face to face. Interacting with our guests and their families on a daily basis is a very rewarding experience.

MF: The styles of Muslim clothing on your website range from traditional abayas to more contemporary two-piece sets. From what your customers are buying, do you see any trends in what clothing Muslim women want today?

TC: We strive to provide our customers a selection of styles from around the globe. With such a variety of culturally different Muslims, traditional and modern items are all popular.

MF: Where does your clothing come from?

TC: Our clothing at Al-Farah comes from a wide range of countries from around the world. We are happy to provide our customers many options so they can select what they really want, and feel comfortable in.

MF: Does Al-Farah design its own clothing?

TC: Many of Al-Farah’s styles are designed and manufactured by us. We love to hear from our customers and strive to provide them with the clothing styles the need and want.

MF: What future plans do you have for Al-Farah?

TC: Insha Allah, we hope to continue serving the Muslim community by expanding our line with new styles and sizes.

MF: Thank you for sharing your story with ModestFlair readers!