~Hijab Tutorial...finally~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

Well, just as I promised yesterday I have put together a couple of hijab tutorials for you lovely ladies.  I decided I should do one simple one, for those sisters who are just starting out wearing hijab (and mash'Allah to you!) and one more complicated one for those sisters who have been wearing a scarf for a while, and would like a new, fancier way to wear their hijab for a night out with their hubby or a trip to the cafe.

Let's start with the basics, then go from there, shall we?

This first style is a basic way of wrapping a rectangular scarf, with an extra twist to dress it up a little.  I like to call this one:

~The Sophisticated Scrunch~

All you need for this one is a simple scarf, preferably one without tassles.  You will also need four or five simple pins.

As my beautiful assistant is modeling, you start the scarf out with one end much longer than the other.

You can either hold the shorter end in place, or if you are wearing an underscarf you can pin it.  Then start to wrap the longer end of the scarf across your chest, under your chin, and continue to wrap it over the top of your head.

Once you have wrapped the scarf all the way around at least once, make sure you still have quite a bit of the scarf left to make your Stylish Scrunch.

Pull the scarf across your chest, under your chin, one more time then pin about 3/4 of the way up the side of your head.

Start scrunching the scarf , and once you have two or three scrunches that you like, pin them into place.  Continue gathering two or three scrunches at a time, and try to arrange them into a circle.  This will take a little practice, and you may have to do it two or three times until you get the arrangement that you like.  Remember: this is not supposed to look perfect, the idea is to create a flower-like arrangement of scrunches. 

You will probably have to use at least four or five pins to arrange the scrunches in the way you want them.  You can continue scrunching to make the design bigger, or leave it smaller, like I did.

Here is the finished product.  A casual enough look to wear out everyday, but with a simple, sophisticated twist.

Now that we have the basics down pat, let's move on to something a little more complicated.  This one I call the:

~Twice As Nice~

For this look you will need two scarves, and three pins.  I chose to use two basic hijab pins, and one of the beautiful, fancy hijab pins made by Love Nyla.  It is up to you if you want to use two plain colored scarves, one print and one plain (as I chose) or even two coordinating prints.  Either way they both should be rectangular and pretty long.  I am going to refer to the black scarf from now on as Scarf 1, and the printed scarf as Scarf 2.

Wrap Scarf 1 around your head, and tie it in the back, leaving one end much longer than the other.

Take Scarf 2 and lay it over Scarf 1, leaving a little bit of Scarf 1 showing. 

Bring Scarf 2 around to the back of your head, and tie it under the tie you made with Scarf 1.

Wrap Scarf 2 around over your chest and under your chin.

Continue wrapping scarf 2 until you reach the end, and pin securely in place with one of your basic hijab pins.  The longer end of Scarf 1 should still be loose, hanging out from under Scarf 2.

Wrap Scarf 1 around the front, over your chest and under your chin loosely so that Scarf 2 shows.

Loosely drape Scarf 1 over your head, allowing Scarf 2 to show.  Using the second of your basic hijab pins, pin Scarf 1 at your temple, making sure you allow the scarf to drape low enough to expose Scarf 2 at your neck.

Using the fancy hijab pin, secure Scarf 1 on the other temple, making sure it sits far enough back on the top of your head to let Scarf 2 show.

Tada!!! Here is the finished product.  Using a fancy, fringed scarf makes this look especially formal.  This is a great way to wear your scarf to a wedding, a party, or any get-together that you want to look extra special for.  Enjoy!

Well ladies, there you have it.  Insh'Allah you enjoyed our first Hijab Tutorial.  I'm sorry it took me soooo long to finally post them, but insh'Allah it was worth the wait.  Remember, practice makes perfect.  Take the time to play around with different scarves in front of the mirror.  Every face shape has different styles that look best, so if you try one of these styles and you don't feel it looks quite right, feel free to change it up a bit and insh'Allah you'll find a look that makes you feel like the Fashionista Muslimah you are!!

Ma'Salaama and Happy Wrapping!

Fashionably Yours,

The (sooo sorry I'm late!) Mujahada in Prada

~ECHO...Echo...echo...~

Salaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters...

I have to get something off my chest ladies.  It's something I've been keeping quiet about for a little while, hoping insh'Allah I was just imagining things or being a little oversensitive.  But now I know for sure, my eyes are not fooling me and I am not just being emotional.

I've noticed recently that I am getting nooooo comments for my posts.  Nada.  Zip.  Zero. 

If it weren't for my hit counter, I would think no one visits me anymore.  I am not chastising you or anything like that, just asking as a friend and a sister: why?

I must admit I get a little sad when I read some other blogs and see five, ten, even twenty or more comments after every entry and I can't help but wonder, am I THAT boring?  Are my topics not appealing to anyone anymore?  I enjoy having these little chats with you ladies, getting your input, your ideas no matter how short your comments are.  I look forward to hearing your input, logging on and seeing what you think of what I've written.

So please, let me know what I can do differently.  Like I said from the birth of this little blog, I don't want this to be a place you ladies come to in order to be talked AT...I want you to come here to talk WITH me.  To sit with a cup of coffee or green tea and chat a little about fashion, about family, about friends, about our lives as fashionistas.

But now...*sigh* I feel I am sitting here sipping my peppermint mocha alllll alone.  In a big empty room.  And I'm talking to myself...the only reply I get is my own echo.  I miss you ladies...and I look forward to hearing from you. 

And if you're mad at me because I haven't posted any hijab tutorials wallahi wallahi wallahi (i sweeaaar) I will post one tomorrow.  I just received my styrofoam heads in the mail from my mommy and I will get myself together tomorrow and post away.  Okay?  Do you forgive me?

I hope so.

Ma'Salaama and I Miss You!

Fashionably Yours,
The Mujahada Mujahada in Prada Prada

~My Fashion Inspirations~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

In every woman's life there is at least one person who especially stands out as an inspiration for her fashion sense and personal style.  And I don't mean a famous designer or celebrity.  I am talking about that one lady who is near and dear to you who has helped mold you into the fashionista you are today.  She may be your mother, your sister, or just a close friend, but whoever she is, I think she deserves some recognition, don't you?

Personally, I have two Fashion Inspirations.  Being a revert (convert) to Islam, I think I deserve two.  I mean for my sisters who are reading this who are also reverts, when we take our Shahada aren't we starting a brand new life in a way?

My first Fashion Inspiration is my wonderful Mom.  Ever since I was little I can remember her wearing the most beautiful, classy, and unique outfits.  Although our styles were never quite identical, she was an inspiration to me for always dressing like a sophisticated lady.  She is the type of woman who gets up, gets dressed and does her hair and makeup in the morning even when she has nowhere to go.  She has never owned a pair of jeans, and instilled in me the value of always looking your best, without sacrficing modesty or femininity.  When I started wearing hijab, she wasn't crazy about it at first, but since then has even gone out looking for scarves for me.  She always has great ideas about what looks nice on me, and my idea of the perfect day is when I go out shopping with my mom and my daughter.  (especially if the mall has Auntie Anne's Pretzels!)

My second Fashion Inspiration is my Amto G.  She is a fashionista muslimah in every sense of the word.  She was the woman who took me to buy my very first hijab when I decided to start covering.  I can still remember it was turquoise and salmon, and she stood me in front of her mirror at her house and wrapped it carefully for me, re-doing it three times before she was satisfied.  She was the woman who would show me ways to twist, tie, and flip my scarf to make a dozen different styles for every occassion.  Whether she is in jeans with flats, or a skirt with heels she always looks amazing, and I think of her every time I put on my scarf.

These two women are so precious to me, and I miss both of them terribly.  Every time I look in my closet to pick out an outfit I remember where I was with my beautiful mom when I bought it, and whenever I wrap my scarf and pin it into place I think of my Amto G.  Every piece of clothing represents a mood, an emotion, and a memory and I am so grateful that these two women are part of that.

So, my Stylish Sisters...who is your Fashion Inspiration?

Ma'Salaama and Happy Reminiscing!

Fashionably Yours,
The (sentimental) Mujahada in Prada

~Forever Stylish~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

I am pretty sure by now I don't have to tell you ladies how much I loooove Forever 21.  Whenever I am looking for that certain accessory, or newest trend at a reasonable price, I know I can always rely on my friends at Forever to have exactly what I need.

Not only do I love Forever 21 because of the hundreds of styles available in every store, their constant re-merchandising of the newest trends, and their amazingly low prices, but I also love them for the story behind the scenes.

Forever 21 was started in 1984 in Highland Park, California by Korean immigrants Don and Jin Sook Chang.  Don, while working at a local gas station, noticed that the people who drove the nicest cars, were those who worked in the fashion industry, and that was all the inspiration he needed.  The couple soon opened their first store, initially selling cheaply made knockoffs of popular styles, and gradually built that single store into the multi-million dollar empire that it is today.  They have worked hard, and give much of the credit of their success to their deep belief in their Christian faith.  (They even printed the bottom of their shopping bags with a reference to a Bible verse. John 3:16)

Don and Jin Sook's most recent and successful introductions in their business are not new styles at all, but are their two daughters.  Both are Ivy League graduates, and have worked their way up in the company as any other employee, starting out by tagging merchandise with price-guns.  Today Linda Chang heads the marketing department, while her sister Esther oversees the all visual operations. 

With the help of their two daughters, and the devotion of their adoring customers, Don and Jin Sook have recently opened an 86,000 square foot store in Cerritos, and have plans to open many more similar super-sized stores in locations that were once Mervyns department stores.  They are also planning the grand opening of a 96,000 square foot Times Square location in New York City in June 2010.

To me, Forever 21 is such a huge success story.  Just the other day I made a post about the husband-wife team behind Prada and how their devotion to eachother and their product have helped them succeed even during the most trying times.  Although Forever 21 is a much different product, at the opposite end of the price spectrum, in both cases their dedication to hard work, to their product, and to each other is what made them successful.  This kind of relentless determination should be an inspiration to each and every one of us, no matter what industry we want to succeed in.

Ma'Salaama and May All Your Ventures Be Successful!

Fashionably Yours,
The (totally inspired) Mujahada in Prada