~Superstar Style...at a Pauper's Price~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good (very early) Morning My Stylish Sisters!

I know, I know...where have I been?  Why has it taken me soooo long to get back with you lovely ladies?

Well honestly I have no good answer to that.  I could say my life is a little crazy right now, but let's be honest- whose life isn't?

So, instead I will offer a sincere apology, pour you a cup of peppermint tea and get started.

As all of you ladies know, there is NOTHING I love more than a fabulous find at a friendly price.  That's why I was overjoyed to find sooo many amazing accessories out there right now that won't leave me eating Top Ramen for a week after buying them.  There is absolutely no reason not to look your best this summer when there are such beautiful bargains out there!  Here are a few of my absolute favorites:

Et Tu, Brutes?

Can you believe that these fabulous sandals are only $29.99?  Available at Target.com they are by designer Cynthia Vincent and were previously available in Cognac (as pictured) and Yellow (which is now sold out).  I can't think of a better combination than gladiator sandals (LOVE!) and sky-high wedges (DOUBLE LOVE!)

Boho Beach Bag

Oversized and slouchy, this bag can go from the beach to a night out with the hubby! The perfect combination of dressy (with all the ethnic-inspired beading and embroidery) and casual (it's canvas!)  It's only $23.80 and is available at Forever21.com.

Cuff 'Em

Ok, wow!  These supersized beaded bangles come in various colors and can be easily paired with any outfit from a plain white tunic and khakis, to a beautiful bohemian skirt and heels.  Perfect for a coffee date with your closest girlfriends, or a real date with your soulmate, these bracelets look high fashion, but are available at the super low price of $28.00 at Athleta.gap.com.

A Little Bling

Ok, so it's a lot of bling, but for only a few bucks! You all know my obsession with cocktail rings, and what makes this one amazing is it's combination of a vintage feel, with a supersleek modern design.  Perfect with that brown abaya and cream scarf, or denim skirt and tunic this ring is the perfect pairing of bling and elegance.  What could make it even better? It's only $25.00 and is available at Topshop.com.

From sky-high Caesar sandals, to boho-princess bangles, this summer's styles are both super chic, and super cheap.  And really, what could be better than that? 

Ma'Salaama and Happy Bargain Shopping!

Fashionably Yours,

The (checkbook-balancing) Mujahada in Prada

~It's Time For A Trend Report!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

It's been a while since I've posted anything purely fashion-related, so I thought in order to get back into the swing of things I should do my own Veiled Couture Trend Alert for this spring season.

Although I could do without some of the trends showing up on the streets at the moment (*ahem* mini sundresses that barely cover your bum) I am pleasantly surprised at some of the more organic, and creative combinations that seem to be hovering on the horizon.

So, here are three accessories trends for Spring 2010, and my brief opinions about them.  (don't know if you want to hear what I have to say or not, but I'm going to just go ahead and say it anyway LOL)  I've chosen to do one jewelry trend, one handbag trend, and one footwear trend to cover all bases.  Enjoy and don't forget to leave us your two-cents about each of them in the comments section!

Trend Alert: Bunches of Bangles

This spring it seems the more the merrier when it comes to wrist accessories.  Anything goes, from Bollywood inspired brass, to your grandma's oversized pearls.  It's best to execute this fashion statement on one arm at a time, being careful not to exceed 4-5 bracelets, but other than that, chaos rules! Use various textures, colors, and styles to create a fun and funky look with your summer sundresses, or jeans and tunics.

Trend Alert: Superchromatic Wedges

  

I love Love LOVE wedges and I am soooo happy to see that they have made a comeback for this summer.  To me, wedges are the perfect compromise between foot fashion and casual comfort.  They go well with maxi dresses, abayas, jeans, or slacks and they enable you to dress up for an outdoor event, without worrying about being one of those silly females who get their stilettos stuck in the mud.  (don't get me started, I recently went to an outdoor day event where I saw wayyyy too many girls wearing night-time ensembles complete with sky-high heels and it killed me to watch them stumble around in the grass)  The best thing about this spring's wedge is that it is not in neutrals like last summer but in ultra-bright, super rich, Crayola crayon colors.  My only advice is to avoid wedges with wide-leg pants, unless they are bell bottoms and you're going for a bohemian-chic look.  Pants that are wide from hip to hem can appear bulky and add pounds when worn with wedges, so try to wear pants that are as slim cut as you are comfortable with.

Trend Alert: Boho Clutches

Ummm...I'm not sure what's going on here.  Usually I absolutely adore anything Boho-inspired.  Give me bell bottoms, native-American prints, and hippie beads and I can throw together an ensemble fit for any urban princess.  BUT...well....these just are not working for me.  And it's not just the picture I chose for this post either, I literally searched for a half an hour trying to find even ONE of these clutches that I liked.  I chalked it up to the personal feeling that anything "Boho" should be slouchy, comfortable and casual.  Having a boho clutch is like wearing a miniskirt with hijab- it totally defeats the purpose.  So, personally this is one trend that I will steer clear of this spring, and I will stick to my oversized slouchy messenger bag- thanks anyways!

Well, I guess two out of three isn't so bad.  And who knows, maybe one of you fabulous fashionistas can sway my opinion on those boho clutches (although I seriously doubt it LOL)  So please ladies, let me know what you think about these trends, and share with us any trends you see in your neck of the woods!

Ma'Salaama and Happy Trending!

Fashionably Yours,

The (yes those ARE fuschia wedges under my abaya!) Mujahada in Prada 

~The Unlikely Hijabi~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

I have missed you all soooo much! Insh'Allah everything is well with all of you and your families.  I am sitting here sipping my cup of coffee, enjoying a beautiful morning in the eye of the storm before I get swept up in the whirlwind that I call my life.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a huge Lakers fan.  And anyone who knows the Lakers well,  knows Kobe Bryant and his amazing basketball skills.  But, did anyone know that he is an undercover hijabi?

Not really of course, but he DID recently participate in a controversial photoshoot that was released in this last weekend's Los Angeles Times where he is wearing white from head to toe, and wearing a scarf wrapped as a hijab in a couple of the pictures.

If you haven't seen the pictures, take a look:

Now, you would think that both of these pictures would cause a bit of a stir, maybe some criticism or even conversion rumors about Kobe coming to Islam.  Although men who wear a keffiyah or huta often throw it over their shoulders while working or just to keep it out of their way, it is not common practice for a man to tie it in such a manner as in this shoot.  What is most interesting to me, though,  is the fact that the picture that has created the biggest stir is not the "hijab" pictures, but this one:

In fact, Kobe was quoted as saying the pictures were "a little too artsy" but mainly complained about the cover picture as being too "doctored up" and photoshopped, he has made no mention of the pictures wearing the scarf. Honestly, when I picked up my Sunday paper and saw this insert I had absolutely no idea that it was Kobe until further examination.

Reviews about these pictures have been mixed. Some say they are horrible, ESPN anchors teased Kobe relentlessly after Tuesday's game, others even claiming they are racist. Personally, I think they show a very artistic, fashion-forward, and en-vogue side of a celebrity figure we normally see in a jersey and sneakers. I also think it was pretty brave of him to do such a styled shoot, and it shows how comfortable he is in his own skin. I don't think he has any certain future in being a supermodel, but it was a wonderful attempt to show an alternate side of an outstanding athlete.

So tell me ladies, what do you think? Do these pictures interest you?

Disgust you?

Appeal to you?

Offend you?

Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Ma'Salaama and GO LAKERS!

Fashionably Yours,

The (Purple and Gold-wearing) Mujahada in Prada 

~Insomnia or Inspiration?~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

This morning I'm a little tired.

Okay...A LOT tired.

You see, I have been agonizing over a detail of one of my recent projects.  It's a line.  Yes, just a normal line, nothing too fancy...but I just can't seem to find the line that is right for the job!

Some people may think this sounds silly, maybe even ridiculous, but I KNOW there are some sisters out there who can totally understand what I'm saying.

I'm the type of girl who feels that I might as well do everything myself, because I know if I have someone else do it, I won't like the outcome as much.  When typing that it sounds a bit conceited, thinking I can do everything better than everyone else but that's not what I'm saying at all.  I mean, when you think about it if Edison hadn't agonized over every detail of the light bulb, or Henry Ford over the many gears and parts of his automobile, or Sarah Goode over all the parts of her filing cabinet, we wouldn't be able to drive to work every day, and read our paperwork under a well-lit lamp!

I've been called everything from a perfectionist, to a control freak, to OCD.  I wouldn't really say I'm any of these things, I would just say that I'm slightly further up on the 'picky' spectrum than the majority of the population.  I strongly feel this is a characteristic many artistic people have.  Perhaps it doesn't carry on into every aspect of their lives (I know many designers whose apartments are distasters, even though their creations are perfect) but I think this obsession with detail is vital in order to motivate them to improve on every design, and continue to create new things.

I have to admit, there are some nights I wish I weren't quite so detail-oriented.  This isn't the first time I've lost sleep over a minute detail of one project or another, and it does make for many exhausted mornings and far too much coffee consumption.  But in the end it's all worth it to me, because once I have completed something I know that I did it to the best of my ability.

And we all have our quirks, don't we? 

Tell me...what's yours?  What is that one thing, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant to others, that keeps you awake at night?

Ma'Salaama and Sweet Dreams!

The (counting down the hours until I can take a nap) Mujahada in Prada

~Salaam and Hola!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

Again I must apologize to my fashionable followers for my inconsiderate delay in posting about a topic that I promised you loooong ago.

Remember when I first arrived on the West Coast after I had completed my journey through the Southwest?  And I told you all I would share some of my adventures, both fashion-related and otherwise?  Yes...that is what I am referring to.  That promise.

Well, better late than never, right?  (personally I despise that excuse, because usually the answer to that is a firm "NO", but I am going to be slightly hypocritical at this point and use it)

Anyways, I would really like to share with you some beautiful pieces of authentic Mexican embroidered clothing that I purchased.  The first one I found in Bisbee, Arizona at this amazing little shop called Ceramica La Tortuga (roughly translated Turtle Pottery) that was full to the brim with everything from hand-embroidered Mexican clothing, to tourist-y trinkets to beautiful tablecloths straight from Lebanon.  Yes, Lebanon.  The owner's mother was from Lebanon, his father from Mexico, which contributed to his ecclectic assortment of accoutrements.

After a long personal debate between if I should purchase the amazing Lebanese tablecloth he had, or a traditional piece of Mexican clothing I decided on the latter. 

Here is the beautiful hand-embroidered Mexican huipil that I purchased there:

Huipil refers to the traditional sleeveless Mexican tunic.  To the right is a closeup of the detailing.

Here is an adorable little traditional Mexican dress that I got for my daughter in Las Cruces, New Mexico:

I love the peacock on this dress, the embroidery of its feathers is especially beautiful.

After seeing so much gorgeous embroidery along my way through Arizona and New Mexico, I realized how much this style has impacted more European and Western styles of clothing.  Everything from caftans to tunics, and shoes to handbags lately can be found with intricate designs resembling those of the more traditional Mexican garments.  Take a look!

Anna Sui Shift available at 247Steals.com

I looooove this beautiful caftan from eShakti.com

.

And this amazing maxi from eShakti as well.

And really, how beautiful is this handbag by Lucky?  It's available at Zappos.

This tunic by INC is a more modern take on Mexican inspired embroidery.  You can pick this up at Macys.com.

And saving the best for last, look at these stunning stiletto sandals from Valentino! They can be yours at SaksFifthAvenue.com.

All of these styles I have shown you are merely a taste of the many Muy Caliente pieces that are out there incorporating the detailed, intricate embroidery resembling that of traditional Mexican garments.  I love this trend, and think I will do a little searching around for some scarves that have a south-of-the-border feeling to them too.  Can't wait to share more of my adventures with you ladies soon, but for now Adios Amigas!

Ma'Salaama and Hasta Luego!

Fashionably Yours,

The (Spanglish speaking) Mujahada in Prada

~Older and...Wiser???~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!!

I can't believe a whole week has gone by without me posting! Subhan'Allah how time flies!!

I want to apologize, but it was for good reason...I promise!  You see, I turned another year older this week, and actually took a few days to relax!  I can't believe I've gotten this old already!  Alhamdulillah for everything, I am most greatful for all I have been blessed with, but it was quite a shock to realize that another year had gone by so quickly!

I can remember my last birthday like it was just yesterday, and now all of a sudden it's time for me to set my body's clock ahead a whole 'nother year!  Well, it wasn't as tough as I thought it would be (this was a milestone birthday, although I refuse to disclose which one) thanks to my hubby, and good people surrounding me.  I look at my daughter and can remember so vividly the day she was born, and subhan'Allah she has another birthday coming up too!

Well, I'll make this short, because I really had no plans for this post.  Just thought I'd ramble on a bit so my sisters wouldn't forget about me.  But another birthday always makes me realize just how quickly life flies by us.  In fact, just the other night I was sitting with my hubby and a couple of family members and they were fondly recounting memories of their grandfather.  And all of a sudden they realized he had already been gone for almost ten years, and here we were sitting and talking about him as if he had just walked out of the room.  In fact, not a day goes by that we don't refer to him, to his actions, to the way he dealt with those surrounding him, and all who loved him so dearly.

I got to thinking, will I be remembered in this way?  Will anyone think back ten years after I have died and still love me the way they did when I was still in this life? 

It made me think of how every single action we perform, every word we speak, every helping hand, or unkind remark is counted either for, or against us.  It's too bad it takes a birthday for me to realize this, but insh'Allah I will get better at remembering this every day.

Anyways, those are my ramblings for the day.  Tomorrow we shall return to our stylish chats and fashionable quandries, but for now let's reflect on ourselves, and our actions...and be grateful for this opportunity to share the time we have with eachother.

Ma'Salaama and Happy Reflecting...

Fashionably Yours,
The (Older and Wiser) Mujahada in Prada

~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