I was driving down to the neighboring state (Michigan to Ohio) to catch up with my girls and needed something comfy. Fortunately, these fab acid wash dungarees arrived just in time for the trip, and so I paired them up with a loose, plaid boyfriend shirt, a mohajababes maxi hijab, and tan accessories for a relaxed look.

By the way, this is the second time I wear these maxi scarves (see the purple one in this post), and I absolutely love them for their ultra light texture, huge size, and the fact that they come in several different solid colors. All my solid scarves prior to these ones were pashminas – quite the torture on hot summer days in Qatar and Egypt for example. Check them out cause they feel and look great (do not judge my scarf here – I had been driving on the freeway with my windows open for 3 hours prior to these pictures).

Scarf: Mohajababes, plaid shirt: Boohoo, acid wash dungarees: River Island, bag: Guess, sandals: Forever21, accessories: Urban Outfitters, H&M

My apologies for the lack of posts the last few days: I was celebrating the end of the semester with a long weekend in another Midwest middle-of-nowhere city, Columbus, Ohio, where I did typical Midwestern things such as hitting the local malls, eating ice cream, barbecuing (or rather hash w nash; after all, a Palestinian was responsible for it), and otherwise bumming around and spending time with some of my dearest friends from my undergrad days (you know, back when I had time to be social). We also did less all-American things such as dabkeh, group karaoke to North African hits sans mic, and dropping birthday cakes on the floor (love you guys; you never fail to entertain me) .

The weather was quite acceptable, but has since then cooled quite a bit and so I could wear medium light clothes without being too cold. Loose, baggy, and comfy outfits were king as I enjoyed a couple of lazy days to the max. Things shall definitely sharpen up in time for New York.

Raiding the local Forever21 (and H&M) is a must when one is stuck in smaller cities in the Midwest without European chains such as Zara, but why is it always burning hot inside? Guess which pieces I ended up with?

(What I’m wearing: Head scarf: Mohajababes, neck scarf: Gina Tricot (Norway), leather jacket: Pitaya, tribal fringe top: River Island, pleated jersey maxi skirt: Unique Hijabs, bag: Forever21, spiked peep toe heels: River Island, accessories: Icing, ASOS, River Island, Ebay)

(What I’m wearing: Hijab: Unique Hijabs, neon kimono: H&M, washed out graphic tank: H&M, acid wash dungarees worn as jeans: River Island, bag: Forever21, holographic flats: Forever21, accessories: Icing)

Here’s another delayed review. This time I’m trying on three different SixteenR scarves (check out their website here and their Facebook page here). Not only do their hijabs come in fun and different designs not to be found anywhere else on the market, the company is also built around a unique philosophy of empowerment and strength. Did I mention that SixteenR’s founder and designer, Nancy Hoque is a sweetheart who is involved in about every other creative Muslim project you will find out there, masha’ Allah?! I was lucky enough to get to spend some time with her during Fashion Fighting Famine in California some time back. Enough about that; let’s get down to business.

The favorite. What’s not to love about this multicolored lightweight hijab with Arabic calligraphy? I’ve already worn the El Seed-designed The Centuries scarf on stage as a turban while performing in the Hijabi Monologues, and it is bound to be worn again and again.

The fly one. I love the print of this El Seed-designed orange pashmina shawl. Since The Walls is a little narrow to do my regular scarf style with, I prefer to wear it as a turban or around my neck as seen in the picture (I think it looks cooler that way).

The conscious one. Although the Little Ripples scarf is my least favorite when it comes to the print (the organization’s logo), the size is better in my opinion (i.e. wider) than the other two. The best thing about this sturdy but soft light purple on deep purple pashmina hijab is that every scarf sold means one donated to Darfuri refugee teachers.

A very, very quick post as I gotta get packing for New York, DC, Oslo, and Spain (that’s right; I’m traveling for more than a month from tomorrow, and I didn’t even start putting stuff together). So basically, this outfit is as comfy and casual as it gets. It is built around the washed-out tribal Forever21 pants which supposedly are skinnies. Now I can’t stand true skinny jeans on myself and so whenever I see a print I like I get the absolutely largest size possible to ensure the coverage of pants with a slightly more normal fit (hijab tip, btw, as it doesn’t really matter how the pants fit on top since you cover it anyway).

Bas keddah. The way nicer-than-usual photos are the work of my very talented friend, Anushey Pervez. Find her on Instagram here.

Sometimes, just sometimes, it is a good idea to iron that scarf!

Scarf: Indiska (Norway), vest with chiffon layer: Pitaya, light denim shirt: Ebay, tunic top: Pitaya, tribal print jeans: Forever21, bag: Guess, pumps: Aldo, accessories: ASOS

When Covered Girl contacted me to do a review of their scarves, I was a little skeptical. Not because of their lack of beautiful products, no, but because their stuff is so elegant, so professional, and so classy it is not really me (not saying I’m not classy, I just have a preference for colorful, loud things). Oh, and I also like to have an oversized head. Which, you know, is not really achieved by normally sized silk chiffon scarves.

In any case, the prettiness was too overwhelming to resist, and I ended up choosing a silk and lace number from their signature collection (their self-designed ones) and a maxi leopard scarf from their picks to balance it out. I sort of regret I didn’t get more of their own design cause I ended up being positively surprised. Check out their website and Facebook page and see below for descriptions of the two scarves.

I had originally intended to give this cute scarf in stone colored silk chiffon and black lace away after finishing up my review as it is not a maxi size and otherwise too delicate for my regular style. Well, look at the pictures. Obviously I changed my mind. Whereas I thought the cold beige tone would not compliment my skin, it really did, and I do not have much to complain about in terms of volume either. This scarf is pure class, and probably one of the nicer you can come across. Check out more of their signature wraps here.

Then we have the Pretty in Pink leopard maxi scarf, which as the name suggests has pink in the shape of hearts printed over the base animal pattern. It is a regular material huge wrap, and it looks really good.

If you are looking for something edgy and truly unique yet really modest, this Far East inspired The Abaya Company Abaya is the way to go. I chose this piece out of their fresh collection exactly because of this. It could be a hit or miss, I figured, as the bold tricolored “kimono” sleeves and the big, floral oriental embroidery on the back of the abaya and side of the sheila definitely makes it stand out of the crowd. Being no stranger to wearing unusual pieces and combinations, however, I was drawn to the less “safe” choice, and I must say I’m happy I did.

As mentioned, the cut is one of a wide kimono, with very wide sleeves that you attach with buttons around your wrists, accompanied by a mandarin-style collar. The abaya is in a very light material and open in the front, with buttons down to the upper legs. In terms of colors, the abaya is completely black with a broad white stripe covering the top of the sleeves, the shoulder, and the collar. The back, however, is really the masterpiece. Across the sleeves, you have the front white stripe as well as a grey one, before the abaya turns black. It is also here the big, orchid (?) Asian embroidery is located.

I really love this piece, as it is very different from most other things out there. The only issues I have with it is that one of the buttons came off the first time I put it on. This still did not affect the wearability of the piece too much. Also, because of time constraints due to my travels, I had the abaya sent to me without being tailored to my measurements. This is not recommended, as a size 60 abaya is huge on me. Fortunately, the company always tailors to fit, so you should not face the same issue. All in all, it is a bold, beautiful piece that I’d highly recommend.

All the beautiful pictures are taken by my very talented friend, Anushey Pervez. Find her on Instagram here.

It is not me, it is you. Although you’re pretty alright compared to “exotic” Michigan, you are not awesome enough to totally make up for that fat rat that almost hit my leg running down the metro stairs, the constant smell of sewage or urine, or that white, middle-aged guy who thought it’d be just fine to steal my taxi from me with his two spoiled brats, ignoring my screaming and admittedly pathetic cursing.

I do not use the F-word and multiple other more powerful ones, and so I ended up yelling weak phrases like “you rude idiot” – that obviously won’t cut it in New York City. Although I resisted the urge to pull him out of the taxi and hit him, thus potentially facing deportation (idk if that could really happen but I better stay on the safe side), I made a mental note to carry a less lethal but insulting weapon around the next time (a shibshib – flip-flop sandal, anyone?).

(Looking all homeless and stuff after missing the Megabus back to my favorite US city, DC. What I wore: scarf: Norway, fringed suede vest: River Island, statement sweater: River Island, white tank coverup: Vous Etes Belle Fashion, boyfriend jeans: ASOS, bag: Forever21, studded ankle boots: River Island, accessories: Ebay, ASOS, Icing)

Also. New York does sleep, at least compared to Cairo. Despite the latter’s even dirtier and stinkier appearance, the life of that city makes up for just about anything else.

(Exploring Brooklyn, a pretty chill part of town. What I wore: scarf: street vendor, tiger print shirt: Norway, tropical print maxi skirt: Boohoo, bag: Forever21, leopard sandals: New Look, massive vintage necklace: gift from my friend Reem, antique look silver bracelet: Yemen, kaf/hand earring: El Husayn, Egypt)

(Closeup of the statement piece of statement pieces, gifted to me on my last birthday by my dear friend Reem)

(Unbeatable combo:  being a kid AND eating awesome food. I live for good food. This girl doesn’t do diets.)

It is not all bad, however. Far from it. What I do love about New York  is its many originals. People wear anything and everything, and sing in the streets. Now that’s my kind of crowd. Thus my serious print mismatching outfit and my tutu were very well received.

(A punkish state of mind. Or something along those lines. What I wore: skull print scarf: H&M, jersey neck scarf: Unique Hijabs, neon pink shirt: Forever21, suspenders: Urban Outfitters, black maxi tutu: Ebay [the seller is Angel-Secret], bag: Gina Tricot [Norway], accessories: Icing, ASOS, street vendor)

What’s more, I got to see my mom and sister, attended a charity event, went thrifting (and got a tacky-superb sequin top), did some sight-seeing, got to eat some yummy food (that reeeeally matters to me), and caught up with some loveable girls.

(Stylish lovely ladies  Ayperi and Sana from ModHijabi <3)

I really enjoyed my brief time back in Washington DC, a city where I spent a summer back in 2010 doing a pretty fun internship before the route of academia had become clear to me. Not only did I eat well every meal for the entire time I was there (fancy Turkish/Mediterranean at Zaytinya, delish Mexican/El Salvadoran, yummy Ethiopian, and hearty Chinese), but I stayed comfortably as well (thanks, Zoha, for hosting me the last day <3), and saw wonderful friends (including girls I met at the FFF show and my lovely former boss in MBC, Nadia).

(Zoha and I outside Zaytinya, me looking slightly homeless at the Lincoln Memorial – I had to remove my shoes after a whole day of walking, my NYC elephant ring and the White House, screen with verses from holy texts at Dulles Intl’ Airport, Ethiopian delicious food, and me being excited about a blend of three juices at the same place)

DC is clean, chill, and full of interesting people, but the dress code is unsurprisingly much more muted there as opposed to NYC. I love the city as it reminds me slightly about Europe, but the weather is extremely humid, making life uncomfortable for hijabis at even moderate temperatures. I can’t believe I walked for a half hour to work everyday in that mess in the middle of the summer.

(This outfit is loose, casual, and suitable for sightseeing minus the shoes. I messed up my right foot severely after running around on them the whole day and thus had to wander barefoot around on the National Mall in the evening. What I’m wearing: scarf: H&M, neon kimono: H&M, neon and cream knitted top: Mango, acid wash dungarees: River Island, fringed ethnic embroidery bag: TJ Maxx, front zipper ankle boots: Aldo, accessories: Urban Outfitters, New York, Yemen).

(Unusual combinations make the best outfits. Here I’ve coupled a dressy jumpsuit with a casual, washed-out denim shirt, feathers, and neon details. What I’m wearing: scarf: Unique Hijabs, denim shirt: Forever21, jumpsuit/dungarees: Boohoo, oversized neon clutch: ASOS, studded ankle boots: RIver Island, accessories: Ebay, ASOS, Zara)

What is for sure is that I have to visit both DC and New York ASAP by myself. I didn’t even get to catch up with or visit a fraction of the people and places I know and love. Au revoir, America. See you in a month’s time.

(On the plane, ready to sleep until touchdown in Europe)

On my first day in Oslo, Norway actually leaving my mother’s place, I wasn’t really dressed great. Everything was casual and comfy – the shoes sort of had to be as I messed up my left one after several days of sightseeing by foot on bad heels. Pictures of my outfits were taken in a hurry with my cell phone before running to catch the tram, and one of the picture files was even damaged (note the line dividing one of the three pictures at the bottom). What I do have for you today, however, are two pieces of evidence of a time ten years back when I had both the time and patience to be creative beyond just dressing and getting made-up.

That’s right. In 2003 I was so bored, I painted these two pictures in the background here. The one to the left (which is actually the second of the two in order of creation) is in my gorgeous friend Sarah’s possession (also seen in the picture – haven’t seen homegirl for two whole years!), and the one to the right is at my mom’s place.

I’m pretty sure I could do much, much better now. Obviously, the lady’s eyebrows are crooked, and you all know how carefully I shape and even out my own at this point. Asymmetrical eyebrows – I’m not a fan.

Scarf: Egypt, ethnic beaded and embroidered vest: Zara (maaaan, I love this one), studded shirt: Boohoo, skull tee: Cubus (Norway), pants: Vero Moda, bag: Egypt, shoes: Club Aldo (Egypt)

I admire my mom for a lot of things, but photography is not one of them. You know those people who, when you ask them to take a picture, don’t even try to focus before snapping it and sometimes move their hands (and camera) down while/directly after pressing the button? Yeah, that’s her. Hamdlelah though (love you, mama).

Since she’s the person to take my pictures while I’m here in Oslo, it is not unlikely that you’ll see more pictures of the quality below in the next couple of weeks. With the already blurred look, I tried to keep the color scheme faded and somewhat dreamy to match. It works with the background but is certainly not ideal.

Oh. Fact about this sweater: it is size large or extra large and the female store attendant in City Stars – seeing my actual size – actively tried to persuade me to get a smaller size with no luck. I wanted it baggy like that. Yet, when I posted one of these pictures on my Facebook page I immediately got the normal tight-clothes-with-hijab accusation I get now and then. Go figure; I always buy clothes several sizes too big. Yalla, let’s move on to the outfit details.

Scarf: Egypt, neck scarf: Unique Hijabs, biker vest: River Island, baggy sweater: Only, tribal maxi skirt: Forever21, studded ankle boots: River Island, accessories: Icing.

While spending the afternoon and evening at my grandma’s place with mom’s family barbequing and eating delicious sweet stuff, I was inspired to grab/sit in/come out of Norwegian looking things for some different looking Instagram pictures. My family was not too amused with my attempts to pass these things off as typical activities here.

(Upper left: Reading lamp/flashlight Norwegian style. Upper right: Norwegians enjoy a good cake – this is actually true.  Lower left: pimp my ride, Norwegian edition. Lower right: Norwegians keep dungeons, not basements)

But I was, haha. Creds to my uncle for snapping way better pics than my mom (it is almost like my soon-to-be ex-roomie Sarah took them ). Also; despite the rural appearance, these photos were all taken 15 minutes driving from the city center – it is far from as bad as it seems…

Scarf: H&M, fringed suede vest: River Island, neon pink shirt: Forever21,  tribal multicolor pants: ASOS, small bag: Gina Tricot (Norway), leopard sandals: New Look, accessories: ASOS, Icing.

Tiny, tiny OOTD post. This outfit – with its color blocking and washed-out denim – screams summer, and its casualness was appropriate for its purpose; a calm day visiting a close friend who I haven’t seen in quite a while. The jersey maxi skirt from Unique Hijabs is extremely comfortable, and the color combinations is really fresh.

Because of the quite agreeable weather, I decided to skip public transportation and have a walk through tbe city center. Here I’m excited by weeds.

Silk scarf: Egypt, acid wash denim shirt: Forever21, pleated color block maxi skirt: Unique Hijabs, fringed saddle bag: ASOS, fringed flat ankle boots: ASOS, accessories: Gina Tricot (Norway), Ebay, Urban Outfitters, ASOS, Icing

May I start off by saying how much I love this girl seen in the picture below? Sarah used to be my best buddy before I started moving around the world, and I had sort of forgotten how awesomely gorgeous she is. I’m really happy I’ve already gotten to see her twice during my stay here.

So today was one of those days when Norway was not that bad. In fact, I almost slightly loved Oslo at the end of it. Sunny weather, three ice creams, shopping (seriously, to me shopping in Europe beats shopping in the US any day, even up here in the north), chilling in the park, having a delicious (but tiny) portion of pad thai, and then later, the smell of lilacs as I stepped off the tram in the middle of the city, and an evening walk at sundown through the newly developed waterfront area (it got dark at 10-something PM – chill, right?), all contributed to me feeling a gush of affection for this city that I normally love to hate. Life’s good, hamdlelah.

Scarf: H&M, studded denim vest: River Island, neon kimono: H&M, dip-back tribal tank: ASOS, acid wash dungarees worn as pants: River Island, bag: Gina Tricot (Norway), studded ankle boots: River Island, accessories: ASOS, Yemen, Ebay

wasfdgx

Yesterday, everything on top was new and totally budget-friendly (and embarrassingly from the “same” place, excluding the earrings). Since my friend had pulled me around four locations of one store hunting for the perfect pair of jeans, I had plenty of time to scout out some affordable items on my way, including this $8 peek-a-boo oversize shirt (again, shopping in Europe > shopping in the US). Who said hijabis cannot wear cut-out or peek-a-boo items, by the way? Add plenty to an outfit by layering them over cool patterns or fresh block colors.

I love shopping the sale, by the way.. I don’t understand the purpose of paying more for what you can get for less, and I suppose I’m more of a quantity before quality type of gal sartorially. It is just no fun to wear the same piece too many times.

That’s in general though, considering my grad student budget. If somebody would bestow upon me an expensive quality garment, I’d gladly accept (of course!).

Oh and while we’re comparing this place to the US, I paid two hours of a US minimum wage (about $15) for the train ride to a friend who lives 15 minutes outside the city that day. That is a pretty offensive price. I certainly missed my environmentally unfriendly US lifestyle of driving around in my compact SUV for a moment.

Star print scarf: Bikbok (on sale, $8), open back shirt: Bikbok (also on sale, $8), tribal/ethnic pastel peplum top: Bikbok (not on sale, but still like $15), pants: Vero Moda, bag: Gina Tricot, holographic ballerina flats: Forever21, big colorful earrings: H&M (also on sale, yo!)

There are few garments I love more than loose, full length open kimonos one can just throw over anything for an instantly modest look. Imagine my joy when I found this neon yellow, light material  robe below at H&M for a modest price. I suspect it is a swimwear coverup but hey, who cares what stuff originally is for as long as it serves the duty (as in getting more out of maxi dresses by wearing them folded as high-waist maxi skirts, for example, or using skinny studded belts as bracelets)?

Why am I wearing my clutch on my face here? No, it is not an attempt at a fancy pose. I was trying to take some OOTD pictures when suddenly a guy popped out of nowhere with his cellphone cam. My reaction time was pretty good, and I managed to hide my face before he managed to get a shot. Needless to say, the pictures below were taken at a different location – around the corner after we bounced. But yeah, Oslo, what’s up with your people acting like they’ve never seen somebody in the process of taking pictures before?

Jersey scarf (this has become such a favorite piece): Unique Hijabs, neon kimono: H&M, black dungarees: Boohoo, lizard clutch (poor thing): Vintage (my mom’s closet), flats: some local store, accessories: River Island, Icing

Yesterday was spent with my mom and sister – a quite welcome thing as we’re usually all pretty busy, even when I’m in town. As the weather was acceptable and we live 3 minutes walking from the sea, we figured we’d take some food out to a small park in the newly extended (and really beautiful) harbor area.

We spent some quality time in our hippie-ish ensembles enjoying a simple dinner of fattoush, baba ghannoug, and.. wait for it.. something really, really classy.. Turkey hot dogs, haha (haven’t had that in an eternity). The view, atmosphere, and fresh air merited a gold star in Oslo’s grade book for the day.

Scarf: Forever21, neck scarf: Gina Tricot (Norway), long ethnic print vest: River Island, tiger print shirt: some Norwegian store, maxi skirt: Stradivarius, lizard clutch: Vintage (fetched from mom’s closet), sandals: New Look, accessories: Icing, River Island

This is just a quick info post more than anything else, as I’m having some issues with the internet connection at home and had to stop working on the ootd post I was putting pictures together for (hopefully, that one should be up in the morning provided that the problem gets solved).

Here I’m just going to share two pages of a four page article on hijab fashion bloggers in the Chilean magazine Mujer. Sadly, the quality is pretty bad (does anybody have a good page for pdf to picture conversion?).

In addition, if you are curious about the previous publications The Hijablog has been featured in but do not care to scroll through all my posts to find out, you can check out my brand new press page.

Know what is great about Oslo, Cairo, and other normal cities as opposed to the ones in the Midwest? You can actually walk around. And in the former, with its fresh air and lack of harassment, it is an enjoyable activity, even for the anti-work out human being that is me. Below are two veeeery casual outfits put together with not much else in mind than taking a walk (gotta take advantage of this unique opportunity to walk fast with layers in the middle of the summer without melting). Best thing about my new-found sportiness? I can eat even more Norwegian chocolate (and drink the awesome-looking but pretty bad-tasting Coke below).

Scarf: Egypt, Neck scarf: Norway, camo print utility vest: H&M, grey denim shirt: Vero Moda, washed-out jeans: H&M, bag: Gina Tricot (Norway), ankle boots: River Island, accessories: Icing, ASOS

Isn’t this Coke the coolest? I’ve never bought a bottle myself before (I generally dislike soda – excluding Schweppes Tangerine and Gold in Egypt which taste heavenly – and I really really dislike Coke), but they got my money with this ‘habiby’ label.

Oslo can be quite idyllic at times in the summer when the weather is acceptable.

Scarf: Egypt, neck scarf: H&M, fringed suede vest: River Island, dungarees: River Island, aquarium print clutch/laptop bag: ASOS, flats: Ebay, accessories: H&M

To me, Norway is all about family time and catching up with old friends, usually. Yesterday was a mix of that with some culture added. I started my day with a meeting with journalist, author, and documentary director Walid Al-Kubaisi, discussing Islam, Muslims, the traditionally rich diversity of thought and practices within the religion, and problematic issues in the present time over a cup of coffee (I’m a coffee drinker who hates coffee but drinks it anyway). It is always great to have solid exchanges of thoughts, and this session did not disappoint.

(Upper left: Sneaky selfie in front of Munch’s The Scream, upper right: during my meeting with Walid Al-Kubaisi, lower left: Me with my ticket prior to entering the exhibition, lower right: my friends and I waiting to see our Sarah work that catwalk)

After such a refreshing start, I thought I’d check out an exhibition of the paintings of Norway’s perhaps most well-known painter, Edward Munch, with my grandma (here’s where the family time comes in). The paintings were a combination of famous classics and some privately-owned less-known pieces. All in all, the National Gallery here has done an excellent job juxtaposing works and creating atmosphere with rooms painted in different colors. If you’re in town, you should definitely pay the exhibition a visit.

Later in the day, my friend Sarah (who you’ve surely seen in some previous posts from Oslo) called me up as she was walking for some new-to-Norway t-shirt brands later that evening. I went to see her, of course, as I’ve lived abroad for her entire modeling career. She looked and did amazing, we had a great time (akeed), and as a bonus, I got myself two male size XL Hous and Emperor’s New Clothes t-shirts to rock as tunics later on.

Tribal print scarf: Urban Outfitters, neon eternity scarf: Vero Moda, studded denim vest: River Island, statement sequined sweater: River Island, skirt: Ebay (angel-secret), clutch: vintage from mom’s closet, accessories: ASOS, Boohoo, Ebay, H&M

This may or may not be the last post I write from Oslo this time around. I’m leaving Norway behind Sunday as I head to Granada, Spain, for what I anticipate to be a quite enriching scholarly program,  Dialogo Global’s Critical Muslim Studies: Decolonial Struggles, Theology of Liberation and Islamic Revival. The two-week trip shall be wrapped up with a weekend in Barcelona, insha’ Allah.

This is just going to be some gushing over finally getting to wear these insanely cool vintage ’80s sunglasses I snagged from my mother’s closet of treasures at the beginning of my stay. I felt cool. They would have been even better with a turban style, though, so I need to make sure that happens in Spain sometime. Otherwise my outfit is really chill: I was visiting a dear friend of mine outside the city and I needed something to lounge around in while still looking presentable. Jersey is the thing for such a purpose, and if you want to be just as comfortable as I was, you should head to H&M asap and grab this cheap baggy skirt with pockets. I’m loving it.

Aztec print scarf: Bikbok (Norway), pleated back chiffon shirt: Urban Outfitters, tribal print mash-up peplum top: Bikbok (Norway), jersey maxi skirt (H&M), bag: Guess, studded gladiator sandals: River Island, accessories: vintage from mom’s closet, Yemen.