Abayas

In the Middle Eastern countries where "abayas"  are the standard outfits worn at all times by the women, fashion designers are always working hard to come up with ideas which will set their abayas apart from the ordinary run of the mill ones worn by all. Based on the demands of their niche market, the high end designers create long and flowing abayas in expensive fabrics with embellishments and cuts to enhance the beauty of the wearer. The latest trend seen in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries are chiffon kaftans worn over fashionable abayas.

So here I have decided to give out some free advice for all my Muslim gal pals out there about looking your best even while wearing Islamic clothes like abayas and hijabs. The first thing that you should be conscious about being a Muslim is to always pick out outfits that are modest and do not allow any sort of inappropriate exposure of the body. It is completely untrue that women wearing abayas lack fashion sense, are dumb or boring. Wearing abayas and hijabs that are styled in vogue, flattering cuts and in complimentary colours can make you appear chic, stylish and modest.

The chiffon kaftans when worn over silken abayas create a look of mystique and give the wearer and air of charisma. However, they can also be worn with cotton ones depending on the weather they are worn in. Although most women choose to wear the same coloured kaftan as the abaya , but contrasting colours can also be used to create a unique and exclusive look.

Black and other dark coloured kaftans such as navy blue, red and bronze can be worn over abayas to give them a more formal look particularly when attending weddings and other evening parties. In order to create an added layer of sheer elegance during daytime events these chiffon add-ons can be worn in light colours such as off white, pink and lemon yellow. Green and blue coloured kaftans can be used for all events by selecting hues which not only compliment your skin tone but also is suitable for the tie of the day they are going to be worn.

Muslim women and girls are not diffrent, and even they equally love to dress up in nice and vibrant colours for various occasions. Therefore there is need for clothes which is always on an increase for them. Regardless of the conservative arabic culture, religion or socio-economic situationmost of the female population of the muslim world loves to pick out new outfits and colour coordinate their abayas for all social gatherings. Being a girl myself, I can vouch for the fact that fashion is modest and for success. This is a great motto to live by! At the same time, being a Muslim I have to bear in mind the shariah guidelines of Islam when it comes to picking out a jilbab or an abaya to wear to work or party.

By reinterpreting elements from the western designer fashions and the rich cultural and Islamic heritage of her background, abaya designs with pure indulgence in fabrics and textures with a twist of modern appeal.

This has attracted and generated a complete new deprived segment of the market and their designs are now embraced by young students to business professionals from all over the world- all of these women all have one thing in mind…modesty!

Spring/Summer Maxi Trends

'Maxi' is the key word for the upcoming warm season, describing the already famous ground-skimming dresses, but also long skirts and elegant jumpsuits. There are breezy, sheer fabrics and a riot of dazzling colors, romantic florals, and sexy animal prints. Besides, the eternal, old faithful white is back again proving that its classic beauty and sophistication will never go out of style. Take a look at some of the hottest spring/summer 2011 maxi trends.

Spring can definitely be felt in the air. And with the warm season just around the corner, it's time to invest into a beautiful maxi dress. There is no doubt that when it comes to the maxi trend, whether it's a dress, skirt or jumpsuit, these items can be a real knockout. We have fallen in love with floor-sweepers as these are exactly what we need during hot summer days. They are utterly romantic and feminine regardless the occasion. Wear them at the beach, in the park, at festivals and cocktail parties.

 

This season's catwalks were an explosion of flowing maxis. Among a riot of floral and wild animal prints, there is the classic white and second-skin shades that can make you get the wow-factor despite their apparent simplicity. Spotted at Dolce & Gabbana, Antonio Marras, Tommy Hilfiger, white is the best choice when the heat outside becomes rather unbearable, proving once again that it can be as effective as a bright color. Besides, you can also opt for nude alternatives as seen at Max Azria and Ports 1961.

The maxi trend proved to be very adaptable, being reinvented season after season. If what you want is to step out of the box and try something bolder, then the splash of dazzling brights should be your source of inspiration. The catwalks were full of boldly clashing combinations that seem to break all fashion rules. Extravagant and fascinating maxi dresses, skirt and jumpsuits in bright colors were spotted at Jil Sander, Paul & Joe, Issa and Sonya Rykiel, among others. Or, if the occasion requires something more elegant and colorful, make a special entrance in bold red by Lanvin or Valentino.

Now, for spring/summer 2011 maxi trend we can speak about two extremes. First, there is the oh-so-romantic and adorable version with sweet floral prints seen on maxi dresses, skirts and jumpsuits (D&G, Etro, Ralph Lauren, Rebecca Taylor, Erdem). Sweet, chic and utterly modern, the long dresses with cute florals are gently floating around the body expressing maximum femininity and an eternal bohemian flair. On the other hand, there is the wild, sexy side with the already famous leopard print (Just Cavalli, Blumarine), which represents your best ticket for a wow-factor entrance. Instead, if you are not so much into floral or animal prints, you can always try graphic or ethnic patterns (Emilio Pucci, Luca Luca).

Coats Fall

Coats Fall

This NY fashion week I was on a mission to find the ultimate "It" piece in each designer's collection, and Tory Burch didn't make my job easy. Why? Because her Fall 2011 was full of gems, screaming "wear me now" jackets and dresses. But there was one look that stood out - the gorgeous wool coat with a fur collar - something that I noticed the moment of walking into the room full of editors, guests and the one and only - Tory's biggest celebrity fan - Kanye West.

Coats Fall

Tory Burch is always one of the shows I'm looking forward to at NY fashion week, both because I genuinely love her clothes, accessories - everything she does, and would wear it any time, but also because it always feels like a celebration. The presentation format allows closer look into the details, and enough time to explore (and twitpic!) them, as well as socialize and chat with other guests, which also Tory herself does so well!

Coats Fall

I had a chance to personally express my feelings towards her collection and even meet Tory's cute boys that were there to support their mom. As always, she couldn't be more down to earth and friendly - definitely one of my favorite people in this industry! Now enough emotions and back to my "job" - I can guarantee this tweed coat will be "It" as soon as the temperatures in NYC sky drop down to their 40s comes fall. Until then - check out the full collection on ELLE.com and start planning your wardrobe investments for next season!