Islamic swimwear

Well I went and bought one. I never had it in my head to buy one but I found a pretty plain one without the douchey attached hijab thing on it. It is basically a long sleeved top and long pants made in swimwear material. They had other ones but they either had too many patterns on it (I wanted the plainest one possible) or an attached hijab. Most of those awful attached hijabs make women look like giant black condoms, hence me going for one without a hijab. That way I can wear whatever hijab I want with it and make it look somewhat normal.

These are some of the attached hijab ones they had (that I passes up on):

I didn't mind the design of the turquoise collared suit but like I said... douchey hijab... no.

Mine is from the Ogival brand. I bought it in Sogo in Malaysia and was actually surprised when I found my size considering Malaysians are quite petite and short compared to Western women (especially the fatties like me). It is an Asian brand that I think is currently only available in Asian stores and I can't seem to find them online, so... yeah.

Here is the design I bought:

It had these weird loops on either side of the pants and I couldn't figure out why at first. Then I realised it is so you can use the ties from your top to connect it to the pants so the top part always stays covering you properly. The top isn't that long (hardly covers the bum) so this is a good feature to ensure it doesn't ride up.

These are the arm designs. They also had it in a bright red/pinky colour but I preferred the darker option. As you can see besides the sleeves, everything else is just plain black. I like how subtle it is... not too in your face like other Islamic swimsuits can be.

The swimsuit it so comfy and stretchy. I don't feel awkward in it at all. It is just so comfy. I think all up it cost me 200 RM which is about $62. That's pretty cheap considering the other Islamic swimsuits I have seen online (especially the ones here in Australia) can be close to $200 and are usually a lot uglier in my opinion (condom head included).

So there you go. I didn't buy much else in Malaysia. I ended up buying only four hijabs (record for me since last time I went overseas I must have spent a couple hundred on hijabs). I mainly spent my dough on cute little dresses for my bubba, a bag and a few little bits and pieces here and there... and that's really about it. I'm not really a shopper by nature.

I don't really go swimming that often but I thought it would be a handy thing to have when I do. Do you have an Islamic swimsuit?

SixteenR.com review

SixteenR.com sent me one very unique scarf to review - the Car Towed Off White Pashmina ($24.99 USD). Check it out below!



do you like it?

dainty paisley review

dainty paisley sent me a very bohemian style skirt to review. check out my review below:



absolutely loved it. do you wear long skirts?

amirah fashions ~ review and giveaway

amriah fashions sent me one of their gorgeous scarves (i am in LOVE with it!) plus a cute little hijab flower accessory. check out the video below for my review and then make sure you read further below to find out how you can win one of their cute abayas that they are giving to one lucky hegab rehab winner!

i was sent the cotton dalila hijab in green (its more like a teal-turquoise) and the large luxury chiffon & lace flower corsage in cream:

want to win this gorgeous nova roma jilbab?

to get your entry in please do the following:

check out the amirah fashions jilbab section and then send your answer to the question below to hegab-rehab@hotmail.com :

question:

what is the best selling jilbab on Amirah fashions?

get your entries in quick! the comp will run for 2-3 weeks from now and the winner will be announced via facebook. dont forget to check out the other review vid and giveaway down below!

win a free hijab / product review: demure look

demure look sent me the following two hijabs for review purposes:

first cab off the rank is the thai silk scarf classic which costs £15.95 (approx $25 USD/AUD - the aussie dollar is awesome at the moment!). it comes in many gorgeous colours. i was sent the gold version. 

how does it look and feel on?

this was definitely the favourite of the two i was sent. i love rectangular scarves as they are a lot easier to style because of their shape. it is a lot more versatile than any square scarf.

at first i wasnt too sure about the soft gold colour on my fair complexion (thinking it would drain out my face) but i wore it to work and had one girl compliment me on it, so it couldnt have been that bad. i  matched it with a black and gold abaya and it suited it to a tee.

it feels very soft and i love the way it gently folds and falls around the face.

what is the material like?

it is made of 100% thai silk in a very light, natural weave. the material itself shimmers in sunlight - which is one thing i didnt notice when putting it on indoors. it wasnt til i was outside that it really started to shine.

i love that this hijab is extremely lightweight - a very important factor when buying hijabs for a hot australian summer.

what are the cons?

because of the natural weave (which i prefer) it is prone to holes due to pinning. after taking it off after a long work day, i noticed that there was a tear where my under-the-chin pin kept it in place. same goes for the tiny pins to hold it in place BUT considering it is a natural weave AND made of silk you should kinda expect that.

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the second hijab i was sent was a silk square scarf from the turkish karaca brand. currently it isnt on the demure look website but they do have many other gorgeous square hijabs that retail for about £29.95 (about $48).

how does it look and feel on?

its very smooth to the touch but slips around a bit due to the silk fabric - definitely one that needs an underscarf. the colours are amazing and very bright. its a very urban style patterned scarf - reminds me a bit of jackson pollack.

what is the material like?

100% tight weaved silk. its very smooth, not too shiny and made of excellent quality.

what are the cons?

one thing regarding styling issues:

one - im not a fan of square scarves. i find them a lot harder and less versatile to style and to be honest you have to have a certain shaped face to be able to wear them properly in the traditional turkish style. i have a fatty round face and these types of scarves just do not suit me.
also with most square scarves, they are not really long enough in the coverage department. a rectangular hijab can always be styled to cover more but usually square scarves can not (especially the turkish ones that tend to be a lot shorter). also i find that they tend to create that weird loopy arc above your forehead when folded - not a fan - but i guess that is more of a personal issue rather than a product con.

have you tried anything from demure look recently? check them out now and for a limitied time you will get a special 10% off your first order by using the code SILK in the checkout!

now for the hijab comp!

visit the HR facebook page - head to the discussion tab and look for the latest post "karaca hijab comp" and leave an answer to the question "where would you wear this fun hijab to?" if your answer is chosen then you will be sent the awesome turkish silk hijab above!

get your answers in by thursday, 11th nov to enter!

beauty review: lush cosmetics lip scrub

i walked into lush cosmetics after being hassled by an online friend to buy the stuff. i only bought one small product - the lush cosmetics lip scrub in bubblegum flavour. they had other scents but this was by far the sweetest smelling one and actually smells like bubble gum.

lush make handmade, natural products and this one is made of only four ingredients - caster sugar, organic jojoba oil and a flavour and colour additive - so i guess you could really make your own at home with just some sugar and oil.

i keep mine on my shower shelf and just stick my finger in and scrub a little bit all over my lips every couple of days. it keeps them soft and supple - which is much needed at the moment because its winter and my lips get chapped and rough from the weather and from having colds, the flu, etc.

pros:

it smells so tasty, is fun to use and works! its also natural, handmade and is not tested on animals (a big plus for me!) and is actually vegan as well. its also pretty reasonably priced - about $10. the jar is small (25g) but a little goes a long way and this should last for a long time.

cons:

make sure your finger and your lip is reasonably dry when you use it. water will only make the sugar dissolve very quickly, thus rendering the product pretty useless. use a dry fingertip and moist (not wet!) lip and it should work fine.

you can buy lush products all over the world. check out their website here to see if they sell it in your country.

have you bought anything from lush? did you like their stuff?

product review: Bellissima Scarves

Bellissima Scarves sent me these two hijabs to test drive. i was sent the fiorella green and the carina terracotta.

how does it look and feel on?

i feel italian already. (no, not really). but there is something about "made in italy" on label that makes me feel stylish and like i should be sipping a latte. anyway - back to the scarves...

i love the colours - i really, really do! im an earthy type of girl so to see a deep dark earthy green and a rich terracotta is awesome.

it feels like any other hijab on to be honest - its not heavy or heat inducing and off good quality workmanship - not flimsy at all.

what is the material like?

they are both very lightweight and therefore great for the summer months. the material itself is a 60% polyester, 40 % viscose mixed thread that folds and drapes nicely off the head - soft to the touch. i quite liked the mix of matte and metallic threads amongst the scarf - it makes it glitter under both lights and sunshine - very pretty indeed. this especially adds to the terracotta hijab as the gold threads really warm up the richness of the terracotta brown.

check out the shine coming from the carina terracotta from the close up i took below:

what are the cons?

none that i can find. the material is perfect and the designs are sweet - am in love with the metallic stripes on both scarves.

any other thoughts?

im quite happy with both items.

have you guys tried any of their products?

Note - All products were sent to me for review purposes. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are entirely my own honest opinion

Product Review: Islamic Design House

Islamic Design House sent me the following jilbab for review purposes:

the SR-S4-VS01 can be purchased here in either beige or navy. i will be reviewing the beige version.

how does it look and feel on?

the first aspect i love about the design are the pockets! it is so hard to find an abaya or jilbab with pockets and these are perfectly designed. they are not bulky, are very discreet and add to the overall look - very slimline.

i adore the pleating and the slight chinese inspired neckline. its a very casual, relaxed style that could easily be worn and blended in amongst a western crowd - unlike black abayas that can make you stand out too much.

what is the material like?

its a great fabric for summer as it is very cooling and lightweight; made from a cotton blend. its well made and excellent quality.

what are the cons?

this is one piece that you will constantly need to iron. because of the material it is made from, the abaya creases fairly easily (similar to a light linen) so a good iron is needed before wearing.
also there are sizing issues - the width and overall fit was fine but i found that it was not long enough for me. im 5'8 and i got their longest size and it just wasnt long enough for me. i like my abayas to cover my feet and this one barely skimmed the top of my foot.

any other thoughts?

i really like the different design and the colour of the jilbab. i get a bit bored with the base black used in most designs so its good to have a change. check out the rest of their collection for other cool pieces like their sports speciality jilbabs and the remainder of their range which has a very western urban feel to it.

Note - All products were sent to me for review purposes. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are entirely my own honest opinion

Product Review: Artizara

Artizara sent me the two following items for review:

the shirt: the maria pleated chiffon tunic (purchase here):
this lovely tunic comes in either a nice soft pink or blue. i was sent the pink version to review.

how does it look and feel on?
upon opening, i saw the material behind the plastic covering and thought to myself "this looks too thin and flimsy" but never judge a book by its cover because i got it out and pretty much fell in love. with all the ruffles and double layering, the tunic covers and conceals all the parts it is supposed to thanks to the opaque chiffon. it is the perfect length for a tunic - covering all the way down to above my knees. it is nice and roomy - not figure hugging in any way.

i was a bit worried about the ruffles at first because any girl with a larger bust knows that even the smallest bit of detailing can attract unwanted attention to the chest area; but if anything it smoothed down the area in flattering way. the ruffles are so plentiful and drape so nicely down the front of your chest down to your mid-section that if anything it actually creates the illusion that your torso is elongated.

the sleeves also have cute little ruffles and are long enough - which is always a huge concern for me! it seems like most times i shop for long sleeved tops that the sleeves are always a little bit too short; thus giving that awkward open wrist look. the sleeves on the maria tunic, however, were thankfully long enough; allowing the sweet little ruffles to play over my hands.

the size i received was very modest-aware and was not figure hugging in anyway. it wasnt cinched in at the waist or tight over my backside and hips, etc. overall - very pleased with the fit.

what is the material like?

very very soft! i was actually surprised at how nice it felt on. the day i received it was a scorching hot day here in australia and after being in a sweat inducing abaya all day at work; it felt like heaven slipping this tunic on. it is very light - making it perfect for summer - and since the material is thin and made from chiffon it pretty much drapes over your body in a soft, airy way.

what are the cons ?

honestly i couldnt find any cons with this one. i love all aspects of it - the material - the fit - the look - the colour - the design. no concerns here with this item.

would you recommend it to others?

yes!

any other thoughts?

one of the best fitting tunics i have ever had. and in regards to shipping - it got here way faster than i had expected - pleasantly surprised! just to add - i wore it to a friend's small gathering the day after i received it in the post and had a few girlies coming up to me, complimenting me on the cute ruffles. it really is very girly.

*******

the hijab: natural hand woven silk fair trade wrap hijab (purchase here)

now before i start - let me say this...

i had been eyeing this hijab for ages. i mean ages. so to be sent this one for review was exciting.

how does it look and feel on?

colours, colours, colours! the first thing that attracted me to this hijab were the amazing collections of colours in it! it comes in a brown hued version here, but ultimately the gorgeous mix of blues, purples and white captured my attention. i love the funky - almost plaid - striped design and the yummy hues.

what is the material like?

it is made of natural hand woven silk. now when people hear the word "silk" they immediately think of something silky, satin and glossy. however this hijab is not, so dont be expecting something full of shine.

the texture is dry... if that makes any sense at all. its not rough and its not completely smooth - which makes it perfect for hijab wearing. its completely non-slippery and i wore it all day at work without an underscarf and didnt have to fix it once. it stays on very well. it is also opaque, meaning once wrapped it covers the hair nicely.

the scarf is both long and wide, making for an excellent hijab and perfect coverage. (its so annoying getting a hijab that barely covers your neck!). its also lightweight and airy - doesnt make me sweat inside my hijab like some others do.

what are the cons?

mmm.... none really. i quite like the natural feel of the material and love, love, love the colours! being multi-hued it goes with a lot of clothing options.

would you recommend it to others?

yes.

any other thoughts?

you can easily great cute volume with this scarf thanks to its natural fibres.

Note - All products were sent to me for review purposes. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are entirely my own honest opinion.

product review: samar style abayas

i had a chance today to try some of the egyptian based samar style brand of abayas that are available online from 2hijab.com and from various stores throughout egypt. the brand has a lot to choose from, but in the end i chose these three to review:

abaya #1:

this was one of my favourites. the silky satin material felt and looked luxurious and the orange embroidered detailing was just too cute! the hijab is plain black with the same orange hued embroidery - it does not come with the orange scarf used in the pic above.

the closed abaya fit well with the normal A-shape that most abayas come in, making it perfect for everyday use. all in all a very comfy abaya. the only downer i had was the usual issue of my height; i tried on the largest size they had size and it still wasnt long enough.

the sleeves are just too cute!

abaya #2:

ahh this baby...

ever since seeing it online at 2hijab i had my eye on it. the closed abaya is in the farasha / butterfly style. there are no sleeves as such - just cute little openings to slip your wrists through. there is also a belt inside the abaya that you use to tighten and secure the embroidered front under your bust.

in saying that - this is where the trouble came in. once again i had length issues - the width is never a problem with this style of abaya because the hidden inside belt allows you to determine the width. i also had problems with the wrist openings. being tall - thus having long arms - a fair bit of my lower arm was left exposed which didnt look good hanging out of the cute detailing around the holes. i guess the only way to really fix that would be with using those little arm cover sleeves that have been used in the first pic.

the last problem i had with this one was my... ahem... assets. basically if you have a fair bit of boobage then this is not the abaya for you. the detailing that sits so nicely under the small bust of the model above, sat right across my bust - completely ruining the look. the detailing is supposed to sit under your bust once the belt inside is tied. i tied the belt, i tried pulling it down at the front as much i possibly could and it was a no go. with the little arm / wrist issue above i could have worked with it and worn the abaya - but the bust issue broke it for me. it just would not look good. so if you have a large bust (especially when your tall) then this is not the abaya for you.

besides those little issues i absolutely loved this abaya. the satin sheen really completed the look and made this such a glam abaya to wear. its very loose and not at all form fitting. if it wasnt for the bust issue i would definitely have this as one of my all time favs because im so in love with the girly print used. i have to really cement how disappointed i was with this bust issue because i trully love the design of this abaya. i have had my eye on it for ages. too sad. too sad.

abaya #3:

first up - length issue. im too tall - but i guess thats my issue - not the abaya's.

moving on... another satin style abaya - closed style. this design was loose in the body - a similar fit to the first one. the sleeves (which seem absolutely huge at first) are fitted which can be a little deceiving when looking at the pics. the cute detailing and the draping section of the sleeves are joined from the abaya sides to the fitted wrist - so with arms spread open it gives off a winged look. (if that makes sense).

the matching hijab is plain black with tiny detailing at the end (once again the model is shown with another scarf intertwined with the actual hijab - egyptian style). a bit of shame really - i expected (and wanted) it to have the same huge golden beige detailing that the sleeves have. i think it would have matched more and been more in proportion because the hijab detailing is quite small in size when compared to the sleeves and since the sleeves are so 'out there' i kinda expected the hijab to be as well.

in the end, wearing this abaya makes you feel and look stylish. the sleeves are gorgeous and remind me of my mother's antique curtains - but coming from someone who puts lamp-shade decorations on her hijabs - its a good thing - trust me.

product review: fuchsia ribbon abaya

i received this in the post today!

the desort store abaya is of the regular A-line atyle and is closed. the detailing is a run of fuchsia coloured wide ribbon which runs around the slightly flared sleeve ends and into a V-shape on the chest. small fuchsia flowers with a soft silver embroidered centre also run along the ribbon.

the actual abaya material is thin and breezy, but still opaque. it honestly feels like i have nothing on because it is so light. all in all a good every day abaya - the only bad point would be that it does not come with a matching hijab - which is something i believe all abayas should come with.

my winning abaya

im gonna start doing reviews on the islamic clothing items i have bought or received. i have bought a lot of abayas and hijabs over the last two years and have also been given clothing gifts by islamic designers. so in order to help you do your shopping, i shall start reviewing products that i have....

review number one...

i swear EVERY TIME i wear it, i get someone complimenting on it. its the first abaya i reach for when im thinking of what to wear.

today i walked into a building and the first thing i heard was "i LOVE that abaya" from some muslim lady standing near me.

a couple of weeks ago i was stopped by a car in the street, the sole purpose was so the driver could find out where my abaya was from. i get looks and compliments all the time on it. to me i see it as one of my plainer abayas, but for others it really seems to stand out.

its this one below. you can get it by clicking here and is on sale for $59.

when i ordered it, i thought the designs would be a in a light browny shade, but it is actually metallic silver thread, decorated with metallic blue thread. its very pretty and super super soft crepe material. i have had it for over a year now and the thread is still intact, not fallen apart and loosened like it has on other abayas i have bought.