Hijabi and the City

Just imagine...

2012-02-09T21:22:00.001+11:00

Just imagine for a minute...

You have no job... no savings... nowhere to go... and no idea... yet you must leave!

What would you do?

Islamic Design House Giveaway

2012-02-07T10:41:00.002+11:00

Yaaayyyy I finally get to do a giveaway. This one is actually long overdue.

Remember the Islamic Design House Jilbab Review I did aaages ago? I had mentioned there that the size I ordered was a Loose 58, but after receiving the item, I noticed I actually needed a Regular 58.

So I cannot wear it and did not wear it at all except for the photo I had taken for the review. It has been sitting in my closet ready to be given away courtesy of Islamic Design House. Also just to note, Islamic Design House seems to have great discounts on this jilbab and many others at the moment. So click click click away. :)

Oh and if you want to see the measurements, they have them up on their website also.

Now, to be in the draw to win this baby, you need to do two very simple things:

1) Comment on this post with your email address if you want it. (Your comment can only say I want it. Nothing special.) :)

2) Follow the Hijabi and the City Facebook Page.

Entry will close on Friday the 24th of February, 2012 at 5:00pm AEST and I will make a random selection using the random selection software from all the entrants no later than Wednesday the 29th of February, 2012. International entries are also accepted.

So got that? All you need to do is comment on the post with your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner, and join the Facebook page. I would love it if you can share the giveaway details on your blog, facebook, twitter pages, but you do not have to. If you did, you would just be doing me a favour. :)))

I look forward to your entries. :)

First Lady Style Watch: Hayrunnisa Gul Goes to UAE

2012-02-07T01:26:00.000+11:00

Turkey's first lady Hayrunnisa Gul recently visited UAE with her husband il presidente Abdullah Gul. :) If you don't know much about the first lady, you can click here for a post I did on her more than a year ago. :)

I just saw a few photos from that trip, and I just love some of her outfits:

This is the outfit she was wearing when she was getting off the plane. I am in love with her green leather jacket. However, I can't say the same for her scarf. I know she's wearing a white turtle neck inside, but I think I would have preferred to see a darker scarf, closer to the colour of her charcoal skirt. Regardless, she looks fabuloso!

Yup, you guessed right! Another jacket I'm drooling over. I also love her colour combination here of tan brown and grey. Looks awesome.

How elegant. I love this woman.

Mashaallah :)

Sweet Inspiration

2012-02-06T02:29:00.000+11:00

I really adore Keira Knightley. She is a stunner no matter what she wears. However, the dress she wore at the premier of her new movie A Dangerous Method was simple yet elegant. I really like her use of the bow belt to add to her plain maxi dress. Although, I must say, her dress needs to be hemmed a little. :)

Had I mentioned it before? I love belts. :P

Step-by-Step Alcohol Free Tiramisu Recipe

2012-02-05T02:34:00.000+11:00

I wanted to sleep early tonight. So I went to bed just after 10:00pm, slept around 10:30pm, and woke up at 11:00pm!!! Wrestled with my bedsheets for about 45 minutes, and decided that I will not be able to get back to snoozing soon even if I counted a million sheep tonight.

Then images of the Tiramisu ingredients I had in my cupboard started to flash in my mind... or more like, started to haunt me. :) So what do I do? I go and make Tiramisu! Don't worry, I am not going to eat it at this time of the night. It needs to set until morning. :)

I had shared the recipe in Turkish on my Facebook previously, so I thought why not share it in English with step-by-step photos?

The reason I like this recipe is because it is alcohol free, and almost all other recipes I have come across contain some sort of alcohol in it. The Turkish recipes for Tiramisu rarely have it, so it's good. Oh, and I have to say, this is only a try hard Tiramisu, i.e. it's fake. LOL But believe me, it tastes yummoooo.

So let's start with the required ingredients:

For the Syrup:

1 large coffee mug hot water (not boiling!)

1 tb sp milk

1 tb sp nescafe

1 tb sp sugar

For the Creme Filling:

3 tb sp plain flour

1/2 lt milk

2 egg yolks (get rid of the whites!)

1 cup sugar

1 pk mascarpone cheese (250 gr)

1 tb sp vanilla powder

For the Base:

1 pk shortbread sponge finger type biscuits

Once you have all your ingredients, have ready the tray/plate in which you are going to make your Tiramisu, and also an extra plate/tray to moisten the second layer of biscuits.

Lay the biscuits flat. Place the base layer in the tray, and the top/second layer on the extra plate.

Mix the syrup ingredients in the mug.

With a spoon, pour the mixed syrup over the biscuits. Make sure they are moistened well, but you need to be careful not to over do it. :) Remember that you need to pick up each piece and lay it over the base later, so moist enough that the syrup has seeped through the entire biscuit, but not so moist that it melts away. :)) You will know what I mean when you are doing it. It's a very easy recipe!

So all biscuits on both plates need to be moistened.

Now, get a pot and chuck in all the ingredients for the creme filling EXCEPT for the Mascarpone cheese and vanilla powder.

So the above image is what it looks like with the eggs. Ewww, ugly sight for someone like me who can't eat eggs, but trust me, it tastes finger likin' good. :)

I prefer to mix it with a whisk all throughout the process so there are no clumps in the end. I find that if I use the blender, it becomes too... hmmm, what's the word for it?.. bahhhh I can't remember the exact word, but it doesn't get as thick as it should. So try and avoid the blender if you can. I also put my stove to medium-medium high rather than high.

Once it's almost done, this is what it should look like. Nice, thick, and creamy with bubbles plop plop plopping. :)

Now, at this stage, I advise you remove the pot from the stove to prevent the creme from sticking to the bottom of the pot, and start emptying the Mascorpone cheese into the pot and add the vanilla powder too.

Once you have added the Mascarpone cheese, place the pot back onto the stove and probably have your stove down to low at this point, and continue to mix with the whisk for a couple minutes until you see that the cheese has completely blended in to form an even thicker creme.

When that is done, remove the pot from the stove and probably leave it to cool a little bit for approximately 5 minutes. It doesn't need to be cold.

Start pouring the creme onto your base. Make sure all the biscuits are covered in the filling.

Once you have covered the base with creme, start transferring the biscuits that were moistened on the other plate onto your base.

I would recommend that you transfer them with your hands rather than using other utensils, because at this stage they are very prone to breaking. It's ok if they break into two or something, just lay them accordingly. As you can see in the above photo, my middle bikkie broke in half. :)

Once you have completed laying the second layer of biscuits, repeat the same process. Cover the entire layer with the remaining creme.

So it should look similar to this... depending on the type of plate/tray you use.

I prefer to use a deep dish which prevents all the creme from spilling out, because I like my Tiramisu with chunks of creme once it has set. :)

Now, my dish has a cover, so I placed that on it, but alternatively you can wrap it with cling wrap, because now you are going to place it in the refrigerator for it to set. It should be ready to serve in approximately 2-3 hours. The more it waits, the better it sets and tastes. So I usually make my Tiramisu late at night, and it is ready to serve any time during the day. If you are going to make it for evening guests, make it in the morning, and it will be ready in the afternoon/evening.

When it is ready to serve, sprinkle with cocoa powder. This final photo was from my previous Tiramisu, the one I made just now is still waiting to set in the fridge. :)

Bon Appetit!

Note to self

2012-02-02T23:52:00.001+11:00

Become a library member and start borrowing books! :)

Hijabi Essentials: Long Sleeve Polo Neck Tops

2012-01-30T14:05:00.000+11:00

Life savers they are! Long Sleeve Polo Neck tops... I renew my ones every year. K-mart has some great ones come out every autumn, but they are finished before the end of winter, so I always stock a few blacks and singles in most other colours every year. :)

I am currently in need of some, and K-mart has not launched them yet in Sydney (I hope they do soon!!!), so when I was browsing the Asos sale items, I noticed that they have a few of their polo necks on sale.

Polo Neck

$11.35 AUD

'The Polo' Long Sleeve Top

$9.73 AUD

'The Polo' Top

$12.98 AUD

They have each style available in a couple colours, but be quick if you are interested, the black ones are almost sold out in all sizes. I like the last one ('The Polo' Top) the most due to fabric quality. They stock all the tops in sizes 6-18 so it's not a bad range of sizes.

If interested, click away, but don't go overboard as I do. LOL The FREE shipping is always a great incentive at Asos.

Hijab Review: Rabia Z Fitted Sports Hijab

2012-01-30T13:06:00.000+11:00

I've been meaning to purchase the Rabia Z Fitted Sports Hijab for such a long time! This desire grew even more after the Capsters Basic.

After trying the Capsters Basic, I had mentioned that the only con for me regarding this hijab was the shape around the face. It was too large and made my face look even wider.

I was originally after such a 'hijab' to wear under shawls that I can wrap loosely, yet have full coverage. So when I saw the Rabia Z Fitted Sports Hijab, I thought this one might be perfect, because the face 'hole' seems slimming... just the way I want it!

So I ordered it the previous week on Sunday (from Dubai), and it arrived on Wednesday (to Australia). I thought that was pretty express even though I didn't request express shipment. So yay to that! :))

I have to say I am very very delighted with my purchase. It is exactly what I wanted. There are no cons at all about this product.

Here is my video review on the product. Hope you like it! :)

Turban Tutorial - Inspired by Ozlem Ay

2012-01-30T12:57:00.000+11:00

Another repeat for you if you have seen this on my Facebook. :) Just a warning there will be one more following this post. :)

This is a turban tutorial, not a hijab one. :) The reason I went ahead with doing this one is the high number of requests I have been receiving for this tutorial for the past couple years... particularly from young girls living in Germany.

Ozlem Ay is a Turkish singer living in Germany, and she wears a variation of the turban styles. I have noted in the video that I am not doing this video for these requests alone, but also as an idea for cancer patient who have lost their hair, and would like to cover their head, but have no idea how to do it. So I might do a couple more turban tutorials in the future for this reason.

Okay, so this is what the original looks like:

And here is my video tutorial on the style:

Hijab Tutorial #11: Wrap the Shawl the Popular Turkish Way

2012-01-30T12:46:00.000+11:00

I made a few videos the other day. If you are on my Facebook, you may have come across them, so forgive me if this is like a repeat post for you :)

This video is to demonstrate the shawl style wrap that has been a hot trend in Turkey for the past couple years. I love this look, because as soon as I saw it I thought, "yes, now I too can wear the shawl without making my chubby cheeks look even bigger". However, it is a little difficult to find the right shawl here in Australia. You can't achieve the look with the soft shawls, the fabric needs to be a little thick so the peak can stand up.

For those of you who hate using pins, this style is a dream, because there are no pins involved at all. :)

Here are a few photos of the style I tried to achieve:

And here is ma video :)

And then they were gone...

2012-01-24T01:07:00.000+11:00

Three weeks with mummy dearest. Ahhh... Twas but like a dream, and now I am awake.

We took our guests to the airport to bid them farewell tonight. Thankfully they got to their destination in Melbourne safe and sound about a couple hours ago. However, the plain truth is that I started to miss my dearest mother as soon as I said my goodbye.

I love you mummy... more than anything... anything in this world...

Saying goodbye outside Sydney Airport.

Left to Right: My uncle's wife, moi, mummy dearest, my aunt

So it's back to reality tomorrow. Gotta get back into action. 3 weeks break was too long for me. Now I am waiting on a few orders from various online companies and will share with you once they arrive. :)

The house is so empty and quiet... Hmmm... I should go overseas soon. I wish... :)

xoxo

Wog Girl :)

Glossybox - I "experience(d) the beauty"

2012-01-20T12:21:00.000+11:00

I'm not sure how many of you are aware of its existence, but I first heard about the Glossybox from bloggers in Turkey. They have more of a variety there, but the only one I could find in the land down under was the Glossybox.

The way it works is, you pay $14.95 every month, and you receive a pack containing 5-6 different samples from brand name cosmetics and skin care. I checked out the brands on the Glossybox website, and thought, yeah that's cool, there are brands there that I would like to try. So I signed up.

I have to say, I was impressed with the gorgeous packing. It was like opening a special gift.. even though I paid for it myself. LOL

And then I saw the contents of the box....

1- Temporary Australia Tattoos

2- Mirenesse Tight Liner (Liquid eyeliner in blue)

3- Kosmea Daily Facial Exfoliant

4- Nivea Rich Nourishing Body Lotion

5- Sheer Cover Lip Gloss

6- Sheer Cover Nourishing Moisturiser

Yeah... I can't say I was happy at all.

I understand the tattoos were included because Australia Day is coming up. The tight liner I was very interested in, but it's in blue!!! C'mon mate! I understand that they can't put black in every box, but blue? I would have preferred brown, grey, charcoal... You know, common colours that one can use any day or everyday, but blue!

Then there's the Nivea body lotion. Please! As if this is something cannot purchase and try myself. Be a little creative, puhleaaaase!

The Sheer Cover products I don't mind so much, but I would have liked it more if they included a different brand (something high-end as advertised) instead of two products from the same brand. Sheesh! I feel jibbed (ripped off). This box has been a huge disappointment as I was very excited to receive it. I am only happy to try the Kosmea Daily Facial Exfoliant, and that ain't worth $14.95!!! (They are sample sizes, except for the Mirenesse Tight Liner).

So yeah, I will wait for the February Glossybox, and maybe the March Glossybox too to decide if I want to cancel my membership or not. Right now, I am quite sceptical about the future boxes, but we shall see...

If anybody knows about any other alternative to the Glossybox that ship to Australia, please inform me. I would appreciate it. :)

Jummah mubarak... Happy Friday peeps!

Roaming around some more

2012-01-18T13:40:00.000+11:00

I finally went back to Melbourne a couple weeks ago to visit family. I hopped in our 4x4 and drove there in around 8-9 hours. Road trips are very tiring, but I still love em! Driving alone isn't too fun, but if you have a good road trip mix prepared, then you are set. :))

It was a little monotone in Melbourne, as I didn't go out at all, but it was nice, spent heaps of time with family. Then last Friday, I got mummy dearest, my aunt (who came from Turkey to visit Australia for the first time) and aunt-in-law (well, my uncle's wife), and drove back up to Sydney.

We have been going around New South Wales and Sydney with them since then. That too has been tiring, but fun of course! I've been to some places I visited last year, but that's ok, as my guests have never been... and they are amazingly beautiful sites, so it sure does not hurt to see them again and again. :) However, we will be home the next couple days as we have plans for the weekend. So I need them to cook up a storm for me before they go! LOL I'm getting them to make nice stuff so I can store in the freezer and eat while there is nobody to cook for me hahah I hate cooking!

So yeah, here are a few photos from places we visited in the last few days. The scenery is just beautiful mashaallah.

Left to right: Moi, of course :) my aunt, my uncle's wife, and mummy dearest.

A gorgeous town called Austinmer.

I can't resist sitting on stuff like this when I see them. LOL

Wollongong

OMG! This is the best place ever! Shellharbour.

All the yellow looking stuff on the ground are sea shells.

Yup, pretending to do the Titanic... but I think it's supposed to be the other way around LOL

See the hills in the background of the first photo? This is the peak of the highest hill in that background. The view was amazing, breathtaking, and everything just reminds one of Allah, the Creator of everything...

The oriental gardens at the Sydney Botanical Gardens. I love this place. My aunt kept on saying, "this is like heaven on earth". I seriously want to take my book there one day and just chill out. People doing that all the time when the weather is nice. Oh, and the photo is a lil crappy because I set the timer and jumped in front of the cam hehe

A cathedral in the city, but dunno which/what cathedral it is. I've passed by so many times and have wanted a photo, because I just love buildings like this. Looks awesome, especially with such clear blue skies.

My husband was like, "everyone has their photo taken in front of this man fountain, you must have one too" LOL He's been obsessed with the idea for over a year now, because I kept on telling him it doesn't matter, I aint interested. He stopped the car and made us go there to have our photos taken. You can't really see the fountain man who is naked and has water coming out of everywhere except his tiny penis (I was surprised as it is common) LOL

House of Shakti

2012-01-12T23:26:00.000+11:00

I came across House of Shakti through an email I received from Denise, who is the assistant to Lubna Salah, the owner and designer of the company.

House of Shakti specializes in alternative jewelry: In their own words, "jewelry with a purpose".

They have various styles available for various tastes, however, they have a certain collection that I absolutely love. I love the idea, and I love the way it looks! Their scarf necklaces are the next big thing. Well, I think so anyway.

I always come across hijabis who are usually unsure how they may accessorize with the hijab. There are also many hijabis who love the "scarf around the neck" trend, but feel uncomfortable with layers of scarves, or just think it looks weird. The House of Shakti offers one of the best ideas for us hijabis in this regard. I love that they are so versatile and can be styled to suit any type of outfit...whether you are a hijabi or not!

Here are some of their scarf necklace looks I love:

Henna Party Outfit

2012-01-07T01:01:00.000+11:00

Jummah mubarak peeps! Hope you all had a lovely Friday. :)

So I attended my first henna party event in Sydney tonight. It was an awesome organization. Reason being that the wedding is going to be a religious one with dinner and motivational Islamic speeches etc. Therefore, the henna party was like a wedding, but ladies only. :)

I have to say that I did enjoy myself, but frankly, I miss the ladies parties and henna nights in Melbourne so sooo much. :( I miss my dance buddies.

When trying to decide what to wear, I realized that I did not have too much of a choice, because the majority of my clothing are for day-to-day and work wear. I don't really have anything for parties. :( Probably because I hardly attend any. Boo hooo

Eh... It was ok I guess... as I mentioned, I didn't really have much of a choice.

When I first wore this blazer, my husband was like, "you are going to stick out like a sore thumb". Boy was he wrong or what! 80% of the ladies were wearing this colour and other similar tones. :)

I love this blazer of mine.. The colour, the cut! BUTTTT it's sooo difficult to wear, because this colour looks aweful against my face. So I have no hijabs in this colour. I was lucky enough to find this hijab that wasn't so bad in terms of colour at Hijab House. I mean, dark grey and navy also look beautiful with this colour, but it just didn't look good with this outfit.

My make-up

I love my false eyelashes, but they felt so heavy. :)

Great news for me: I will be off to Melbourne on Sunday inshaallah. Going to spend time with family for about a week. Ahh, can't wait! :)

Interview Outfit

2012-01-05T13:17:00.000+11:00

Okay, it's not really a job interview, but something similar to it, so I didn't want to be too corporate nor too laid back. I tried to balance it out, and this is what I got:

So what would you wear to an interview, that is not so formal, yet one which a person shouldn't look so laid back? Make sense? :))

So off I go before I'm too late :)

Hijab Tutorial #10: Drape It

2012-01-04T23:01:00.000+11:00

Yes yes yes, another hijab tutorial, but after such a long time! There are so many videos I want to do, but one just does not end up doing them if they think, "I'll wait until I have the time". A woman never has spare time now does she? So yeah, I thought, that's it, I'm doing it... and here it is!

This is a tutorial for the hijab style I wore on my previous outfit post. So if you were interested in how to wear the look yourself, I hope you enjoy it, and find it beneficial. :)

xoxo

Language Love: A dictionary for women

2012-01-04T20:56:00.000+11:00

I love language, literature... Well, I actually love words. I truly mean that... so much so that I used to sit down and randomly read the dictionary. Now, that was a very very long time ago, and it doesn't mean that I have strong vocabulary. In fact, no, my vocab isn't as good as it should be, but anywhoooo... :)

I came across a website, I think it was called The Alpha Dictionary. I was directed through a translation blog. It was quite interesting and humorous too and I had saved some parts from that site. There was a section called "A dictionary for women" and here is a selection from that so called dictionary:

Argument

(ahr•gyoo•munt) n. A discussion that occurs when you're right, and continues until he realizes it.

Airhead

(ayr•hed) n. An act you put on when pulled over for speeding.

Bar-be-que

(bar•buh•Q) n. You bought the groceries, washed the lettuce, chopped the tomatoes, diced the onions, marinated the meat and cleaned everything up—for the dinner he made for his friends."

Blonde jokes

(blahnd joks) n. Jokes short enough for men to understand.

Diamond

(dI-mun) n. Something you think should be on your finger but he can only see in a baseball park.

Eternity

(e•ter•ni•tee) n. The last two minutes of a football game.

Exercise

(ex•er•siz) v. Walking up and down a mall, occasionally resting to make a purchase.

Hair dresser

(hare dres•er) n. A magician who creates a hair style you can never duplicate.

Summer Wear: Abaya

2012-01-03T17:24:00.000+11:00

As you are all aware, I am not a regular abaya wearer, but I do have a couple hanging in my closet.

I find that abayat are life savers in many aspects. They are loose so they are usually more modest than anything else, and therefore they are comfortable. In addition, they hide all those bulges some of us have and hate anybody else noticing. :)

I love wearing abayat during the warmer season. Today I had to quickly pop out to the store, but didn't want to suffocate in the heat, and couldn't be bothered getting dressed. So I threw on my abaya over my pair jeans, and loosely wrapped my shayla, and that was it.

I saw some non-hijabis at the store... They were burnt so badly that I couldn't look at them. :( Seriously, it was painful, and I'm sure they felt the pain more than I did. I am proud to say alhamdulillah, I have never been sunburnt in my life anywhere except on my nose (it sticks out, what can I do). :) So while standing in the queue, I assumed they thought I was suffocating from the heat, because they were hardly covered, and were burning. Little do they know that loose garments allow air to circulate within to keep us cooler (the gorgeous fabric also helps), and that covering prevents the heat to be in direct contact with skin.

Anyhow, that's all I had to say. :) I don't really have a style or anything with abaya, but I adore the looks our Aussie blogger Miss Hijabi puts together. She is certainly a pro at wearing the abaya with style and modesty.

Well, that marks the end of this post. :) Here is my abaya outfit for today:

My apologies for the terrible photos. My furniture is finally here and still I have only been able to set up 40%, so I don't have much room to take photos anywhere... excuse for the crappy photos :)

I love this design. The photo does no justice to it whatsoever. The same design is on the front right lower section of the abaya as well as the back.

A close up of the design on the front.

So who wears abayat regularly or occasionally like myself?

Any styling tips to share?

Print Trenches and Jackets

2011-12-30T23:02:00.001+11:00

It began with the polka dot trenches last year... And now this year, we should expect to see print trenches and jackets featured (particularly animal print) everywhere for the 2012 autumn-winter season.

I am especially loving the Karen Millen trench, but Armine has a couple hot numbers too!

So tell me, will you be seen dead or alive in a print trench/jacket? What do you think about the trend?

Oh and this reminds me: This autumn-winter, it seems leopard print is going to be as trendy as it was the last, so don't throw out any of your previous animal print wardrobe items, they are going to be handy very soon! :)

I am mad about this Armine jacket. I think it's hot hot hottttt! Smoking hot!

The Armine jacket on the right... Tis cute. I think Armine is more 70's this 2011-2012 Autumn/Winter season, and I am liking it.

I am loving these looks... also from Armine. There are very few styles that I like from the current season, and the ones I have selected for this post seem to be my fave looks. Very sophisticated and cool.

Reoooowwwww! Need I say more? LOL

This is the Karen Millen trench. I love that it is blue. So striking!

And how cute is this?!

I think I will definitely be supporting a print trench this autumn... I hope... :)))

Aussies share Islamic fashion online

2011-12-30T11:21:00.002+11:00

Yayyy, the SBS channel had a feature on Muslim women and fashion. The reporter Jeanette Francis interviewed bloggers Delina of Muslim Street Fashion and Mya of Myaz Fashion Spot. My blog Hijabi and the City and Samira's Trendy Melbourne were also very shortly featured. I was wondering where my 5-6 new followers popped up from. :)

Anywhooo.. Enjoy. :)

Long time no outfit post

2011-12-30T08:10:00.001+11:00

It seems like such a long time since I did an outfit post. Well, this one is just a 'slight' outfit post. LOL I only have one crooked photo, and it will have to do, because it's the only one.

The hubster wanted to go shops yesterday, so I just wore something loose, comfy, and casual, and here it is...

Jummah mubarak lovelies :)

My dream vehicle is no longer BMW!

2011-12-28T23:22:00.001+11:00

Most of us have a vehicle that entertains our dreams, whether we can afford it or not.

Ever since I set my eyes on the BMW X6 a couple years ago, I could no longer see the other vehicles as I used to. I have been unable to "like" anything else. Whenever you say "vehicle" to me, the first thing that springs to my mind used to be BMW X6.

It is one hot vehicle. The sexiest I have ever seen. An animal!

Yes, I know, for some it might be too bulky, fierce, ugly, etc etc, but everyone has their own taste right, and mine is/was this... I seriously drool when I see this vehicle or its images. I had been making plans on purchasing one... If I could ever afford one, but seriously, no more!

You may ask, why? Why oh why...

Check out this photo:

Now, the above photograph is from an automotive show in Turkey. These two young ladies road test vehicles on the show. This particular vehicle is the MINI Cooper...

BMW vehicles in Turkey are distributed by the automotive giant Borusan. Following the images of a hijabi alongside the non-hijabi (the non-hijabi is actually a famous rally driver, Burcu Cetinkaya), Hakan Bayulgen, who is the Brand Manager for MINI Cooper in Turkey cancelled their sponsorship agreement with the rally driver Burcu Cetinkaya based on these photos. He shamelessly said, "The hijab is ruining BMW's image." Then he continued to say, "It's not us, they didn't like this when they saw the images overseas."

So he is putting the blame on the original BMW company. I don't know how true this is, it might be that he is just throwing the crap on 'the boss', thinking nobody will approach them regarding this, but I don't care. Either way, this is unacceptable. Hijabis are fine and acceptable when splurging a fortune to purchase BMW vehicles, but when advertising them, hijabis ruin the image.

I am extremely pissed and turned off by this... Especially since the western media tries to include more and more hijabis in the media etc to address us all. Shopping centres of all sorts, even Myers wrap shawls on their mannequinns as hijabs and turbans to show that their clothing items also target the hijabi community. Despite certain racism, discrimination issues (which is sad but actually normal and common around the world for all, not hijabis alone), there are great developments that give hope.

And what about the country of my origin? Turkey... Where approximately 80% of the women are hijabis... Where you walk out onto the street and the majority of women are wearing hijab everywhere... and now they are even accepted at universities (there used to be a hijab ban at schools and all other government offices)... But turn on the TV, and you won't see a single hijabi presented, EXCEPT on the couple of channels and publications that represent themselves as Islamic/Muslim. It's quite sad actually. They use the media to ignore that we even exist, whereas it is the opposite in the west...

Anyhow, I should end this post now...

So... goodbye and good riddance BMW. If I ruin your image with my hijab, you are never ever getting a penny from me. Don't let my money ruin your rep either!

Well, what is your fave vehicle? I think I am going to stick to loving Harleys, and end up buying a scooter. I've always loved Harley Davidson's but have thought they are too heavy for me to manage. Unless I have a kiddo or something, I'm seriously considering a scooter... it would be awesome in Turkey if I end up moving back there. :)

Visit to La Perouse and a Bride

2011-12-26T20:10:00.001+11:00

Last weekend we roamed around the city then visited a place called La Perouse. I wouldn't know weather to call it a park, a beach, or whatever... It is one of the most beautiful and clean locations I have ever seen.

I don't know much about it, but I do know that it once used to be a prison. It's interesting that they would use such a gorgeous place as a prison. Anyhow, that was in the past, and now that prison has become a museum... That is what I have been told. As I mentioned, I don't know much about it, and have not yet Googled it. LOL

We were there for about an hour (I am endeavouring to go fishing there soon inshaallah) and I lost count of the number of brides that were there for their professional wedding photos. I was a little surprised, because it was 7pm... Shouldn't they be at the wedding reception or at least making their way there by that time?

Anyhow... There was a cute Asian couple. They wanted to have some photos taken where we were chilling out, so we made way for them, and they allowed me to take a couple shots from afar. That day, I knew I should have taken my camera with me. I usually do! However, this time I was cam-less and took around 100 photos on my iphone that day. Oh well, next time...

Here are a few of the photos from that beach... The city photos are for another post... :)

The cute Asian bride

Moi

I love the texture of these rocks

That large mass behind me is the prison that used to be.

So cute... May Allah grant them a happy life together and bless them with a lovely family...

Why are we so fascinated/charmed by weddings/brides?

First Lady Watch: Her Highness Sheika Moza of Qatar

2011-12-14T22:36:00.001+11:00

As you may have noticed, I was unable to keep up with the Love Hijab Fashion Week... Unfortunately... However, I should happily and thankfully be back to blogging (miss it heaps!) as of this weekend inshaallah. :)

I've been meaning to do this post for almost 2 weeks now, so I shall get it out of the way....

A couple weeks ago, Her Highness Sheika Moza of Qatar made a visit to Turkey with her hubby, the Emir of Qatar. That was when I first noticed her! Well she was all over the Turkish tabloids, so it was hard to miss her. :) Turks love beauty and beautiful women... and HH Sheika is an absolute stunner mashaallah. She has a gorgeous physique, and has an elegant sense of style.

I have noticed that she is not a full hijabi, and think(???) that the turban she wears at times may be customary? To be honest, I was actually suprised, and I don't know why... I guess I expect all the 'first ladies' in the Mid East to be hijabis.... and so I am almost always in shock... yup, shock sounds more honest than suprise. LOL However, her clothing always seem to be long and never so revealing....

I have to say that there was one outfit that had my jaw drop open... I love it! It's everything I would want in a special occasion gown... the colour, style, flow, everything! She just looks so elegant in it, and her body shape and height also does wonders of course. :)

She is just beautiful to look at, so feast your eyes along with me. :) Sharing is caring, right? :)

P.S. I will be replying to comments and emails as of this weekend inshaallah. Nobody is being ignored... Me has just been really, too too busy. :)

Sheika Moza of Qatar and Turkey's First Lady Harunnisa Gul...

I don't know why.... this just reminds me of Audrey Hepburn and Breakfast at Tiffany's...

Woot woot! Too hot! I meant Sheika Moza, not the Emir :)

Simple, yet classy

This is THAT outfit! I love it! Everything about it!

So, what do you think about her style?

Oh, and anybody miss me much? :)

Love HFW Day #1: Leaders in Hijab

2011-11-28T19:13:00.001+11:00

I aint no leader, but I aint a follower either. I like to be left to myself, and I like doing my own thing.

Anyhow... I have been working for almost 2 months now as a Customer Service Agent for a Call Centre. I sometimes dress full on corporate, and some days a little more laid back. Due to lack of sleep from last night, today was a laid back day.

What you see now is what I actually wore to the office today.

Will be updating soon inshaallah. Just work has been draining my life and leaving me no energy to blog...

Gucci Hijab: edb Collection, Crop Jacket: Katies, Maxi Skirt: Sportsgirl, Handbag: Betts

Click for more Leaders in Hijab Looks!

Some more "I made it myself"s :)

2011-10-24T05:42:00.015+11:00

I had mentioned visiting the fam in Melbourne a few weeks back, yeah? I can't really remember, but I think I did... I think I also mentioned that I would be styling my friend and her family's hijabs on her brother's wedding day. Yes?

Sadly most of the photos came out blurred. The photos are generally rush jobs on the day, so some of them tend to come out crapola. :( It's always great to know the photographer on the day so you can ask for a copy of some relevant ones that also make one's collection look more professional.

Fortunately though, I have a couple that are okay enough to share. :)

This beauty is the youngest of the groom's three gorgeous sisters. She was in the bridal party. Yes, the bridal party wore black gowns with white sashes. I must say I was suprised at first, but they looked beautiful. The bride, I was told, loves the colour black. The reception colour theme was also black and white.

This gorgeous young lady is the mother of the groom. She is one of those women who have been blessed with both inner and outer beuaty all in one. Mashaallah. Wearing her lilac dress matched with her very light grey and lilac hijab, she looked her part.

Floral it is!

2011-10-23T23:29:00.002+11:00

Still no internet. Actually, I have my internet connection all set up, but no modem as I am still waiting on my furniture to come from Melbourne. Seems like we are planning to bring down everything just after eid inshaallah. So a few more weeks. But no internet at home just sux big time!

I actually purchased a modem on ebay, but I sorta got jibbed cos the lady wont send my modem. I had paid by bank deposit so I can't get my money back either. Big mistake! Always pay by Paypal when buying stuff online I say. Paypal has really good customer protection.

Anyhow... Forget about that. :)

I went to a seminar this afternoon. Some of you may have heard of Peter Barnett. He is an Aussie (fellow Melbournian) journalist who reverted to Islam, and set out on a journey to Turkey to discover more information about Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (you can Google him.. He is one of Turkey's very well-known, prominent scholars from. I may have another post about him in the near future inshaallah).

So he was the speaker at the seminar, but both my husband and I were so upset when we entered the room. There were only a handful of people. This very fragile, 85 year old man had travelled thousands of kms in a land unknown to him... the possessor of valuable information and insight, but only a handful of people!?!?

The organisers too seemed quite upset so they made a few phone calls to the people in their community to increase the attendance.

It was a short and sweet seminar. Peter Barnett has a way with words, and reaching out to his audience. He was a delight to listen to.

On our return from the seminar, I had the chance to photograph my outfit of the day, just to share with ya'll. :)

Love heaps!

These crop chiffon tops are so popular now. I love florals as I am into feminine touches in outfits. So when I found this top for a bargain $10, I grabbed it to wear with my ultra high-waisted wide-leg pants. However, on this occasion I chose to wear it over my full length jersey dress to make it look as though I'm wearing a high waisted skirt. I was happy with the outcome as there were no bits and pieces of meat (well... fat...) hanging out of north-south-east or west. :)

ZARA - Been there, done that...

2011-10-19T08:29:00.000+11:00

***Note: This post was prepared on my phone last Friday, but I was unable to publish it due to some technical issues. Oh how technology makes our lives easier as it also makes it more difficult at the same time!***

If you still haven't been able to go to one of the ZARA stores in Sydney or Melbourne, don't kick yourself about it.

I was helping hubby out with deliverie again today and we had almost finished the morning rounds, so he gave me a break to go check out ZARA. It's only a street down from our area and I still hadn't been!

So today I dashed to ZARA. It took me a while to find it, and when I finally did, I experienced the greatest disappointment ever. The children's section has a better variety than the womens section. Unbelievable! I liked to handbags and thwre were only like 3 bags anyway. There was a black floral mini dress which I thought I might wear with trousers. I took the Large and it barely went over my breasts pushing them flat. I thought what theeeee!!!

I walked out empty handed and quite pissed off. Not that I had cash on me to buy anything. LOL

Oh and the store was empty. No wonder! However I heard the Melbourne store still has queues at the registers. Dunno if the variety is better there?

Oh how I miss shopping in Melbourne!

Jummah mubarak dearies. Happy Friday :)

Friday Outfit Post: Hellooooo Melbourne!

2011-10-07T19:43:00.000+11:00

Jummah Mubarak (Happy Friday) to y'all. :)

After almost two months of being away in Sydney, I am finally in Melbourne visiting family. Alhamdulillah! I arrived here very early yesterday, and been on the go go goooo since I got here. On top of that, there will be an awesome family din din tomorrow night inshaallah, and a wedding on Sunday. My friends' brother is getting married and I am honoured to be booked into style the hijabs of the lovely ladies of the groom's side. The bonus is an invitation to the wedding (where I expect to see most of my friends). Then it's back to Sydney on Tuesday inshaallah.

Oh and since today is Friday, and since I am trying to keep up with my regular Friday outfit posts, here is what I wore on the plane and throughout the day yesterday.

Did you recognise the hijab? It's my floral shawl from last week's Hijab House haul. :) I just noticed my top isn't as long as I thought it was. Had I been aware, I would have worn my wide leg jeans instead. Oops!

Hijab: Hijab House, Tunic/Dress: Glassons, Jeans: Just Jeans, Blazer: Cotton On, Pumps: Windsor Smith, Bag: Nine West

This Year's Trend Colour Blocking and My Husband

2011-10-05T01:37:00.001+11:00

By now we are all well aware of the year's trend colour blocking. It has become so popular that in Europe, the trend is continuing its popularity in the cooler seasons.

Almost every store in Australia now stocks items that can be teamed in one way or another for the year's trend. Particularly the stores aimed at the 'younger' audience are filled with endless options for colour blocking.

It is possible to colour block with more neutral colours, but the main trend is to go with the wildly bright colours that pop. :)

...

I was helping the hubster at work today. He has a courier run in Sydney Central. We all know that it is possible to see people from all walks of life with varying styles...

Today, we were waiting at the traffic lights and my husband just started to laugh.

Me: ???

Husband: Hahahaha look look! She's wearing orange pants with blue shoes. Muhahahahahha

Me: hahahah don't be silly, she's colour blocking, it's the trend of the year hahahah

Husband: What kind of fashion is that, it looks hilarious.

Ben: Hmmm I actually have a couple trousers on my list of things to purchase this summer: green and blue trousers... Also an orange and a purple blouse!

(My husband who still hasn't been able to get over my blush coloured Sussan blazer objected): No! That's impossible!

Me: Of course it's possible. It's gonna happen alright. :) Oh, and you know my black trousers, I wore the other day?

Husband: Yeah, so what?

Me: They are now selling the exact same one in white, I must buy a pair of those too.

Husband: Ok honey, you buy the white trousers. Don't buy the others.

LOL My husband never says "buy this or that" when it comes to clothing. :) He must be so turned off by the trend that he's willing to let me buy a couple other things. :)

So this got me thinking... I really wanted to try the trend in a couple pop colours for a couple special occasions. However, there are so many people out there who think colour blocking looks ridiculous and hidious. I don't really care, but I didn't feel too crash hot about it when the trend first came out. I don't think I want people to think I look hideous and laugh at me. I'm sure there are many out there like my husband. :)

The woman he laughed at actually did a good job and looked quite good. I also loved the thin blue belt she wore around her wais to match her shoes. She was also wearing a white shirt to tone down the whole colour pop thing.

Baaahh I think I still want to try it - colour blocking with neutrals is also nice, but that can be done whenever. :) I want to try the pop! :))) There was an amazing chiffon pleated maxi skirt in a vibrant purple at Asos a while ago. I still want it if I can find it available. Hmm I really wanted the green trousers too :( I might just give that one a miss, I don't want to get him too upset. :)

Photo Source

One of the most important tips for successful colour blocking is to stick to using two colours or three at most. Using neutrals with the brighter colours will not make your outfit pop out as much and also with neutrals, you can wear the outfit comfortably during the day too. :)

What do you think about colour blocking?

Hijab House Style Spree

2011-10-01T15:04:00.000+10:00

Well, the Australian Hijab House had a Style Spree event at its Merrylands branch with a whopping 25% off all items today.

I heard about the event on Facebook just a couple days ago, and I live only one street up from the shopping centre (I know! Very very convenient!!!), so I had to go.

They had announced that there would be styling sessions held with one of their stylists. Since I live SO close, I HAD to be late. :) You know how it works, the closer you are, the later you always end up going. :)

By the time I got there (1pm), there were only a couple customers, a stylist going through some styling elements with one customer, a male who I believe is (one of?) the owner(s) of Hijab House, and a couple of the girls who work there. I was actually quite suprised, because on the way up to the centre I was thinking, "will I be able to get in", because it is a small sized store, and we all know Muslim women! Especially if they have children with them. Oh my!

Well yeah, it didn't turn out to be as I imagined, because the crowd had died by the time I got there. :) The majority were early birds. So it was better that I got there later in the day aye?! :)

Anyhow, I overheard two customers talking to the person who I assumed to be the owner. They were saying how Hijab House should bring in more brown hues. I thought to myself: NO WAY! I already like the way they are going with colour, if anything, they need to add more colours! More colours that we can easily match with outfits we purchase from other non-hijab stores. They need to keep up with the trend colours. This is my personal opinion. Hijab House already has certain brown hues available at all seasons, there is no need to add more to that while the variety could be enriched. What say you?

For example, I want some greens and oranges in my wardrobe this summer. Where on earth am I going to find similar hues for hijab??? I probably should get back into business fast, because I am starting to run out of hijabs myself. :)

Anyways, I purchased 2 shawl hijabs I had been eyeing for a while. They were reduced to $5 each. I was also given a gift bag with a pair of sleeves and another hijab, compliments of the Hijab House Style Spree. Thank you Hijab House. :)

Oh, and hubby took all the cash from me this morning. Apparently he needed cash! So he gave me his credit card. But guess what?! I try to make a payment and it wont go through. I went to the ATM, and it says card cannot be accepted. He stuffed the chip and magnetic strip, so the machines wont read it. Friggen! I was soooooooooooooo pissed off. So I paid with the only cash I had on me. Lucky for me I refused to give him that $10. Ripped off by the hubster. LOL

Oh, you wanna see my haul? Here it is:

The cute little HH bags. :) Adorable, are they not? :)

Lately I've been craving some mustard colour in my wardrobe. Now I have mustard sleeves thanks to HH gift bag. :) I'm on the hunt for a mustard coloured hijab. Once I find that, I'll be happy. :) The pink hijab to the left is also from the gift bag. The other two are my spankin' new bargain shawls.

All ready for summer. Yuppi! :)

Ottoman Style Eggplant Dish - Oh and they say I can't/don't cook! :)

2011-09-28T00:14:00.000+10:00

Had I mentioned it recently? Lately I have just been wanting to cook cook and cook. I don't know if it's because I can't eat much myself that I am just obsessed with feeding my husband. Or, I am simply that bored!

I say this, because in my first 3 years of marriage, I only cooked normal wholesome meals for hubby during Ramadhan, and that was probably for 3 weeks of the entire 4 weeks. I hate(d) cooking, and honestly, I was working on translations non-stop. There were literally times when I would work without any breaks for 24-72 hours! So, forget cooking, I didn't even think about it. I think after that it just became a habit. Hubby has never been fussy with food. He couldn't care less if I served him Turkish breakfast (olives, white cheese, sujuck, tomatoes, cucumbers, and tea) for every meal of the day. Well, that was in the past... after we moved back to Oz in 2008, he started to complain because I was no longer doing the same amount of work LOL But it ain't easy getting used to something you hate very very passionately.

So anyways, I've just been cooking a lot. If mum saw me, she would be proud haha if my sis saw me, her jaw would drop. That is how bad I was with cooking. :) Give me the ironing, laundry, vacuuming, I can do it all day but cooking and dishes suck! To be honest, I really dislike doing housework. I like the professional working life, although that sort of lifestyle is very difficult for a married woman (especially if she has children!!!) (and especially if her husband is originally from a male-dominated part of the world and expect all this service crap from their wives)...

Oh to cut it short, I made "Karniyarik" (pronounced: car-neh-yah-rek, meaning: the stomach/mid-section cut open). The name just refers to slashing the centre of the eggplant to put in the filling. :)

It is a dish that was made during the Ottoman times, and served to the Sultans. It was my first time trying it out tonight and it really turned out delicious mashaallah and alhamdulillah. I was so nervous it was going to turn out a disaster. :) My only criticism was the mince I used. I canot stand beef mince, and I don't like the smell of meat from certain places. Back in Melbourne there were only 2 butchers I purchased my meat from and even as a child I wouldn't allow my mother to buy from another butcher. So I am struggling here. I ended up using beef mince this time as that was the only thing available at the time.

A little info about the dish... I baked the eggplants in the oven until they became mushy mushy. I slashed the centre from top to bottom and pushed down its insides with a spoon. Previously I had fried some mince meat with onions, fresh tomatoes and a pinch of salt, black pepper, red pepper and some tomato paste. The herbs you add give it all the essential flavours! Then once that was fried, I filled the eggplants with this mince filling. On top of it all I put a spoon of freshly grated tomatoes, a couple slices of garlic (it gives an amazing aroma and taste!!!), and a slice of chilli (hot chilli would taste better but I use sweet chilli as I have gastro). Then I mixed a bowl of water and a couple spoons of tomato paste. Once the tomato paste melted, I poured the contents of the bowl into the oven tray. Then I cooked the dish for another 20 minutes in the oven. And voila, it was ready for service.

So don't say I can't cook anymore. I can cook, I just don't want to do it all the time. :))))))))))))))

I served it with scallop potatoes, rice, and salad. Carb overload!!! :)

1001 Looks with One Skirt

2011-09-27T14:47:00.001+10:00

Okay I exaggerate. I don't know if I can achieve 1001 different looks with one single item. Who knows, it may be possible if I had 500 other different items to mix and match with. :)

However, when the lovely Zaenab @ Stylish Muslimah featured me on her blog a few days ago (many thanks), she brought to my attention that I posted a few different looks with one skirt a few months ago. I wasn't aware I had blogged the same skirt three times. Not that this is a bad thing... In fact, it is a good thing. :) You can click away to Zaenab's blog to view my three out outfit looks with the same skirt. Oh, and while you are there, I strongly recommend following her blog too. One of the many blogs that I enjoy following. :)

So, now that this was brought to my attention, I wanted to wear the same skirt again. It's a good thing that I had my dearest mother take the skirt in before moving to Sydney -it was starting to fall off my waist as I walked. LOL

This time we have a fourth look that is also different from the previous three. I remember saying I needed a beige blazer/cardi. Although I still need the beige blazer/cardi, I have a beige turtle neck and a black blazer instead. Previously I had tried this skirt with a black hijab and a green one, and since burgundy looks just awesome with beige, I opted to wear my burgundy pashmina shawl the Turkish way. This hijab look is almost the only style of hijab you see on the streets for the past year. While in Melbourne, I have only seen a couple girls and myself wear this style. My mother hates it with a passion! The only reason being that she is not used to seeing anybody wear this particular style. She really dislikes anything different and new... until it becomes her own (she doesn't wear hijab, so in general). :)

The thing that makes this style so popular is that it is very quick and easy to style, and most importantly, it elongates the face while slimming it down. A huge bonus for those who have round faces like myself.

I had personally ordered these from the Turkish hijab house that manufactures these hijabs, but put my order on hold for a few reasons. I am not really sure if they will be popular here. It might be a little too early for that, and they are not really budget hijabs. The ones used in summer are made of silk, so they are quite pricey - think Armine, Aker, Pierre Cardin silk hijabs (in terms of price). So yes, for now, my order currently awaits in Turkey...

Now here are the photos. You be the judge... :)

I look like I need to pee here, when in fact, I need to do just that as I write this.

Coincidence? I don't think so.

Too much detail? Right on baby! :)

Sooooo.... If you've seen the previous three looks with the same skirt, which is your fave out of the four looks?

Friday's Outfit Post - Navy is my Black!

2011-09-23T20:34:00.000+10:00

Okay, so, the Friday outfit post as promised. :)

I have noticed that lately I have been incorporating navy in all my outfits. Well, almost all... It also seems that I have hardly been wearing black. I guess I am slowly switching out of it, but nonetheless, black will always be a staple in my closet, and a favourite!

I have found that it is very easy to put together an outfit using navy, which is why I have been wearing so often. However, I am always tempted to do the sailor theme, because I absolutely adore the colours navy-white-red together (and individually). By now, you regular followers probably think, 'yes yes we know, enough already.' LOL Sowwy :)

So anyways, today I wanted to try a different colour with navy and white. I don't really have all my shoes here with me in Sydney (still waiting for all my furniture to come from Melbourne!), so for walking, my tan wedges are the most comfiest and classy looking puppies I have with me ATM. Therefore I thought I shall accessorize with tan, and thought "Hey!" -enter 'lightbulb' image and the 'ching' sound with the flash of an idea- "Why don't I wear my tan hijab and just make it navy-white-tan look?"

I hadn't tried completing such an outfit with a tan hijab before, but I must say I was happy with the way the colours looked. I think the white/off-white shirt actually helped mesh the navy and brown nicely. Otherwise, I am not really a fan of just navy with brown tones on their own. Brown looks better with black (if only these two colours are used) than it does with navy.

Oufff! Too much text! :) You gotta gimme some credit, I don't really have too many people here to talk to, so I talk non-stop when the hubster comes home, and his head gets bloated. LOL So what do I do? I blab here. :) Apologies once again.. even though insincerely. :)))

Scarf:HijabHouse, Blazer:Armine (from edb Collections), Shirt:Forever New, Maxi Skirt:Forever New, Handbag:Forever New, Wedges:Wittner

I just realized, most items in my outfit are from Forever New.

Please disregard the round bulge at the mid-section of my body LOL

So, what other colours would you use with navy and white in an outfit --- other than red/burgundy and tan? Please do share. I am running out of options. :) How about teal? Hmmms

Friday Outfit - Sneak Peek

2011-09-23T11:21:00.000+10:00

Firstly me wishes all a lovely Friday - Jummah Mubarak! :) The amazing weather in Sydney (the only thing that keeps me sane here) mashaallah keeps me cheerful and on my toes despite all other things. Alhamdulillah.

Anyhow, I need to do a quickie as I have to rush out. So this is only a sneak peek of my regular (okay not so regular since I've had no inetrnet at home) Friday outfit post. More photos to come in the evening inshaallah. :)

xoxo

Loving Navy with White

2011-09-20T01:53:00.000+10:00

Had to see the accountant today, so we met up with the hubster at the accountant.

I couldn't go there looking like a dag. I always wear trousers and jeans, so I thought I will wear a skirt today. So I ended up looking lady-like... i.e. sorta classy casual, if there is such a thing? :) I also thought, if I'm going to wear some decent clothing, I should be taken out to dinner. LOL So I conned him into taking me to Maccas for dinner. :))

Anyways, when I reached the accountant's office and got out of the car and walked up to my husband, he exclaimed, "Whoa! Do you always have to dress this nice!" He wasn't too happy. I found out later this evening that he wasn't too happy, because he noticed a few people on the street stare at me. I didn't notice, so I couldn't care less. This, coming from a man who says he ain't jealous. Yeah right! He is jealous alright, but he just ain't aware of it. LOL I know this, because he doesn't even like it when women look at me. He told me that when I dress the way I do, I attract attention and that I should tone it down. Tone it down? I thought I was toned down already. I wouldn't know how to do what he wants from me? He doesn't want me to wear an abaya/pardesu. So that's not the case at all...

However, I have noticed that I do probably look a little different to other hijabi women (Turks in particular) in Sydney. I think we Melbourne girls are a little more into colour, and we probably do dress a little more formal even on an everyday basis. So, in my opinion, something which is very basic and 'casual' may look a little too formal here. :/

Hey! On the brighter side, he complimented me hahah And on an outfit that I wasn't too happy with cos I would have preferred to wear a plain coloured scarf instead. I think the print on my scarf clashed a little with my blouse, but I don't have a full length mirror here just yet. I can only see my head to my mouth in the bathroom mirror. So yeah, in my defence, I didn't even really know what I was wearing. LOL

Here is my outfit of the day:

Footnote (pun intended!): I wore my tan wedges and tan handbag - not the red flats in the photo :)

An image and my tomato+cheese brekkie

2011-09-19T13:11:00.000+10:00

Hallo!

Just felt like saying.. well.. typing that.. :)

My entire body is aching from moving into our new rental property. I really don't know why, because we hardly have any furniture to move, as everyhting is in storage back in Melbourne. LOL I guess it was all the cleaning at the place we moved out from and the cleaning after coming here. But yeah, every limb just hurts.

Enough of that. :) I am very grateful to have found a place and be in my own place now. It's moments like these that one truly understand the meaning of "Home, sweet home". Alhamdulillah.

Anyhow, whilst driving the other day, I was at the traffic lights and noticed the silhouette of a building far far across the road. It was of Galippoli mosque in Auburn (Sydney). It simply looked beautiful. It is very common to see such views in countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Malaysia, etc... You get my drift... But in countries like Australia, it is truly a gift... A gift, which I personally take for granted.

Anyhow, it was so beautiful that I took a photo of it. It's not so clear as I took it on my iphone, and it's also very distant and the sun had just set, but you can still make out the image. :)

I like how the Mc Donald's sign came out on the right. LOL I just can't get over how many halal food joints they have here. I mean there are so many halal Maccas, KFCs, Krispy Kremes here. Oh my Allah, it's so hard to maintain one's weight here. However, I was very sad to see so many muslims dining at non-halal food outlets despite the amazing number of halal food outlets that are available.

And now that we have a decent sized balcony (first floor), and such lovely weather in Sydney, I have my brekkie out on the balcony. :) It's great because I have trees in front which block anyone outside from seeing me and what I'm doing. :) Oh and had I mentioned, the weather is beautiful? ;)

So this morning I thought I must have my tomato+cheese salad kinda dish for brekkie. It's quick, low in calories, and yummoooo.

So for anybody that may be interested in trying it out... Depending on how many people are going to enjoy this delicious dish, add more tomatoes and cheese, but I have one large tomatoe diced here.

I first peeled the tomato, but you don't have to. I just can't digest the skin, so I get rid of it.

Then you get white cheese (such as Bulgarian Fetta, Greek Dodoni, etc. etc. you know, the salty types).

Once you have diced your tomatoes, sprinkle some salt on it (the amount depends on how salty you like your food). Then dice or mash some cheese over the tomatoes. Once that's done, get a cap full (or more if you have more tomatoes) of olive oil (I like extra virgin).. Don't use anything other than olive oil, it's that mediterranean olive taste that gives this salad that oomph!

ONE MORE THING: squeeze some lemon over it. You don't have to.. you can try both with and/or without lemon juice, but it gives a totally different taste. Then all you do is mix it with a spoon then serve.

Bon appetit! :)

Weightloss - The 8 Golden Rules

2011-09-13T02:08:00.001+10:00

Photo Source

I have been asked my "secret" for weightloss many times. Yes, I have stated that I have had gastric banding (lap-band) surgery 19 months ago, however, the lap-band is not a miracle worker, it's just a tool that helps me do things I did not have the will and strength to do on my own.

So there are tips that may be useful for you too. There are 8 golden rules that lap-band patients are recommended to follow in order to be successful on their journey, and here they are:

1. Eat three or less small meals per day (portion portion portion! I cannot emphasis enough the importance of minimizing portions. I use a much smaller serving plate, and it has made a world of difference. Once I finish the mini plate, I seriously feel as though I have eaten so much and do not want to eat anymore. It's all in our head!)

2. Do not eat anything between meals

3. Eat slowly and stop when no longer hungry (this has been the most helpful thing for me on my weightloss journey)

4. Focus on nutritious food

5. Avoid calorie containing liquids (just by cutting down the fizzy drinks alone, you can notice the difference in your weight/size. it makes a huge difference)

6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day

7. Be active throughout the day

8. Always keep in contact with your surgeon (okay, so this one does not apply to everyone) :)

Update on weightloss, what I wore today, and health condition...

2011-09-08T22:05:00.000+10:00

First of all, I am sooo happy Maccas has free wi-fi! I've been able to log on through Mc Donald's the past couple days due lack of internet at the place I'm staying. :/ So this is a pre-written post during the day, and you should be able to view it late in the evening (well, if you are in Oz).

Weightloss alhamdulillah is going good... well, was going good until I've started feeling extra tightness in my lapband since last week. This tightness means that I have not even been able to get water down, let alone food.

Changing states meant changing doctors, and this meant a lot of phone calls, paper work, and finances. When the problem started, I could not arrange to see the lapband doctor in Sydney, no appointments were available. :/ I apparently had to find a GP here and get a referral too. So pfffff! It's been tough. Husband took me to a hospital's emergency last Friday. We spent hours waiting (obviously! emergency! ironic much!) then when they finally called me in, they did some checkups, took blood, put me on a drip and kept me waiting. Apparently they had no doctors available that knew how to handle my condition. i.e., no bariatrics available.

A few hours later I begged them to let me go. I had a drunk man in the next bed who kept on standing over me and staring. He also kept shouting random swear words at everyone. LOL It was uncomfy, so I signed the papers and left. That serum gave me enough energy to last until today on barely any food/water intake.

To get to the point... I finally saw the right doctor today and had heaps of fluid removed so I can comfortably get some food down now. However, there may be other resolvable problems, but I need x-rays taken etc etc. Alhamdulillah, I do feel better at the moment. I was like a walking zombie.

So obviously, I lost a couple more kilos this week. I can say that alhamdulillah I wont be fussed if I do not lose anymore weight. I am currently a comfortable size 12, and even a size 10 in some stores which are more generous in their fit. Turkish sizing, I now wear a 42. (All this information is for those of you who have messaged or emailed me) I must say that after losing such a huge amount of weight, I do have a lot of excess skin around the upper arms, belly, and some around the thighs. And yes, I do need to have the excess skin surgically removed, but that costs a looooooooooooot of $$$$, so at the moment it is out of the question. I don't mind it so much for another year or so. So once all the excess skin is gone, that should be another 6-7 kg gone, which is why I'm not fussed whether I lose anymore weight or not. Now the most difficult part is going to be maintaining the loss. :)

Oh, and if you do have any questions about the lap-banding procedure, or anything else, just email me, but please keep in mind that I will not have proper internet access for a couple weeks or so, therefore I will reply when I can inshaallah.

Here are photos of me from today. I've taken a couple angles so you can see the change. For those of you who have known me personally for many years and those of you who have known my previous state, you may be suprised, so please do say mashaallah :)

Oh and I don't really have a proper place to take photos here. This is just like a storage room, so make do with it. :)

Hijab: Armine (from edb Collection), Blazer: Cotton On, Pants: Forever New, Belt: no idea, Bag: Forever New, Shoes: Wittner

No internet

2011-09-06T13:51:00.000+10:00

I have no internet as I still have no home. Therefore, I have no life. LOL Other than that, I am having some health issues, but alhamdulillah all will be back to recovery and normal on Thursday.

I hope you all had a great eid.

Gahhhh. I seriously need internet!

Let the Adventure Begin... in Sydney :)

2011-08-24T16:35:00.001+10:00

Been here for four days now and already missing my family, friends and home... but especially my mummy...

I can't wait to settle in, otherwise seems like I'm going to be missing everyone and everything I left behind even more. However, the weather is nicer, and the place is prettier... but hmm there are many many many things I don't like either, but I wont mention them here. :) No need to be a biatch, right! :)

So! I've been to Sydney a few times before, but I never got to go next to the Opera House or even have any photos taken. So this time the hubster says, "You've been doing my head in for such a long time now because you don't have a photo in front of the Opera House, so we will go and I will take heaps of photos." LOL He really did what he said. :)

I have to admit I really love walking around the CBD for hours. It is soooo pretty mashaallah. :) The weather was quite pleasant too alhamdulillah. We just had a little rain on the way up and back in the car and that was all.

I got my husband to promise to take me somewhere every weekend. I don't know how long he is going to be able to keep that promise, but I'm sure it will be a lot easier to keep especially when it gets warmer. He loves going out and exploring new places more than myself. So that's a bonus! I can't wait to discover more of Sydney. :)

Here are some of the heeeaaaaps of photos he took of me during our stroll... Oh and I knew we would be walking a lot, so I wanted to wear something that was going to be casual but chic and absolutely comfortable. :)

The Botanical Gardens. Truely a beautiful place, and it's huge! Oh and next time I want to go on that sight seeing train. :) It's cute.

Yes! Finally a photo in front of the Harbour Bridge. LOL

And another one :) The place looks quite empty, but it was actually packed. We just tried too hard to eliminate all the other people from the photos heheh

It was soooo windy up the top of the stairs in front of the Opera House. I even thought I might fall down LOL I'm so clumsy usually, I wouldn't be suprised. It's something that can seriously happen to me. :)

Yay! The Opera House :)))

Satin Hijab: edb Collection, Silk Tunic: Colorado, Jeans: Just Jeans, Maxi Cardi: Asos, Loafers: Colorado, Bag: Nine West

This was on our way back to the car... We got lost trying to find the Art Gallery where we parked, and saw these. So hubby said, go, another photo. :))))

I can't wait for our next stroll. I wonder where it will be to next. :)

Anyways, it's eid next week. Can you believe how quick it went? Mashaallah. I have to say I am saddened to say bye to it, but eid is another joy in itself. So who has their eid outfit ready? I wonder what everybody is going to be wearing. :)

I have my outfit sort of ready from yonks ago, but just a little unsure about my shirt length. Tried to find something a little longer, but we shall see as there isn't much I can do at the moment. I wont be doing anything on eid day either as the hubster works and we don't really know anybody to visit. :/ But we will be going to the eid festa on the weekend inshaallah. :)

Halal Dining - Iftar @ Burger Edge

2011-08-23T15:56:00.000+10:00

Salams and Hello!

I have been literally hanging to write a post. It feels like sooooo long. However, I couldn't post anything until I had my translation project completed (yet I have another that is also due soon inshaallah). Oh and I am in Sydney now. So I am officially a Sydneysider.. as of Saturday the 20th of August 2011. Khayr inshaallah! Homeless! Jobless! Seeking! :)

Now, this post was actually due last week.

Alhamdulillah friends have been inviting me over and out to iftar as we wont be seeing each other again for quite some time. My last friend iftar was out with a group of friends. Apparently Burger Edge at Northlands Shopping Centre (in Melbourne) is now halal!

How awesome is that! Alhamdulillah. Another addition to our list of places to dine. Burgers! Yay! Something different to halal kebabs and pizza. :)

So anyhow... They have beef/chicken/veggie burgers. I'm a chicken person (so much so that I'm about to lay eggs soon!), so I only focused on the chicken menu. Such an amazing variety of burgers! It took me a good 15 minutes to decide which chicken menu I wanted. I was stuck between the "Cranberry Suprise" and "Bombay Bash". I ended up going with the Bombay Bash which was a marinated tandoori chicken breast burger with coriander, salad and tzatziki.

I ordered the small menu which included a can of drink and chippies. OMG the thought of those chips have my mouth watering at the moment. Never in my life have I ever tasted chips as succulent (yes! succulent!) and as tasty as the Burger Edge chips...

Oh and before I go any further, this is the notice on Burger Edge's website:

"Burger Edge uses only Halal Beef and Chicken, but is not a Halal environment. We use salami, ham and bacon in our burgers.

Customers are requested to alert counter staff if this is an issue to avoid cross contamination on grills and preparation areas."

So I'm assuming that all their joints provide halal chicken and beef? Oh and it's so great that they have noted that we request it be prepared in a 'halal condition', on separate grills etc etc. I'm liking Burger Edge even more now! But it is such a pity that I got to meet this taste for the first time only 2 days before I left Melbourne. I cannot believe they have no Burger Edge in Sydney. PLEEEEEEASEEEEEEEEE can someone rich in Sydney buy a franchise. :))))) They have them in Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland. You lucky ducks!

Anywhooo back to the food. You have a choice of various breads: Sourdough White, Sourdough Wholemeal, Soft Turkish, Gluten Free or Tortilla Wrap.

Always being indecisive with food, I was stuck between the wrap and Turkish bread. Oh well, I knew I wouldn't go wrong with the Turkish (cos being a Turk, I'm biased like that LOL), and ya know what! I was right! It was delici-o-sooooo! Aaargggghhhh there a couple hours to iftar and I want soooomeee.

Me wipes the saliva around my mouth. :P

So, there's no need in me saying, but I'll say it anyway: The food is really really fresh. You can just tell when you bite into it. Their kitchens are exposed and the food is prepared right before your eyes, so you can actually see how it's prepared. Nice and clean. :)

About dining at the Northlands joint... Seriously, it aint a big place at all. All tables are for two, however, there is a small cubicle kind of area at the back. We were lucky enough to grab it thanks to a friend who got there before everyone else! So if you are in a group of 4-6 people, you need to make sure you get that cubicle. :)

For those who want to go, park your car at the Hoyts Cinema section of the shopping centre. Walk through the doors where Mc Donald's is on the left. When you walk a little bit more there are ATMs. Look to your left when you get to the ATMs. It's a small entry on the corner.

Hmmm, had I mentioned how delicious the chips were? :) You can get chicken salt or standard salt on them. Seriously, I have been craving them ever since. Oh Allah, forgive me. :)

I think the menu on the left was a beef one, the one on the right is the Cranberry Suprise (chicken). I was told it was amazingly delicious. :)

Had I mentioned how huge the burgers were? This was my Bombay Bash and this was all I could eat. I took the rest home and the niece and nephew went wild over the amazing taste. Now they want some too! LOL Oh, but the chippies didn't last, I finished them! :)

My new favourite cluster of rings from Forever New. The photo does not do justice to its beauty :)

I know, bad quality photo but I couldn't leave this out. It's such a cute photo. This is Hilal's loudmouth boy. LOL He's even louder than his mother. But I love him! Mashaallah adorable!

It's like he's saying, "Oiiiiiiii whatcha doin'!

IMPORTANT NOTICE

If you live in Australia, or plan to visit Australia, but have no idea or want new ideas of places where you can dine HALAL, then I suggest you join the Facebook Page Halal Restaurant Reviews. However, I do have to note that all the places are in Victoria. I guess probably because the participants are mostly Melbournians. Please, those of you from other parts of Australia, do share any info you may have on halal restaurants around Australia. You will be benefitting a very large group of people.

Moi... just moving n working working workingggg

2011-08-13T23:27:00.000+10:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. Sheesh! I even missed my regular Friday post this week. :(

So I finally moved all my furniture to storage last weekend. Alhamdulillah. Took me quite a few days to recover and make all those calls to cancel my utility bills and bla bla bla. Then I set to work on my piles and piles of translation work. Alhamdulillah... However, it's just been hectic as I am always lathargic and sleepy (apparently I'm anemic, have iron, vitamin d and b deficiencies, so that's causing all this) and have no energy to keep up my required work performance. Hmm should be completing my main translation project by Sunday night inshaallah.

Anyhow, so that's just basically been it. I was invited to a lovely, in fact an amazing iftar last night. The lovely Ayse prepared so many scrumptiously delicious food that I didn't really know which one to eat. May Allah bless her and reward her efforts! Ameen.

Then tonight a friend suggested we go out for iftar... Sort of like a "last time" thing before I leave. :((( So I suggested halal Nandos. :)) Yummmm!

Oh, and I have decided not to go to Turkey this year. I am quite sad about it, but not really at the same time... I am just too tired. Going to Turkey now means that I will be putting off finding a house in Sydney for a few more months... and living out of my luggage for another 4-5 months. I really do not think I can handle that this year. Seriously, it's just getting too much for me. Must be part of the ageing factor!

So all I want to do is drive up to Sydney (yep, will be driving up all alone.. should be an experience!) and find a decent rental property inshaallah and move in.. settle in.. I just want to settle in, otherwise just seems like I'm going to feel like I'm on a rollercoaster until I do. Hectic I tell ya!

Yeah, so that's about it... I've moved furniture... Been working on my laptop and sleeping on my laptop... trying to see friends before I go... getting ready to go to a new place (Sydney)... I feel like I'm a new/fresh bride moving to a new country. Oh no! I'm gonna be an import! LOL No offence meant to anybody... I would just talk to and about my husband as an import, now the tables are turned. :)))) Me an import... May Allah make the transition and adaptation an easy one. Ameen!

And here are a couple photos from iftar tonight :)

Ahhh my Nandos chicken and fries. My fave! Oh, and I've had a lot of readers asking me about the weightloss. I shall be preparing another post just on my weightloss and all, but for now I would just like to state: it really is about controlling your portions. So in other words, counting calories does help, but if you can't be bothered, just eat less. For example, I did not eat the entire contents of my plate. That was the smallest serving. A tip: eat half of what is on your plate, and share the other half with your friends who are dining with you!

This was the first time I had Churros. Well, the Spanish ones at least. We have a Turkish version of this which just consists of the pastry part only.. No icing sugar or ddipping chocolate with it... Oh and the Turkish version has a little more sherbet on the outside. But yeah it was yummy, and I suggest eating one piece ONLY. It really is rich and hmm full of calories. :) Once you are done eating one, even that will give your tummy a sinking feeling. So seriously, just one piece is more than enough. :)

Missing you all... But I shall be back soon inshaallah with regular posts... Asta la vista... baby! I know, cheesy, but who cares, Schwazzanegger rocks! haha

Feels like spring, does it not?

2011-08-03T18:37:00.000+10:00

Well my question is directed to Melbournians and Sydney-siders... We have had the most beautiful weather in the last few days mashaallah despite it still being winter in Australia. Ahhh, Melbourne's gorgeous days are soon to end, but that's expected.

Anyhow, I am packing to move all my furniture to storage this weekend. Then possibly going up to Sydney the week later. Praying for all the best, and a little unsure about the future. Feels like a new life...

Ahh alhamdulillah, pretty busy and tired, so I can't blog much, but I had to go out and run a few errands today, so the first time since last week that I wore something other than my pj's. LOL So I thought I'd share rather than to leave the blog without any action. :)

So what do I love during warm weathers? Nautical! Didn't really put much thought into it, but I absolutely love this little military-like cardigan from Asos.

So how's Ramadhan going? :)

Call me Sussan!

2011-07-30T23:20:00.000+10:00

Because ever since I received Sussan's spring catalogue this week, I have been thinking about all the things I will buy and how I would combine all the items I will buy... all from Sussan... of course, currently my purse is unavailable, so I'm only dreaming. If I am lucky enough they will go on special, and in my size, and I will buy them 1/3 of full price. HA HA! That's what I call wishful thinking. :)

Seriously, I am in love with their spring collection. Very clean, fresh and full of class. I'm aware Sussan price tags are a little heftier compared to other brands, but the quality of their items speak for themselves. They don't pill, you don't end up with tiny holes after they come out of the wash, they don't shrink, fade, etc. etc... I'm sure there are exceptions, but I have never had such problems with Sussan except for one scoop neck top I bought from their sale range at $9. :)

Oh and their sales are great. Many a times I have found LOVE on their sales racks... double the LOVE especially if I have found a full priced item I've been lusting after at a heavily reduced priced. :)

So I shall go back to daydreaming... whilst you can view my faves, and most are so easy to hijabify!

Love this shirt and the skirt. I probably wouldn't have worn them together, but separately I really like both.

I'm loving the above two outfit combos! Maxi dress with sheer oversized tops. Such a delight! I have heaps of maxi dresses, all I need are a few sheer oversized tops like the above two. I wantttt this style!

Ahhh one of my favourites. Jersey maxi skirt and oversized top.. very similar styling to the previous two, but I can't get over how gorgeous the grey marle looks with the yellow! I would never have paired the two colours together. A must try!

I'm going gaga for this neutral animal print blazer. One of the three blazers I plan to purchase from Sussan within the next few months... if/when my accounts become available of course LOL. So I say inshaallah :)

The 2nd of the three blazer I want to buy :) Don't you just LOVE the colour! This colour has been the COLOUR TO HAVE all over Europe this year, and this spring-summer we are gonna have the same trend. So stock up ladies. :)

If I can't have anything, this is the ultimate outfit I want. I want every single piece she's wearing. The blazer, the shirt, the pants! Even the shoes, but they're not from Sussan, and I have no idea where they are from. The shirt seems a little too short for hijab. I will need to try them all together, if the shirt is as short as I think it is, I will go find a longer shirt elsewhere, but this is a definite must have for summer for me.

I'm also digging these shawl scarves. I think the on the left would go well with the grey skirt / yellow top combo.

What's your fave?

Friday Night

2011-07-30T00:38:00.000+10:00

What a busy day it was today, mashaallah! Had a lot of running around to do and friends to see before leaving Melbourne. Although I do not have an exact date, should be very soon now inshaallah.

Anyhow, as usual, Friday outfit post...

I was invited to dinner at a friend's place. I had Mexican chicken for the first time tonight, and it was amazing! Great food and great company is an excellent combo. :)

Anyhow, it was all girls, at home, so I wanted to be sort of casual and comfy, but didn't want to wear trackies either! :)

So I wore my very comfy harem pants and oversized top. I can't say it's a very good look on my huge arms (just can't get those arms to down size still... they were and still are the biggest part of my body... baaahhh all in good time inshaallah), but it was so comfortable. :)))

I should note (before any haram police comments), I wouldn't wear this outfit like this out in public. I had my coat on when I left home and on my way back. So there! :)

Jummah mubarak.

Jesus' Mother...

2011-07-27T17:42:00.001+10:00

Okay remember how in my previous post (just a few minuets ago) I said I forgot some points from the last speaker's speech even though I listened?! Well I just remembered one of the parts that I laughed hard, and loved!

She had to move to Alice Springs with her husband. Alice Springs.. well you don't see (m)any muslims there, let alone hijabis! She was asked to teach... apparently one of her students went home and said, "Jesus' mother, Mary came to teach my class today." LOL! So the parent was interested and came to school the next day to see who this mother Mary was. :))))

The child had never seen a hijabi before.. Well, actually that's wrong! He wasn't exposed to muslim hijabis, but he did know one woman who he never saw without a hijab: Maryam... Mother Mary... Jesus' mother!

I have nothing further to say... :)

International Hijab Day - Gala Dinner with Sarah Joseph

2011-07-27T17:25:00.000+10:00

Last Monday night I had the opportunity to attend a Gala Dinner to celebrate International Hijab Day. Thanks to the ladies youth group in Melbourne, Sareera... They put in great effort and put together a lovely organisation.

I got together a table of 11 for the night, mashaallah. The more the merrier at such an event, isn't it? Anyhow, tables were not reserved and on a first in best dressed basis, so someone had to get there to grab a table for the rest of us.

Hmmm... No children, no regular job, and no hubby at home... So guess who had to go? :) Moi of course. :) I didn't mind as I had no other obligations to attend to that day, alhamdulillah.

I did get there quite early, but still, the front row tables were full... hmmm wasn't too surprised but I still managed to pick a good table. :)

Approx. 5 minutes later one of my friends walked in. We waited and waited for the others, but it seemed that they were going to be a little delayed... and we were hungry... with a whole lotta colourful mezzes before our eyes... So we thought, let's start. :)))

There were two platters of each mezze on the table, but some were too far to reach, and no body to pass it on to us, so we thought let's get one of each and put it right in front of us. My my, did that work out well or what! :))) Yummmm, the thought of all that yummy mezzes still makes my tummy grumble. :)

OMG the sujuck that came made us all go wide eyed... we immediately got a piece each (this after all the girls had arrived) while they were warm, wrapped it in Lebanese bread and scoffed it down... mmmmmmm yummmmmmmm :)

Then there were inspirational female speakers. The highlight was speaker Sarah Joseph, the CEO of Emel Magazine. However, I was a little disappointed, because we couldn't hear much. The speakers were not very good... Some may argue that we chattered away, but that is only because we couldn't hear/understand. Seriously! So that was my disappointment for the event. I didn't get to hear what I actually went for. :(

Then there was a very powerful speech from the founder of Sareera. We were able to hear her most of the time because she spoke with a very powerful voice, and the main thing that was left with me from her speech was this:

"We have mosques on this land... We are blessed with having these mosques in a country like Australia... and our mosques are empty!!! Instead of seizing this opportunity, we don't attend mosques, we do not take advantage of the classes offered, the events organised. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had said, "May Allah's curse be on those who live next to the mosque, but do not attend prayers at the mosque." There are muslims who live in those houses beside the mosques, but they do not attend the mossque!"

How true! Unfortunately... this is true... and I never remember thinking about it until she pointed it out. Alhamdulillah, we really are given many opportunities on this land, we must show our gratitude by making use of all the facilities and opportunities available to us.

The next speaker was from ICV (Islamic Council of Victoria). You know, she was amazing, I remember just listening to her with my mouth open, but if you ask me what she spoke about, unfortunately I just cannot remember! :(

All in all, I remember being quite disappointed that night, because I guess I expected more, knowing how successful Sareera is. Now that I look back, I think it was because the sound system was a little poor, and I have a very poor concentration. I cannot listen to one person for more than 20 minutes. That is the maximum for me. Anything more, the speaker must be amazing and the sound must be clear. There have been occasions and teachers whom I have been able to sit and listen for longer periods of time, but yeah.. I just think the speeches could have been kept shorter or the sound system could have been tested beforehand. However, that would be my only 'criticism'.

The day before, Sareera had organised a huge event for International Hijab Day at Federation Square in the city. I really wanted to attend, but couldn't due to loads of work... I totally regret not going, because I have heard amazing things about it. I had friends who attended both the event in the city and the dinner, and they had mentioned that the event in the city was so much more inspirational and bigger... but that is acceptable I guess...

Anyhow, the setting was great, you could tell a lot of effort and hardwork was put in. I congratulate and thank Sareera for such an event, and look forward to many other events in the near future.

These paintings were part of the set-up. I liked them :)

These are all silk hijabs prepared by the girls for display. I think they look great.

Some more hijab displays :)

One of my friends... posing her style for you. :) The painting is also lovely... work of one of the girls if I am not mistaken.

I was unable to get a photo taken at the reception so did one at home. It was a formal/evening attire event, but I couldn't do it. Didn't really have the time or energy for it, so I went ahead with my peplum dress on trouser looking jeans :)

Before I end... The main message of the International Hijab Day events was: be proud of who you are and your hijab!

Navy on Navy

2011-07-22T17:20:00.000+10:00

Mashaallah such a beautiful and sunny day in Melbourne today. Nothing much to say. Had an appointment at the doctors, so tried to take in as much sunshine as possible on the way up and back. :)

Couldn't really be bothered with picking and choosing, so just wore my reliable navy jersey dress with my navy blazer. I had to add some colour, so I went along with my cherry red Hermes scarf.

That's about it... Jummah mubarak lovelies. :)

Maxi Dress: Glassons, Blazer: Armine (edb Collection), Platforms: London Rebel, Replica Bag: Burberry (edb Collection), Hijab: Hermes (edb Collection)

Hijab detail

Want. Need. Required.

2011-07-22T02:53:00.000+10:00

My shoe 'fetish' is starting to get out of hand of late. I have more shoes than I can/do wear... and the number is just increasing and increasing.

I wasn't actually so bad.. until last year! I had a very very bad case of spurs on both heels... probably for about 5 years in total. Too painful to walk on anything that wasnt cushioned! Alhamdulillah I got treated in Turkey last year (using shock wave therapy). I still had severe pains in the first few months, so I thought it didn't work, but now, alhamdulillah, for almost 6-7 months, I am pain-free. I can walk/run/dance, basically do anything for hours. Alhamdulillah! I seriously cannot explain how thankful I am, as the 5 years of spurs were really really painful for me. I really felt I was useless, worthless... most of all, I felt like a disappointment to everyone who would go out with me.

So... Now that I am cured, alhamdulillah, I'm back to loving shoes... wearing all kinds... basically I prefer heels to flats now! Flats were the cause of my spurs. Doctors have really advised against wearing flats especially for prolonged hours. High heels are obviously unhealthy too (when worn long hours), but docs say they aint as bad as dead flats. The heel needs some support. Thanks to the platforms and even wedges, heels don't need to hurt. :)))

Anyways, to the point.

I want this baby:

It's nothing flash, but just looks so comfy and hottttttttttttttt. Butttttt, I'm actually fighting against it at the moment. If I purchased every shoe I wanted, boy, I think I'd be out on the street... my shoes and I. :)

Hmm.. they are beautiful... there will be prettier ones in the future.. near future... I'm sure.. especially with eid just around the corner. :)))) 3 days of eid... 3 new pairs of shoes? Of course not. :) But tis a nice thought to entertain.. ahhhh :)

Itssssssssssssssss coooooooomiiiiiiing!

2011-07-20T16:31:00.000+10:00

Yaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Alhamdulillaaaah! It's coming its coming its comiiiiing! :) Less than two weeks left. Unbelievable! :))))

Yes! I am talking about Ramadhan! :) I feel so joyeous about its return. I feel as though this Ramadhan is going to be awesome inshaallah. Soooo very excited about it. So! you ready girls???

My excitement may possibly be related to doing half of Ramadhan in Oz, and completing the other half in Turkey, my beloved Istanbul?! Yesss that does have a lot to do with it. :)

Well, I have promised myself that this Ramadhan I am going to live to the fullest inshaallah. Both in terms of ibadah (prayers, supplications, charities, etc) and in seeing people... Oh and what about foooooooooooooood?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Seriously, overeating is totally out of the question, it is so against the spirit of Ramadhan. Eat in moderation, and consider the situation of those who cannot afford to eat what we eat... or even eat one of the many different types of meals we prepare for iftar (breaking fast). Well, I have the advantage of the band which wont allow me to overeat anyway :P So alhamdulillah to that also :)

Ummmmm so you will be getting blog posts from Oz (maybe not many as I will be busy moving all my furniture either to storage (until I return from turkey) or to storage... Butttttttttttttt inshaallah I will share the best Ramadhan posts from Istanbul. Ohhh I'm gonna go to the Ramadhan fair at the Blue Mosque grounds. It happens every year since the Ottomans. So it's a very old tradition. Oooh I better not share much now and leave it all to time. :))))

Yes, I'm happy... excited... Obvious? Well it's a good thing. Alhamdulillah. :) Alhamdulillah my flu is also starting to go away. It's been two weeks, still recovering alhamdulillah. On top of all that, I am still buried under heaps of translation work. Of course I am thankful to Allah for that also. A girl needs an income you know. :)

Well, I'll leave it at that for now. :) Just wanted to share the love.

Mwahhhhh

Product Review: Islamic Design House

2011-07-15T18:50:00.000+10:00

If you've been blog hopping of late, you must have noticed the Islamic Design House reviews too. Well, I have one for you too now. :)

When I was first contacted by IDH, I was quite excited, because a couple years ago I had ordered 2 IDH abayas, but unfortunately was unable to fit into them. :( So I ended up selling them both. I was quite upset, as they were beautiful... before deciding to sell them, I tried them on once more, but I couldn't even get my arms through them. So I had no choice but to let go.

Anyhow, after that experience, this was a wonderful opportunity to both review an excellent quality product and keep it for once! I was really very interested in their denim styles, but I wasn't suprised to find out that they were all sold out. Boo hoo!!! Then I noticed that almost all the girls reviewing IDH chose their plain black styles. I thought I will go for a different style. So I ended up picking the Route 01 Abayah in the green.

My chosen item arrived in less than 1 week --- my first order 2-3 years ago arrived in the same amount of time. So I was quite impressed with that. :)

And who doesn't love opening packages? Ripping out a brand new item from its packaging?! Oooooh I love love love it! :))) I mean I would have done this post 2-3 days ago when it first arrived, but I was soooo sick so I had to let it wait. Anyways...

Yeah, so I went through the details... Touching it through and through... (I'm a little crazy like that LOL) The crisp, lightweight fabric... Such a great choice as you can totally wear it all year round! The stitches are the most important thing for me in a garment... Well, it's just as important as the fabric quality... This is definitely a garment that will last the wearer for a very long time if maintained well. I was also impressed with how the garment colour was same as the photo on the IDH website.

Then it was time to iron the garment and wear it! And I did just that! However, to my disappointment, it was the wrong size! :( I don't now whether to be happy or upset... but I guess I am more upset than not! I had asked for size 58 Loose. I had checked the measurements and everything on their sizing chart, but couldn't be sure of my own measurements. I thought I couldn't get my arms in the Loose a couple years ago, now it should be perfect. I was wrong. I should have gone for the 58 Regular. :( Alhamdulillah!

Even though I really liked the abaya, I cannot keep it. I cinched it at the back for the photo. It's suitable for Aussie (I think US sizing is similar also) size 16 and/or possibly 18? I'm currently smaller -apparently-, so I guess this calls for a giveaway!!!! :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) My loss is someone else's gain! Well it's gonna be a great gift for Ramadhan inshaallah. So I suggest if anyone is interested, they go to the IDH website and check out the sizing chart to make sure a 58 Loose will be fine on them... My height is 164cm, I went for 58 because I wanted to wear heels with the abaya. So consider that too. THEN!!! Then you can wait for the giveaway I will setup soon inshaallah, and enter to win. :)

So yeah... the photo! :))

So what do you think? It is so flamin' comfy that I really don't want to give it up, but I can't have a clip cinching it for the rest of my life can I? :) And don't you just love those pockets in the front? I just love pockets as I dunno what to do with my hands when walking around. :) When I have pockets, I just tuck them in... nice n' warm. :)

Jummah mubarak! :)

I Love Wall Decals & Now You Can Even WIN One For Yourself!

2011-07-11T22:12:00.000+10:00

I've always loved the huge wall decals... Been wanting a huge one of an Istanbul silhouette on my living room wall, but hadn't been able to find any. NOW that I am moving away and that I don't know what my house or decor is going to be like, a very dear friend (and her husband) are supplying them very close to home! Oh well, I may need to contact them once everything is final.

Anyhow... I just love the ones they have available. They have a range of Islamic Calligraphy, mixed ones, a range for children, etc. I say it's worthwhile to click on Printcraft Wall Decal's FB page and like their page to see what they have on offer.

Here are some of my favourite ones:

Also, the best thing about Printcraft Wall Decals is that they can make custom decals... So anything you have in mind, anything you want designed, they can do it for you. How awesome is that?! If you have any queries, you can get in contact with the lovely Ayse via their Facebook Page. If you do not have Facebook, but are interested, just send me your email, and I will pass it on to her to get back to you promptly.

Ooooh oooh! I have NEWS for you. They currently have a competition going on. So you might just be able to grab one these lovely decals for yourself:

Here are the details for the Tag n Win competition as listed on their FB page:

Tag yourself and your friends for a chance to win one of these decals, they are large, available in black only, postage is also included. If you are the lucky winner and would like another color, then +20 dollars only :) If there are multiple tags then it wont be counted. Closes a day before Ramadan, and will be chosen via random picker or other:) GOOD LUCK!!!

So yes, I say get clickin' away. :)

Dressing up for a party

2011-07-10T04:08:00.000+10:00

I actually thought about the English translation of the sort of party I went to. It literally translates as "circumcision henna party". I have no idea if this is a custom specific to Turks. I don't mean the act of circumcision, I mean the 'henna party' to celebrate/announce the circumcision?

Well anyways... It was that kind of party hosted by a very dear friend. Most of the guests were very close friends from highschool, uni, and religious studies classes. So it was a lovely night catching up with everybody and also full of dancing and partying as it was a ladies only event once again. :)

I may share some photos from the party in a later post, but I am so tired now, and also very very sick. I believe I now how the flu. :( I also have heaps of work, so keeping this post short...

I tried to keep my outfit simple, so I went along with a maxi dress I had hanging in the closet for a while. I also wanted to do my hijab in a way that wouldn't look too plain, but not over the top either. So I thought I could jazz it up with an embellished headband. I did get a lot of compliments, but I don't know if I will rock the same style again... :)

So, what do you think?

Hijab House Hijabs are Hot!

2011-07-08T22:52:00.000+10:00

The last two times I visited Sydney this year I had the oppotunity to visit the Hijab House store in Bankstown. I have to say that the store is quite small compared to what we Mebournians may be used to, but everything was set-out and set-up so professionally, that you just feel like you are in a candy store.

The decor, the ambience... all lovely. The only thing that made me uncomfortable was the large number of life-like mannequins all around the store. Every few seconds I kept looking up to give a greasy to whoever was staring at me non-stop. Well, my attempt to grease off the onlooker was always a failure, cos the starer was ALWAY one of the mannequins! :) I have no other complaints. :)

I really liked the fact that they had a variety of sizes for every hijab. They had S (I'm thinking this was S for Shawl?), R (for Regular 110x110cm), L (for large), X (for extra large).

I purchased two. A plain hijab light brown in R, and a print hijab in L. I like that they are large in size, because I really need to fold it into a full tringle as the fabrics are quite thin and transparent. The double layer provides good coverage. So yeah.

I wore my print Hijab House hijab today, and was quite happy. I absolutely love the animal print and the colour! However, I should note that if you are not really fond of wearing pins, you might be in for some trouble. They do slip and slide, so you need to fasten your hijab with pins on the sides so it doesn't end up all over the place. I also spritzed a bit of hairspray to the fron hood to make sure it didn't flop during a long day out.

All in all, I was happy with both the store and my hijabs. Thought you should know. LOL

Here are some photos of today's hijab look. :)

Blending with nature...

2011-07-07T19:47:00.000+10:00

As the time to move out nears, my lovely friends and family try to make extra time to see me before I go... I have to say I am quite enjoying it alhamdulillah... However, I am also aware that I have to get a move on packing. Dreading it!!!

Anyhow, we had brunch with the family at my uncle's today. The weather was really cold, but nonetheless, I just wanted to wear my pretty and flowing chiffon skirt.

So here are the photos...

I'm actually wearing a shauna top. I think that is what they are called or something like that? Blahhh... It's one of those oversized tops that are short in front and long at the back. I bought a size 10 (I aint a size 10!!!!) and it's still oversized. :) So anyhow, I didn't really like the way it looked on the skirt, so I tucked in the front short part in my belt and let the back flow. I dunno, was happy with it, and when my husband first saw the way I wore it last week, he said "it looks like you forgot to take the front part out" LOL Anyways, yeah I have nothing more to say lol

Hijab: Hijab House, Top: Glassons, Maxi Skirt: Glassons, Bag: Forever New, Wedges: Wittner, Ring: Diva

This is more than a detail shot... this is a Princess shot. She is sooooo cute. Love her so much. May Allah protect her. :))))

Another Bride, Another Wedding

2011-07-04T20:00:00.002+10:00

Don't we all just love brides, weddings, bridal photos, etc etc? Well, most of us do... Me thinks so. :)

Last month I had another bridal appointment. The thing I love about these appointments is I get to see me amazingly talented highschool friend and make-up artist Yeliz at most of these appointments. :) She was once again appointed the make-up artist for the same bride.

Anyways, to the point! My bride wanted a very very plain hijab style, similar to her cousins... which was also styled by me last year. So it was a basic up-do with the veil up high. To be honest, plain is the way I like it most. For me, it's gotta be plain or drapey. :) Then again, everyone has their own taste, so what can you say?

Anyhow, her photos are now available, so I chose a few to share with you all...

May Allah grant them happiness in both worlds... May they be for each other, what they want/expect from each other. Ameen!

My latest happiness

2011-07-03T02:21:00.005+10:00

I flew up to Sydney to bring our car back down to Melbourne.

I've always loved flying. It does get really tiring and I always experience jetlag when travelling international, but nonetheless, I love it! However, despite loving it so much, I always dreaded the start of a flight. The belting up session has always been a nightmare for me.

During the last 4-5 years, I have never been able to belt up, so I would always experience the embarrassment of requesting an extension belt. I would also try to fly with close relatives so that they can excuse me when my flappy arms flow over my designated seat, and my thunder thighs push up the arm rests as they too would overflow the designated seat. I'm not even gonna mention not being able to fit comfortably behind the dinner table... OMG, can you imagine my situation when the person in front pulls back their seat during food service time. Nightmare! A total nightmare!

So... Travelling alone, I was worried... I prayed that I wouldn't need the extension belt this time... and alhamdulillah, it clicked right in! No extension belt needed.... and to top it off, I had to tighten the belt a significant amount! :) I was ecstatic! Still am! :)))))) I have never ever been able to tighten my belt on a flight. Even at times when I didn't need the extension (prior to the last 4-5 years), it would only JUST click in. :)

Once the belt issue was over, I pulled open the dinner table. Then I pulled it towards me as much as it would come. Still, there was room left between my tummy and the table! :))) Alhamdulillah. I was smiling wide wide wiiiideee. :))))

Next, I had to check my seat and comfort... WOW! I looked left and right... This was the first time my arms, my body fit into my designated seat... This was the first time there was extra room left on the left and right sides of my butt and thighs... In all honesty, I couldn't believe it. :) I was never ever so comfy on a plane. Alhamdulillah and mashaallah. :)

Yeah, that has been my happiest moment of late (shallow maybe, but important for me), and I even photographed it! LOL

Yup, here's the belt proof! :))) Seeeeee, I tightened it almost 20cm. :))))))

Okay, so nexttttttt I have to go on rides! :))) I miss going on rides sooooo much. Inshaallah this time I will fit into the rides too. :))) So happy! Just so so happy. :)

Cold, cold, cold and simply tired inside out...

2011-06-23T19:46:00.000+10:00

One of those days... weeks... or even months.. :)))

Yes, this month has been too cold in Melbourne. I just also feel very tired inside and out. I simply want to sleep and do nothing, which actually makes me feel worse. On top of all this, it's now that time of the month! I feel cranky, tired, sluggish and just crave everything!

I had to go out to stock up for 'that time of the month' LOL, so when getting dressed, I let my mood take over my style...

Say "NO" to Gucci's Man!

2011-06-21T00:42:00.000+10:00

Umm... No! I don't want to see men walking around in skinnies, nor do I want to see them parading around in 'feminising' slim pants that are getting skinnier and skinnier. Yuck!

I 'get' masculine women... I 'get' transexuals and gays... but I don't get straight men looking like transexuals and gays... an identity crisis? What's going on there? Seriously, it doesn't look attractive.. well I think so anyway. Anyone else agree out there? Say "oi" please :)

Gucci's 2012 Spring-Summer 'Mens' Collection

Please note that I used the word 'get' (understand) loosely, so don't go bashing me with your words, K? :) Just thought I'd let ya know... :)

A "superb" magazine for Turkey - Âlâ Dergi

2011-06-12T18:35:00.000+10:00

My lovely readers from the first time I started blogging will remember... I really wanted to start up a hijab fashion magazine. I use the term 'fashion' loosely... I even found many lovely and competent women who like myself wanted to be part of such a formation. However, money matters wouldn't even allow a start. I really believe we need more magazines in the west that can 'compete' against the likes of Vogue and Elle, etc... Maybe even Cosmopolitan?

I am aware of the existence magazines such as Emel and Sisters... However, they are not widely available? Also, the contents need to interest and inspire women of all kinds... In the west, we live in a society where we are 'accepted' but still 'unknown'. Anyhow, deep issues... need to be kept for another post. :)

On Friday, the 10th of June 2011, a new magazine was launched in Turkey. It is the first of it's kind in Turkey. Âlâ Dergi... "Âlâ" (pronounced aa-laa), meaning "superb, excellent..." targets the huge number of hijabi women in Turkey. I always wondered why Turkey held back for such a long time.... But thanks to its founders Volkan Atay and Burak Birer, it is available on news stands alongside other magazines. I am really hoping I can get a hold of a copy... The names participating in the making of the magazine are professional hijabi women whom I have been following for a while. The presentation seems promising... Reviews from readers who were able to get a hold of the magazine seems promising... I am really very excited!

I wanted to share my translation from a Turkish news site regarding the magazine, just so you have a brief idea:

---

A new magazine was launched this week under the name Âlâ. While the contents deal with fashion on one hand, on the other hand it deals with the specifics of Islamic attire. Volkan Atay and Burak Birer, the founders of the magazine which is a first in the industry, believe that the magazine is going to act as a bridge between hijabi women and manufacturers.

The terms hijab and fashion have been the topic of arguments for many years, it was debated "Can hijab be associated with fashion?" Some simply said, "No, that is not possible, fashion is extravagance, and Islam is against extravagance." While others said, "I do not see anything wrong with shaping my needs in accordance with fashion." Let the debate continue, the 'beautiful lifestyle' magazine Âlâ targeting mostly hijabi women is out... The conetnts contents deal with fashion on one hand, while on the other hand it deals with the specifics of modest attire...

The founders of the magazine are Volkan Atay and Burak Birer. They too believe that the term "hijab fashion" is wrong. Volkan says, "What we call fashion tells us what we buy during one season should be trashed another season. This is incompatible with the Islamic code of faith. On the other hand, fashion has variable rules such as, 'this year, arms are revealed, skirt lengths are short, etc.' In a sense, it also interferes in the form of covering. This is why it is wrong to call it 'hijab fashion'. Of course we are going to utilize fashionable details, but this does not mean the same thing as hijab fashion."

The formation process of the magazine is also interesting. In actual fact, neither Atay nor Birer have any relation to fashion. They are both in advertising. They were both focused on branding strategies until stepping into the magazine business. A photo shoot they did for a company took the attention of Sarah Joseph, the editor of UK based Islamic lifestyle magazine, Emel Magazine. Joseph wanted to use the said photo in her magazine. She contacted Atay and Birer. With this, they found the opportunity to meet. Consequently they got to see the magazine. Then the idea, "What a great magazine, why shouldn't we have a similar one in Turkey!"...

He continues, "The way to overcome this problem was to establish a magazine that explores, deals with fashion and modest attire. In fact, bloggers have successfully built a bridge between the manufacturer and the consumer. However, they only target an 'internet oriented' audience. Whereas a magazine can reach the entire hijabi audience." They aim to make modest attire simple and chic. In addition to this, to establish a common ground that will enable hijabi/modest attire manufacturers to keep informed of one another.

For now, they have started with a team of 11. In addition to this, they are receiving outside support. Volkan Atay is the chief owner, Esra Seziş is the fashion editor, Ayşe Merve Dağlı and Rukiye Taşçı are the photographers, Burak Birer is the advertising group director, and Davut Yücel is appointed as the art director. They are just beginning. They still have room for improvement. However, the team is aware of all this. They say that they are going to take care of everything with time. Afterall, being a first in the industry has as many disadvantages as it does advantages.

The magazine includes interviews with hijabi/modest attire company directors, designers, and special boutique owners, blog introductions, street photo shoots, style suggestions, colour trends, current issues, and editorials. Photo shoots of looks put together by Fashion Editor Esra Seziş from hijabi/modest clothing company collections can also be found in the magazine along with bride and groom shots from a photographer's point of view.

---

How readable does this look! :)

All ready to go out to the news stands! Yay!

A slightly long interview promising exciting contents. Who wouldn't want to work with such a team on such a project? Most fashion bloggers I believe have the same dream... Do we not? :)

I wish them great success... and seriously, I would love to own a copy! If I can get a hold of one, I will definitely share bits and pieces. :)

*All photos have been taken from the magazine's Facebook Page. The social media links and URL for the magazine are provided below:

Facebook
Website
Twitter

Oh what a wedding!

2011-06-12T01:04:00.000+10:00

No, it wasn't really that crash hot. It was just an excuse to spend some time with family and possibly see some friends. That's exactly what happened!

It's amazing... I am starting to shock myself, because lately I seem to know exactly what I will be wearing and I don't exert much energy into the decision process. I don't now how that happened? Probably because I know exactly what is in my wardrobe? You think so? Hmm...

I wanted to keep it simple. It was a mixed event, so no going overboard with anything. A maxi dress... a crop cardi over it... and since the weather is freeeeeziiiiing, my leather jacket over all that. :) Simple!!!

The only thing that had me thinking was my scarf. I reall didn't want to wear plain black, but the dress had floral red/blue/cream print all over it. Red would be too loud... I didn't have the certain type of blue, and I seriously cannot wear plain cream around my face! Makes me look dead. If I had the blue I would have definitely gone with that, but this time round I opted to go with the black.. I sorta had to do it, no other choice. :) It didn't turn out bad, but yeah, I like doing something different from time to time.

So here's my look for the night:

Floral Maxi: City Chic, Pleather Jacket: City Chic, Black Hijab/Scarf: edb Collection

I must add that many of the young women were dressed in such a lovely way, I wish I could have photographed them. I don't feel confident approaching people to ask if I can photograph them for my blog, but I am finding that people whom I would never have guessed are reading my blog. It's such a lovely feeling... so if they know about my blog, then maybe it wont be so difficult to ask for a photo... I just don't know how I would explain the reason LOL

Photos from a Clearance Sale

2011-06-11T18:18:00.000+10:00

I'm actually going to a wedding in an hour or so, but I have everything ready, so I wanted to fit in a post. :))

I'm clearing out all my shop stock, and the products on my FB page needed to b updated. So the last couple days I've been working on that, but it sure is taking heaps of time!

My mannequins are not adequate for the photos. Sizing differences, and ugly faceless plastic mannequins just dont do justice to the products. So I pulled out my sizes off the racks, and started to take some photos. I thought you can at least see how it is going to sit and fit compared to seeing it cinched everywhere to fit a mannequin with unrealistic proportions. LOL

Yeah, they aren't the best quality, because I have poor lighting, but they will make do... I actually mixed and matched the sale items with hijabs and other items from my own wardrobe... I felt some looks may give inspirational ideas on how to put certain looks together for those of you who may need the help.

So here goes...

A simple polished look that can be rocked for any event really... can even be worn casually... tone it down for cooler weather by wearing black slacks or denim underneath.

I would totally wear something like this to the beach, a resort, a holiday in a very warm country... This is a personal favourite of mine, but I would wear a white top inside instead. I went with the black because I was wearing my black capster underneath.

I tried to mirror the look from this post.

My coat isn't as structured as the ones in the post, but I still like it. :)

Sporty casual with ma Converse sneakers :)

Very simple and elegant suitable for any formal occasion.

Any favourites?

*If interested in taking a browse, and you have a Facebook account, you are most welcome to add my profile: edb Collection-Gonul to view all the current photos and more new photos to come. I always enjoy browsing such pages even if for inspiration. One doesn't always have to buy you know. :)))

Day off from work

2011-06-09T19:55:00.000+10:00

So I haven't posted anything since the last day of HFW, Sunday last week.

I'm currently working three days of the week; Monday-Wednesday. It's so cold and breezy in Melbourne... and also back in the warehouse I work, so I freeze all day... by the time I get home, all my energy is drained out of me, I feel very tired and ill... So I am constantly getting sick due to the cold... which is why, all I do is read all the blogs I'm following, then go to bed. Not much energy left to write unfortunately. I really do miss it...

However, today is glorious Thursday! My day off from work. :) The first thing I did last night was to sit up to a late late hour... then what do I do? I wake up in the morning at work day time! Grrrr. When I noticed that I'm actually at home today, I pulled the quilt over my head and continued to sleep a little more. LOL

So after that I had to run some errands. I thought I'll do an outfit post today, since it's been a while...

So here you go.... Another casual and neutral outfit. I'm wearing my utmost favourite hijab: the Burberry inspired pink Armine hijab. :)

I expect myself to post a little more in the upcoming days.. I have a wedding to attend on Saturday too. Sooo yeah there should be more stuff coming at you! :)

Mwahhh...

Maxi Cardi: Asos, Wide Leg Jeans: City Chic, Long Tank: Sussan, Shoes: London Rebel, Scarf/Hijab: Armine (from edb Collection), Belt: Sussan

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #7: Party Hostess

2011-06-05T15:05:00.000+10:00

The last day of Hijab Fashion Week. Although I am sad to see it end, I am also relieved. :) It was fun but also tricky. Today's outfit is my least favourite and most confusing one.

I guess the type of 'party' I'm hosting is an autumn backyard party with loads of awesome snacks and girl talk. :)

I have chopped off my legs in the photo, because I hadn't noticed how short my top was. I was going for the long boots over tights look because it was intended for a ladies only 'party' at my house, but still wasn't comfortable with it. It's not a look I have tried before, and since I wasn't comfortable with it, it's not something I will try again. Looks too skimpy for a hijabi if you ask me.

I really like the way I have draoed my hijab here... again... thanks to Capsters! I am very happy to say that my Capsters is very versatile and can be worn as such to avoid showing neck, ears and chest while rocking this hijab style. So it's not only for sports. :)

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this one week journey of outfits with me. :)

And once again... More looks just here:

What I wore to the henna party

2011-06-05T01:43:00.000+10:00

So here are the photos as I promised...

Mwah to you lovely ladies and girls. :)

Oh, and tell me what you think of the way I used my leopard print shawl/scarf ok? :)

My dearest, one and only niece Ayse (you will recognise her from my hijab tutorials if you have seen them)and I (my Youtube user is edbdesign if interested!)

Can you see what I have done with the leopard print shawl/scarf ? What do you think?

Trash it ot keep it?

and the make-up... a touch of bronze with gold and black...

What to wear tonight...

2011-06-04T13:16:00.000+10:00

I am attending a henna party tonight. For those of you who may not know what that is: a henna party is somewhat similar to a Hen's Night, but without the strippers. :)

I am going to use my leopard print shawl/scarf and platforms from a recent post, but it is going to look totally different! The main piece in my outfit is going to be a jersey maxi dress in black, but I am going to turn it into a statement piece! Well, I'm hoping. :))) It's going to feature something that is going to be included in my collection (edb Collection) inshaallah. I am actually loving it and I hope you do too!

I'm not 100% on the jewellery pieces at the moment. I have two options. I will decide when getting ready tonight. That's why I haven't included them in the photo.

So, you will see the entire outfit very late tonight or tomorrow morning.

Here's a sneak peek:

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #6: Vacation

2011-06-04T11:23:00.000+10:00

As Hijab Fashion Week nears to a close, it's Vacation time! :)

For me, it has always been important to travel lightly and in style. I say style, because I usually travel to Turkey and then back to Australia, so it's a really long flight. By the end of it, I look dead, sick, everything awful. :) However, it's first impressions that count, right? :)

Therefore, I like to make it stylish with my accessories: cabin luggage, hijab, shoes. Shoes MUST be comfortable at the same time! Or you will suffer. :)

I should also note that I usually travel when it's spring-summer at my destination. So, I choose to wear light and comfy clothing. Somthing that will allow me to snooze comfortably on the plane, move around without having to think if I'm showing anything I shouldn't. LOL

That just about sums it. Now for my vacation outfit. Hope you like it! :)

Enjoy the weekend ladies... I now feel like going on a vacation. :)

You can find more inspirational looks by clicking below :)

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #5: Jummah

2011-06-03T13:04:00.000+10:00

One of the most blessed days of the week... Tis Jummah today. Jummah mubarak! Happy Jummah! :)

I just glanced at the HFW Lookbook before posting, and noticed that a majority of participants have chosen to wear an abaya. :) So have I! This just goes to show that an abaya is the most convenient outfit when going to the mosque. You don't need to think about pulling and tagging at your clothes, how you look etc... All you need to think about is your ibadah... prayers...

This is the main reason I have chosen to wear my abaya. I also had a reader ask me (months ago - I'm so sorry) how one can wear an abayah with a Turkish style hijab. So yeah two birds with one stone I thought. :))

Peace be with you all...

I love the intricate details on the sleeves...

Do I need to say?... Click for more of today's looks from other parts of the world..

You wont regret it! :)

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #4: Date Night... or Day :)

2011-06-02T17:54:00.001+10:00

Okay, so I am a little late to post today's look... Sowwy :)

I plan to have my man take me for a high class dinner at Sydney's Centrepoint Tower. Okay, it doesn't really matter, but it was promised to me, so that's what I have in mind. My last visit to the Tower (for sight seeing), I noticed the women who went up to the top for dinner were in all black. Soooo I wanted a classy look (obviously), but I wanted some colour. Anyone can wear all black! I do it all the time. So I wore my favourite colour theme: nautical.. blue white and red...

I opted for a little clutch purse, because my man should be carrying all the money that night. All I need is my iphone and lip gloss. So why the hell ould I need to drag a huge bag around with me? :)

So here is my look... for day or night :)

xoxo

For more stunning looks... You know where to click!

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #3: Work Out Wear

2011-06-01T12:43:00.000+10:00

Yup! Today is the day I totally embarrass myself. :) I mentioned on Love HFW's Facebook wall that this is the category in which I will look like a homeless person. :) I was actually going for a homeboy (rapper) or college dropout boyish look... but somehow ended up looking homeless! LOL

Anyhow, I usually go to an all ladies gym, so I don't fuss too much about what I am wearing when working out. However, when working out (going for a jog or power walking) outdoors, a hijabi needs to fuss somewhat over her hijab. Firstly, most workout wear is not modest enough. Secondly, I do not really like wearing a huge trench coat or something while trying to workout. It feels uncomfortable.

Online stores like Ahiida (hijabi sportswear and swimwear) and Islamic Design House (their main specialty is sports/casual abayat) are good sources of things to wear when working out outdoors. However, I have none. :)) So I made use of what I had... Jersey harem pants! I would definitely wear these for walks and jogs outdoors. However, I think they may be somewhat dangerous for bike riding. :)

And theeeen I popped on my Capsters Basic style hijab (you can read my review here and view other looks), and threw over my hoodie to achieve the look I was going for (don't forget, it's winter in Australia, well first day of winter is today :) which is why I am so rugged up).

Now, you can't really wear full on joggers/sneakers under harem pants. That would just look ridiculous me thinks? :) So what else, what else?? Hmmm, Converse! Yup! Converse it is. :)

So it's quite basic actually. :) I'm just missing my fingerless gloves/mittens. That would totally achieve the homeless look, yeah? hehe

Yo yo gangstaz, w'sup? I know, I drained it once again. LOL

Oh! Don't forget to get clickety click the Love HFW button/link below for more and more awesomeness looks. :) Mwah!

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #2: Formal Attire

2011-05-31T11:30:00.032+10:00

So today's category is formal attire. We were asked, "What would you wear to formal event? This can be traditional/cultural events, black tie event, weddings, etc etc."

I have not had the chance to attend a formal event in yonks... literally! So I do not have much suitable for such an event. Therefore, I chose to attend my own henna party. :) Why? Well, that is like the only over the top dress I have. I also thought it would be an opportunity to do up my hijab to give an idea to those who may need it.

Now, I had to cinch the dress with pins all over at the back as I weighed a lot more on my own henna night (five years ago). So that's why it really doesn't sit as it should.

I should also note that, although very simple, the dress is my own design. I drew it up, and my tailor did the sewing. :) My original hijab style was different, and it was done by someone other than myself as I didn't do hijab styling back then. I have to say I wasn't too happy with it, because even though the style was a nice one, it was very wrong for my face shape. I didn't really have a say in it as it was the first time I saw what hijab styling actually is. I had not seen any designs prior to my own henna party. So the stylist just did it up as she desired.

So, important tip for those who may be getting their hijab styled anytime in the near/far future: make sure you google various styles well in advance or even ask your stylist if she can show you any of her work. Check out the face shapes and what styles look best on certain face shapes. Because no matter how gorgeous the style is, if it aint gonna suit you, you aint gonna be happy with your photos. Trust me!

The style I used for this occasion is an Ottomanesque one... it was inspired by the head-pieces that were worn by the Sultans (the women in the Royal Families)... As I mentioned many a time before, I find them to be more elegant compared to the bunched/scrunched up ones.

Oh, I shall be doing a post on tips for hijabis planning to have their hijab styled for certain occasions soon. So make sure you follow my blog! :)))

Okay, this has been too long of a post for HFW, so I shall stop at this, and share the photos for today's category: Formal Attire. As I mentioned above, my outfit is more suitable for my own henna party, or an engagement/wedding of a very close friend or family.

Check out the leopard print platforms (from this post) peeping out from under ;) I wanted it to be slightly different to the standard strappy evening shoes. :)

Hijab & Hijab Style: edb Collection, Accessory: Lovisa, Gown: design by edb Collection, Shoes: Forever New

The make-up and head-piece. You can click on each individual photo to see in larger, detailed format.

Don't forget to click back for Day #3's outfit tomorrow! Also, click on the loveHFW button below for more details on the event, giveaways, many other blogger looks, updates, and more more moooooreeeee :)))

Hijab Fashion Week - Day #1: Work Wear

2011-05-30T19:57:00.000+10:00

Today, 30th May 2011 marks the first day of the Second Love HFW! The first category is "Work Wear".

My choice of outfit (for work) needs to be comfortable, yet have a little class or even a twist to it. I will either work in my own office as a translator or in a fashion boutique... which is why I did not opt to go witht he stanadrd corporate look even though I love the crisp and smartness. :) I need something I can move in, work in, play in, and yet look presentable. So that's about it for today. I hope you liked my "work wear" outfit... Stay tuned for tomorrow's, Day #2 outfit! :)

Make sure you visit Love HFW to check out all the amazingly gorgeous entries by other participants (I feel as though I look like a madi (no offence) compared to all their gorgeous looks) :).

By the way, I will be posting a little later in the day for the next couple days also, because I just recently started working elsewhere. So do forgive me for the delay. :)