Sometimes, silver & violets are the missing puzzle to every fashion forward wardrobe.
Thinking of investing into classic bag, but turning to the most wanted palette, like : matte black, navy, or eternally greys? A fudge brown may be? Just to be on the safe side ?
It’s very unlikely that a shining silver purse/bag will take that number one position on thoughts, as a choice for a casual piece. But hey, the great news is, this new-season shelves are full of metallic styles destined to light up your every look. From Vogue to Bazaar, every big page is full of metallic extravaganza. So am I.
And then, there’s MONROÉ ! Taking over the global fashion scene by storm.
Monroe, a Handmade, ethically nurtured regional brand, I adore, from the core of my heart; for being a pioneer of the revolution of ethnic ‘Must Have Designer statement’ pieces ; like a Khussa + Potli, just what a gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous Desi Girl would wear.
The best part? I would happily carry this to any crazy big Bengali Family Dawat on a Friday Eve, looking like this.
Fancy Much?
Fine Thread x mirror bead details, embellished perfectly on a Shocking Magenda base, bordered with tanned leather finish, is the next best thing the ladies need to look forward to.
Love me Magenda ; popping with an icy purple flora circa x glam girl in her fishnets. If this isn’t the perfect Desi girl mood & moment, idk what is. MONROE UNIVERSE x Shocking Magenda KhussasMy love for the intricacies on the Monroé details. Picture perfect Monroé X Mumtahana .Fishnets x Monroés; the ultimate fashun fever
Silver accessories are more than just an option. It’s an entire statement. Don’t just stand out, girl! Shine like the Diva you are ✨
Let’s admit it, we all have fancy translucent / see through / transparent Sarees that our Mum’s probably wore once or twice in life & kept aside for their off-springs to drape. Now here’s a vision & solution to wear that transparent Muslin sharee with a plain black Basic T-shirt + a simple coat while heading out to the streets & skirt making it easy for you to walk around in public – especially when you’re about that Hijabi life. Topped with, is the concern of sustainability in fashion. I forever prefer to keep timeless options in my closet, so I can wear them time after time & no there’s no room for boredom in #mumtahana’sootd It is time to put all those eccentric pieces in your closet to work.
Say hello to fancy grocery runs ! I wouldn’t mind showing up at a super-shop wearing this. No kidding
Luckily, in 2022, there’s Abayaholic – every Hijabi’s Best Friend to save all the ladies from the dilemma to hunt for the perfectly matched scarves, in one go.Headscarves are complete game changers. Whether a scarf in the shade ‘Miss Marigold’, or, ‘Garnet Red’, in any way you drape, it remains distinctive. I styled this particular look with a black flared skirt & a basic Black T-shirt + 2 different scarves & a few favorite accessories of mine.
A big yes to Fishnet Stockings paired with my beloved Monroé Olives & anklets. Don’t you just love how it looks on the feet? Most days & nights I prefer to go out with my feet covered; either socks or, stockings, all the time – this lady got issues with getting her toes dusty; what’s more fancy than a glamorous pair of fiishnets adorned with anklets and a perfect pair of Monroe Khussas?
Ever considered ‘a black flared skirt as the petticoat underneath a Muslin saree ? Now you will. Scarf : Garnet Red, in Luxury Silk by , AbayaholicPure Muslin Saree, topped with a Garnet Red Scarf from Cessory by Abayaholic Monroé Olives by Monroé Khussas x Meenahkari anklets
To add a finishing touch before stepping out, I wore a Soulmatte black pullover/ coat, so I’m able to move freely in public without having to worry about a flashy ‘see through skin’ moment. Trust me, a robe from Abayaholic, is a life saver – in cases like this.
Outfit Details & Credits :
Scarves : Garnet Red & Miss Marigold, by ABAYAHOLIC
2 years in this blogging journey, I remember to start with nothing. So many things changed, a lot life changing incidents took place; broke me then built me out of it, both personally and professionally, into making me the person I am today.
I’ve earned so many of supportive figures throughout. Some appreciates, some don’t; some comes with the harshest critic and judgement regarding the way I cover, and some takes it as an inspiration to stretch their journey with Hijab further. You see, all the fingers are not equal. Not everyone will applaud to your hard-work, no matter how hard you try.
Changes are inevitable. And throughout the years, my styles have evolved. I’m definitely talking about my Hijab, which has faced the best and worst of controversies; lol.
No matter the situations and hardships, I try my best to maintain my Hijab, in every way possible. And, unless you’re a Hijabi yourself, you’ll never know what it’s like to struggle with it, get used to it, and finally embrace it with all your heart, and choose this piece of cloth in your head to remain forever. And then you realize, it’s not just a piece of cloth, it becomes your identity. My Hijab has become a part of me like my limbs. If you are one of my old follower, you will know how I fight for breaking stereotypes, right? If you don’t know already, I’ll just break it down in a few words, that, I am here to change the ‘cliched‘ concept of Hijab, that, “you need to abide by a certain dresscode”.
I say, ‘NO’.
Hjab exists in all forms. There is nothing wrong in loving your culture and maintaining the religious obligations at the same time. As long as you’re keeping it decent, you can forget what others have to say about it.
Also, I need to spill this out, and I’ve spoken about it previously too.
Yes, I blog. But, I try a lot not to westernize my contents too much. A lot of you may question my style and looks not to correspond with my nationality, but if you go through my feed on Instagram, you’ll see that I try my best to portray the beauty of the littlest things my country has to offer.
I am a proud Bengali and I love my city and the wonderful people here. I speak and write fluent in my mother tongue and the only aim is to represent my culture. It breaks my heart to see a few from my generation complaining of certain “not so major” issues. You are here to represent, not to put us down to the world. Respecting your heritage never demeans your standards. No matter where in the world I be, one thing is true as ever, the memories I made here, and everything that my country has offered, is priceless.
Please try not to be an ungrateful soul and stand for your land and people who serves you everyday. Flaunt your culture with pride.
Respect your Heritage, Stand proud in your Cover.
Sincerely, Abayaholic
Placard created by: My Late Beloved friend, Atif Zaman (May your soul rest in peace)
Fringe is just one of those trends that cycle through the runways every few seasons.
As per Vogue report, where it says;
“Keep that sass in mind for spring: fringing is everywhere in Paris, trimming crochet dresses at Acne Studios and body-con numbers at Balmain, shrouding the body at Nina Ricci in Sobrani cigarette pastels, and enlivening minimalist tailoring at Ellery.
My personal opinion, no matter what my mood, fringe is an embellishment that helps me express it; with a dash of sass. And this season, the designers have given us a plenty of fringy looks at the Runways of the Paris and New-York Fashion Week. This is one detail that adds both drama and femininity to any look.
The haute, chic, fashion-forward version of the style that called my name from the Racks of S C I C C O S O was a “Royalty Fringe Abaya” which I paired with a plain black Hijab and standout heel to let it speak for itself; drawing the attention of even the most fashionable Dhakaites ( Dhaka peeps ).
Fringing comes in all lengths and styles, so whether you go short and subtle or long and eccentric, there are plenty of ways to make this flexible trend work for your fashion persona.
Fashion’s re-appropriation of the fringes comes with a few stipulations, namely, “go big or go home”. Fringes should be made of luxe fabrics or modern fabrics and should be rich in abundance. Nothing lacklustre. And Hijabista series by SCICCOSO is doing it just right !
I loved wearing this Abaya, had me feeling like royalty ; and guess what? This trend is staying throughout the whole year till Fall/Winter. Take it from an Abaya Junkie, grab your Fringe Binge today before it runs out of stock. You won’t find another one !
Sometimes, all you need is a good cup of coffee with your loving companies.
Life gets busy and your once upon a time’s “best mates” becomes distant; one of them settled with a happy married life, one struggling with never ending architorture (architecture) thesis, and me? Trying to figure out what my next blog is gonna be about along with this one.
We all lead busy lives: whether we’re married with kids (or without kids), or single with friends, there rarely seems to be enough time to carve out for the women in our lives who owns that special place in your heart ! Weeks (or months!) can go by without seeing your closest friends.But, don’t upset yourself thinking how distant you’ve become; rather acknowledge the fact that we are growing up faster than we realize.
We’re relational beings, and we need that connection to be ourselves and remember who we once were before we stepped in to the journey to become a mom, a wife, a partner, or coworker. It can seem like one more thing to do, but when we’re with our friends we always wonder why we don’t do it more often. It’s just you find yourself indulged in the moment you had back in your carefree, single days.
Then again, you only wish to spend just a little more time in that “all girls day in/out”.
Nevertheless, you need to learn to bring out some quality time for yourself and only with your people; and here’s a few tips on how to keep the bond everlasting all the time;
Tag them in stupid memes/ message them for no reason :
Most of the times, social media scrolls help you remember moments that you can only relate with your crazy bunch. Tag your friends on stuff and laugh at it together over group conversations. Only you know who your favorite gossip/bitching characters are.
(I know right?!!)
Pick up their calls/ call them:
Sometimes just doing random chores and talking to your best friends over the phone feels fabulous. Just call them to check out the Instagram post or Snapchat of the person your interest. I mean, I still call my best friend to tell her the drama I cooked 1o minutes ago.
Plan a girls’ night in:
Call your friend and ask on a weekend if you girls could crash in and party.
It would sound so ridiculous and pretentious if I try to sound very decent and sober; but yeah, have fun like you always did. Dress up sexy and take tons of photos, prank call people, get high, live the moment! For me, I am a low-key party animal and I like to live in moment and cherish later. Party like classy and responsible adults.
Catch up at your favorite coffee shop:
Life may get busy, but there’s always time for coffee. If your friend is on a vacation in Dhaka, call all your girls out for a cup of coffee and conversation at North End Coffee Roasters;
the single source for fresh-roasted coffee in Bangladesh. The quality roasting of fresh coffee beans are what makes them the largest coffee chain in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This place is the ultimate high for me and my girlfriends, both for the coffee and the cafe. The higher standard maintenance and great customer service is what kept us forever relied on them. No matter what, we all end up going to that one place despite of other stores in town.
What makes North End so special is the maintenance of the standard of their coffees, bakery and pastries. They’re always so fresh, crisp and perfect looking for blog photos.
Keep this place in mind for coffee hangouts.
5. Take photos, tons of photos:
We all have that one friend who is least interested to take photos, but have friends like me will never let that happen. You will look back into these and laugh your ass off to it and send it to your friends over Whatsapp/ Messenger. I look at my 20 and 21 year old self and feel like crying sometimes at the beauty I/we possessed. Literally !
Capture your youth and beauty in frames; you’ll feel good to look at them when you’re old.
Lastly, be there for each other, at their hard times and wish and pray for their good. Loyal friends are hard to find, and if you have them, treasure them.
A huge thanks to North End Coffee Roasters for this wonderful collaboration opportunity with me. The best brewers in town, without a second thought!
2 years in this blogging journey, I remember to start with nothing. So many things changed, a lot life changing incidents took place; broke me then built me out of it, both personally and professionally, into making me the person I am today.
Tahana Said 