More...Turkish hijab!

Okay so I'm back.
Where was I?
Aaaah...Turkish hijabs!

In my last post, I posted a lot about the background of the hijab and some videos showing how the Turkish hijab can be worn.
One of the main details which i missed out, however, was getting the cap (front part) of the Turkish style hijab perfect. I wear my hijab in the Turkish style occasionally and Alhamdulillah it usually turns out fine. However, I always find that the front part either never sticks up right, or stays well during the day.

As you may have already noticed, the Turkish style hijab has a pointy, or sticking up front cappy bit (Please do let me know if you know the proper name for it). This cap bit is quite difficult to achieve, soooo....I found a tutorial on YouTube showing how to get it right. The tutorial is done by 'EbdDesign' who gives good advice and tips on hijabs.
Here is the video link:

Well I hope that was helpful. At the end she mentions maybe hair spraying your hijab. This actually does work, and if it does stain, it can just be washed off when you wash it.
Another way you could hold the cap up is to use a piece of plastic, fold it and insert it into the cap, to give the rounded shape. You could then hairspray the hijab, and take the plastic out. or just leave the plastic inside.
The sister doing the tutorial used a pointy pin to fasten the hijab at the neck. I have done this before...when i couldn't find a safety pin (I'm always misplacing things), and to tell you the truth, I found it quite uncomfortable. I do prefer safety pins, and find that if you overlap your hijab and the put the safety pin on, then the hijab will not get damaged.

Anyhowww....I kept looking for YouTube videos for Turkish hijab tutorials. And ave just realised that I have been writing this post for almost an hour! And the reason for that is I kind of get carried away once I start looking for tutorials on YouTube. I started to look at one tutorial, which led to the next, which led to the next, and the next (there was quite a few 'nexts'), and then I returned back to writing this post....and they all lived happily ever after. Hehee!
Anyways....before I keep torturing you with my dry sense of humour, i shall proceed...
Here is another link also from EDBdesign:

This is a basic tutorial. But I like it, as she shows the hijab from all the way round, especially showing a new way to pin it at the back.

In the video info, she has written that you can get good silk hijabs from the designer Armine. And tadaaaa....Armine has its very own tutorials!

I really do like the hijab used in this tutorial, and the style seems quite easy to do.
I do find the model kind of freaky at 32seconds. She's so still like a mannequin, and then randomly she smiles. Quite scary! Lol!

That bluey hijab is beautiful! (I want it!)
I love how she hasn't folded the front part of the hijab, and the cap doesn't have to stay up. It would be quite easy to create the point without having to fuss with getting the fold right.

Okayy...That's all the tutorials I could find for the Armine hijabs. I know, I know...I've just bombarded you with tutorials. But I think they are all just too cool to miss :)
And if I might add...the second to last pink flowery one is gorgeous (I am a pink fan :)).

Rightio...I shall stop this post here, and InshaAllah be back very soon with more hijaby stuffs :)

The Turkish Hijab!

Turkish hijabs are usually colourful, satin, smart, and neat. They are usually the triangle hijabs, pulled tight around the neck and cover the sides of the face. I have always loved the way the turkish hijab looks, especially because the bright colourful scarves, which would usually look quite funky, are made to look smart.

Since I decided to start off my hijabs from around the world guide with the Turkish hijab I have scoured the internet for facts, pictures, videos, and everything else 'Turkish hijab'.
I tried to look in to the past of the Turkish hijab and maybe find out when the look came about, but no luck in that department. Every time I searched for the Turkish hijab on the internet I either ended up with pictures, and fashion tips, or about the ban on hijab in Turkey. This was quite good for my own knowledge about the Turkish hijab ban, and actually amazed me. The Turkish government have banned hijab for women working in the public sector, universities and colleges. Although I do not know the complete in depth history of the ban, I do understand that a great amount of Turkish muslim women are less likely to wear a hijab, because of the political implications. What amazes me from this is that, although many Turkish women do not wear the hijab, the Turkish hijab is so popular in the hijab fashion world. There are so many blogs, and websites describing the Turkish hijab. I have people asking me how to wear the Turkish hijab. So many people admire the hijab which is not worn as much (as expected) in the country it originated from.

So...what is the Turkish hijab?
As you might have noticed I am terrible at describing hijabs, and would much rather show you through pictures and videos :)

This first picture shows a lot about the Turkish hijab, because it is just so elegant and neat. I absolutely love the hijab the model is wearing aswell. The intricate design around the neck is beautiful.

Although the I am in love with the beauty and elegance of the Turkish hijab, I do have one problem with it...the hump! The Turkish hijab does have a tendency to make the head look quite large, as an extra piece is added to achieve the hump above the head. The hump in the Turkish hijab is not created, and does not look the same as the hump in alot of the Dubai style hijabs. It is a tad bit smaller and looks less obvious, but all in all it is still the hump!

When I do my hijab in the Turkish style then I make it neat, with the curve at the front and tight at the neck, however I do not have the hump-creating material underneath the hijab, and so create the Turkish hijab minus the hump.

How do you wear the Turkish hijab?

As I said before, I am absolutely useless at describing, so I have found some videos which show how to wear the Turkish hijab. The video is from a Turkish website called UZMANTV. Everything on the website is written in Turkish, and so I have no idea what it says. The woman in the video also speaks in Turkish, but I think you could guess what she is saying from what she is doing. Here is the link to the website: http://www.uzmantv.com/genc-kizlar-baslarini-hangi-sekillerde-baglayabilir. I have posted the videos from the website below :)

In the following video the woman simply shows what you will need to create the Turkish hijab. Although it is all in Turkish, I think its quite understandable. She shows what type of bone hat is needed, the type of hijab (Turkish hijabs usually have a satin look), pins, and she also shows thread which is used to create more intricate designs.

This first video tutorial shows how they create the volume, or the slight hump. You could easily refrain from creating the hump by simply keeping your hair lower down.

This second video shows how to keep the hijab neat, as the woman tucks part of the hijab into the models top.  

The following video shows a simple way to wear the hijab, using what looks like a ring. It seems easily achievable by beginners as well.

Well, I think there are enough tutorials here to suffice one post. I will be back with more Turkish hijab pictures, tutorials and tips. Wish you all luck in mastering the beautiful Turkish hijab. Feel free to ask questions, or comment below :) Post again soon! :)

Hijabs from all over the world!

Being a regular hijab fashion stalker, I am constantly coming across new styles and hijab fashions (obviously!). I sit on the internet for hours searching for new ideas for my own hijab, styles to use for my customers, and even just for the sake of looking and thinking ooo that looks nice.
One of the most fascinating things about discovering different hijabs is discovering different cultures as well. Hijabs from different countries differ in so many different way. In some countries the hijabs are colourful, and smart, whereas other countries like to keep their hijabs plain and simple. The type of hijab people wear can tell a lot about them. It can tell where they're from, their culture, or even simply how bold they are with what they wear.
Due to my deep fascination with hijabs from all over the world, I am Inshallah going to write a guide to hijabs from around the world.
I'm hoping to start from Turkey, because turkish hijabs have always been an inspiration to me.
So I shall return back to my beloved blog when I am more awake and able to think straight...(it's past midnight in Britian)...and start on my guide to hijabs from all over the world. :)

The Camel Hump!

Well, it has been an awfully long time since I have posted something on my humble blog. This is mainly due to laziness, but it is also because I have absolutely no idea what to write. Now I'm the type of person who can talk for hours and hours, but sometimes I just don't know what to say! *shock horror*

Back to hijab, I was just browsing the internet and on youtube looking for all things hijab...and came across a few share-worthy things.

If your a regular hijab fashion stalker, you might have come across a Youtuber called Amenakin. She posts videos of hijab styles, which are usually amazing. She has video tutorials for almost every sort of hijab, to suit almost everyone. I strongly advise anyone searching for new ways to wear their hijab to check out her tutorials. Anyways...while I was looking through Amena's videos, I came across one which I thought was not only interesting, but necessary to share.

Hijab is worn in many different ways and styles. One extremely popular style of hijab which is gaining more followers day by day is the 'camel hump'.
The first I saw of the hump was on some fashion show pictures online, a few years back. It started off in Dubai, which is one of the hijab fashion centres of the world, but is now used by women all over England as well.
Before I go into the Islamic view regarding the camel hump I'll just explain what it is.

The woman in the picture has the camel hump on her head. Although this look is supposed to make a woman seem more elegant and upright, and give the hijab an oompf. In my opinion, at times it does make the woman look more elegant, when the hijab has a bit of a lift, but not when it looks like a hump stuck on the head. Like the woman in the the picture who just looks like she has something potruding from her head.

The name 'camel-hump' came from the following hadith. Narrated in a reliable hadith from Sahih Muslim that  It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two types of the people of Hell that I have not seen yet: men with whips like the tails of cattle, with which they strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will never enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance.”

In the Hadith it mentions the camel hump and the fact that women who look like they have something on their heads will not enter paradise. I personally, do not like the look of the camel-hump hijab at all, especially when women seem to have something potruding from their heads. Amenakin (youtuber) has a video regarding the camel hump hijab, and I think she explains it extremely well (the video below). She also gives a good alternative to the camel hump, which is a good way for people to achieve the oompf and poofy look they want from the hijab, without having to adopt the camel hump.

It is winter time. That time of the year when leaving your bed in the morning becomes an ice cold bitter chore. When cities all over the world are transformed into knee deep blankets of bliss as white fluff breaks loose from the clouds. When weeks go by in a dark and gloomy manner, illuminated solely by the artificial street lamps, and christmas tree reflections in house windows. But above all winter is a time when I, along with many other women, are thankful, at every harsh wind, for the insulation and warmth our hijab provides. It sounds strange, but when winter comes, I mentally thank my hijab every minute of the day. Hence the only dilemma I am left with regarding my hijab in winter is how to wear it?

I'm not a big fan of thick materials as I find them quite suffocating. But a thin hijab in winter is my worse enemy! The cold air always seems to find its way through. The wind is also a problem in winter, it always transforms a neat hijab, into a messy mess!

So how to wear a hijab in winter, without having to suffocating in thick fabrics, without the wind destroying the look, and above all keeping within the fashion and spirit of winter.

The answer is similar to what many fashion designers, catwalks and high street shops have screamed about...

LAYERS!

The layered look is everywhere this winter. And you can get it with your hijab as well...

There is no particular way to put your hijab on. My advice would be to grab a few or your favourite hijabs, and just experiment!

(Please forgive the scariness of the blacked out face)

The above style was done with two dupattas, and a bonnetbone hat underneathe as well.

Before I go on to try and explain how I did the above, I think that I should introduce what a dupatta and bone hat it.

Dupatta is the indian/pakistani name for the long rectangular material, often used as a hijab. The word dupatta is usually used to describe the big extra material worn with shalwar kameez suits.

A Dupatta!!

Although generally the above type of material is known as a dupatta, almost all rectangle materials used as hijabs can be described as a dupatta (I have always known them as dupattas. If you have another name for the long retangle hijabs, just let me know).

Dupattas come in an entire range of sizes, from those dupattas that barely wrap around your head...to the ones that go on forever!

The bonnet/bone hat is the hat used underneath the hijab to keep it secure and hair out of the way. I don't really know why the hats are called bones. I have always presumed that it has just been abbreviated from bonnet.

It comes in many different colours and made by numerous companies.

  

The above are just a few example of different bonnets/bones. The first one is plain, and in my opinion quite secure. The second green one has a glittery affect to it, although you can't really see that in the picture. And the last one has a satin front and is the one I have used in the 'scary blacked out face' layered style. It covers the entire head and keeps hair inside the bonnet, so the style won't fall apart.

Anyway...back to the style above. I am going to try my best to explain how I have put it on. After putting on the bone, I used a shiny cream pashmina (the ones with the tassles at the ends) style dupatta.

 

The above two pictures are from the internet, but the only difference between them and the one i have used in the style, is that my one has a goldish shine to it. The material is not too thick or too thin. It is thick enough to sit on the head and thin enough to wear without feeling heavy or suffocating. I have folded it about 1/5th of the way and placed it back, securing it with a safety pin at the back. In the following picture the model has done this with the black hijab.

After putting on the cream hijab I have put a black dupatta over it in the same way. The black dupatta I used had a border along each edge, which complimented the layered look. To acheive the layers I took the long side of the black hijab and pulled it round my head again. Okay this sounds confusing. In simpler terms, it is taking the side over the head from back. (do not take it round the front).

The long cream side was then pulled out and taken around the front, over the head and pinned on to the other side.

That above description is actually my best effort, and has either confused you or given you an idea on how to put on a layered hijab. I am hoping to post a step by step picture guide soon to make it easier to understand.

I am, inshallah, going to include more pictures of layered hijabs in posts to come..:) :)

 

In my other post I mentioned the word hijab-dresser, which no doubt left a question mark over some of your heads.

What is a hijab-dresser?

Originating from middle-eastern countries, mainly Turkey, hijab-dressing has been around for many many many years. It was, and still is, a way for women to dress up without having to show their hair. 

It's actually quite difficult to describe and picture. Try to imagine a hairdresser who works with dressmaking pins and pieces of cloth, instead of bobby pins and hair. Someone I know described it as a work or art, or a bouqet, made up on a persons head.

I have been dressing my own hijab up for about three years now, and have been doing it as business from March 2010, which was around the time when it was introduced in Preston (where I live!).

Hijab-dressing has become a revolution in Preston, and other cities in the North-West. It has changed the way women dress to weddings, parties, or even just going out.

The introduction to hijab-dressing in Britian has not only created a new way for women to wear their hijab at occasions, but has also given myself an opportunity, at the age of sixteen, to open my own business. And it has been absolutely AMAZING! It has given me an opportunity to meet all different types of people, whilst doing something I love. I've put hijabs on for brides, for people who have been wearin it their whole life, for young girls, older women, and for a few people who's first ever hijab was put on by me. The experience has been completely wonderful, and will hopefully be the same, if not better, for years to come.

It's probably still difficult to picture what a dressed up hijab might look like, so here are a few pictures of hijabs, done by myself and others as well:

(Please forgive my poor efforts of trying to cut out the faces)

The above two were done by two of the same net hijabs. The hijabs were quite long, which allowed me to create the layers at the front with the edging.

The above two are bridal hijabs. The second one was actually inspired by the Turkish bridal hijabs, which are always quite intricate and full of detail.

The above pictures are of quite detailed hijabs, but some people prefer the simpler look like the following:

Well, I have lots of pictures, and lots of styles...but theres no fun in putting them all on one post. So stick around for more hijab stuffs! :)

Well...Well... Well! What's this?

A hijab blog? Created by a hijab-dresser? How strange! :p

Not stranger than a hair styling blog created by a hairdresser...I hope!

*laugh*??

Okay no laughs! *cringe*

I guess I should stop with the failed sarcasm attempts and get back to what I'm good at (well I hope I'm good enough at)...

HIJABS!

But what about hijabs?...you ask!

Well...to be quite 'precise', everything!

From fashion to feuds. Hijab is a topic discussed in all corners of the world, by different people, with different cultures and ideas. It is a statement of fashion, identity, and culture. But above all it is a representation of a muslim woman's faith.

So here goes...

Let the world or hijab unravel...:)