These Two Muslim Girls Are Rocking Modest Fashion Like Runway Models And We Love Their Aesthetic
When you think fashion, you think skin-revealing clothes, plunging necklines, dresses with thigh high slits and you are not wrong. That is exactly what’s been dominating the runways for like ever but recently, modest dressing has gained momentum like no one would have expected. The fashion world that’s been notoriously favouring backless and sleeveless styles is now also making space for more modest and elegant ensembles. It may have had a religious and cultural influence when it started since modest dressing was preferred largely by women of Muslim and other communities. However, not just the women of faith but fashion lovers worldwide are now opting for more covered up outfit choices.
Not to confuse it with traditional dressing, modest style is still fashion forward and haute. It does feature hijabs, headscarves and loose-fitting dresses but the broader aspect embraces trendy street style, maxis and co-ords. Fashion bloggers like Fatma Husam, Mthayel Alali and Rachelle Yadegar have displayed ultimate modest fashion inspo on their social media and amassed the liking for the modest way of dressing. This has caused a ripple effect in the fashion industry and brands are realising the sudden pace in the trend. Thus, we have brands like Uniqlo and ASOS coming up with exclusive line of modest fashion.
Talking about the budding bloggers who are voicing out the influence of modest style, two Muslim influencers Nemah Hasan and Maha Gondal from Canada are breaking new grounds with their Tik Tok videos. They are friends first and advocators of modest fashion next. Gondal is a stylist and Hasan is a singer-songwriter and when they are not doing their day jobs, they are strutting down the street (their runway), serving modest fashion looks and gaining plenty double taps. PS, don’t watch if you miss dressing up.
Also Read: An Egyptian Actress Had To Apologise For Wearing A ‘Revealing Dress’ Because It’s Against The Culture. The Oppression Is Suffocating
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Their style is fresh and achievable and outfits are to die for. Think satin shirt tucked under a corset top and turtle neck pullover with a see-through shirt over it. Modest yet chic! Talking to Vogue.com, Hasan said, “I just want to wear what’s on the runway in a modest fashion. I basically wear what everyone else wears on social media, but make it ‘hijab.’ Maha and I both struggled immensely with styling high fashion as a Muslim woman. We, as Muslim women, didn’t want to feel restricted from high fashion because we chose to dress modest. Therefore, we made it our goal to inspire women like us.”
Gondal too doesn’t choose between runway fashion and modest style but rather blends the two to make her own personal style. She says, “I don’t really think about it anymore; it just comes naturally to me. I no longer have to pick between high fashion and modesty because I am a creative. I found a way to connect the two different worlds in a unique way.”
Although they have been friends since 2015, it was in the spring of this year, post lockdown that they started putting their love for fashion on the social media through short TikTok videos. Hasan says, “We immediately bonded over our love for fashion, art, and music. I started creating TikToks alone in my room during COVID 19 to pass the time, and then Maha had a cool idea to become content-creating quarantine buddies.” Gondal adds “COVID 19 restrictions had uninspired and limited [us], so I reached out to Nemah with this concept of mixing fashion with friendship.”
You wouldn’t be able to tell by their ultra-stylish videos but the stage for their fashion walks is the backyard or a secluded warehouse near their house. Hasan shares, “There’s a industrial warehouse building near my home and that’s where we film the majority of our Tiktok content.” Gondal adds, “We honestly just freestyle! We want to have fun and experiment with as many new concepts each day that passes. If we’re feeling fierce, we do runway. If we’re feeling goofy, we do lip sync and dance.”
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The impeccable style statement aside, their choice of music, high-on-glam makeup and ample attitude in their catwalk is what adds to the aesthetics of the video and makes them a binge haven for fashion lovers. I mean, Nemah and Maha have 112k and 21k followers on their Instagram respectively for this very reason. That, and because their feeds look like a page out of a fashion magazine, only the style is more modest, elegant and attainable for women than what we usually see on the glossy pages.
Influencers like Nemah and Maha are demonstrating how modest dressing could be cool and fashion forward, contrary to what is believed. Plus, it is an inclusive dressing rather than being restricted to a certain faith. It is a classic style for women who like to dress modest and for women who want to dip their toes in unconventional, fresh fashion trends. Modest fashion is buzzing in the style space and you would def be seeing more of it the future, so buckle up because, um fashion isn’t necessarily about skin-show anymore.
