Mother always said “take the best from those around you.” So embracing only discrimination of style, this look dips back to the Jackie Kennedy era of timeless and modest fashion, with a Pashmina Collection dress. Continue reading
Homelessness in Washington D.C. & the Taste of Georgetown
When I first moved to Washington D.C. as a college student over ten years ago, I had many experiences of traveling in and out of the District to my hometown of New York. What struck me during these trips was the first thing I would see when entering the District by bus or car: an undeniable and overwhelming presence of homelessness. Years later, just before the cold season which last year saw double the national average of homeless in D.C., I am excited to be supporting Taste of Georgetown on its 25th anniversary. This meaningful and important event endeavors to raise awareness on and eradicate homelessness in the District. Continue reading
Modest Fashion Vintage Look
Once in a while a dress comes along that embodies what you thought would be the magic of being a grown-up. Equal parts elegant and lady like, this Ava Lea Couture modest fashion vintage look is every ounce that magic. Continue reading
Summer Office Style: Feminine Excess
Contemporary feminine-excess drips from each seam of this day-to-night office look. Naively dreaming of a forever-summer, this dress is airborne with layers of cream pink ruffles that dance in the dense Washington breeze. As though waiting to instantly break out from the office, the pink tone is interlaced with shimmery strands of silver. Ever youthful, this dress says I know what I’m doing but I haven’t been here too long. Continue reading
Diamond Jubilee: Holiday in Portugal
I recently traveled to Portugal for holiday, but not just any holiday. This was a once in a lifetime celebration I was able to take part in as an Ismaili Muslim. I usually talk about spirituality, rather than religion itself, on my social media. And while celebrating being a Muslim is not the most trending topic these days, it is certainly a part of my life, my style, my vision, and therefore, worthwhile sharing. The celebration I attended was to honor sixtieth anniversary of the leadership of the Ismaili faith’s present living Imam, Mawlana Hazir Imam, also known as the Aga Khan, who is appointed through his hereditary lineage from the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). My week in Lisbon was marked by art and talent shows with Ismaili creators from all over the world, old friends and new, and participation in a spiritual visit and address from the Imam who was joined by the President of Portugal. This celebration not only marked the Imam’s vision and tireless work, which have steered the Ismaili community through 60 years of sweeping changes in the global landscape at a scale that is unprecedented in history against many social, political and economic challenges, but also marked the establishment of the seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal, an act approved by Portugal’s Parliament and ratified by the President of the Portuguese Republic.
It was easy to feel joyous in Portugal and to dress accordingly so. Times of reflection and celebration were surrounded by gorgeous tiled buildings and doused in pastéis de nata and chamuças. Each day in the country brought me back closer to my roots, while positioning me ever more independent and adventurous to explore this country in all of its sensory notes and what it meant to be there as a Muslim. Now that I’ve shared with you a very important piece of my spiritual life, let me show you how I styled it in the moment.
NYFW Trends This Summer & Personal Boldness
Last fall I wrote from the sidelines on New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 18 trends, about how designers were predicting an even bolder and more daring woman, with their presentation of lively colors and silhouettes on the runways. *Rubs crystal ball and fast forwards to the emergence Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.* While I went out on this shoot in Georgetown immediately afterward to capture my prediction, I knew that the journey to bolder and more daring would require more than a wardrobe enhancement.
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Weekend Casual Style in New York City
Casual style gets a bad rap. Some of our most memorable times are excused away in bad clothes. Coveted weekends and out-of-office epochs are written off in purposely underplayed fashion. But in the end, you are what you wear. There are no excuses. Continue reading
Wooden Watch Experience by JORD — Enter the Giveaway!
The world often turns us into wild animals. Wildly chasing dreams. Wildly chasing love. And wildly chasing happiness (although this is a self-defeating endeavor, let’s talk about it in another post!). As I cross the seconds off to my next expansion – mind, body and soul – I am doing so with the essence of the wild on my wrist, with this stunning, wood-crafted JORD watch. Continue reading
PASHMINA COLLECTION: ELEGANT SUMMER STYLE
Summer style is a Manhattanhenge in expression. Afternoons on the town become leisurely alfresco suppers under dusk. Promises of adventure turn into boundaries pushed and forgotten. And sunshine deems everything complicated simple once again. In the same way, summer style is a mentality that is equal parts whimsy and decidedly happy. My wardrobe was infused with timeless summer this year when the Pashmina Collection reached out to collaborate for its Spring/Summer ’18 arrivals. The dresses and my wardrobe got along like star crossed lovers: belonging together naturally and better off for knowing one another. Continue reading
THE PERFECT SUNDRESS
With spring upon us – better known as iced coffee season to New Yorkers – my dress-ups have officially fallen through the botanic looking glass. But just like all new things coming to life, there’s a lot more to the perfect sundress than there seems. Continue reading