Thursday, July 22, 2010

Islamic Fashion..

Islamic Fashion: Where More is…More.

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My sister sent me a link about Turkish fashion week the other day. As usual, a link leads to a site that leads to another site and then maybe a blog, perhaps an online store…the cycle goes on. After hours of exploring, I came across an interesting announcement on a blog, “Christian Lacroix 100% Silk Scarves Today @ ideeli.” I found it interesting to see that societies that are more rigid or strict don’t just take the easy road when it comes to dressing. I’m not going to lie…if I had to think about how to cover up every inch of my body and still look trendy, I would pull my hair out. Islamic women are clearly skillful in throwing in commercial style, trends, brands and designers into their every day looks.

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In Islamic societies, fashion is not overlooked. It is in fact, very much alive. Though Islamic women dress much more modestly, the latest trends still make their way into these cultures (in their own unique ways of course). While scrolling through some Islamic style blogs, I was surprised to see how similar my ideal looks for a casual Friday, date night or a weekend stroll were with theirs. The fashion in these regions are far from dark hues and baggy shapes. Every year, the runways of Islamic Fashion Festival hail colourful shades from all across the colour spectrum and silhouettes that are more shape defining.

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Designers and retailers are beginning to (or if not already) cashing in on this, as in the case of Christian Lacroix’s silk scarves. It’s interesting to see how fashion unfolds in its own way around the world and very refreshing to know that not all fashion trends are governed by what the West considers the norm.