My Favorite Plus Sized Muslim Online Clothing Sources

I am going to do what women rarely do... share my favorite shopping sources with you all.  Plus sized shopping is hard for Muslimahs.  I don't really understand why, since it seems so many of us are a bit more generous sized.  We (Muslims) should have a culture that promotes respect of our bodies and not trying to fit into today's beauty standards.  My only guess is that many Muslim clothing companies are in countries where better eating and more exercise are more prevalent than in the US, so even as a woman ages and gets "fuller" she is still quite thin compared to many of her American counterparts.  But some are realizing that the US is a big market (no pun intended) and are starting to offer a larger range of sizes.

DISCLAIMER:  Not all of the following business have I purchased from or done business with or had any contact with at all.  And even if I have and give them a good recommendation, that does not mean your experience will be the same as mine.  This list does not recommend or promise a good shopping experience and I am in no way responsible if you have complications or are unhappy.  That being said, here is a list of some tips for ordering online, specifically with foreign, Islamic clothing sites.  (If you have more tips, please add them in the comments section!)

1.  Always look for a size chart with the measurements for their sizes.  Sizes are not standard, even in the US.  A company can make a size any measurement they want.  Know your personal measurements and look for the actual measurements not just the size.  Here is a good tutorial on how to take your measurements.  Just last week I was looking at a site and saw that their 8X fit an American size 18!!!  I would have bought my normal size and been severely disappointed had I not checked their measurement chart.

2.  Once you find their measurement chart and confirm that their sizes fit you, always size up.  Our clothing is also supposed to conceal our shape, so it shouldn't be tight.  I normally go up a size.  But if you want to be sure, adding 2-3 inches on to your measurements for your bust and hips should be plenty of extra room.

3.  Also know the length you need.  Since Muslim clothing is often supposed to be longer length, the right length can be critical.  Some companies will go by your height, having designed the abaya/jilbab/etc. to hit you at a certain point, such as ankle length.  Other times they will just tell you the length and if it isn't long enough (or too long), oh well.  The best are when you can choose the length.  Then you can decide if you want that garment to be calf length, ankle length or floor length.  So know your measurements for each length of a garment length you like.  Again, go to this link for help in about getting your own measurements.

4.  Google Translate is your friend.  There is a whole world of foreign sites that you can buy from.  But often their websites are not in English.  But that shouldn't stop you.  Just cut and paste yourself to understanding on Google Translate.  Keep in mind that foreign companies need to be able to process your payment and ship your order to you.  Not all companies are able to do this.  Look for companies able to take PayPal or bank transfers.

5.  Be prepared to pay for shipping.  This is the hardest part of online shopping.  Make sure you check the shipping costs before you approve the purchase.  What is too expensive for shipping is really up to you.  If I really love something and haven't been able to find it anywhere else, I will be willing to pay more for shipping.  But if what you want is found on a couple of sites and this is the cheapest, make sure it really is the cheapest when you add in shipping.  Don't be afraid of using plain old United States Postal Service.  I have been buying online for over 15 years and have never had problems with them.

6.  Don't stick to just businesses that have their own websites.  eBay, Etsy, and Amazon are all good places to find smaller retailers, especially custom seamstresses.  Be open to them, but be careful.  First thing to watch for is larger retailers offering their stuff on Amazon or eBay or Etsy at inflated prices.  Always look at who the seller of an item is and if they have a website.  Check the website to compare prices.  Of course, sometimes they offer items at a reduced rate or items they are not offering any more on their site.  Then you know you are getting a deal!

7.  Do research.  Ask around.  Read blogs that do reviews.  Google the company.  Look at their Facebook page.  If you are shopping on Etsy or eBay make sure you read the feedback and check their rating.  Read the reviews on Amazon.  If there are more negative comments than positive, stay away.

8.  When buying from a retailer for the first time, only order one thing or a small dollar amount.  That way if you are disappointed by their service, quality, packing, anything, you are not out a lot of money.

9.  Do not be afraid to talk to the customer service representatives.  They are there to help and make sure you are happy with your order.  They know their products and can help answer any questions you have about them.  If you have any reservations about ordering, you will probably feel better after talking to them.  Or maybe you won't and then you will feel better that you didn't order after all.

10.  Yes, there are horror stories out there of orders not showing up, getting the wrong items, not being able to get a hold of the company to resolve problems.  Remember that those are often isolated incidents or companies that you would know to avoid if you do a little research.  Refer to points 7 and 8 to reduce your risk.


Now on to the shopping!

Note:  I did not consider going up to size XL to be Plus Sized.  There are plenty of sites like that.  I am looking for 2X and up according to the measurements on the chart below.  Read carefully and pay attention to measurements NOT to sizes!!!





Custom made Clothing:

By "custom" I mean companies where you give them you measurements and your garment is made to order.  You should expect longer delivery times for these companies as they need time to make your clothing as well as expedite your order and ship it.

Overgarments.com:  This site does custom made over garments in the abaya style.  Give them your measurements and choose your color(s) and you will get your own unique garment.  I have never purchased from her, but have read many good reviews on Facebook.  She has great prices and often has even better deals!

jilbabcity: A seamstress from Houston, Texas who sells her overstock on eBay.  I have purchased 3 garments from her.  All were very well made and of good quality fabric.  

Love Unspoken:  Traditional styles with unique details.  Custom made.  You pick the fabric, color, and measurements.  

East Essence:  I have bought from this company more than a few times.  I have pieces of their I love and others that are just OK.  I have read that they have greatly improved their koshibo fabric, which I never cared for.  I would recommend them, but remember that you get what you pay for.  They are not the highest quality, but are a good choice for the Muslimah on a tight budget.

Islamic Attire

My Batua:  This company is very similar to East Essence but a little more expensive and a little higher quality.  Some of their things are too expensive, in my opinion.  I have purchased from them.  Only one of the pieces (out of seven) was I really happy with.  This was from a design standpoint and a matter of fit.  Their items tend to be slimmer through the hips and I needed them a bit roomier without being baggy in the bust.  For this reason, I don't know that I would buy from them again.  But their quality was good.

Online Abaya: Be careful of their sizing and check the measurements.  They run smaller than you would think.

Ready to Wear:

Modanisa:  A Turkish company specializing in Turkish styles.  You can get their website in English.  Look for the symbol on the top to change the language if you need to.  They accept Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal for foreign payments.  I have read a good review of them on Old School Hijabi's blog, but I have never purchased from them myself.  The one problem I have with the site is they do not give the measurements for the sizes.  They do tell you the measurements and size the model is wearing, which is very helpful.  But they do not give the measurements for the other sizes.  They use the more common Middle Eastern sizing system which is the size of the bust.  Not real helpful if your hips are bigger.

Al-mujalbaba   I have never purchased from them but have read fantastic reviews.  They are a US (New York City) based business.  Abayas and large square scarves are their specialty.  They have a fun, youthful, urban style and most of their stuff is nursing friendly.  And before you think I am wrong about adding them to this list, look at their measurement chart.  Their XL equals a US 24/26/28.  And in the description they give the actual measurements.

Al Hannah: A website with  long established reputation.  I have ordered from them in the past and have been very happy.  I know of others with the same experience.  They import much of their clothing from Jordan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.  They recently redid their website and now it is easier to use.

Plus Size Muslimah:  A lovely site and a lovely company.  I have a longer review in this post.  I have purchased from them and plan to again in the near future.  Excellent quality.

Shukr: I have never purchased from them, though I have always heard wonderful things about them.  What I have heard is that though they may seem expensive, their clothes are worth every penny.

Artizara

AlSundus

AlSharifa: Some of their caftans go up to a size 20.  

French Jilbab:

French jilbabs are an over-the-head garment that is perfect for plus sized Muslimahs.  They are sized by your height because they are so voluminous they will fit nearly any size. The only exception to that is the two piece ones because the waistband of the bottom skirt or sarouel pants is normally meant to fit a smaller sized waist.  But the top piece will still fit.  

To learn more about French jilbabs, check out my post about sewing your own.  It is quite easy!  But if you don't sew, the following companies sell beautiful ones. 

Jilbab London

Tasmin Collections

Bismillah Boutique:  I have never actually purchased from this company, so I cannot speak to their customer service.  But I do have one of their French jilbabs.  I got it in a trade with a friend.  I like it a lot.  It is excellent quality.  Too good in fact.  The elastic on the sleeves is a bit tight for me to comfortably push them up to wear under a jacket.  I wanted to remove it, but it is actually sewn in place.  I also had to pick out stitches and resew the edges of the face hole so my face would fit.  Other than those two issues, the fabric is beautiful, it is very well made, and it is comfortable to wear.

Nabira  I have ordered from this site a couple of times.  I have always been pleased.  My order came very fast.  Usually less than a week.  All the way from France!  Their prices are extremely reasonable and yet their quality is good.  They have a nice selection of French jilbabs, but I actually have only purchased other garments from them, which I love and wear all the time.

Al Moultazimoun:  Fashion forward designs.  Beautiful colors.  Very feminine.

Akhawat



Do you have a favorite plus size Islamic shopping source I didn't mention?  Or comments on the ones I did?  Please share below so we can help each other.

Thank you to ashleyelladesign for the above stock photos.

Sew a Jilbab From an Abaya for an Interview

The last five months have been crazy!  First, I got married.  Then I got really sick.  I mean really sick.  Off of work.  Multiple trips to the doctor.  I was sick for seven long weeks.   In that time I also got a new job (which I had applied for before I got sick).  Alhamdullilah I got better just before we moved into our new house!  I had to unpack.  I left my new job.  I left because I didn't like juggling two part-time jobs (among other reasons).  I decided to find full-time work and that leads me to today's blog post...  sewing a jilbab for an interview from an existing abaya.  Since I wear hijab, I can't just go to a department store and pick up a suit for an interview.  Plus I am plus sized, making things even harder.  I had to get creative.  

This all started when I sent in my resume and was just hoping for an interview.  I knew I would need something to wear.  I have clothes for work, but nothing I thought would be good for an interview.  Plus, since I only recently started wearing an outer garment, a jilbab, as part of my hijab (see my post about hijab to learn more about this) I don't have a lot of choices.  This was the perfect opportunity to have the jilbab of my dreams.

So I shopped.  And shopped.  And shopped some more.  All online, of course.  I live in rural Wisconsin.  There are no Muslim clothing stores in the area.  I have to travel 2 hours to get to one in Madison.  And they do not carry what I was looking for.  And I was pretty sure that even if I drove to Chicago itself, I would have a hard time finding what I was looking for.  Mainly I figured this because I have had such a hard time finding it online!

Coat style jilbabs are not easy to find in plus sizes.  And that is what I wanted.  A button down, full length, summer weight jilbab, preferably with A line styling.  And not in what most websites consider "plus size" (AKA XL).  I am a bigger girl than that!

First, I must say that if Shukr would increase their range of sizes, I would purchase from them in a heartbeat.  I love most of their stuff and they have exactly what I was looking for.  But alas, they only have sizes for the slender among us.

I considered East Essence.  I have purchased from them before and am familiar with their quality.  I H.A.T.E. their koshibo fabric, though I read that it may have changed for the better since I last ordered it two years ago.  Other items of theirs I have, love, and wear all the time.  They have a jilbab that I am interested in, but I had read it is not really a summer weight so I am saving it for later.  Also, it takes time to get their stuff since it is custom made and shipped from India.  I hoped I didn't have time for that!  I wanted an interview NOW.

I like some of the stuff from Islamic Attire but they have the same problem as East Essence... the custom making and shipping from India.  So again, I will save them for a later date.

Then I looked at Plus Size Muslimah.  I had never purchased from them nor had ever heard from anyone who had.  Their website certainly is attractive.  As are their designs.  I had admired several of their abayas for a long time but had never bought anything.  Now, I saw that they had several designs on sale for $19.99, including the Colorblock Abaya.  Unfortunately, it only came in a 7X.  That is more than double the size I needed.  But gazing longingly at the picture of this handsome abaya, I had an idea.  I saw a button down jilbab made from this abaya.  The same lovely colorblock design.  The same attractive summer weight fabric.  The same conservative, interview worthy colors.  But with black buttons running down the front, creating the button down coat I longed for.

Picture used with the permission of www.plussizemuslimah.com

I figured that if I ordered a size so much larger than my own, I would have plenty of fabric to work with.  I hemmed and hawed and finally dove in and ordered it.  I considered ordering more of their products at the same time but I try to order small the first time I order from a company so if I am unhappy I am at least unhappy at a smaller dollar amount.

There was no need to worry.  My package came lightening quick!  And it was packaged beautifully.  Even wrapped with a pretty ribbon.  The abaya itself, though way too big for me, was very well made and of a beautiful fabric.  Light yet opaque.  Perfect for summer.  Perfect for the project.

For this project I had to enlist a helper.  My good friend Kim became my assistant.  By this time, I had the interview!  We had only three days to complete the project.

The first evening we laid the abaya out on the floor.  We laid one of my frequently worn abayas on top of it to compare the sizes.  Wow.  We certainly had plenty of fabric to work with.

The first job was to cut up the middle of the front so we could make the front opening.  After a moment's hesitation, Kim cut right up the center.

Next we pinned each side to create the placards.  I put more fabric on the inside edge of the inside flap so that if there was gaping while wearing it, it would be less likely you could see through the gap as the extra fabric will help fill it.

After carefully pinning the front, I tried it on.  I knew I wanted an A line silhouette.  So wearing the abaya inside out, Kim pinned in the waist.  I wanted it loose enough for hijab standards, but without a lot of excess fabric in the waist.  My bust and hips are much larger than my waist.  I do not want to emphasize my shape, but I cannot stand too much excess fabric bulking up under my arms.  I was looking for a nice, clean diagonal line out from my armpit, skimming over my hips, and to the floor.

The first sewing I did was sewing in that fabric on the sides.  Then I sewed up the placards.  Once they were sewed, it was easier to try on.  So far, I was very pleased.

In front of the TV that night, I sewed on the buttons.  Then I hand sewed the buttonholes.  I chose to do them by hand because (and this is my dirty little secret) I have never sewn a buttonhole by machine.  Gasp!  Honestly, I don't really feel like a real seamstress without that experience, but there it is.  In the end, I was very pleased.  The hand done ones turned out perfectly.  My two tips are using a razor blade to cut the hole instead of a scissors and using embroidery cotton instead of sewing thread.

Once I could button it and see how it hung while wearing it, it was possible to do the hem.  I wanted a hem that just skimmed the floor.  The week before I had seen at the Masjid some women with lovely jilbabs that were that length and loved the look.  I believe the only foolproof way to do a hem, especially one like that where there is no room for error, is to pin it while wearing it.  Once again, my assistant helped me, doing a wonderful job pinning it.

I didn't actually sew the hem as I hate a noticeable hem seam and I didn't really have the time to do a hand sewn one.  Instead I used iron on hem tape.  That stuff is awesome and is very easy to use!

I took in the arms and shortened them as well.

Afterwards, I was pleased as punch!

How I looked the day of the interview.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to my wonderful assistant and fabulous friend, Kim!!!  I honestly could not have finished this project without you.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After notes:

I always like to talk about what I wish I had done different and if I am pleased with the project.  With this one, yes, I am pleased.  Very pleased!  I wear this jilbab A LOT!  The only thing I would have done different is the hem.  I think it looks really good at that length, but I step on the front of it all the time.  I am not sure how to fix it other than just making it shorter.  I am still considering the situation.

The abaya itself that I used was really nice.  The construction was too good!  I felt bad cutting it apart it was made so well.  The seams were all french seams, not serged.  A more expensive way to do them because they take more fabric and more time, but they last much longer.  And are perfect for plus sized ladies because they can take more stress and wear.  The fabric is wonderful.  I know it doesn't look that light but it is and yet still opaque.  Despite the dark color I am finding it quite comfortable for summer.

Plus Size Muslimah as a company impressed me a lot.  My order came lightning fast!  The picture above shows how nicely it was wrapped.  When I contacted them to ask their permission to use the above picture, they were very excited and offered to help me any way they could.  From this abaya alone, I believe that this company understands the needs of plus sized Muslim women for their clothing.  I will definitely be ordering from them in the future.

Please let me know what you think!  Do you like coat style jilbabs?  Do you have a hard time finding plus-sized Muslim clothing?  

Keeping Cool: Summer Hijab Ideas

Summer is coming and honestly, around this time of year, I get a little scared.  I don't like to be hot anymore than anyone else does.  No Muslim woman who wears hijab does.  Sweating is not attractive to me.  On top of it, I do not have air conditioning in my house or my car.  So I truly feel the summer weather.  So to ease my fears and help all you new hijabis out there, I thought I would come up with a list, insh'Allah, of what I do to keep cool (or at least cooler) in the summer.  

1.) Mind over Matter

A lot of it is a head game.  When you think it is hot, you will be hot.  Most days I just tell myself it will get hotter, so why complain now?  And on a day when it seems the hottest, check the temperature.  If it is under 90 degrees, I refrain from complaining.  It isn't hot until it is at least 90.

Hijab is not easy.  A hot day makes it harder than usual.  Especially with everyone asking, "Aren't you hot?"  Of course I am!  So is everybody else, hijab or not!  Removing my clothing will not change the weather.  But it will compromise my principles.

2.) Wear Loose Clothing

I see lots of new hijabis trying to "hijabify" their old wardrobe by wearing long sleeve t-shirts under short sleeve outfits.  Trust me, loose sleeves, loose legged pants, loose abayas, loose hijab wrapping styles are your friend in the summer.  You want air to be able to reach you.  Especially in humidity.  

Sweat is meant to cool you off through the process of evaporation.  You sweat, making moisture on your skin and it dries and as it does, you are cooled.  If you are wearing form fitting clothing, that cooling action cannot take place.  That is one reason Muslim clothing from hot countries, even for men, is so loose.

And remember, clothing that conforms to your skin is not hijab.  We are to conceal ourselves, and that includes the shape of our bodies.

3.) Wear Light Colors

I am actually not a big follower of this one for my clothing.  But it is true.  You will be cooler in white than in black.  Of course, there are many Muslimahs who feel it is better to wear dark colors, especially black.  But if you are not one of them, try wearing lighter colors, at least your scarf, in the summer sun.

4.) Wear Natural Fabrics

Cotton, linen, and silk are much cooler in the summer than polyester.  Polyester can be OK too.  Just make sure it is breathable.  If it resists water, no go.  If air cannot blow through it, avoid it.  You will thank me.

5.) Wear Light Fabrics

This and #2 are the most important features for cool clothes for a hijabi.  You can feel a cool breeze through a light cotton abaya.  I love feeling a breeze on the back of my neck through a light scarf.  Just remember that the fabric should also be opaque.  See through is not hijab.

6.) Wear As Few Layers As Possible

Another thing new hijabis do is layer their Western clothes to achieve the amount of coverage they need.  This works fine in the cooler months, but in summer you are asking to be miserable.  Long sleeve t-shirts layered under a short sleeve t-shirt and pants layered under a skirt is a summer disaster waiting to happen.

My best advice here is to look to native Muslim clothing.  Most of it comes from cultures where it is H.O.T.  They know how to follow Allah and still be cool.  Even in humid conditions.  Salwar kameez from Pakistan: a hot and humid culture.  Abayas from the Arabian Peninsula.  Cotton jilbabs from Jordan and Turkey.  Loose cotton dresses is many styles from different African countries.  Adopting a "cultural" dress mixed in with your normal Western clothes can give you a unique Muslim identity and keep you cooler at the same time.

Don't forget about wearing a jilbab!  (See my post about hijab to learn more about jilbabs.)  What I do and is common in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, etc.  is wear pants and a shirt with a coat style jilbab or abaya over when I go out.  In the summer, I wear light pants and a tank top and keep my jilbabs light, airy, and unlined.  My next post, insh'Allah, will be about the latest coat style jilbab I made from a purchased abaya.  Watch for it!

One of the lightest and airiest jilbabs is an over-the-head garment.  A very common one in France and Canada is the French jilbeb.  It is an all in one over-the-head garment, eliminating the need for a separate scarf and outer garment (jilbab).  But make sure you get one made of good quality, breathable fabric.  To learn more about them and even how to make your own, see my post about them.  Another style of over-the-head garment that could be quite cool in the summer would be the very long khimar from Somalia.  A pull-on two piece (you wear it with a tie kerchief to hold back your hair) it normally reaches down to the knees or even to the floor.  A very elegant garment that all you need on underneath is a tank top and a pair of light pants or a maxi skirt.

7.) It All Starts at the Head

The place we lose the most heat and need to keep warm in the winter is our head.  So it stands to reason, that the place we should keep the coolest in the summer is our head.  You might think then that it is foolish to cover it at all.  Not so!  Haven't you ever felt the head beat down on your scalp, especially if you have dark hair?  Ever had a scalp sunburn?  Covering your head is common sense for everyone in the summer!

As hijabis, luckily we have a ready way to protect our hair and scalp from the relentless sun.  But how do we also stay cool?

The above tips for clothing also go for your head scarf.  Keep the fabric light, airy, breathable.  And preferably a natural fiber, though there are good polyester and nylon scarves for breathability.  Keep the colors light.  

Most important is how you wrap it.  Keep it loose off your neck (unlike most Turkish styles).  Do not use styles that wrap multiple times around your head, insulating it.  I cover the underside of my chin, and I can tell that is a "problem".  I start sweating around there before anywhere else because the way I wrap my scarf is double over that area and is held close to the skin.  But to me it is worth it.  Which brings us to our last tip...

8.) Remember Why You Do It

You had a reason why you became a hijabi.  You have faith in why you cover.  You believe this is the right way to follow Allah.  So when it gets tough, when you feel like giving in, remember... your reasons are worth it.

Resetting the Frumpy Muslim Mindset

One thing I love about Muslim clothing is it's lack of shaping and complicated fitting.  Yes, there are more Western inspired styles coming out that have more fitted shapes, but let's face it.  The more you need to fit your clothes, the less it fulfills the requirements of hijab.  Clothing is supposed to cover us.  Hide not just our skin, but also our shape.  And less fitting means it is easier to sew and design.

But for some, the lack of fitting and shape brings up other concerns.  Recently, Old School Hijabi did a post about a question she received about not looking "scruffy".  I have my own history on this issue.  When I saw her call for ideas on this issue, I thought long and hard.  Too long, as I missed getting to have any input on her blog or Facebook page.  So, instead I thought I would write about my thoughts here.

First of all, in my opinion, the commenter probably meant the word, "frumpy".  When I started wearing hijab, I had a big problem with that and still sometimes do. 

There are many, many photos floating around the internet where a hijabi looks so graceful and lovely clothed in an abaya that is created from yards of loose fabric.  She is twirling on a pair of stiletto heels and her makeup and jewelry are to be envied.  She looks angelic and pious and sexy all at the same time.  And most importantly, for that frozen moment in time, she looks like everything we, as Muslim woman, want to be.

How many of us long to feel in our clothes the way that looking at those pictures makes us feel?  

But for a lot of us, the truth is closer to feeling like wearing a garbage bag or a tent.  Not really the glamorous feeling we were hoping for from looking at the pictures.  

Why is this?  Why is it that one woman can look so beautiful in yards of fabric, caught in a moment in time?

Right there, I think, is the first reason.  She is caught at one moment in time.  She isn't wearing these clothes all day long, chasing after children, doing the laundry, sitting at a desk, rolling over the hem of her long flowing abaya (I have done this before!)  The picture was probably taken at a photo shoot, where 10 seconds before someone was arranging her hijab, her skirt, her yards of flowing fabric.  And the wince she had on her face from her stiletto heels was magically transformed into a smile for the camera.  

Pictures are a frozen moment, often set up to give the viewer a certain impression.  Even if they are a snapshot of real life, the real life that is ultimately shared with people is the one that the photographer wanted to share with you.  S/he didn't publish all the shots where the model/subject's make-up was smeared.  Or where she was tripping over her hem.  Or where the bulge of her love handles was showing.  Real life is subjective in a photograph.  As real woman we need to remember that.  Real life is constantly moving.  Not stuck in a perfect moment.

The other reason I believe so many reverts feel "frumpy" in their new fashion style is simply because they were not raised in it.  This became clear to me when I read Old School Hijabi's post about chadors (this is her old blog, check out her new one here) and she mentions that little girls have "play chadors".  By playing in these pint-sized chadors, they learn how to wear them.  The learn how the fabric moves, how to move it and manipulate it.  They watch their mother and grandmother and other women wearing them and imitate how they move in them.  The chadors become second nature to them.  When they become women and start to wear the chador as a normal everyday garment, they are already accustomed to how it feels.

Reverts have no experience with Muslim style clothing.  There is nothing comparable in Western dress to chadors, French jilbebs, abayas.  Except maybe the old-fashioned house dress AKA mu-mu, which most women avoid like the plague.  Otherwise, there really are no items of clothing that most of us are used to wearing that prepare us for the unstructured, flowing cut and feel of Muslim clothing.

There really is no cure for this problem except to just plow through it.  Find clothing you ADORE.  But expect to feel awkward in it at first.  Perhaps practice wearing it around the house for awhile before venturing out into public.  Choose your public appearances carefully for a garment you are not comfortable in yet.  

Practice is the only way to get comfortable.  I remember when I was a new Muslimah and I was ALWAYS having trouble with my headscarf.  I used about 10 pins (I now only use 2).  It was always sliding.  After an hour I would hair sticking out everywhere.  It was terrible.  Now it is different.  I still have "bad hijab days", but mostly I don't even think about it during the day.  It is just part of my normal clothing.

When I started wearing abayas, it was a whole new learning process again.  One I never mastered.  I ended up adjusting my personal style to adapt.  I shorten all my abayas to calf length and wear them with loose pants.  I got sick of tripping over my hem constantly.  So, if a style doesn't work for you, adapt it.  Islam is not a hardship.  We have rules for our clothing, but there is a lot of leeway within them.  Find what works for you. 

I found this online.  An important reminder that we could use in the USA with the recent maxi skirt trend.

When I started wearing the French jilbeb, once again, I needed to learn.  I still have problems wearing it.  I have trouble keeping it on my head.  I am constantly sitting on it and pulling it backward.  I dislike the "Cardassian" neck look it gives me.  (Remember the Cardassians from Star Trek?)  I wish the elastic in the sleeves wasn't so well made so I could remove it as it is too small for me.  Learning curve.  Learning what works and what doesn't and how to deal with the garment in general.

What a French jilbeb looks like.

What I think I look like when I look in the mirror while wearing one.

For reverts I recommend adapting your wardrobe slowly, as you are comfortable.  If you dive in and try to change everything at once, you will most likely feel uncomfortable, unsatisfied, and unattractive.  This type of situation has led many a revert to abandon their new style of clothing, and sometimes, even their new faith.

You will find that as your faith grows, so will your desire to cover yourself.  Parts you never paid attention to in the past, will now feel embarrassing to reveal even though everyone you know does so.  Allah will be working on your heart.  

I felt I had to cover my hair right away.  But it wasn't until later that I felt I needed to cover my ears, then my neck, and then the underside of my chin.  The same happened with the rest of my clothing.  Ankle-length skirts were fine at first.  Now I would never even show the shape of my ankles.

Of course there are reverts that dive in and are fully committed.  I know a wonderful Muslimah who even started wearing all black and the niqab not long after her reversion.  And she has never looked back!  But most of us aren't like that.  And we should never hold ourselves to someone else's standard.  We are as Allah made us and as He wishes us to be.  Be patient and merciful with yourself, as Allah is patient and merciful with you.

On this blog I have many economical and easy ways to incorporate Muslim clothing into your wardrobe.  Just one piece can offer you many new outfits and ways to show your Muslim identity.  Check them out!

• 15 Ways to Have New Clothes for Eid with Little $ or Time
• Refashion: Scarf Tunic
• Refashion: 15 Minute Kaftan

Watch for many more.  This is my favorite kind of post to write!

So after a lot of thought, I decided that "frumpy" (or "scruffy") is actually all in your head.  It is a feeling that is based on what clothing we are the most comfortable in.  To get out of the "frumpy" mindset, you need to slowly incorporate new clothing into your existing wardrobe and give yourself time to adjust to them.  Take time to learn the special skills need to wear them and feel confident.  Take time to learn to appreciate your new silhouette and style as one given by Allah, not 5th Ave.  Don't stop looking at those beautiful hijabi pics.  Just don't expect them to be reality.  Use them to learn and reset your view of beauty.  

You may still look "frumpy" to your friends and family.  But remember that they have different goals for wearing clothing than you do.  Non-Muslims wear clothes to impress people.  To show off their bodies.  For comfort.  Lots of reasons.  As Muslims we wear our clothing to please Allah.  Regardless of other trivial concerns.  For in the life of a Muslimah, Allah is what matters most of all.