Either way, here are 5 reasons we love them!
What you wear is a way to tell your own story, so why not express yourself through your hijab?
The hijab is already such a powerful statement about your connection to your religion and culture, and one of the most inspiring things about wearing it is how it connects something universal with something personal. So many women wear them, but everyone has their own unique understanding of what they mean.
Statement hijabs let you express a little of this unique relationship to the world. Choosing colors, patterns, shapes, and designs that are meaningful to you is a way to honor and celebrate your experience of wearing the hijab.
For example, you might choose a unique hijab that that shows your interests, hobbies, or experiences! The Heartbeat Hijab isn’t just for people in the medical field (although it’s pretty perfect for nurses and doctors!) – it can also communicate your love for adventure, travel, excitement… anything that gets your heart racing!
So many women struggle with giving themselves room to shine. It’s difficult to get past years of society telling us to blend in but choosing a statement hijab is one step towards standing out from the crowd.
We especially love hijabs that have a hint of symbolism to remind us of what amazing qualities we want to show the world. Our Constellation Hijab uses a star pattern to remind us of the immeasurable ways women in our lives light the way, and inspires us to light the way for others!
Anyone who loves statement hijabs will tell you that they’re the world’s best conversation starter!
When you express yourself through your hijab, it’s an invitation for others to express themselves, too.
A unique hijab in your favorite color, pattern, or design is an instant magnet for people who love your style. Our Caffeine Hijab gets people curious with a minimalistic caffeine molecule design, and it’s the perfect prompt to grab an afternoon coffee with a new friend!
Statements don’t have to be for other people – sometimes you’re making a statement for yourself.
For days when you want a reminder of who you are, what you believe, and what you value, a simple statement hijab is the perfect way to ground yourself.
Minimalistic designs, like our Healing is Not Linear, can be easily tucked away if you want a message just for you.
If you love looking put together, but you’re short on time, statement hijabs are for you!
It’s just one step to tie your outfit together, adding a little something special. Having a few unique hijabs in neutral colors is a great idea, because it gives you a lot of versatility.
But don’t feel like you have to have your whole life together, just because you want to look put together! We made our Birds Hijab specifically for women who feel the pressure to be “perfect”. This hijab design reminds us to free ourselves from those standards and celebrate our imperfections.
If our list hasn’t convinced you, don’t worry – we totally get it! Some people prefer more understated scarves, and that’s why having a variety of options is so important. Everyone should be able to find a scarf they love.
However, if you really like the idea of statement hijabs, but feel like they might be too bold or flashy, take this as a sign to try wearing them!
Your hijab is already such a beautiful way to express yourself, and a statement hijab lets you personalize that expression even more. Whether you want to spark up conversations, or want to keep it more to yourself, you might be surprised by how much you love making a statement!
]]>When we tell our customers that YES, you can style a rectangle hijab as a square style hijab, so many women get excited (as they should)! Doing demonstrations at conventions is our favorite because many women find this tip really useful, as it expands their hijab wardrobe by a great deal.
We decided it was time to bring this easy trick to light for all hijabis out there to use, since it’s such a great way to change up your hijab look with scarves you already have in your closet.
Important Note :
The key with any square style hijab is making a “triangle” at some place in the hijab. Underscarf is completely optional, but we recommend trying our Adjustable Tie Underscarves if you do choose to wear one.
1. Start off by holding out your rectangle hijab.
2. With the corner of either side of the hijab, make a triangle by folding it diagonally across. (see image). You will have a lot of the scarf left on the other side.
3. Put this on your head, undercaps are optional. For this style, one side will be very long, and the other will be short/the “arch” on your head.
4. Secure with Headed Somewear’s Magnets. We recommend our magnets because they are strong, easy to use, and come in a large variety of colors.
5. Wrap the entire hijab around your head or neck once. You can decide if you’d like to leave the remaining cloth hanging to the side OR you may wrap again for a more secure look.
And that’s it!
We hope this helps anyone looking to use any of their rectangle hijabs as a square style hijab! Of course, we also have a great range of square hijabs for people who prefer to stick to the original style.
“Hey Romana, I told my mom about the article you said you read in class. The article was something about sleeping and teenagers. My mom said that you’re always crazy. She says “Romana to hai pagal. Usko koi samaj Nahi hai”.
I remember being brave enough to go to my counselor’s office in senior year and saying I think I’m depressed. I learned about the symptoms in health class and they matched me. My counselor always had strong facial expressions. She first raised her eyebrows then laughed at me. “Oh, honey you don’t have depression”. “Go to the cafeteria, you’ll make friends”.
Growing up, I knew very early on I wasn’t in the right environment at home or at school. I always felt misunderstood and silenced. At school, I had to be the walking talking brochure for a typical South Asian Muslim girl. I was either this or that. I was what they saw me as. It was exhausting not knowing what I was as a person and being dictated by others. I was dismissed but most importantly never actually listened to. I didn’t think I could contribute to anything. At home and with family it was very similar too. I wasn’t taken seriously. I couldn’t be the perfect child and so I was seen as the opposite. There were no middle areas for me to be in.
At school, I had to be the walking talking brochure for a typical South Asian Muslim girl. I was either this or that. I was what they saw me as. It was exhausting not knowing what I was as a person and being dictated by others.
It’s taken me a long time to get past these moments, these memories, and heal. First, I didn’t understand what healing was. People told me it was to forget the past, to let it go. But what does that mean? How do you forget something that hasn’t just hurt you but affected how you interact with others, how you go on with your daily life, and how you see your own potential? How do you move past this when it’s been engraved in your bones?
So I realized, healing meant to be honest. To honestly admit what happened to you and how it’s affecting you still. I realized that me not speaking up in class, me having mental breakdowns as soon as I was triggered, me not knowing what I wanted in life was because of how I was treated as a child/ as a teenager. I started to acknowledge my daily functioning and how much my past experiences had been embedded into who I was in the present.
So I realized, healing meant to be honest. To honestly admit what happened to you and how it’s affecting you still.
After that, I tried to shift away. That was the hardest part and still is in many ways today. It feels like you ripping yourself from your own body only to move into your new body. But how do you get away from that person you’ve been for so long? How do you rip yourself away into this new person that you don’t even know how it will be? How do you heal when you don’t know what it will look like to actually heal? It became too idealistic. I couldn’t imagine myself without my anger. I felt if I started to forgive people, if I started to reduce the anger, I would get hurt again and I would go back to where it started.
So then came my place to start cutting off everyone that hurt me. I went into this deep spiral of grudges. I started to remember every incident where someone had done something wrong to me. I remembered every incident where I was a teenager and wasn't given proper love and care to be a healthy functioning adult. I assumed cutting people off would mean I would be stronger, I would show them I’m bigger than them, they can’t bully me anymore. But all it did was make me angrier and I started to expect apologies.
I started to expect the other person to admit they were wrong. The more I expected it, the more they hurt me. It taught me that not all people will even be aware of what they have done, what they have said. Why is that? Because many of us aren’t taught emotional health. Many of us haven’t learned to be conscious of what is toxic and problematic and what isn’t. I realized the people I was expecting apologies from probably never even knew that they were ignorant and careless in how they were treating me.
I started to become aware of different kinds of abuse, how to be conscious of my actions and words. I started to set boundaries with people who were too careless. I started to surround myself with people who were learning as I was.
That’s how my healing began. I started to educate myself. I started to become aware of different kinds of abuse, how to be conscious of my actions and words. I started to set boundaries with people who were too careless. I started to surround myself with people who were learning as I was. Who enjoyed having active discussions on calling out what is wrong in our culture, our society. I started to realize my healing could really happen if I didn’t become the same as those who hurt me. I couldn’t repeat what I dealt with to others. I had to in some way break the pattern.
I began to take care of myself more. Take showers, dress in clothing I felt comfortable in, follow those on social media that didn’t make me feel insecure. I started to pick and choose what I would be influenced by on a daily.
Healing still is a journey. What I’ve begun to learn more about is that it isn’t linear.
Healing still is a journey. What I’ve begun to learn more about is that it isn’t linear. There are months that I’m doing great, thriving, and meeting goals and deadlines. Managing my food well and managing my time well. Then there are months when I struggle to eat and sleep. There are months that I don’t want to leave my bed and wish to disappear. But through those months, I’ve learned to forgive myself, I’ve learned to do little things that can help me ease the pain within. I’ve learned to enjoy eating a snack despite feeling dreadful. I’ve learned to rest and not be hard on myself for my “lazy” days. Most importantly I’ve learned to be honest.
Shop the Within Collection, a line on mental health here.
Written by guest blogger: Romana Rubyy
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Trigger Warning - Suicide, depression, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and other mental illnesses & distresses.
I’ll be talking about my experience with-
What are some struggles you have with mental health?
Throughout the course of my life, there has not been any relationship as unique, tumultuous, and riveting as the relationship I have with my mental health. From a young age, I was diagnosed with OCD, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, ADHD, trichotillomania, and faced bouts of seasonal depression on top of everything else. Although each separate diagnosis may look like a lot, symptoms of each one of these disorders tend to overlap with each other. For example, recurrent panic attacks are related to having issues with anxiety just as trichotillomania is a repetitive body behavior, filed under the umbrella of OCD. Each diagnosis brought out a separate chasm of difficulties and struggles, some overlapping, while others completely unique and specific to the disorder itself. I’ve struggled with time management as a result of ADHD, not being able to focus, losing track of time, doing poorly in assignments and classes because of focus issues, and constantly losing things. with OCD, I continually felt and continue to feel at a loss of control for the thoughts in my head and how they affect nearly every facet of my life. Everything from becoming obsessed with things abnormally, counting tiles on floors, repeated hand washing, and constant thoughts playing on loop, my relationship with OCD has felt suffocating and prison-like. My depression comes in waves, sometimes they are manageable droplets of water, other times, tsunami-like onslaughts fit enough to make anyone drown.
Constantly feeling like you’re not good enough, rampant insecurities, racing thoughts, and putting unnecessary pressure on yourself are all difficult aspects of life most of us encounter. But if you add a concoction of mental illness diagnosis to it? All the worse.
When did you realize you were going through this?
I was seven years old when my youngest brother was born. Though 2006 was a long time ago, I can still clearly picture a tiny bassinet holding an infant in my living room. Once he got old enough and my parents' friends started to visit our home, I learned the importance of hygiene around newborns. Before I touched the baby, I made sure to wash my hands. However, handwashing soon spiraled from a good habit to a compulsion that I could not, for the life of me, seem to control. I can still picture my tiny hands hovering above the sink in my first floor bathroom, scrubbing the suds away until my palms burned red.
When I was eight years old, I fondly remember counting the basement bathroom tiles of my family’s new house. One. Two. Three. I quickly moved onto tiles to count my footsteps- be they in the walls of my home or outside on the pavement, scribbled with a rainbow of sidewalk chalk hues. What I initially deemed to be a silly habit spiraled out of control- my entire mind was swimming with numbers. One. Two. Three. I could not stop counting. One, two, three. Too many thoughts filled my young mind and before I could process what had happened, my head was deep under the waves I thought would just pass.
Did you have support along your journey?
Yes! My journey with mental health is an ongoing struggle but I’m glad to say that support has come in the form of medication, family and friends, and mutual understanding from people I love.
What was the hardest part of your journey?
Because I consider my journey to be a continuous struggle, I would say the hardest part of it so far has been coming to terms with the reality of my diagnoses. For a long time, I resorted to blissful denial of my mental state being abnormal, resorting to bouts of escapism in an attempt to drown out all of the voices that were telling me I needed help. Because many of my conditions were identified at a young age, it makes sense that I didn’t come to terms with the reality of my mental health issues as a child. Interestingly enough, all of these traumas have, in some way or another, forced me to grow up at a faster rate. The lens through which I was viewing the world and people around me was blurred by the haze of chemical imbalances, all of which lie far beyond my control.
For someone else in similar shoes - what would you say to them?
I know this may seem like a cliché that’s overused, but you are not alone. Truly and entirely, your struggles are not isolated within yourself alone and I hope you can find acceptance within your struggles to live a happy and fulfilled life, despite all of the roadblocks that may come in your path. Healing is a lifelong journey and you will love and lose people along the way but coming to terms with your diagnosis can be the right stop in a journey of healthier, happier tomorrow’s.
What helped you/helps you through your struggles?
Being prescribed proper medication immensely helped aid my mental health recovery. Though this is an advantage not everybody can afford or benefit from, I find myself to be very fortunate in the aspect of receiving pharmaceutical aid in lessening the burdens of my mental health issues. In addition to medication, regularly going to therapy and counseling services helped me to come to terms with my emotions, along with useful coping mechanisms. Throughout my life, it’s been a blessing to see how the stigma around therapy has changed and I can’t wait to see how the conversation surrounding mental health improves for the better in every single community I see myself in. As a writer and language enthusiast, divulging my pain and hurt through writing poetry, journal entries, and songs has given me a new perspective on various experiences. I figured that although I don’t have control over what type of trauma I go through in life, at least some type of art can be made as a result of it. Lastly, finding support and mutual understanding within my friends and family members has proved to be invaluable as a means of support. Though some of my loved ones don’t understand what I’m going through to the exact decree, the fact that they are willing to listen and serve as light through my darkest nights is a kindness I will forever be indebted to.
What can our community do better for mental health struggles, particularly your topic?
I’ve learned to never doubt the importance of a listening ear. Our community can potentially better the lives of people who struggle with mental illness simply by listening. Oftentimes, we resort to judgment because that’s what’s been programmed into our psyches from a young age when dealing with things, people, or ideas that are different. The simple gesture of empathy can save a life and completely mean the difference between someone’s cloudy sky and sunny day. Secondly, honest and vulnerable conversations about taboo topics are very necessary to have. Depression, suicidal tendencies, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and many other mental health issues are extremely prevalent in the Muslim community and the stigma that surrounds them is not going to go away by continuously sweeping these topics under the rug. Educate yourself, listen, and be empathetic. It may seem obvious, but these kindnesses can go a very long way.
I’ll be talking about my experience with-
Anxiety & productivity/school/work
What are some struggles you have with mental health?
I have had anxiety since I was 12 years old. It took years to completely understand how it affects me and how to navigate through the struggles. Anxiety looks different for everyone, but for me, it has really strong physiological responses. I get shakes, fevers, body aches, migraines, and have even fainted before. Sometimes the anxiety comes out of nowhere and you can't even fully understand what is happening. I've had a really hard time trying to explain to my loved ones and peers what I was experiencing. It is hard to explain that I have no control over how my body is responding to the experience.
It was only with proper support and resources that I was able to cultivate proper tools to deal with my anxiety. Anxiety really affects my day to day, sometimes, interfering with school or work
Did you have support along your journey?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Anxiety can convince you that you are an inconvenience to the world and that you don't want to burden people by sharing your struggles. THIS IS COMPLETELY THE ANXIETY TALKING. You have to give people the chance to support you. You are LOVED and CARED for and there are people who want to support you. I've learned to be transparent with professors and my employer about episodes because more often than not, they are willing to help/accommodate my needs.
What was the hardest part of your journey?
You have to understand what works for you and be able to communicate that to people. It's really hard to feel the courage to set boundaries but it's so worth it when you are able to do so. The hardest part for me has been accepting that sometimes I am in no control of my body or my anxiety and I have to learn proper techniques to support myself in these situations. It took me a long time to understand that it is not my fault or anything devaluing me as a person by having a mental health issue.
For someone else in similar shoes - what would you say to them?
There are days when it is sunny and there are days that are cloudy, but the key is to keep going no matter what happens. Anxiety can be so overwhelming and feel so frustrating but it should not make you feel any less about yourself. Take time for yourself, figure out what works and what doesn't (many times this will even change). Be gentle with yourself! Don't be afraid to ask your professors for extensions or be transparent about how you're doing - if it'll make things easier for you - it is worth it!
What helped you/helps you through your struggles?
Friends who have to lend their ears and be willing to learn how anxiety affects me have been truly beneficial for me. It is nice to hear a friend want to learn about what I'm experiencing rather than suggesting things that might not work for me or refuse to understand anxiety looks different for everyone. Getting extensions on assignments or projects and work has helped me balance my anxiety in being productive which has really helped my days get better.
For myself, it has been really good to experiment with different techniques of making it better. Sometimes, I need to go on a walk and visit something I really love like water or flowers. Sometimes, I need to lay in bed in silence. Sometimes, I need to eat some ice cream and watch a show. Sometimes a talk with a friend really helps. I remind myself there is no zero-done solution and to try different things out.
The biggest thing I remind myself is that anxiety episodes DO subside. It definitely WILL get better.
What can our community do better for mental health struggles, particularly your topic?
As a community, we need to learn how to support people with anxiety and be open to learning about their experiences. We can ask our loved ones "What can I do to support you?" and listen to their needs. We should check in with our friends because often it can feel like we are burdening our loved ones by sharing our hardships.
I’ll be talking about my experience with-
Depression
When did you realize you were going through this?
When I was about 16, my friend pointed out to me that I probably have depression but I was too scared to acknowledge it. She wanted me to go to a medical professional but I knew my family would not take this seriously so I laughed it off too. After I was 18 years old or so, I had to acknowledge that yes I in fact do have depression but not everyone will understand/acknowledge it so I can just kept it to myself.
Did you have support along your journey?
Alhamdulillah yes. Support came to me when I was at my lowest. I passed the first couple years without any support. But my mother was quite understanding of my emotions. Later I went to a therapist and a doctor so I am on medication now which has made me feel a lot better than before.
What was the hardest part of your journey?
Setting boundaries with the source(s) of the problem. It's more difficult when the "problem" is someone close to you or someone you have to encounter on a daily basis. This is something I still struggle with because the thing about setting boundaries is it's not fully in your hand. You can set your boundaries but not everyone will be respectful about it.
Acknowledging my emotions and my mental state was a challenge too. Once I knew how I exactly felt, I was confused about what to do with these emotions.
For someone else in similar shoes - what would you say to them?
Don't lose faith in your Almighty if you believe in one. Something that kept me LIVING was knowing that this life is a gift from Allah, maybe I wasn't sent to have a good life, maybe I was sent to do good things for others only. And surely there will be a greater gift from Allah. At times I was challenged with the thought that well I don't need a greater gift I just need a peaceful life. But the reality is this world as a whole is in chaos, it's unrealistic to expect peace. And it's sort of peaceful to know Allah chose you of all people to multiply goodness in the world.
Also, VERY important to GET HELP! You can't always push forward alone. Please get help. If you don't know where to, ask around in forums, check blogs or whatever you can think of. There are communities and volunteers online if you can't step outside and seek help.
What helped/helps you through your struggles?
Knowing that this life is temporary and sooner or (most likely) later this is all going to end. It's just a matter of time before we reach that end. It seems like a lot of time now. But the time WILL pass away.
What can our community do better for mental health struggles, particularly your topic?
There should be a test to determine whether you are ready to be a parent or not. And of course this should include how teens or children even can go through mental health struggles. I think it is the most damaging when people don't get any support from their parents, and parents are very uneducated on this issue. We can't solve it unless we get to the bottom of this and educate people. For now, we should really educate people in a way they'd understand. And for the coming years and next generations, I hope people will be already educated on this, it will be a matter of establishing more resources.
I’ll be talking about my experience with-
Depression and Anxiety
What are some struggles you have with mental health?
I have been finding it difficult to manage everyday life. Things like getting out of bed, sleeping too little or too much, having breakdowns while I am at work or class, finding it difficult to concentrate or remember things, changes in mood (some days I am sad and some days I just feel like staying in bed all day and crying) are all examples of this. The worst one is having suicidal thoughts & having flashbacks or nightmares after a traumatic event.
When did you realize you were going through this?
When I reached out for help from a therapist, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I was going through it for a few years but I kept thinking I will get better on my own. I didn’t though, and it kept getting worse to the point that I tried attempting suicide a few times. But Alhamdulillah after seeking help for three years now, I am on the road to getting better slowly.
Did you have support along your journey?
I did and still do have support along the way. But the sad part about fighting with depression is that in the process you lose a lot of friends who don’t understand what you are going through. Not everyone understands what depression is and in my honest opinion is, if you don’t go through it, you will truly never understand what depression is and what the person who is fighting it is going through.
What was the hardest part of your journey?
The hardest part has been fighting suicidal thoughts. The hardest part of depression is hopelessness and despair. There were many times where I did act upon it and there were times where I didn’t. Suicidal thoughts are not a joke. They are extremely dangerous. There were times where I just wanted to give up because I couldn’t keep fighting anymore. I felt like I was going crazy. Depression has a way of making you feel like things will never get better, that you’ll stay inside the darkness forever.
For someone else in similar shoes - what would you say to them?
Please seek help from a therapist. Don’t rely on getting better by yourself. You will not get better by yourself. Having a therapist helps a lot so please get the help you need. And to anyone who has suicidal thoughts or has acted upon it please remember that it is not worth it, your life is too precious. Do not give up on yourself, you will get better & you will be happy again. Giving up on life is not the solution - do not let depression win.
What helped you/helps you through your struggles?
Keeping myself busy has helped. For example, going out with friends, traveling, painting, or simply just taking some time out and pampering yourself. Going on dates by myself & reminding myself that my own company is enough. Self-love is the best kind of love you can ever give yourself. Learn to enjoy the little things in life.
What can our community do better for mental health struggles, particularly your topic?
The best thing our community can do to help those who are struggling with mental health would be to accept that depression is an illness. Our brown community doesn’t see depression as an illness. They lack so much knowledge about this topic. Most brown parents don’t understand what it is and when they see their children go through it they think they are just sad for no reason so they tell them they will get over it. Our community needs to understand that people with mental health problems need lots of love, attention, and extra care. You have to listen to what they are saying, pay attention to what they want, and help them overcome this struggle.
What do you struggle with?
I have moderate-severe depression and PTSD but I haven't been taking western medication. I've been more focused on overall health and taking a homeopathic method for treatment. Somedays are really hard and others are easier, but the biggest struggle is having patience and staying happy. Even in my happiest moments, the smallest minute detail might trigger my PTSD and immediately I feel like crying or screaming and my whole mood gets ruined. Some mornings, I don't even want to get out of bed and I can lay there for hours just not thinking or not doing anything. Its as if, I have 0 energy 24/7. Other mornings, I get up and I'm happy and I just do what I have to get done.It still feels like I'm not as happy as I want to be and I don’t know how to get there.
When did you realize you were going through this?
I think I always knew deep down that I was going through this, but I always ignored it. Depression is such a taboo discussion and whoever has it is labeled as 'mad(crazy)', 'mental', and/or 'possessed'. During COVID, I decided to start looking for treatment. I think I've had PTSD/depression since I was about 9-10 years old and that was brought on by a death of a very close family member. It could probably go back further to when I realized everyone had a father except me. My family has been very open and verbal to the fact that he didn't want any children and left my mother when she was 3 months pregnant with me. What makes it worse is when I found out his family saw me until I was 2, but he never held me or wanted to be a part of my life. I’m still working on figuring out what the main trigger is.
Did you have support along your journey?
My mother and my best friend are my biggest supporters. They always look at what's best for me but more so, what makes me happy. Even if they don't approve of something, they'll lend me a hand and pull me back when I've gone too far. They listen to me during my breakdowns and help me through my panic attacks. When they know I've been triggered, they try and remove me from that situation or advise me avoid it completely.
What was the hardest part of your journey?
There are a couple difficulties that I've been facing and the main ones are acceptance, patience, and communication. Some days, I just can't find the patience to go through the steps and process of overcoming and forgiving/forgetting. I just want to wake up and be a new happy positive person but I know that's not realistic, and that's where acceptance comes in. When you start therapy, there's a TON of built up, suppressed emotions and situations(trauma) that you've blacked out. The only way to overcome depression is to accept and forgive. It seems insane and impossible but it's literally the only way. To accept it is to acknowledge something happened and screwed up your peace. And communicating and talking to people is hard because you're now letting down your toughest walls and becoming your most vulnerable which is scary. A lot of trust goes into that and even the closest of people tend to be deceiving.
For someone else in similar shoes - what would you say to them?
Go to therapy. Ignore everyone around you and just GO. It does NOT make you crazy or weak. Do what makes you happy and find your circle of people who'll dry your tears on your worst day.
What helped you/helps you through your struggles?
Blocking out the entire world, having 'me-time', and crying. Thanks to quarantine, I was able to really assess my life and being alone is what made me see that my biggest struggle was subconsciously trying to fit in with society while wanting to rebel. So blocking out everyone for a while made me realize that only 2-3 people will always be there and accept me for me. Crying and 'me-time' helped because it just releases stress and built up emotions. I just let it all out then do a facial, take a nap, practice my hobby, just something I want to do
What can our community do better for mental health struggles, particularly your topic?
ACCEPT IT. Help our youth and stop making them feel incapable. Get them help, encourage them, listen and pay attention. There's so many small little things that people can do to help someone mentally. The stigma needs to die in order for the community to move forward, positively.
]]>Headed Somewear’s Within Line is meant to start a discussion around mental health, the stigma it holds in our communities, and growth. Featuring 2 new designs, this collection embodies growth and battling inner struggles. It normalizes ideas of owning your mental health journey, having conversations around it, and more.
Our two designs, Flowers of Strength and Healing is Not Linear Scarves are both inspired by concepts that helped our designer on her own mental health journey (which can be read here). These designs are both minimal and clean and meant to be something you can wear with pride just for you.
FLOWERS OF STRENGTH:
The Flowers of Strength Scarf represents growth in the face of mental illnesses. Sometimes, when we are fighting our inner battles, we don’t see the fruit of our labor right away. With this visual representation of progress, we can view each “win” we have with our mental illness as a “blooming” flower or bud. Each time we don’t let our mental illness control us, we have a reminder that we are growing. When we fight back, no matter how small, we are blooming flowers of strength and growing stronger for it.
The design on this scarf features a beautiful branch on one side of the scarf, with tiny buds blooming out. It’s a very minimal print and meant to symbolize growth.
HEALING IS NOT LINEAR:
The Healing is Not Linear Scarf is meant to be a gentle reminder to go easy on ourselves. No one’s journey to healing is straightforward. There are meant to be ups and downs.
Sometimes, we also don’t understand that our journey might look very different from the person next to us- and that’s okay. We have to acknowledge our own successes and try our best to not be disheartened by the process (much easier said than done!).
This scarf is meant to serve as a small reminder throughout the day and meant to be for us alone. We’ve kept the words on this scarf on one corner of the scarf. The idea behind this minimal design is for ladies who don’t necessarily want to announce their mental health journey to the world and just want it to be for themselves. The words can be tucked away like a mantra for yourself, or displayed as a conversation piece. We’ve left that part completely up to you.
In this collection, we’ve also set aside a few scarves that will be just plains. In case you prefer to wear solids, we’ve made sure to accommodate a little something for you also.
These colors were specifically picked due to the fact that they are very calming and cooling, meant to invoke peace and tranquility.
Credits:
Photography:
Shabih Aftab Photography
Models:
Samiha
Valerie
Ameenah
Makeup for 1 Model:
Mesmerizing Kreativity
]]>Around 6-7 years ago, I battled with severe depression, a fight that took two years to overcome.
Those two years were some of the hardest and most difficult times of my life. The things I used to love doing seemed to drain the life out of me. The people I would love to see became difficult to be around. As the days passed on, I felt more and more numb. Empty.
I was blessed enough to have an incredible support system. My friends and family members began to suggest that I seek help and that I see a therapist. For months, I strongly opposed the idea of therapy. I didn’t know anyone at the time who had gone or had even thought about it. Therapy, even a mere few years back, was considered for people who were “crazy”. And I wasn’t crazy.
Eventually I did go to a few sessions and it slowly began to “crack” the bubble of darkness that I was living in. I remember my therapist diagnosing me, and feeling the weight of her words fall on my shoulders like bricks as she said the words. It made sense but was still earth-shattering. Depressed? Me?
And so, I began my journey of healing. It was by no means an easy journey, or one that didn’t have many setbacks. There were highs and lows, and moments where I felt like I didn’t have the energy to battle all the negative thoughts of self doubt in my mind. Some weeks were relapses where I didn’t use any of my coping mechanisms and just shut off to the world again, and some random days would be sparks of hope where I’d feel something again.
It was during that journey that I began to come up with these mantras for myself. I considered them to be what helped push me out of my depressive state.
The first mantra I came up with was the idea that each time I battled a negative thought, I was growing. I was growing as a person, and it would make it easier to battle the next one, even by a little bit. I began to visualize this growth as flowers that blossomed from branches each time I pushed through something I didn’t feel like, or each time I didn’t let my depression or anxiety win. These became my flowers of strength.
The second mantra that really helped me in my journey was the idea that healing is not linear. I was constantly trying to be this “perfect” version of myself that I thought I needed to be. I could only envision THAT version of me getting better and pushing past the mental illness. But I realized that that in and of itself was causing doubt, grief, and more triggers for me. No one’s journey is smooth sailing! Instead of hating on myself for falling short of an impossible standard, I realized I had to find beauty in the journey. I had to understand that healing is different for each person and it’s messy. And that’s okay.
The last thing that I am still learning to this day is the concept that our mental journey’s don’t ever really end. If you have anxiety or have battled depression (or anything else) you may know that they are hidden, tucked away, but can crawl back into your life. It’s something we have to learn to live with, accept, and know that we are more than what we fight.
I decided to represent these mantras as a form of art in the scarves you see today. I kept thinking, “what if there was someone out there who could benefit from these messages in the way that I did?” I know I would have loved an opportunity to express myself with scarves specifically designed around mental health and representative of my growth. I hope someone out there is able to find comfort in knowing she is not alone.
This collection has been one that I have thought of for years. It is very personal to me and by no means, does this represent every person’s mental health journey. This letter is just a small glimpse into my mental health journey, and I pray it was able to bring some sort of insight to our collection, the message, and the fact that mental growth is not something to be ashamed of. Keep fighting - you’re stronger than you think.
- N
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As Headed Somewear just launched their beautiful Origins Collection, we sat down with Hakeemah (owner of CMB Styling) and discussed the inspiration behind the Collection, the behind-the-scenes process of how the countries were picked, the way the brand encompasses inclusivity, as well as personal experiences of representation and where Headed Somewear is ‘headed’ in the future. Our interview also touched upon juicy topics such as the struggles of always being the exclusion and never the default, questioning what is considered ‘normal’ and acceptable’ and how plus size body types are portrayed inaccurately.
Headed Somewear, a custom hijab company, main goals and purpose has always been to empower and represent all types of women with their designs. “Fashion is a form of expression and hijabis often miss out on that.” We wanted to create something that allows Muslim women to wear and express their personality on their sleeve – whether she is ‘headed somewhere,’ it’s a vision or dream she is chasing, or she is proudly holding onto where she comes from.
Their hijab designs – math, constellation, heartbeat – to name a few, include elements to represent people with all sorts of interests and dreams, and encourage them to not define themselves within a ‘box’ but to dream bigger and bigger.
Delve into our interview here:
Hakeemah:
What was your inspiration for the Origins Collection?
Headed Somewear:
A big part of growing up in North America was being torn between two cultures – American and Pakistani – where I grew up and where my ethnic roots lie. I always struggled to find a balance between the two, so I wanted to represent that in a minimalistic way. The Origins Collection – the best part is that I can wear (western clothing) jeans and a hoodie but still wear a part of my culture casually that isn’t too loud or in your face. It’s a small detail and very minimalistic, but allows me to represent my two identities together.
The main purpose of the Origins Collection was to convey that it’s okay to find a home in two places, it’s okay to connect to two different places at once – they are both a part of my identity and it is important to own and represent that.
Hakeemah:
Which countries were represented and how did you formulate that?
Headed Somewear:
There were 7 ethnicities featured – Bangladesh, Sudan, Pakistan, Palestine, Nigeria, India and Egypt. The process was a very long and detailed one, but very thoughtful. We started back in October 2019 and started with putting up a poll and asking our customers to vote. We did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people before we came up with these 7 countries. Once the 7 were chosen, we assembled a panel of women (2 from each ethnicity) to represent each of these countries, and used their feedback to capture their cultural identity. It was important to us that each one was represented correctly and authentically.
Hakeemah:
This is not the first time you’ve been representative as a brand, so talk about inclusivity as a part of your brand and how you’ve done that?
Headed Somewear:
Whenever we put together a team, we never want to see just one type of woman there. The real world is so colorful – built up of so many different flavours of cultures and races, so we wanted to portray that in our team. The Origins Collection is basically what the real world looks like. When picking our models we never look for any one specific feature or type, to us anyone can model.
We’re starting to see that too in mainstream fashion – that what’s considered fashionable or trendy or the criteria of what a model should look like – is widening up a bit more. For example, sizes were decreasing and decreasing over time so plus size women were not being represented at all, but now we are starting to see them becoming more acceptable.
The default in America is light skin and male. Everything is catered towards the young white rich man, and everyone else is some form of exclusion of that. So how can we build that character so you don’t feel you are lesser than or less worthy of the mainstream default. Well, we need to unlearn what grew up with - what is and what is not acceptable in society. We need to constantly question what is considered ‘normal or ‘beautiful’ and that it should not be the default because it is not the default. We were always made to feel like we are always the exclusion and never the default.
Hakeemah:
Do you have any personal stories where you felt that you wanted to be included or represented in something and how did you feel if you weren’t?
Headed Somewear:
Personally, for me it was always hard to find myself in a lot of clothing brands – into what was considered the ‘default.’ It made me feel like if my body type isn’t fitting into these types, then I’m not normal or acceptable. It really hit me at a very young age and I started to question why most brands only cater to a specific type of person or size. It impacted how I view inclusivity and beauty – and how that layered into my own identity.
Hakeemah:
What is something you have included in your brand that you have not seen included or represented in other brands (and not just in hijabi fashion brands)?
Headed Somewear:
I would say women with disabilities – we don’t see much of that being represented – especially in the modest market. We also try to include a lot of different body types. And even when plus size women, for example, are being included In mainstream media, you often only see typical plus size women, but there are so many different types. You only see the two ends of the scale – either a plus size or your model-fit skinny, but the women who are in between lack representation.
Hakeemah:
What can we look forward to in Headed Somewear?
Headed Somewear:
A lot of ‘uncomfortable’ messages are coming out – meaning they will be very unique and different from what has ever been done before in a hijab line. Our main goal is to portray the theme of growth in the new collection that aims to feel very representative. They will be releasing in the next 1 or 2 years - so stay tuned!
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Check out Hakeemah's page here & her blog post on Origins here.
Shop Origins Collection using her affiliate link here.
]]>See below for her outlook.
Alopecia is an auto-immune disease resulting in partial or complete absence of hair. People often mistake you for having cancer and think you’re sick. Alopecia, however, is not a condition that’s contagious or has any cure. Doctors actually don't know what causes it. Like any other disease, Alopecia affects people differently. Some people are born with hair and then lose it. Others are born with hair, lose it in patches and sometimes can take steroid shots, which means their hair grows back.
In my case, I was born with alopecia totalis, hairlessness with the face and scalp included. When I was younger, I used to wear wigs; it was something to do so that the people around me could feel comfortable, at my own comfort’s expense. Wearing makeup in general wasn’t something I grew up with, so the idea of drawing in eyebrows and putting on lashes was never something that I exposed myself to. I only recently started to do makeup with lashes and eyebrows. It gives me a sense of power over how I want to look and when. When I do wear makeup or lashes, I don’t feel the need that I HAVE to in order to conform to what society’s definition of beauty is.
It’s a difficult endeavor especially because the power of society and particularly social media plays a major component in how we feel about ourselves. So many people assume things about me and would ask - “If you get married would the kids have it?” Or “Why can’t you draw eyebrows in? You can just cover it with hijab.” All of these experiences brought me to a singular conclusion: accept who I am and how I was created because the one who created me, makes no mistakes. He doesn’t need for me to cover myself in order to cover an imperfection. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Covering myself, and having alopecia opened up my mind to studying hijab and embracing it. I could have gone my whole life wearing wigs and putting on makeup in order to be accepted into a world that is fickle and constantly changing the definition of beauty. Instead, I choose me, unapologetically.
Due to social media and the constant exposure we have to “beauty,” I’ve started to think about the messages we receive more and more. There are so many expectations we have from women, for women; in order to “fix” something about yourself. These things are fine as they are, but they are incessantly in our face to a whole new degree. I have a daughter & to see her come up in a world where this is literally what everyone is obsessed with is terrifying because these things will impact her physically and psychologically. I always think - there’s so much more to being a woman, and to life in general. There is so much more in acceptance of oneself, imperfections and all, and it is more empowering than trying to cover our own natural beauty. I wish we showcased this more.
Social media really does have the power to break you. If there isn’t a healthy limit to what you allow yourself to be exposed to, it can consume you. Because it’s so easy to forget most of what we consume is not real, the strongest of us can break too. I remember watching a video of a poem describing the way we are all able to put filters on ourselves with a push of a button, erasing all of our blemishes and imperfections- but what about the imperfections of our hearts? This goes to show that society constantly tries to sell us the idea that we must having the “perfect” outward appearance, and never second guess the inward.
My advice to women who find themselves exposed and put down by these beauty standards: everyone has insecurities. It’s okay to have them, and work towards accepting yourself. If that means you want to put on makeup - that’s okay. If that means you yourself have alopecia and want to wear wigs and makeup, all the power to you. It just becomes dangerous when it becomes obsessive. If you find yourself not able to leave the house without putting makeup on (not because you want to but you feel you’re not pretty without it), that’s when I think it’s important to take a step back. I would recommend refocusing and thinking about how you define beauty. Is it really you defining it, or the world around you?
]]>And so, if you've seen our recent photos of the Oirigns Collection, you KNOW how *stunning* our shoot went. Of course, all this would not have been possible without the incredible talent available on the day of the shoot.
Please see below for the incredible women involved in our shoot. Check them out, share their pages, and support them! Remember, sometimes support is as simple as following them or engaging with their work. It truly goes a long way.
MEET SHABIH (PHOTOGRAPHER) :
Shabih Aftab has been Headed Somewear's photographer for many collections. She is an incredible energy, super thoughtful about our vision & models, and never fails to impress.
Click here to see her work & get in touch with her.
Follow her on Instagram here.
MEET SALSABIL (STYLIST / CREATIVE DIRECTOR) :
Salsabil possesses a unique eye for creative direction and styling. The Headed Somewear team really felt a difference in our shoot with her on board. She knew just how to drape everyone's scarves, adjust the model's individual unique items from their countries, and provide insight the entire journey. She was a huge help in researching each ethnicities cultures and perfecting our mood board, looks, and poses.
Follow her Instagram here.
MEET ASHLEY (MAKE UP ARTIST) :
Ashley was such a delight to have on board and was super adaptable to whatever was needed. She is an exceptional make up artist and was a pleasure to work with. A true professional, she constantly went above and beyond just the initial looks and was there to provide touch ups, have conversations, and have a great time with all of us.
Follow her Instagram here.
MEET NIDA (OUR DESIGNER):
Nida, the designer at Headed Somewear, designed the concept of the Origins Collection. She picked the colors & materials of the scarves and planned the idea behind the shoot. With her vision, and the talent at Headed Somewear, the Origins Collection was able to come to life.
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Find more about the models here.
Find more about the businesses here.
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Shop the collection here.
]]>Hi! My name is Duaa and I’m from Sudan although I was born and raised in NJ. I’ve gone to Sudan a total of 6 times, believe it or not! When I was there, I remember thinking how nice it was that so many people shared my culture & deen, a lot more than in Jersey.
I’d have to say that the sense of community is my favorite thing about Sudanese culture. Everyone feels like one big family and it really encompasses the essence of our Ummah. For example, in Ramadan, two trays of iftar are prepared so that the men can take one with them and sit outside to enjoy it with neighbors and anyone who passes by. The way I’d describe it is this big circular tray in which many can eat from. It’s so beautiful because it’s like no one is a stranger- everyone is just part of this big community.
I went to Islamic School, allhumdlillah so I was surrounded by a Muslim community. There weren't any Sudanese Muslims in my school though. So when people did meet me, it was like “Yeah, she’s Sudanese”. Sudan has really only been in the media for the past 2 or so years. Before, I never got a chance to talk about Sudan without having to explain basic things like it’s location, but since the revolution, people have started to hear about the country more.
Being Sudanese means a lot of people have trouble identifying where you come from. There’s a huge debate about whether Sudanese people are Arab or Black. A lot of us get the comment that we don’t look Sudanese but people come in all shapes / colors. Sudan has over 600 tribes and ethnic groups, making us a very diverse group. For me, personally, I don’t really identify with any sort of group.
I remember that a lot of the students in my school were mostly Desi. When people would find out that I could speak Arabic, I was asked “Oh, but you’re Black?”. Even now, when I talk to people, they get confused about why and how I can speak Arabic. One time my school had an event (an African Fashion Show) and I was wearing a cultural dress. Someone came up to me and was like, “Are you Sudanese?”. I was SO shocked - I was like “Yes!!” There was no confusion about where I was from, this person just knew and it felt so nice to have my culture recognized.
During Headed Somewear’s Origins Photoshoot, I think the biggest highlight was that I felt noticed. I felt like I was never given the chance to really share things about my country which is why this shoot was so great. It was an opportunity for myself to learn more about where I’m from the components that make up who I am. Highlighting so many important parts of culture such as the dress was really nice. It was great to get that spotlight and contribute as well.
Terminologies:
South Sudan vs Sudan : Until 2011, they were one country. That year, following decades of civil war, the southern section seceded, becoming the world's newest nation: South Sudan. Today, conflict continues to roil both countries.
Hi! My name is Rida and I’m from Pakistan. My mom came here from Pakistan when she was 20 and I’ve lived in the US since.
I’d have to say that one of my favorite things about Pakistani culture is how much depth there is all across. Oftentimes, because of movies, stereotypes, or mass media, we look at all South Asians as a monolith. However, there is so much depth to Pakistan which I have been uncovering and learning. Poetry, music, literature, history, religion--there is so much variety within one country. Every family, every shopkeeper, every taxi driver, every silai wala (tailor), can show you something about the country you might not have known before.
I like to travel a lot, so I believe you can find home in different places and for different reasons. I am currently a student in New York, and I feel at home when I go to Queens to eat Nihari with my friends. When I go home to my family in Virginia, I feel at home playing with my sisters and talking with my parents.
Therefore, for me, home is wherever you feel your heart is. For me I haven’t been to Pakistan in so long so I would love to find a home there.
The photoshoot at Headed Somewear was so great. The vibe was professional and unifying. It was definitely one of the best photoshoots I’ve done.
Hi! My name is Basima and I’m from Palestine. I was born in Palestine but hadn’t gone back until I was 19 years old, having been raised in Chicago. Of course, that first experience was extremely eye opening. The harsh restrictions of freedom of movement was something every Palestinian hears about. However, to witness this harshness was mind boggling because I had never experienced being prevented from going anywhere in the states.
I instantly fell in love with Palestine. Palestine holds a lot of my identity, so it’s always going to have a piece of me. You feel so much more at ease subhanAllah. Although people are going through considerably more hardships, they’re more content with the things they have. It’s a simpler life there for sure. Everything is not as fast paced as here. It’s almost like there’s no pressure to fulfill so many different goals, goals that sometimes you can’t even identify.
In Palestine, we’d go on the rooftops, watch for shooting stars and be entranced by the fullness and closeness of the moon. It is a sight that makes one realize how vast the world is and how small we really are; a humbling effect.
In Palestine, we have a lot of respect for older generations and love that because they sit and talk over the cup of tea. We were entertained by the stories of our elders, their wisdom and the history of the land showing on their faces. Aspects that I never experienced while in the states. In Palestine, talking came easily when gathering with family.
My experience with the photoshoot went really well overall. It was really inclusive and had intentions of bringing everyone together. Although we all came from different countries, we are still kind of the same & we hold these places near and dear to our heart. I felt like this showed in what we wore.
Hi ! My name is Kausar & I was born in Nigeria. When I was young, I came to the United States and only went back to Nigeria once, when I was 4 years old. Because I was young, I don’t remember much but I do have a lot of photos where I can look back and see my family. I had plans to go back after COVID, hopefully by the ending of this year or next year.
I find it really important to be connected to my family back home. My brothers, sister, and I are the only "American" family. Whatsapp and Facebook are the only ways we communicate with family back home and even then, there is a disconnect. It was like if I could just go back home and meet my family, I would feel whole.
I make it a point to eat cultural food at home and wear traditional clothing to feel connected to the culture. The ankara, for instance, is a clothing item we wear everyday & it has a huge variety of designs. Because we are here in America, we only wear it for Eid or special events but over the years, a lot of us have gotten to a point where we wear it normally. Eating authentic African foods reminds me of the fact that I’m African and proud. I love jollof rice, fufu, and rice and stew.
Nigeria is the most populated African country and I love that I’m from there. Did you know there are over 300 languages spoken in Nigeria? I just love the dialect, the food, and clothing from Nigeria. I have so much pride that I come from such a strong African country.
I realized that when you come to America, immigrants are looked down upon. It can often be hard for many to find their footing and for them to find the confidence to succeed in a country that doesn’t want them to necessarily. However, because of my culture and where I come from, I know that no matter what environment I enter, I can succeed. You’ll literally see a Nigerian name in any area, in any field. I find that to be so inspirational.
The clothing I was wearing to the shoot is what I like to wear for Eid. It’s something worn back in Nigeria day-to-day but here it’s an occasional thing for me. It comes from the “Hausa'' tradition and doesn’t have a specific name. That specific outfit is actually inspired from Pakitani outfits. West African Muslims have a lot of similarities to Muslims from other countries due to trading, going to Mecca, Dubai, or long term effects from the Arab Slave Trade. It’s actually really interesting to me to see how much influence so many cultures have on one another - they’re so similar. For example, thobes for men are so similar across so many cultures. As a Muslim ummah, we are not that much different from each other.
When I introduce myself to people, I immediately say that I’m Nigerian - I don’t say I’m American. Despite that, home for me is here because it is wherever I feel Nigeria is. When I’m at home, I hear people speaking Hausa (my language). Being in an environment where people serve my food or wear my clothes makes me feel like I’m at home. My mom has memories back home and my dad speaks of stories of the old days. When hearing of these memories of Nigeria, I feel connected to my country. I feel comfortable. And even though I have grown up here, there is still a piece of me that feels like it’s missing. I long to be in Nigeria and meet the people back home.
On working with Headed Somewear on the Origins Collection Photoshoot, I absolutely loved the experience. I fell in love with the location because it had such a unique vibe and the location matched the photoshoot which was amazing. It was also so nice to meet the other girls. All the other models had such beautiful names mashAllah, and getting to meet them and learn about where they were from was so beautiful. Not sure if this was intentional or not, but on the sidelines, we had discussions about what our clothing meant to us & our cultures. A few of them didn’t know some things about Nigeria so it was cool telling them about it and say “Nigeria is a majority Muslim, West African country.” It is always great to learn from each other.
Terminologies -
NOTE: the vocabulary mentioned above specifically come from Yoruba culture and language in Nigeria
Hi! My name is Lipe and I’m from Bangladesh. I came to America in 2004 and was 10 years old when we moved. I remember so many memories about living in Bangladesh and hope to go back soon.
Everything in Bangladesh is homegrown. You had land of your own, and would grow your own food and vegetables. What I miss the most about Bangladesh are the fruits. They were so fresh and had a completely different flavor. The mangoes, for instance, don’t taste the same here at all.
I would say that there definitely are a lot of differences in living in Bangladesh and living here. Back in Bangladesh, I was with my whole family. I don’t have any extended relatives here - just my immediate family. I have 4 siblings -two brothers and two sisters.
I actually went to 2 different schools in Bangladesh - one in the morning & one in the evening. I was top of the class and I remember competing as kids with my friend to get the best grades. We’d go to the first school in the morning, sing “Amar Sonar Bangla” (also pronounced "Amar Shonar Bangla") which is equivalent to what the pledge of allegiance is here. I actually really enjoyed both schools - it was something we don’t have here but still was a lot of fun.
Even though I’d like to go back, I do have a fear of going back to my country. Based on all the safety concerns I hear, I get a bit nervous traveling back and was always told especially never to go visit alone.
The photoshoot with Headed Somewear was amazing. I loved the concept of bringing people from different cultures and to see everyone’s outfits. I love seeing how different and unique everyone's ethnicities are - it was truly so beautiful. I can’t wait for the launch!
Hi! My name is Mysarah and I’m from Egypt. My parents came here in the 80's and I’m so thankful that they still take us back and encourage us to go back. When we are here, we try to incorporate our culture in our day to day life. Even then, I sometimes feel distant to my culture when I'm here which is why going back is so refreshing. I usually take a trip to Egypt every summer with my immediate family. I only have one great uncle and a couple of cousins here - the rest of my family is in Cairo.
The first time I went to Egypt, I was around 2-3 years old. I took swimming lessons there, went to the country club (which was basically like an all encompassing sports club). Those were my earliest memories.
My favorite thing about being Egyptian is how much we value community service. Whether that’s service or helping immediate family, friends, family- there is always a support system there for you. In NY even, the Arab/Egyptian community is very supportive of each other through good & bad times. It’s nice to see that this tradition exists even in my generation, especially during COVID.
Growing up in NY was a whole culture all on it’s own. I’ve learned that because I’ve grown up here, my home is both my NY culture + Arab culture. And you know what? That’s okay. I don’t think I can ever forego either and believe the two cultures can be woven together. I never want to drop either side & appreciate my culture just as equally as the environment I grew up in NY.
Of course, there are conflicts at times, but in my experience, learning to merge the cultures has been something important to me. I try not to stray away from Arabic / cultural principles I've grown up with since they’re way too precious to toss away. Whether that means watching Arabic TV shows with my dad to remember the language, or taking Arabic in college - by putting the effort in I can ensure I keep both parts of my identity. It’s difficult for sure, and everyone has the right to struggle with it and find their own way.
Besides that, I have to say that the photoshoot with Headed Somewear was actually my first time doing any type of modeling! Any other photo I’ve done for brands was on my own time but this was a great experience. All the girls were so sweet, everything was so professional and under control. I felt like the space complimented the vision of the designs - which was the main thing I loved. I felt so accommodated and left with this big, beaming smile!
I loved the hijabs, not just my own. The concept is honestly great. It unifies us, and makes us one community. We are different, true, but we still unite at the end. We can come together over our similarities, and being a part of this photoshoot was a great example of that. We really, really need that in the world right now because there’s too much division and not enough togetherness.
Hi! My name is Suha and I’m from India. I was born in Chicago although I did live in India with my grandparents between the ages of 2 & 4 while my parents were situating themselves in the US. I’ll be honest, it felt a bit like having a foot in both worlds since both were so different.
I would say my favorite thing when I’m in India is my family because I truly do value being surrounded by so many people that I love. Everyone has the same ethnicity and it feels very symbolic and poetic for me to spend quality time with people who represent such a significant part of my identity.
I would be that girl going to Bar Mitzvahs in desi dresses. My mom didn’t know better, bless her. I remember wearing kurta pajama, having henna on my hands, or putting oil in my hair would give reason for getting picked on. People would say “Oh, your hair is oily” or “What do you have on your hands?” I remember wanting to be white and fit in. After reconnecting with the Desi part of me, I have learned to accept that these differences are positive and make me who I am. Now, being Indian is something I'm proud of.
What’s so interesting to me is seeing so many aspects of Indian culture being capitalized. At one point, I was made fun of for these things, but now it’s become the norm. People put haldi (turmeric) in their lattes, and henna is another fleeting trend too.
Where is home to me? I would say home is in the United States. If I had a choice to live in India or the US - I would pick here. I am accustomed to experience and truly do believe that my identity as an American Indian is much stronger than solely Indian. Back in India, I've always looked like an "American larki" (American girl). Here, people identify me as Indian but it's not something that is considered a bad thing. In a more poetic sense, the concept of home resides in connections that I have with people, whether or not they share my ethnic or religious background. Just as much as a physical location can be my home, beautiful people, experiences, and places can be “home.”
The photoshoot with Headed Somewear was one of my favorite experiences. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was such a breath of fresh air and a wonderful experience in this time right now. We're being figuratively and literally being divided by the people around us through sickness and death. But this shoot allowed us to appreciate life, themes of diversity, sisterhood and modesty which I really appreciated.
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Find all additional photo credits here.
Shop the collection here.
]]>Each of these women has helped so much in researching, advising, and informing our team about how to represent their country authentically. We wanted to double and triple check and make sure our work was authentic and true to the cultures we were representing.
The following countries are represented in our Origins Collection :
Our Process:
See below for information about our panelists. Be sure to check them all out :
Find their links below :
Find out more about our models here.
Find out more about our team here.
Shop the collection here.
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Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of clutter in your closet or drawers? That’s how I felt about my hijab/scarf drawer! I knew I wanted to make a change - the question was how?
There's so many bright ideas all over the internet for sure. While I loved them all, I wanted something that was quick, easy, and cost effective. That's when I came across adjustable drawer dividers on Amazon and they changed the game for me. I was skeptical at first, but once I saw how adjustable they were, I was so happy!
The first thing I did was donate any scarf I haven’t used in a really long time. I really want to try and be clutter free, and that means understanding that I need versatile scarves. For me, prints that have meaning or are compatible with my wardrobe are a must because I know they'll be used more.
Since most of my scarves are from Headed Somewear, it was difficult to part ways with anything I haven't worn since they were released. Still, I felt good about it since one of our scarves would hopefully make someone’s day!
When organizing, I made compartments of four with the adjustable dividers. This allowed me to have different sections - one for each kind of material or use.
The section that was the most over piling was the bottom right one! The one with alllll the Headed Somewear custom prints. These beauties are the reason why I can’t do an overload of hijabs/scarves anymore. I feel like less is more, and these scarves do all the talking so I can put more of my time into minimal, clean, versatile clothing pieces.
I feel like these days, my motto is - how long will this last me? I believe in pieces that are wholesome and unique, as well as high quality. Each of our scarves is just that - so it works out!
See the full video on our Instagram here.
Tell us how you organize your scarves!
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We got the chance to sit down with Cire Kaba, the CEO of Tresbelle Prints and chat about her business, struggles as a black woman, manufacturing, and so much more. It was such a great opportunity to chat with someone as talented and hardworking as herself mA!
Cire also just launched a new Luxe line so be sure to check it out for some cute & chic clothing.
Q: Tell us about yourself!
My name is Cire and I was born and raised in Bronx, NY. I currently run a modest clothing brand called Tresbelle Prints but it took me a long time to get here!
What’s funny is that in college, I was a Biology major and originally wanted to become a doctor. I found myself really into fashion and loved getting dressed regardless of clothes. Personally that attracted me more and it ended up being the route I went on.
Q: What got you into Tresbelle Prints?
Tresbelle Prints started as a brand that sold materials. We offered all different types of fabrics - lace, cotton and more. My parents are originally from Guinea, West Africa, and in our culture, we have a lot of events. We usually need to get our outfits tailored or made for multiple events like weddings.
Every time I would get clothes from back home, I felt like it didn’t incorporate my style. The summer I started Tresbelle Prints was a season with a lot of events and I realized I didn’t have any traditional clothing. That’s when I had the idea to buy fabric I liked, take it to the tailor, and design five outfits for him to make.
When I began to wear them out, people would stop me to ask questions. Who was I wearing? Where did I get it from? What’s the fabric? I quickly realized that I was addressing a need and it got me interested in seeing where else I could take my designs. Eventually, I decided to begin sourcing fabrics such as lace and began to make my own clothing. I found a vendor and told him the vision I had in mind and he would help bring it to life.
Q: I see Tresbelle Prints is a modest fashion brand. Was it always that?
Everything changed last Ramadan. It was the month I decided to keep my hijab on.
As a newly covering woman, I realized slowly that the outfits of my brand weren’t really aligning with my choice to dress modestly. It was a tough decision, but I realized that I wanted to change my entire brand into a modest brand. That meant shifting my entire target audience, business strategy, and even the product itself.
At the time, Tresbelle Prints was a hit for big weddings and formal events. I was a part of fashion shows and was getting a lot of publicity. For me though, I knew I couldn’t wear my designs anymore as a hijabi, and I wanted to be able to wear my own clothes. I didn’t believe in selling dresses I couldn’t wear and vouch for myself.
When I started hijab, I couldn’t even wear 80% of what I owned! It was kind of like going back to square one. I donated my old designs and was on the hunt to buy more clothes. Again, it was difficult and challenging to find stylish modest clothes I felt would represent me. That’s when I realized the need that existed within the modest market. I began to think about the clothing I would wear and began to design those.
Q: Congrats on your new line and next steps!! What was your biggest challenge of your new line?
The Luxe Line is our latest release and it’s the first time that I was able to put my twist on our dresses. I used to work with vendors and they would be selling to me. While their outfits were cute, they were not Cire. I wanted to feel like myself and be ME. I felt clothes were missing my personal touch.
Talking to any manufacturer quickly makes you realize just how expensive any business is. So many of them have minimum quantities in one style and color. The amount of money that I’d have to invest with a manufacturer would be so much more than a vendor. Still, for me, because I loved and truly believe in my product, I knew it was the right decision.
It took me a WHILE to come up with the new designs. It’s not as simple as it may seem! First, you pick designs, then color, then fabric - it’s a really long process. I never knew how many red satins there were!
One of the biggest challenges I would say to date is sizing. I want my brand to be able to cater to all sizes. I am petite so a small on me could be different on another woman. After a lot of work, my sizes now run from S-2X. Still, I feel I want to be more inclusive and incorporate different heights and clothing for curvy women. I want to be able to start off small, but my goal is to cater to that as well since unfortunately certain manufacturers only go up until a certain size.
Q: As a black woman, what would you say are some of your struggles you face in running a business?
A lot of struggles with black women is that you are hidden. As a black woman, I have to work ten times harder as any other business. We already have a gender gap and then on top of that, a racial gap as well. What’s interesting is that there are more female entrepreneurs that are Black than in any other racial group according to American Express (CNBC).
Q: In an effort to amplify more black voices, what is something you'd like to tell our audience (if anything)?
We have so much money within our community. Black buying power was $1.4 trillion in 2019 and is expected to rise to $1.8 trillion in 2024 (CNBC). That alone shows we have a lot of buying power and have a lot of gross income. We HAVE to continue to support our own.
Only 2% of that money circulates in that community. In the Black community - 1 dollar only circulates within black community for 6 hours (Black Star Project). In comparison to other communities, this is much lower.
I’d tell our audience to continue to buy black owned. In order to make the money we need we just have to continue. Even though whatever happened to George Floyd was horrible, I did appreciate everything that happened because people really started to amplify black. Even Beyoncé having her own website dedicated to black owned business was a really great initiative. We just have to continue to buy black.
Q: What message do you hope your clothing brings to your customers?
Regardless of what background/ethnic group /shape/size you are, you are still beautiful no matter what you wear.
I especially learned this when it came to myself. As I entered the modest space, I had a lot of covering ladies reach out to me and say people and say that hey had been wearing hijabs for years but never thought it could be fashionable. Those messages really weighed on me because I realized I have a duty.
My brand is open to people who are Muslim/non-Muslim. I just believe it’s important to feel powerful even if you're modest. Our society says if you’re not showing cleavage or skin, you’re not beautiful. I want my brand to show you can still be bold, fashionable, and beautiful, all at once.
Sources
Find her page + store in the following links :
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About Our Relaunch:
If you follow us on Instagram, you know we've been working super hard on our relaunch for the past few months. Our best selling prints sold out wayyyy faster than we had anticipated and because of COVID (and many other factors) it took us a super long time to get a restock.
Along the road of relaunching our best selling products, we decided to take a moment. If 2020 has taught us anything, it's to take a step back, and reevaluate what you know. Pause, ponder, and come back stronger.
So while our shipments were delayed, we brainstormed and decided to use this time as an opportunity to not only throw a big relaunch, but to also rebrand. We wanted to present a powerful and polished story to you all and showcase exactly what we stand for.
What We Worked On:
Here are some improvements you can see:
Our Team:
We are so blessed to have SO many incredible women apart of our journey. From the influencers who are taking part in sharing our products, to the team members on site for our relaunch, we appreciate EACH and every one of you.
For our Relaunch Photoshoot, we had an ALL-WOMEN'S TEAM. How boss is that?! Each of the ladies involved in this shoot were talented, down-to-earth, and genuine ladies! See below for their info and how to get in touch with them.
Who Was Involved:
Shabih Aftab Photography : Our go-to photographer for most of our shoots- she's just that amazing! Shabih has the most vibrant energy which makes it so much fun to work with her in shoots. My models, myself, and the whole team feels super comfortable working with her. Check her out here.
Videos by Sahar Ahmed : It's super tough to find a great female videographer who's willing to go the extra mile! Sahar was professional, kind, and had a great vision in mind. She captured exactly what we had in mind for our branding video on our Instagram. You can check her out here.
Models : At Headed Somewear, we don't choose our models for anything other than their passion and their energy. It's important to us to have a WONDERFUL time while shooting, and each of the models we worked with were kind, sweet, and wanted to be apart of our message. Working with these ladies (not all pictured here) was and always is an incredible experience.
Models listed below. Click on the link to see their Instagram:
Florist: Our photos would not be the same without the intricate set up Buds & Blooms NY put together for our set. She knew exactly the kind of look we were going for and stayed throughout for support. Absolutely loved working with her! Check her out here.
Masks: A huge thank you to Alex from Aweea Styles Masks! Alex sent us all a beautiful, plain mask to go with our minimal outfits. She sent them over SO fast and they were incredibly comfortable. She makes the most elegant masks out there. Check her out here.
Studio Space : Our Studio space was also owned by a woman! We loved working somewhere that was understanding of our modesty and rules as covering women. Nadia was also a great delight to work with!
All in all, our relaunch was a success thanks to these INCREDIBLE women!
Note : we have way more shoots, models, and people we work with. They are all tagged on our Instagram!
]]>It's no secret that Eid will be very different this year. So many of us are unsure about whether or not we should even celebrate, since we'll be far away from our friends and family. We're so used to the huge Eid prayer every morning, the large with family, and the huge feasts surrounded by friends. Even if we wanted to celebrate Eid, what would that even look like?
We put together a list of 10 small ways you can celebrate this Eid! Hopefully by incorporating even one of these tips, it'll feel a bit like the holiday we all love.
If there's a safe Eid tradition you do every year, make sure to carry it out! For example, if you always give gifts to all your family members and friends and haven't been able to this year, you still can. It can be easy to make a quick DIY gift for them from your home.
Remember- everyone's in the same boat, so anything nice you do could really help someone else feel the Eid spirit too!
For each of the arsha’s of Ramadan (every 10 days), we would like to donate with YOUR help.
You don’t need to buy anything - simply suggest donations & charities for us to donate to. In this way, you’re apart of this Sadqa!
We will pick the charity that’s been suggested the most at the end of every 10 days and announce where we’ll be donating!
Thank you for joining us in making a difference!
How AWESOME would it be if women in our community could learn from one another...for free?
We know- it would be pretty awesome.
That's why Headed Somewear is proud to announce the release of our new project: "The “Community of Empowered Women” Series, launching with the return of our Mind & Soul Collection. This series keeps YOU in mind with thought-provoking conversations, skill set webinars, & FREE resources to help empower other women.
The thing is, we aren’t just talk. We want to help women (including ourselves!) reach their goals, dreams, and aspirations by providing a support system for us all to lean on.
After all, we all have things to learn, skills to teach. Join our community - because you need women looking out for you, now more than ever.
We’ve got your back.
Whethr or not you're able to tune in, we'll be offering a FREE handout with select guests! These handouts are meant to help you follow along with the videos, take notes, and do the exercises suggested.
If you'd like to be apart of this movement, please email headedsomewear@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram!
Shabih and I discuss the stresses of corporate life, taking up space as a woman, making mistakes in finance, and more. Shabih is a financial analyst and runs a photography business as well! She's also one of my best friends so it was GREAT to have her as our first guest. Find the video on our Instagram.
Click here for the free handout!
Hanan discusses how to stay healthy during Ramadan, a month where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. She goes over working out, listening to your body during this month, and some healthy foods she likes to eat. Find the video on our Instagram.
Monira gives a very real look on dentistry as a hijabi Muslim woman and a mother. She goes over the positives of having a tough career, how to adjust expectations, and how women can do it all! Find the video on our Instagram.
Click here for the free handout!
Boshia goes over her experience with racism in the Muslim community. As a revert, she mentions how racism in our communities is a disappointment, especially since Islam forbids it. Be sure to watch the full video on our Instagram.
Sara Bawany is a clinical social worker, an award-winning published poet, a writer, and a freelance editor. She goes over how to self-publish a book, sharpen your writing skills, and more. Find the video on our Instagram.
Click here for the free handout!
]]>The Headed Somewear Team & I have been working ruthlessly these past few months to bring back the originally limited edition Mind & Soul Collection. After months of designing, editing, bargaining, color sampling, and more, we not only had the collection ready to be prelaunched - we had also brought NEW COLORS to the mix!
This “soft launch” was supposed to be a surprise for you guys at ICNA. I was so excited to announce it, and tell you guys about all the hard work we had done behind the scenes.
However, we're pivoting our business with this COVID-19 craziness to adjust to the now. I know it sucks that all these events were cancelled. I feel you- I’m with you.
That’s why we're launching a “5 DAYS OF PRELAUNCH” event with the limited stock we have available. Even though the Mind & Soul Collection was never meant to return to the website, we’re making an exception! 😊
So what is meant to happen during the 5 days of prelaunch? On each of the days, ONE product/campaign will be launched.
If it’s a product, at the end of that 24 hours, it will no longer be available!
See below for the full schedule! We'll be posting updates on our Instagram, so be sure to follow us & turn on post notifcations.
I've also done stories with the scarves (saved on my highlights) if you'd like to take a closer look at the colors.
The Mind & Soul Collection, like all of our designs, is in malai lawn.
Short answer- no! Simply put your order in as you normally would (it'll calculate based on your location & weight). Send me a DM with all the order numbers. I'll send you a receipt and let you know how much it was, and send the remaining back!
Alternatively, you can also request a free shipping code after your first order.
DM us at our Instagram here. I will personally work with you to help you find the right color for you!
When we launched the Mind & Soul Collection last year, we wanted to encourage sisterhood and empowering other women. With our initial launch, we interviewed over 40+ women to share their stories and how other women helped shape who they are today. You can find the whole thing here.
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I can't wait for this launch and hope you all get the scarves you want!
SHOP THE COLLECTION HERE.
]]>My name is Dr. Huda Arif and I currently practice as a consulting nephrologist in the DFW area. I work with a dynamic group of 40 nephrologists at Dallas Renal Group who are constantly looking into innovative ideas and ways on providing exemplary patient care and changing the traditional way of practicing medicine. Outside of my job, I am a big foodie, and there is no compromise on carbs! I love to travel & am fond of aesthetics be it interiors, fashion or art.
The pandemic has definitely taken all physicians with a blow. We were not prepared for what was coming. From a medicine perspective, not much is known about the virus, and we are still in the discovering and experimenting phase. As a disease, none of us were prepared about its rapid transmission and diagnostic needs. We weren’t prepared to handle the disease burden in the hospital setting. All of this adds to our day to day work anxiety and definitely makes it a mentally and physically challenging experience.
Aside from this, we are also worried about not just exposing ourselves, but also exposing our family members which include elderly and kids. Somehow our training process through all these medical years teaches us to put our fears behind & focus on what we know to do best - i.e. to take care of our patients. This is our purpose, and there is nothing holding us back. As a practice we have developed our model, to hold down our fort, and watch out for each other as we get through this tough phase in our lives.
I am fortunate to have a strong support system. As a group of nephrologists our practice has very strong fundamentals to watch out for each other. I feel fortunate to be able to connect with people like all of you via my instagram, who are constantly sending good wishes and prayers.
I am a nephrologist, in other words a 'kidney specialist'. We work with ER doctors, intensivists and hospitalists on patients who are suspected to have kidney failure. Most of the patients with coronavirus who get admitted to the hospital have moderate to severe symptoms.
Unfortunately, as the disease progresses it involves patients needing to be on dialysis along with other life support measures. That’s where we come in to help out our frontliners.
Over the course of the next few weeks, hospitals are getting more prepared to face the disease burden. Most hospitals are opening up dedicated COVID units to handle these patients better.
For one patient who gets admitted to the hospital with coronavirus, an approximate 500 masks are needed by the healthcare workers for the entire hospitalization course. I have seen several big & small organizations trying to help hospitals and physicians to obtain proper PPE (personal protection equipment).
Some examples include : Salvatore Ferragamo to Zara to small communities like Muslimwallart and more. All are coming up with ways to help the hospitals. I am truly humbled to see such response from the community
It’s very unfortunate if there are people who still think all of this is a fluke. Some are not worried about falling sick as it is reportedly only deadly in the elderly.
The biggest problem of this disease compared to the previous coronavirus ( SARS and MERS) pandemics are asymptomatic vectors. I say vectors because even if you have mild to no symptoms, you are still transmitting the disease to other people. The average incubation time of this disease is approx 5-6 days. This is the time you will have no symptoms but still be transmitting the virus. All of this adds to the disease burden.
We have recently also seen in the news that the younger, healthy population is now developing severe symptoms and it is being attributed to a highly virulent strain of the virus. Unfortunately COVID-19 is the kind of virus that can constantly change its RNA (commonly understood as DNA) and thus some forms can be more dangerous and deadly than the others. The only way right now to prevent yourself, your loved ones, and your community from not suffering from the worse of this pandemic is to strictly follow social distancing. It is almost like there is no other choice.
I’d like thank you all for allowing me to be a part of this discussion. Being on the healthcare side of things, we physicians have been adamantly advocating social distancing and all preventive methods. But seeing it coming from the community puts us a little bit at ease.
To everyone practicing social distancing, I really want to thank you all. We all understand this is not easy, but us health care providers are truly appreciative of you doing your part. Continue to spread the kindness - that’s what connects us all together.
Check out Huda’s Instagram here.
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Hi Everyone! My name is Sameen. I’m a freelance makeup artist in Illinois & have been doing this for around 8-9 years. I absolutely love what I do!
Honestly, I would feel horrible complaining about it. We're blessed to be "stuck" in the safety of our homes; a roof over our heads, not worried about food, clean water, basic necessities. Of course, it can feel frustrating but I try to think of my blessings instead of my “sufferings”.
There are people for whom this quarantine isn't as simple. It really puts things in perspective for me personally. Mentally I'm stressed about what's going on around the world, what being exposed to this virus would mean for people not as capable of fighting it off. That's probably the biggest anxiety I have.
As a makeup artist, I won’t lie. It's tough, most of my brides for the next month and a half have had to reschedule their events. For me, I'll take this time to spend time with my kids and my husband, but I can't imagine what the brides are going through- having to cancel their events and then deal with trying to reschedule.
Of course, since March is the official start of the wedding season, that's when most of my business so that's tough. I'm praying that this is short term, and things get back to normal soon.
If I'm being honest, the quarantine has given me more time to create content and focus on practicing my skill set more. Again, I like to count my blessings instead of complaining about my small problems compared to other people!
I'm going to sound like a mom who thinks their kid can do no wrong (lol). But honestly, I can proudly say I have the most understanding and well-behaved kids (I'm definitely biased). I try to create content mostly when they are doing their online school work. I tell them they have 2-3 hours of their school time, while I am "at work" & we try to do this simultaneously.
My editing is probably the hardest part, I usually do that a night after they sleep, from 10 pm- sometimes 2-3 am. When they are having a "needy" day, they just come and be part of my Instagram story/live and they absolutely love that lol. The hardest part about this quarantine is realizing how many times your kids need to eat throughout the day when they're home all day!
My advice to other makeup artists would be to not get disheartened. I know it’s easier said than done, especially if this is your main source of income. It's a tough time that we can get through by supporting each other.
Take this time to focus on your brand, and practice, practice, practice. If you are just starting out, there's tons of work you can do to enhance your business, without any distractions. Focus on the good and be consistent with content. I promise it helps.
To people who want to try makeup looks - makeup is a GREAT therapy. I'm saying this from personal experience as somebody who suffers from anxiety. When I'm feeling anxious, I just hold my brushes and start creating.
For a while, it takes your mind off of everything that's going on. Makeup is all about practice. I say this so much but it’s true. You can watch any tutorial for days on end, but until you do it yourself several times, those tutorials don't mean much unfortunately. So just grab your makeup, some brushes, and start!
Remember, this is a trying time for all of us.. And for some people, more than others! It helps you feel better if you reach out to people to see how they're doing too! Maybe someone you haven't heard from in a while might be struggling with this more than you know. Reach our to them because a few kind words can make SUCH a difference in someone’s day!
Focus on your blessings, on the good. And if you are getting anxious about this situation, reach out to someone to talk! (Feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to, I’ll try my best to be there! <3)
Follow Sameen on her Instagram for great tips & tricks on makeup!
]]>I’ve been working from home for the past year & it’s not as easy as it sounds. Even though it definitely has its perks, it’s not easy to constantly discipline yourself ALL the time. It’s easy to fall off the wagon, feel unmotivated, and burn out.
I wanted to share a few things I’ve learned about working from home. I really hope this helps all of you who are feeling overwhelmed with this new arrangement.
I know, I know. It’s important to have a routine, but when you’re home and no one else is there to hold you accountable, YOU are responsible for how you spend your time. The only way to do that is by writing your schedule down in advance, and checking back at the end of the day to see if you stuck to it.
Your routine should be yours. It should make sense for you. Let’s say you like to do yoga every morning - make sure you incorporate that in your day. Maybe you need to block out a few hours in the afternoon to get a certain task done before a meeting. Whatever it is, be realistic and be honest with yourself.
I like to wake up at the same time every day and allow myself ½ an hour to 45 minutes before I start work. I won’t lie, some weeks I’m way better than others, but it helps me stay focused on things I need to accomplish.
I think one of the greatest things about working from home (especially if you’re a business owner) is you don’t need to commute for the most part. I like to view that time as a blessing to work on myself. I like to journal, take my time with my coffee, and get ready for the day instead of jumping on the computer right away.
Even though you’re working from home, get out of those pajamas! I cannot stress this enough - get ready for the day. It doesn’t have to be a full outfit, but wear presentable clothes as if you were about to go out.
Why does this make a difference? When we “get ready” for the day, we are mentally preparing ourselves to work. I noticed I’m much less likely to carelessly spend time on my phone or get distracted if I’m mentally ready to work.
Having a designated work space is so crucial for disciplining yourself. A lot of people like checking their emails and starting the day in bed, but it can end up being counterproductive in the long run. If our brains view the place we work and the place we sleep as the same, we’ll be more likely to be yawning the whole day! And we all know that doesn’t get much work done.
If you can, try to make a “home office”. Even if it’s not an entire room, a small table or corner can do the job. Having that space to go to and work in makes you mentally prepared for being productive.
You need to like where you work, especially in a home office. I think having items and notebooks that inspire you and make you excited to work is a great way to feel inspired. I’ve hoarded a bit too many notebooks, post-its, planners, and pens before I finally stopped (lol!) but they made me look forward to working from home. When I first started, it was a big adjustment and these small things made that reality a norm.
Make sure your space is organized. Clutter is the WORST thing in a home office, because it can really make you feel overwhelmed. I love cleaning my space at the end of the work day, especially since so much of what I do causes a big mess (photoshoots, videos, bookkeeping etc). That way, the next day when I come to my desk, I have a clean space to work.
I love natural light. It makes me so cheerful to see the sun shining through the windows, even when I worked in a corporate office. If you have the capability, open those curtains and allow that natural light through!
If it’s a rainy day, or your home office doesn’t have windows, make sure to have proper lighting. By not having good lighting, your eyes can get strained and it can be hard to stay focused for a long time. You might find yourself feeling sleepy and with a headache, which can make it very hard to be productive.
Try to move around as much as possible to get your blood flowing! Even doing household work on your designated “break” (and yes, it’s SUPER important to have a scheduled break in) is great. If you don’t have time to do a workout or go on a walk, do a few desk stretches to change it up.
I personally love walking around the neighborhood to get some sun and fresh air. Right now it’s getting warmer, which is a GREAT time to get some solitary exercise in. And doing so is still safe, despite the quarantine!
The BEST & WORST part of working from home is being able to go on your phone whenever you want. Your phone is literally your worst distraction. It’s so easy to get lost in time, scrolling through the news, caught up on a call with a friend, or just browsing through social media
If I know I have a lot to do, I physically get up and put my phone in a different room. If you need your phone for calls, try having it on “Do Not Disturb” or even on silent, so you only pick it up when you need it.
You can plan a routine all you want, but as humans, we don’t always abide by each and everything we had planned. What I like to do is make my schedule on Sunday, and adjust accordingly. There are some weeks we have WAY more going on and may need to work weekends and late nights, for instance. Other weeks may be lighter and we can get to some of the work we had been putting off.
For example, when I have a new collection coming out, my weeks are a blur. Designing the collection, working with the graphic design team, producing the scarves, shipping the scarves out, going through them to ensure quality, planning mood boards, photoshoots, edits, and way more - it can get pretty crazy! Those are the months I’m adjusting my schedule constantly to make sure I’m getting everything done and nothing is getting missed.
It’s easy to feel like work never ends when you’re at home, and I’ll be honest. There are some days where you’re working all day! But it’s great to have something to look forward to at the end of your hours. Whether it’s a new show, a movie, a dinner, a book, a workout, or a phone call with a friend - make sure you allow yourself time to recharge for the next day.
I hope these tips help! These are just a few things I’ve learned from working from home for the past year. It can absolutely have it’s benefits at times, but other times it’s really all about self discipline!
Wishing you all a very successful and productive WFH days in the weeks to come! IA in no time, we’ll all be back to our normal lives :)
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** Even though this initiative has ended, if you'd like to thank a healthcare worker, email us at headedsomewear@gmail.com or DM us at @headedsomewear. Let's make someone's day!**
While most of us have the blessing of being safely quarantined to our homes, our health care workers are out there, hassling shift after shift, battling COVID-19. Many have separated themselves from their families as to not risk their lives, all so they can help US, the general public.
Now's the perfect time to say thank you to a family or friend on the front lines. Gift them a scarf with your next order- on us. We want to make sure we're giving back to the heroes of our community - without you, we would be at an immense loss.
Simply email us at headedsomewear@gmail.com with your order number (no gift cards) (US only) and the following information about what you'd like to send to your loved one-
Note: If you don't have any one in particular to send it to, we will donate one on your behalf. Please email us within 3 business days to direct the scarf to someone you have in mind.
Thank you for being apart of this campaign!
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Here are some things I’ve learned over the years on how to keep your scarves feeling & looking as good as new!
One thing to always make sure you’re doing is not to wash your scarf with towels, coats, sweaters, and shirts. This especially goes for all those viscose scarves. What ends up happening is that the scarf can “capture” and stick on to a lot of the lint and particles that may shed from other clothing items.
Try to pile up your scarves separately and wash them together. If you don’t want to wash all your scarves separately, I’d recommend at the very least separating the more “delicate” scarves such as viscose, silk, or even jersey.
*Note : Wash with a chlorine bleach free detergent to maintain all colors/feel of your hijabs. Most mainstream detergents are OK to use (read the label if you are unsure).
Air drying will make your scarves feel so much lighter, and is GREAT for the fabric. I personally almost always air dry my scarves, because they don’t take long to dry at all. Plus, they feel so soft afterwards.
Why do so many people prefer air drying their hijabs? A lot of times, scarves get “staticy” in the dryer and fabrics begin to stick together. If you notice your scarves doing this, try drying them over a door or outside, and see if it makes a difference.
*Note : If you do need to dry in a dryer, dry on the lowest possible cycle.
Wash your whites separately! One of the worst feelings is accidently finding your white hijabs in a load of clothes and seeing it change color. Make an effort to take the whites into a seperate pile and wash them all at once.
I normally don't separate the rest of my hijabs out by color. I take out the whites and do them at a different time. As long as the hijabs you own are secure in their color, it's okay to wash together. (If you're ever unsure, do a test run with a single scarf on a small load)
If you own any Headed Somewear designs, make sure you’re ironing them on the reverse side to maintain the quality of the print. I normally go on high and iron, as long as I’m doing it on the opposite side.
It's good practice to actually apply this to not just all your hijabs, but all your clothes too. By ironing inside out, you keep the quality of the fabric on the front side, all the while getting rid of those wrinkles!
It’s super important to store your hijabs in an area away from other clothes. You don’t want a zipper or button poking at your favorite scarf and ruining it. I personally have a drawer where I fold and keep all my everyday scarves. Some people recommend even dividing them up by material, but I have my malai lawns, viscose, jersey’s, and chiffons all in one place. I fold them neatly and they look & feel great!
What I do recommend is taking your evening/occasion scarves and keeping those separate. Having your more “delicate” scarves in a separate drawer, cubby, or closet is really helpful. You want to make sure your evening scarves last as long as possible, and since we don’t wear them too much, it makes sense to separate them out so they don’t roughen up by your everyday scarves.
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I hope you found this list of tips beneficial! Taking care of hijabs can be easy, once you get the hang of it. These quick tips are bound to make sure your scarves make you look as amazing as you feel!
]]>But why not really use this time to our advantage? We all have goals and dreams that would be GREAT to tackle during this time. Maybe you have a class you’ve been meaning to take, a skill you’ve wanted to learn, or a book you’ve been aiming to get to. After all, it’ll only be a matter of time (inshAllah) when all this blows over and we’re back to our busy lives!
So how do you decide effectively what you want to get done during this time? How can you set realistic goals that make sense, are logical, and possible to work towards while staying at home?
This is easier said than done and can take a while. Think about WHAT you want to accomplish. If you have a previously written bucket list or New Years Resolution, now is a great time to bring that out.
If you don’t have a list you wrote down from before, imagine the day you’re finally going back to daily life. What do you want to have accomplished by then? Sometimes imagining the “deadline” helps think about what you want done. In a few months, do you want to have your website launched? Maybe you want to get through all the cleaning before Ramadan. Do you want to redecorate your home office? Thinking about the end goal is great for deciding what’s important for you to tackle.
A great tip is to imagine what your goal will “feel” like once you’ve accomplished it. What does it “look” like? Who benefits from it? Do you feel prouder of yourself if you’ve accomplished it?
It’s important to envision our goals in a way that makes us feel positive. For example, a goal listed as “Stop making a mess everywhere you go” is something that doesn’t reflect positively and make you feel excited to work towards it. It can also make you feel like what you’re currently doing is wrong, and backfire because you’ll feel unmotivated.
Try thinking: “keep your workspace decluttered so you’re more productive” instead, to promote positive thinking. Remember, how we speak to ourselves matters, even when goal setting.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when making a list of goals is *time*. Breaking out the goals in intervals makes your list easy to visualize and compartmentalize. Have goals for the month, the week, and then wheel it back to the day.
For example, let’s say your goal was to launch your website by mid April. Here's an example of how we'd break it out -
Why is this helpful? By having small goals, it’s easier for us to get them done and cross them out. Having a big picture goal can seem overwhelming. Sometimes it’s difficult to imagine where to get started if the goal seems too grand. By breaking it down, you’re allowing yourself to pinpoint where to start.
Having a friend hold you accountable is EXTREMELY beneficial. It helps you have someone to answer to and talk to when you run into any sort of obstacle. Telling a friend or family member is great because it also might motivate them to make a goal for themselves and have you hold them accountable! You guys could be productive together during the quarantine.
Have daily check ins, either in the morning or at the end of the day, about goals, progress, and what you guys could do better. You can even make a shared schedule or to-do list in which you can go through it and cross things that were done for both of your goals.
It’s always great to go through these kinds of things with someone else! It keeps you motivated in the long run.
Try to describe your goal in detail. Instead of saying “I want to make a website”, be more specific. Say something like “I want to sign up myblog.com on ________, build my navigation, theme, and first blog post by April 19th.” By being detailed, you increase your chances of tackling your goals.
That’s all for now, ladies! We hope these 5 tips help you in creating your list of goals during this quarantine!
Remember to stay safe, be positive, and tell yourself all this is temporary. By the will of God, this will all pass and we’ll be back to normal life before we know it. This ample time won’t come again - so let’s use it wisely!
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Hi! My name is Alia and I am a 33 year old Turkish-Palestinian entrepreneur. I recently moved to Canada and co-found a company called BabyMAMA which is a clothing brand meant to cater to women who are breastfeeding. My sister, Thoria, and I founded it together. Thoria is a single mom, with her masters in Biomedical Engineering, so that helped a great deal in terms of designing our clothing and finding the most efficient way to make clothing for these new moms. We initially started with abayas as our clothing items and soon transitioned to fully functioning tops and bottoms. Our business allhum became a huge success- we ended up opening a store at Santan Village Mall. Now, we are in the middle of rebranding and strategizing for the next big step.
The idea came about when one day, both my sisters were breast feeding, and my aunt said, “Why don’t I make you something more comfortable to wear?” Right then and there, the talks of a business began. We realized that we live in a world where there really aren’t many options for a postpartum mother. A lot of women’s choice of clothing is very limited after labor, and it takes a very long time for their bodies to adjust after pregnancy. For instance, how often do women breastfeed and never have comfortable, efficient clothing while doing so? It all seemed like a great idea, one that would help many women everywhere. A store for baby and mamma.
While my sisters were involved in the creative aspect, I came in with the business point of view, especially as a bachelors in Business. At the time, I personally had a job I loved. I worked with smaller companies and made them into LLC’s. I had worked with large technology firms and really enjoyed my work. However, I was still interested, because I was tired of giving my talent to the 1%.
When we eventually opened our store, it featured items for baby and mamma. We had gender reveal dresses, comfortable modest clothing for breast feeding, comfortable shoes, and more. We had events such as Eid Sale, Christmas Sale, and more. Our store was for women of all religions and races. When people bought from us, they knew they were supporting a mother. We even had a hospital ward nearby, so many dads would come to our store, buying gifts for their wives/families and newly borns.
Often, our store would have many Muslim men come to us and inquire about our success. They would often ask “How did you guys open this store? Did you have any help?”. It was funny because it almost seemed like they didn’t believe women could have done it alone.
So many women in our communities are so scared to take risks. The only thing you really need to success is faith and networking. The way my sister and I handled it was we took the hater comments in how we ran our business as feedback, and used that to turn our business stronger and better than before.
AZRA
Hi! My name is Azra and I am a 25 year old full time wedding photographer for about three years now! I currently live in Toronto, Canada, and studied Computer Science at university. I wanted to be a software developer at the time and work in the medical field. I soon realized that the 9-5 job wasn’t my thing - it just didn't excite me. At the time, I was doing photography part time and was shooting weddings on the weekends. It got me thinking - I was more excited for my photoshoots than I was for my job which just didn't sit well with me. After a long journey, I decided to pursue wedding photography full time.
Thankfully, I had so many people who helped make my decision. My fiancé was very supportive about taking my business full time. My parents, having my best interests at heart, wanted me to pursue computer science and do photography on weekends. However, when my parents saw me get a lot of booking in my last year of university, they could see how much I loved doing this and how great of a market there is for wedding photography. Slowly but surely, they came around. When I look back, I’m happy I stuck by what I love doing. I don’t like to do too many things at once because I know I can’t put my100% into any of them. When I was giving myself half here and half there felt like I wasn’t putting my full attention into my business and amazing clients.
My advice to other young women who are looking to pursue their dreams is the following; If you have a passion, follow it no matter what. However, be smart about it. For example, if you want to have your own business, it might not be smart to take it full time right away. You might want to start it on the side and build it to a point where you can make as much per year as you are currently making, before quitting your current job. Strategize, think of everything from various different angles, and take a leap.
For me, becoming a full time wedding photographer first started by second shooting for other photographers, taking classes, building my portfolio, and improving my own craft. I realized that the only way to be happy with my own life, is to take steps towards what I want to do. I am so grateful that I have done so- alhamdulillah!
MARYAMA
Hi! My name is Maryama Abdullahi and I am a 21 year old Somali-American. I am a senior studying Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and I currently reside in Kansas City, Missouri. My parents were Somali refugees so there was a lot of pressure on my sister and I to succeed in our education. My sister took the medical route, while I took the business route. My mother herself also had a boutique, so she understood that side of me. For my parents, they were always very supportive of our dreams and the career paths we choose to take. Their number 1 rule was for us to do what we love as long as we made sure it’s something we were going to be consistent about.
Interestingly enough, I decided to pursue Marketing because of my love for fashion. Fashion has always been my calling since I always had an eye for colors and textiles. Growing up, my family moved around a lot so I had to learn how to quickly make friends and fashion was a great help. In high school, I felt out of place and ironically invisible even though I was the only hijabi which stood out very visibly. I noticed that everyone had a hobby or a club that they identified with and I was still struggling to figure out what I was passionate about. Thankfully, I was told our school had a Design Club and I immediately joined which is where my love for fashion grew immensely.
That’s why I began my Instagram. I began to document my clothes, style, fashion sense and more. Instagram has become a platform to showcase my creativity. I feel like I belong in fashion and this industry, but I also felt like I wanted a little bit more stability in my career. I picked Marketing as my major because I wanted to make sure I combined business and fashion. Everyday, I feel a sense of belonging, which is how I know I am pursuing the right path. I finally feel seen!
One piece of advice I would give to anyone who blogs on Instagram - ONLY do what you feel comfortable doing. I realized that as creatives everything we post is art, and just like other artists our art should be published to the world when we genuinely feel like it is ready. I wanted to showcase my love for fashion when I felt the happiest not because I haven’t posted in a while and I needed to be more “consistent”. I realized that if you do something for other people and not for yourself, then you start to lose your love and passion for it which is really not worth it. Do what mentally and physically makes YOU happy. That’s really the only way to make it.