2010 Make-up Trends; Taking your daytime look into the night - Part 1

Makeup Trends at Michael Angel - Fashion Week NY Fall 2010

Advice for New Moms: Green Street

Dave and I are back from Florida and this week we've got not one but two guest posts coming in my Advice for New Moms series. Today, I'd like to welcome Fran from Green Street. Fran is a fabulous mom with an equally fabulous sense of style and I'm sure you'll find her advice as helpful as I have. Take it away, Fran!

* * *

Congratulations Averill - I am very happy for you and your husband for your upcoming new addition!  Thank you for inviting me to participate in your series.  I have a 3 year old son who is the love of my life! While three years is certainly not a long time, it definitely feels like eternity since my days of cradling a newborn. My mind is a bit foggy, but there are some things you will never forget.

Most Indispensible Product:

Hands down - swaddling blankets!  If I had to recommend the best swaddling blankets out there, it would be aden + anais muslin swaddling blankets.  They are lightweight and breathable (100% cotton), sized generously and have a wide selection of beautiful designs.  This will save you from a lot of sleepless nights! (But, learn how to swaddle tightly!)

Nursery Must Haves:

Land of Nod changing pad covers.  

  

And, don't forget the Diaper Dekor Plus which is very good at controlling odors!

At a very young age, my son listened to music.  I would always have music in the back ground while caring for him.  I love Music Together's collection of songs.  And, when your baby gets older, they have classes to enroll your child in.  They're fabulous!

And, the last nursery must have to complement your nursery design (which is fabulous, btw) are the Land of Nod eco-friendly wild and wheelie animals.

Most Useless Product: were the sleep wedge and positioners (at least for me)!

If I had to do it over again:

I would have bought a calendar and recorded all the milestones (even the littlest of milestones).  At a later date, I would then transfer all the dates to a journal so I would have a record of my son's baby years.  Moreover, I would have taken a picture of him every month in the same position so I could see the progression of his growth over the year!  

Well, Averill, I have no doubt that you'll be a wonderful mommy!!  Best of luck to you and we can't wait to see your little boy!!

Put your feet into shoe of fame

It is very human to dream to become like a superstar, we all dream to become like them. It feels like they are made of special substance, they are special because they are successful in life. Who is a celebrity? In simple words if someone has done an outstanding job in a big way to be know all over the world, he/she is a celebrity. And what about their dressing? Whatever they wear it becomes a style for the rest of the people. This is called the state of being a celebrity. And there is celebrity inspired jewelry.

Whatever these celebrities wear it become a style for ever. There are endless number of articles that are designed after being influenced by the clothes and the jewelry worn by the celebrities. There are earrings, pearl earrings, bracelets and necklace as well. There is all for you and it is sufficient enough to shoot you at new heights. The moment there is a new release in box office, there is whole new range of people following that particular celebrity. It is the magic of being a celebrity. Wear your favorite celebrity this night. This is your day live it up. There are endless companies offering these inspired articles. They are designed very carefully to offer you a masterpiece. They are just perfect.

The list is endless when these celebrities wear this jewelry.
It becomes a trend. The use cufflink has become popular from the day they become on air. Every body wants to become like a super star, this is the driving force behind the buying pattern of all the people who buy the jewelry and other articles like them. There are various dedicated online stores to offer these celebrity inspired jewelry. This is called the inspired living. All you have to do is to just click at the right link and have your own skin to wear and become a celebrity like fame. Scan the market and get your favorite one for you. Be the center of attraction in the party. Just share the moment.

Promise is the Symbol of eternal love

Love is very special emotion. And it must be treated in a very special way. There are so many things that need a special treatment and love is one of them. Just like all other eternity rings, promise ring and eternity bands is a symbol of never ending love That is the beauty of these rings. Man is very social and very celebrative in nature. He never fails to celebrate even a minute in his life. The occasions like wedding or an anniversary are the most unforgettable moments in the life of man. The eternity ring is a special kind of ring that is given to celebrate the moments like birth of a baby, baptism, etc.

Eternity rings are given to celebrate the special moments in ones lives. They are very memorable and dream come true situations. The eternity ring is a symbol of feeling. A feeling that the moment is a very special moment in every one life. The promise ring is given to make somebody remember that it is a promise that person forever. The eternity ring is a way to express your love towards your loved one. It is a gift to make you believe that how much you are important for that person who is giving you. The eternity ring is a very beautiful gift to be given. These rings are studded with diamonds. There are eternity rings that are studded with beads as well.

There are different ways to wear these different eternity rings. These eternity rings can be worn with earrings, pearl earrings and bracelets. There are different dedicated web sites to offer you all the information about quality eternity rings. The only things that are needed to be done is that just click to the right link and have a master piece to make that occasion very memorable. These eternity rings come in different colors and shapes, it depends on the material which it is made with. For example if the ring is made of silver there must be a diamond to be studded and if it is gold it must be colored diamond.

Metacognition

1.  What I liked the most about creating my own graphic novel, was that it was fun to do. Also, there was not a lot of writing involved in creating the graphic novel. I could be creative and use pictures to help get my story across. Graphic novels are also less formal that a regular novel. This made working on this project seem less like homework.
What I did not like about creating the graphic novel was the time it took to make. Importing and finding the right pictures took a while to do, and re-adjusting the scenes took a long time as well. In total the graphic novel took me 10 hours to create and edit. This is a lot longer than it would take me to write an essay or short story. All in all, the graphic novel took a very long time to complete but was a fun project.

2. If i were to redo this assignment I would have started a lot earlier. I did not realize how long it takes to create a graphic novel, and if I were to redo this assignment I would have started it as soon as it was assigned. I would have also figured out how to make my comic into pages. Each page in the Bitstrips program contains 2 panels using the storyboard layout . So instead of doing 8 pages with two panels per page, I did 16 panels in total.

3. I tend to learn best by doing. Therefore, making my own comic gave me a better understanding of how comics work. Comics are about the pictures, the images are there to get the message across. Also, using Bitstrips to make my comic allowed me to learn how to use a program I ended up really liking. 

4. Advice I would give others about this project:

• Start as soon as it is assigned since making a comic is a lengthy process.
• Play around with the program you are using before making your comic. This will allow you to learn all the tools and functions the program offers.
• Get someone to review your comic when you are finished to make sure it makes sense.

The Sky Blue Celestite Crystal

Getting it’s name from the Latin ‘caelestis’, meaning “heavenly”; an allusion to its color, celestite or celstine is a very popular mineral because of its typical sky blue or ‘celestial’ color. Often forming beautiful transparent light to medium-blue tabular crystals, celestite can be colorless, white, light red, green, blue, or brown. It is often found in colorful combinations with minerals such as yellow sulphur. Although celestite can look similar to barite, it is actually strontium sulphate, and has long been used as a source of strontium for fireworks, glazes and metal alloys.

It forms in sedimentary rock such as limestones, dolomites, and sandstones. It can also be derived directly from sea water and commonly occurs in evaporate deposits as a minor constituent; occasionally it forms in hydrothermal deposits. The crystals take a wide variety of forms but are typically tablet, prism, or plate shaped. It can also form crusts, nodules, grains and masses. Celestite may also be found in the cavities of fossils. It is known to form, for example, in fossilized ammonites. It can be found in Madagascar, Mexico, Italy, Canada, England, and the US; lesser known specimens have been found in England, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany.

 

Legend & Traditional Properties

In ancient Greece it was believed that the stone only worked if it had been given to its owner by a friend or relative. It would then protect the body from all kinds of evil. The ancient Romans were also familiar with the healing properties of celestite, its calming, fortifying influence on the mind and its ability to drive evil out of a person. The stone encourages the healing of wounds and is said to be effective in alleviating pain caused by tension, anxiety and in solving problems with insomnia. It is connected to both Capricorn and Gemini star signs.

Research from various crystal-mineral-rock websites & books.

Fashion Hairstyle Fall-Winter 2010-2011. Photos.

Fashion-conscious women were twisting and plaiting their hair. Today a ponytail is the trendiest hairdo of this season.

The ponytail was consummated at Louis Vuitton fashion show. Stylist Michael Kors made the hairdo more volumetric and textural with backcombing. It is the best hairstyle for windy weather. Preen refused of common scrunchies fastening the ponytails with complicated knots. We see an example of minimalism at Stella McCartney's fashion show.

Butter By Nadia

Butter By Nadia     No wonder she calls her line Butter By Nadia, cause her designs are so GORGEOUS, she'll  have your debit card sliding out of your wallet like butter! Tell me why am I seriously considering spending $150 plus for a dress????!!!! All I can say is wow, her convertible wrap dress and  pantsuit can be converted into anything your mind can conceieve. Please do yourself a favor and get one of her pieces, they are so versitle you will get a lot of wear out of them, and won't mind spending the extra money. This is a worthwhile splurge! Butter By Nadia

Get her on: with the necklaces

Necklaces are ornaments used by the women all over the world. There are different kinds of necklaces available in the worlds that are very stylish and flashy in looks like sterling silver necklaces. They are very carefully crafted. When we look at the past, there is evidence of necklaces that are made with of different kinds of materials; they are crafted with wonderful designs. When the man was not civilized he used to make ornaments using natural things available. They used to make jewelry using bones, horns and teeth of animals. There are various types of necklaces made from different kinds of materials. However, with the advent of technology it was possible for man to develop a new kind of materials. With the passage of time man explored the sea, and he discovered different sea gems and made different kinds of necklaces with it.

However, with the advent of technology and new techniques is possible to make beautiful silver jewelry with different shape desired styles. This resulted in the huge demand of jewelry by women all over the world. Today there is no limit of imagination with the designs and beauty of necklaces that adds beauty for women. Necklaces are of various types made with unique types of gems, different types of materials and different types of metals. If someone is dressed up in a yellow color outfit, he has to wear a necklace which suit with the yellow dress which gives a good contrast. And if you are dressed in a white dress it is suitable for you to wear silver made necklaces and studded with white diamonds or pearls as well.

Necklaces can be accompanied with all other ornaments such as earrings, pearl earrings, sterling silver rings and other beautiful jewlery like Kate Middleton ring. There many kinds of necklaces available for you. There are different kinds of necklaces in the market which are machine made and hand made. There are different kinds of dedicated web sites out there to offer you quality necklaces. The only thing you have to do is to click to the right link and get one for you. However, before doing it, you will have to be very clear about the fact that there is no information like details of your credit card is needed.

Another sibling of diamond

Cubic zirconia is a crystal formation of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). This is a substitute for diamond, and it is very hard substance. It is very clear and it has no color. This can be made in different colors and shapes. The stone looks like diamond, but it is not costly like diamond. It has a striking similarity with diamond that is why it is largely used in jewelry industry. It was commercially introduced in the market in 1976. Because it is low cost and very durable, it is mostly used in gem industry. Zirconia was discovered in 1892. It has a very high melting point and can be fashioned in any shape.

Now cubic zirconia is used in all the major gem and jewelry industry. It is a look alike of diamond that is why it is used by all the jewelers around the world. Diamonds are very costly and there is a chance of getting cheated some times that is why these artificial diamonds are the closest substitute to the diamond. There are different types of cubic zirconia, which are researched in the laboratory to make unique designs. This cubic zirconia is a perfect substitute for the diamonds. These substitutes are used in different articles like earrings, eternity bands and cubic zirconia necklaces. They are very attractive and the customers have a great appeal for them. This jewelry is less costly and very popular among students.

That is why they are used in large scale artificial diamond industry. They are being used to make articles like earrings, bracelets and necklace like cubic zirconia necklaces. There are many dedicated web sites to offer you cubic zirconia designed articles. They are flawless and perfect substitutes to the diamond. This is a safe way to have the luxury of diamond at a lower cost. The only thing you have to do is to just to click on the right website and order yourself one. However, you will have to ensure yourself that you are not asked to mention your credit card details anywhere. So click and have a great piece of innovation to your near and dear ones.

Early Bird Gets the Sale

Happy Thanksgiving from Timeless Designs

Looking for gift ideas for those hard-to-shop-for-people this holiday season.....then you have come to the right place!!

We are starting early with a

Thanksgiving Sale 

going on right now thru November 28th!

Timeless Designs characteristic uniquely designed jewelry features fossils, natural stones, crystals, dichroic glass, metal chains and links, and wire work.

Our quality, up-scale and innovative designs are very popular, as each artisan crafted piece capitalizes on the beauty and distinctive features of natural stones, while reflecting the diverse personalities of our clientele.

Shop our Thanksgiving Sale - going on now at our Timeless Designs Ruby Lane shop.

We at Timeless Designs wish everyone a

Happy & Safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

How to choose the best earrings

You need to choose the best earrings which suits to your face. Everyone has different kind of face such as round face, oval face, and diamond face. So whenever you go into the market choose your best suited earring to your face. Generally, earrings with long, lean and angular curved lines can be the best choice earrings for round face people. If any person has oval face then soft shapes earrings like studs and eardrops will look good on oval face. If anyone has heart shaped face then earring with wide bottom will be the best earring for them.

It means every person has different shape of face so there is different kind of earrings available in the market to choose from. You can easily choose your own. There are many online companies available that provide more information about the face suited earrings. You can take the help of those websites to get more information and knowledge about recognizing the best earrings for your face. You can have cubic zirconia earrings because these earrings are cheap and affordable. Even these earrings are specially designed to give it aesthetic and eye catching look. These are the most precious and exquisite jewelry.

However, you can go for pearl earrings. Pearl earrings are the most elegant jewelry which definitely enhances the personality of woman. These pearl earrings are the best and true friend of women it enhance the feminine charm in the woman. Pearl is the timeless and classic item which is available for all age of women. You can wear it in day or night like engagement rings which current popular style is Kate Middleton ring. If you got the best suited earrings then you need to purchase a beautiful necklace which definitely increases your charm and beauty.

Cubic zirconia necklaces are the best necklaces in the market. These necklaces are cheap and attractive. You can purchase it direct form the market to gift your loved ones. These necklaces are specially crafted to give attractive design. This zirconia made necklace is the most demanding item in the market because of its resemblance to diamond and eye catching design. There is no need to pay huge amount of money to get best gift for your loved ones.

Affordable and stylish sterling silver rings

Everyone wants to have beautifully crafted engagement ring for his beloved. There are many precious engagement rings available in the market embedded with gold and other precious gemstones like Kate Middleton engagement ring. Sterling silver rings are the cheapest engagement ring crafted beautifully. You can choose these rings for the engagement because of many reasons. These rings are affordable and aestehetically designed to attract the people. Generally, it is totally depend upon the bride that which ring she chooses. However, if the color of engagement dress is white then sterling silver rings are the best rings. Generally these rings are affordable but you can not say that all cheap price things are not best. These rings are the best example of best quality design and affordable price range. Now you can easily make your beloved happy with this one. There is much jewelry available in the market.

Promise ring is the best way to show your commitment to your loved ones. A Poromise ring has different meanings for different people. Generally promise ring describes that the giver will be faithful. In other words it is the predecessor activity of engagement where boy or girl gives engagement ring to prove that they will marry with each other. However there is so many meaning of promise rings. One can purchase promise ring to give it to their loved ones.

These are the elegant jewelries which make your life full of happiness. There is no such kind of friend of girls like jewelry. So whenever you need to make your beloved happy, you can gift her elegant sterling silver ring. However, having these beautifully crafted jewelries is not end, you need to keep it clean and protect from dirt and fumes. Therefore, you need to understand how to use your jewelry properly. Because maximum people use roughly their jewelries therefore, the life of their jewelries reduced.

You just have to use some precaution to keep it clean because precaution is better than cleaning your jewelry. Either it is silver jewelry or another metal you need to follow same process to keep it clean. So this is all about the jewelries so go and grab it for your loved ones right now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year. I absolutely love the holiday's emphasis on family, gratitude and (of course!) food -- especially since those same virtues don't come with the attendant stresses of gifting and performance anxiety that Christmas inevitably seems to put everyone under. After a stressful fall, I'm particularly thankful this year for what I do have: my health, the support and love of my husband, family and friends, and the anticipation of getting to spend next Thanksgiving with a new addition to our family. 

Dave and I are off today to Florida to see his family. Whether you're traveling or staying at home, I wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings.

Photograph courtesy of MarthaStewart.com.

Murano Glass Options

I love Murano glass pendants; they come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. I used to do them as separate pendants with earring sets and now I’ve incorporated them into designs with crystal charmed bails. Here are some of the designs….browse Timeless Designs Ruby Lane shop available designs to purchase!

Spoon Drop Pendant Aventurine Prehinte Crystals

 Leaf Blue/Green Ceramic Beads Crystals

Southwest Colored Leaf Pendant Red Fossil Coral Cloisonne Wood Set

Puffy Heart Pendant Butterscotch Quartz Crystals Set

Tan Puffy Heart Pendant Aventurine Crystals Set

In For The Holidays

This holiday season there are a few trends that seem to be very popular. These include faux fur vests and coats, exposed zippers, little black dresses, metallics, sequence, and lace. These trends are not only occurring in clothing, but in accessories as well. 

http://www.guess.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?style=W0FK56H1G00&category|751=&image=W0FK56H1G00-HTGB

Lace accents or full lace garments are in this season. This dress from Guess has lace covering the neckline, another popular trend for the holidays.

http://www.guess.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?style=W04K64K09X0&category|751=&image=W04K64K09X0-JBLK#

The Little Black Dress is always in, but for the holidays it is especially important. The black dress can be worn with anything, and works for every formal occasion. This dress from Guess would look great with tights and a jacket or blazer.

 http://www.bcbg.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10803185&cp=2901570.3915683&clickid=cat_leftnav_txt&parentPage=family

Sequence is another popular trend. The sparkle looks chic and adds a bit of glam to clothing. Sequence can be seen on dresses, tops, jackets, leggings, and accessories. This BCBG top is an elegant example of sequenced garments.

http://www.guess.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?style=SU261706&category|4646=&image=SU261706-PEW#

Metallic accessories are another holiday trend. Metallics are great since they can be paired with almost anything. They can dress up an outfit, and add shine. This purse from Guess is a great evening bag for the holiday season.

http://www.guess.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?style=W04K78C2100&category|751=&image=W04K78C2100-JBLK#

Exposed zippers are extremely popular in women's clothing. Exposed zippers can be anywhere on a garment, and is a unique fashion statement.This dress from Guess is just one example of exposed zippers in fashion.

http://www.guess.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?style=W0F220MF820&category|752=&image=W0F220MF820-JTMU#
This faux fur coat by Guess is one of the many jackets we are seeing with faux fur. The cozy look is in for winter, therefore faux fur is everywhere.

Corsets

Corsets have been apart of fashion for hundreds of years. A corset is a garment that shapes the body, creating a smaller waist. A corset is laced up the back with cording or ribbon. The ribbon is laced through grommets, similar to a shoe lace. The corset contains boning, which keeps the structure sturdy. In the past boning was made of whale bones. As time went on boning was made of thin strips of metal, and today plastic boning is available. In the past corsets were worn as an under garment, creating the perfect silhouette for the wearer. Corsets kept the wear upright and allowed for good posture. The problem with corsets were if worn too tightly, the body will start to adjust to the corset, and the inside organs can get reassembled. Also, they can cut of circulation in the body, and restricts body movement. Today, corsets are no longer used as underwear, but as a fashion statement. Corsets also influence modern fashions. For example, some dresses lace up in the back similar to a corset. Overall, corsets may no longer sever a practical purpose, but are still an important part of fashion.

To learn more about corsets

LG Fashion Week 2010 - Pink Tartan

Easy Lux

Pink Tartan is a clothing line created by Kimberley Newport-Mimran, a Canadian fashion designer. She is the wife of Joe Fresh creator and designer Joe Mimran. In 2002 the clothing line was co-founded by Kimberley, and  today she is the president and head designer of the company. Her motto is "Simplicity is the secret to elegance."  Pink Tartan fulfills that statement, its' clothes are simple yet very feminine. The new collection from Pink Tartan is the summer/spring 2011 Easy Lux. Which is available at Holt Renfrew.
Easy Lux is one of my favorites for 2011 summer/spring. The clothes themselves are fairly simple in design, but the bold colours and prints make the clothes unique. It is a more youthful line, the bright colours and less structured peices make the clothes more appealing to a younger generation. The plunging v-necks, sunglasses, and neon coloured hats also give the collection a younger feel. The collection contains many long loose dresses and jumpers. Making the line simple but unique.Overall, Easy Lux contains a lot of simple fun pieces for the warmer whether.

Ammonite Fossils – Matching Pendant & Earrings

Ammonite fossil pendants are pretty easy to come by, but to get matching earrings for a complete set that is a little more difficult. Here are a couple of wire wrapped ammonite pendants with matching earrings; they come on silk cords that can be removed and worn with on other collars, chains or cords. All these fossils come from the regions of Madagascar.

Ammonite Fossil Pendant & Matching Earrings in  Beautiful Earthy colors; wire wrapped in non-tarnish brass wire

Ammonite Fossil Pendant & Matching Earrings in Striking Black; wire wrapped in non-tarnish silver wire

 

Rugged Elegance to Wearable Earth…Check out Timeless Designs Ruby Lane shop to purchase artisan crafted jewelry!

Korean Celebrities at 2010 Style Icon Awards

"2010 Style Icon Awards” is an events show that awards celebrities who are considered to be one of Korea’s representative ‘Style Icons’ for 2010.

This year, 2010 Style Icon Awards was held at the CJ E&M Center in Seoul on November 17th. This year’s event was held by Olive, women’s lifestyle channel, and Onstyle, Korea’s number one style channel. This event is aiming for Korea’s biggest and most popular style awards event for Korean stars.

Many Stars and celebrities attented at the event. Attendees of the 2010 Style Icon Awards includes, 2NE1, C.N. Blue, Min Hyorin, Jung Gaeun, Park Soojin, Kim Jung Eun, Cheon Jeong Myeong, Lee Young Eun, Song Joongki, Seo In Young, Song Kyung Ah, Jang Yoon Ju, Joo Jin Mo, Lee Yoon Ji, Oh Yeon Su, Lee Ji Seon, So Ji Seob, and many more.

2NE1 were the only female girl group that attended the 2010 Style Icon Awards on November 17, 2010. They walked the red carpet with their fashion god-daddy, Jeremy Scott. As predicted, the girls were dressed in Jeremy Scott, once again, making a bold fashion statement (especially CL).

Winners on the night are as follows:

Style Icon of the Year: Lee Byung Hun
Popularity Award: SS501’s Kim Hyun Joong
International Style Icon: So Ji Sub
New Style Icon, Movie Actor: Big Bang’s T.O.P (Choi Seunghyun)
New Style Icon, Actor: Song Joong Ki
New Style Icon, Singer: CNBlue
Fashionista: Oh Yeon Soo
Style Leader: Gong Hyo Jin
Cultural/Arts award: Kolleen Park
Model: Han Hye Jin
Style Icon Actor: Chun Jung Myung
Style Icon Actress: Shin Min Ah
Female Singer: 2NE1
Male Singer: 2PM
Style Icon TV Star: Kim Jung Eun
Movie Actress: Lee Min Jung
Movie Actor: Joo Jin Mo
Special Award: Andre Kim (received by Andre Kim’s son, Kim Joong Do)
Sky Beautiful Sharing Award: Tiger JK & Yoon Mirae


2NE1



CN Blue



Min Hyo Rin



Sandara Park and Park Bom



So Ji Sub

Watch Lee Byung Hun, 2010 Style Icon of the Year Video here



Lee Byung Hun-ssi awarded the 'Style Icon of the Year' at the 2010 Style Icon Awards held at the CJ E&M Center in Seoul, South Korea on November 17, 2010.

Dina Toki-O

Ok Fashionsitas, I am soooooo excited about this interview. This woman is about to become the HOTTEST thing in the Modest Fashion world, and we are the first to interview her. Where do I begin, her creations are so innovative and fresh, hip, youthful,elegant, glamorous, and totally wearable. Although she caters to a mostly Islamic clientele, her fashions are so beautiful that I think any woman regardless of religious orientation, will find something that suits her. So with no further delay (drum roll) here she is Dina Toki-O!

What is your name, age, place of birth, and ethnicity?

My name is Dina Torkia, 21 years, born in Cairo City, my ethnicity I would say is white African/mixed race white British/ Egyptian.

When did you realize your purpose (besides worshipping Allah/God ) was fashion?

Well ever since I started textiles gcse’s in my high school I would say, (aaah the memories). I remember the first thing we had to design and make was a bag! Can't say I enjoyed the practical side much, but from then on I’d throw 110% into all my folder/design work and I knew then I loved designing! I wore hijab at quite a young age, but didn’t care and wasn’t conscious WHAT-SO-EVER about how I looked until I hit the age of approx mmmmm lets say 17 ! Then I decided that I WILL make my hijab look good, END OF!! I started designing hijab wear at A level stage, but sadly didn’t progress to uni with fashion design for a number of reasons.. the main one.. me being STUPID! I don’t regret it however and the way I'm doing it now allows me to be free in how I want to work and share ideas, hamdillah (Praise God) .

How long have you been designing clothes?

 About 4 years but, I didn’t do anything about my designs until July 2010!!!!!

How supportive have your family and friends been on this journey of yours?

Sadly, I’ve lost a few friends on the way but, hamdillah (Praise God) its allowed me to realize the ‘true’ friends I have AND THOSE friends have all beeen AMAAAZIIINGG hehe (thanx guyss xxx), and my family have been incredibly supportive :D

 

Who are your two favorite designers to date?

Elie Saab, there is not one of his dresses that I dislike,  plus he's Arab woop! Lol! Also, Rabia Z, is a designer I've only recently come across, she is very well known amongst us hijabies for her amazing work and  she is great role model!

What are your long term goals for your clothing line?

One word.. I want it to be HUGE! SIMPLES LOL and  inshallah one day open a boutique or two. My dream would be success all over the world and for ALLLLLLL my fans to convert into hijabies.

What is your inspiration for your current collection?

Literally everything around me inspires me! I usually get so many ideas during the night when I'm trying to get some shut eye!!! My head starts buzzziiiing with ideas, which can be a nuisance, but I'm not complaining haha. I try to look at different cultures and mix them up with the Islamic modesty required as well as a Lil London high street fashion! There's quite a lot of choices out there for hijab evening wear, but not so much casual wear that gives off that ‘london look’,  so at the moment I'm enjoying concentrating on casual/street wear.



When can we look forward to purchasing your gorgeous garments?
I knowwww, I keep answering this question with ‘inshallah soooon’ lool but I really can't say a specific date at the moment, inshallah (God wiling) though sometime in the 2011.  For the moment I'm going to start selling one-off exclusive pieces which is a lil more exciting as it will guarantee my customer ultimate originality!!! Lol inshallah (God willing) of course.



Describe the woman who wears your clothes?

Hmmmm.. that’s a good one. Well she would have to be FUN and BOLD, but CLASSY, INDEPENDENT, CONFIDENT and FIERCE! Definitely one that’s not scared to give her opinion! An all round chic sister with a cute personality and most of all ORIGINAL ... god, this woman would be a lot of things! A woman that can be herself at the end of the day.

What price points will your pieces range ?
Well I'm aware that my most popular target market would be lets say between 15-30 yrs.. so I don't want things to be ridiculously priced!! I'm going to be looking at high street prices inshallah (God willing) my clothes will be affordable. Taking a wild guess I'd say between £15-£80, depending on what it is of course. The higher prices would be for evening wear and things that might take me YEARRRSSS to make that sort of thing you know.. loool but again can't say for certain right now.



Will you cater to plus size modest fashionistas?

Of course! Inshallahhh (God willing) when I start selling, I’ll cater to all kinds of women!!!!

 

Why is modesty so important to you, and what would you say to women and young girls out there to encourage them to cover their family jewels and become a modest diva like you?

LESS IS MORE!!! Simples (lol) serious ladies, covering up means so so much nowadays. Number one it protects you and also allows you to be judged for your mind not your body! Our bodies are something we should take care of and respect. Respect only comes once you learn to respect yourself. And I think you’ll all find that modesty is sooooooooooooooooooo ‘in’ right now haha.

You can find Dina Toki-O on facebook. Please check her out and join her fan page.