Welcome back to me!

Geeez, was it really Mach 4 when I last posted?  I'm embarrassed, you guys.  Seriously, how did I let so much time go by?  I love blogging for you all and making your wardrobe finds easier and increasingly fashionable while maintaining modesty.  So accept my apologies.  I'm hoping to get on a more normal schedule.

What has kept me away, you ask.  Well, primarily the need for some rest.  It's been a hard few months and I just became...tired.  I thought I could keep it all going but eventually, you realize it's best not to.

What else?  Well, school.  The first term of the spring ended and the new spring term has begun.  And with that has come finals, group projects, and all that fun stuff.  But (insha'Allah!) I am about 18ish credits from graduating!  That's about 9 classes!

Oh, a secret project.  I can't tell you about it yet.  But I will.  Oh, I will.

Oh, and I helped my friend's daughter find outfits for DC MIST.  She emailed me sometime in February, asking to coordinate her team's outfits.  I had a lot of fun and the students looked great!

Finally, I turned 30.  It was lovely and wonderful and I was surrounded by a loving assortment of people.

Me with a chunk of my support network. Lots of girls not pictured (Naima, Sara, Sarah, Amie, Caroline, Hareem, the list goes on...)

Naima's mom, me, my mom, my younger brother

 Looking forward to many posts of fun, stylish, modest fashions!

Modest Marvel: Sarah Imam

One of my biggest regrets in college is that I didn't appreciate style and fashion.  You could typically find me sporting a free t-shirt and an oversized sweatshirt hoodie (similar to the one I am wearing as I write this post!), traipsing through campus (love you JMU!).  It's why when I find college students with enviable closets who are maintain a fashion sense while still modestly dressing, I have to highlight their efforts and wins.

Sarah Imam certainly falls in to this category (do you see her tan and black polka dot sweater?!)  She was the recipient of our Greater Lengths giveaway of The Limited Stitched Shawl boyfriend blazer, and sets a standard for how the next generation of modest dressers should look - without sacrificing their values.

Name: Sarah Imam

Modest Marvel Sarah Imam in her various stylish, modest outfits over her four years of college

Background: A proud product of Northern Virginia schools, Sarah is currently in her final year at University of Virginia, majoring in Foreign Affairs.  She's an avid baker and loves to read classic novels, like Jane Eyre and Gone with the Wind
What we love about her style:  Her on-point, easy style that covers up without looking bulky, frumpy, or dowdy.
Your favorite pieces:  Sarah loves her cardigans.  "I always add them on if I feel like I need to add a bit more color to what I’m wearing."  She's also been loving her mint-colored pants.  "It just adds a feeling of freshness to my look."  Her trademark touch is a flower or bow in her hair (definitely a step up from the bandana headbands I used to wear!), which is the ultimate finishing touch to almost all her outfits!
About her style:  A woman after my heart, she cites Zooey Deschanel's character from New Girl as her style inspiration.  Sarah weaves soft, feminine touches in to her outfits.  Currently, she is "obsessed" with peace, mint, and mustard colors", so you'll find her all around UVA grounds or Charlottesville with one of those colors integrated into her outfit.
What are you looking to achieve in an outfit?:  "I try to send the message that it's okay to look girly and that matching is perfection!"
What makes an outfit?:  "Any accessory makes an outfit."  Hair clips, earrings, necklaces, or belts are among the ones Sarah uses to pull an outfit together.
Your no-limit gift card would be for: "Forever 21! There are so many choices there, it's ridiculous!"

Extra 40% Off Sale Sale at South Moon Under

Sorry about the confusing post earlier - the sale is at South Moon Under, not Cusp (although they are having their own sale as well - just not as good as SMU)

Since I am out the door to a facial (my first!!), I did a quick review.  Here are a few items I thought you guys would like!  Let me know what else you find!

A+RO Faux Leather Trim Jacket - $41

Free People Sweater - $35 (in mint!)

Free People Sequin Party Pants - $23

 

Free People Cropped Skinny Vegan Leather Accented Tuxedo Pants - $47

Free People 'Smarty' Cardigan - $42

Candy Colored

Walking to and from class in Washington, D.C. (I'm also a part-time MBA student at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith Business school), I see this same billboard on all the Metro buses and bus stops.

  

I'm looking forward to all the pretty pretty colors emerging around every corner and these colored skinny jeans from Gap are perfect to layer with longer tunics.  Balancing flowy tops with fitted bottoms is not only one of the easiest modest outfits to create, skinny jeans - in all colors - is an essential closet item for the modest dresser's closet.

Which color do you like best?

Gap Skimmer Jeans

Modest Marvel: Marwa Atik

You may not have yet heard her name, but if you shop for hijabs, you may have heard of her line - Vela.  A young and budding entrepreneur, Marwa's line, Vela, has caught the eye of a number of LA press and other well-known fashion sites, but us at Greater Lengths, it's her edgy style that has us hooked.

Marwa is part of the next generation of modestly-dressing women who bring a new take to fashion and being a stylish, modest dresser.  Her ideas and bold fashion is sure to catch the eyes of those who do and don't wear hijab!  Check out her line on her online retail site and on Facebook, and learn more about her below.

Name: Marwa Atik

Marwa, stylin' it up during finals week

Background: Born and raised in California with roots in Syria, Marwa is the middle child of 5 siblings and currently attending the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) as an Apparel Management major.  If you're a native of LA, you'll find her all over downtown working on Vela and looking for new design inspirations

What we love about her style: Marwa's feminine style is laced with rocker edge: her sweet ballet flats are studded, adds zippers to her hijabs, and rocks work boots with fringed scarves.

Studded ballet flats - signature Marwa Atik

Favorite pieces:  "A good handbag and jeans! It's important for me to find a chic handbag because I will often carry it out in every outfit and make use of it.  Also, lately I'm obsessed with the detailing that jeans have: from gold zippers at the ankles, to the textured print, the wash, fit, and detailed stitching at the knees.  I love finding  a good unique pair of styled jeans!"

About your style:  Marwa describes her style as a clash between Zara and Urban Outfitters (what did we say about feminine with a rocker edge?!) "I can be proper chic with the right blazer and top and then the next day id be wearing timberlands with a flannel shirt tied around my waist. It all depends on my mood and day!"


What makes an outfit:  For Marwa, it's all about her scarf.  "I think to any hijabi, it's important!"

Your no-limit gift card would be for: Nordstrom.  With a chuckle, she says, "Any smart girl would pick Nordstrom because you have access to almost every designer or brand!"