I didn’t get to read a guide on modest fashion when I was finding my style. So, here it is for the girls who can’t figure out their way into modest fashion. Whether you are new to it or have been into modest fashion for a while now but are unable to figure out your style, this guide is all you need.
From deciding your style to revamping your wardrobe with modest wear essentials, and tips on styling those essentials, this article has all you need. So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s start restyling.
What Is Modest Fashion?
Everyone seems to have their own definition of modest fashion. And the purpose of this guide is not to alter that definition but to offer some guidelines that can fit into numerous different definitions of modest wear.
Generally, covering up the skin and wearing loose garments fall under the description of modest fashion. The details of this description may vary from person to person.
Find Your Style Before Revamping Your Wardrobe
As the definition of modest fashion varies, so does the style of every other person. Before you start revamping your wardrobe, you must find out your style. If you have been following modest fashion for a while now, you must have figured it out by now.
However, if you are new to it, you might need to step back and do little research. Open your Instagram and go through the profiles of the influencers and bloggers that follow modest fashion. You will find a variety of styles. From abayas to wide-leg pants and long-line blazers, you will get to know about a lot of basic styles.
After some scrolling, you will feel inclined toward a certain style. However, don’t rush. Let yourself explore and experiment with a few styles before deciding on what you want. It took me a good amount of time to figure out my style, so if you have doubts, that’s natural. Just make sure to choose the style that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
Wardrobe Essentials You Must Have If You Want To Dress Modestly
The next step after deciding your style is gathering wardrobe-essentials. Here, I have made a list of ten wardrobe essentials you would need to create the most elegant and stylish modest looks. You can mix and match these essentials in hundreds of ways. So. don’t miss out on them.
1 – Longline Blazers
If you are a working woman or someone who has to show up in professional settings very often, longline blazers will soon become your best friend. You can style them in a thousand ways, all while keeping your outfits super-modest. A general rule of thumb for beginners is to get blazers in black, white, and beige colors. However, if you want something more than minimalist, go for plaid and tweed blazers, or you can get solid colors, such as maroon or teal.
The catch is that you can style these blazers with anything. You have got wide-leg pants and tops? A blazer will look great with it. Are you wearing a skirt? Blazers can instantly level up your outfit. Going for denim? A blazer with denim can never go wrong. The only thing you need to keep in mind as a beginner is to choose blazers that are versatile, both in terms of their style and color.
2 – Maxi Dresses
A guide about modest fashion is incomplete without mentioning maxi dresses. These dresses need minimal styling, and with little effort, you can create an elegant and stylish outfit. The best part is you can wear maxi dresses to casual as well as formal events based on how you style them.
Get yourself some decent prints and matching scarves. Also, when styling maxi dresses, accessories play a great role. Carry a matching handbag or crossbody bag to give your look a perfect finish.
Besides long maxi dresses, you can also get midi skirts and knee-length dresses. You can style the latter type with knee-length boots and leggings. This way, you can add some versatility to your wardrobe.
3 – Matching Sets
Matching sets are another wardrobe essential that you must have as a beginner. You can style them with other tops and bottoms as well as together. Though it’s recommended to invest in plain and formal matching sets as they offer freedom of styling, you can also get some chic and colorful matching sets.
Matching sets are a great option for days when you don’t feel creative enough to style an outfit by deciding what items to pair. These ready-to-wear outfits require minimum effort on your part, so they are worth investing in.
4 – Abayas
Abaya is a must-have if you are into modest fashion. They need minimum effort for styling and can look super-elegant. The best part is that you can style them for all types of occasions. Going out on a shopping spree? Grab an abaya. Have a lunch date with your girls? An abaya can never go wrong. In a hurry and can’t decide what to wear? Abayas can help you out.
Though abayas are mostly associated with black color, and they look super-elegant in black, you don’t have to limit yourself to this color; you can get abayas in neutral shades as well as solid colors. You can also get abays with geometric and digital prints if you want something chic. Whatever you choose, just make sure you add some abayas to your wardrobe.
5 – Oversized Button Down Shirts
You will have to invest in a lot of loose garments, and oversized button-down shirts are just one of them. Get a few button-down shirts, and pair them with plain tops, denim jeans, or wide-leg pants.
Beginners mostly buy tops and bottoms in neutral shades such as beige, white, etc. So, for oversized button-down shirts, choose solid colors such as red, blue, etc., or you can even go for pastels. This way, you can add a pop of color to your monotone outfit.
6 – Plain Tops
You cannot style a single outfit without plain tops, so they are a must-have. You can use them in layering outfits as well as separately. Decide what colors you want based on the overall vibe of your wardrobe. Whatever style you opt for, you must get a black, brown, beige, and white top.
When you are short on outfit ideas, you can pair up one of these tops with cargo pants or denim, and you will be good to go.
7 – Relaxed Denim
For bottoms, you must have a few versatile options in your wardrobe. Relaxed denim is one of the most versatile wardrobe essentials you can ever find. You can pair it with tops, button-down shorts, blazers, etc. Also, you don’t have to worry about matching the colors, as almost every color looks good with denim.
If you are a university or college student, relaxed denim can be really helpful, as you can create alot of casual-wear outfits by mixing and matching different tops. Besides, you can also get different patterns and colors of denim to add some variety to your wardrobe.
8 – Wide Leg Pants
Other than relaxed denim, wide-leg pants are the only other versatile option for bottoms. Get yourself some good pairs of wide-leg pants in neutral colors, and you can create new looks by pairing them with button-downs and tops.
One problem you will face while shopping for modest fashion is that you cannot find longer tops. However, with wide-leg pants, you don’t need to, as they are the perfect item to pair with short tops without compromising the modesty of your overall look.
9 – Skirts
Though not versatile, like relaxed denim and wide-leg pants, skirts can also help create some effortless modest looks. However, you will need to shop for tops and leggings (if the skirts are not full-length) to pair with them.
Skirts look perfect when paired with knee-length or ankle-length boots. Besides, when shopping for skirts, decide what type of outfits you want to create out of them. If you want minimal outfits, go for slip skirts. However, if you like chic outfits, go for pleated skirts.
10 – Scarfs
How many scarves are enough scarves? Well! No hijabi would like to answer that question with a numerical figure. As a beginner, you should always invest in neutral colors. You can get other colors along the way while matching them with your dresses or abayas. Just know that you don’t have to match the scarf perfectly every single time. You can experiment with different shades and color combinations.
Invest in under caps as well. If you have been a hijabi for a while now, you must know what a crucial role under cap plays in keeping your hijab fixed. So, get yourself a few of them.
11 – Leggings And Boots
You will need boots and leggings when styling midi skirts and knee-length dresses. So, you must have a pair of black and white leggings in your wardrobe. Other than that, invest in knee-length and ankle-length boots. Though loafers and sneakers look great with denim and long maxis, you would need long boots to cover up if you wear short skirts or dresses.
Boots are a one-time investment. So, make sure you keep comfort in your mind when shopping for footwear.
Some Tips For Modest Fashion
Style? Decided. Wardrobe essentials? Gathered. Now is the time to enlighten you with some basic tips to help you assemble the best modest outfits.
Mix And Match
When shopping for wardrobe essentials, make sure you get blazers, tops, and pants in neutral colors so you can mix and match to create different outfits. This way, you can pair them with solids to create new looks.
Make Comfort Your Priority
Yes, looking elegant and stylish is a good thing, but feeling confident and comfortable should be your priority. Modest fashion is all about feeling pretty on the inside. Firstly, shop for essentials that are comfortable. Check the fitting and size properly. Secondly, mix and match the essentials in such a way that your comfort is not compromised.
Accessorize Your Outfits
Accessories are a must-have and need attention. Choose the accessories according to your style. If you are opting for a minimal style, go for less accessories. For hijabis, it’s always better to invest in rings and bracelets. You might also need some sleek pendants, depending on the style of your hijab.
Besides, invest in hijab pins, as they can serve as elegant accessories. Also, wearing sunglasses is a chic way to upgrade your outfit.
Choose The Fabric Carefully
The fabric plays a great role in offering comfort. Look out for the fabric of all the wardrobe essentials, especially scarves. Other than comfort, the fabric also plays a crucial role in deciding the overall look of your outfit. Some fabrics make your outfit look elegant; others make it look rusty.
Whatever fabric you choose, make sure it’s appropriate for the weather, makes you feel comfortable, and doesn’t compromise the overall look of your outfit.
Don’t Go After Popular Trends
When you are into modest fashion, you have to step back from a few mainstream trends, as not all popular fashion is catered to the prerequisites of modest fashion. You might not be able to hop on a few trends just because you can’t recreate them with your specific style. The key is to not fret over it.
Either you can let it go or recreate it with a little twist by modifying it to fit your sense of fashion. This way, you can stay in touch with the latest trends without compromising your modest style.
Learn The Basics Of Layering
From under caps and scarves to blazers and coats, modest fashion requires you to do a lot of layering. And if you don’t know the basic of layering, you will probably mess it up. So, before you start with it, learn the basics of layering.
Do some research on what colors you can mix and match in layering and learn the don’ts of layering. Don’t stack them over each other; learn the art of layering.
Invest In Wardrobe Essentials That Don’t Require Layering
Though layering is a great way of creating new looks, you must invest in wardrobe essentials that don’t require layerings, such as abayas and matching sets. This way, you can add some variety to your wardrobe.
Buy matching sets that can be styled in different ways. Besides, you can also invest in maxi dresses. Other than that, get abayas that can be styled with different cardigans. So, you get more than one outfit out of it.
When In Doubt, Go For Another Option
Comfort is a priority when it comes to modest fashion. So, if you are having doubts about an outfit, skip it. It’s always better to go for another option than select a look you are doubtful about.
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Some Looks You Can Recreate
