Hidden Pearls - A Hijab Review

I was recently sent a few hijabs by hijab and accessories company Hidden Pearl, which is a UK-based hijab, hijab accessories and gifts company. In today's day and age of shopping online, or markets and shops which sell cheap knock-off items, the issue a lot of the time is quality without having to pay a heft price tag. It's pretty ironic that for a lot of women like myself who wear hijab, hijab is so important to us, but we often end up buying cheap scarves just to make do for everyday wear, and it would be nice to find something decent-made and long-wearing.

Hidden Pearls is one of those companies which combines a good balance of business and ethics - for them hijab is not just about selling but also about being. This is reflected by how the fact that they sell a variety of hijabs, hijab pins, handbags and purses, and various types of Islamic gifts including Eid gifts which all tie in together making moments extra special for women around the world.

I also like a company who can keep their finger on the fashion pulse without charging huge prices, which is a big bonus from this company - hijab fashion is changing and evolving each year with more and more demand for variety, style, colours and materials (and after seeing it on the catwalk, it's been popularised more!) so it's great to find a company like this. Hidden Pearls sells a huge range of scarves from plain hijabs, crinkle, jersey, pom-pom, Turkish, shimmer, multi-tones, ombre, silk, floral, pearl, lace, ribbon, diamante and even glitter hijabs (and that's not even all of the list!) - so there's something for everyone, just check out their categories!

I was sent a variety of scarves from the company, and picked a group of shades which I know I'd use a lot - as you can see below I picked a lot of pinks shades!

This is the full group picture of the scarves I received - as you can see there are a variety of shades and a variety of textures, so there's something every season and occasion.

Here's a look at the crinkle hijabs I was sent, in pink and grey - crinkle and pleated hijabs have become quite fashionable in the last year or so, and it's great to see available on this site. I've been looking for a decent crinkle hijab for some time and was delighted with these, the shades are perfect for the outfits I wear, and the material is beautiful soft without being too thick.

Next up are the jersey hijabs, which I received in two colours, cream and mauve. These were made from a beautifully soft material, and again are colours I can see myself using a lot. One of the things I love about jersey hijabs is how comfortable they are, and how easily they wrap without needing too many pins or fussing about. I also love how good quality the jersey material of these actually are - I've seen a lot of cheap jersey hijabs which wear down too easily or are too thin and doesn't look nice, and I love that these are have a beautiful feel to them which really shows the quality of the scarf.

Lastly are the chiffon scarves, which I though were lovely, as they both had different textures - one was a luxury chiffon scarf, while the other was a plain chiffon scarf. Again, both are colours I wear all the time, and they are beautifully made. One of the issues I have in the summer when it's hot (the last few weeks especially showed this!) is that my head gets too hot if I use thick materials for scarves, so chiffon is perfect for the warm weather because it's breathable, light and comfortable. I also love using chiffon scarves for special events and weddings because they give that touch of luxury, which really pulls an outfit together - if you see in the close up of the scarves below, you can see just how well made these scarves are, and they're not even see-through!

I love the colours that I was sent and will definitely be using them in the future (I've already worn these a few times already!)

I really like that this is a website I can see myself buying different scarves from in the future as well, and there is a real personal touch to the customer service which really makes all the different. The scarves themselves are pretty affordable, which start from as little as £5.99 for a chiffon scarf, which I think is excellent value for the quality you receive.

The company are also releasing Islamic Gifts and Eid Gifts boxes, which are a really sweet idea of curated boxes of luxury items (and they're also launching their new Eid Presents for Kids, so keep an eye out!). Hidden Pearls is doing a regular and deluxe version of the box which offers a beautiful hijab (or two hijabs in the Deluxe box) from their luxury collection, you get a set of gorgeous hijab pins and an everyday essential hijab bonnet or ninja cap. Along with this, is also  additional items in the box ranging from chocolates, pretty earrings, a bow and other really nice stuff!

Image from Hidden Pearl website

If you're like me then you've probably seen a lot of versions of these for Christmas, Easter or New Year, but I've never really seen an Eid Box like this which is affordable. I often find things like to make a much more thoughtful gesture when giving as a gift to a fellow Muslimah, and is definitely a sign of a company helping to pave the road for the Islamic gift market.

You can purchase hijabs from Hidden Pearls from their website here.

Social Media links:
Facebook page
Instagram page
Twitter: @HiddenPearlsUK


*Disclaimer: These hijabs were given to me for an honest, non-paid review*

SPARKLY GIVEAWAYS: Saverah Women Expo '17 - Free Tickets!

Have I got a treat for you guys! I've been invited to the Saverah Women Expo this weekend, as as a treat for my readers, you all get free tickets to the all-day shopping exhibition on either Saturday 22nd July or Sunday 23rd July.

Intercontinental London O2 for 2 Days – 22nd – 23rd July inshallah giving a full weekend exposure to our exhibitors and designers. The venue is located right next to the world famous O2 arena and 1 min walk from the North Greenwich Station.
The Saverah Women Expo is recognized as the biggest Expo for the Muslim Women in UK and Europe with an expected number of more than 6000 attendees over the 2 days.
Timings of the Exhibition are:
Saturday 22nd July – 15:00 -21:00 | Sunday 23rd July – 11:00 – 19:00

There'll be over 100 exhibitors, 20 modest fashion designers, 20 speakers and lots of things to see, try and buy!

All you have to do is click on the website's ticket page, and enter Promotional Code 'SAVERAH17' and select the tickets!

Drop a comment below if you're thinking of coming to the event, and keep an eye out for me to come say hi if you attend!

Social Media Links
Social Media Handlers: Twitter @saverahevents | Instagram @saverahevents |Facebook@saverah
You tube link for advert
Facebook Event Page

DESIGNER MODE: Amber Gohar

Amber Gohar is a designer whose work I've followed for the past couple of years, after discovering her on Facebook and Instagram - I like her pieces because they seem comfortable, stylish and easy to wear.

I've seen most of her outfits being worn by real customers, which I like because it shows how it actually looks on, and I love how effortlessly chic the pieces look.

The designer has a range of styles for her pieces - her latest outfits has incorporated frilly sleebs and trousers which seems to be quite popular, and perfect for summer - like the pieces below.

A lot of the outfits I've seen are a range of colours, with either separates for a mix-and-match style like many other designers are starting to adopts as well, or full suits which are perfect for occasion-wear. I really like how most of the outfits aren't too busy or heavy, and look easy to wear.

One of the first pieces which caught my eye from this designer was the cape outfits below, which I loved, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! The outfits are focused on summery colours and lacey material, with minimal work for a more simple look.

There's also a lot of embroidered pieces which I really like, that look really stylish - I can imagine wearing most of these, and I love all of the colours.

The brand also does heavier formal pieces too - I can see that they have a similar style to their lighter pieces with a focus on embellished kameezes, straight trousers and a East-meets-West fusion look.

I also like that the designer and her daughters are often spotted in their own design (and that Amber Gohar's daughter Mishal Asad has her own designer collection, Cross Stitch,which I also love!)

I've mentioned before that I had my eye on one of Amber Gohar's pieces as a potential Eid outfit, and althought I didn't end up buying the outfit, I'll be keeping an eye out for more of her designs. Her latest collection is the 'Wonderful White' collection, which is a series of cotten white seperates, which is perfect for summer.

Amber Gohar is available to buy in London via vender Hina Rasim, through website LibasUSA and also directly from the designer herself.

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: The Elan Silk Replica by Dhanak Fashions

Remember this outfit? I finally got a chance to wear it for a dinner recently on a warm weekend, and was glad that it was ideal for a summery look. This is the outfit - it's a rich, colourful suit made from a soft cool cotton which was perfect for the warm weather.

Here's how I accessorised - I generally don't wear a lot of jewellery, and in summer I wear even less, so I just opted for some plain heels and a pretty embellished clutch bag given to me when I got married. The outfit is pretty colourful so white accessories were the best option to go with this!

This is the outfit on me - I loved how comfortable this felt, and how easy to wear. The colours were pretty flattering, and I got a lot of compliments while I was wearing this.

My favourite thing about the outfit is probably how rich the dupatta is, which makes  anice statement piece (I can even imagine wearing the dupatta by itself with a plain suit).

Outfit - Dhanak Fashion

Heels - Boohoo

Clutch Bag - Green Street

Hijab - Inayah Collection

I'm looking forward to making the most of my summery outfits this year - one of the things I find a hassle about the warm weather is wearing modest clothes without having to layer. Lawn outfits have becomes very fashionable in the last few years, and they're perfect for the weather too, which is such a relief when I want something stylish and comfortable.

I loved wearing this outfit, and though it was great value for money, especially considering how many other outfits and replicas there are out there which are not as great and cost a lot more. I'll be keeping an eye out for more affordable outfits and will post my finds, hopefully I'll have a pretty wardrobe to post about this summer!

BOLLYWOOD ISHTYLE: Sonam for Ralph & Russo

Bollywood style icon Sonam Kapoor caught everyone's eyes again a few days ago, after she walked as a showstopper on the catwalk for her favourite dressers, Ralph and Russo. The Bollywood actress looked like a ice princess from a (fashionable) fairy-tale, with a couture white and silver gown, and dripping in sparkling diamonds from head to heel.

Sonam   walked the ramp to present Ralph & Russo's 2017 fall/winter Haute Couture collection at the Paris Fashion Week, where she wore a figure-hugging bridal gown, involving a peplum gown and a spectacular gown.

I thought Sonam Kapoor's look was spectacular, while I'm not sure everyone would go for the full-on jewelled look, it worked nicely with her minimal makeup, and help showcase the beautiful dress quite well.

I'll be waiting to see what other showstopper looks Sonam will be going for this year, although this one will be pretty hard to top! Let me know what you thought of this one - yay or  nay?