When Uniqlo launched a collection with blogger with Hana Tajima I realized how little attention has been given to provide off the shelf, easy to combine clothing options for Muslim women in the high street fashion industry. Social Media has given this community a new vehicle to share tips and express themselves creatively (#hijab #hijabfashion #muslimah) but this step forward to brick and mortar validates a smashing online reality: Islam is not incompatible with style.

From my Western European upbringing, I grew up seeing Muslim women mortified in their clothing. It was more of a punishment in my eyes. I remember teenage Moroccan girls wearing thick long sleeve winter turtle necks under spaghetti strap maxi dresses, on hot summer days. I thought: God they must be suffocating! I realize now that part of it was the lack of suitable options available for them. Luckily nowadays I see many young Muslim women dressed nicely, modestly and wearing hijabs like proud crowns. They have more comfortable options at their disposal and they are able to express themselves. Fashion has empowered them. I see them in the streets of Singapore, dignified and with an enormous amount of creativity and style. Writing this article made me aware of this evolution and encouraged me promote the cause, to celebrate diversity in fashion. It will not be the last one on this topic.

Faithful to the brand, the Hana Tajima collection for Uniqlo is a combination of comfortable, well cut basics and a few statement pieces you can mix in endless permutations. Lose fitting tops, slacks, tunics, cool airy dresses and subtly printed scarfs in white and deep shades. If you are not crazy about fashion or can’t spend much time shopping and putting outfits together, this is a fabulous option for you. If you want a little more this might be too bland.

It is bland for me. I was hungry for more, so I went online to find modest Muslim outfits with more sass and what I found really amazed me.

Here are my top 5 Muslim Fashion Blogger outfits –

Ethnic print scarf worn in the front and tied with a belt. Off white hijab and long black dress, from SincerelyMaryam.com

Jersey skirt and knit jumper in grey and whites. Soft colors and chunky trainers, by Nuriyah O. Martinez – Hijabhaul.com

Ethnic print trousers with matching the turban. Mustard blouse and green jacket are picked from colors of the print. This is a great trick. By Imaan Ali – modeststreetfashion.com

Khaki shirt with distressed jeans, brown stripped hijab and pointy heels, by street hijab fashion

Black, white and gold maxi necklace. Win win win! By blogger Essra Azim from Valessie

Out of all brands it was Uniqlo the one to move forward on this area and not Zara or Top Shop for example, high street fashion companies that come from countries that have much bigger Muslim populations than Japan. It surprised me because Japanese is not a very diverse and tolerant culture, from what I have seen myself and what I learnt from my friend Lara, producer of the documentary Hafu – the mixed-race experience in Japan. So kudos to Uniqlo for taking this step with Hana Tajima!

To be continued…

Check out more inspiring modest looks (and more to come) in my Pinterest Album: