“I would love to work with other brands and designers at some point,” says junior retail merchandising major at the University of Texas and hijabi blogger Dania Abdi. With over 9,000 Instagram followers waiting to see what extravagant outfit she will post next, Abdi is well on her way to turning her blog into a professional career.
Story by Ethan Elkins
Photos by Cori Baker
The lack of representation of Muslim women in fashion ad campaigns has propelled bloggers to become the leading source of advertising for many brands that cater to Muslim women. Abdi looks up to bloggers like Leena Asad (@withloveleena), who has a following of nearly 300,000 on Instagram. “My blog showcases modest styles I enjoy wearing on a daily basis,” Abdi says. While well-known bloggers like Asad are often given clothing from designers to showcase, Abdi uses her own clothing.
Abdi describes her style as a trendy twist on classic looks. As fan of online shopping, she frequents websites like NastyGal, boohoo and ASOS. She also regularly shops at H&M, Zara and Nordstrom. Occasionally she takes inspiration from the past and will check out vintage shops or steal pieces from her parents. Abdi’s wardrobe is also influenced by her religion. She looks for modest clothing, like shirts with long sleeves or loose-fitting pants. “Sometimes I find tighter or more revealing things to work around,” Abdi says. “You have to be creative with outfits, so having a constriction helps me be more creative.”
Abdi’s blog features photos and descriptions of her outfits as well as links to different places for her readers to shop to recreate her looks. Originally, Abdi planned on posting twice a week, but she admits she has neglected her goal. She has big plans for her website and is working on creating a schedule to help her stay on track over the summer. “I want to branch out more and maybe do collages on the latest trends and show up-to-date things on the runway,” Abdi says.
She wants to incorporate multimedia by filming lookbook videos to showcase her summer style. In addition to the lookbooks, Abdi is also considering filming tutorials. “I get asked a lot about how I wrap my hijabi,” Abdi says. Abdi usually does the traditional pinned wrap-around scarf, but sometimes she will wear turbans for a more formal look.
For the spring and summer, Abdi plans to showcase casual, street-style and formal pieces. For a casual look, Abdi sports a black ensemble with a camo jacket and tan combat boots. As an accessorizing aficionado, Abdi completes her edgy, casual look with black Christian Dior sunglasses and turns an ordinary bandana into an ascot.
Abdi’s street style mixes business-casual pieces like a button-up shirt and an overcoat with jeans and heels. A faux fur ball hangs from her silver Zara backpack, which matches her over-the-shirt necklace and statement sunglasses from Buffalo Exchange.
For her formal looks, she takes a dual-chromatic approach. Seen in an all white wide-legged pantsuit, Abdi appears event-ready with her nude-colored turban, bag and Valentino heels. “I want to inspire people to find different ways to style their outfits modestly,” Abdi says as she continues to expand her career and accumulate a larger following.
