Aassalamualaikum all,
I hope that everyone is doing okay and enjoying these early days of autumn… As we will be soon surrounded by rain from all sides, I am personally trying to make the most out of good weather!
I think most of us would agree that the end of a season is a good time for a wardrobe declutter and refresh. Personally, when in the process of a wardrobe update, I like to invest in versatile pieces that may cost a bit more but will last for longer due to their quality and timeless design - something that both my wallet and planet would benefit from.
I am currently on a mission to build my abaya “collection” - from scratch - I am a revert of few years and only recently started wearing them. Physical Islamic stores are a bit far from where I live, hence why my go to is the online world of abayas.
I quickly realised that the thing with buying an abaya online is… you never quite know what you will get - that is even more true when you are new to this experience. The colour may differ, the quality may differ… You might just decide it doesn’t actually suit you as much as you imagined it would be.
As with everything, practice makes perfect. Although I now own few pieces that are unsuitable (and cannot be returned / exchanged - downside of this business), I also learnt what type of abayas I am looking for and I have my favourite online stores.
As shipping is normally not included in the price, I usually wait for some type of promotion to go live so I can benefit from a lower price in total.
I also noticed that a lot of online shops sell the same, more or less basic style abayas, however some of the stores also have some special pieces in their collection.
This is is the case with Anaqa Inspired - I was so pleased by getting my hands on this Himalayan Blue Poppy embroidered abaya (that by the way is selling out at rapid pace) and I have to say that it looks even more stunning in real life than on pictures. Colour is powdery, fabric is thick and heavy, embroidery looks solid. I am wearing it to friend’s wedding so I am going to pair it with my own gold belt and hijab for a bit of a special effect, however they do come with their own matching belts and hijabs.
And just like that, Anaqa Inspired joined my list of favourite online abaya retailers!
PS The Himalayan Blue Poppy open abaya is already sold out! Inshallah will be restocked soon so others can enjoy its beauty ;)
See you soon - all the best,
Leila Lewinsky
