Brevity is Bravery?

I never blog about my shortcomings or my lack of talent in any particular field/activity/circumstance.
Not that I'm suggesting any notions of phoniness. Nor am I hinting at the fact that I only blog about things I feel I can relate myself with positively. However, a trend that has come to my attention is my inability to articulate my thoughts and feelings effectively, with that certain 'je ne sais qoui'--the very same kind that Tyra Banks practically salivated for, in her quest to unearth this distinctive quality from her models. (My dissertation on 'America's Next Top Model' is somewhat thorough for a good reason: most of my prepubescent and pubescent years were spent glued to the television screen, watching said show. Absorption of modeling tactics and cat fights were paralleled with Science 8 geology worksheets and paragraphs on "How I Spent my Summer Vacation").

Wait, what was I getting at?
Argh, you see?

I WANT AU-TUMN AU-LL THE TIME.

Falling in love with fall was so easy.

[photos by yours truly]


(VIDEO POST THIS WEEKEND, YARRRRR! ALSO. THANK YOU, NEW FOLLOWERS! XOXO)

Hijabi Fashion Week--Day 7: "The Cup of Life" - Running Errands! UUU style.

Hijabi Fashion Week Day 7 = Last Day of Hijabi Fashion Week.
'kay, I'm so lobbying for 9 days in a week, because if this was so there'd be two more days of HFW left!
Plaintively obvious and coupled with-a-smudge-of-politics statements aside, the last theme is pertaining to what one wears whilst running errands.
 OH NO. I never thought it would come to this. Dear readers, this outfit will be plain, y'all.
Brace yourselves.
In fact, it is my weekend-errand-running UNIFORM.
No one sees me in these clothes except for:

• bank tellers
• fast-food workers
• retail workers
• pimply teens that work at Superstore and other such establishments that employ minimum-wage labourers
• la familia

And now, I am plastering this on cyberspace? T'is true.

 who what wear?

• classic beige trench: Old Navy
• FAT JEANS, OH YES!
• comfy, soft hijab!
• lime green flats: Joe Fresh, $6
• glittery purple purse: Claires, $5

 outfit commentary:

Blank, beige canvas with pops of color. Bit of jewelery for interest. Only for running errands/lazy day at schoolio? *winces*
Similar to LAZY DAY OUTFIT OF LAST YEAR.

NOW, NOW! FUN IS STILLLLL NOT OVER! CLICK HERE: modestytheory.blogspot.com TO SEE HOW HIJABULOUS LADIES DRESS FOR RUNNING ERRANDS!
And with that, Hijabi Fashion Week comes to a termination. It was a good time, y'all. I've *met* so many cool hijabis through this experience. It's kind of radical having friends from ALL OVER THE WORLD! Thanks to all my lovely new followers; so glad you're a part of my journey of experimenting with life. :)
*emotion-laden tears fall down my face*

AW. CYBER HUG Y'ALL! :D ♥

Hijabi Fashion Week--Day 6: Date Night! UUU style.

Yup, you read right.
DATE NIGHT! =D
With hubbies, of course; th'as how we do it halaaaal, yo. ;)
I'm not 100% sure if the other ladies participating in HFW are of age, as in, have husbands...but from perusing their blogs, most of 'em are young! Still, there are a few that do have significant others, so when you look at their outfits...keep in mind it may be a Real Date Outfit, gasp! :)

*Hey future soul mate: when Hijabi Fashion Week rolls around 6, 7, 8 years from now inshah'allah (as HFW will be an annual thing!) you better be willing to guest star on Under Urooba's Umbrella, during the themed day of Date Night.
Yeah? Yeah!? Yeah! You really will be my soul mate then! ;)


Date Nights[/Days] That Would Be Incredibly Joyous For Me:

• la classique: dinner + movie; YUMMY dinner + GOOD movie
• moonlit walks on the beach (cue the awwwwwwwwwws) I LOVE MOONLIGHT.
• picnic on the beach, witnessing a sunset
• day at an amusement park!
• going to a cafe for some overpriced, caffeinated drinks and not only watching but participating in a slam poetry fest on a rainy sunday evening <3
• cliched candle-lit dinner at home; meal cooked together!
• 6 AM hike, up a mountain (I don't really do physical activity, but I'll make an exception ;))
• kayaking!
• camping together!
• reading the dictionary together--I kid, I kid! (Sort of. No wait, I do! I do! Ish.)
• And, you know, a day spent vintage shopping with his credit card has got to be a good day! ;)

Ahem. Got a little carried away there....
Anyways.
Here's what I'd wear (well, I wouldn't wear it to all the aforementioned activities. Read: hike up a mountain!):

who what wear?

• black shiny blazer: $7, Salvation Army
• kick-arse booty heels: $5, random thrift store
• CRAZY-wonderful-but-not-depictable-in-this-way-with-my-crapola-pictures-80's-discotheque-shiny dress: no clue, but it's vintage ofc!
• necklace: Aldo, $10 

Yeah! Fun's not over (ARE YOU SICK OF ME SAYING THIS YET, LOL)!
To see how other hijabulous ladies dress up for Date Night *wink wink*, click HERE HERE HERE!

See you tomorrow! For the laaaaaast day of HFW! :O

Hijabi Fashion Week- Day 5: Weekend Wear! UUU style

Oh hey blogosphere! Fancy running into you here. Never thought I would. Really, this is a surprise.

OH, GUESS WHAT.
Hijabi Fashion Week is almost. over. D': Before I start getting all sniffly and sentimental and emotional, I must remind myself, that there are 2 days still left after today!

Alright, let's get it cracking: today's theme is of weekend wear. This does not include running errands and lounging at home and being lazy and stuff (because that is a separate category in itself. Oh shoot! Just gave away the theme for day 7.)

Also, I look like a rapist at home.

So, I'd wear something like the following outfit, on the weekend, if I were doing things like these:

• going to a training session/workshop/conference
• grabbing ice-cream/drinks/slurpees avec les amies
• meeting with my mentor/co-mentee (sounds so professional!)
• meeting with my employer (ditto!)

D'oh! Look at my weekend activities, so dorky. B)
But you're not interested in all that, are ya? Here's what I'd wear!

who what wear?

• red skinnies: Wet Seal, $15 (They're actually my 12-year-old kid sister's!)
• adorable 50-styles dress: $1 (SERIOUSLY.) at Jet Rag's (vintage store in Los Angeles) $1 sale
• floral jacket THAT IS A WORK OF ART <3, but one that no one likes D: :Value Village, ~$3

Errr, it'd be best not to ask.

 outfit commentary: Just one thing darlings, I LOVE the combo of the polka dots + floral, if I do say so myself!

Yeah, I'mma say it again, teehee: FUN'S NOT OVER!
Wanna see what other ladies that don the hijab wear on the weekend?
Click HERE HERE HERE!

SEE. YOU. TOMORROW. Tomorrow's theme is tres interessante. ;)

Hijabi Fashion Week- Day 4: Vacation/Travel Wear! UUU style.

'sup beauts!?

Day 4 of Hijabi Fashion Week---don't you crave for more days in the week now!? I sure do!
In other news, today, I decided to elope.


Oh, wait.
That is the incorrect term here. More like I've STOPPED, DROPPED, AND AM ROLLING away to a generic tropical island destination!
*snaps back to reality*
Ah. 'Kay. Never mind, that was merely a dream. Although I could've sworn I went on vacation recently...
OH, OUF, right: HFW Day 4 = Vacation/Travel Wear.
 2 in-class essays tomorrow? Nah! More like 2 first-class tickets that will take me and another companion of my choice to The Bahamas tomorrow!
 *snaps back to reality. Again.*

Oh.

 

who what wear?

• green, pleated maxi skirt: $3, Value Village (luff! <3)
• hot pink blouse (it's actually a dress!): vintage via F as in Frank (rad-tastic vintage store on Main St., Vancouver!), $a few dollars
• green gladiators: $5, wet seal
• coral necklace: $2.50, Suzy Shier

 outfit commentary: During the summer (when I tend to take vacations) I do not......accessorize that much. I know! I know! It's not my fault though--it's cause we're usually in HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT California! (holla + shoutout.) For the same reason, I don't like wearing garments (read: pants or tights) that stick to me and, ergo, that explains the easy, breezy maxi skirt! The gladiators are my TO-GO-SUMMER STAPLE #37, because we all know wearing flip-flops in public is a sin! A light-weight hijab and I am good to go.
(Note: it is raaaaining cats + dogs in these pics. Irony? N'aw. It's November in Metro Vancouver for goodness sake!)

OOOOOO. FUN'S NOT OVER. Wanna see what hijabulous ladies from around the world wear when they're in vacation mode? Click HERE HERE HERE!

SEE Y'ALL TOMORROW! <3

Hijabi Fashion Week- Day 3: Girl's Niight Out! UUU style.

HELLO POPINJAYS!

Day 3 already!? Man, that means HFW is almost half over! D:
Glass-half-empty views aside, girl's night outs are unambigously, for a lack of a better word, AWESOME.
We can vent!
We can eat/stuff ourselves silly!
We can girly-ish-ly gossip!
We can eat/stuff ourselves silly!
We can gush!
We can mush! (?)
We can eat/stuff ourselves silly!
We can eat/stuff ourselves silly!
We can eat/stuff ourselves silly!
And did I mention we can eat/stuff ourselves silly?

MAN, estrogen-filled nights are simply great! SHOUT OUT TO MY GIRLY-WHIRLIES WHO MAKE 'EM SO. ♥

But you're not interested in all that, are ya? Here's what I'd wear when out and about with my fellow XX-chromosomed beauts:

 

who what wear?

• ♥ the MOST. RAD-DICULOUS. LOVELY. EXCELLENT. SHAKESPEARE-ESQUE jacket: F as in Frank sale! (vintage store in Vancouver, Main st., www.fasinfrankvintage.com ) a.k.a ULTRA CHEAP.    
• swoon-worthy wedges: Ross, $6
• beaded/sequined purse: my momma's from the 80's!
• jewelery: DIY, California, Pakistan, Suzy Shier, Value Village...

Okay that's it. I MUST quit my day job to model, right? (I don't even have a day job lol).

 Yup, you guessed it! FUN'S NOT OVER. :)
Click HERE HERE HERE to see what other stylish hijabis wear for girl's night out!
SEE YOU TOMORROW.
YUP.
F'reals.
(consecutive posts on UUU? Whooooooa, right!?)

Hijabi Fashion Week- Day 2: Eid Outfit! UUU style.

WHOA.
SNAP.
Didn't I just see y'all yesterday?
This whole blogging everyday thing is certainly undermining my professional procrastination abilities. :D
Anywhoooo, you're not interested in all that. You're interested in my Eid outfit, aren't you?
Shiver me timbers! How relevant! This is an Eid outfit post! :o
CAUTION: A lot of desi masala up ahead, yo.

who what wear?

• chamkeela (urdu-to-english-translation: shiny), chamak-bharak (urdu-to-english-translation: shiny) traditional Pakistani shalwaar-kameez (urdu-to-english-translation: tunic-trousers) with a beautifully sequined dupatta (urdu-to-english-translation: shawl-esque garment): vintage, of course! Well, my mother's from the early 90's. :D
• sequined hijab: fabric from local fabric store! F'reals, yo. Also worn in my Prom Post from a few months ago, HERE.
• heels: $6, VV, also worn in Prom post!

Gotta have the typical, bollywood-inspired tree pose.

 Eid Mubarak, y'all!
And remember, FUN'S NOT OVER! Click HERE to see the Eid outfits of the other lovely ladies!
See y'all tomorrow! :)

Hijabi Fashion Week- Day 1: Work Wear! UUU style.

It's time.
Hijabi Fashion Week starts off with a whoop-pop-she-bang-sha (it's okay, I cannot fathom what this means myself, however, no other words in the English language could be implemented. It's alright, though! I will lobby for hoop-pop-she-bang-sha to appear in Oxford or Webster...or at least dictionary.com...) with...work wear!

It would be silly to ask me what I want to be when I 'grow up'. Because I want do so much, iA! I've been immersing myself with people in the past few months that have enlightened me in the way I see the world and what I can contribute to it, as well as taking advantage of the 18377450965696 opportunities out there! These phantasmagorical events/encounters are so completely refreshing and are broadening my preconceived notions of a 'career'. Anywhooooo, journalism will be a huge chunky chunk in my future endeavors iA. But you're not interested in all that, are ya? :P
Here's what I'll wear during said journalistic escapades:

 

who what wear?

• orange polka-dotted button-up: $1.43 via F as in Frank's (vintage store on Main Street, in Vancouver) RAD-iculous $10-fill-a-bag sale!
• fuzzy and wonderfully-textured cropped orange wool blazer:  $1.43 via F as in Frank's (vintage store on Main Street, in Vancouver) RAD-iculous $10-fill-a-bag sale too!
• tacky/lovely copper-gold-metallic bag: $5, Coco's Bags
• brown loaf-y pumps: $3, Joe Fresh
• khaki pants:  Joe Fresh

 Note pen + pad. SO journalist-y.

 outfit commentary: 
I'm sure journalists have to dress all professionally. But why hand over creative sartorial juices by wearing boring gray, black, cream and other such neutral-colored pant-suits and dress shirts, eh?
Hence, the implementation of the orange blazer + orange dress shirt. The khaki pants + loafer-y pumps also make me look sophisticated, huh? And well, duh: accessorizing is synonymous with anything you find here on Under Urooba's Umbrella!

 Fun's not over! Click HERE 

to see the looks of all the other wonderful ladies participating in Hijabi Fashion Week!

See y'all tomorrow!

I WHIP MY HIJAB BACK AND FORTH.

Alright. Let me lay it down for ya. You know you trust your friends...
...
...
...when you let them CUT. YOUR. HAIR.
True story, bro.

Me BEFORE my hair cut:

 

Me AFTER my haircut:

 

Har-dee-har! Yeah, blogosphere, I do indeed get quite a bit of a thrill messing with you. 

Did I say quite a bit? I meant, a gargantuan amount of a thrill!

But, no need to render little gasps of horror and clutch your chest in a dramatic fashion akin to mother-in-laws on South Asian dramas...because there are actually many, many great things about having short hair.

In SHORT, there are a myriad of pros with having SHORT hair:

• no lumpy, protruding bump under my hijab!
• no more tangles!
• hair washing time = 2 min! Lovely and SHORT compared to the hair washing time of 10-20 min with longer hair!
• no more towel-hair-drying! The air is enough!
• happiness!
• success!
• a better life!

Errrrrr. Horrible sale pitches aside, there is another matter to tackle: one thing has not changed and that is the fact that I will most likely never whip my hair back and forth. However, there is no reason as to why I shouldn't WHIP MY HIJAB BACK AND FORTH!

HIJABI FASHION WEEK. Relevancy? So high.

iNTERNET, meet sister. Some say, twin sister. I cannot even begin to fathom where they get this from.

Anyways! I'm terribly excited. No, not because it's my birthday (although, that did occur about a week ago, teehee). And no, not because it's my blog's one-year anniversary (although, that is soon coming up, teehee). And no, not because I was contacted by The New York Times who, in a state of understandable hysterics, proceeded to beg me to start writing a weekly column for them, whilst simultaneously, Al-Jazeera English called me up to offer me a paid internship this summer. And while on the phone with Al-Jazeera, Teen Vogue decided to do a special investigative report on Hijabi fashion bloggers, dedicating about 14 of about 52 pages of their next issue and...

Uh, okay....lost my train of thought because I was too preoccupied with vocalizing my dreams...
Oh yes! Excitement is radiating from within me because I'll participating in a little thing called Hijabi Fashion Week! Yee-yee, you heard right. No need to rub your ears (you'll just smoosh your cochlea [probably not]--sorry, learning freakin' BIOLOGY in psychology---erm, didn't I switch into Arts, lol?) All the coolest hijabi fashion bloggers from all around THE WORLD are gonna be a part of it! Wanna get involved? Email Em from Modesty Theory  at modestytheory(at)gmail(dot)com.

Looks will be posted by all of us bloggers and you'll be able to view every participants looks in Em's blog (above). However, I'll be posting my looks here, too, of course! So, what can you expect at Under Urooba's Umbrella? A blog post every day of the week! I know! It's rare! So, stay tuned! Isn't this the koolest thing since Kool-aid!?

In other NEWS, here are favoured articles of mine pertaining to Islam, women, and the Hijab this week...

•  Why ARE so many modern British career women converting to Islam? 
• Lauren Booth: I'm now a Muslim. Why all the shock and horror? 
• ‘Undercover’ in hijab: unveiling one month later  

GOODBYE POPINJAYS! :D