LOSVE Interviews
The buzz around LOSVE is hotting up and we were recently interviewed by the lovely Jana of Hijabstyle and Mariam of Hijabtrendz. These interviews will give you a good insight about us, so read on.
HijabStyle: UK based Jana posts daily links and pictures of what she calls ‘Hijab friendly’ fashion and tips on how to wear current trends.
Here is a quick snip of the interview with Jana:
Jana: Who are the ‘brains’ behind LOSVE and what inspired you to set it up?
Silvia: LOSVE was born out of our frustration with the lack of trendy long clothing. That’s not to say there’s none, but I had to visit many places before I could find a suitable trendy long option. One Saturday last summer I wanted to get couple of outfits for a friend’s graduation and a picnic with the family, so I started online and followed on to the high street. Three hours later, I managed a maxi skirt from Zara (these are always a good option in the summer) but nothing more. I do enjoy shopping but that wasn’t a fruitful afternoon and was generally typical for me. I know I can layer pieces to achieve a long outfit but I feel that’s a bit hard to pull off well – you would need the right top, sleeve shape and layering piece. I dread seeing people with an open back top and layered tight long sleeve top! Or a low neck shirt dress and fluffy sleeves layered with a long sleeve top. For me a layered outfit has to flow and not look obviously layered. I think layering is an art and I am getting better at it but I wanted a more convenient option for my shopping experience.
That afternoon I sat down with my husband, Abdulrahman and shared with him my fruitless day and as satisfied as he was with the minimal damage to my bank account, he also understood my frustration. He said I needed to find a brand that gave me the options I needed and if there were none out there, we had to create one – that was the birth of LOSVE.
Head over to Hijabstyle to read the interview
Mariam posts daily on her lifestyle blog Hijabtrendz.com, which is dedicated to the modern hijabi, she is based in Illinois, USA. Here is a quick snip of the interview with Mariam:
An online clothing retailer that focuses on modern and trendy clothing for women debuted in Manchester, England a little over 5 months ago and is quickly becoming one of the hottest new places for hijabis to shop.
Because LOSVE is such a unique name Hummaida is often asked how it was made up.
“When we were creating the name, we sat down with some friends and showed some of the names we came up with. I remember I was handing each name around and was listening to their reaction, as soon as I handed them LOSVE, there was an immediate buzz and unanimous approval. I knew then we had our name.”
So what is Hummaida’s advice for anyone interested in getting into the retail industry?
“Make sure you are passionate about what you do and have the drive to do this very well. The passion will help you create something unique and the drive will give you the energy to carry on when you are challenged.”
Head over to Hijabtrendz for the interview.
Eid Clothes Ideas
Eid ul-Fitr is a Muslim holiday that follows the month of fasting (Ramadan). It is a time of joy and gathering with family and friends and lasts for 3 days. The first day kicks off with a special prayer where people wear new clothes, afterwards families meet for lunch and a variety of traditional dishes and sweets are served - these vary between countries. The festivities continue at night too, for example in Manchester (England) many travel from around the UK to Wilmslow Road (also known as the curry mile), where it gets very busy.
During Eid many dress up in their best clothes, especially women, so If you are attending one of the many parties during this festive period we can’t have you looking anything but your best can we ! So we have got great tips for you.
The Day Outfit
For the day outfit, particularly on the first day of Eid, it is going to be quite hectic and you need something practical with plenty of elegance too.
I started with a brown tunic as the main piece (I like brown at this time of Autumn), the flattering design on this tunic dress is great for the occasion and the detail on the sleeves and the belt add graceful elegance. I then paired it with a tailored wide leg pair of Jeans. I like this dark denim colour as it flows nicely with the brown tunic - I lean towards contrasts in my outfits.
To add a festive touch to the outfit, I chose these gold earrings, which have a beautiful Bedouin hint. Gold works nicely with brown so we have a nice combination of colours in the outfit. The Silk Paisley scarf adds a final touch of luxury and you can wear it around your neck or as a head scarf (Hijab).
LOSVE Tunic Dress, FCUK Jeans, Asos Earrings, LOSVE Silk Paisley Scarf Esarp
Evening Outfit
Long skirts are a trend for this season and I find them flattering and versatile. For the evening outfit you want glamour and luxury (practicality takes a back seat here!). Satin is prefect on evening pieces so I chose this Purple skirt, the it colour for this season, for a great combination.
The second piece on the evening outfit is a gorgeous black Warehouse blouse, it is feminine and has plenty of elegant detail. The contrast between the black top and purple skirt creates a luxurious and elegant theme.
I wanted to add sparkle to this outfit and silver is perfect for that, so I have a silver earrings, clutch and shoes for my accessories. I didn’t want to add a necklace because I think it will clutter the outfit - we already have detail on the blouse, contrast in colours and sparkling Silver.
Warehouse Black Blouse, LOSVE Purple Long Skirt , Fiorelli Clutch , Asos Sandals, Coast Earrings
So how will you be wearing your Eid clothes ?
Elegant Autumn Winter Fashion Trends
Autumn officially starts today and this season brings plenty of trends to try, from folk to heritage, gothic to superheroe, minimalist to winter garden, long view and belle curves.
We’ll take a closer look at some of the hottest (and my favourite) trends for this season: Purple (the new black), Tartan Checks and the Long View look.
The Long View Trend
Goodbye short and hello long! Now the summer is gone (we had a complete washout summer in the UK) it is time to embrace the hottest trends of the Autumn Winter season, the Long View. Designers like Marc Jacobs, Derek Lam, Carlos Miele and Erin Fetherston graced the catwalk with mid-calf to floor-grazing skirts paired with long tops and long coats, creating simple and stylish silhouettes.
Carlos Miele and Erin Fetherston
Derek Lam and Marc Jacobs (style.com)
This style is demure, sophisticated and elegant, which is perfect for the Autumn and Winter season.
You can get this designer look by combining a long skirt and a long tunic and complement it with a long coat. If skirts are not your thing then try a long shirt dress or a long tunic over trousers to achieve this trend.
Your chosen colour scheme is important. To achieve this look I recommend you decide on the colour of your main garment and then use different shades of that colour for the rest of your outfit. Some of the colours I have used to achieve this look are black, grey and brown. Here is a suggestion to achieve this look:
Ware House Grey Jacket, LOSVE Long Black Skirt, Ware House Polo
Purple Colour Trend
In fashion some colours are trendier than others and for the Autumn Winter 08 season, purple is the new Black. Purple has traditionally been a symbol of royalty, it is associated with spirituality, luxury and mystery. In Thailand purple is the colour of mourning for widows, while in China it is a symbol of joy and good luck.
Purple is not a new trend, the ancient ‘Tyrian purple’ was originally obtained from various species of marine molluscs. It took 12,000 molluscs to make 1.5 grams of Tyrian purple dye and during the Roman Empire, Tyrian purple was more expensive than gold!, which would explain why it was a symbol of royalty.
When William H. Perkins artificially synthesized purple dye in 1856 the discovery revolutionised the world of fashion. Purple really became fashionable when Queen Victoria wore mauve at her daughter’s wedding . Purple hues were all over the catwalks for AW 2008. From soft velvets to opulent silks, day and evening wear, shoes and handbags. Purple was on every kind of garment and accessory. Here is a selection of designers that used the trend.
Tuleh & Erdem
Christian Dior and Oscar de la Renta (style.com).
Purple is also evident on the high street too. French Connection, Warehouse, Mango, Topshop and others have introduced the regal colour in their collections so there are plenty of options for this trend.
Below is a selection of this trend (don’t combine all of these in one outfit !)
From top left LOSVE Purple Tunic, ASOS Coat, LOSVE Long Skirt and Faith Shoes
We love the purple trend, especially the deep shades of plum and aubergine. It allows us to wear a dark colour (that’s not black) and add vibrancy to our winter wardrobe. Winter does not mean we have to be wrapped in black or grey, right? For the more adventurous out there, you can mix purple with green or brown. Make sure you also try purple on accessories like handbags and scarves.
Tartan Check Trend
Tartan check is one of the key trends to try this season. The checked pattern made it into tops, coats, skirts and accessories.
So what is tartan?. Tartan is a pattern consisting of repeated criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands, stripes or lines of various colours (usually between 2 and 6 colours). It is traditionally woven on fabric but today it can be printed on many items.
In the US, this type of checked pattern is usually called ‘plaid’, while us Brits use plaid to describe a long woollen shawl or blanket with tartan pattern.
Tartan is an old pattern, believed to have been introduced in Scotland by the Celts. Since then tartan has been strongly associated with Scotland. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made tartan fashionable, when the monarchs visited the Highlands and built the royal residence of Balmoral and had the fabric displayed throughout the castle.
For Autumn Winter 08, tartan checks were notably seen in the catwalk by Dolce & Gabbana and Ralph Lauren among others. Here is a quick selection form the catwalk:
Dolce and Gabbana
Ralph Lauren
If you decide to wear tartan or any other checked pattern, my advice is to wear it on one garment and keep the rest of the outfit simple. Here is a just one way to wear tartan.
LOSVE Tartan Skirt, FCUK Polo Neck, ASOS Sude Boots, Oasis Bag
I would love to get your thought on these trends, so which Autunm Winter trend will you be wearing ?
