Month: May 2017

May 26, 2017 SanaSakinah No comments exist

Stepping a little outside of my comfort zone I decided to purchase a leopard printed blazer/ jacket some months ago. Now, I must confess I am no avid leopard, cheetah or any other animal print fan for that matter so this was a real reach for me lol. Sure, I’ve worn small accessories and such with these wild and feisty prints but that’s typically as far as it goes for me personally. Honestly, the thought of looking like a proud poacher who dragged her game back to her closet and skinned it’s entire hide for her latest “killer” outfit always mortified me lol. But fashion isn’t always about repeating what we’re comfortable with. Comfort creates complacency and fear leads us to stagnation and total boredom. And fashion should be annnything but boring. So I decided to muster up enough courage to walk out on a limb on a tree in the jungle somewhere lol and take a walk on the wild side!!! *Eartha Kitt Purr*

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In light of the  weather warming up I didn’t think I’d be able to wear this jacket till the fall so I immediately jumped at the chance to wear it when the temps suddenly took a dip a couple of days ago. The texture of the jacket being extremely soft and supple has a really luxurious feel to it. Aside from that it had the most elegant black leather- like trim/piping up and down the lapel and hem. The overall impeccable quality of the blazer is what actually set aside my doubts and sold me on purchasing it. 

 

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Now the  biggest part was figuring out what pop of color to wear with the blazer. I find that animal prints can be rather overpowering and while it is a statement piece I don’t want it to do all the talking. I think pairing this type of print with an equally bold yet beautiful color is what gives it an even nicer and more subtle strength. The emerald green blouse was a perfect color choice to go with this jacket. I thought they complemented each other extremely well without one totally overshadowing the other piece. 

 

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I  balanced the top of my outfit by toning it down with a pair of black wide leg Express pants. These are a really great staple item to have in your wardrobe and are absolutely classic and timeless. They work well with all shapes and can be styled in numerous ways. These pants may actually be the oldest living thing in my closet right now. I think I’ve owned these for almost 20 years. Thank goodness the waist is elastic!! lol 

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Again I infused the emerald green into my outfit with this vintage tote bag by Lady Bride. I loved the retro look and the versatility of how it can be worn long or folded in half. I thought it worked perfectly with my total ensemble.The orange on the handles was a really nice touch to add more pops of color into my overall look. And if you hadn’t noticed yet, there’s a snakeskin pattern on it as well which surprisingly just totally worked for me. Me, wearing two animal prints in one outfit, “Who would’ve thunk it!?”lol.

 

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I loved these camel colored Levity block heels which also brought out that same pop of orange color in my handbag with just a hint of it around the toe of the shoe. The thicker heels are great if you like the look and feel of heels without the balancing act that follows for some lol.

 

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Last but not least a simple black hijab seemed most befitting along with a pair of my new refashioned fringe earrings from of an old thrifted handbag. Check out my last post for more details on that particular DIY and more.

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Overall, I was very pleased with how this outfit came altogether. Sometimes in order to appreciate new things we have to step outside of our comfort zones and give them a try first. Fear and Fashion can not coexist!! Fear of trying something different will have you in a fashion rut quickly. It devours all sense of establishing our own creative voices and self. The goal should always be to challenge and not completely change who we essentially are.

What I Wore:

Leopard blazer: $12 bought NWT @Value Village
Wide leg Express pants: No clue…realy old?? 
Green Blouse: $2 @Park Avenue Thrift
 Levity heels: $6 @Goodwill
Lady’s Pride vintage tote handbag: $5 Goodwill
#thethriftyhijabi

 

May 23, 2017 SanaSakinah 9 comments

I am so very excited to finally be able to share this post with you all!! I have been holding on to this project for the last couple of months *Exhale* lol. It was actually this very project in particular that really made me put my scissors and fabric glue down and start planning the launch of this very blog. As I delved into and worked on this particular diy/ refashioning venture I stopped and thought to myself, “This is really genius!! People need to know about this!!”. So before I get right into it here’s how it all came about…

 

So as the seasons change, the days get longer, the nights get shorter and spring gets underway we as people start to declutter our lives cleaning out our closets, putting our winter clothes away into hibernation, purging our wardrobes and airing out all of our sacred living spaces. This is a ritual that usually happens every year for many and when it’s all said and done we end up with that big garbage bag full of “stuff”. That trash bag full of our once beloved items that have now worn out their welcome now sits somewhere in our houses or cars collecting the same dust we once cleaned away waiting to be passed along to charity, someone else or even thrown into the bottom of a garbage dump.
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Whelp… my bag sat in my bedroom corner for weeks without me batting as much as an eyelash till one day I needed a pair of blue and white earrings after the ones I had on suddenly broke. Needing a quick substitute I pondered what I could possibly come up with as I scanned around my room when my eyes landed on that very trash bag full of all my once loved items. Then all of a sudden it hit me!!! I thought about a particular old thrifted handbag I had placed inside.

 

The shoes I had on were the very reason I purchased that handbag in the first place because it matched them perfectly. So I thought, “Why don’t I repurpose that fabric and make me some new earrings?” Ah HA!! Yup…sounds like a plan to me!!! A little cardboard from a microwave popcorn box, fabric glue, some fish hooks and moments later…Voila!!! I had a new set of matching earrings.

 

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Seeing all the material from the purse leftover I made another pair of earrings out of the strap, a bracelet/cuff and a choker to complete my set. I used an old metal cuff I had lying around for the bracelet and I used a piece of the strap for the choker as well. I purchased some chain that came with o rings and clasps for the choker from a local store.

You can find me here in my last post donning a pair of my refashioned earrings.
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Now before I had even started on that bag I saw another old thrifted handbag laying amongst the heap of used rubble…a fringe one which I’d worn a million times and absolutely adored. So I thought, “Why not use the fringe to make another pair of earrings?” These were really the easiest because I only needed to cut, roll and glue them into shape.
And this was only the beginning….
 
My biggest haul of all came from this spiked handbag which I turned into a complete jewelry store. Ok, not really but a seriously elaborate jewelry collection nonetheless lol. I was totally blown away by the amount of cool jewelry I was able to make out of this handbag!! The sturdy and durable leather-like fabric and metal spikes made it perfect for all the different pieces. Sorry I had already started to dismember it at this point in the pic lol. But honestly this was such an easy project and I moved so swiftly creating all the pieces that I didnt document many of my steps.
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Many of the shapes were already precut into the bag so I only had to remove the stitching to detach them.
 
For the other pieces I cut them by hand and used the metal spikes as a pattern to guide and cut alongside. I used velcro sticky backs as a closure for the arm cuff and bracelet and a little fabric glue to mold the earrings into the shapes I desired.
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I also made a choker as well as a 1 and 2-finger ring cuff. I just rolled and super glued for the ring cuffs and I used an old ankle bracelet chain and clasp for the choker.
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My absolute favorite piece out of this entire project by far was this necklace I made out of the purse’s two handles and the adjustable strap. I simply attached one handle to the hooks of the strap and used gorilla glue to attach the other handle onto the actual strap. I  absolutely Loved this piece!!! I used a couple of precut pieces from the handbag and glued metal hooks onto them to make a matching set of earrings. I didn’t put a back on them yet but I think posts or clips will be best.
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So before you throw out the old to make room for the new recheck that garbage bag full of your once loved belongings and see if any of them are salvageable. With a little imagination and a little time you’d be amazed at how quickly you can turn something old and boring into something new and exciting!!!
What I used:
Old and Thrifted Handbags
Cardboard
Fabric glue
Gorilla glue
Fish hooks
Safety pin (for poking  holes)
Chain, o rings and clasps
 
 
 
 
May 16, 2017 SanaSakinah 8 comments

Cheers to the weekend and pulling back the stuffy and unyielding layers of that 9-5 attire that consume many of our daily lives!! For many the weekend is all about kicking back, leaving that stack of papers you left on your desk completely behind, unwinding your thoughts and finding your happy place of zen. This look is all about capturing that sense of casual comfort and peace with just a tad of sophisticated flair.

 

 

For this look I decided to go with an all time favorite of mine which is a long kaftan tunic top. I love this style because it is extremely comfortable and has that easy going and effortlessly relaxed appeal. These are usually an absolute favorite for me in the warmer months due to them being very lightweight and breathable. I liked this cotton tunic in particular due to it’s juxtaposition of the beautiful burnt orange and lemon colored floral prints against a subtle white plaid and solid black background. I thought the contrast was really different yet absolutely perfect for spring without being too cliche!!

 

I decided to pair the top with one of my favorite staple pieces…a pair of blue denim jeans. However you can choose so many other bottoms to style with this kind of top that would work out perfectly fine. I went with a lighter medium shade of blue denim for this look rather than darker to better complement the top and to brighten up the entire outfit.

For my shoes I went with these comfortable camel colored leather moccasin flats by Minnetonka. I’ve had a number of different shoes made by this brand and I can assure you they are a must have and feel amazing on your feet. Besides the comfort I love the craftsmanship of the shoe from the hand sewn stitching on the toes to the non slip rubber grip soles. Trust…you won’t be sliding anywhere in these flats for a looong time!! lol

 

I thought this beautiful black linen and camel colored leather handbag by The Limited was a great fit for my total ensemble. I loved the old school vintage briefcase style handle and the mix of fabric with  leather. It gave my slightly lazy lounging weekend look just enough of a slight sophistication and more polished finish. Sometimes it’s all in the accessories and handbags where our clothes actually start to really speak and tell a story. I try to keep in mind the story I’m conveying in my outfit when I choose my pieces. Comfortable, casual and  classy is what I was going for.  What story do you want to tell in yours???

 

 

Last but not least I paired the overall look with a long solid black (rectangular shaped ) hijab and yup it’s that slip and slide material  that I often dread lol. And Yes I readjusted all day *sigh* but the fabric does drape absolutely beautifully. It may only last a half hour before you have to readjust it lol but it gets the job done nonetheless!!

 

And oops!!! I almost forgot about my refashioned earrings. I made these from an old thrifted purse strap I was getting ready to throw away when suddenly a lightbulb went off!! Actually a million lightbulbs went off in perfect domino fashion lol but I will be covering that in another upcoming post along with my other refashioned jewelry out of old hand bags. You don’t want to miss that so Stay Tuned!!

 

 

 

What I Wore:

Floral printed Tunic Top: $6 Park Avenue Thrift

Lee blue jeans: 25 cents…Yup!!!

The Limited handbag: $6  Park Avenue Thrift Outlet

Minnetonka moccasin flats: 25 cents Park Avenue Thrfit Outlet…Score!!!

All for a grand total ooooof *drum roll please….* around 13 Bucks!!! #thethriftyhijabi

 

 

May 11, 2017 SanaSakinah 8 comments

So spring is finally here and it’s the perfect time to pull out those bold and vibrant colors to pair with some funky patterns and cute accessories. For this date night look I decided to go with this bright red high-low dress I bought recently on one of my latest thrifting sprees. As soon as I saw her I absolutely fell in love!! To not have an actual label for me to credit for the sheer beauty and grace in this piece is an absolute travesty. My guess is someone had it personally made and then passed along this awesome treasure for me to find. So Shout out to the fabulous unknown seamstress…Your work will not go unrecognized!! And she will be loved and cared for always until she is passed on again.

 

 The high-low dress would be a great addition to anyone’s wardrobe with the empire waist making it flattering for all body types. I just love the easy, breezy and effortless flow of the full circle skirt. The fit and color were a perfect match made in thrifting heaven for me.This color was an amazing shade of fiery red with just enough brightness to light up a room but not too bright that it would completely blind vulnerable eyes lol. 

 

I toned the dress down a bit with a pair of straight Gap blue jeans and jazzed it up with a pair of striped Gianni Bini ivory and gold pumps. I also decided to go with more muted shades of ivory and gold for my accessories including my earrings, my bracelets as well as my necklace. The necklace is actually a belt that just fit perfectly as my necklace for this ensemble. Gotta love a good twofer!! 

 

But what I love most about this outfit has got to be this beautifully textured Just Fab clutch bag that pulls the outfit completely together. The patterns and embroidery on it are simply gorgeous adding just the right mix and hints of color. Clutches are one of my favorite pieces to thrift. There are so many amazing styles to choose from which makes them a great way to add further dimension, color and style to your completed look.

 

 

 

And last but not least a blue denim colored hijab seemed to be the perfect fit to complete the total look. This particular hijab fabric is a jersey knit which I am starting to gravitate more towards due to them being non slip and no fuss. Don’t you just hate having to adjust a constantly sliding hijab or any piece of clothing for that matter all day long?!? I know I do…Ain’t nobody got time fuh dat!! lol

What I wore: Necklace/ Belt: Park Avenue Thrift $1.50

Dress: Plato’s Closet $10

Jeans: Goodwill $5

Shoes: Goodwill $6

Clutch: Goodwill $5

Total Look Thrifted for less than 30 Bucks!!! #thethriftyhijabi