Okay, here's the deal guys. I don't even know how to start this post because it's been way too long since my last post that I accidentally let the blog subscription expire. Sorry guys. Some of you even sent me private messages to let me know. Thank you so much for that! Silly silly me.

So here's my attempt to do a recap of what's new with me ever since my last post:

1. I fell in love.

2. Love To Dress launched a new uber feminine collection with a colour palette that got me smitten with pastels and twirling around the city in skirts. Shop Spring/Summer 2017 here.

3. I've moved into a new house with my sister. Okay, I've actually only moved my shoes into the new place, the rest will happen next weekend inshaAllah. My mum still refuses to accept that her youngest is growing up. In her eyes, I'm still eighteen years old. Oh yeah, my new house is right behind my mums, and I told her I'm still sending my laundry to be washed at hers, lol.

4. Okay, number 1 was so misleading. I fell in love with a city, not a person. Yet? I fell in love with London to be precise. Went there last month for London Modest Fashion Week (which I will share in my upcoming vlog) and didn't want to leave. I say this most of the time with almost every city I visit, but this one was different I promise. So different (in a good way) that I asked God to please let me meet someone that will somehow end up bringing me back here again and again, lol. Women and their prayers. Thankfully, I'll be going back in April for another Fashion Week, phewhh.

5. I FINALLY have a new scarf style. I know this is not even news-worthy, but I have been feeling so bored with my previous style for almost a year and just could not find the right flow and way to wear it with minimal effort and pin. It wasn't till after my London trip that I found a new style that I'm super loving. I've been wearing it daily and super feeling it. You can see it in the post here ;)

6. And last, but definitely, the one I'm most excited about is, I've started a YOUTUBE CHANNEL! Never did I think I'd have the guts to do this, but I had this thought lingering in my mind for months and months. And decided I was just going to rip the bandage off and just do it. I hope you will get to see another side of me in my vlogs and other videos. I love creating content and giving a different perspective of something. Tonight will be the first one that goes up. A 'Get To Know Me' video which I hope you will have fun watching. You get to see me get all nervous.

So I think that's about it. I want to wrap up this post with a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have been following me on the blog. And I hope you'll continue to follow me along on this new exciting YouTube adventure. You can subscribe to my channel HERE. But don't worry, I will still continue to write and share my thoughts here on the blog as my passion for writing isn't something that will ever go away inshaAllah. I just think it's time you get to see a more animated 3D me :)

xx,

Asma'

Love To Dress dress / dUCk scarf / Chloé bag

One of the things I enjoyed most at the London Modest Fashion Week weekend was seeing the diversity of different women. I almost couldn't stop staring at the beauties I was sitting opposite to and spoke to after the shows. See in Malaysia, the majority of Muslims are Malay. So being able to be in a space filled with Muslim women from all sorts of ethnicities with different coloured skin tones and style interpretation was like candy to my eyes.

And to my surprise, some of them follow LtD on instagram. Ahhh, LOVE. But back to them. I was so inspired by the many ways they styled their scarf and their interpretation of fashion. I wish I managed to capture more footage of the street style I saw on my London vlog, but I was living in the moment and forgot to record it all.

So this led me to my long awaited moment of figuring out a new style to wear my scarf. I've been in a scarf rut for almost a year, cracking my head on how to wear it different. I tried a few, but they either required too much thought or too many pins. I wanted easy peasy with minimal pins. And so I got this. Thanks to the ladies I met there, this chilled drape vibe is what I'm feeling every day now. And paired with this flattering Picot waist dress, it just went all too well together creating an effortless flow.

Ahh, I've missed posting. Till the next one, have a lovely day everyone!

Did you guys manage to try out any of LtD's loungewear? I hope you're enjoying the comfort of them as much as I have. Have literally been living in them. But there's more, so don't get too comfortable because tomorrow will be another launch of designs which I promise you will love.

Just sharing some images below in case you're curious what will be out next. If you haven't subscribed yet to Love To Dress' newsletter, it's okay, just click here to view the full lookbook.

Oh hello, there we are, Itasha, Naida and me. Have a lovely day! :)

Salams everyone!!!!! How's it going? Hope you're all in the best of health and feeling all pumped up for two thousand and seventeen.

I'm so ecstatic to be back in Brisbane again with my sister and the kiddos (which you probably would've seen a lot of if you're been watching my insta stories). Ended two thousand and sixteen, and woke up to a new exciting day in the heat of the summer, with these beyond beautiful bunch of Peonies. They're so fluffy I just want to plant my face into the bunch. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world during this time of the year. Come to think of it, I just realized it's my fourth year in a row being here during this time. I guess I didn't realize it has become somewhat of a tradition. I think I like this tradition very very much!

Family, sunshine and, peonies.

Happy New Year everyone! Hoping this is the year you and I do something we've always wanted to but was afraid to do so last year. Sending you guys lots of love and light from sunny Brisbane! :)

I’m not gonna lie. I am feeling quite nervous coming into the new year knowing very well that thirty to thirty-five will be the next age bracket I'll be ticking on the next form I fill up (who checks these forms anyway). Breathe in, breathe out, You’re going to survive this. *runs to mirror again to check if any more white hair popped up. OMG, five new strands? Crieeesssss*

Okay, white hair jokes aside. I feel super blessed that I am turning thirty in this particular day and age. The year of 2017. Been thinking a lot this year (and writing less as you can see, sorry!), and I couldn’t be more grateful to be alive in this era. I’m not sure if you feel it too, but I think we’re living in exciting times right now.

Probably the best of times for women, where our successes are embraced and encouraged much more. And the typical expectations that were attached to women have changed in a good way. I’d be naive to say there isn’t still some expectations. But not like what was expected during our mothers' generation.

Had my life now, been taken back to my mothers' generation, I would totally be seen as quite the failure because on an eligibility paper, this is me. Soon to be thirty, loves her job, divorced once, no children, and doesn’t own a house or car (although I am in the process of renting my own house, woohoo, but I’ll save that for another post). And, can barely cook. I can make juice and smoothies for days, and a mean yogurt bowl, though. Okay, fine that doesn’t count as cooking.

So juicing aside, I genuinely believe and feel that we’re living in exciting times to be a woman. I don’t think that our mothers felt all this permission to be all the things that we are now. What a blessing it is to be able to chase our dreams. To be successful in our careers. To not put ourselves last in our relationships. To go for what we want, whether it’s initiating a marriage proposal or asking for a pay raise.

Today, I feel women are learning more, they’ve started thinking, they’re exposed to more and therefore much smarter. If there’s something universal that I’ve learnt from the Quran is that God has gifted each of us are with different skills and potential. And, it is within us to do something about that passion. That is our purpose. To serve our Creator by doing the most we can with the innate passion we’re given in this life, while we have it.

And with that, it has to be said that we, as women, we are already complete on our own. Regardless of what our culture has embedded in our thoughts, what I've gathered from my journey of learning the true meaning in the Quran and the life of past heroes is that we don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. If you come across a man who compliments the life you've built or want to build, then that calls for a huge celebration. But if he hasn't come along, it's all good. That is an added gift and one of the ways to do more goodness. But don't make that your purpose. On your own, God created you complete to serve your purpose. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't stop yourself from living a beautiful and full life just because yours isn't the same as the next woman.

So whether you're about to turn twenty, thirty or fourty, I hope you'll realize that we are truly blessed to be alive in this era. Women are respected for who we are and what we do. We may not be able to have it all, but know that we have every permission to create our own path, our own happily ever after.

I'll end this post with a throwback photo of my twenty-six-year-old self. But, as much as I miss that age, I like the soon to be thirty-year-old me better because now I'm not afraid to go for what I want.

May Allah swt, the All-Provider open doors for opportunity for all of you to go for what you want, to continue to learn more about this beautiful faith, and be the best versions of ourselves.

I'm so ready for 2017 and hope you are too! ;)

Photo by

Kim L.