Five Ways To Look Stylish During Ramadan

A Fashion Bloggers Tips For Looking Stylish This Ramadan

When doing research for this blog post about looking your stylish best during the holy month of Ramadan, I came across some lovely quotes and simple anecdotes and one in particular which struck a chord –  “Empty your stomach to feed your soul“, I suppose this sums it up for a lot of people.  It’s a month in its essence, of spiritualist humanity, a month of giving back and more importantly a month of reflection, catching up with family and friends.

So along with certain rules such as no eating in public and no loud music which most of us know………your dress code is something which also requires some alteration for this subdued and respectful time.  Therefore, I thought I’d put together five simple ways of perhaps dressing to reflect this special time of year here in the UAE.  As we all know, Ramadan falls on one of the hottest months of the year with temperatures hovering around the mid-40’s, so it can be difficult to think about dressing modestly whilst still remaining fashionably cool!  Shorts, mini skirts and spaghetti tank tops are not really acceptable especially during the Holy Month so the following are some ideas to see you through this special time and onwards.

Long Floaty Dresses

I think long, floaty, whimsical dresses such as this one above, just exude an air of elegance and takes you back to an era where demure and modest dressing (think Downton Abbey) was all the rage.  I’m loving this style of dress at the moment.  This is not just something that I would only enjoy wearing during Ramadan, this style I think is quite beneficial to have in your wardrobe especially living in the Middle East as you never know when you are required to rock up at an event/local wedding/party where the dress code is directed more towards the modest side.  Again, depending on the material, this style of dress can keep you cool in the hot days and evenings and in addition, protect you from the cold air-conditioning inside, whilst enjoying an Iftar gathering.  I would style this look up with some big chunky earrings which are on-trend right now – (see my latest post on the top five accessory trends for summer 2017), some nice heels or wedges and either a cross-body bag or clutch.  For day time and for a more comfortable look, team the dress with some nice flats.

Read More: where to buy gorgeous dresses and accessories in our small business roundup (2 birds are a great mama duo who sell the most beautiful things!)

Kaftans

Leaning towards a more traditional look especially in the Arabic world, a kaftan is probably one of the most versatile items of clothing you could own.  Not only can it be the perfect beach cover-up but it can also be worn as a loose fitting dress (as above) and layered over other clothing items.  Again, this would be a perfect Iftar outfit with some dressy flat sandals and to funk the look totally up, team your Kaftan with a pair of Converse or white trainers.

Read More: For gorgeous Kaftans and accessories try one of our fave stores ‘& other stories‘

Layers

Touching on the Kaftan look above, layering is key in this climate (as well as colder climates too by the way) and as a simple way to dress accordingly to the culture.  You can literally go mad with layers – trust me, there’s nothing worse than being in a room where the A/C is blasting on high, you are freezing and the only way to warm up – is to go outside and stand in the warm, hot Dubai air.  But with layers, you have that luxury of being able to peel off or add whether or not you want to cool down or warm up.  Equally, by layering up your look, you are adhering and being respectful especially during the Holy Month, as well as looking super stylish of course.

P.S: I want that whole layered look in the pic above ↑

Pashmina

I think it’s without saying, that almost all of us own at least one or 10 pashminas especially living here in the Middle East.  If anything, they are an essential clothing requirement for frequenting the cinemas here in the UAE as it’s always for some reason, freezing (there’s that a/c again!) and you just need a warm snuggly blanket pashmina to wrap yourself in.  But again, this is such a good wardrobe basic to have.  For example, if you are ‘last minute.com’ like myself and you need to get an outfit together as you are going to an Iftar, a mall, cafe/restaurant – anywhere really during Ramadan – grab a pashmina and ta-dah……outfit transformed by wrapping it around your shoulders like a top.

Denim Jacket

When I say denim jacket here, that doesn’t necessarily mean that just denim jackets are required ha, ha.  Jackets such as bombers (which exploded onto our fashion scenes last year and still going this year), khaki style cover ups, capes and blazers are all great little items again to layer up an outfit and cover up a look which may require more modesty.  The reason I’m mentioning denim jackets in particular is that this look is having a bit of a resurgence for Spring/Summer 2017 and the style is verging on a more ‘boyfriend’ cut and a larger looking feel making it ideal as a nice little cover-up to throw over your shoulders.  Plus how cool is that jacket that Gigi Hadid is wearing above – I need it!

Hope you found my choices helpful in ensuring you still look sassy and stylish during Ramadan.  Along with guiding your shopping choices if you want to get something for a nice Iftar evening , family affair or Eid, remember to look in your own wardrobe as you probably have some very nice kaftans that you have only worn to the beach.  Rehash them and give them a whole new fashionably modest look for Ramadan.

Wishing you and yours a very blessed and holy month of Ramadan