ABW Blog | 5 Ways to Empower Women

BY: MARIAM SHIBLY

Photography by Maha Studios

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Women Empowerment

The beauty of our individuality lies within our strengths and weaknesses. They define us. Who we were, who we’d like to become, makes who we are. There is so much to us that you can’t find a single soul that’s identical inside and out. It is our unique individuality that can transform visions into desired actions and outcomes. This is why there is so much power within women empowerment.

There are many ways to interpret women empowerment. To us, empowerment is a process. Patriarchal society has ingrained that there can be only one woman who is the prettiest, the smartest, the sweetest, essentially the best at everything. And we know this is not true. We strive for a false reality and compete with each other for perfection. The truth is we’re stronger in numbers. The more we support each other, the more we’ll thrive. The less pressure we place on ourselves on being perfect or “the best”, the more we’ll be able to focus on what actually makes us happy, and happiness is the key to life.

5 ways TO Empower Women:

1.    Compliment One Another

We can often let ourselves grow and be free of the pressure, by praising each other’s strengths rather than calling out our weaknesses. Rather than tearing each other apart as society has taught us, we can be stronger through sharing our strengths. Complimenting one does not make you any less, it makes you both more than what you are now—it encourages confidence and growth.

2.    Support Each Other

Women-owned businesses and women-operated businesses, prove to the world and our patriarchal society that we are equals and we can all be successful. Be a part of this movement by supporting each other’s businesses, hobbies, and actions whether it’s through purchasing products, engaging, or spreading the word. We want to see each other succeed, we want women to succeed. Success enhances our power.

3.    Give Credit

We strive to be innovative and creative, as each individual does on earth allowing there to be plenty of room for inspiration. Rather than wanting to be the source of inspo, we should allow ourselves to credit the sources as well. No one owns anything in this world, every idea is another idea bouncing off from conversations, concepts, products, books, blogs, and more. It’s okay to credit the inspiration, whether it’s one source or many, it allows us to be creative freely without the unnecessary concern or threat of  “stealing” but more of “inspiring”.

4.    Have Her Back

As we grow stronger together, traditional mindsets and patriarchal society standards may try to deteriorate our efforts by posing us against one another. Whether it’s intentional or unintentional, stand by each other because standing up for one another is essentially standing up for yourself and for the future of women. Don’t allow them to tear us apart. Hide each other’s flaws and shine through each other’s strengths. Through numbers, we become united as one.

5. Tell the Women in Your Life You Care

We often assume our love explains itself and fail to communicate how much we mean to each other. A simple gesture can make a meaningful path in one another’s relationships. It can open, mend and encourage more in a relationship. It is an everlasting effect.

What’s amazing about uplifting one another, supporting each other, and having each other’s backs— not only does it make each other stronger, but also enables your growth. 

Be happy for yourself and each other. Practice and implement these methods to free yourself from needing to be “the only one” and empower women in being stronger and better together. 

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Sayran

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Sayran to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about Sayran:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

SAYRAN is a jewelry line designed to create pieces tied to cultural roots, specifically from the SWANA region. I am a Kurdish woman, born and raised in the diaspora, and growing up I didn’t have imagery and tangible pieces to buy in a western market that made me feel seen. So far my journey has been something I am grateful for, I have been able to grow and heal through my work and have met so many inspiring women from the black and brown communities who appreciate my work for the reasons why I had initially started my line to begin with.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

My Kurdish roots are my number one inspiration. My jewelry is symbolic of those roots on top of drawing inspiration from many cultures and countries in the entire SWANA region. There is so much beauty and history in the region of my roots and I strive to highlight that beauty and bring positive awareness to that part of the world.

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

To be honest I am trying to eliminate the concept of competing with other brands/companies. I find it to be unhealthy more than anything else. I only compete with myself, in regards to coming up with new concepts and ideas for my brand’s growth. You also eventually come to the realization that although people may be doing the same things, the vision is always unique if it’s true. There’s only one of each brain on the planet and so your ideas and the execution of those ideas is uniquely your own.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

I was beyond thrilled to collaborate with ABW and be a little part of the good work they are doing, much love and respect for them, and everything that they do. Practicing charity and giving back to important causes is a part of my brand and I try to do it as often as possible. A few months ago, for example, I was able to raise a good amount of money in a short amount of time to send to the Kurdish Red Crescent on the ground in Rojava (Northern Syria). I created a limited run of earrings and 100% of the sales went directly to the charity. In March I will also be vending at The Arab Conference at Harvard and will be donating 100% of proceeds to Drop Earrings Not Bombs, A Syrian refugee group of women making jewelry as well as to SEEFAR, the Kurdish Migrant Project. It’s both important and necessary to give back to our communities however we can, and will always be an important aspect of what I am doing.

Q) Who is your current favorite accessory?

Hardest question ever (haha). I have loved accessories since I was a little kid. I tell people that if you ever catch me out and about and have no jewelry on then I must be going through something/or having a bad day. Currently, I am back to being obsessed with chain layering around my neck and I love, love a good sunglasses chain.

Sayran, Founder & Designer of SAYRAN

The SAYRAN Collection

ABW Fashion Blog | How to Be: Fashionably Confident

BY: HIBA CHAUDHRY

Photography by Maha Studios

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What is Self-Confidence?

Self-confidence is one’s trust in themselves, one’s abilities, one’s judgment, one’s identity. Self-confidence can be built with positive comments or damaged with negative comments. If one is confident in their own abilities and judgment, they will turn the negative comments into a critique. On the other hand, if one is doubting their own abilities and judgment, then one may take personal offense to the negative comment, which can lead to damaging their confidence and self-esteem. Self-confidence is simultaneously your shield and your drive.

5 Ways to Boost Self-Confidence:

1.    Do not compare yourself to others

Whether comparing your career, status, your social media following, or even your physical appearance, a comparison is not healthy. Once you start comparing yourself to others you ultimately start to envy them which starts to make you feel worse about yourself. When you do not compare yourself to others you inevitably feel better about yourself in every aspect.   The only comparison should be to yourself. By focusing on yourself, you will improve yourself and ultimately become the person you want to be.

2.    Take care of your health

It is very important to take care of your body by staying hydrated, getting the proper amount of sleep, eating a balanced meal, and staying active. There have been several studies showing a direct correlation between self-care and self-confidence, the more we take care of ourselves the more our self-confidence boosts. When we start to make our bodies happy, we start loving the efforts as well and continuously strive to make ourselves happy. 

3.    Exercise self-compassion

Often when we fail to accomplish something, make a mistake, or experience a setback we tend to blame ourselves. As it has been said we are our harshest critics which is not good for our self-confidence. Everyone makes mistakes and has setbacks, but we need to cut some slack on ourselves. We should not use negativity when we fail because no one is perfect, the best that we can do is learn from our mistakes and build from positive feedback so that we can accomplish our goals.

4.    Accept self-doubt

We tend to believe that we need to be 100% confident in order to complete a task. Confidence is gained by doing the exact thing we may think we are unable to do, thus challenging ourselves and promoting self-growth. The key to growing is believing in yourself by making the effort and stepping out of your comfort zone. A familiar example we’ve all experienced is studying for our exams. Countless hours spent learning the material,  yet we review until we are about to start the exam. We doubt ourselves that we haven’t studied enough (although we have) and go the extra step in wanting to learn more. Knowledge is power. In conclusion, the more we push ourselves the more we can grow.

5. Dress to impress—yourself

The way we dress is very important.  If we fail to make the effort in dressing ourselves, it’ll be less likely that we will make the effort in achieving our tasks. Whereas, if you dress up in clothes you feel comfortable and confidant in, it will boost your self-confidence. Do not dress to impress others because it may not be your style. Dress to impress YOURSELF. Fashion is what works for you, not what works for everyone else. Everyone has their own trend, their own outfits, and styles that work for them. Only you know what pieces empower you! When you embrace that, it elevates your self-confidence.

Inhale Positive, Exhale Negative

Self-Confidence is to trust yourself, to know that only you can build it and only you can let it break. It is crucial to focus on yourself to be able to build self-confidence and no one else can do it for you. Yes, others can impact it, but only if you allow them to. Embrace the positive comments and transform the negative. Boost your self-confidence, be at peace of mind, and make yourself happy.

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Niswa Fashion

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose NISWA FASHION to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about niswa fashion:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

Niswa Fashion is a modest clothing brand for women by women. Our humble beginnings were from the basement of my home and since then we've come a long way! We slowly built our brand from ground up and it expanded in a way we could have never imagined. Niswa has become a global brand alhamdulillah and we hope that we can continue to provide for and inspire women everywhere.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

Growing up I've always wanted to and aimed to dress modestly because of my faith. Going out to shop in mainstream stores was always such a challenge. I would have to add sleeves, hem skirts, buy lining and it was just so annoying to have to alter clothes so often. I wanted to have options of buying modest clothing without having to change it separate from the standard black abaya and hijab set. 

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

Niswa's dedication to modesty and customer service really sets us apart. There are other brands out there, but they don't reach the standards that we set for ourselves. Some challenge we face is catering to consumers who can't spend a lot on products. Our production cost is usually at a certain level and we are trying to make it so people of all socioeconomic status can easily afford our products.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

Our collaboration with ABW was definitely quite a unique experience. We didn't really know what to expect but were happy to be able to give back to the community. Usually we donate a portion of our sales to charity organizations, so this was a different way to experience charity more actively.

Q) Who is your favorite clothing designer?

I appreciate and have a really nice feel for Kate Spade. The prints and silhouettes of the clothing are really fun and unique and the bags are great for the modern woman.

Niswa Fashion Clothing Line

Niswa Fashion Clothing Line

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Zudo

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Zudo to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about Zudo:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

ZUDO offers simple, yet meaningful jewelry that reflects our South Asian culture and Islamic faith. We design pieces that also support worthy causes. ZUDO is dedicated to breaking the silence on mental health and sexual violence through raising awareness and fueling cultural change. 

We launched ZUDO in June 2018 and since then, we’ve had the honor of adding thousands of people to our ever-growing family. We are learning and growing each day and are super excited for this year :)

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

In the spring of 2018, I set out to find the perfect engagement present for my then fiance, now wife, Zuni. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find anything that really fit what she wanted - something meaningful that she could wear everyday. Pakistani jewelry is gorgeous, but often worn with bridal dresses. Minimalistic Islamic jewelry can be hard to find. And don’t get me started on trying to find a necklace with her name...

Instead of giving up, I decided to take matters into my own hands and designed jewelry that I knew would be perfect for her… and in the process just ended up making an entire line of personalized & culturally inspired pieces. I realized others might like these too, and that’s how ZUDO came to be!

Zuni is getting her PhD in health and social psychology - she focuses on studying sexual violence and mental health in our communities. We often had discussions about her research and how these issues are prevalent but often ignored. We realized we could help make a difference by making it ZUDO’s mission to help raise awareness through education and build a safer, more inclusive community. 

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

Wearing a ZUDO piece symbolizes a commitment to being an agent of change for a better community. We hope that everyone’s ZUDO piece reminds them to be a kinder person to themself and to those around them. Approach life with gratitude; love and accept everyone for who they are, unconditionally. 

Many people in our communities suffer in silence with mental health issues and trauma. We hope that together, we can create a community free from judgement and suffering. A community that strives to create a sense of belongingness, fosters positivity, and encourages everyone to treat each other with compassion, because we never know the pain and struggles they experience. 

Alongside our mission, our #1 priority is customer experience and offering our ZUDO fam the best service, product and experience possible! We listen to our family and take suggestions to heart. Many of our newest pieces have been designed after receiving ideas and feedback from ZUDO customers. We hope to continue with this approach so that we can keep creating jewelry for you, inspired BY you.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

Super honored that Mariam reached out to ZUDO for a collaboration! We believe in supporting members of our communities, especially those passionate about making a difference. Our experience has been nothing but amazing! 

At ZUDO, we partner with various organization to raise awareness on mental health & sexual violence in minority communities. With each package, we send home information that may shed some light on these important issues to help educate our community, giving our ZUDO fam tools to become agents of change.

Q) What is your current favorite accessory from your line?

Ibraheem: My favorite accessory is our Ayatul kursi necklace - not only because of the significance this verse holds in my life, but also the attention to detail and time (9+ months) that we put into this piece.

Zuni: My favorite ZUDO piece is our star moon ring - it’s inspired by our Pakistani heritage and is so cute and dainty! I love the little gems that allow it to give it that extra sparkle, and that it is also adjustable so I can wear it on any finger for any occasion. We’re planning to release necklaces and bracelets to match this design!

Zudo Founders: Ibraheen & Zuni

Zudo Accessories: Use MARIAM15 to receive $ off your purchase.

ABW Fashion Blog | How to Be: Fashionably Charitable

BY: AFRAH HUSSAIN

Photography by Maha Studios

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Charity - A Purpose

Charity is a means to lend a hand in need, support those around you, and spread humanity in general. Charity is a humble act of kindness. We usually associate a monetary value to the word ‘charity’, on the contrary, it is also the actions taken to help those around you. Paying for coffee for the car behind you at a coffee shop, smiling at someone, donating your time, sharing words of positivity – all of these are act of kindness. This sounds great and in reality looks good but what is the purpose? Why do we do charity?

4 Reasons To Practice Giving 

Any effort we put into our lives is an investment for our future. Meaning, if today we help someone then one day that help will come around to us when we need it. When you choose to give, you may not even realize how much of an impact you’ve had on the person/project. 4 reasons to give:

1. Gratitude – A thankful heart 

Giving gives you an opportunity to be thankful for the things you have now. Life is busy and it is good reminder to always be thankful regardless of the situation. Your act would also inspire others in doing the same and promote happiness.  

2.    Empowerment – Creating a change 

This is a two way benefit for the giver and the receiver. We’ve mentioned that giving can be done with finances, time, and actions. It is also empowering to feel that your contribution (doesn’t matter big or small) is making someone else’s life better. The receiver, on the other hand, rests assured that they are not alone in this big yet small world. We all here for each other, we are humans. 

3.    Paying it forward – A Cycle 

Charity is a concept of ‘paying it forward’, meaning delivering a helpful gesture to  someone and in return they help someone else – the cycle continues. The important idea is to keep the cycle going while modeling the way for our future generation. Be an inspiration. Create a legacy.  

4.    Teamwork - #DreamTeam 

Charity doesn’t have to be a one man show. A collective effort of contributing towards a project or cause yields big results, thus, providing the opportunity to experience and be inspired. Teamwork makes dream work, why not make it creative?

Lights! Camera! Action!

Welcome to the world of fashion. A platform to experiment different styles, be inspired by others styles, all while having fun with it and discovering your unique fashion sense along the way. Fashion is fluid. It’s a representation of your personality and comfort. Fashion shows such as New York Fashion Week are productions that are looked forward to by fashion enthusiasts. Similar to a charity project, fashion shows involve: collaborative teamwork, hard work, extensive communication, passion, and drive to deliver a splendid show.

Fashion x Charity

People get bored easily. To keep the cycle of giving going, creativity is key. One way to give back to our communities is via fashion. A commonality between charity and fashion is the teamwork involved working for a common goal. Fashion shows, like A Blessed Wardrobe, attract many individuals that not only like fashion but their presence is a contribution towards helping those in need. Hosting a production doesn’t have to be on a large scale. The idea is to help. Every contribution, every effort, every participation helps in making the lives of the less fortunate brighter.

Local Involvement = Big Change

A Blessed Wardrobe hosts a smaller fashion production working with local vendors providing an opportunity to for them to expand their businesses and for all of us to practice charity. Under one roof, individuals get to experience:

• The immense growing talent in our communities.

Ethnic and fusion fashion brands for both males and females, delicious indulgences by our food vendors, the latest in jewelry, and modest fashion. We are always on the hunt for discovering more brands.

• A full fashion runway

Voluntary models from our community helping designers showcase their latest collections.

• Silent Auction 

Generous donations from various vendors to help towards our charitable cause. 

• Entertainment 

Putting the spotlight on local artists showcasing their unique talent.

Charity starts from within our inner core, caring about those around us. A spark to make a change along with a little creativity, dynamite team, and a dash of patience are the keys in making a difference.

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Fufu's Kitchen

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Fufu’s Kitchen to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about Fufu’s Kitchen:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

My company is Fufu’s Kitchen and what I do is share recipes I have learned through my Middle Eastern American upbringing to my audience. I have been doing so for a little over two years and it brings me so much joy. It has been challenging at times but more so rewarding to be pursuing my passion and making a difference to others.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

I moved away to a different state after getting married and wanted to be reminded of home so I started documenting my mom’s recipes and experimenting in the kitchen. It is one of my favorite places to be. I have always loved cooking and baking especially. I even worked in a bakery for ten years where I learned so much. I continue to do this day in and out because it is what I love. Everyday I receive kind messages from people who say I inspire them in the kitchen and they love my recipes. That keeps me motivated more than anything. 

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

I engage with my audience throughout the day. I truly care to help. A majority of my audience is female and as a female myself I know that it can be hard to juggle so many roles. I know my consumers truly appreciate it when I post quick recipe ideas that are both healthy and delicious. That is something I can offer since I am a health-conscious and busy person myself.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

ABW was great to work with and I was honored to help such an awesome charity event. I actually have an annual charity event of my own known as Fufu’s Friendsgiving and this year it supported Muhsen which is the same charity ABW helped too! I am truly humbled and thankful for all of Allah’s blessings and I completely believe in paying it forward and using my platform to help others. 

Q) What can we expect from your brand in the future?

I have plenty of things in mind. Goals that I would love to fulfill and avenues I would love to explore. I will continue to create recipes for my audience that are true to my identity and my passion on fufuskitchen.com. I may host a few cooking classes in the near future and/or come out with another ebook. There are endless opportunities alhamdulillah.

Heifa the Founder of Fufu’s Kitchen

Fufu’s Kitchen Middle Eastern E-CookBook

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Nominal

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Nominal to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about nominal:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

Nominal is a brand that provides the world with what we like to call “meaningful accessories”. The majority of our pieces are designed and engraved with a powerful word or quote, that is meant to resonate with you and serve as a reminder during your highs and lows.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

Prior to Nominal, I would type out and save the wise words of my role models as the background of my phone. This constant reminder kept me grounded, whether I was going through a rough time and needed some words of affirmation, or times were great and I needed to be reminded to show gratitude to Allah (SWT). This strategy became very healthy for my mental health. It changed my life, and I felt like the rest of the world can benefit from this strategy as well.

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

We pride ourselves in our purpose, customer experience, giving back, quality, and attention to detail.

We’re not just a fashion brand. Our pieces don’t just serve as outfit upgrades. Our pieces are here to change lives, whether it be because of a word or quote that inspires you to do more, or a necklace with the shape of your hometown as the pendant, that allows you to be loud and proud of your identity.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

Our experience with ABW has been amazing! We are so honored to work with Mariam and her team.

Every single month, we have a “Deed of the Month”. We choose a charity and a few items that we donate 25% of the sales towards. It was once a dream to build a platform that can be used to raise funds and awareness towards important causes. With Nominal, that dream has become a reality. Throughout the last two years, with the help of our Nominal family, we have raised over $30,000 for people all over the world, including building a water well in Mali. To read more about our Deed of the Month campaigns, please click here: https://nominalx.com/pages/follow-your-dollar

Q) What is your current favorite accessory from your line?

My favorite Nominal accessory is the Core Values Necklace that we launched in November of 2019. This necklace is extra special to me because it holds my four favorite words: Peace, Love, Faith, and Patience. I grab and squeeze the pendant of this necklace every time I feel like I need an extra boost. It puts my mind in a positive place, every time.

Nominal Founders: Lina Sarsour & Akram Abdallah

Nominal Accessories: Use this link to receive $ off your purchase.