Photo: Photo by Jim DeYonker
All fashion trends aren’t meant to be followed. In fact, depending on your traditional or religious customs, it may not even be an option. But being devout doesn’t have to mean being devoid of fashion sense.
As more stars -- from J.Lo to Padma Lakshmi -- incorporate cultural pieces like the hijab and sari into stunning red carpet looks, they prove that there’s a place for faith-based and traditional wear on the fashion landscape.
The key is to trust your gut and wear what makes you happy, not conforming to what other people define as stylish.
- Jene' Luciani, style expert and author
Something Old, Something New
Take a creative approach to showcase your faith-based or traditional style, whether you’re in the boardroom or on the boardwalk.
“I think women feel as if they have to push their own beliefs aside and ‘follow the trends,’ when in reality, you can develop your own personal style by incorporating items that are important to you with what you like from the current trends,” said style expert Jene’ Luciani, who’s dished out advice on "Today," The Style Network’s “How Do I Look?” and is known as the “bra fit guru” for her popular book, “The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra.”
“The key is to trust your gut and wear what makes you happy,” she continued, “not conforming to what other people define as stylish.”
This means mixing something old with something new.
“Clothes are a form of self-expression," Luciani said. “We should never fall victim to feeling like we have to follow the pack. Incorporate new items into your existing ones and form new exciting looks with what you already have.”
One example, she says, is to wear a sari either as a maxi skirt or in the traditional style, and pair it with a simple cardigan for a more mainstream look.
Accessorize Your Faith
Choose fashion-forward colors and fabrics, and match them with something less traditional when styling your hijab or sari.
“It’s all about bold color,” Luciani said. “Pinks, oranges, red, neon, beautiful emerald greens and bold blues.”
If your religious traditions require a no-pants wardrobe, the maxi skirt’s rise to the fashion fore could be your best friend.
“If you wear the long skirt, you will be right on trend,” Luciani said. “And it’s a style that’s flattering for many women.”
As for flattering styles, sometimes all it takes is the right accessory.
“I’ve seen women in hijabs with Chanel bags, and I’ve seen men in kaftans with Louis Vuitton footwear,” said stylist Stacey Jordan of New York-based Divine Styling International, who’s worked with stars ranging from rappers Q-Tip and Nas to gospel singer Karen Clark Sheard. “Find ways to personalize it using accessories and footwear so that the main piece, whether it’s a sari, hijab or whatever your custom is, [despite] what you add to it -- the sunglasses, pocketbook, shoes -- is the style.”
Jewelry is an especially easy way to express your faith or tradition in your everyday life, Luciani suggests. She says that wearing a religious symbol on a necklace is one way to work your beliefs into fashion without being offensive.
Everything in Moderation
Finding the right balance of faith, fashion and function can feel like a tightrope walk, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is simply to not overdo it.
“Whether the item you want to wear has religious meaning or not, I’d just keep in mind what the office fashion rules are,” Luciani said. For instance, if you work in a conservative industry where it’s required to wear a pantsuit, she suggests toning down traditional attire.
However, Jordan emphasizes that you shouldn’t have to hide who you are.
“If you are going to personalize a custom or tradition, celebrate it, don’t disrespect it,” she said. “The intent in which it was used will show through how it’s worn.”
Luciani agreed, despite her workplace warning: “The key is to trust your gut and wear what makes you happy, not conforming to what other people define as stylish.”
