Shopping for Muslimah fashion is a feat in Singapore, as there are limited options in this country where the main make-up of the population is dominated by Chinese. Fret not, as I am here to guide you on this journey of dressing up in stylish Muslim clothing! In this guide, you will find a few places I found that provides trendy abayas, jubahs and other Muslimah wear!
1) Geylang Serai
In this Malay enclave of Singapore, you will find long-established Muslim fashion retail stores with brand names like Top Choice situated here. From floral printed long sleeve Muslim dresses and headgear like snoods and scarfs, you will be spoilt for choice here. Admittedly, many stores offer traditional clothing styles and many offer occasion wear options that are overtly dressy for day to day occasions, but if you dig hard enough you will still find gems!
Joo Chiat Complex might seem old and unpromising from the outside but do not be fooled. It may be known as a place for buying curtains, but if you go to the second floor of the complex you will find a treasure trove of Muslimah clothing stores! On my last visit, I found a couple of occasion wear stores offering stunning Muslim wedding gowns and prom dresses. There were a handful of stores selling working wear for Muslimah women from office appropriate abayas to fancy bell leg dress pants in monochromatic shades. There were some stores offering Muslimah swimwear as well for the Muslim woman who wants to enjoy the sun and the beach! Single coloured styles are available as well are printed styles and sporty ones. In particular, there was a store selling beautiful hand-sewn embellished head scarfs. Prices are on the higher end but you can see the owner sewing on the beads and sequins herself on your visit there!
The best part of this complex is the tailoring services by Muslimahs for Muslimah women! You can pick from varied fabrics like polyester and chiffon to glamorous velvet and create your own one of a kind design. The turnaround time for tailoring is fast too, with most stores offering a time of one week from design to finished product. Prices are affordable and it also feels good supporting the owners of these stores, all pioneer generation veterans who have been there for a long time! As such, you can trust the workmanship of their creations. I have personally created an evening dress there and the finished product was perfect. The threading was immaculate and consistent, like high fashion brands. Also, the fit of the dress was like a glove, without any need for further amendments!
2) Veralia
This up and coming Muslim fashion brand from Singapore is making waves in the local modest dressing scene. From streetwear-inspired designs like hoody sweater dresses and heavily embroidered bohemian styles, fashionistas are calling Veralia their go-to store for stylish modest styles. Of interest is their wide size options from size small to 5XL, catering even to plus size Muslim women. Muslimah women are raving about the innovative and comfortable Muslimah swimwear offered by Veralia. They have created slimming side panels to elongate the frame and used basic colours for a modern and futuristic look. It is mentioned on their website that swimwears are their top sellers and no wonder it is so!
Also popular is their jubahs. Coming in a myriad of designs and cuttings, Veralia is providing a serious challenge to existing Muslim clothing stores. They employ intricate embroidery and embellishments and design modern prints, setting their clothing apart from others. Top sellers include a bohemian floral embroidered tier balloon sleeve swing style available in popular colours like black, pink, green and blue. Interesting necklines like square necks and sweetheart necklines are offered. Another style that shows off their innovation is Japanese-inspired kimono styles. With a Japanese banded waist tie and flare sleeves with a line hem, their kimono styles are proving popular with young Muslimah ladies too.
If you have not checked them out so far, I will recommend you do so now and see for yourself a brand I am proud to call Singaporean!
3) Online Marketplaces
Online marketplaces like Carousell are becoming mainstays for Singaporeans, especially in these times of COVID-19, but do you know that they have an increased offering for Muslim fashion too? I was enticed by a first-timer user promotion I found online for Carousell to try shopping on their platform and found that there is a good number of Muslimah fashion available on it! I purchased a knitted Henley style dress for only $29.90, a good deal as the material is pure cotton. I usually pay $49.90 and above for my abayas at retail stores.
I have not tried other marketplaces yet, but there should also be a healthy number of options for Muslimahs there. I would encourage you ladies to try them out and discover the good deals for yourself!
