“Modestly Speaking” is the social media moniker of fashion enthusiast Fatima Mukhtar, who aims to inspire women to feel confident in dressing modestly. Born and raised in the United States and currently living in Texas, Fatima is of Pakistani descent, and is not your typical Instagram fashion influencer. While she posts outfit images on social media, Fatima circles back to her physical blog, where she chronicles her travel experiences and style advice. Read more about Fatima’s lifestyle, her favourite shopping destinations, her views on the wide-reaching potential of modest fashion and more:
What inspired the name of your blog, Modestly Speaking?
I knew my blog was going to focus on modest fashion, so I wanted a name that would immediately indicate the type of content I was creating while also remaining a little playful with the dual meaning.
What is your day job, what are you studying, or what is or your life outside of fashion?
I am a full time mother of three and part time care giver of a widowed mother. Though the pandemic hasn’t allowed much of it these days, I also volunteer to support various non profits and community organizations.
What does modesty mean to you?
Modesty is an outward reflection of your inner character. In addition to maintaining a sense of humility in my interactions, I make sure the way I dress is a visualization of who I am: someone who is mindful of God’s expectations of me, one who expects to receive as much respect as I give, and someone who puts thought into whatever I do.
Would you say modest fashion is a “religious” movement, a “style” movement, or both/neither?
In the broad sense, I see modest fashion as a style movement within which the religious movement exists. I think
it’s extremely important for retailers and designers to understand that. When they see modest fashion
purely dictated by faith, they miss a huge opportunity. So many women I know prefer to wear longer
hemlines, necklines that don’t show cleavage, etc. because they want the focus to be on their ideas and
their work, not necessarily what they’re wearing.
Many fashion influencers these days have discarded the blog model and rely solely on social media. Why is
it important for you to keep up the blog aspect of Modestly Speaking?
As much as I love fashion, I also love creative expression through writing. Having a blog helps me marry the two – sharing clothing that I love and the story behind it.
How would you describe your personal style?
I’d say my personal style is casual elegance. I’m not a huge trend follower and I don’t like to make loud statements. While I would love to get dressed up every day, the reality is that I am either working around the house or spending time with my kids so my style very much reflects that.
Why is it important to highlight the diversity of interpretations of modesty, and the fact that modesty is
not synonymous with headscarves?
Modesty is valued in many religions and cultures. When it comes to modest style, no one faith (or interpretations of a faith) can take ownership of the movement. I also think by doing so, it limits the possibility of modest fashion options because designers are so concerned about meeting the modesty standards of a small segment of the population.
In my view, modesty exists on a spectrum and we should be open to all interpretations because dressing modestly is a matter of intention and principle.
fatima mukhtar, modestly speaking
What is your favourite brand or shopping destination?
Ah, so many to choose from! For my everyday wear, I’m a big fan of J. Crew: it’s classic, high quality, but also affordable. Nordstrom is another favorite, I am able to find beautiful designer pieces along with moderately priced trendy pieces in one go.
The most memorable garment in your closet is…
A pleated maxi dress with a vintage bird print on it. I found it at some random store in Dubai a few years ago.
In Houston, what’s the demand like for modest fashion? In what ways, if at all, does modesty go “against
the grain” of mainstream societal styles?
It is HOT for half the year in Houston. Like you don’t even want to step outside kind of hot. In that sense, modest fashion definitely goes against the grain because people are wearing the least amount of clothing as possible. With the weather as it is here, modest style is more a matter of principle. However, Houston is home to many people of faith that do adhere to those principles, so I think the demand is higher than one might think.
