If there’s one social media account that depicts the ultimate, idyllic, Pinterest-worthy mood board for covetable modest fashion, it’s that of Dutch-Moroccan Souhailla, who lives in The Netherlands and posts under the pseudonym @modest.archives on Instagram. Here, you’ll find dreamy photography of frills, ruffles and feminine fashion layered over white blouses and accessorized with ladylike pearls, gold jewellery and vintage-style bags galore. In an exclusive interview with modestish, Souhailla tells us about her love for oversized clothing, how she developed her aesthetic, what her wardrobe staple is and how faith inspires her sartorial statements.
Whatโs one trend youโll be living in this season and why?
This one is easy, that would be oversized (and I mean oversized, like grandad style) blazers and straight fitted jeans and pants! These types of clothes are so easy to style, especially if you are into modest fashion. I love that itโs a trend now, but I will probably be living in these even after the trend wears off.
How has shopping for modest fashion changed over the past decade, in your experience?
For me, shopping for modest fashion has changed drastically over the past decade. With e-commerce, more and more online web shops have become available in the Netherlands, thereby expanding my options greatly. And of course, there’s Instagram. There have been several instances where I’ve found a super cute piece of clothing through an influencerโs Instagram page.
What is the last inspirational quote you posted or screenshotted on Instagram?
*Me scrolling through my camera roll for a good 15 minutes.*
โโWe donโt grow when we stay inside our comfort zone.โโ Coincidentally, this is one of my favorite quotes. Whenever you want to do something new or different, you may feel scared, but if we do not take the step to go for it, we will never grow and may always stay stuck in our comfort zone.
Your favourite place to shop, and your most recent buys from there?
I donโt have just one particular place to shop at that I like, but some shops and brands that are on the top of my list are ZARA, ASOS, Sister Jane, River Island, and Mango. As for my most recent buys, I have been really into straight jeans and pants lately. I have also bought some pantsuits and co-ords recently. These are so convenient yet classy and I feel like they make your outfit ten times more stylish.
Whatโs the handbag that youโd love to save up for and splurge on?
Well, there is this one handbag from Coach, the Floral Embroidery Tabby Satchel Bag. Iโm totally in love with it. Iโm not sure whether this particular handbag is still available though.
Whatโs one beauty product thatโs always in your cosmetics bag?
Lipliner and lipstick (the Mac lipstick in Taupe is my go-to).
What is the one garment in your closet that youโll never part with and why?
A good turtleneck top. They are easy to combine with any outfit, especially modest outfits.
Would you say modest fashion is a โreligiousโ movement, a โstyleโ movement, or both/neither?
I think that modest fashion has been, to some extent, influenced by religion. However, I think it is best to view the current and relatively mainstream modest fashion trend as a style movement, as, letโs face it, not all of my outfits completely adhere to “Islamic” dressing rules.
Advice you would give to your 15-year-old self:
Back then, when I was 15 year years old, I was already very much into fashion, but I mostly bought what other people were wearing. There were some styles that I preferred over the then mainstream ones, but because no one in my environment was wearing a different style, I didnโt dare to go for it. If I did purchase some of those โdifferentโ items, I would feel very insecure when actually leaving the house wearing it.
In the past few years, I stopped caring about what others would think about my outfits and enjoyed styling and wearing outfits that I actually wanted to put on. I think this change of mindset is really important, as it can help you to just do what makes you happy instead of constantly worrying about othersโ opinions. At the end of the day, the only opinion/judgment we should worry about is that of God’s.
Your biggest motivation in life isโฆ
What strives me to try and be a better version of myself is my faith. My faith pushes me to do better every day and to try and see every day as if it were my last in this dunya (world), because no one can promise us tomorrow. It is hard, as there are these constant ups and downs, but hopefully the month of Ramadan will help me in strengthening my Iman (faith) even more, and that of all Muslims around the world.
Feast your eyes on some of Souhailla’s sublime fashion photos below, and follow her on Instagram here.
Read interviews with more of our modestish muses here.
