Dress this sweater up with a fun skirt as pictured or simply pair with jeans for a casual feel. Your style options are endless!
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I love a good pair of baggy jeans. The baggier the better.
What are your wardrobe staples?
My style is constantly changing and because of COVID, it's changing faster. The one constant is that when I get dressed I like to find pieces in my wardrobe that spark joy and when I shop, I look for pieces that I know fit my body. I don't necessarily shop for seasons because I think when you dress in a hijab or you dress modestly in general, it doesn't really matter.
I aim to have a very sustainable wardrobe with vintage pieces and basics that fit my body well and make me happy. If you’d asked me a year ago about my personal style, it would’ve been more about keeping up with trends. Working in social media and fashion, you feel like you constantly need to keep up but now that’s changing — well it is for me, anyway.
Talk us through your personal style?
I realised how much influence I hold in my community. I noticed when I posted a dress and then it sold out. I started thinking more about where I was directing my audience. Especially for me being a Muslim woman with Middle Eastern roots, I have to do more thinking and think, how is this company or where they make these clothes impacting people who are just like me. I think it's been an eye-opener in the Muslim influencer community, because we can't keep promoting companies that impact our communities back home. So we have to think a bit smarter. So that was one thing. I realised I have to make better decisions so that they can make better decisions.
What was the catalyst that made you more aware of how your own fashion choices impact sustainability?
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Why Nawal Sari Isn't Ready to
Define Her Personal Style
I first met Nawal Sari back in 2019. We were shooting a campaign for Call Time On Melanoma, and I had the privilege of styling the shoot. I think it was one of Nawal’s first campaigns, and when we jumped on a call for this interview, reflected on the fact that it was only two short years ago, but feels like a lifetime. A lot has changed, but one constant that’s remained, is Nawal’s unwavering sense of self.
As a modest fashion influencer, Nawal’s style has a ‘seasonless’ approach, and she loves the thrill of the hunt — but she's not quite ready to define her personal style, given it's always changing. One of her first retail jobs was actually at H&M, where she saw first-hand the importance of a brand making sustainable fashion accessible to all.
In our interview, Nawal opens up about how her platform made her aware of how her own fashion choices impact sustainability.
Keep scrolling to read our interview.
It’s been a journey. I grew up op-shopping and then when I started working in retail I had a budget, and so I’d shop at H&M because I knew I was buying good quality affordable pieces [from the Conscious collection]. You could feel it in the materials. That was sustainable for me and it still is. Otherwise, I invest in second hand pieces. I also know that through my Instagram, I’m going to influence others so I’ve been more aware of my actions and what I promote and post about.
What I love about this H&M collection is that people might buy it without even realising it’s good for the environment, and that’s how it should be.
Tell us about your relationship with sustainability?
Do you believe it's possible to shop affordable fashion in a sustainable way?
I do. Not everyone can afford to spend over $200 on a piece of clothing, which is why it’s so great that H&M has created this collection. The other thing is size ranges. Not everyone can walk into a thrift store and purchase something second hand in their size, but you can find pieces at H&M.
If you have a platform, then you need to talk about the impact of fashion and how to take more responsibility.
What are some of the things you look for when determining whether a fashion piece or brand fits with your own sustainability ethos?
I look at the materials — how does something feel? Does it feel sturdy? Is it going to rip easily? Next, I question myself. Am I making a rational decision? Am I still thinking about it a few days later? And then I ask myself if it works with the rest of the pieces in my wardrobe.
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What are your sustainable shopping tips?
Respectfully visit thrift stores, but understand they are there for people who really need them. When you shop for something new, think about it for a few days, understand how it’s going to fit on your body and consider alterations to make it a perfect fit. Sometimes all you need to do is get something altered and you give it a second life.
What tips would you have for someone still figuring out their personal style?
Experiment! I know it’s common, especially from people in my community, because it’s a small community and you feel scared to try something new, but it’s OK to dabble in different trends and try new silhouettes.
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The H&M Spring 2021 collection launches in stores
on September 16 and online at hm.com.
Note: Due to Government COVID regulations, not all stores are currently open.
If you could pick any person from any era, who would you choose as your style icon?
Right now I am obsessed with Naomi Campbell and looking back at her old looks!
And what are your favourite pieces from this new collection?
I love the beautiful cream dress, and want to wear it with chunky boots and a leather jacket — and definitely the jeans. They’re amazing.
Pictured: Lyocell Blend Slip Dress ($29.99), Long Sleeve Jersey Top ($14.99), Straight High Jeans ($39.99), Chunky Low Heel Shoes ($49.99)
Pictured: Long Lyocell Blend Dress ($59.99)
Pictured: Cotton Muscle Tank ($24.99), Straight High Jeans ($39.99),
Shoulder Bag ($19.99)