Muslimah fashion bloggers take Indonesia by storm

Young Indonesian women are blogging about how to wear hijabs and makeup in modern styles that respect Islam.

By Cempaka Kaulika for Khabar Southeast Asia in Jakarta

January 14, 2014
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Tasya Gunoto, Harfrida Vindy Agustie and Lulu El Hasbu are Indonesian fashionistas who blog about how Muslim women and teenagers can wear the hijab with style.

  • Blogger Harfrida Vindy Agustie wears a hijab and makeup inspired by Indonesia's Wayang tradition. [Cempaka Kaulika/Khabar]

    Blogger Harfrida Vindy Agustie wears a hijab and makeup inspired by Indonesia's Wayang tradition. [Cempaka Kaulika/Khabar]

The trio is so popular, their respective blogs draw legions of visiting fans from as far away as Europe.

Through blogs and social media, Tasya, Vindy and Lulu dole out advice on veil, dress and makeup trends that blend modernity with respect for Islamic customs and values.

A fashion contest inspired Tasya, 24, to start her "Pretty in Veil" blog in 2011.

On her site, the Jakarta resident models hijabs and offers tutorials on how to wear them, such as in her seven-step Cashmere Hijab Tutorial.

"'Pretty in Veil' means looking beautiful with hijab and in general, and I want to change society's view of Islam. Many think terrorism involves Muslims. I think that is the wrong perception about Islam. Islam is beautiful. I would like to introduce the 'real face' of the Muslim religion," said Tasya.

Vindy, a 29-year-old housewife from Malang, adds dramatic and artful uses of makeup in combination with Islamic attire on her site.

"Initially, I liked drawing and was interested in makeup painting for characters. I wanted to share my experiment through my blog. I named my blog 'The Miraculous Vindy' because I wanted to convey to the readers that life is full of wonders. You can achieve anything, as long as you have a good mindset," Vindy told Khabar South Asia.

Lulu, 29, from Jakarta, founded the Zaura Models Management agency and is a designer for ELHASBU, a fashion brand that bears her name.

Lulu created her popular accompanying ELHASBU blog in 2011. On it, Lulu models boldly modern hijabs and matching outfits, such as the shimmering and lacy ones from her 2013 EL BALLET line.

"The rapid growth of social media like blogs and Instagram has influenced our youth. Today, many Muslims share their knowledge about Islam through social media. Muslims are interested in learning about other Muslims' experiences in ways that are not patronising," Lulu told Khabar.

"To inspire Muslims, we should believe in ourselves. To inspire others, primarily we should be comfortable with ourselves. Be yourself and wear hijab with sincerity of heart, not only for the trend."

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