Jewel in the gown as mum sells modes for the modest
MANY of us would think nothing of popping to the shops to find a new outfit. But for those who choose to dress modestly, finding something suitable on the high street can be a struggle.
While for some it’s a religious decision, for others dressing modesty is simply a preference.
Despite the increasing diversity of Cardiff, for 43-year-old Rifhat Qureshi there were not enough options in the city. In a bid to change this, the mother of three from Grangetown has opened Modest Trends – a shop targeted at women who want to dress fashionably while honouring their beliefs.
“I originally started it to give people who feel like they can’t express themselves through fashion, while also reflecting their own beliefs, more options,” said Rifhat.
“I just didn’t feel like there were enough options in Cardiff, it’s a diverse place but people were still struggling.
“Previously, you would have to travel to London or Birmingham. That’s fine, but I wanted to create something in Cardiff for women who struggle to do that – whether it’s childcare, money etc. I wanted to bring it a bit more local.”
Rifhat, who also works full-time as an enterprise officer for Cardiff University, says she has always loved fashion but has struggled to find suitable items on the high street or inspiration from magazines.
“It’s nice that people can come here and there are things that can just be worn straight off the shelf,” she said. “It’s all about mixing fashion you’d find on the high street with items that match our own beliefs and values.
“It’s about empowering other women too, to work and have more freedom in how they dress.”
As well as stocking different kinds of modest clothing, Rifhad was particularly interested in selling modern Abayas – which are difficult to find in the UK.
Abayas are loose, robe-like garments worn by Muslim women. They are traditionally black, but Modest Trends offers them in a variety of styles and colours in order to make them more appealing.
While Rifhad does have a website, she champions face-to-face shopping.
“You can come in and speak to a real person and have someone to talk about the clothes with,” she said.
“It’s been doing really well so far. It’s such a diverse community here and I think it’s good to have places where people can shop and have different options.”