ASOS CHATS TO SHAHD BATAL

How does it feel to have your very own Style Edit?
It’s so dope! When ASOS asked me, I was so honoured. I mean, it doesn’t feel like just my own edit; it’s a testament to how far modest fashion has come. It’s always seen as its own thing, and not as inclusive. A lot of brands still aren’t even acknowledging it, but I feel like ASOS has always walked the talk. It's an honour to be working with one of my favourite brands and be able to do something that I could only dream of.

A lot of our customers will already know what modest fashion is, but could you explain it to anyone that doesn’t?
It’s something that’s personal to a lot of people – some people just want to wear more; others dress modestly for religious purposes. For me, I’m Muslim, and for Muslim people, there’s a foundation. We know what’s modest and what’s not, but people who dress modestly swing on different sides of the spectrum. For instance, the UK is a lot more modest [than the US] in the styles that you see, and the way people dress.

The edit is a reflection of my style and how I dress, so I can’t speak for everyone who shops modest fashion. Modesty is just about covering up a little bit more. And, for me, the reason behind it is that you’re gonna hear me before you see me. I find that’s really liberating.

Do you have any favourite pieces or looks from the edit?
I’m the queen of sweatpants and there’s one outfit made up of cream sweatpants with a dress shirt, with a cropped crew-neck on top, and I feel like that’s the most authentic look to me. I can wear it with my Nike Air Forces or a pair of nice boots. That outfit is my everyday uniform. I love the little bags; I love the heels in the edit; there’s this orange, silky-feel dress that I’m just obsessed with at the moment. There’s a green floral dress and I’m so picky about florals, but this is the perfect print for me. With this collection launching right before Ramadan, I wanted people to be able to shop the edit for Eid dresses and personally, I think the edit includes the perfect dresses – they’re so flattering.

How would you describe your personal style?
I can be very feminine, or I can be very casual, depending on the occasion. I just wanna feel comfortable first and foremost. My style is definitely modest, but like… elevated modest. At the same time though, if I can do the bare minimum, I will. If I can wear something casual and get away with dressing it up with a cute pair of heels or a cute bag, I’ll definitely do that. I’ve recently just got into jewellery, like big into jewellery, because it elevates my favourite sweatpants look so well. So, if I’m wearing sweats but have like, a stack-load of rings on – I feel really cool.

I do have my staples, if you strip everything down; I’m like Steve Jobs on the inside! I love a good pair of baggy jeans, a black turtleneck and Nike Air Forces. That’s the ‘uniform’ and then I work from there on a day-to-day. Because my style is changing so much, I’m loving the trend pieces but I’m also trying to be responsible. There’s this really cool trick you can do with your hangers when you put your clothes away. If you hang them the opposite way to how you usually do, in six months’ time, if anything is still facing the wrong way – you know to donate it.

Who do you look to for style inspiration?
I find a lot of inspiration on Instagram. I look at people who wear stuff that I probably couldn’t wear, but I like to think about how I can make it more ‘me’ and more modest. I love finding people that incorporate lots of colour. I don’t necessarily follow people who wear what I wear, cos I love that challenge of finding a look I know I probably wouldn’t wear – like an off-the-shoulder top, or something with holes in it – and thinking up a new way to wear it. I don’t want to feel like I’m sacrificing my style.

I like making saved albums too. I’m getting inspiration from colour schemes; being outside; but also looking back on things my mom used to wear. I’m really enjoying trying to bring really old stuff back by watching old TV shows as well. During my quarantine, I’ve been watching The Marvellous Mrs Maisel and I just love all the colour schemes and it gets me thinking: how could I make this a thing in 2020, you know?

What kind of things did you consider when choosing the styles that went into your edit?
I definitely had to ask myself, ‘Do I try and speak to everyone about modest fashion? Or just stick true to myself and my style?’ Eventually I chose the latter, because at the end of the day, it’s my edit. I don’t mean that to sound cocky; I just figured it might as well be my style. Although, it is spring/summer and I wear a lot of black, so I tried to come out of my comfort zone and include more colour.

I definitely thought about Ramadan around the corner and the type of clothes people will want for that sort of occasion. Also, how people are going to be dressing for Eid; that’s where the fancier pieces come in. So, my go-to would be a jumpsuit on a day-to-day basis, so there’s jumpsuits in there. If I have to wear a dress, it’s going to be something super-flattering. I don’t like to think too much when I’m getting ready, and I think the collection is a good reflection of that.

You’re also well known for your beauty vlog content. How did you get started in that scene?
When I first started out on YouTube, my first video was in my college dorm using a webcam and I actually wasn’t wearing a hijab at the time. It started as me just vlogging about my life and what I was doing at the time and I was doing the occasional beauty video, but most of my content was around natural hair. I wanted to tell my journey of going from straight, damaged hair to healthy curls. Then in 2016, I decided that I was ready to start wearing the hijab. At the time, I was fully expecting to just get a regular job – I was studying PR, so I thought I’d be on the other side of what I’m doing right now. Even though I was into makeup before, once I took my hair out of the picture, I was showing a lot of my face and I had to really get comfortable with it and I did that through makeup.

I learned so much about myself through using makeup. I was getting a lot more comfortable in my own skin, and now, my reason for wearing makeup was changing. It was never about those really glam looks; it was more about: how can I match my makeup to my outfit, how can I give this makeup some creative direction? So, that’s how I started into the world of makeup. Now, I’m not as in love with that world as I used to be. I took a little step back, which is probably for the best, as there are so many people that look like me doing it now who are way more passionate and I feel like they should be leading the way on that front. So now, I just kinda share products that I love because I still enjoy that side of it.

What are your favourite Face + Body products on ASOS?
Man, ok... I think, overall, if I could only use one brand for the rest of my life, I think it would be NARS. The brand is consistent across the board with great products, shade ranges and quality. As far as skincare goes, I just recently fell in love with Elemis. I mean, I’m obsessed with complexion products at the moment, like, the out-of-the-box-type looks. Once in a while I’ll pop on a bedazzled eye, for sure, but it’s all about good complexion products.

Do you have any advice for any budding beauty bloggers?
Don’t try to be another version of somebody else, like a better version of your favourite YouTube content creator. It’s all about bringing something different and unique to the table. I mean, all these kids on TikTok are making me feel like I’m too old, but in a great way. The way these people are homing in on their individuality and creativity is so dope, and it’s about being able to really commit. You can’t just decide to be an influencer and have everything come to you – the brands, the products, the deals. A lot people don’t see the other side – like all the unpaid work that goes behind it. You just have to love what you do first and foremost; it has to be for yourself and it has to be fulfilling for yourself. It has to bring you joy, otherwise it can feel very performative.

Do you have any secret beauty tips you can share?
Even if I hate my makeup, or I don’t know if I have a lip colour that suits, I can always rely on a nude lip colour. I also always have to colour-correct under my makeup, cos when I wear makeup my pigmentation will go grey. I love a good soft-glam look. If there’s one thing I’m always trying to perfect, it’s the perfect soft-glam. Also, I think the misconception that women of colour don’t need to be wearing sunscreen because we have more melanin is total BS – you need to be wearing sunscreen regardless of skin type! Even if you’re just in your house right now.

Are there any other obstacles women of colour face when choosing beauty products?
Selections are very limited. Obviously, a lot of these brands have been around for so long, they didn’t always need to care, and that’s why I always question how genuine brands are. I think now, you can tell who’s doing it to be ‘on-trend’ and who’s doing it because they actually care – and who’s doing it right. Black women spend the most amount of money on beauty products, so to neglect women of colour seems silly to me.