When she was 16, attending Parkway West, Summer Albarcha typed the words “modest fashion” on Instagram. The results—stylish women around the world wearing hijabi fashion—inspired her to launch a fashion blog reflecting her family’s Syrian heritage and her hometown. Albarcha struck a nerve: She’s been featured in Marie Claire, The Huffington Post, the Associated Press… Now a student at Saint Louis University, the 20-year-old continues to write her eponymous blog and travels the world for speaking engagements.
Have you always been interested in fashion? Yes, I think it came from going to a private school through eighth grade and having to wear a uniform. I would always change outfits as soon as I got home because I felt I had no freedom of expression at school.
Stay up-to-date with the local arts scene
Subscribe to the weekly St. Louis Arts+Culture newsletter to discover must-attend art exhibits, performances, festivals, and more.
What’s your advice for dressing modestly? The piece itself needs to be modest: If you’re wearing a tunic, then that should be your focus; if you’re wearing a beautiful skirt, that should be the focus. Sometimes, people wear way too much and lose the focus of the outfit.
How do you stay cool? I like to wear shift dresses with pants or maxi dresses and a white denim jacket, or a maxi skirt and a long-sleeve, tissue-thin cotton top. Thin trench coats or cardigans, harem pants, or wide legged-pants help, too.
Where do you shop? I love Paperdolls. The majority of my closet is made up of collaborations with different designers and companies, but I also like to shop online at ASOS, Zara, or Topshop…
What’s next for you? I’d like to launch a clothing brand, something easy to wear, inspired by being a college student. I’d also love to create a blog with multiple faces: fashion, lifestyle, beauty. And hopefully I can continue to influence mainstream brands to incorporate more modest fashions.
To see more fashionably modest looks, visit Albarcha’s site at summeralbarcha.com.
