I think often the West does not understand the history and the privilege of wearing a hijab. They always think of oppression.

Halima Aden

Categorized in : Always Think Understand History

Skin care is so much more important than makeup. Makeup is for when you're having fun and going out. But your skin is forever.

skin you makeup care

For a really long time, I thought being different was a negative thing. But as I grew older, I started to realize we were all born to stand out; nobody is born to blend in.

nobody being-different time long

I choose to focus on the positive.

choose focus positive

There's always room to volunteer. I think that's a huge space to be involved with.

room think always space

There is not one description of beauty - that in fact it has different faces, different stories, and different background, and it's important to embrace all of those.

embrace different important beauty

Sometimes I'll go with a long hijab, or sometimes I'll wear my scarf and go somewhat business-y with a blazer. Every day is something new.

every-day day sometimes long

Be who you are. It's easy to feel like you have to blend in, but it takes courage to live your life with conviction and embrace the person that you are.

feel you courage life

You don't have to show a lot of skin to be beautiful.

show skin you beautiful

Being Somali, being Muslim, it's always something I've been very proud of.

something being always proud

Diversity and inclusion are always something industries should strive for.

something always inclusion diversity

Always stay true to who you are - barriers can and will be broken!

true will you broken

When I was younger, I didn't have that type of person that I could look up to and be like, 'OK, this is someone who dresses like me and I relate to.' I didn't have that growing up, so to give that opportunity to a younger generation of women - and not just Somali women, but anyone who feels different - that means a lot to me.

look me women opportunity

If there's one message I want people to take away is never compromise being your authentic self. Even if that means making others uncomfortable.

never self want people

I used to be so self-conscious about my braces that people thought I was shy - I just never talked. It took me a long time to realize, whatever, it's not like I'll have them forever, so I might as well enjoy it while I do!

me time long people

To be honest, before I joined the industry, I knew very little about the fashion world, and I hardly knew any name brands. Probably because the price tags were a little too high, and home girl needed to work.

fashion girl work home

I feel like I'm here to bust those misconceptions and stereotypes of Muslim women.

stereotypes i-feel-like feel women

I have much more to offer than my physical appearance, and a hijab protects me against 'You're too skinny,' 'You're too thick,' 'Look at her hips,' 'Look at her thigh gap.' I don't have to worry about that.

look me you appearance

It's always been hard trying to find the right pieces that go together, but it's always been something that interests me - finding new ways to be fashionable and cute but still being modest.

new me together cute

I like shopping at retail places like JC Penney or Macy's, and maybe buying a top or a shirt, and then buying a skirt from Rue 21 or Forever 21 because they have the maxi skirts, which I appreciate so much, and then topping it off with something that I buy from a Somali shop.

shirt shopping appreciate forever

The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads, but I want people to know that it is my choice. I'm doing it because I want to do it. I wanted people to see that you could still be really cute and modest at the same time.

you time cute people