As-salamualaikum,

I pray this finds you all in good health and imaan. My name is Mahmuda but everyone knows me as Ruma [B.]

My parents are originally from Bangladesh, so I am Bengali. Although I was born in Bangladesh, I spent the majority of my childhood in Queens, NY and moved to Detroit, MI in the mid 90s. I was definitely a nomad, attending 7 different elementary schools.

I am a recent graduate of Wayne State University in Communication Studies and hope to pursue a masters degree in the medical field, inshAllah [if God wills]. I know, two complete opposite majors, but my goal in life is to be versatile. I find that everything is intertwined somehow. I'm always on a search for something that allows personal growth. Google doesn't help much.

Growing up with two brothers definitely influenced my sense of style. I was definitely a tomboy growing up. If anything, I loved wearing my brothers oversized t-shirts and sweats. Of course even then, the 'baggier' the clothes, the better the modesty. I was always a little self-conscious when it came to my attire. As I reached the appropriate age, my mother and brother made sure I wore the Hijab without thoroughly explaining what it really meant. It took me a while to comprehend its true meaning and purpose.

Living in a pre-dominant Bengali society, culture had a major influence on my lifestyle rather than religion. This is where my struggle began. I wore the scarf throughout high school, as what they call a "part-time" hijabi (may Allah forgive me for exposing my past sins), I dealt with great struggles and especially with the thought of taking it off. SubhanAllah, [glory to be God] as I became more educated on what hijab truly meant and represented, I grew to love the ideological aspect behind it. Even if someone believes it's unnecessary in their opinion, I feel like it's my own safe-haven. Once I learned its beauty, everything became much easier and I truly believe that's a blessing from Allah (S) himself. I came to the realization that I did not have to compromise my personality and my style for my religion. It supported me with my ideologies especially for modesty and style.

As woman of faith, a sister, a daughter, a friend, I face a great deal of obstacles on a daily basis with worldly desires. And on a daily basis, I am still struggling to fight against my own desires to constantly purify my heart - especially for the greater good. With the help of social media, I have high hopes this will connect me to the greater good. If I am unable, maybe someone out there will help me carry out these dreams.

When Melanie approached me about the "It Girl," I was ecstatic! ...nervousreluctantembarassed. I felt so many emotions all at once because of my struggles of humility and ego. I didn't want to disappoint her either. I admire what this brand represents. After having the deepest conversations with Mel and a few other close friends, I decided a real test begins here. One thing Melanie mentioned was after overcoming *these* obstacles, we face struggles on a more deeper level and that's with humanity. When compassion for humanity grows, you'll constantly be reminded of Allah (S), which is my ultimate goal.

I hope & pray you'll see me more than just a fashionista and I can inspire you with tidbits of my life using fashion and social media as a great tool. I pray I do not mislead any of you and may Allah (S) connect us in this world for the sake of the next.

Haute Hijab is the epitome of classic modesty. I do not see it as only a brand of fashion but a modesty movement for women and girls all over the world. I hope I am able to live up to the expectations because this is truly a privilege.

We love you Ruma and are so excited to have you on board! Follow 'It Girl' Ruma's journey on our Instagram @hautehijab, on facebook and right here on our blog!