title: Hijabi Identity
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s struggled with this. Finding my own style, my own identity within the requirements of my Hijab.
I guess it sort of depends on your definition of hijab, whether we agree with all of them or not, there are many interpretations and ideas of what is and isn’t hijab and what must be covered. For some, hijab is just the addition of a scarf with regular non hijabi clothes, for others it’s covering everything including the hands and face.
For the more conservative among us, it’s harder to find a unique style without compromising our convictions to the various aspects of hijab (attitude and dress)
Hijabi Evolution
I was always pretty well recognized by my personal style in high school, the hippy with the bright orange top and the army green pants, or the grunge-hippy in the foremans coat, yeah, my sense of style didn’t make much sense at all. When I started to wear hijab I didn’t have much choice but to become more aware of my style of dress, it mattered now.
At first I didn’t have a whole lot to work with, I covered pretty well before hijab, so I just added a square scarf on top of my jeans and long sleeved sweaters. It wasn’t covering me as well as I understood my hijab should, so I eventually started wearing Jalabeya and Abaya all the time, the thing was, where I lived, there was 1 islamic clothing store with a very small selection an hour or more away, so I had one jilbab that was too long and too decorative, one that was given to me that was an XXL and I was a Small size, and one that was almost the right fit, but not quite. I wore them anyway to fulfill the requirements of my hijab (cover all but hands and face in loose clothing)
Eventually I lost myself
And no, it wasn’t all the material. I started to feel like the clothes I was wearing, were not me, they were someone elses clothes and I was not happy in them. This feeling didn’t include my scarf or the hijab -alhamdolillah- it was just the style of clothing.
I went back to my jeans but this time with tunic tops. I felt more like me but after a while I didn’t feel like I was covering enough, it’s a hard balance to find between pre hijab and hijab clothing.
Where are you now?
I’ve recently forsaken my beloved jeans for outside the home (they are still very much loved at home) and instead i’m comfortable in full length stylized denim skirts and tunic tops, or jalabeya or abaya that fit me! I feel comfortable and properly covered.
What can we do to find ourselves in Hijab?
Here are a few ideas for finding your own style without compromising your modesty or the requirements of hijab.
- If you wear all black, try a hijab or abaya or even niqaab with a slight print, either contrasting, more subtle or even a black embroidery or black pattern on black so that it shows only very slightly in the right light. Try a different colored hijab with all black everything else, try a colored niqaab.
- If you wear an abaya or jilbab, try out a different style or pattern than you have before. If you have trouble with feeling frumpy, make sure you are wearing the right size for you, it’s possible to have an abaya that fits nicely but is not revealing. If your proportions aren’t average then you may need some tailoring (eg. I’m 5’1″ and almost always need to get them shortened)
- Hijab (the scarf) Different styles, patterns, pins, colors. There are endless possibilities and so many resources online for learning to do different things. Get some different shapes and sizes, a few pins and spend some quality time with your mirror.
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Posted by Emma Apple
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Nov 26, 2009Rate
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Gonxhe
2:29 pm
SalamAleikom
sister I loved your post and it is very helpful and very interesting
I am sister who started wearing hijab 2 weeks ago and yes totally at the begining I didnt know how to balance my hijab and my style before hijab
although, I was always wearing long tunics and skirts sometimes jeans and long sweaters but the thing is if you weear hijab it really means to cover yourself up (something long and loose) the city I live in doesnt have a SISTER store at all, we have some sisters that have tailor stores, and all we do is send them a model from an internet or video we have seen and then we have abaya or proper dress to wear (if they sw it as we want). the capital city is 45 min away and I go on weekends and try to find or figure out something for me…but when I find it the price is o llaallaaa very high or maybe well one thing I can afford but there is no size
as I wondered as fresh hijabi I decided to wear things I have and put long long scarf around me and wrap it around my shoulders and it covers my chest arms and belly and part of my beautiful backside lol and long skirt …while my head is covered by two pieces of al amira hijab
my husband likes it I like it and I see myself as a new fresh and properly covered hijabi
I also preffer abayas or jilbabs because underneath u can wear anything u want coz there are times u go as a guest to someone, or u go out to meet someone and all u do is just put the abaya and ur ready to go
zaiynab
9:46 am
awesome post mashaAllah! I went through similar changes, it took me years to find my hijabi style. I was always a jeans and hoodie girl, so I have a lot of denim skirts and zip-up hoodies (if you leave them open they're more modest) and usually wear those or a flowery dress with a hoodie lol. :D
Melissa
1:24 pm
Great post, I really enjoyed reading it! It is hard to find your personal style. It's taken me a while!
Sarah
8:16 am
I've been wearing hijab for three years now alhamdulillah! But this is something i struggle with to this day. I love fashion, always have and always will. My degree is in Fashion Design and Marketing, and it is a constant struggle to balance out my passion for fashion (as corny as that sounds) with my desire to fulfill my requirements as a muslimah.
I know some days I fulfill them better than others. Alhamdulillah I have been able to stop wearing makeup which was huge, I normally still wear jeans or jean skirts, but always with long and loose flowing tops.
The one thing I cannot and probably will not ever give up are my high heel shoes. LOL…even if I started wearing only abaya I would be the sister with five inch leopard print heels underneath. It may sound selfish, or silly, or even stupid of me but it is one thing I simply cannot give up.
Insh'Allah my salah, acts of charity, and treatment of others will make up for my bright pink platforms!
Great work UmmHend! As usual!
May Allah bless your for all of your hard work!
UmmBear
6:08 pm
Mashallah
Thank you for your post- I used to wear hijab, but stopped some years ago for long boring complicated reasons… I think part of my decision was that I allowed the very conservative community to dictate my hijab style.
When I go back to it, it will be on my terms, and in my own way. Alhamdulillah more sisters are taking this approach. To cover AND be true to your identity whatever it is.
Wish me luck, I am in the process of redesigning a hijab compatible EMS uniform that’ll pass both HR and my (somewhat anti-Islam) Boss!!
:) G
Petal
6:52 am
Brilliant article and a very good point. I struggle with this point every single day. I live in a very rural town so I stand out because of my colour anyway and wearing a scarf over my head just adds to that. So I prefer to wear my scarf in non-traditional ways that still cover and I have no problem with loose clothing and long tops. However I know that muslimahs sometimes don’t perceive how wear the scarf as “hijab” and that tends to get me down and make me feel bad. What I have found out is that the most important thing is to read a lot and educate yourself about Islam and do as much as you can with the right intentions inshAllah!