I thought it would be nice to share some information and pictures here for you all, whether you wear hijab or not. Perhaps it will provide you with some inspiration, for yourself, or a current/future friend! In part, this post is also to promote awareness about hijab, and provide a little bit of education. It seems that hijab is often really misunderstood among those in Western countries (myself being American, I too have had this issue!).
One of the things I was most struck by was how many cute fashions there are for them!
I have never really worn a lot of scarves (I always feel like they are choking me XoX) so I had not considered how many pretty colors and patterns there are, as well as how cute they look coordinated with different outfits! I own a few scarves now just because I had seen some cute ones... haha.
And seeing all these girls on campus in hijab really opened my eyes to how much can be done with them. They really aren't limiting at all (like some might say) - rather they open up a whole new way to express oneself clearly (especially since there's so much focus on the face, colors, patterns, etc.).
So first up, just some generally adorable fashions I've seen from hijabis!
You can read more about what this fashionable lady has to say about her hijab and lolita style here.
It's very clear that many of these girls are more fashionable than me (✖o✖) haha
But really, I had never known the many Muslims considered their hijab much like Westerners consider their hair (i.e. you can cut it in many styles, color it, accessorize it, pick ways to wear it that match your outfit, etc).
It seems so obvious now, but I thought that since I didn't know, maybe it would be worth sharing. I hope I have opened your eyes a bit, and given some inspiration to those of you who wear hijab / have friends who wear it!
In remembrance of Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, Mr. Barakat, and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha. Your lives were cut too short. Rest in peace.
About hijab in general - I do not wear it, but a lot of students at my school do (and since it's winter... I'm jealous because they look so warm...).
There are a lot of different types of head coverings, and not all of them are called hijab, but it seems to be the most common style of wearing head coverings here so I will refer to them as that throughout this post.
If you don't know what a hijab is, it's generally worn for religious reasons among Muslim women. Not all Muslims wear them, and there is some difference to how each woman will wear theirs (in addition to the level of modesty they believe is required for the rest of their dress). For instance, I will show some images where several girls have on more form-fitting pants - this is approved of by some but not all.
Americans might find this hard to understand, especially if they have not met anybody who wears a head covering of any kind. I think of it in terms of how in the past, in different parts of Europe, showing just your ankles was incredibly bad! It's a cultural and religious thing - and it's not anything new. And it's a choice, just like how some Christian women choose to become nuns and similarly cover their body and head.
I feel I should also had that wearing hijab is not a fashion trend that's appropriate to borrow when you are not Muslim - consider European-descended Americans wearing Native American headdresses etc. It is considered pretty disrespectful, so please be sure to consider if your fashion might be seen as rude!
However, though the reasons for wearing hijab might be religious, that doesn't mean that those who wear them can't choose to make fashionable outfits as well that fit within the guidelines of what they believe is modest! Expressing one-self is always very important, and choosing colors and types of clothes that fit you is a great way to do it. Read more about what actual hijabis have to say about what wearing hijab means to them here.
If you want to know more about hijab, I'm not necessarily the best resource for info, so I would read an article like this!
One of the things I was most struck by was how many cute fashions there are for them!
I have never really worn a lot of scarves (I always feel like they are choking me XoX) so I had not considered how many pretty colors and patterns there are, as well as how cute they look coordinated with different outfits! I own a few scarves now just because I had seen some cute ones... haha.
And seeing all these girls on campus in hijab really opened my eyes to how much can be done with them. They really aren't limiting at all (like some might say) - rather they open up a whole new way to express oneself clearly (especially since there's so much focus on the face, colors, patterns, etc.).
So first up, just some generally adorable fashions I've seen from hijabis!
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| the colors are beautiful ~ source: http://hijabonita.tumblr.com/post/88555388182/how-pretty-is-this |
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| This dress has such a pretty print! So cute! source: http://gemsfromyou.com/post/104382341893/hijab-miyadoo-dress-h-m-boots-discovery |
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| I like the little puffs on the edges of her scarf <3 source: http://hijabonita.tumblr.com/post/108908485017/the-perks-of-living-in-the-northern-hemisphere |
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| This is my absolute favorite! Just the coordination of the green for the scarf and the pink for her blazer is so great! source: http://muslimahdress.tumblr.com/post/82096660824 |
What I found out more recently was really interesting! I had never considered how those who are fans of Japanese culture and hijabis could cosplay characters from anime without removing their hijab.
In fact, there are lots of creative ways to cosplay in hijab! Here are some I especially liked:
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| Kagamine Rin (Vocaloid) cosplay source: http://animesecrets.org/cosplayer-spotlight-10-deanty/ You can read more about this cosplayer here! |
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| It's still very clearly Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid)! same cosplayer as above ^.^ source: https://twitter.com/dhialdi24/status/341124822778130432 |
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| Sakura Miku (Vocaloid) cosplay source: http://kawaiihijab.blogspot.com/2013/10/wishlist-cosplay-project.html |
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| Megurine Luka (Vocaloid) cosplay source: http://halihijabi.tumblr.com/post/109425435945/mira-megurine-character-megurine-luka-series |
You can even wear hijab to make a great match with a kimono!
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| source: http://s381.photobucket.com/user/voyeurfly/media/hijab-kimono.jpg.html |
Not only that, but even Lolita fashion (not anything like the 1950s book Lolita, which has sexual connotations and nothing to do with current style) is totally adorable with hijab! Here's one hijabi who really enjoys wearing Lolita style fashion:
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| what a beautiful dress! source: http://hannaonline.org/2014/07/09/faith-and-fashion-can-work-together-perfectly-well/ |
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| Accessorizing with clips and headbands makes hijab really really cute! It's just like making your hairstyle unique. source: http://hannaonline.org/2014/07/09/faith-and-fashion-can-work-together-perfectly-well/ |
You can read more about what this fashionable lady has to say about her hijab and lolita style here.
Not only that, but there are so many resources online for different ways to wear hijab, I can see why there are so many fashions! There is so much out there to try! Take a look at these different style guides:
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| I really like this style and the color choice. source: http://perfectly-modest.tumblr.com/post/107508970574/full-coverage |
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| this scarf reminds me of cotton candy! source: http://hijabonita.tumblr.com/post/82077164795 |
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| This is a really nice look ^.^ source: http://aprielli.tumblr.com/post/49500378838 |
It's very clear that many of these girls are more fashionable than me (✖o✖) haha
But really, I had never known the many Muslims considered their hijab much like Westerners consider their hair (i.e. you can cut it in many styles, color it, accessorize it, pick ways to wear it that match your outfit, etc).
It seems so obvious now, but I thought that since I didn't know, maybe it would be worth sharing. I hope I have opened your eyes a bit, and given some inspiration to those of you who wear hijab / have friends who wear it!
In remembrance of Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, Mr. Barakat, and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha. Your lives were cut too short. Rest in peace.
kawaii! sure kawaii!
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