8 Ways to Wear the Hijab from Around the World
The Hijab has been seen as a symbol for Muslim women all around the world. Whether to be worn for religious reasons or as a fashion statement to express freedom of expression, women should be free to choose to wear, or not to wear the hijab. Nevertheless, the headscarf has integrated into various cultural clothing styles from around the world that runs parallel to the spread of Islam. This has shown an immense variety of styles and ways to wear the hijab that are practiced daily by Muslim women from all over the world. Read on to discover 8 unique and interesting styles of hijab practiced by different countries and be inspired by their creativity and ingenuity.
1- Dupatta Hijab :
While not originally used by Muslims, the Dupatta originates from Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi traditional wear. It's a long, drape-like shawl that is made from light material and often embellished with eye catching sequins, embroidery and so on. While most South-Asian women would drape these Dupattas over traditional Kurtas or Shalwar Kameez, they can also be fashioned into elegant and light headscarves. These are mostly worn by Muslim South-Asian women on special occasions such as wedding to show an elegant and glamorous way to wear the Hijab.
2- Khimar:
The Khimar style of wearing a Hijab originates from Egypt and is practiced by many Egyptian Muslims. The Khimar is a long and modest way of wearing the Hijab as it is a headscarf that drapes down to cover not only the hair but also the neck, shoulders and bosom. A regular Khimar is long enough to reach the stomach or thighs. As it's the most modest form of a Hijab, the Khimar is worn by many Muslim women who choose to adhere to religious standards of covering their modesty of the hair, neck shoulders and bosom and it is not required to cover the face.
3- Kurudung/Jilbab/Tudung :
The Kurudung, Jilbab and Tudung are all forms of headscarves that are worn by Muslim women in Southeast Asia. Mainly in Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. The Kurudung and Jilbab originate from Indonesia where the Muslim women have various ways of styling their headscarves for more comfort and fashion and as a way of self-expression while protecting their modesty. The Kurudung mainly have hardened tops to and flow elegantly to frame the face. These veils can then be styled and wrapped around the neck and shoulders in various attractive styles. Meanwhile the Jilbab is similar to the Chador in which it covers the entire body with exception of the face. The Tudung is worn by Muslim women in Malaysia which is similar to the Kurudung in which there are a variety of types and styles to wear them according to the woman's comfort and fashion preference.
4- Chador :
A Chador is a cloak-like material that covers a woman from head to toe. It is worn over a smaller headscarf as an outer layer and has no sleeves or buttons. It is worn as a cloak covering a head and held together from the inside by the woman's arms. The Chador is a popular choice for Muslim women in Iran and Iraq. It's mostly related to the Shia sect of Islam. During the Iran Revolution of the 70's, black Chadors were only used during funerals. However now, Muslim women who wear the Chador can wear the black ones daily outdoors and wear more colorful or patterned variants for indoor use.
5- Turban:
The Turban is a choice of Hijab among many African Muslim women. This style involves covering their heads with a headscarf and winding it around the crown as opposed to allowing the headscarf to drape over the shoulders. This style melds together with many African cultural headdresses as it suits with the hot temperatures in countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.
A Turban style involves headscarves of various fashionable colors and patterns and is considerably seen as a more modern style Hijab with many Muslim women opting for it. It's a more cooling way to cover the head while protecting a Muslim women's modesty.
6- Niqab:
The Niqab is considered an official head attire for women in Saudi Arabia. It is often confused with the Burka however there are differences. A Niqab is a headscarf that covers the head, neck, shoulders and face leaving only an opening for the eyes. Whereas a Burka covers a woman's body from head to toe including the face which leaves only a mesh covering near the eye area for the woman to be able to see. These are the most conservative forms of Hijab and it has often been debated to allow women to have a choice whether or not to wear them. It is mainly used for strict religious purposes.
7-Esarp The Esarp:
Originates from Turkey and is considered a more fashionable and modern choice for Muslim women. It's a square piece of silk material that can be worn as a headscarf and styled appropriately around the head and shoulders. An Esarp comes in various styles and modern designs which make them look chic and sophisticated. Also due to the smooth and silky fabric, it is cooling for Muslim women who live in particularly hot climates
8- Amira Hijab:
Amira Hijabs are considered the best choice for beginners to Hijab. These simple headscarves are mainly worn in Syria before the fashion spread to other Muslim nations. It's a single piece of headscarf that can easily be slipped on and doesn't require any additional pins or overly-complicated way of wrapping it. Amiras are mainly made of Lycra or cotton material and can be found in various colors and patterns. So, while it is simplistic, it is a very fashionable Hijab style with minimal effort.