hijabi fashion

Following fashion trends is not the easiest thing to do when wearing a hijab, Sara Beg said. A hijab is a scarf some Muslim women wear as a head covering. It’s worn to detract attention from men and to maintain respect for a woman’s beauty. But the hijab also represents conservative dressing as a whole. This means long sleeves and pants—so nothing except the face, hands and feet should show, said Beg.

Beg, 22, sports the head covering every day, and although the hijab is a fashion hurdle, she finds a way to express herself through clothing and accessories. “I tend to wear brightly colored shoes and just bright colors in general,” Beg said. “It's hard for me to find stuff that is hijab appropriate that is in fashion.”

But since covering up is more important to Beg, she sacrifices trendy styles and sticks with fun shoes, she said. “I like to match my hijabs to my shoes,” Beg said.

Tahreem Aziz, also 22, does not wear hijab, but she dresses on the more modest side, Aziz said. Fashion is important to Aziz, and she tries to keep track with current styles more than Beg, she said. “I try to follow whatever fashions are popular,” Aziz said. “Some of them fit with my conservativeness.” 

But some don’t, she said.

“For example, leggings are in fashion,” Aziz said. “But I don’t feel comfortable wearing them so I would wear skinny jeans.”