HIJAB FASHION DON’T : SLINKY KNITS

The wrap-dress pictured above has great length (for a top), pretty blouson sleeves, and cute ruffle detailing. But, it also has one major problem. The fabric.

The fabric on this dress is a slinky, jersey knit and in recent seasons, we’ve seen a lot of styles done in the same fabric. The problem with jersey is that it falls on your body in a way that reveals every curve that you have. Since the purpose of hijab is to conceal your curves, jersey clothing can pose a problem for Muslim women, but you don’t have to completely avoid it.

HOW TO WEAR SLINKY, KNIT FABRICS

1. Size-Up. For hijab-wearing women, buying clothes that are one or two sizes too big is a typical thing. But when it comes to slinky knits, you might have to size up even more. If you look at the back of the wrap-dress, you can see how the fabric is stretching across the model’s bottom half. Buying the dress in 2 or 3 sizes bigger would allow the fabric to drape over the model’s curves like a full curtain, which would be much more modest.

2. Clothes that are made out of fabrics like jersey are always tight on the bust (no matter what size you buy). So, you’ll want to make sure that your scarf is big enough to drape over your chest for good coverage.

3. Never wear a jersey top with a jersey bottom. Two knitted fabrics would cling to each other, so you’ll want to wear a jersey piece with something more structured. For example, if you’re wearing a jersey dress like the one featured above, pair it with wide-leg jeans or twill pants. Those fabrics will allow the dress to “flow” over your hips and thighs, giving you a look that is very modest and very chic.

Link:
Ruffled Wrap Jersey Dress ($44.95)

HIJAB FASHION DON’T : LEGGINGS

For the past few seasons, leggings have come back in a big way and they’re a popular replacement for pants for many women. Unfortunately, some Muslim women have jumped on the bandwagon as well, creating outfits that consist of short dresses, leggings, and hijab.

What’s the big deal, you ask? Well as I stated in a previous article, wearing leggings is almost the same thing as wearing stockings, which is almost the same thing as wearing nothing on your legs. Islamic modesty is not just about covering your skin, it’s about concealing your shape. So, in that regard leggings are a definite hijab fashion don’t.

HIJAB FASHION DON’T : WAIST CINCHING

Belts have really become a “must-have” accessory, and cinching in the waist falls right in line with the popular phrase: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it”. But do belts and other waist nipping devices work well with hijab?

As a fashion-conscious Muslimah, I can appreciate loveliness when I see it and I think that the outfits above are very feminine and pretty. However, I think that they’re also very inappropriate for a hijab-wearing woman when she needs to be covered.

The whole idea behind belts is that they nip you in at the waist, creating an illusion of that coveted hour glass figure. The whole idea behind hijab is that a woman conceals her sexy shape. So putting the two together — belts and hijab — is typically not a good idea.

So, what’s a Muslim woman to do if she loves the style factor that only belts can give her? She can wear her belts with jackets. In the collage below, you can see how wearing a jacket shows off the belt while at the same time, it hides the shape of your figure.

Now, this doesn’t work so well if you’re busty because wearing a belt will only exaggerate the size of your chest. But if you don’t have a large chest, feel free to wear your belts and wear them well!

Links:
Blazer, $79.00 (Looks much better in person!)
Stretch Satin Tunic, $39.00
Carlos Santana Iconic Pump, $49.48
Wide Patent Belt, $15.78
Long Skirt, $49.00

What do you think about wearing belts with hijab?