My hijab is my fashion statement
Dina Zayed has found creative ways to standout fashion-wise while honouring her religious beliefs
Toronto Stat 2014/08/18
Ahmed HamedDina Zayed always matches her headscarf to her outfit.
At all the schools I’ve been to I’ve noticed the popular girls are usually the most fashionable. It’s like living the movie Mean Girls when they’re walking down the hall way, perfect hair flowing in the air, mini skirts, tight jeans and belly tops. Just simply looking perfect. Who doesn’t want to look good? And when you have a religious obligation like I do, it is especially important to find creative ways to standout fashion-wise while honouring that belief.
As a Muslim woman, I wear a scarf around my head called a hijab. Muslims believe that covering our hair hides our beauty. We do this to gain more respect from men. Not only do I cover my hair, I do dress modestly, covering my arms and legs. Essentially the covering is to reduce the attraction between men and women.
My hijab always adds to my overall look. I like to look bold and outgoing and choose to wear vibrant colours such as, red, pink, blue, green, and orange, which match my personality. I can wear anything I want without having to worry if it is too revealing, because I always have a long sleeve shirt underneath to cover my arms.
Many people wear scarves around their necks just to be fashionable. I use my hijab as an accent to compliment my outfits. I like to wear a vibrant coloured top, with a matching coloured scarf, because it makes me stand out.
I never used to care if what I wore was branded or in style, but that changed in Grade 8 when I moved to Toronto from Cairo, Egypt. I was 13 years old at my first school year in Canada. I made lots of friends, but I can’t forget this one friend whom I considered my best friend. We hung out everyday during lunch hour and after school until one day she began to avoid me. When I asked why, she simply said. “Look at what you’re wearing and everyone else is wearing.”
I took a second look at myself, I realized that my jeans were baggy and my top was too loose. Overall, I looked like a frumpy mess.
She walked away as I stood there struck by her words. My best friend didn’t want to hangout with me anymore. It wasn’t because she didn’t like me for who I was, but because she didn’t like my fashion sense. I guessed she didn’t like that I wasn’t wearing designer cloths. That was the day I realized there are people who will judge the way you dress, and no matter what, you can’t satisfy everyone.
I knew that many people often build their first impression on appearances. For a Muslim woman wearing a hijab it can be even worse. Describe someone as wearing a hijab and the picture that comes to mind is dull and boring and frumpy, like Grade 8 me. Often people think that wearing the hijab is due to oppression and will make you ugly. But that is not true. It is a religious obligation that you may choose to fulfil or not. Just like going to the church. In Muslim countries, since most people choose to be religious, over the years it became incorporated into the culture as well.
The way I dress now didn’t begin overnight, but rather it took years. A part of it was me trying to figure out who I am, but most importantly, what kind of a person I want to be in the future. I believe that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my style. I love matching my hijab colour to what I’m wearing, because it’s different from the common black hijab. I usually wear bright fitted clothing with a matching hijab. People see my hijab as a statement piece rather than just a religious requirement.
Since my grade school days, I’ve never had any negative feedback on my style; in fact I always get compliments. They vary from my jewelry, to my tops and jeans, but mainly, about my hijab.
I’ve found that people love seeing people of other religions and cultures in bright colours. Some of the compliments I get now are “wow, I love your scarf,” “Your head piece is gorgeous,” “I love how you match everything you’re wearing.” These compliments showed me that people do appreciate the effort and the thought I put into my wardrobe selection.
I chose a role for myself, while I want to fulfil my religious obligation; I also have a message to convey. Being a Muslim and wearing a hijab doesn’t have to make me ugly. I can be modest and pretty at the same time.
Fashion forward Dina Zayed studied media studies at University of Guelph-Humber.
Every one should have the right to wear what she likes or not. Being naked and drunk is acceptable but being covered and modest is inhuman. What about Halloween and Santa Claus to ban? Burka (veil) is the order of God and about veil it is mentioned in each book of every religion. REMEMBER/SEE those women who use burka to save her selves from men not to see to their beauty are safe really, while those women that have face and body open front of people are unsafe from RESPECT.
The Quran tells us that it is best to follow the Prophets Sunnah. So if the wives wore hijab/ niqab & they were the best of woman & the prophet pbuh had a beard which is the best man ever to live then why wouldn’t u want to follow the best people? And if u believe in the Quran it tells u numerous times to follow the prophets Sunnah so it’s your own personal choice whether to do it or not!!! Unfortunately some sisters don’t present the hijab in the best way but there are many sisters out there that are trying there best to be modest in there dress & behaviour in this evil society we live in. If you are truly a Muslim sister you will support your sisters with the hijab and not state by wearing the hijab we are covering our religion & our character from the rest of the world. Because this statement is completely not true I can put a covering on my head but not on my character!! Unless your talking about the niqab? Which is the full face covering that yr talking about! But even though I don’t wear niqab I still choose to support these sisters because this is a choice they’ve made and I don’t feel that the niqab changes they’re character but rather they’re facial expressions while communicating!!
Wearing a hijab for these women represents what it is…modesty. Any rejection or provocation comes from bigotry. It is exactly the same as the thought that a woman in a mini skirt who gets raped asked for it. The modest head-covering which you see on statues and pictures of Mary, and that Christian women wore for centuries, and many still do, particularly orders of religious sisters? The most ironic thing about this, is that, Mary the mother of Jesus is always portrayed wearing a hijab, and further, the Bible contains a command instructing believing women to “cover their head or shave off their hair! ” The head covering the Jewish women were required to wear is different from the head covering Muslim women are required to wear. I think they symbolized different things maybe. Please look at it and tell me what the difference in level of covering between Virgin Mary’s clothing and the hijab? In all three religions it symbolizes the same thing 1 obedience to God’s commands 2 Modesty and respect to women.
People are offended by people walking down the road in head to toe bin bags. It’s spooky. You have the right to feel offended. You do not have the right to stop them doing it.
It is socially acceptable to be openly racist towards Muslims in this country. Legally not so because more and more Muslims are standing up to this fascism and rightfully so. What, values like stripping down to get sunburned on the beach and drinking to excess on a Friday night out? Why don’t you just wear what you want and allow other people to wear what they want? The right to wear what you want is not a special privilege. Its a basic democratic right and one that you yourself enjoy. No one tells you what you can or cannot wear. Why do you think you can tell others what they should wear?
These racist just don’t like being pointed out and don’t like to be exposed when challenged! So all in all, this university wanted to make a rule for less than 1% of the population who (I assume) aren’t causing any big disturbances or anything? In regard of safety/terror issues, I’d be more worried about backpacks, but I doubt those will be banned in an university setting. Ban on Burqa/ Niqab is against religious-***-human rights of Muslim Women in Europe. Those who support ban on veil are Islamophobic.
We live in a world were women are paid to be naked and fined to be covered, unbelievable! Sisters if you want to wear the niqab you do that. Inshallah you are rewarded for your efforts and commitment in the hereafter. A woman should be free to wear what she likes, if you going to ban a woman for covering up herself, please also ban woman that fail to cover up. The only people who will suffer are Muslim women. A ban would be unjust. One of the best things about this country is its tolerance. Let us remain tolerant.
IA
London School of Islamics Trust