Style Evolution: My Own

I think it is especially neat [yeah... I couldn't come up with a better word than 'neat', I'm lame I know] how we evolve as Muslimahs, in both wisdom of the deen, and of course, our hijab style. This blog has of course, been a place for both for me, and I want to thank you all for sharing that journey with me. In thanks, I am trusting you with the closest glimpse into my life as of yet [unless, of course, you've met me in person], some photos of me in niqab, and some of my face, though usually obstructed by something, and my surroundings.

Or photos some particularily nasty I-hope-not-a-sister computer saavy person stole off my FB that are already floating around on the net. And of a sister they thought was my sister-wife. Watch out Aalia, lol. That pic had a virus anyway so they couldn't use it. And Aalia is not my sister wife. Or Boxie. My sister wife is an Arab sister, my age, with children. Both Boxie and Aalia are younger than me, and not Arab. And not currently entertaining being co-wives with anyone.

This person also managed to lift photos of me without my hijab from emails that got hacked (some people have alot of time on their hands). Anyways, to the anonymous who cheered me today with the comment "Lady, nobody cares about your life in Allahuackbar land" lol X:D, well obviously some creepy folks do, so I am gonna blow it off, and say peace to ya'll. Know if you see some photos of me in tight clothes with makeup and blonde hair, well, that was taken in my home around maharams, so don't think I've left Islam and taken my hijab off like this weird person tries to say.

Back to the original reason for this post... I wanted to do it....Because...

I was just discussing with another sister how hard a struggle it was without the means for shopping sprees and lack of halal clothing in the West as a new Muslimah, and why alot of non-muslims see Muslim women as suppressed, and why women & young girls hesitate to wear hijab sometimes.

When I first started wearing hijab I had the problem first of not knowing it was supposed to be loose fitting, after that, that jilbab was obligatory when a woman leaves her home [yet not INSIDE her home, there loose fitting clothing suffices], and after that, trying to find clothes that did and were everything they were supposed to be Islamically and a. did not make me look like a grandma, b. did not look like a thrift store heap [hey, thrift store stuff can be waaaaaaay cool but shopping on a budget and with time constraints can be hard], and c. did not in any way resemble the death-eaters from Harry Potter cuz that freaks non-Muslims right out.

After a few years I'd saved and splurged and got enough clothes that fit their Islamic purpose to feel confident I started to realise why it seemed non-muslims percieve us as suppressed. They often see hijabis jilbabi and niqabis walking around in ill-fitting (and sometimes frankly, uuuuuuuugly [but it was the only thing available]), and uncomfortable clothing. #1 that makes a woman feel like crap, and is probably less confident as a result of it. I know from personal experience, when I were cheap niqabs with elastics that cut into my nose or dig in my eyes, I'm a tad confrontational to boot.

After I got over the stages of struggle, and gained confidence, I had to learn to diffientiate culture from Islam, and fight the pressures to Arab-ize, or less islam-ize my wardrobe. I like alot of Arab things still, so they fit into my personal style, but I don't just follow one culture over others at all times, and even if I like something, like gamboo3a hair clips, I don't follow the trend if I learn and become convinced it contradicts my Islam. To my fiqh, gamboo3a do. To each their own fiqh so don't hate on me for that! Sisters through fiqh and thin remember.

Since then I've had fun experimenting, arguing, and shopping all over the map, but it comes down to to these few style rules universal for Muslimahs who want to wear hijab as stated in the sunnah and Qu'ran:

• Loose fitting---non see-through (and not perfumed) clothing around non-maharam men
• Around non-maharam men cover your chests with your khimars (and your neck and hair!!!!)
• Jilbab is worn when you leave the house and know jilbab may be any overgarment that allows you to wear clothing fit for salat underneath of it.
• Don't loose your personality and the things you like, such as a design, a colour or a pattern so long as it doesn't change the conditions listed above
• Islam is your nation when you are a Muslim so any clothing that meets the Islamic conditions should not be made fun of by you, we are defined by our faith and good deeds not our national dress
• Do not wear something that another Muslim of a moderate income could never afford to buy
• Do not dress in clothing that makes people feel bad for you, like they think you are dirty or poor, if you can afford better
• Remember that Allah loves beauty, and that the best garment is rememberance of Allah: hijab is more than the clothes on your back.

I want sisters to know, in that journey, you are not alone. I too, at times, due to lack of modest clothing available, was "a little grandma" or "too thrifty". Better than disregarding Qu'ran right? Yep. So I can live with and smile and share that journey all with you.

So here goes (I'll let the pictures speak for themselves):

And those are the last of the photos I will be posting online of myself anywhere, lol, including FB.

How has your hijab evolved over the years? And if you are a newbie to hijab, what is your biggest struggle?