Monday, August 11, 2008

Wearing hijab at work

Some of you my be suprised to hear that up to today I did not wear a scarf on my head at work. I wore covering clothing like pant suits and skirts with a business shirt with a scarf around my neck but not on my head. Please don't be offended by my omission, hijab is something I really struggle with coming from a Western, feminist upbrining. I also struggle with what clothing Muslim women should wear - headscarf, draped over the chest, overgarment, abaya, niqab? Following my years at university where I did wear hijab I sort of opted out and just wore what I was comfortable in, long sleeve shirts, coats and scarves round the neck.

With Ramadan rapidly approaching and not attending a hijab fashion show just km's from my house for the embarassment about not being a real hijabi, just one who wears it to Muslim events, I really really felt like wearing it. I wore it to the mall and was so happy. People were nice to me, I felt comfortable and I just loved it. So I thought maybe maybe I should wear it to work.

I am wearing my normal work clothes, work shirt with a skirt and boots but with a sheer scarf hung around my head. It's not completely covered, as its sheer and needs an amira under it but its a start. No one has said anything mean although I have been asked if I'm having a bad hair day but mostly people don't even say anything.

I'm think of wearing this tomorrow - what do you think? The scarf is a tesettür type one, shiny polyester scarf, leopard print and floral so I've shown two scarves it is sort of a mixture of.



If you want to have a look at the fashion show look here: see this link here click on Forbidden Fashion, I hate the cringey title and intro but its great to see my friends on tv.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

what do you mean not a real hjiabi? i would call you part-time. part-time is better than unemployed if ya know what i mean ;)
you shouldve gone though and pointd yourself out on the tv for us!!!

Anonymous said...

I know but I was scared. I hadn't made the decision to wear it to work then, so I didn't like the idea of people seeing me wearing it on the TV .

Anonymous said...

do what you want to do. It is sooo scary at first when you start wearing it.. i wore it a few times to uni when i was a part time hijabi. i was shitting myself but after 10 minutes of people staring and talking about me i thought "F*** it. im not wearing hijab for them. im doing it for God and the myself."
after a while you stop caring about other people seeing you.

Anonymous said...

btw where did you get the polyvore tab thingy from?

Anonymous said...

I've been wearing hijab for about 8 months but just started wearing it to work a couple of months ago. I don't know why, but wearing it there was the hardest thing. I would actually take it off in the parking lot in the morning and then put it on again when I left. I finally got the courage to wear a scarf in more of a Spanish style. I did that for a couple of months and then one day I told myself enough. I felt soooo guilty not wearing it. That morning I decided not to take my scarf off in the car. Nobody at work even noticed!! Be strong sister! I hope you find the strength to wear it full time! :)

Anonymous said...

Jazakallah for the support sisters, I'm wearing a loose mesh scarf today.
The weather's pretty ordinary today so it doesn't look so odd to wear a coat inside. I'll have to get some lighter ones when summer comes around.

If you want a tab go to your profile on Polyvore then click 'Add polyvore to my blog'

Anonymous said...

May Allah make it easy for you! Don't worry about a thing, the first step is always the hardest, but once you're past that, it gets a whole lot easier.

Do tell us how it goes!

Anonymous said...

Assalaam aleykoum sisters,

As far as I am concerned, I live in France where it is mostly impossible to work with a hijab.
I am going to graduate in agosto inchAllah and I am planning to leave France towards the USA, THE UK or Morocco.
So my question is the following: Is it possible to work with your hijab in the UK ? (whatever the education level and the position)
Thank you for your replies.
As you said, let's be strong.
It is for our sake inchAllah.

Wa salaam aleykoum.

Anonymous said...

assalamualaikum sisters

It is my second day of wearing a hijab to work. It's wierd, some people just stare, some smile and look away, some make a random comment and some don't stop refering to it! But I know what you mean, it is quite nerve wracking. Even though I just want people to stop talking about it and let me be...I will not take it off Inshallah, as i wear it for Allah swt, not me, not them, not anyone else. I know it will become easier, inshallah.

But yes, it is quite scary

indria said...

don't worry....it takes time.keep stylish and modest as muslimah.