How to Hijab: Tips for Buying & Wearing Head Covers

Head Coverings:

Tips for Buying & Wearing

In this section, we'll go over shopping and how you can choose the style(s) that best suit your life, how to care for your scarves, how to keep them on your head, different types of fasteners, and tips for work and special occasions.

Practical Hijab Shopping Tips

Hijabs are almost always square and come in three approximate sizes: 40"x40", 50"x50", and 60"x60". Remember, the idea is to get "maximum" coverage of the head, shoulder, and chest area, which is why they are so large. There are also "pyramid hijabs," (chanis) which are 40"x40" hijabs already sewn into a triangle shape, and these are especially popular with younger sisters.

The advantage of the plain hijab is that it works for everyone's face shape, and there is such a range in colors and patterns available that it works for everyone's skin tones. Hijabs can be silk and fancy for holidays, plain and muted for work, or flowered for social occasions.

The most popular hijabs are made of cotton or polyester, although there are many available in georgette, chiffon, or silk, which are pricier. The cotton ones are highly recommended for summertime, or for those who live in tropical / semi-tropical climates. Remember, 60% of your body heat escapes through your head, and the heavier jaquard / embossed polyester ones do not breathe. Although the polyester ones tend to have more vibrant colors and patterns, they also get hot very quickly, unless it is wintertime.

Depending on the fabric, color, and pattern, a hijab can be anything from casual to dressy. You can wear it with Western clothes, jilbabs, dresses, abayas, and shalwar kameez.

Larger sized cotton hijabs are usually solid, or jaquard, although in recent years, there have been some in chiffon fabrics. The rule of thumb seems to be that the larger a cotton scarf is, the weirder the colors available: black, white, light blues, bright pinks, purple, burnt umber, and this weird green color that I see everywhere. Black and white are your best bet for these, unless you want to make your own. 60"x60" cotton scarves in black and white are hard to come by in the stores, so I'd snatch one up if I saw it.

The smaller cotton hijabs are usually lighter in material, and have more delicate colors. I have to say that the Turkish kind are the most feminine and lightweight ones I've seen. You can also get these with patterns, usually small flowers and geometric patterns. These scarves are great in the summer, particularly if you live in a very hot or very humid environment.

Pyramid scarves (chanis) are a hard call. They are highly convenient, but usually aren't long enough to wear over the chest area. They also tend to have lace, beading, sequins, and who knows what else hanging off of them. Ideal for younger teenagers, or for "active sisters." Recently, a very nice style of pyramid hijab has been available in many catalogs. They are very long, with quiet lace trim, and come in a variety of colors, such as brown, grey, pink, and so on.

Polyester scarves are more expensive than cotton scarves, and more widely available. I tend to stay away from them because they are often gaudy (giant maroon flowers, etc.) and they are hot. You can buy these in any size mentioned above. If you have straight hair, I'd avoid these all together, as they are very slippery. On the other hand, it is nice to have one or two available if you live in a colder climate, as they keep the head warmer than cotton does when you're trudging through the snow. But just remember, if you work in an office or go to a school where the heat is often turned up, don't wear it!

Georgette and chiffon are my favorite, but until recently have been hard to find, more expensive, and not that large. You can find them in range of shades from pastels to black, or in delicate Arabesque, floral, and abstract patterns. They are very delicate and professional looking, and must be treated with care. When you buy one, make sure that you look closely at the material for stains, rips, snags, and other imperfections. Some stores try to pass off poly scarves as georgette. Georgette is very light and almost sheer, with a vague scratchy feel, when you hold your hand to it, even in black. The best chiffon and georgette scarves come from Turkey, Jordan, and Syria, although there are some nice ones from Egypt too.

Finally, there is silk. It's expensive, hard to take care of, and not widely available. Skip it if you don't have bookoo bucks. Silk scarves can be very beautiful, but are expensive, and best left for special occasions. The best ones come from Turkey or Italy.

Al Amiras (Buknuk)

The Al Amira is really the best choice for the sister on the go, the athletic sister, or a younger girl. The range of fabrics and colors available make this style much more appealing than it was a few years ago. Al Amiras can range from plain cottons to fancy beaded synthetics and velvets. It consists of a short tube (about 8" long) and a hood that slips over the tube. The advantages to wearing an al Amira are the ease with which you can put it on, and the contemporary styling. There are also so many varieties of solid colors and patterns that you can usually mix and match the tubes and hoods from different sets.

The main disadvantages are that they don't work for all face shapes / head sizes, and that the hood is short (just covers the neck). (Note: You may be able to find one piece al Amiras or ones that come down to the chest or waist). If your face is very round, square, or long, the al Amira may look funny on you. If you really want to wear one, set the tube on your head so that it arks up over the center of your face (vs. flat across your forehead), and set the hood at a 45 degree angle across the crown of your head. Because the fabric is tight against the skin, dark colors tend to make lighter colored sisters look very sallow or sickly. If you want to wear a dark colored one, use a lighter colored tube underneath, or wear two contrasting tubes (light and dark) under the hood.

If you're shopping for a cotton al Amira, take the time to try it on (or make sure you can return it). Some cotton al Amiras can be very tight fitting, and you will find yourself uncomfortable or suffering a headache after a few hours. The tube should be loose and stretchy, but not so loose that it slips back on your head. The hood should also be slightly loose and stretchy. When buying cotton, check the seams for quality. Poor quality al Amiras can start coming undone at the chin seam after only one wear or wash. Cotton al Amiras can be machine or hand washed.

If you're looking at synethic fabrics (usually polyester or lycra), again see if you can try it on or return it. If you are buying a lycra one (usually the fancier looking ones), be aware that it may fit looser than you expected, and can slip back off of your head at the most inopportune moments. For those who want to wear an a lycra al Amira, a small straight pin at the top of the hood may be the solution to keep it from sliding off. Again, check the seams at the chin. Synthetic al Amiras can be hand or machine washed, although the ones with rhinestones and other beading should be handwashed.

If you can, avoid the al Amiras with crochet trim, lace trims, or cut out trims on the hood. They are cheap looking (although they can be a nice touch on the tube). Some al Amiras are one piece, without the tube, but with a forehead insert sewn into the hood. These look okay on some people, but they also tend to look cheap and sometimes a little sloppy. If you buy a one piece, check the seams where the insert attaches to the hood.

Shal, Milfeh, Shayla

Currently the most popular style of headcovering in the Middle East, the shal is contemporary looking and can be styled in any number of ways. The shals that seem to be sold in the West are often more limited in what you can do with them and tend to be of heavier weight fabrics than the ones available in the Middle East. However, it doesn't take a lot of work to purchase a length of lightweight fabric and hem it to make your own shal.

It does not work for all face shapes and head sizes, although you are free to experiment with any number of styles and fabrics. If you have a square face, a heavy jaw, or a heavy chin, go for the lighter fabrics and colors, and use some of the styling tips provided below (vs. the basic shal style).

Shals tend to look somewhat dressy. They look best with abayas, jilbabs, and dresses, although they can be worn with Western style tops and skirts. I've seen some people wearing them with pantsuits and jeans. My only advice is … don't. It looks strange.

When shopping for a shal, you're going to want to look at the weight of the fabric, and its width and length. Some scarves sold as "shals" are not wide enough to cover all of your hair and neck, even when they are wrapped around. The shortest acceptable width is about 15" to ensure that it covers all of your hair and all of your neck. The length should be a minimum of about 3 ft, again, to ensure that there is enough fabric to wrap around and cover all of your hair and neck.

As for fabrics, you want to look for the lightest weight polyesters and chiffons. You need not worry if it is seemingly sheer, because once you have on an underscarf and wrap it around your head, it will be opaque. Another nice fabric to look for is loose weave gauzy cottons or polyesters. These very popular shals are great in the summer time, and can be both casual and dressy. Many of the shaylas sold in the United States are medium or even heavyweight polyesters. They may look nice, but when wrapped and pinned, will weigh down and even fall back off of your hair. If you do buy a heavier weight fabric, avoid the ones with decorative beadings, rhinestones, etc. as this makes the fabric even heavier on your head.

Khimar, Charchaff

Although khimar means headcovering, in this section, we are using it to refer to a specific type of headcovering. Khimars are two piece covers consisting of an underscarf and a round hood like slip on veil which can be anywhere from mid chest to ankle length (which is more similar to a closed chador). They tend to be in solid colors, and the longer ones have slits in them for your hands. These khimars are great for pregnant and nursing sisters. Khimars tend to be made from peachskin or lightweight polyesters, stretch lycra, or cotton. For prayer garments, cotton is the best. It is easy to launder and lightweight.

Sisters with very round faces, heavy jaws, or heavy chins may find that the khimar looks and feels snug on their faces. Sisters with the above shaped faces, with square faces, or who wear glasses, may find that the underscarf makes their face look too severe. You can "soften" the look of the khimar with our tips below. Some sisters, particularly those with hearing difficulties, have found that the underscarf and khimar make hearing diffficult.

Some strech lycra khimars are nice looking, but in general, they tend to be kind of tacky, as they tend to pill easily. If you want a stretch lycra one, there are a few things to look for to ensure your purchase is high quality. Make sure there are no pills or runs in the fabric, especially around the seams. All of the inside seams and the bottom hem should be serged and loose ends should be cut. The nicer ones have a sort of headband insert sewn into the top (this does not replace the undercap). I've noticed that the ones with the headband drape nicer than the ones without.

On polyester khimars, again, make sure that the inside seams and hems are serged (if the hem does not have decorative edging). Pay special attention to the seam at the part where you will fit your head through. A loose seam means that the stitching could open up while you're wearing it, making the khimar slip right off of your head.

Care and Feeding of Your Hijab

Cotton and polyester scarves without trims can be thrown in the washer, no problem. So can al Amiras, polyester khimars, and shals. However, if you wash your scarves a lot, or the material is very delicate, I would personally recommend handwashing it with Woolite. This goes for the georgette, and chiffon, as well as hijabs, shals, and al Amiras with beading, embroidery, or lace on them. Silks should be dry cleaned, which is why they are impractical. An additional way to keep them looking nice is to iron them on a low setting.

Generally, the best way to keep hijabs is to fold them into a triangle or square shape. That way when you take them one out of the drawer, you just have to open it up and it's ready to wear. Sock clips or laundry clips (for hanging the wash on a line) can be clipped onto the hijab to keep them folded up. They're also a great way for keeping both pieces of a two piece al Amira or khimar in the same place. Trust me on this one, your hijab drawer will be messy, so it's an effort to keep it in some semblance of order. Some sisters just take off the hijab, leave it pinned, and hang it on a tie hanger. In general, we would not recommend leaving it pinned, in case the scarf gets stuck on something and it snags the fabric.

If you have a silk hijab, you may want to keep it folded with one piece of tissue paper on the inside, and one on the outside.

Other Hijab Tips

Keeping it On Your Head: If you have Caucasian or Asian hair texture, you will more than likely need some type of material underneath the scarf in order to keep it from slipping off of your head. Sisters with African hair textures may find that they need some type of underscarf as well. Several types are sold.

The very wide lace headbands are extremely uncomfortable, especially if you wear glasses, and they have the bad habit of slipping backwards off of your head and out underneath your scarf onto the floor. The Syrian made full lace caps are nice, and they usually stay in place. There is a space in the back for a bun or ponytail. Cotton caps (that look sort of like Amish lace caps) are also popular, but I have found that they stick out of the front of the hijab, and make it look sloppy. Some come with little ties (like Amish lace caps), but I have found that the slip on ones without ties stay on more securely and don't stick out as much. If it's cotton you like, you're better off with the underpiece from a plain (no lace) Amira style hijab. Cape-style khimars usually come with a matching underscarf, but if you have very fine or straight hair, you will still need some type of textured lace or cotton on underneath that to keep it from slipping.

Hijab-ing in the summertime: Everyone always wants to know, "Aren't you hot in that thing?" The answer is yes. [Isn't everyone hot when it's 86 F and 90% humidity outside?] The best thing for summer is that you wear light colored cotton scarves or poly blends, lightweight shals, cotton or lightweight al Amiras, or lightweight khimars during the summer. Forget about wearing anything 100% polyester (like those giant Italian jacquard scarves) or the polyester scarves with the velvet cutouts. It actually isn't all that different from wearing a bandana or baseball cap, and remember, it is protecting your scalp, and neck from UltraViolet rays. If it's really hot where you are, you might want to spray your head with some water, and dip your underscarf or cap into some water before you put it on.

Hijab-ing in the wintertime: Don't go over board and wear wool, heavy knits, or velvet on your head. Even the stretch velvet ones sold in the Islamic stores get very hot and very slippery after awhile. If you choose a velvet one, make sure that the pattern is light (meaning, the velvet pattern has lots of big cutouts where the polyester shows). If you're really cold, buy a coat with a hood on it, or wrap a winter time scarf around your neck.

Hijab Fasteners

Hijab pins: Most Islamic clothing providers sell little plastic pins which come in shapes (bows, ovals), and colors. They're pretty cheap, about 50 cents. If you are wearing a colored hijab or a black one, the hijab pin looks better than a big silver safety pin. But you may notice as time goes by that you are saving all those safety pins you get from the dry cleaners. It's a good idea to keep one or two hijab or safety pins in your car, and / or purse. Be aware that regular safety pins will snag and tear on the fabric. This is also the case with some decorative pins and brooches. In general, be careful about wearing these types of pins if your scarf is of a delicate fabric.

Straight pins: These are the types of pins used to fasten corsages, some hats, and hems while sewing. You can find them with plain flat heads, or with oval or round "pearlized" heads in various colors. Come in handy with the more formal styles, especially for shals and khimars.

Hat pins: Wearing hat pins to both fasten and decorate the scarf has become popular in the past few years. When purchasing one, check to make sure that any decorative beads are securely fastened.

Brooches: Decorative brooches can add a pretty touch to a scarf, especially for a wedding or other special occasion. Be selective, however. Something that looks pretty in the box at the store may seem hideously large or ugly when it's on your head. In general, if you plan to pin the brooch anywhere near your head, choose a small one. Larger brooches can decorate the back of the scarf, or be pinned at the shoulder.

Earrings: Yes, some sisters choose to fasten their scarf with earrings. Now you have a use for all of those single earrings that have lost their mates. The rule for brooches applies here as well. Large hoops or dangly earrings should be saved for the back of the scarf, or your shoulder. Smaller studs can be used to fasten the scarf near the face. Don't count on an earring to hold the scarf in place, however. The posts are usually too thin. Make sure the scarf is in place with regular pins, and use the earrings as decorative fasteners.

Barrettes: A fun way to decorate or clasp your scarf is with the decorative flat snap barrettes that are so popular with young women today. You can use the barrette to clasp the scarf at the side of your face (see "Waterfall" style). However, the flat barrette, like the earring, is more valuable as a decorative piece. One way to wear it is at the top of the side of your head, as you would with a barette in your hair. Be careful not to overdo it, however. One barrette is usually enough.

Elastic Clips: Usually used to hold up sleeves, or clasp the waist of a jacket or dress, these clips are now being used by women in Turkey to fasten the tails of the scarf behind the head. Some of them are plain (a piece of solid colored elastic with two clips on either side), and some are pretty (flowered material scrunched over the elastic).

Ponytail Holders: Yes, that's right. Now you are seeing sisters using those small, decorative ponytail holders that are short elastics with leather, plastic, or beading on the top (almost braid size, very small) as "scarf slides," or fasteners for the tails (ends) of the scarf. Can be very cute.

Hijab at Work

One issue facing working sisters is how to make their hijab look professional (vs. fussy or ethnic or old fashioned), while maintaining proper modesty. Alhamdulilah, in recent years, a number of fabrics, colors, patterns, and styles have come out that are perfect for those working in formal and informal sectors.

A plain white or cream scarf (al Amira, hijab, or shal) is always a good choice. Neutral colors such as beige, camel, and light grey also work. Al Amiras, 40"x40" and 50"x50" scarves, and shals all work well with business attire, modest Western dress, and tailored jilbabs. Black should be worn sparingly, either an al Amira or a 40"x40" scarf. Shals, or large scarves in black or another dark color, or khimars in any color, may "intimidate" co-workers. One way to "soften" up a black al Amira is to wear a lighter colored tube under it, such as white or grey.

While the soft pastel or neutral abstract patterns that have become popular recently may be appropriate for office wear, if you work in a very formal environment, you should stay away from pinks, light blues, yellows, flowers, Arabesques, or bright patterns in general. You should also avoid shals with heavy embroidery work, rhinestones, beading, or fringed edges. Save these types of scarves for casual days or your life outside of work.

If you are working in the industrial, medical, food service, or hospitality industries, your best bet would probably be the al Amira, not only for appearance, but for your convenience and safety as well. If you are working in the industrial or medical fields, and choose to wear a hijab, make sure that the ends are tied or tucked safely into your garments, to avoid getting them stuck in machinery (it's happened), or contaminated by patients' bodily fluids.

If you work in retail or education, your choices may be a little more diverse. If you're a teacher, choosing scarves in soft colors and pretty patterns will project a non-threatening image to students and parents who may have little or no personal experience with Muslims. The same goes for retail, although if you are young, and work in a more liberal environment, you can probably get away with funky patterns and bold colors as well.

Special Occasions

Whether it's Eid or a wedding, special occasions call for special hijab. Many sisters wonder how they can retain their modesty without looking frumpy, especially on the wedding day.

In Western wedding attire, you can still have the dress and veil, and still retain your modesty. The dressmaker should be able to make any alterations necessary to the dress. For the hijab, you will want to find a white scarf in a luxurious fabric: satin, silk, rayon, georgette, or chiffon. I've found that the veil headbands that work best with hijab are the round pillbox style ones (not the tiaras). With the hijab, headband, and tulle veil in place, the effect is sort of a funky "Anna Karenina" effect.

For those sisters who want to try something a little different, there are a number of beautifully embroidered or velvet cut shals and scarves available. With a little help from a tailor or your sewing machine, any length of fine fabric from your local sewing supplies store can be turned into a beautiful, unique, and modest head cover for your special day. Insha'Allah, we've noted which styles can be worn for formal occasions in our styling how-to section.

on to the styling guide

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