One thing which we should get straight right at the onset of this discussion is that Modest dressers belong to every faith and modest dressing has a lot to do with personal style, comfort and not only relegated to faith. Just as women of Islamic faith could be spotted sporting a headscarf or hijab as it’s popularly known; women in other major faiths too, are required to cover themselves and their modesty. For example, Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair with a bun or Christian sisters observe the headscarf or the Hindu women observe the ‘ghoonghat’ as prescribed in many of their ancient texts.
And talking about the modern day sentiments, the sham of anorexic diets, body –shaming, heavily degraded highly sexualized and objectified adverts with women has called for attention globally. Many Women introspecting these chaotic promiscuous times have personally found their calling in modest dressing where they don’t feel the need to ‘dress less to success’ formula but combat the so-called societal notions of a certain body figure (read size zero) to rise and prevail in their careers and life. While it’s good to be healthy but not to be bullied into fat-shaming as it is happening increasingly in the digital age of social media. Thus, helping make women clearer choices of ascertaining self -worth to integrity of character than clothes. It’s here where the Muslim Women clothing has cooked up a storm. The predominant markers of a Traditional Muslim women clothing is body-coverage where a woman’s skin is not exposed to an unrelated man or in the eyes of the society at large. Of the many traditional outfits available like the Abayas, Jilbabs, Burqa, Hijab, Salwar –Kameez, it is the Abaya which is wearing the crowned glory of a mass garment in the Muslim World. It is almost equivalent of an asymmetric English dress. Thanks to the many renditions of its make in different geographies like a Frock Abaya or a Gown Abaya, it takes to being a favorite with the converts equally owing to its feasibility. Thus one finds many parallels between many of the modest –dresses and Muslim dresses.
