One of the notable things I have observed these past few days, especially walking around the Arab parts of Jerusalem, is the distinctive attire of many devout female Muslims. Most wear the Hijab, which covers all their hair, and the Abaya, a full-length outfit that covers the entire body, including the ankles. The purpose, supposedly, of this dress code is sexual modesty.
But this seems to be in tension with the fact that many of the women who wear these outfits are very attractive precisely because of the way that the above garments accentuate their beautiful features. The Hijab not only covers the hair; it also illuminates the features of the face that are common in this part of the world. The almond shaped eyes, the long and thick eyebrows and eyelashes, the sharp cheekbones and large lips, and the cosmetics that adorn these features, all seem to be enhanced by the Hijab. One reason may be that human hair is such a distinctive element of our appearance; when meeting a person, the quality or style or lack of hair is one of the first things that we notice. By covering their hair, they re-direct attention to the features mentioned above . It is often also the colour and quality of the head covering that enhances their beauty. I have seen Hijabs that are vibrant red or with intricately embroidered patterns that perfectly complement the face, the cosmetics, and the other garments.
Then there is Abaya, which, especially among the young ladies, is form-fitting and hence leaves little to the imagination. They also come in vibrant colours and dynamic patterns; most of the time, they have a silky smooth texture. It would be an exaggeration to say that they are skin tight, but still, they are tight enough to clearly identify the often curvaceous and voluptuous figures beneath.
Another interesting mode of dress is seen on the many Arab women who seem to mix Western and Muslim dress: they wear the Hijab while simultaneously wearing skin tight jeans, high heals, coquettish amounts of make-up, and tight shirts that reveal their bosoms. Here, it is hard to argue that the Hijab is worn for reasons of modesty. After all, the rest of what they are wearing would not look out of place on the streets of any Western city where women can dress pretty much as they please (to the consternation of traditionalists everywhere). Rather, for females in this category it seems as if the Hijab is worn as a symbol of cultural identity, as a way to differentiate themselves from the completely secularized (i.e. Westernized) and the completely devout. Or maybe there is little thought that influences the decision; the choice to wear a Hijab with the Western attire that many traditionalists would deem to be flagrantly provocative and immodest may simply be a matter of habit, or of mood, or a result of the cultural synthesis that globalization has promoted around the world, mixing local with Western modes of expression in everything from language (i.e. English seems to have penetrated every spoken tongue) to music (gangsta rap now has its local variants all over the world) to dress (tight jeans and tops that completely reveal the shape of the physical form).
Or maybe I am wrong?
But this seems to be in tension with the fact that many of the women who wear these outfits are very attractive precisely because of the way that the above garments accentuate their beautiful features. The Hijab not only covers the hair; it also illuminates the features of the face that are common in this part of the world. The almond shaped eyes, the long and thick eyebrows and eyelashes, the sharp cheekbones and large lips, and the cosmetics that adorn these features, all seem to be enhanced by the Hijab. One reason may be that human hair is such a distinctive element of our appearance; when meeting a person, the quality or style or lack of hair is one of the first things that we notice. By covering their hair, they re-direct attention to the features mentioned above . It is often also the colour and quality of the head covering that enhances their beauty. I have seen Hijabs that are vibrant red or with intricately embroidered patterns that perfectly complement the face, the cosmetics, and the other garments.
Then there is Abaya, which, especially among the young ladies, is form-fitting and hence leaves little to the imagination. They also come in vibrant colours and dynamic patterns; most of the time, they have a silky smooth texture. It would be an exaggeration to say that they are skin tight, but still, they are tight enough to clearly identify the often curvaceous and voluptuous figures beneath.
Another interesting mode of dress is seen on the many Arab women who seem to mix Western and Muslim dress: they wear the Hijab while simultaneously wearing skin tight jeans, high heals, coquettish amounts of make-up, and tight shirts that reveal their bosoms. Here, it is hard to argue that the Hijab is worn for reasons of modesty. After all, the rest of what they are wearing would not look out of place on the streets of any Western city where women can dress pretty much as they please (to the consternation of traditionalists everywhere). Rather, for females in this category it seems as if the Hijab is worn as a symbol of cultural identity, as a way to differentiate themselves from the completely secularized (i.e. Westernized) and the completely devout. Or maybe there is little thought that influences the decision; the choice to wear a Hijab with the Western attire that many traditionalists would deem to be flagrantly provocative and immodest may simply be a matter of habit, or of mood, or a result of the cultural synthesis that globalization has promoted around the world, mixing local with Western modes of expression in everything from language (i.e. English seems to have penetrated every spoken tongue) to music (gangsta rap now has its local variants all over the world) to dress (tight jeans and tops that completely reveal the shape of the physical form).
Or maybe I am wrong?
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