Sexy Dresses

 My top picks at the moment

Brother's friend: Is your sister going to wear the hijab forever?

Brother: Well, yeah! 

Brother's friend: So what happened to all her sexy dresses?

My older brother came home one day and told me about this conversation.

My initial reaction? What the!

And then I laughed. I guess it's a legit question. What did happen to all my clothes that aren't very modest? Have I stopped wearing them altogether? 

The answer is: No. 

I've 'hijabified' some of them and by 'hijabify' what I mean is I usually pair them with fashion pieces to create modest looking ensembles that are appropriate for going out. Most of my short dresses can be paired with jeans or maxi skirts. Throw in a cardigan or blazer and voila! Dressing modestly isn't hard but it does require more creativity and thought especially if you want to be in line with the latest trends.

I also have clothes that I don't think are suitable for 'hijabification'. Does that mean that they never see the light of day or get thrown away? Big misconception! I wear them at home around my family or during all girls' parties where everyone gets all dolled up and dressed up. Plus, when I'm married someday (inshaAllah) I am more than free to wear them in front of my husband. 

There are many misconceptions about Muslim women and particularly Muslim women who wear the hijab. One of them is that we can't let loose and have fun. Oh trust me, we have a lot of fun without compromising our religious beliefs but there's a time and place for everything. One of the most crucial things in life is to have balance. Too much of anything can throw us off balance and enlarge the spiritual void that exists within us because we're filling it with all the wrong things. We're forever trying to satisfy our desires without realising what we really need. 

As a Muslim woman, my fashion life wasn't in balance before I started wearing hijab and dressing modestly when I go out. The effect of hijab varies with every woman. In my case I've managed to find peace and empowerment within myself because my hijab is a reminder about the things that are most important to me as a woman - my relationship with my Creator and my relationship with myself. As natural givers us women tend to neglect these two relationships and that's a huge mistake. Everyday I willingly dress with modesty and drape a scarf around my head before leaving my home because I need to get my priorities straight in life and because I want to love and appreciate myself for the person that I am and the soul that is within me and not the mere image people want me to be.

I suppose the next thing people are curious about is... Have I changed that much? 

No, not really. I'm still the same 'Sha' in many ways but I have new priorities now. My interests have changed a little. I like to spend my free time learning more about my faith because I feel like there's a lot that I don't know. Personality-wise, I'm very much still me but I'd like to think I've become more of a practicing Muslim compared to before.