The profile of modest fashion is rising. Historically dressing conservatively has been at odds with what’s considered ‘cool’ in Western fashion trends, but more considered, covered looks are increasingly becoming more appealing to young adults.
Specifically in the case of young Muslim women, more and more style-conscious ladies are experimenting with ways to express themselves while still respecting and adhering to Islamic requirements. The focus is on interpreting Western identities alongside religious beliefs in a way that enables them to look good, feel confident, and to be part of both cultures.
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What constitutes modest fashion?
Muslim modest fashion moves away from the traditional abaya. Often black, it’s a simple, loose robe-like dress traditionally worn by Muslim women. Modest fashion bloggers and vloggers are leading the way in giving young women a voice and a platform to express themselves while respecting their culture.
What is modest fashion?
There’s not a single definition to it because everyone has their own varying explanations of what modest fashion means to them, so it’s a broad idea that gets very narrow inside those two words. Shortly, modest fashion is the act of covering up on purpose. The decision to do so can be religious/ethnic fulfillment or to attain a certain aesthetic and level of ease. To me, it’s a choice that I’ve made to commit to my faith, and everything about it gives me a sense of freedom in how I choose to display myself.
We’ve centered modest fashion around a specific type of woman that fits the media’s obsession with eurocentric ideals. In reality, there’s no cookie-cutter image for how a modest woman looks. Modest dressers are not attached to one religion, size, or race. If you’re going to create a conversation around modest fashion, you need to acknowledge that first and foremost.
The term modest fashion can be interpreted a number of different ways. However, it is typically used to describe clothing that conceals rather than accentuates the shape of the body.
The clothing can include hijabs and burqas, as well as tops, trousers, jackets and dresses that feature a modest cut.
While the decision to wear this type of clothing can be due to religious or cultural reasons, it can also be worn to attain a more modest aesthetic.
How did it become so popular?
The rise of modest fashion, specifically in the case of young religious women, was born through the need for more fashionable clothing options.
A growing number of Muslim designers and social media stars decided to fill gaps that they have spotted in the market, using their platform to gain influence and set up online stores.
Instagram is flooded with modest fashion influencers, including the likes of Maria Alia and Habiba da Silva to Dian Pelangi. Pelangi, who boasts almost 5m followers on the photo-sharing app, has been dubbed a “tour de force in the global Muslim fashion scene and beyond” by the Business of Fashion,holding fashion shows in Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Australia, Dubai, Egypt, Kuwait and Jordan.
Why is the mainstream fashion industry talking about it?
An industry that’s rising in popularity and simultaneously trying to eradicate stereotypes, it’s evident that there is financial gain to be had when it comes to modest fashion.
But, its reach extends far beyond just facts and figures.
Over the years, more mainstream fashion brands have also responded to customer demand, launching modest fashion lines of their own and making efforts to make their campaigns more inclusive.
In 2014, DKNY marketed a Ramadan collection of existing pieces that were suitable for modest dressers, while in 2015 H&M featured its first hijab-wearing model, Mariah Idrissi.
In recent years, models of a Muslim faith, such as 20-year-old Halima Aden, have been showing the world that women who wear hijabs can be stylish.
In 2016, Aden became the first contestant to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota Pageant and has since gone on to make several appearances at fashion week. She also became the first hijab-wearing model to grace the cover of British Vogue in the publication’s 102-year history in 2018.
Modest fashion even has its own Fashion Week. In 2017, London hosted its first-ever Modest Fashion Festival, presenting a diverse array of luxury and contemporary modest fashion brands and proving that it can be enjoyed by all, regardless of religious or cultural identity.
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