The Closet: Hijab With Earrings. Yup, It’s a How-To.
Posted on March 30, 2009
Filed Under The Closet: Style Videos | 35 Comments
Since the very first hijab fashion video I did at The Washington Post.com in September of 2008, until I launched my own Web site one month later, we have received (and continue to receive) dozens of comments and e-mails about doing a hijab tutorial.
I never planned on doing any sort of hijab how-to, but we’ve been so inundated with people’s queries, our videographer and editor Jackie, finally e-mailed me and said, “You know we have to do a hijab wrapping video now, right? They won’t stop asking you for it!”
There are a about a zillion how-to-wear-hijab videos on the Internet — on numerous blogs, and on YouTube, from women and girls living all over the world. But people wanted me to do one because my earrings have become a hot topic, and in some cases, more of a hot-button issue.
I don’t do it to cause controversy, I just love to wear earrings.
I wear earrings when I workout, I wear earrings while I cook, I wear earrings when I play with small children, and if I could, I’d even wear them while I slept. (But I’d rather not wake up to find holes jabbed into the sides of my neck and blood all over my pillows.)
I love bracelets from Target, earrings from The Dollar Store, necklaces from the local flee market — but not all Muslims think that my accessorizing is okay.
And I get that.
I hesitated to do a hijab demo because I didn’t want to promote something that is controversial (read: do a hijab tutorial for the world to see, and start an Earring-With-Hijab-Wearing Movement that my religion teachers looks down upon.) (And I really like them, so I wouldn’t want any of them to be disappointed in me.)
When we did the first video for Post.com, we also did an interview with Hadia Mubarak, a doctoral candidate in Islamic Studies at Georgetown University. When I asked her about Islam’s views on wearing accessories, she explained that the basic goal of wearing hijab was to be modest and not entice men toward you. She went on to say that in Western societies, because accessorizing is not considered enticing or sending the wrong message, it’s fine to do. But she added that Islamic law will “morph” (so to speak) when cultural norms are strongly embedded in a society.
Let me explain.
Let’s say for example, wearing a pair of blue pumps in Washington, D.C. was a public implication that you were a prostitute. Because Islam forbids prostitution, Islamic law would state that wearing blue pumps (while in D.C.) is forbidden.
Is there any textual evidence in Islam that says a woman cannot wear blue pumps?
No.
But because the culture of D.C. views the blue pumps as ‘Hey, let’s give that chick $50 for a lap dance,’ if you’re Muslim, you’d better opt for some black sandals instead.
(I would just like to clarify that I have worn blue pumps in D.C. — actually to a job interview. I didn’t get the job, but I also wasn’t approached by any lowlifes. Sorry Blue Pumps, I know I’m giving you guys a bad rap, but don’t worry, I know the job thing wasn’t your fault.)
Likewise, Hadia explained to me that because in the West, accessories do not have a negative connotation, they are fine to wear. And thus, my obsessive earring-wear continues.
I know I have readers from all over the planet, and although I am blessed to have seen a great majority of the world, I do not claim to understand every cultural norm in every society worldwide. So I’d like to take a moment to say that I would not wear earrings with my hijab in Saudi Arabia, or in Iran, or in a country where I know that accessories could make other people uncomfortable, or cause conflict within their societal norms.
You know what they say, When in Rome…Don’t Wear Earrings. Or something.
I try my best to follow my religion — I try to seek knowledge, and better understand what I already know. In the section of this site titled Closet FAQ, I address a lot of questions that people have asked about me and this project.
I want to clarify that if there are women who are observing a higher level of modesty than me, I respect them, and I hope that with time, I am able to better understand and practice my faith.
But on the same note, those who are further along in their understanding have to be kind, compassionate and gentle with the people who are taking smaller steps.
No one likes to be judged — for doing more, or doing less.
The tutorial you all wanted makes its debut today, and if you have serious questions, I suggest you talk to a religious scholar/teacher/person you trust.
Love,
Me
P.S. Wanna know how this whole thing got started? Check out the About The Closet page for more details. And don’t forget to read the The Closet FAQ, and our Disclaimer.
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35 Responses to “The Closet: Hijab With Earrings. Yup, It’s a How-To.”
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I agree about the when in Rome thing. In addition, I think people focus on detail too much when they need to focus on the big picture like Unity or prayer. Once that is fixed, then one can go into smaller details.
In other news: i got a nose ring today. In India it’s fiiiiine but in America it’s..trashy? *shrugs*
I havent been home in a while. I forget
I am one of the many that emailed you asking for a tutorial on how you wrap your hijab. You kindly sent me step-by-step instructions which were very helpful and easy to follow, however a video is even better! Thank you for being so responsive and eager to cater to your readers.
This video was really cool!
I always wanted to know how to put on a hijab.
Thank you for this! Its always interesting to see how people wear this, and I’ve always admired your style.
Will try this out now!
Peace.. I really like this post, and you approached this in a very smart way. Also, you make a very important point, “Falling Up.” There are so many more important things to worry about than whether or not earrings or bangles are “bad.”
I can’t see the video yet, though, because videos are blocked on work computers. :-/
As’salam u Alikeum.
wow, this was sooo helpful. thanks and jazak Allah Sabrina.i am always trying new ways to tie the hijab and I’ve forever been obsessed with earrings myself. i was doing this thing except it just wasn’t working so well for me until now that you showed the whole bun thing..solves the problem for me.. =)
About the whole accessorizing issue…for me , I’ve been covering head for more than a year and now I’ve started with an Abaya Alhumdulilah but i have always been such a fashionista and like i said i looove earrings, bangles, rings anything and everything… I’ve tried on my part to cut down the earring bit .. but now and then i end up wearing them… bangles…I’m still working on that..
but the bottom line is… you take baby steps. as much as you can of course. and Allah Ta’la will facilitate the rest inshaAllah…
thanks again
Salam!
Wow! thank you for this new episod of the closet, I was in a hurry to see it!
Anyway, I have to confess that I appreciate the way you wear your earings and I was always wondering “what the hell is she succeed to do something like that?” So, thanks and thanks again. Like usually it was just awesome!
(sorry girls for my english
)
Saadia
France
ASA. Yes, thanks for this. I am experimenting with different hijabs styles (I’m bored with my current one). I’ll add you style to the collection.
Thank you very much Sabrina for this video. May Allah bless you for your effort. I am one of the admirer of your scarf style and now I know how to do it!
A few people have asked me on how I tie my scarf as well, and I have given them written instructions, which I don’t think is very good. I am going to do a video, but my camcorder is broken. To sum up, I am just going to direct them to your website because we had a similar style (in a sense that we don’t pin it under our chin), only that you did it much more neater than me!
On the earring issues, I really like how you deal with that. It drives me nut too when people keep picking on the nitty gritty when obviously there are bigger issues that we can think and discuss about.
Just keep on doing what you are doing girl
YAY!
I now know how to do it without showing my earlobes or having to just pin it through my hijab (I’ve done it and it looks interesting…)
Thank you so much Sabrina!
Salaam sis,
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for this awesome vid!! I’m sure we all appreciate it!!! I know I do, since I tried to wear earrings with hijab but it turn out to look funny. inshAllah your way will work out really well, let you you know how it worked out for me.
Also, I think Muslim in general need to be more compassionate towards their fellow brothers and sisters. Being judgmental is not part of the deen. Nonetheless, sis great message and video.
thanks again
I remember when we tried this and I ended up looking like a pirate. I’ll give it another go. The video is really good and detailed.
salaam:)
great thing to bring up for discussion….i dont tihnk its a bad thing for ppl to talk about but without imposing it on someone – cos there r ppl who r unaware of these nitty gritty things about the hijab! also, i believe ppl need to understand the inner hijab and portray it propli before u cn go harkin on about the outer hijab…
u look nice with the hijab n the earrings, not alotta ppl can pull it off…also with that style some ppl gta watch out for those sideburns (:D sorry!)
my only accessory is bangles/bracelet, but i tend to stick to those that dont go makin those clinkin noises…
n yeah, u gta wear wat is the norm in the place u r at…e.g. over in uk we cn wear watever coloured abaya/skirt/trousers wat eva u do, but over in saudi or sthing u wudnt b able to cos ull stick out like a sore thumb cos everyone wears blk as the main colour…point blk is not the hijabi colour as many argue..
last thing…hijabis shud wear watevr adheres to the rule of the hijab and combine it with watever theyr comfortable with…everyone has their own struggle.. i dont think my bangles r doing much harm!
Hi Sabrina,
You have a wonderful response to the video which is awesome! great job and keep up the good work!
Michelle
By the way, I’d like to know..
When it gets to the summer time, do you wear the cotton square hijabs or are there lighter pashimna hijabs? It’s a very thick hijab and very heavy.
I’m one of the readers who asked about this tutorial, this is great! Can’t wait to try it out.
Hi Sabrina. You’re right, those Pashminas tend to be a little thick, but they do come in thinner fabrics. A friend of mine recently sent me one (in a beautiful shade of green) and it was super thin and great for warmer weather. Since I prefer to wear the long rectangular hijabs, I haven’t tried any of the square cotton type you mentioned. But I have found really thin (and some sheer) hijabs at Target, United Colors of Benetton, and H&M. With the sheer fabrics, I wrap my hair first (also with something light and breathable,) then loosely drape the sheer hijab over my head, making sure my neck and ears are covered.
This was great, thank u soooo much
i’ve been waiting for a tutorial ’cause i love the way u do your hijab. I’ll try it out now inshallah, may God bless u for you’re efforts Sabrina, you’re a good inspiration. thanks
That was great! I totally love that style of hijab, always wondered how earrings could be worn with hijab, thank you!
Thank you so much! JazakAllah khair for your efforts and for doing your part in spreading our beautiful deen. I’ve been wearing hijab for about a year and a half now, and before then, I was known for my big hair and bigger earrings. I couldn’t live without them! After hijab, my huge collection is sitting in a jewelery box that is barely opened. I tried wearing them once with hijab but I ended up looking like a pirate. Muslimah pirates and neglected jewelery boxes make me sad
This video is so awesome mashAllah, I can finally wear my two favorite things together, hijab and earrings!
Salaams,
I’m not into earings but always loved this style of hijab and I love the fact that you managed to cover the ears and the chest part. Love your website and your humour, also. Keep it up. Love.
assalamualaikum sabrina……..!
i hv just started putting hijab..and i really didnt know how to wrap it…ur video helped me a lot coz in india we dnt see many galz wearing hijab i was also amazed by the styles..and there was none to tell me how..?
i wanna thank u a lot….i love this site of urs and now a regular visitor. thanks!!!
This style looks great Mashallah, the the colors suit the model so well, she looks polished, modest, and pretty. Thanks for posting this tutorial.
I love the tutorial!!! Thank you so much, I’m wearing the hijab right now since I was following your every move. xD
Will you be making any other tutorials anytime soon?
SALAM.I am so happy that i can learn to wear scarf in different way.Thank you for your video.please show more.Because i live in Iran and i must to wear scarf but i like it.
khoda hafez
Okay. Question.
I’ve been pulling this style for a few months now and only stumbled upon the tutorial last night. Your wrapping method is a lot more secure than the inventive one I was trying to pull off!
Now, I have lighter material scarves (not pashminas) that I purchased from HM or Target. They tend to be extra long so when I do a wrap around my face and secure last pin I still have a long piece of fabric dangling. I don’t like that look. I tried bringing it over one more to my other ear but the fabric wrapped around my neck got tighter and tighter. Any suggestions? In the past I’ve placed the excess fabric in a bun in the back, but it’s difficult to keep it up all day.
Hi Organica. Try putting your head more in the center of the fabric. The further to one side you start, the more fabric you’ll have left hanging in the back. For example, let’s say you start with about five inches of fabric that will wrap around the bun, and 25 inches for the under your chin, and over your head part. Start with like 7 inches for around your bun, and 23 inches of fabric that will go under and over and hang. By the time those 23 inches get pinned, they’ll be a lot shorter. Make sense?
LOL.
After reading the first sentence to your response I was like “Duh!” Sometimes things so obvious can be so puzzling–for hours–in front of the mirror.
Thanks for a quick response. Going out in a bith in my hoop earrings
I love this video, I watch it over and over again lol.
salam Sabrina,
thanks for the tips, definitely trying this style!
Jazakallahukhair
I started wearing my hijab like this, it really flatters my face and I love it! Thank you for this tutorial!
Assalamu’alaikum, Sabrina..
Thank you for the tutorial, i love it!!
been trying to pull off this look since forever, and yours is the best so far (minus the earrings, i’m not confident enough…yet).
however, i have this little problem, i use inner scarf (an elastic lace bandana) for this, and it covers my ears loose enough (not too tight). at first it was okay, but eventually my ears are getting so hurt that i need to slip my fingers under the hijab once in a while to give them a rest a little. it’s kinda uncomfortable. i know i can always put the inner scarf behind the ears (not covering them, just to make sure the hijab won’t slip), but i don’t like it because they’ll form a weird bump after i wrap the hijab..
help me please…i really like this look…
I think among all the hijab tutorials you can find on the net, this one is the best!
I wear the hijab for 7 months now, and I’ve always worn it like this since then: it’s easy, fast, and so useful (in summer you can feel it, it really let the air comes through), especially when the scarf is long. Ah, I don’t actually wear the earrings, but this look can be OK without it too..
Thank you again and again and again for it ?
@vtree, same for me!!! That’s why I’ve bought a hijab cap, you can tight it as much as you want. Oh how my ears have suffered, they were all red at the end of the day!
I am really new to blogsphere so bear with me. MashaAllah you are such a cute sistah- you totally remind me of my sis-in-law- you look like her too & she pulls off this hijab style really well. I barely get a chance to wrap and run with my 4 little ones. BUT I have tried this before & ended up looking a nun with a double chin and jhumke. I am definitely trying your technique. Does wrapping the scarf around your bun pull at your hair?
Hey Sabrina. Mashallah, you are gorgeous. Like you already did not know that.
UM. I tried this look, but the hijab ends up plastering onto my forehead. In your youtube videos, yours is a bit lifted. How do you manage that?