It Accessory

In light of New York Fashion Week and following Tommy Ton and The Man Repeller on their respective adventures in the highly glamorous and daringly sartorial adventures at Lincoln Center, there are a few women on the University of Michigan campus that possess an eye for the unique and bring creativity to their everyday wardrobes in territory unbeknownst by most women.   While most women crown their heads with long, shiny hair and use it as a safety net for femininity, these women boldly tuck this safety net away, and instead adorn a Hijab in its place.   They use the Hijab as an additional accessory, creating visual interest in an ensemble and embracing the melded culture of their eastern and western make up.

A hijab is the traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn my Muslim women to guard their modesty.   Traditionally, Islamic women are advised to not display their “beauty,” showcased by their hair, until marriage.

One particular classmate of mine layers her headscarf with feminine black lace, white, and lime green colors. She contrasts this femininity with a tough leather jacket and combat boots, creating an entire ensemble that not only merges cultures, but creates androgynous connotations which ironically is the opposite of what the hijab is meant to do. Another female student was head-to-toe in various floral printed chiffon pieces, creating a flowy, goddess-like outfit. She topped this look with a sequined hijab, generating an air of female empowerment. These women embrace their cultural influences and modernize the way that they are used and seen for the contemporary women.

On a recent episode of Fashion Police, a guilty pleasure television show in E!, Joan rivers and her team comment on Kanye West’s outfit at the Margiela fashion show ad call his head covering “terrorist chic.” A head covering of any kind should not immediately indicate the act of terrorism, or create any kind of generalization about the kind of people who wear head coverings. Even if this is not meant to allude to the use of a Hijab, it is

statements like these in pop culture that influence the way we view those in our everyday life that may wear culturally traditional garments.   Admittedly, Kanye’s choice of a head garment looks ridiculous.  This, however, should be kept separate from the already sensitive cultural stereotypes that we place.

The integration of cultural differences through fashion is something that should be encouraged.     Fashion is a creative outlet, much like painting and writing, which can be used to express feeling, progression, and individuality.   By incorporating cultural pieces, such as the hijab, it creates fashionably intriguing and challenging suits in addition to bold statements about cultural integration.