FASHION
The hijab - a headscarf covering the hair, neck
and upper chest that is worn by Muslim women in
Islamic countries and the diaspora - is generally
associated with the Islamic faith and religious piety.
The hijab means different things to different
people. Most women who wear it in the Western
context associate it with modesty and perceive
it as an important part of the islamic practice.
But it’s also an important marker of identity,
group affiliation and solidarity and it has become
an item of fashion and experimentation for an
increasing number of hijabi women. For me the
hijab is a visible sartorial expression of my lslamic
faith, but it’s also an extension of my identity.
I have been wearing hijab since 2005. I was never
forced or told to wear it. It was on my own terms.
Wearing a hijab is not a sign of oppression. Rather, I
see it as a sign of freedom. Freedom to do anything
I want, freedom to believe in anything I want. I feel
like I am more appreciated for who I am rather than
how I look. Real hijab isn’t just about throwing a
piece of cloth on your head, it’s about covering your
body with loose clothing in order to concentrate
on changing who you are within. True hijab comes
from inside, just as modesty comes from within,
and this is the reason why the hijab is worn.
I started wearing hijab at the age of 20, following
my sister’s footsteps. It was more of an obligation.
I was not forced, but I felt that I had to wear it
because she was wearing it. I wondered whether I
was ready for it and stopped wearing it for a while.
In 2005 I started to wear it again on my own terms.
I made this decision right after my birthday. When
I went to work alot of people were shocked and confused. Most of them thought I probably got married
or was forced by my parents. I had a great opportunity to educate my co-workers that I am wearing
it because it’s my choice and it’s part of my religion.
Now I can’t even picture myself without hijab.
I can achieve anything and everything with
my hijab. I have worked for the best companies and met amazing people in the past.
I am determined to show society that as a
Muslim girl, I am just like everyone else.
After I had my first baby I quit working. I recall
when my daughter was a year old and I was pregnant with my son I wanted to have my own YouTube channel. I wanted to do something with hijabs
and inspire the muslim girls around the world.
I started my YouTube channel in May, 2011. The
tutorials offer a glimpse of how to wear hijab
in different styles, product reviews from other
companies, outfits of the day, tag videos and so on.
In the beginning I just wore simple plain black/
brown square scarves. My interest grew when I
came across some makeup/hijabi youtube guru. I
started experimenting with different colors and
designs of hijabs. I posted my pictures on facebook and surprisingly received amazing feedback
from family and friends. Right then I decided
to create my own fan page “Saman’s Makeup &
Hijab Styles” Nov 04, 2010. Since then things have
really caught on. To date, numerous companies are contacting me to review their products.
Be it from make up, to apparel, to pretty much
anything you can sell. I also run my own online
store (samansmakeuphijabs.ca) selling gorgeous
headscarves to people around the world.
All my social links:
My Store:
www.samansmakeuphijabs.ca
Fanpage:
www.facebook.com/makeuphijabs?ref=tn_tnmn
Youtube Channel:
www.youtube.com/usermakeuphijabs?feature=mhee
Twitter:
@SamanMunir
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1961 Magazine Fall 2014