Barbie-Style Overhead

He he he. The store girls in Oman always referred to me as their Barbie, and forced me to try on every pink jalabiyia in the store. LOL. Anyways... just to let ya'll know, my shoes have less a heel than the ones shown in my collage---mine are kitten heels not stillettos. And I DO generally cover my feet---but with my jilbab not with socks. I MIGHT wear socks if I notice my feet causing men to stare at them, but you can ask Boxie and Um Khaled (I have some pretty ugly looking feet most of the time lol). Anyways...

I love SunnahStyle.com (they are THE best for plain black abayas that are somewhat affordable and really quickly delivered here in Canada) I recently wished to order this abaya http://www.sunnahstyle.com/product_info.php?pName=shaamilah-closed-overhead-abaya&cName=abayas-overhead from them (USD $50.99) since they are one of the few places I trust to get my sizes right, to wear with my new barbie pink kitten heels from Le Chateau in the Gulf with niqab and gloves (I've been told by numerous people to keep my eyes, hands, and face covered in the Gulf). Something like this for Saudi and Egypt--- ...and something way more like this for the rest of the Gulf (I like my eyes to breathe because while I see shapes and everything clearly, I don't see colours like I like to with mesh or sunglasses).
But since my habibi endearingly terms the overhead abaya "grandma style" (I like Grandma things----my grandmothers Victorian nightgowns, glove collection, and hat pins (make killer hijab pins) are to DIE for) I bought this butterfly abaya that with khimar and niqab, has much the same effect http://www.sunnahstyle.com/product_info.php?pName=black-satin-full-butterfly-abaya&cName=abayas-butterfly for $49.99.

Then, of course, I swore to myself, enough black abayas for you! You DO live in Canada, and your father resents religious wear of any kind, and sees black as especially "suspicious" so enough money spent.... Start saving more for hirjah and hajj and a new house (renting is not my favourite pasttime). So what do I go and do? I get mad at my messed up day and go out an buy another black abaya on impulse.... But hey, don't hate me. The abaya was $14.00 Canadian and I found it at a Thrift Store.

*and about socks and gloves for me: I will wear tights (probably) but if I don't I make sure my abayas always cover my shoes in case I am somewhere hot. I think gloves are not part of proper hijab at all since many authentic ahadith document the Prophet's wives hands exposed to non-maharam men (so I can't even find it to be a sunnah) but I do think it is respectful culturally in a Gulf state (and I HATE stalker/perverts). I personally don't think overhead abayas and gloves are proper hijab (I mean they are proper hijab but they are not the ONLY proper hijab) but really safe hijab. They definately do meet all the requirements of hijab to me (and this is always beautiful and something I admire) but other clothing does as well without be as intimdating to non-muslims. of course, in the end, we should only care what Allah S.W.T thinks. I personally like overhead abayas so lng as the niqab isn't tucked in (that looks kinda creepy to me while it may be practical I no likey) but gloves I only think fit a cultural, practical (warmth) or fashion purpose. There is no evidence of women wearing gloves as hijab in the days of the Sahaba that I have ever found. So I won't say gloves are part of hijab. But they are part of Gulf culture and fashion, and here in my country, I wear them for warmth.


Comments

Majda said…
lol I call overhead abayas "granny abayas" too. I think the idea of using a butterfly abaya for that set would look cute though.
camilia said…
Salam aleikum habibti, glad to see you posting again and I hope your time in the Gulf is wonderful and safe inshallah. Looking forward to the future posts!!
Mev said…
Salaam Alaykum Sis! Ooooh you're coming down to visit in the gulf? Masha'allah sounds awesome! Any plans for KSA? (Riyadh, umrah etc). Hope you have a safe journey down inshallah.
Om Rawda said…
Salam alykum,

I think the gloves wearing thing is originated from this hadith :
"The Muhrima (a woman in the state of Ihram) should not cover her face, or wear gloves"
Pixie said…
Majda: Abaya Ras---they are the least hot thing you could ever wear though!:D
Pixie said…
Camilia: Wa alaykom ramatullah wa barakto! INshaAllah it will be, ameen to your dua.
Pixie said…
Mev: wA alaykom e salaam ramatullah wa barakto! NO, not KSA yet. InshaAllah next year we can make umrah.
Pixie said…
Om Rawda: wa alaykom e salaam ramatullah wa barakto. Yes, I know the fatwa comes from that hadith (and that hadith alone because even Aisha R.A did not wear gloves) but the Prophet salallahu alahi wa salaam NEVER tell women to wear gloves, only not to on occasion. In other hadith he tells women to wear henna on their fingernails so he can distinguish a woman's hands from a man's from behind a screen. It was not the way of the Prophet's wives to wear gloves in any hadith, nor were Muslim women told to (only were they advised when NOT to). So wearing gloves for hajj is haraam, and neither fard NOR mustahaab at any other time, merely halal.
Monmon said…
I think you would scare most people in Egypt if you wear the all covering head abaya with eye cover. It is not at all usual there. Why would you wear more cover in Egypt than in the Gulf countries? Love your site though
Pixie said…
MONMON: I would wear more covering in KSA and Egypt because the so-called Muslim men act more unislamically there... In Egypt, I have no tolerance for the government that persecutes alot of Islamic principles and then men that are known to ape and grab women.
Anonymous said…
Here in the Eastern Provinces most niqabi wearing women dont wear gloves, Ive only seen women using them maybe 3 times...ditto for the eye veils down...the popular niqabs dont even have eye veils and when purchasing one you really have to specify that want a "two-piece" niqab otherwise the one piece style will be shown to you. I dont know about Riyadh or other very conservative areas but most who do wear niqab w/ the eyeveils keep them flipped back and put them down if they feel someone is staring at them or there are a lot of creepy guys around... I prefer the two-piece ones myself as I like the option of eye veils but 99% of the time they r flipped up.

You'll see what I mean if you come to Saudi Arabia...

oh and yeah, you'll def. be able to find wonderfully breathable niqabaat here in the Gulf...the ones available in the West just arent nearly as nice...
Anonymous said…
Pixie...I def. think it depends on where you go in KSA...different regions have different social norms...I too thought KSA was a lot more conservative than it is...it IS conservative, probably more so than the Gulf but it's not like what like what most people think...again it depends on region...if your in the Hejaz or PE it's pretty liberal while the Nedj and the northern parts are supposed to be a lot more conservative. I donno about the southern parts by Yemen and Oman though.
YarnCoture said…
Aaaah! I know this post is late but Jazakullah Khair for posting the link to this shop! I have a couple of overhead abayas but I haven't been able to find any on the net lately. I haven't worn one in years and have been thinking about wearing one again as opposed to the abaya and shaylas that I normally wear. Thank you so much!