Spring has come like a promise no one expected to be kept. The sun warms the desert days, and we are grateful, if not a little bit disappointed that we spent the last month learning to say, "When is this spring coming that everyone is talking about?" It has arrived and in our desert capital, things are blooming.
Even in this world of covered women, spring means an emergence from layers of thick wool. Blooming from the warm earth tones of winter spring brightly colored hijab, the balled ends of pins used to secure cling to silk petals like dew drops. The wearing of hijab, or her more conservative sister niqab, is cause for some political and religious discussion, even here where most women chose to cover. The extent to which one covers is gently judged by those who chose to cover less or more or not at all. Religion and politics aside, hijab undeniably affords a channel of expression. Hijab is religious first and foremost but hijab, with out a doubt, is also fashion.
The word hijab my conjure only confusion for Americans. Head scarf or veil (a term which seems to mislead people into thinking hijab covers the face, which it does not) may perk a few more ears but often comes with a vision of women draped in sheets of black. From a neon pink, to a subdued pattern of blue flowers, to stamped with familiar Prada or Coach logos, the plain black hijab of our western imaginations is rare here. As with any fashion, it is the youth that lead the way in innovation. It is not only the pattern of the scarf itself, but how one chooses to tie it. Some choose to don a lining and then tie the scarf so the the lining, in an complementary color, is showing, creating a layering affect. Tied with the edge of the scarf falling like a waterfall to the left or right of the head, secured with a colorful broach. They come built up in the back, creating the illusion that the wearer is covering a massive head of hair, or smoothed down to hug the shape of the head and sometimes, provocatively secured so the smallest wave of bang is visible.
Walking through the souq, the river of delicate scarves is as distracting as the crates of multicolored fruits and veggies. The sun finally on our faces, warming the tops of our heads we are ready for the seasons to change. The vendors holler out their deals, men sit in plastic chairs on the sidewalk, drinking coffee or smoking arguila. Occasionally an uncovered mess of hair stands out from the crowd and I resist the urge to pull her aside, to ask if she is foreign like me, like some kind of uncovered club. We have our reasons for letting our hair play in the spring sun. We all have our reasons for covering it up.
Even in this world of covered women, spring means an emergence from layers of thick wool. Blooming from the warm earth tones of winter spring brightly colored hijab, the balled ends of pins used to secure cling to silk petals like dew drops. The wearing of hijab, or her more conservative sister niqab, is cause for some political and religious discussion, even here where most women chose to cover. The extent to which one covers is gently judged by those who chose to cover less or more or not at all. Religion and politics aside, hijab undeniably affords a channel of expression. Hijab is religious first and foremost but hijab, with out a doubt, is also fashion.
The word hijab my conjure only confusion for Americans. Head scarf or veil (a term which seems to mislead people into thinking hijab covers the face, which it does not) may perk a few more ears but often comes with a vision of women draped in sheets of black. From a neon pink, to a subdued pattern of blue flowers, to stamped with familiar Prada or Coach logos, the plain black hijab of our western imaginations is rare here. As with any fashion, it is the youth that lead the way in innovation. It is not only the pattern of the scarf itself, but how one chooses to tie it. Some choose to don a lining and then tie the scarf so the the lining, in an complementary color, is showing, creating a layering affect. Tied with the edge of the scarf falling like a waterfall to the left or right of the head, secured with a colorful broach. They come built up in the back, creating the illusion that the wearer is covering a massive head of hair, or smoothed down to hug the shape of the head and sometimes, provocatively secured so the smallest wave of bang is visible.
Walking through the souq, the river of delicate scarves is as distracting as the crates of multicolored fruits and veggies. The sun finally on our faces, warming the tops of our heads we are ready for the seasons to change. The vendors holler out their deals, men sit in plastic chairs on the sidewalk, drinking coffee or smoking arguila. Occasionally an uncovered mess of hair stands out from the crowd and I resist the urge to pull her aside, to ask if she is foreign like me, like some kind of uncovered club. We have our reasons for letting our hair play in the spring sun. We all have our reasons for covering it up.
