We’ve all had our fair share of good and bad hair days. For Muslim women, good and bad hijab days are a big thing as well. As our Haute Hijab fashion writer Hakeemah Cummings once wrote, “Some days we are high-fiving ourselves in the mirror as our hijab continues to lie perfectly in place all day long, and other days we seem to be in a day-long tussle with the fabric to just comply.”
And while for some women, a good hijab style comes fairly effortlessly, the majority of us (who wear hijab) have to work at it. What we may not realize is that, like most things in life, you have to lay the foundation for consistent good hijab days by having the right hijab accessories as well as great quality hijabs. Here are five hijab accessories you need to have in your arsenal to help you have the best hijab style.
A Good Underscarf
Every hijab-wearing woman needs to own a few high-quality underscarves, which help keep your hair (and hijab) secure under chiffon, silk, satin and other fabrics and allows you to style your hijab in numerous ways without the worry of your hair peeking through. There are many underscarf designs out there – from simple stretchy tubes to ones that tie in the back. But not all underscarves are created equal – you’d be surprised to know all there is to consider in designing a well-fitting, comfortable one.
We debuted our Ultimate Underscarves nearly four years ago and put the best of our research, design and tech efforts into bringing you a collection of underscarves that hoped to tackle as many underscarf problems for hijab-wearing women as possible, in addition to beauty and comfort. Then we gathered feedback from Muslim women and further tweaked the design to better address tension, slippage and comfort.
These underscarves come in a variety of design, fit and color options, including our Classic and Criss-Cross design with expanded ruching in the back to accommodate all amounts of hair. We also created a Silk-Blend Satin Underscarf with a sustainably-produced silk-blend satin lining that protects textured and natural hair while keeping it moisturized and protected. The bamboo jersey exterior is anti-microbial, odor repelling and moisture wicking with a ruched back panel that widely expands to accommodate varying hair volumes.
Shaping Scrunchies
Never underestimate the power of a good shaping scrunchie! One of the most basic things about achieving a comfortable, secure and stylish hijab style is making sure your hair is held secure and cared for underneath while achieving a nice rounded hijab shape in the back. We’ve seen women use other clothes or layers of hijabs tied around their buns in the back to help achieve that soft shape – but it doesn’t have to be that complicated! We developed our velvet Shaping Scrunchies to make it all easier. They come in two sizes – small and large – with small recommended for ladies with thick or long hair, and large is recommended for those with short or thin hair (or anyone who’d like a little volume boost!).
Hijab Magnets (and Extra Magnets!)
How many of your hijabs have been ruined by snags caused by pins? Isn’t it the worst thing ever? Especially when you grab your favorite, go-to hijab for the millionth time only to put the millionth pin hole in it? Listen sis, we’re here to tell you: it’s time to ditch the pins altogether! Get yourself some strong, secure hijab magnets!
Our No-Snag Hijab Magnets are your new best friend when it comes to a secure hijab style. Why magnets? Well for starters, they are the perfect way to save your hijab from being ruined by snags and holes ever again! They are beautifully designed and small – 6.2 mm in width – so as not to feel bulky underneath your chin and against your neck. And, they are strong enough to secure the folds of any hijab we carry – chiffon, silk, woven, jersey, you name it! Be sure to get some extras so that you can use these babies to secure your hijab to your shoulder, at the back of your neck or in any way.
Now, depending on how you style your hijab, you’ll probably want to invest in some good straight pins (that don’t snag) as well. We’re a fan of a minimalistic approach to straight pins so as not to distract from your hijab, but certainly you can indulge in fancy ones if that is something you like!
A Sports Hijab!
While this technically isn’t a hijab accessory, let’s take a minute to talk about a well-designed sports hijab and why it’s a good idea for every hijab-wearing woman to have one. We believe that it’s extremely important for all of us to be active in our everyday lives, especially as we continue to mature in age. As we go through seasons of life, sometimes that level of activity is running around after your kids, and sometimes it’s daily walks in the neighborhood or park, and other times, it’s consistent exercise and/or engaging in sports. So, you need a hijab that can keep up with that.
Sure, we’ve all “made do” with wrapping jersey hijabs or other ones when we are running out the door or engaging in whatever form of physical activity. But if you invest in a decent sports hijab designed specifically for movement, coolness and other aspects of physical activity, you’re only setting yourself up for a better experience.
Many companies, including Nike and Adidas, have developed sports hijabs, but there’s something to be said for Muslim hijab companies designing a sports hijab collection for Muslim women. The Haute Hijab Sport collection was designed knowing that one-size-fits-all simply won’t cut it. We deserve options, so through extensive research and advanced design, we fused high-performance tech design with sleek silhouettes.
This collection, designed by a team of actual hijab-wearing women led by a designer who immersed herself in the experience, includes a Tech wrap (if you don’t want a one-piece pull-on hijab), a Tech cap, a Criss-Cross and a FlexFit design. They are all designed to be super lightweight, odor repelling, moisture wicking and with built-in 50 UPF sun protection. And, the company that produces S. Cafe fabric, which is used for this hijab collection, is not only known for its use of coffee grounds but also for the methods used to make the fiber in a way that is safer for the environment. This fabric is certified by Bluesign, an independent authority that ensures that the products were manufactured with responsible use of resources and the lowest possible impact on people and the environment.
Go ahead – add a sports hijab to your collection. We should prioritize physical activity in our lives, and we should have the hijabs to support that.
Confidence
This isn’t something you can buy or make, but rather something that comes from within – confidence. As our HH blog writer, Layla Abdullah-Poulos writes, “Hijab is a complex part of many Muslim women’s lives with layers of individual, social and spiritual significance. Hijab can be an act of religious obedience, social identity and political commentary. Muslim women who choose to (or not to) wear hijab each undergo a personal journey, wherein they navigate how they will interact with hijab for themselves inside Muslim spheres and our broader society.
“This may not be a simple thing, considering all the social pressures and implications impressed on Muslim women about hijab. So for those of us on this journey, how do we center our hijab confidence … “ knowing that this is one of the most important accessories to feeling positive and secure in our decision to wear hijab? Some of comes from surrounding yourself with a supportive community, which can be difficult if you’re a convert/revert to Islam and wear a hijab. Some of it comes from plain old feeling good in hijab – secure in the why of why you wear it. We talk a lot about how we look in hijab and wanting to feel good about ourselves in our hijab style, but recentering our intentions around the why of wearing hijab – for the sake of Allah (SWT) and to be known as Muslim (and whatever else your reasons are) is the strongest thing we can do for ourselves to feel confident.
