AUTHOR R. ANN SIRACUSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It isn't the destination that matters -- It's the journey that counts!
Contact me!
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • BOOKS
    • All For A Dead Man's Leg
    • All For A Fist Full Of Ashes
    • Destruction Of The Great Wall
    • All For Spilled Blood
    • First Date
    • Halloween In The Catacombs
    • All In The Game
    • Family Secrets: A Vengeance of Tears
  • ABOUT ME
    • Resume
  • PHOTO ALBUMS
  • RESOURCES
  • MY ORGANIZATONS
  • BLOGS ABOUT ANN
  • Blog

HOW TURKISH WOMEN DRESS: It’s All About The Right To Choose

8/9/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
In 2012, I had the opportunity to travel in Turkey. I love traveling in countries with cultures other than my own. I love the rich diversity, and I believe it is something we should be celebrating, not criticizing.

Turkey proved a wonderful adventure for many reasons. It’s a beautiful country, the people are friendly and polite, and I felt safe and comfortable. But for me, one of the most fascinating aspects of traveling there was learning about Islam. In particular, observing how the Turkish women dress. After I got back I wrote a blog on the subject.
​

Recent events inspired me to take a look at the old article, and I found some things had changed.

THE HAT LAW OF 1925

Picture
According to statistic on the Internet, 99% of the people in Turkey are Muslim. Although Turkey was secularized at the official level under the first Turkish president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (in office 1923-1938), religion remains a strong force among the Turkish people.

Among other sweeping reforms, the founding father Ataturk made sure there was a separation of church and state. He adopted regulations for a dress code to keep religious symbolism out of civil service. The code was primarily for men, probably because there were not many women who worked in civil service, and a more western style became the norm. The Hat Law of 1925 banished the fez and imposed lengthy sentences of imprisonment at hard labor for those who continued to wear it. Women, however, were granted the freedom to decide whether or not they wanted to cover their heads.

     “It was more or less assumed that they [women] would eventually give up the headscarf as the new, secular Turkish identity took hold. Many did … By the 1970s, discouraging headscarves had taken on the force of law. The headscarf was banned in government offices, hospitals, universities, and schools. By the 1980s, these lengths of cloth had taken on hot political connotations.” news.nationalgeographic.com/2013 by Roff Smith, National Geographic, October 12, 2013

In 2013 this law was rescinded, with mixed reaction among the Turkish. Veiling is optional and women can make the choice to wear Islamic dress because modern fashion allows women to express their Muslin identity and Islamic beliefs in fashionable form.

According to Elizabeth Bucar [www.theatlantic.com/uslim-women-fashion] Muslim women, “spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to counter the stereotype that modest dress is ugly by using the skills of beauty work. Beauty work thus helps to remove the stigma from modest dress by making this style of clothing more attractive to other Muslim women.”

As far as I can see, Muslim fashion in general, not just head coverings, has taken on the aspect of making a political statement which is about having a choice. Many Muslim women seek new ways to express themselves while remaining true to their religious and cultural values.

Also, what constitutes “modest” depends on the society. Not all Muslims are Arab, and there are differences in what is considered “modest” dressing in India, Indonesia, Africa, and other locations where Muslims live. Finally, in countries like Jordan, all Christians living there have, for hundreds of years, dressed in tribal clothing just like their neighbors, and many still do.
​
Bottom line: Muslin Fashion does not have to be dull, boring, shapeless, and dark.

​                  
Photo source: atdaa.com/turkish-women-s-love-fashion   ▼                  ▼Photo source: https://www.mindu.gq/en/info/32807549120

Picture
Picture
ISLAMIC DRESS
Without getting into a discussion of something about which I know very little, I will quote from the following article on Discoverislam.com/ regarding why Muslim women dress the way they do.
     "Muslim women dress in a way that is modest and dignified. The purpose of clothing is not only to protect oneself from the physical elements, but also to protect from immorality and pride. The Islamic concept of dress applies to both women and men. It sets expectations of moral and respectful interactions between the genders. As a result, both men and women are liberated from their baser instincts and can focus on higher pursuits.”
http://fashionlinks4us.blogspot.com/2010/08/islamic-dresses-4-women.html

BASIC DRESS STYLES: Not Your Grandmother’s Kind of Style
Another site  identified the various kinds of garments Muslim women wear. This article states that “This dress code applies to women and adolescent girls, but not to children.”

Abaya: It is a flowing outer garment worn over all other clothing.  The traditional Abaya is black and may be either a large square of fabric draped from the shoulders or head or a long caftan.  It covers the whole body except the face, feet and hands. Today they are more stylish than a large square of black fabric.


        Basic Style                ▼ PhotoSource: www.owame.com/arab-vestidos-2019 ▼                       PhotoSource:www.owame.com/arab-vestidos-2019 ▼ 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
▲Blazers and suits, popular corporate dress
​
PhotoSource:www.outfittrends.com/turkish-tutorial/



◄PhotoSource:https://www.shiddat.com/blue-colored-turkish-abaya
​

▲PhotoSource: www.shoppinghungama.com/2019​      ▲PhotoSource: www.turkishfashion.net/nihan-textile
​

​Jilbab: This is a garment that may be worn like a dress, usually with trousers or long skirt underneath. It also covers the body except the hands, face and head. The neck and head are then covered by a scarf.
​
​
Basic Style               My Photo on the street▼        PhotoSource: https://www.neva-style.com/▼              PhotoSource:▼ www.turkishfashion.net/nihan ▼  
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
                                                                             ▲Photo Source: aohuijie.en.made-in-china.com/Islamic-Coat

Salwar Kameez: A garment originating from the Indian subcontinent, which translates as “trouser suit” and is comprised of a long skirt, trousers, and dupatta. These garments are usually very colorful and bright, and are sometimes embroidered. In looking through the on-line shopping for Turkish Salwar Kameez, much of this style seemed to be wedding and party wear. I didn’t observe any on the streets in 2012 or in photos taken later by others. There were a lot of women in pants however.   
 Basic style                   
PhotoSource:▼www.indiamart.com                                                                  Source of 3 Photos: http://www.indiamart.com/salwar
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
                                                                                            ▲ PhotoSource:eastessence.com/salwar-kameez
BASIC HEAD COVERINGS
The photo depicts the basic type of head coverings worn by Muslim women. Don’t forget, every country and culture has their own styles and standards.

Photo source:www.spiegel.de/international/germanydebatesban
Picture
Dupatta: The Dupatta is a long rectangular scarf usually worn over the shoulders in front of the neck or covering the woman’s head.

Hijab: This is a head covering worn by many women of faith in Islam. They come in all colors and have wonderful prints. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
​This is what I observed in Istanbul and Izmir, the only cities I visited in 2012. At that time, I would guess fifty percent of the women dressed in western styles and without covering their heads. Our tour guides, who were Muslin, dressed like any other tour guides I’ve had in other parts of the world.  The other half of the women wore more traditional Muslin clothing, and about fifty percent of those dressed in western-looking clothing with a hijab. From the photographs I've seen, I would guess things haven't changed much.

Although some wear black or white scarves, most of them were colorful and beautiful, usually made of silk, and are worn over and pinned to a coordinating skull cap to keep them in place.


Many of the young women were very stylishly dressed, although blue jeans abounded among the younger women.
The Jilbab seemed very popular. Women wore them over pants or long skirts, usually in tan, dark blue or black, and, of course, with a head covering. Some are very high fashion, But I didn’t see many of those.
A smaller number were seen in black Abayas (generally older women), and I only saw one woman in a full Burga with her eyes totally covered.  She was dressed in black, not a pretty colored Burga in the photo above.

Nearly all the women carried black purses and had wonderful leather shoes. But you would also see sports shoes and sandals.
□
Sources:

https://turkeytravelplanner.com/details/WomenTravelers/women_wear.html
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131011-hijab-ban-turkey-islamic-headscarf-ataturk/
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/02/muslim-women-fashion-political-influence/550256/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/08/17/what-westerners-get-wrong-about-the-hijab/?utm_term=.ee54428178df
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-23/why-do-muslim-women-wear-a-burka-niqab-or-hijab/5761510
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/wait-i-thought-was-muslim-thing
https://www.middleeasteye.net/features/fashion-revolution-middle-east’
http://boingboing.net/2012/05/11/modernizing-modesty-the-hijab.html
http://www.hijabstyle.co.uk/
photos
https://www.slideshare.net/modestpath/fall-winter-2019-latest-abaya-jilbab-collection-by-modestpath
https://www.owame.com/products/arab-vestidos-2019-long-uae-abaya-dubai-kaftan-kimono-linen-maxi-muslim-shawl-bodycon-hijab-dress-women-turkish-islamic-clothing
https://www.owame.com/products/arab-vestidos-2019-long-uae-abaya-dubai-kaftan-kimono-linen-maxi-muslim-shawl-bodycon-hijab-dress-women-turkish-islamic-clothing
http://www.turkishfashion.net/nihan-textile-Collection-Spring-Summer-2017/11170
http://www.turkishfashion.net/nihan-textile-Collection-Spring-Summer-2016/10802
https://aohuijie.en.made-in-china.com/product/mCxQjwsOwoVN/China-Exclusive-Design-Ethnic-Embroidery-Style-Blue-Color-Long-Dress-Muslim-Abaya-Elegant-Islamic-Coat.html
https://atdaa.com/turkish-women-s-love-for-fashion-how-to-dress-in-istanbul
http://www.indiamart.com/turkish-salwar-kameez
: https://www.mindu.gq/en/info/32807549120
https://eastessence.com/products/white-hajj-umrah-shalwar-kameez-1?variant=22523712995376 ▲
https://www.outfittrends.com/14-latest-turkish-hijab-styles-simple-turkish-hijab-tutorial/


 
 
 



1 Comment
Al Maryum link
2/3/2023 05:14:29 am

Turkish fashion always makes me stunned. Their dressing sense is so so good. Just love it.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author R. Ann Siracusa

    Novelist, retired architect and urban planner, world traveler, quilter, owl collector, devoted wife-mother-grandmother, great-grandmother, and, according to some, wild-assed liberal.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    February 2025
    November 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    November 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All
    Africa
    Baboons
    Bagpipes
    Halloween
    Mopane-Mopani Worms
    Saint Patrick
    Samhain
    Shamrock
    Snakes
    Travel
    Veterans Day

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly