Islamic Clothing - Modesty is the key!
People of the Muslim faith wear a specific wardrobe designed by their religion. Islamic clothing is worn because of their deep beliefs in their faith. Both men and women have strong beliefs in what is worn. The whole design is based on modesty and comfort. In the Qur’an, Allah tells the believers to “lower their gaze and be modest.”
Pieces of Islamic clothing can be called different things, depending on the region the people are from. Men traditionally wear loose fitting clothes that are not revealing in any way, but not always wear something covering their heads. And men are never allowed to show skin below the waist. They sometimes wear a caftan type tunic over pants. This is always loose fitting and comfortable. Islamic clothing doesn’t tend to be as restrictive for men as it is for women.
Women seem to have the most dictates from the Muslim faith concerning their fashions. This comes from the belief that they are supposed to be modest and demure at all times, and also not supposed to call attention to themselves. Women are to be covered head to toe in Islamic clothing when venturing out in public, and some regions require a veil to be worn with their hijab – which is a shawl that can have a veil attached to it. Another name for this shawl is a khimar, and this style tends to hang down to just above the waist. Traditionally they are black, but it depends on the region what color is worn. Some allow all different colors, with some being quite bright in nature. A kameez is a long tunic or shirt worn with embroidery on the sleeves and can be bright in colors. Next would be an abaya, which is a loose fitting over garment, intended to be worn over clothing, sort of like a jacket; or a jilbab, which is a long flowing baggy over garment, again sort of like a jacket. The main fashion design in Islamic clothing is that it be loose fitting and not revealing of the body at all. Loose fitting Islamic clothing is designed to keep the wearer cool in the desert heat. Children also have specific Islamic clothing they must wear. There is also special robes and clothing to be worn for prayer.
If you are looking for authentic Islamic clothing, there are many sites on the Internet, which you can browse at home, and find clothes that are imported from the Muslim world.