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Style 101: How can I look professional while covering my hair and chest?
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A shalwaar kameez is a traditional dress worn by both
women and men (in different styles) in South Asia.
PHOTO CREDIT: Wikipedia.org.
AOA Sabrina,
I live in Pakistan and have been wearing hijab for quite some time but only recently started to wear abaya when I go out in public. I'm a doctor [and] the 'normal' dress code here is shalwar kameez and most of the time, it's not very modest. Wearing a hijab plus a dupatta to cover properly is too messy, [with] a lot of loose fabric to worry about. I've also tried converting the dupatta into a hijab, to varied success. I'd like some ideas on hijab over shalwar kameez or trousers. Also, while working I wear an overall over [my] shalwar kameez with a hijab, but am advised to keep [the] buttons closed and hijab [tucked] in. It looks really odd as I'm also 'well endowed.'
How can I achieve a professional look while covering my head PLUS chest adequately?
Doctor in Distress
***
Dear Distressed,
Walaikum Asalaam.
First off, You Rock.
Please know that every time a Muslim woman decides to study medicine, my heart sings a happy little song. My religion teacher always stresses that the most important professions for Muslim women to tackle (aside from being good mothers, which is obvi the hardest job in the world) are medicine and teaching. And you my friend, are making an entire community of Muslim women (and of course your parents) very, very proud.
Now, onto your fashion dilemma.
When it comes to working in a medical environment, I would assume that you need to be hands-free at all times. Which means that there is no tucking your hair back into your scarf, flipping your dupatta over your shoulder, or fidgeting with your clothes, which is why I have two words for you: Safety Pins.
They are the key to holding everything in place, and it might take a few extra minutes in the morning, but if you can be tucked and secure before you leave the house, you'll feel pulled together and confident all day.
You mentioned that the cultural “shalwaar kameez” is part of the normal dress code at work. Well, who wants to be “normal” anyway? I think it's overrated. There is a difference between dress code, and uniform, and if it's not what you have to wear, then you should wear what makes you feel comfortable, and what will allow you to do your job well.
If you want to wear your abaya to work, then I suggest nixing the shalwaar kameez all together. That way you don't have to worry about feeling like your clothes aren't modest enough, and you won't have to figure out what to do with the dupatta. Go for a pair of slacks (or even scrubs if you're allowed) with a comfortable, weather-appropriate shirt, and then wear your abaya over top. I suggest you wear something under your abaya that you will be comfortable being seen publicly in -- in the event you need to remove your abaya. I don't know that any reason will arise, but if there were to be an emergency situation where all Muslim women had to remove their abayas immediately, then you probably don't want to be caught in a Tweety Bird tank top and a pair of capris.
I'm just saying.
You might also want to consider hemming your abaya a few inches for mobility. I wouldn't suggest that if you were headed to the mosque, or out with friends, but in a fast-paced environment like a hospital, or doctor's office, slits, or a hem will likely prove to be your good friends – and with slacks underneath, you won't have to worry about exposed legs.
I'm not sure what an “overall” is, but I'm imagining it to look somewhat like an apron. In that case, I wouldn't worry about the fact that you are well endowed. It sounds like your endowments are well hidden under all those garments, though I would suggest you read this post anyway. Mostly because I wrote it, but also because it could help you find stuff to wear outside of work.
And lastly, about tucking your hijab into your clothes, I would say it's not really that big of a deal while you're at work. It's not that I don't think you should look and feel good at work (because you should) but unless it's absolutely unbearable to do so, you should follow the rules of your workplace even if you don't agree with them -- as long as they're not hindering your personal, religious or moral belief system. I'm sure that even in a predominately Muslim country like Pakistan, there are hijab critics who aren't shy to let you know how they feel. And if that's the case, even more of a reason to follow the “hijab rules” (i.e. tucking it into your clothes) to show everyone that hijab doesn't hinder your work ethic, skill level, or your ambitions.
If you still feel like your chest is too exposed when tucking in your hijab, even with your abaya and overall on, maybe you should consider wearing a sports bra to work. That will significantly minimize the shape of your upper body, and probably also make you feel like a track star, which I think is a total win-win.
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