#but the thing about the hijab is that you wrap it so you can readjust if you ever feel like its too tight

[send-up-my-heart-to-you]

does wearing your hijab ever get uncomfortable physically? just from the tightness of it. I'm not sure how tight a hijab is because i've never worn one myself, but i had my hair in a bun all day with a bandana over top (bad hair day reasons) and I totally had a headache by the end. or does wearing it daily just mean you've gotten used to the feeling?

thanks :D

i think i have mostly gotten used to the feeling. actually, when i first started wearing it (cause i wear chiffon hijabs) my issue was that they werent tight enough. they kept slipping off and id have to keep bolting to a corner and crouch down to fix it while my friends / family stood around me protectively. or just hold it awkwardly until i got to a bathroom

nowadays, i think the only reason id get a headache is if its hot out and i go out in a hijab. i tend to wear lighter materials but god does it get hot.

i do sometimes get an issue when wrapping my hijab (i do it like the girl in this video except i dont tuck in the loose ends the way she did) when i pull it too hard around my head, it ends up leaving a red line below my chin if i wear it like that. i used to do that regularly (to make it look neat + in an attempt to make it not slip off) and i still have a faintly visible mark on my neck from that lol.

nowadays, tho, i make sure to rewrap it if i feel like its too tight <3

[breathing-in-gilded-dust]

Hellenic polytheism stems from a rich culture, receiving its common (but not exclusive) name from the region in which it was primarily practiced. Naturally, some elements of ancient Hellenic values and traditions made their way into religious practices. Some of these traits are more obvious than others, but today, I’d like to introduce how I bind and veil my hair on a daily basis. 

I’ve written about what binding/veiling is in the past, so if you’d like a clear introduction to the concept, I suggest reading one of my posts, and/or this great post by Elani, aka @baringtheaegis​ . In short, though, binding and veiling was something used by women during the later periods of life in Ancient Hellas. it was a way women would protect themselves from lyma (the pollution/distraction we naturally gather in our day-to-day lives-- but this is not sin check out my subheading for lyma on my masterpost for more info) and maintain ritual purity, also called katharmos. It was very culturally significant, which accounts for its place in Hellenic Polytheism.

Although not mandatory, binding and veiling during rituals was very common, and if you want to give it a shot, that’s where I would start. For a while, that is what I did, until I found my personal method of veiling and binding, which suits my lifestyle better than before.

I personally veil everyday before I leave the house, which, for me helps with a few things: 

Protection from lyma

Reminds me of the Theoi and acts as a devotional ‘activity’ (for lack of a better word)

Adds a routine for me to use to honour the Theoi everyday 

Everyone who veils does so for their own reasons, in their own ways, and with their own ideals of what binding/veiling means to them. Some people bind or veil, preferring one or the other. It’s a very intimate way to connect to the Theoi and our religious predecessors. 

When I think of veils/etc., I tend to recall hijabs, tichels, and other very well-defined coverings. In Ancient Hellas (which is a broad time frame as it is), there wasn’t a set way to bind or veil. Binding just means tying back your hair, and veiling is covering it in some way (entirely, or not). Himations (see below) were used to veil, but how you arrange the fabric is really open to interpretation. It’s like having a large scarf wrapped around your body and/or across your head. It looks pretty comfy, right?

(source)

(source)

However simple to wear and easy to replicate himations are, they aren’t super practical for modern lifestyles. Trust me, having to readjust these is a pain. If you think you could do it, then by all means, give it a go, but for me, it isn’t feasible. 

There isn’t really a formula for binding either, which isn’t really a bad thing. There are tons of options left behind through art, including the caryatids (see first image below) and vase depictions of women living their lives (the first image after the caryatids is a scene where one women is being styled). 

What I have seen most often are buns/updos of some kind with headbands or mesh coverings that hold them in place. This is what I usually use for inspiration when I get ready in the morning, but I also love braids, so those do sneak in, too. 

(source)

(Source)

(source)

Now that I’ve discussed veiling and binding a bit more, I’d like to move on to how I do it. This is by no means the only way to bind/veil. In fact, this is one of the less-intensive versions I have seen. I find joy in it, but if you don’t, that’s cool! Find what you like and ditch it if you don’t. Veiling and binding isn’t for everyone, and every technique offers different pros and cons. 

Anyway, here’s the staples of my collection:

At the top, I have a few hairties that I use to create buns/tie off braids (I have dark hair, but I love these too much to actually not wear them, haha. They’re called teleties). If I don’t want them to show, I just use plain black hairties. Similarly, I have a bunch of bobby pins, because my hair is long and unruly.

I have three headbands, one of which I made from upcycled materials (very bottom). The other two I bought for very cheap, totalling at $4? They’re really comfortable, which I refuse to compromise on (looking at you, plastic headbands from my childhood). I usually layer the sparkly one over the white one, which has a really elegant look when put all together. 

 I also have two ornaments, which I don’t usually use, but have for special occasions or for when I want to feel special. The feather is a hair clip (great for binding on days when not veiling) and the wreath is a brooch. 

Every once in a while, I add a strip of fabric I have lying around, and tie bows or braids. In general, though, this is what I tend to stick to!

I struggled with not looking like an idiot when wearing these, at first, but after some wiggling around, I figured out that these styles work best for me (modified as needed):

(source [this is an etsy listing, so if you like it, you can buy it])

(source [this is also an etsy listing]).

*I would typically pair this kind of style with a braid, probably a fishtail

(source [yet another awesome etsy listing])

There are days when I don’t leave the house or I don’t want to veil for whatever reason. On these days, I have a few hairstyles I go to:

Fishtail braid

Dutch braid

French braid 

Criss-cross bun

Braided chignon

Smooth chignon

Other ideas I’ve had fun with (or want to try) include hair tucks (see this video for an example), milkmaid-style braids (example video), beanies, hats, and Renaissance hair nets (example). 

This style is something I desperately want to recreate, but I haven’t really figured it out yet (click to view it at its source).

I hope this post is helpful to anyone looking to learn about or try binding/veiling! Let me know if you have any questions! 

Otherwise, I hope to see you soon! Khaire!

*** I would like to note that binding/veiling is not, in my opinion, something only women can do. I think anyone, regardless of gender, should be able to bind and/or veil as they please, based on my views as a feminist. However, no one should feel pressured to bind/veil if they don’t want to. This post is purely for the education of interested parties! ***

[aesterea-archived]

Hello! I'm trying to write a series of POC-protagonist horror stories (think R.L. Stine) and I was wondering if it would be okay to ask a few questions? I read your post on how to write Muslim women/girls wearing hijabs and wanted to ask a few questions. You said Muslims greet one another with "Assalamu alaikum" ; do mothers greet their children like this "Assalamu alaikum, how did you sleep?" Like, fresh out of bed and dressed for the day, gathering for breakfast (if not during a fast)? (1/2?)

Hi! R.L. Stine writer again. I was wondering if it would be offensive to describe the process of a woman/girl styling her hair? Would it be considered inappropriate to Muslim readers? Is it okay to have a character braid her hair then pull it into a bun? Do you wear bobby pins to keep your hair back? Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to get this right. You mentioned that Muslim girls love pins, do they decorate their scarves with them? What about expressive buttons? (2/3)

Will Muslim women/girls wear something that covers a majority of skin? Like a sweater and a pair of pants? I haven’t looked this up yet but I will soon! Or would a Muslim woman wear a sweater with a skirt?

hey there anon.

yep, parents do greet their kids with assalaamu alaikum, it’s just like saying hi. siblings might not say it to each other just because kids prefer less formality but older family members will probably encourage them to use it, and children are expected to “give salaam” to elders. it’s like a courtesy thing.

i don’t think it would be offensive to describe a girl/woman styling their hair!! and lots of girls, especially ones with really long/thick hair, will put their hair in a braid and wrap it into a bun. i personally prefer just a braid because it’s more convenient and buns give me headaches (it is annoying when the last inch or so of my hair keeps peeking out under the hem of the scarf and i have to keep readjusting it but it’s okay lol). bobby pins are usually not necessary. i guess if you have bangs or something, you may have to pin them back so they don’t slip out of the scarf. 

(i don’t mind the questions haha I’m happy to answer and glad to help!!)

we do decorate our scarves with pins!! i have boxes and boxes of safety pins and pretty pins and brooches in all different sizes and colors and designs. it depends how you wrap your hijab but the way i do it usually requires about four pins (under the chin, one on either side of the head, one on top of the head, maybe a few at the shoulders to hold it in place). if the fabric is slippery (like silk), we may have to keep running off to the bathroom or something to undo and repin. it takes about five minutes usually. we do have “bad hijab days” when it takes longer or it just doesn’t look right no matter how we style it (and there are many many ways to style it!! look at a few examples). if the style is kind of complicated we might pull a female friend in there to help out. i’ve never used buttons myself but i’m sure some people would love it!!

we do cover the majority of our skin and hijab-congruent clothing is preferably not form-fitting or see-through. my friends and i joke about “halal versions” of dresses and things because like we won’t wear sleeveless clothes in public so we’ll have sleeves tailored on, or we’ll pull from our stock of cardigans and sweaters and light jackets. same goes for strapless/backless/etc.

for example, the dress i wore for eighth grade formal was floor-length which was great for me. i wore leggings underneath in case i had to hitch up my skirt (i did) and i didn’t want my legs flashing. but the dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline which meant leaving the arms, shoulders, back, and some cleavage exposed. we fixed that by having a small jacket tailored to cover the back and shoulders, and my hijab was styled in a way that came low enough to cover my chest. problem solved. 

i have a scarf section in my closet that’s just…. dozens of scarves hanging, ready to get pinned up. the top drawer of my dresser is full of boxes of pins and brooches and i go sifting through them whenever i need to pin stuff up. sometimes when i come home i’m too lazy to put away the pins and by morning i forget where i out them so they get lost and turn up randomly. tbh on an everyday basis, I’m usually too lazy to wrap up a scarf if it isn’t for a special occasion so i have lots of ready-to-go, pull-on hijabs as well and i can just slip those on as I’m running out the door