How to wear a chiffon hijab: three simple wraps

Chiffon is the fabric most of our hijabs are made in, and for good reason: it is light, it breathes, and it falls in soft folds instead of stiff ones. Its smooth surface is also why it can slide during the day. A few habits make the difference between a hijab you adjust every hour and one you forget you are wearing.

Start with what goes underneath

An undercap or bonnet in cotton or jersey gives chiffon something to grip, and it keeps your hair in place and out of sight beneath a fine fabric. Choose one close to the colour of your hijab or to your skin tone. This single step solves most slipping.

Know your size

Most of our chiffon hijabs are rectangles of 78 by 27 inches, about 198 by 69 cm. That is long enough for every wrap below, including full coverage over the chest. Because chiffon is fine, you can fold it in half along its length for more opacity without adding bulk.

Wrap one: the everyday wrap

• Place the hijab over your head with one side longer than the other.
• Pin the two sides together under your chin.
• Take the long side around your head and back to the opposite shoulder, and secure it with a pin or magnet near the ear.
• Arrange the front so it lies flat over your chest.

Wrap two: the loose drape

For occasions, and for dresses with a detailed neckline. Place the hijab evenly over your head, cross the two ends loosely under your chin, and let each end fall over the opposite shoulder. Fix it with one pin at the side. The folds should look relaxed, so do not pull them tight. A printed hijab shows best this way.

Wrap three: full coverage

Start as in the everyday wrap, but leave the long side longer still. After bringing it around your head, spread the fabric wide across your chest and shoulders before you pin it at the shoulder. This is the wrap to choose with an open neckline or for prayer.

Keeping it in place

• Use hijab magnets or smooth pins; a rough pin or a piece of jewellery with claws can snag chiffon.
• Pin through the undercap as well as the hijab, so the two move together.
• One fastening under the chin and one at the side are enough for most wraps.

Plain or printed

A plain chiffon hijab in a neutral shade goes with almost everything and is the one to buy first. A print lifts a plain abaya or a simple dress; pick out one colour from the print and repeat it elsewhere in what you wear.

Caring for chiffon

Hand wash it cold with a mild detergent, or dry clean. Do not tumble dry. Steam it, or iron on the lowest setting. Stored folded or hung, a chiffon hijab keeps its drape for years.