A statement for anyone who thinks veiling women aren't "real" feminists:
Get the fuck off my blog, right now! Do not follow me! I am a veiled fake feminist! I will corrupt you with my covered hair, like some kind of tainted Jezebel! Hide your liberated daughters! I will teach them modesty!
Oh, no! Oh, no! It's like walking back in time to a point when women were not expected to flaunt, and show their bodies to every man, woman and child on the street!
Here's the thing about head covering for religious reasons when you're pagan: it's weird. I can't deny that I cover for religious reasons. Once upon a time, a long time ago in a land far away, Poseidon said, "So, hey, fabric on your head? Yes." I don't have a continuous tradition to draw on, I don't have examples to point to and say, "that!" I live a spiritual life that is living and growing and changing, and I interact with my gods and spirits on a personal level, and at the end of the day, the fact that Poseidon said, "About this thing .
There was a post in which the author challenged a person to give 10 reasons why she wears a veil, and not just because she was called to/told to by a god/dess. Being me, I couldn't resist rising to the challenge. Of course this doesn't mean that I think that anyone needs to justify why they do anything that they feel is honestly right for them, regardless if its has aesthetic, practical or spiritual reasoning behind it.
It’s been a while since I’ve written on this blog. It’s been a while since I’ve written about my continuing veiling experiences in general and that’s because there hasn’t been any veiling experiences in a long time.
Late in 2012 I finally bit the bullet and dyed my hair using permanent colouring instead of the washes-out-in-a-month variety. This decision was huge because I’ve never used permanent colouring on my hair since the sight of roots is rather unsightly and I don’t get to the salon very often. By making this leap, I was sealing my fate to sitting in my hairstylist’s chair more than twice a year, not to mention staring a very expensive habit. On the plus side, my hair gets trimmed more often which equals less split ends.
A funny thing happened after the dye was applied: I no longer felt the need to wear a scarf on my head.
Poof. Gone.
It’s so strong of a feeling that the few times that I’ve put a scarf on for old time’s sake, I immediately took it off again because I didn’t like the way I look in them anymore (which makes me sad because I miss wearing my scarves), and think every other woman who chooses to veil is breath-takingly beautiful in them.
A while back I shared this experience with a group of Sisters of whom I found thanks to veiling. One insightful Sister said that she’s heard of this happening to other women and dying one’s hair is, weird as it seems, a form of veiling.
I like that. It’s like I’m veiling in plain sight.
And so the new veiling adventure begins in which I find the perfect shade and learn how to do some fancy updo styles to keep my long hair looking neat, tidy, and awesome.
Selecting your head covering for the day can be as difficult as selecting the full ensemble, down to what style you wish to wear your head covering in. In selecting your head covering, the first concern is comfort. Many people choose hats because they are easy to wear and generally guarantee comfort, when worn properly. Scarves are also quite popular, though the present a greater challenge because it is possible to tie them too tightly. A good rule of thumb in how tightly you tie your scarves is if you can not slip a finger between the scarf and your scalp, then your scarf is probably tied too tightly.
Improperly tied scarves are not only a fashion accident waiting to happen. They are also a leading cause of headaches amongst people who wear them. If you can fit more then one finger between your scarf and your scalp, then your scarf is quite likely too loose (this varies according to the style of tying you use). Scarves can be worn loose provided there is an under scarf or some form of pin to help affix the scarf to your hair (i.e. bobby pins). A quick look at different methods of providing the necessary foundational ‘garment’ for successful scarf wear shows us three different options that are quite popular.
With the cotton bonnets, if there is a need for additional security for the style, one can use both bobby pins to affix the bonnet to their hair and straight pins to affix the over scarf to the bonnet. Many popular hijab styles use straight pins to secure the over scarf. Tube scarves are less prone to slipping then cotton bonnets on fine hair. It is, however, often a challenge to make this style work comfortably for many western women. Western women, who are more likely to wear clothing styles that show off the neck and collarbones will find that tube scarves prevent this. In this case, cotton bonnets or wig grips are advisable. Wig grips are the less attractive sister of the cotton bonnets. Originally designed to help wigs stay on people’s heads, a wig grip can be highly effective in holding an over scarf still. It does, however, make it challenging to incorporate looks that would possibly show some of the chosen under scarf.
If one does not have access to any of the three items mentioned above, a cotton bandanna makes a good ersatz replacement. Again, one must be careful not to tie their bandanna too tightly. However, the cotton fabric does an excellent job of allowing the scalp to ‘breathe’, is very good at gripping other fabrics, and (in the case of bandannas) very budget friendly. Next post, we will look at how to select the correct scarf style for your face shape and style of scarf used.
By Deb Miskell
Some of us veil because we love the fashion. Some of us veil because we feel called to it in a spiritual fashion. Still others of us veil because it gives us greater control over how others interact with us. The point that I will be examining in this entry is the latter.
Women occupy a position within society that is very different from that of men. Indeed, it is even different from that of children. While this position varies from society to society, there is a trend towards viewing a woman’s body as a form of common property. Social mores that govern dress code are found to have greater listing of restrictions upon female dress then that of the male. Some would argue that this is a development that came with the rise of ‘civilization’ while others would contend that it is something that has been in place in every society upon the earth.
Regardless of the origins of this trend, it is one that we must resist. For in viewing women’s bodies as common property and subject to the will of the people at large, it dehumanizes women. This is not healthy for women or society. Society is devised of individuals working together to create a common culture. Disenfranchising women (or any other subset of the population) serves to reduce the number of individuals who are actively contributing to the welfare of the society. This weakens society and makes it more difficult for society to respond to changes in the culture by way of internal or external influences. One may wonder what this has to do with veiling or mistakenly believe that veiling is going to be declared part of the divisive elements of disenfranchisement that women are facing.
The mistaken believe that veiling is oppressive is the fruit of an active campaign to dehumanize the Arab cultures (primarily) and to vilify the religion of Islam (which calls upon women to be modest in their dress and behavior). There is some controversy within Islam as to if the veil is required and to what extent it is necessary. As a result, you find female practitioners of Islam who range quite widely in how much they cover. In more ‘western’ practice of Islam, the veil is less prevalent then it is in Arab practices. In cases such as determining the role of the veil in a given culture, it is important to view this practice within its cultural context.
Cultural context helps us to determine how one proceeds within the social mores of an enclave of people. There are some places where women are required to wear a full veil and cover themselves completely from the male gaze, with the exception being spouse, children, and immediate family members. Women in those societies are not necessarily disenfranchised. It is when this cultural practice is supported by criminalizing non-participation that we can begin to question if the women who veil are disenfranchised or not. Disenfranchisement is a sliding scale, varying widely due to cultural context.
When taken in cultural context, many of the women who veil do so of their own free will. This is not because of shame or negative body image. It is because they are taking a stand and declaring their bodies not to be common property. In wearing a veil, a woman assumes command of who may see what is covered by the veil. It is an empowering and self-affirming action. As such, it should be counted among the ‘feminist’ activities that women have at their hand. Veiling forces people to consider the woman on the basis of her stated beliefs, actions, and conduct, rather then physical attributes. Veiling also serves to remove women from the implied role of being a doll for society to dress as its whim, thereby maintaining their autonomy. For these reasons, we should embrace the veil as a symbol of liberation rather then declaring it a sign of oppression.
By Deb Miskell
With the onset of colder weather here in New York (where I am located), we see an increase in people wearing hats. It is simply a practical thing to do. The body loses a significant amount of heat from the head. This is one of the major reasons why newborns are constantly wearing hats. In the light of this boost to hat wearing, it may be difficult to determine what is the correct action to take with your hat, especially if you are one who covers. I humbly submit the following suggestions for consideration.
Traditionally, men take off their hats when entering a building. They are also expected to remove their hats in the presence of a woman, when indoors, or doff their hats when outdoors in acknowledgement of her. Women, on the other hand, are traditionally not expected to remove their hats when indoors unless it is a matter of their comfort. Properly attired women of an earlier era were considered to be under dressed if they left the house with a bare head, excepting for cases of poverty or necessity that did not permit a hat or similar covering. Many different reasons have been given for this in Western culture (which is my focus today) but at it’s root it was considered a sign of modesty and proper upbringing to wear some sort of cover.
The traditions have changed with the advent of today’s culture. Many of the pesudo-Victorian ideals that are promoted in various subcultures with respect to women’s haberdashery are significantly changed from their sources. In general company, the hat has been demoted from being a necessity for proper dress to a fashion accessory. Several of the traditional rules, however, can be considered to still apply. Women are not expected to remove their head covering in all but the most explicitly stated settings. Hats for daytime settings are generally less formal then those for social calls and evening gatherings. A simple kerchief is considered to be the most casual of head coverings, after the headband. A tichel or similar veil treads the intermediate ground between kerchief and fancy hats. Fancy hats are reserved for formal settings and social gatherings.
In the face of winter weather, utilitarian hats may take the place of a kerchief in outdoor settings. While women are not required to remove their hats indoors, it may prove more comfortable to do so. In this case, it is advisable to do so in an inconspicuous fashion. Retiring to the ladies room to remove one’s utilitarian hat and replace it with the head covering of your choice allows you the privacy to adjust your chosen head covering with out any commentary upon what you are wearing. This is something that will make many women much more comfortable. If one is wearing a tichel or similar veil, this may make it difficult to add a utilitarian hat for additional warmth. In this case, practicality is always the rule. Layering warmer scarves or veils over one’s head covering is not only practical but can allow for additional fashion considerations. Done properly, one’s warmer scarves or veils can serve to modestly enhance one’s appearance while allowing for greater warmth in colder climes. Again, adjusting said scarves and veils in privacy is advisable upon entering a building.
Fancy hats are to be worn by themselves. As most of them are made of materials that are not well suited for the elements, fancy hats are often worn only for a short period of time outdoors (i.e. while one is moving from their vehicle to their destination). The fancy hat need not be worn inside a vehicle if it can not be accommodated by the space of the vehicle or provides a distraction for the driver. When indoors, fancy hats are not to be removed, except by necessity. If one is in a setting where others can not see around their fancy hat, they are not required by courtesy to removed their hat but it is an act of generosity that may be appreciated by those seated behind them. In this scenario, an elegant underscarf or similar item is advisable.
Hat pins that are tasteful and functional are a fine addition in the case of fancy hats. The role of a hat pin is to secure the hat to one’s hair or underscarf. Some settings, however, do not permit traditional hat pins because of their potential use as a weapon. Selecting the proper hat pin must be a fine balance between aesthetics and functionality. Pins that are of the sort with a clasp or cover over the pointed end (and less then two inches long) are generally tolerated. Once a hat pin has been applied, one is expected not to fidget or otherwise adjust the pin unless by necessity.
Casual hat etiquette declares that in informal settings, men and women are permitted to wear hats. Pins that are purely decorative are tolerated, though their use has fallen out of fashion. Men are still expected to remove their hats when said hat compromises the view of events, though this practice has fallen by the wayside. When one is unsure if the event is casual or not, it is wise to err upon the side of formality. This prevents any accidental offense being taken by the host or other guests at the event. It also helps one to maintain an air of elegance that adds to their sophisticated demeanor. Such elegance can leave a lasting, pleasant impression upon others and prove a delightful experience for the person maintaining it.
