Tolerance of Islam: A Study on Fashion among Modern and Professional Malay Women in Malaysia

Abstract

Abstract-Malay women in Malaysia had evolved from traditional to the modern lifestyle that witnessed changes in perception, action and artifacts for the past hundreds of years. Malay position in the society had changed from being a mere housewife to a career oriented women. Cultural changes had transformed Malay women's appearance especially on clothing. Facing a dilemma to look religious and professional at the same time is not an easy task. Modern women has to face the fact that they need to look fashionable but at the same time abiding Islamic regulation by not to display their beauty. This descriptive research is to look at how Malay women in Malaysia negotiate their style of clothing with urban culture and on top of that, following the guideline of clothing in Islam. Data derived were mainly from observation and interviews. Findings will be valuable for future research on designing dedicated to Muslim women across the globe.Index Terms-Malays, Malaysia, Muslim fashion.

The Hijabi self: authenticity and transformation in the Hijab fashion phenomenon

“…In the Islamic world, the nuances of such expressions have shown interest in the hijab phenomenon (Hassan et al, 2015;Hassim, 2014;Gökarıksel and Secor, 2010;Sandikci and Ger, 2010;Smaoui and Ghariani, 2011). Although hijab is a religious ritual, it comes with many cultural connotations.…”

Factors influencing fashion consciousness in hijab fashion consumption among hijabistas

“…Malaysian Muslim women who choose to cover up with the hijab use a variety of styles, patterns and bold colors with modern and traditional outfits, depending on the situation. In Malaysia, expressing faith and identity by wearing the hijab does not deny women their right to gain the highest education and to choose their desired profession in the workforce (Hassan, 2015).…”

What's in a word?

“…Unlike in some Arabic countries in the Middle East, wearing a black veil and covering the face is not a common practice among Malaysian Muslim women. Hassan, Zaman, and Santosa (2015) have identified various ways that Malaysian Muslim women interpret Islamic teachings in relation to their appearance. They highlight that Malaysian Muslim women preserve their modesty in their working environments as well as in the social sphere while adapting to new fashion trends.…”

“…This convention was held in the most urban area as compared to the others. This also implies that the hijab culture is not absolutely a tradition or obligation for Malaysian Muslim females, as underlined by Hassim, Nayan, and Ishak (2016) and Hassan, Zaman, and Santosa (2015). The hijab was integrated in the cosplay activity as part of their self-identification that intersected with their collective identification as cosplayers as well as Muslim women.…”