Muslim Fashionistas Put a Stylish Spin on the Hijab

Hipsters in hijab (opens in new tab) are nothing new. But fashionistas in hijab? They're here – and taking Instagram by storm.

Some young Muslim women have flocked to social media to showcase high-fashion takes on the hijab, or traditional headscarf. Kuwait-based fashion blogger Ascia Sarrha started her blog after she didn't see any stylish role models who wore them. Though Islam emphasizes the importance of modesty, that doesn't stop observant women from embracing style, even while covering their hair.

It used to be considered taboo for Muslim women to put photos of their faces online. "I was one of the first personal style bloggers to show my face," Sarrha told the New York Times (opens in new tab). But now sites like Instagram and YouTube are chock full of Muslim women showing off their gorgeous headscarves – and teaching others how to follow their lead.

The trend has even prompted some non-Muslim women to want to wear hijab, Melanie Elturk, the founder of Haute Hijab in Chicago, told the Times (opens in new tab). And it's not hard to see why – these fabrics would be right at home on any runway.