Fashion is a way for me to break out of the mold and be completely and utterly fearless and authentic. Ever since I was a young girl, I loved trying different styles and holding daily fashion shows for my whole family. I would sit rummaging through my mother’s closet for hours, putting together the wildest outfits and feeling like the most elegant little girl.

When I first started wearing the hijab, my relationship with fashion became a little complicated and it took some time to develop a style that was really me. I struggled with finding pieces that catered to the requirements that come with putting on the hijab, which were: Long sleeve shirts, long pants, and loose garments.

However, with the rise of modest fashion on social media, the runways, and even the music industry, I started to evolve into my own style and putting together pieces that were both modest and authentic. It started getting easier to find modest clothing and turning pieces that I usually wouldn’t wear into something that fits both my religious beliefs and my preferences.

My first years being a hijabi, women’s clothing was filled with miniskirts, tank tops, shorts, and spaghetti dresses. It wasn’t until recent years that fashion took a modest turn. We have some of the most renowned and timeless brands such as Gucci designing dresses with sleeves that sweep the ground, turtle necks, boyfriend jeans, cargo pants, oversized tees, the list could go on.

Modest fashion is no longer defined for conforming toward religious requirements, rather is a mainstream trend that our favorite models and artists are adapting.

Modest fashion has been evolving into a fashion trend with established brands such as Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo exploring clothes that are both loose yet implement changing trends with creativity.

Fashion is becoming more accessible to everyone, and it’s comforting to see big companies offering a more extensive range of trends.

What does this mean for Muslim women?

For Muslim women and hijabis, modest fashion is not simply a trend that is outlived, rather a belief that is embedded in our mindset and is set there for the rest of our lives. The beauty of modest fashion is that it doesn’t belong to one group anymore but is open to interpretation for everyone. It has developed into an inclusive trend and has made its way from the streetwear to the runways. Modest fashion transformed into a style that resonates differently with all kinds of people and it has allowed for the creativity of Muslim women to arise and heavily impact the fashion market.

Dressing modestly is not simply putting on a long sleeve plain shirt with loose jeans. Those boundaries are driven by my Islamic faith, but as long as I feel morally comfortable with what I’m wearing, the emergence of modest fashion has given me the room to really reach out of my comfort zone and find my style.

With modest fashion on the rise, I’m able to express myself and channel my fearlessness and creativity with never compromising my beliefs and my sense of style.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.