The 21st Century Summer Hijab

Summer hijabs are a perfect way to stay cool this summer. Scarves are light, breathable and come in many gorgeous colours and designs, whilst still maintaining the modest requirements of the clothing - without appearing drab. The summer hijab is developing into the perfect symbol of modern 21st century Muslim clothing.

The secret to the perfect summer hijab is obviously the fabric used. Natural fibres like cotton, linen, rayon, and silk are a must for comfort during a (maybe) sweltering British summer. These lightweight fabrics are cool, offer protection from the sun, and also allowing the skin to breathe, while dark heavyweight polyester fabrics should be keep right at the back of your wardrobes until further notice!

Islam doesn't have any specific dress code for a Muslim woman, rather it has certain levels of guidelines to follow - for example, that a dress should be covering and it should also be loose fitting. Whether people are comfortable in the black robes or they are comfortable in the colour ones, it has just a matter of choice for Muslims in modern Britain.

Although the hijab started out as a simple plain piece of fabric to cover the head and sometimes the face, variations over the past few years have provided an exciting "fashion" touch to hijabs, with young British Muslim designers introducing a youthful modern slant to Islamic clothing. These have proved to be very popular amongst younger Muslims and have also caused a mini-stir within the UK Fashion industry.

Islamic Fashion has picked up enormous heat - not literally - and momentum during the past few years. Islamic Clothing manufacturers and designers have been hard at work to come up with very fascinating hijab Styles and fashions. By mixing light fabrics with elegant summery styles, the market has seen an explosion of hijab fashion never seen in previous years in Britain.

Aminul Hoque is an Islamic affairs specialist and is an expert in young people and cultural identity. He offered an insight into the current popularity of the hihab by saying: "Contrary to popular belief and stereotypes, most girls choose to wear the hijab. It often signifies pressure and that they are forced to wear it, but from my experience women choose to wear it. I met lots of girls who chose to wear the hijab, even when their mothers didn't."

Could this be due to the designs of exciting young Muslim designers? Maybe so. In conclusion, the summer of 2010 may just continue to see the exciting rise of the popularity of the hijab in popular culture.