Opinion Time: Hijabs On The Catwalk

So my mum and dad called me from the bottom of the stairs to tell me there was something that might interest me being featured on ITV 1 6 o'clock news. The featu
re was about fashion designers creating trendy hijabs. While some Muslims are against the idea of a fashionable hijab others think of it as a form of expression.

 

   

      

Fashion shows for both luxury and high street brands have been featuring models wearing hijabs in recent years. But there are many who don't want to see hijabs becoming a trend amongst white people. 

So I've come up with some reasons against and for hijabs on the catwalk: 

Its not a good idea because:  

1. Hijabs are an item of clothing worn by Muslim women to protect their own modesty. Many muslims could be offended if non-muslims were wearing hijabs as a fashion accessory. 

2. It could romanticise a religion when in reality converting to another religion is a serious commitment. 

It is a good idea because:

1. Muslim women are able to express themselves and be holy at the same time. 

2. It has created more diversity on the catwalk and could change socieitie's views on Islam in an era where Muslims are as vulnerable as the Germans during the aftermaths of both world wars. 

Many would think white women wearing hijabs as racist but...kimonos have been fashionable in the West several times. They were first made fashionable in western culture 100 years ago, and have recently been made fashionable again. 

Like hijabs, kimonos hold religious importance in Japan. They are often wore during religious ceremonies and are a symbol of Japanese culture. Nobody has batted any eye about kimonos being racist against Japanese culture when displayed on the catwalk however when Hijabs are displayed people associate it with Racism. Although hijabs and kimonos have very different connections to their cultural beliefs and different purposes, I believe that wearing one item of clothing from one culture is no more offensive to wearing one from another. If there were Arabic models on the catwalk wearing Christian crosses and clothes inspired by christianity people there would be no outrage, whereas if its the other way round there is A LOT more outrage. 

How to find a look thats for you?

Ever look at models in a magazine with a particular look i.e. Abbey Lee's Boho. Well if you're looking for one to suit you then follow my advice. 

After some time of finding a look for myself. I've decided I have a retro inspired boho look. 

1. Look at you're face in the mirror.

Identify you're facial features, google them individually and you'll get images of icons and fictional characters with those features. I.e. if you have a doll like face images of Lily Cole and Gemma Ward may appear. I found that my face was similar to vintage stars such as Bridget Bardot and the musician   Michelle Phillips. I also found it was slightly similar to the modern model Lara Stone. But don't get too carried away with comparing yourself to others you don't want to end up self conscious! 

2. Link you're hair with you're face.

Have you got lots of curly hair that makes you're face look dainty or straight hair that makes you're face stand out? My hair is naturally straight, its also long. When long and let loose I feel that I look very Bohemian. Whereas if I backcomb it to a beehive I see myself looking very much like a retro movie star. Play around with you're hair,  if you put it into a plait you may look like a cute schoolgirl or the female heroine from a piece of Medieval Fantasy literature. 

3. Love you're body the way it is. 

If you're petite (naturally slim and under 5 ft 4) then you can look dainty, if you're around 5 ft 5 and curvaceous (like myself) you can look voluptuous, if you're tall and naturally slim then you can look very graceful whereas if you're tall and slightly stocky you can look very strong willed. The important thing is love you're body no matter you're size and height. 

4. Think about you're lifestyle?

Are you a city chic who travels on the bus everyday wearing you're favourite beret, a country girl who rides horses everyday in a pair of nice jeans or someone who lives near the beach and is forever wearing beach clothing. I live in a town which is a 45 minute train journey from London, and I spend half of my time on the Isle of Wight. Because I've always lived quite close to London, and I've always lived in towns with lots of lovely shops I feel very much like an urban chic.

5. What are you're interests? 

I may have a retro boho inspired look outside but what rally helps is that inside my brain I have interests that are related to it. I love the sort of music boho people in the 1960s would've listened to - The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Mamas & Papas etc. I'm also a very creative person - hence my stories and artwork which Bohemian people tend to be. I love vintage things which helps the fact that I have a retro inspired look.

For example if you love heavy metal music and love dark literature then you could consider yourself a heavy rock goth. 

6. Add up everything you've just found out and come up with a cool interesting name.

Be happy with yourself but don't be narcissistic about you're look. Make sure its cool but in a friendly way so that others may become inspired. 

5th Wave: Hunger Games and HSM rolled into one film with Lolita Influences on a low budget

So on Wednesday I went to the cinema with some friends to see the new Sci-Fi Thriller film 5th Wave. I was expecting it to be epic judging by the promotional trailer and poster.


Ever seen a film where the trailer is better than the actual film? Well 5th Wave is one of these.


The film starts off with middle-class schoolgirl named Cassie from Ohio played by Chloe Montez. She explains how in High School you think is life is to tough when it comes to things like exams and boys when in reality there are things a lot worse - something I can relate to totally.


The world is then invaded by an alien race named "the others". In comparison to films like Avatar where the humanoids had an interesting name "the Na'avi" I thought "the others" was a naff unimaginative name.


The beginning of the film is okay and is slightly emotional when Cassie loses her father. But after she is separated from her brother things get rubbish. The fact that it was a teenage Sci-Fi movie reminded me so much of the Hunger Games but then there was the High School stereotypes that are everywhere in Disney's HSM. What about the Lolita references? I'll come to them just now.


Chloe is rescued by a man named Evan Walker after becoming injured. Evan is a man who appears 10-15 years older than 16-18 year old Chloe making him somewhere between 26-30 years old. He acted as though he was there to protect Chloe - making out that she couldn't defend herself because of the fact she is a woman. *sniffs* I smell controversy. I hate to see women being treated like this by guys - especially if the guy is a lot older. To me it was just another example of sexism on our screens.


In a way it reminded me of when 30 year old Sportacus on LazyTown paid far more attention to the feminine delicate 8 year old Stephanie than he did to any of the other children. When I watched that show all those years ago I realised something wasn't right there and when I was 8 I went all anti-damsel in distress and...guess what nothing has changed.


Anyway I left the cinema laughing at how rubbish this movie was. They could've made it really epic but the makers didn't.


Hope you enjoy the rest of you're weekend my lovely readers,


Poppy x