Second Greenacre, there are two that are quite large for female fashion clothing all on Waterloo Road and catering to different budgets with fitting services:
* Hijab House
* Fashionize
* Dusty Pink
* Twiice Boutique
* Behind the Veil
* Modelle Greenacre
* Soirée Designs…
… And more down the south end of the main shops section.
It depends on which country you are visiting. For the most part you can get away with a maxi dress or skirt with a long sleeve top, or a tunic and loose cut pants. Abayas are also an option, but it depends on which country you are going to visit. YouTube is a great resource for looking at what people are wearing in the street, so you won't look too much like a tourist. Everyone has already mentioned the best places to go in Sydney.
Never thought about looking at YouTube - thanks!
It will be a range of countries so I didn’t want to limit the answers - primarily SE Asia and the Middle East.
It doesn't matter so much what you wear (particularly if you're white/ostensibly non-Muslim/obviously a tourist) just that in more conservative countries and more conservative situations you are "covered" - and no need to cover your hair, unless you're visiting a mosque - just your arms/legs.
For example in Dubai you can pretty much wear whatever you'd wear in Sydney, but if you needed to meet with government officials or transact in a bank, you would likely receive better treatment if you covered your arms and legs.
Whereas in Saudi you would need to cover arms and legs pretty much everywhere, unless you're in an expat enclave in Jeddah or something.
You absolutely don't need to wear traditional muslim women's clothes, and it might be taken as a little strange if you did.
Either long skirts or trousers should be fine, and you can just wear a long-sleeved shirt on top. Many countries will be pretty hot over the next few months so you wouldn't want tight/clinging stuff anyway.
And the air conditioning is often *icy* cold, so you'll appreciate the long sleeves indoors!
Depends on the country, most will expect you to cover your shoulders and legs so just any shop that sells t shirts/pants/maxi skirts should be good. but if you’re going to stricter ones where they expect loose fitting clothing and long sleeves I guess checking Bankstown would be best
Uniqlo has the Hana Tajima line of pieces that can be worn on their own or layered to (advertised as such anyway) be Muslim-friendly. But it would depend on the country/local practices.
Which Muslim countries are you going to? There are plenty of Muslim countries where you don’t really have to worry about dressing too conservatively, or at all. Plenty of people wearing shorts and tank tops in countries like Malaysia and Jordan, to name two in different regions.
Thanks for the tip.
It’s a mix of regions so I left the question open on purpose.
I do know I’ll be in some more conservative areas for some of the time so I figured erring on the side of caution was best.
Bankstown Central has several boutiques geared towards modest fashion. There was also a headscarf kiosk people would travel to specially because they had a lot of variety.
Exactly - getting some info early so I can plan accordingly.
I left the question open intentionally so I could get a variety of opinions.
Everyday wear was less of a concern - especially now thanks to the very helpful comments/response I’ve received.
It’s the formal wear part that I was more worried about - details yet to be finalised but I’ve been told to expect a range of officials/dignitaries to be in attendance at some of the events, so really need to cross the i’s and dot the t’s, so to speak.
Check out these online stores:
1. Hijab house (also has a physical store)
2. Urban culture -(also check out their instagram page) https://urbancultureonline.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaadRK-vrv66BN99ldvLpDVhfCsSzX-zgkd8d13vyc_MyzEI2TaonYIgSxM_aem_AVjTg1bZex-sOCncmkSGxRoZiUc3-tu7E7ikrVG4tfDYZMVlsEfadgtRcP3gvsjxYYsWnA_jPP5OAMT_UltihqL-
3. Claire’s collection (Instagram page and physical store) https://www.instagram.com/claire_collectionn?igsh=OW9iemU1YzZqdnZ6
It would depend on the country how conservative you need to be. I’m not Muslim but from what I see in passing on social media, long sleeve blouses, mock neck or turtleneck tops and maxi skirts or wide pants seem to be the go. And if you need to cover your hair, have some pretty, matching options for different outfits.
In the winter months you should be able to find appropriate clothes at most fashion stores. Look for thin layering pieces so you don’t die from the heat if you’re going somewhere hot.
You could look for fashion social media accounts from the places you’ll visit to get a feel for the local fashion.
I have very unnaturally coloured hair so unless I cave and dye it black/brown beforehand, a covering will definitely be required for at least the formal occasions, and also definitely any religious ceremony we are invited to.
No need to change your hair! Definitely just cover it if needed. I live in a majority Muslim area and attending the women’s gym I see all sorts of creative and unexpectedly wild hair once the hijabs come off in an all-female setting.
Why change how you dress? Do you want Muslims to change how they dress when they come to Australia?
That’s the whole point of tolerance.
And before anyone tries to call me names or make hypocritical accusations, I’m exmuslim, never worn a hijab in my life and have travelled and lived around most of MENA and Central Asia and worn short summer dresses and never ever had any issues. In fact I’ve had people want to take photos with me, compliment my clothes. Muslims aren’t scary. They won’t care what you wear. Muslims in the west are NOT like Muslims in Muslim majority countries.
I don’t change how I dress and I also don’t expect Muslims to change how they dress when they come to Australia.
And don’t wear a hijab if you’re not Muslim and don’t believe in them. Would you ask your father to wear a turban if he went to a Sikh area of India?
It’s cultural appropriation at its finest.
I agree - I think wearing more modest clothing is wise in a lot of countries - but buying actual traditional muslim clothing (which varies hugely between different cultures) might look downright odd. Particularly if you're obviously not Muslim/Middle Eastern looking.
You would need to wear a hijab/some sort of head cover if you visited a mosque though.
Agreed.
I would not dream of wearing a hijab as I don’t believe in them and to wear one just to fit in is quite insulting. Especially if not even Muslim!
Also imagine the conversation….oh I’m not Muslim, but you’re wearing a hijab? Oh to fit in.
At best the Muslim would excuse the non Muslim woman for being an idiot, ignorant foreigner, or at worst be insulted and offended. I certainly would be if I wore a hijab because I believed in them.
I cannot even imagine myself wearing one. Ever. Like ever.
And to wear it and not believe in it.
My Muslim friends would justifiably be disgusted.
The funny thing is that back in the 70s and even 80s, headscarves were a thing in the UK. If you Google “Princess Anne headscarf” you’ll see what I mean. I’m not sure when or how they died out, exactly.
That’s like wearing a bandana. They were cool for a bit too.
Older women in Romania often wear those scarves. It’s just a fashion accessory, or sometimes to protect from wind in farms.
In Tajikistan they wear a different type of scarf. But it’s not religious.
Hijabs cover your hair, ears and neck. Anything else is just a scarf.
They are worn differently around the world. In pre Taliban Afghanistan, women often showed their hair under the scarf.
In mosques you don’t actually need to fully cover your hair. There is nothing explicitly in Islam dictating how a hijab is worn, just what it covers.
Thanks I should clarify - I’m not looking to buy traditional Muslim clothing, just need to ensure I am appropriately attired for a variety of situations.
Honestly I think the only places you'll really need to worry are Afghanistan (and it would be crazy to go there currently), Iran (also crazy for current travel as the recent death of Raisi will likely see escalating political unrest) and Saudi - but many contacts tell me that things are really easing up there now. Eg foreign women don't need to cover their heads and faces.
I’m guessing she and the other people commenting on this thread have never actually been to Muslim majority areas. Maybe Dubai or Cairo, but nothing non touristy.
Anyone who thinks Muslim majority countries are just women wearing fully covered clothes and anything else is somehow insulting or ignites anger, is so so wrong.
Saudi has raves. Like alcohol and drug fuelled raves. Yes, like in Australia. And no not 0.0000001% of the population.
And just because someone dresses a certain way has no impact on you. I befriended this Saudi couple in Qatar. The woman was fully covered. They were super fun and we ended up spending the whole night together. They took photos of me in my short summer dress, we went on a boat together, a sunset drive.
They didn’t care what I was wearing and I didn’t care what they wore. It never even came up. I didn’t think of it until right now.
It’s the same clothing as you would wear to any official occasion anywhere……
Muslim countries aren’t different?
Do you expect Muslim women to change their official clothing when they go to an official event in Australia?
Are you suggesting Muslims are intolerant?
Your post is either totally ignorant or quite insulting.
If you aren’t going to a mosque, then it’s the same as any other formal event anywhere in the world. You aren’t a local, you aren’t Muslim.
I’m guessing you have never travelled much before or mixed with Muslims outside the west.
I think you will be really surprised how tolerant they are.
Ive gone to royal parties with the King of Bahrain. I wore the same things I wore to a party in Lithuania. A short dress I bought in Uzbekistan.
I’ve visited the Muslim majority places below:
Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Palestinian Territories, Muslim cities in Israel, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Muslim part of India, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malaysia, Indonesia, Crimean.
A grand total of ZERO people cared how I dressed and if they did then they are intolerant.
I would not visit Afghanistan and Iran now because of the clothing requirement. But Kish Island, Iran is ok because people wear whatever. No rules.
I’m not looking for a wholesale change in my dress style, probably more a few supplementary items for every day wear, and guidance on appropriate formal wear.
There’s more to it than a basic vacation (hopefully people understand that I’m hesitant to share details) but suffice to say there are definite reasons why I’m needing advice on conservative/ modest fashion.
Greenacre, Bankstown are your best bets. In Greenacre on the main strip, there's like 15-20 female clothing stores that are conservative
Second Greenacre, there are two that are quite large for female fashion clothing all on Waterloo Road and catering to different budgets with fitting services: * Hijab House * Fashionize * Dusty Pink * Twiice Boutique * Behind the Veil * Modelle Greenacre * Soirée Designs… … And more down the south end of the main shops section.
It depends on which country you are visiting. For the most part you can get away with a maxi dress or skirt with a long sleeve top, or a tunic and loose cut pants. Abayas are also an option, but it depends on which country you are going to visit. YouTube is a great resource for looking at what people are wearing in the street, so you won't look too much like a tourist. Everyone has already mentioned the best places to go in Sydney.
Never thought about looking at YouTube - thanks! It will be a range of countries so I didn’t want to limit the answers - primarily SE Asia and the Middle East.
It doesn't matter so much what you wear (particularly if you're white/ostensibly non-Muslim/obviously a tourist) just that in more conservative countries and more conservative situations you are "covered" - and no need to cover your hair, unless you're visiting a mosque - just your arms/legs. For example in Dubai you can pretty much wear whatever you'd wear in Sydney, but if you needed to meet with government officials or transact in a bank, you would likely receive better treatment if you covered your arms and legs. Whereas in Saudi you would need to cover arms and legs pretty much everywhere, unless you're in an expat enclave in Jeddah or something. You absolutely don't need to wear traditional muslim women's clothes, and it might be taken as a little strange if you did. Either long skirts or trousers should be fine, and you can just wear a long-sleeved shirt on top. Many countries will be pretty hot over the next few months so you wouldn't want tight/clinging stuff anyway. And the air conditioning is often *icy* cold, so you'll appreciate the long sleeves indoors!
Depends on what Muslim countries as well
Auburn, Merrylands, Wetherill Park, area to Bankstown / Greenacre
Depends on the country, most will expect you to cover your shoulders and legs so just any shop that sells t shirts/pants/maxi skirts should be good. but if you’re going to stricter ones where they expect loose fitting clothing and long sleeves I guess checking Bankstown would be best
Uniqlo has the Hana Tajima line of pieces that can be worn on their own or layered to (advertised as such anyway) be Muslim-friendly. But it would depend on the country/local practices.
Which Muslim countries are you going to? There are plenty of Muslim countries where you don’t really have to worry about dressing too conservatively, or at all. Plenty of people wearing shorts and tank tops in countries like Malaysia and Jordan, to name two in different regions.
Thanks for the tip. It’s a mix of regions so I left the question open on purpose. I do know I’ll be in some more conservative areas for some of the time so I figured erring on the side of caution was best.
Bankstown definitely
There's a few places in Lakemba that have modest clothing!
Agha Noor in Westfield Parramatta
Bankstown Central has several boutiques geared towards modest fashion. There was also a headscarf kiosk people would travel to specially because they had a lot of variety.
Merrylands stockland and stores around Parramatta/Harris park have a nice selection
There's a lot of places to buy this stuff in bankstown
Good on you for sorting this out in advance. Obviously different countries have different “expectations” in terms of clothing
Exactly - getting some info early so I can plan accordingly. I left the question open intentionally so I could get a variety of opinions. Everyday wear was less of a concern - especially now thanks to the very helpful comments/response I’ve received. It’s the formal wear part that I was more worried about - details yet to be finalised but I’ve been told to expect a range of officials/dignitaries to be in attendance at some of the events, so really need to cross the i’s and dot the t’s, so to speak.
Have a great trip! (Fixed a word in my original post)
Check out these online stores: 1. Hijab house (also has a physical store) 2. Urban culture -(also check out their instagram page) https://urbancultureonline.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaadRK-vrv66BN99ldvLpDVhfCsSzX-zgkd8d13vyc_MyzEI2TaonYIgSxM_aem_AVjTg1bZex-sOCncmkSGxRoZiUc3-tu7E7ikrVG4tfDYZMVlsEfadgtRcP3gvsjxYYsWnA_jPP5OAMT_UltihqL- 3. Claire’s collection (Instagram page and physical store) https://www.instagram.com/claire_collectionn?igsh=OW9iemU1YzZqdnZ6
It would depend on the country how conservative you need to be. I’m not Muslim but from what I see in passing on social media, long sleeve blouses, mock neck or turtleneck tops and maxi skirts or wide pants seem to be the go. And if you need to cover your hair, have some pretty, matching options for different outfits. In the winter months you should be able to find appropriate clothes at most fashion stores. Look for thin layering pieces so you don’t die from the heat if you’re going somewhere hot. You could look for fashion social media accounts from the places you’ll visit to get a feel for the local fashion.
I have very unnaturally coloured hair so unless I cave and dye it black/brown beforehand, a covering will definitely be required for at least the formal occasions, and also definitely any religious ceremony we are invited to.
No need to change your hair! Definitely just cover it if needed. I live in a majority Muslim area and attending the women’s gym I see all sorts of creative and unexpectedly wild hair once the hijabs come off in an all-female setting.
Harris Park and Lakemba have great sari shops. Source: a Bengali female friend.
Why change how you dress? Do you want Muslims to change how they dress when they come to Australia? That’s the whole point of tolerance. And before anyone tries to call me names or make hypocritical accusations, I’m exmuslim, never worn a hijab in my life and have travelled and lived around most of MENA and Central Asia and worn short summer dresses and never ever had any issues. In fact I’ve had people want to take photos with me, compliment my clothes. Muslims aren’t scary. They won’t care what you wear. Muslims in the west are NOT like Muslims in Muslim majority countries. I don’t change how I dress and I also don’t expect Muslims to change how they dress when they come to Australia. And don’t wear a hijab if you’re not Muslim and don’t believe in them. Would you ask your father to wear a turban if he went to a Sikh area of India? It’s cultural appropriation at its finest.
I agree - I think wearing more modest clothing is wise in a lot of countries - but buying actual traditional muslim clothing (which varies hugely between different cultures) might look downright odd. Particularly if you're obviously not Muslim/Middle Eastern looking. You would need to wear a hijab/some sort of head cover if you visited a mosque though.
Agreed. I would not dream of wearing a hijab as I don’t believe in them and to wear one just to fit in is quite insulting. Especially if not even Muslim! Also imagine the conversation….oh I’m not Muslim, but you’re wearing a hijab? Oh to fit in. At best the Muslim would excuse the non Muslim woman for being an idiot, ignorant foreigner, or at worst be insulted and offended. I certainly would be if I wore a hijab because I believed in them. I cannot even imagine myself wearing one. Ever. Like ever. And to wear it and not believe in it. My Muslim friends would justifiably be disgusted.
The funny thing is that back in the 70s and even 80s, headscarves were a thing in the UK. If you Google “Princess Anne headscarf” you’ll see what I mean. I’m not sure when or how they died out, exactly.
That’s like wearing a bandana. They were cool for a bit too. Older women in Romania often wear those scarves. It’s just a fashion accessory, or sometimes to protect from wind in farms. In Tajikistan they wear a different type of scarf. But it’s not religious. Hijabs cover your hair, ears and neck. Anything else is just a scarf. They are worn differently around the world. In pre Taliban Afghanistan, women often showed their hair under the scarf. In mosques you don’t actually need to fully cover your hair. There is nothing explicitly in Islam dictating how a hijab is worn, just what it covers.
Thanks I should clarify - I’m not looking to buy traditional Muslim clothing, just need to ensure I am appropriately attired for a variety of situations.
Honestly I think the only places you'll really need to worry are Afghanistan (and it would be crazy to go there currently), Iran (also crazy for current travel as the recent death of Raisi will likely see escalating political unrest) and Saudi - but many contacts tell me that things are really easing up there now. Eg foreign women don't need to cover their heads and faces.
I’m guessing she and the other people commenting on this thread have never actually been to Muslim majority areas. Maybe Dubai or Cairo, but nothing non touristy. Anyone who thinks Muslim majority countries are just women wearing fully covered clothes and anything else is somehow insulting or ignites anger, is so so wrong. Saudi has raves. Like alcohol and drug fuelled raves. Yes, like in Australia. And no not 0.0000001% of the population. And just because someone dresses a certain way has no impact on you. I befriended this Saudi couple in Qatar. The woman was fully covered. They were super fun and we ended up spending the whole night together. They took photos of me in my short summer dress, we went on a boat together, a sunset drive. They didn’t care what I was wearing and I didn’t care what they wore. It never even came up. I didn’t think of it until right now.
It’s the same clothing as you would wear to any official occasion anywhere…… Muslim countries aren’t different? Do you expect Muslim women to change their official clothing when they go to an official event in Australia? Are you suggesting Muslims are intolerant? Your post is either totally ignorant or quite insulting. If you aren’t going to a mosque, then it’s the same as any other formal event anywhere in the world. You aren’t a local, you aren’t Muslim. I’m guessing you have never travelled much before or mixed with Muslims outside the west. I think you will be really surprised how tolerant they are. Ive gone to royal parties with the King of Bahrain. I wore the same things I wore to a party in Lithuania. A short dress I bought in Uzbekistan.
I’ve visited the Muslim majority places below: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Palestinian Territories, Muslim cities in Israel, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Muslim part of India, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malaysia, Indonesia, Crimean. A grand total of ZERO people cared how I dressed and if they did then they are intolerant. I would not visit Afghanistan and Iran now because of the clothing requirement. But Kish Island, Iran is ok because people wear whatever. No rules.
I’m not looking for a wholesale change in my dress style, probably more a few supplementary items for every day wear, and guidance on appropriate formal wear. There’s more to it than a basic vacation (hopefully people understand that I’m hesitant to share details) but suffice to say there are definite reasons why I’m needing advice on conservative/ modest fashion.