What trousers to wear with this ...?

[rowyourboat]

Hoping for advice from all you style experts. What trousers can I wear under this (bottom, far right)? I'm being posted to the Middle East for 2 yrs in August and arms, legs and chest need to be covered. It will be very hot so lightweight fabric would be best. Please could anyone point me in the right direction of what would work. Any suggestions of where I can find other summery non-figure hugging tunics/dresses/kaftans suitable for life in a strict Islamic country also greatly appreciated. BTW, I'm 5'2", size 10 with norks on the generous size. Please tell me there is a way of being stylish whilst covering up completely. Does anyone know how to wear a hejab?

There are several Mid-East experts on MN - might be worth posting in the Living Abroad topic too.
Wide-legged linen or cotton trousers will work very well and be comfy - Next have just got their summer stock in and have some likely looking ones.

Some hijab help here but much easier are the Al-Amira type you just pull over your head.

Thanks Mrs B, superb hejab site. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it after a few tries . The linen trousers at Next look like a good bet, I'll try some on tomorrow. And I'll also try posting in the living abroad topic, thanks for the tip .

Heyyy Mrs Badger - are you Muslim? Meeee tooooo!!!

Nope, just a good googler and spent a lot of time talking about clothes with the Muslim girls on my degree course .

PS

Rowyourboat - happy to help re culture etc...very familiar with it all

I like those Hejab websites.....really stylish...quite like the covered but elegant look - although have yet to pluck up courage to wear hejab full time over here - get too many looks when you are as white as me!!

Hi Nikki. Thanks, I'm also really liking the modest but elegant look. Luckily for me there seems to be a lot of loose fitting tunic style tops in the shops at the moment. I'm a bit nervous about wearing a hijab in that heat though, I'm expecting a perspiring head and frizzy hair . I wore a headscarf last week to get my passport photos taken for my visa application and I felt really conspicuous, even though it was just for a few minutes. It just looked kind of wrong on me iykwim. I'm sure it'll feel more natural when I'm overseas. We're being posted to Iran - any knowledge?

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Yup, familiar with Iranian culture - my friend is half Iranian and another friend's hubby is Iranian... am better with Arab culture but there is a lot of overlap given that the predominant religion is Islam...

So, fire away and I'll do my best :-)

Ps

I wore hejab in Dubai and I swear, it was cooler to actually have my head covered than exposed to the sun!!

PPB, thanks for the ideas. Loving the Boden linen shirt (esp in blue) and the Monsoon coral tunic. Boden trousers don't seem to fit me very well, I just seem to be the wrong shape for them. Will do a Boden order this week and will pop into Monsoon as well as Next tomorrow. Maybe this won't be as difficult as I thought it might be .

Nikki, thanks for your kind offer. I can't think of anything much to ask just now as am only fit for bed (yawn). But I'm sure there are loads more random questions I'll need answering before I go. Still on the clothing issue, is it ok to wear any colour? I seem to recall hearing somewhere that wearing white is frowned upon. Any thoughts?

i've spent quite some time in the ME and I love dressing for it - you can look so elegant. think shalwar kameez, with Benazir Bhutto style headscarf. skirts down to the ground with gently flared panels, and/or cut on the bias. linen shirts. all lovely and cool and floaty. You'll look more elegant than you ever look here. But - watch for too thin fabrics - it'll be sunny and you can very easily do a Lady Di showing your legs and undies which is a complete no no. also, tbh, I wouldn;t wear a v-neck like that dress you linked to - I'd stick to shirts with max one button undone and round-necks

IT depends on what part of Iran you are going to? The Iranians are lovely lovely people with visitors and the gesture of wearing a headscarf is very appreciated and so they will forgive colour faux pas as it were. My advice would be to go for pastels - they go with any outfit you have and don't stand out. I wouldn't wear bright red or anything like that though. My hejab in dubai was pastel blue and it went with everything and didn't stand out.

Try reading Honeymoon in Purdah by Alison Wearing -lovely account of Iran or Black on Black by Ana Briongos - really informative books. Also, there is a range of Travel books called Culture Shock..Iran...Culture Shock - Syria etc so you could get the Iranian one and that will tell you loads of what you need to know.

A few tips from a religious perspective - dont hold out your hand to a man to shake it - touching of a woman that you can marry is forbidden in Islam and it makes people very uncomfortable - wait for them to hold their hand out to you first.

Iranian women are very friendly so the standard greeting is kisses on both cheeks, but in a business setting, this maybe different but be prepared for kisses on both cheeks in social settings. Take shoes off when going into people's houses and be prepared to have lots of food passed your way

The Iranians love the whole idea of family, so be prepared for lots of questions about children, if you have any and they may even ask to see photos of children as well, so don't be offended by that - they aren't being nosey - they just love children over there. Its same in Mid East where hubby is from...a plane journey to Syria is not full of people tutting at the noisy kids on the plane, but rather a shared baby sitting experience where people help out if the kids are giving you a hard time -it really is lovely!

HTH a bit!

Hatwoman - thanks, I'll bear the thin fabric issue in mind and make sure I test new clothes out in the British sunshine before I leave. The tunic on my link was actually the round neck, second to right at the bottom - although it was on the far right when I attached it . But yeah, maybe long linen or cotton shirts would be better.

Nikki, thanks what a lovely helpful post! I've acutally ordered the Culture Shock - Iran book from Amazon but it hasn't arrived yet. I've heard from friends and colleagues what warm and friendly people the Iranians are and we are really looking forward to our posting. I did a couple of temporary duty postings in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain a few years ago so have some limited experience of life in the Middle East. We have a daughter who will be a year old when we go. As my husband and I will both be working we hope to find an Iranian nanny for her - I'm sure whoever we get will be wonderful if their love for children is as great as I've heard. I'm starting a beginners Persian course at SOAS in April so hope to have a very basic understanding of the language when we arrive. I'm not a linguist so am nervous about this but am keen to have a go. I'll definitely try the books you recommend. I've read Lipstick Jihad by Azadeh Moaveni and am just about to start Iran Awakening by Shirin Ebadi. Looking forward to the baby friendly culture .

ah yes - the tunic would definitely work. can I ask what you're going to be doing? sounds very exciting. I;ve never been to Iran

Hatwoman, pleased to hear the tunic might work as I really like it. Although obviously I am very keen not to make a fashion faux pas. I might leave it in my wardrobe until I can see what others are wearing . I'll be working at the British Embassy. Really excited about experiencing life in Iran and travelling to such places as Esfahan and Persepolis. A little nervous about the unknown but we will be well looked after and I enjoy a challenge.

sigh. maybe one day I'll get to places like that. spent much of my 20s stomping round - but never really living in - the Middle East, and loved it. have rarely been back in my 30s. would love to go to places like that. they just sound so amazing

I love the Middle East....off to Syria soon for three weeks to introduce DS to the rest of his family over there....much excitement all around (bar the stress over lack of car seats over there!)...he's the first boy to carry on the family name so much kudos from the MIL on my part