The first weeks with a hijab are mainly a matter of trying things out. What slips, what itches, what does not stay put. These seven tips save you most of the trial and error.
1. Start with jersey, nothing else
Jersey is slightly stretchy and has grip. It stays in place without pins, barely slips and forgives clumsy movements. Chiffon and silk are more beautiful, but require technique you do not yet have.
Buy three in neutral tones — black, taupe and greige — and practise with those. See our hijabs.
2. The underscarf is not optional
This is the mistake almost everyone makes at the start: placing a hijab directly on the hair. Hair is smooth, so everything slides off.
A cotton underscarf provides the grip on which everything rests. It literally determines whether your hijab stays put all day or not.
3. Tie your hair low
A high bun distorts the line of the head and makes the hijab bulge in an unnatural spot. Tie the hair low at the nape, or make a flat, wide bun.
This one detail changes the silhouette more than any draping technique.
4. Choose one style and practise it
The temptation is great to try something new every week. Do not do that at the start. Choose one simple way — for example one side short, one side long over the shoulder — and repeat it until it becomes automatic.
Only once one style sits without thinking is it time to vary.
5. Look at the length, not the price
A hijab that is too short forces you to pull it tight, which is uncomfortable and comes loose quickly. For most styles, a rectangular model of about 180 by 70 centimetres is comfortable.
Always check the dimensions before buying — they are far from always stated.
6. Colour: start neutral, always
Neutral tones combine with everything you already have. Bright colours look lovely in photos, but limit your options as soon as you have to wear them at home with your own clothes.
A practical rule: choose your hijab in the same colour family as your abaya or top. Tone-on-tone looks instantly polished.
7. Take care of your hair and scalp
Wearing a hijab means your scalp gets less air. Two habits prevent problems:
- Never wear a hijab on wet hair — that is the main cause of an irritated scalp.
- Let your hair down as soon as you are home, even if only for an hour.
Choose underscarves made of cotton or bamboo, not polyester: the latter trap heat and moisture.
What you do not need at the start
- Ten hijabs. Three good ones are better than ten mediocre ones.
- Brooches with stones. They catch and damage fine fabrics.
- Volume underscarves. They create a shape that rarely looks natural.
- Satin. Gorgeous, but it slips off everything. Save it for later.
Care in brief
Wash jersey at 30 °C and hang it to dry — no tumble dryer, it destroys the elasticity. Store hijabs rolled rather than folded, so you do not get permanent fold lines.
Give yourself time
For the first two weeks everything feels awkward and takes a long time. After a month you do it in thirty seconds without a mirror. That is normal — everyone goes through that phase.
Want to read more about fabrics? Our comparison of hijab fabrics explains when you can move on to chiffon or silk.
Also discover our latest collection — shipped from Belgium.