Let’s be real here, when you think of modest fashion, what comes to mind? Elegance? High necklines? Safe? If you have a closed-minded view of modest fashion, you might think frumpy. But has anyone ever thought about edgy?
Edginess and modest fashion are hardly thought of together because of religious and cultural connotations. At Dubai Fashion Week, I had the opportunity to discuss modest fashion with the fashion-forward crowd, both fans and designers alike. And for many, their ideas were tied to the cultural connotations that they know of—of conservatism. But with others, they saw the potential, the drama and finesse modest fashion brings to the overall fashion space. And with some, they didn’t have to say anything at all; they lived in edgy, modest fashion.
The truth is, in its truest neutral sense, modesty is edgier and more rebellious now than at any point in history. In an age where we can choose our comforts instead of having a dress code to follow, the limitations behind being modest creates tension that sparks creativity. We can spark scandal by showing off skin, but truly pushing the envelope in fashion is not by removing clothes, but by manipulating them.
Intentional layering, drapery, statement accessories, play with dimensions and texture, and fabricating silhouettes are not limited to a specific type of fashion. And that’s how modest fashion thrives, and that’s what I saw from modest dressers at Dubai Fashion Week—baggy silhouettes with a bedazzled hijab, a maxi dress made from scrap fabric, and layers upon layers of necklaces adorned a neck covered by a top were some of the few outfits that stayed with me.
To them, modesty wasn’t a restriction nor a limitation. It is simply a matter of comfort and a matter of personal values. And what would know personal values better than style? In channelling modest fashion, they channelled themselves as threads. And their personal style is what edginess is truly about. To be unapologetically yourself.
So yeah. Modest fashion can be edgy, it can be cool, it can be relevant today. It can be sophisticated like the mood boards on Pinterest, and it can be frumpy if you don’t know what you’re doing. The restriction is within the mind.
