To wear a tudung neatly, start with a snug inner, then pick your style. A shawl is pinned under the chin and wrapped. A bawal (square tudung) is folded into a triangle and pinned. An instant hijab simply slips on. Each style takes a few practice runs, and after that most take under two minutes.
Below are step-by-step instructions for all three, plus how to dress each one up for Raya.
What do you need before you start?
Most styling problems begin underneath the hijab, not on top. Get these ready first:
- An inner (anak tudung). It keeps your hair covered and gives the hijab something to grip. A snug inner stops a slippery shawl from sliding back. Our guide to keeping your hijab in place explains which inner suits which style.
- Two or three pins. Small safety pins hold without tearing fine chiffon. Add a hijab ring or brooch if you want a finishing touch.
- A mirror at eye level, so you can check both sides of the drape.
How do you wear a shawl?
A jersey shawl is the easiest to learn on, because it grips and forgives uneven folds. This basic chic style works for daily wear when you want something fuss-free but presentable.
- Put on your inner. Place the shawl over your head so that one side hangs longer than the other, about two thirds to one third.
- Line up the front edge along your forehead and pin both sides together under your chin.
- Take the longer side, bring it around the back of your head and over to the opposite side. Pin it just above the ear.
- Let the rest fall over your chest and shoulder. Smooth the folds at the neck so the drape looks soft rather than bunched.
Running late? Try the 30-second version. Pin under the chin, throw the long end over the opposite shoulder, and go.
For a shawl that behaves like the one in the video, Safaa Bamboo is a bamboo jersey shawl that is breathable, wrinkle-less, cooling and easy to style, which makes it a good first shawl for new hijabis. Lighter fabrics such as chiffon need an extra pin at the side to hold the wrap.
How do you wear a bawal (square tudung)?
Square hijabs have made a real comeback. The bawal is no longer the scarf our grandmothers wore, and the square shape gives you a neat, structured front that is hard to get from a shawl.
- Fold the square in half diagonally to make a triangle. For a layered look and more coverage at the back, fold it slightly off-centre so the two edges don't line up.
- Place the folded edge along your forehead, over your inner. Pinch the fabric at the temples to shape a soft awning at the front.
- Pin the two sides together under your chin.
- Choose how to finish the ends:
- Classic: bring both ends to the front and pin them at the shoulders.
- Side drape: take one end over the opposite shoulder and pin it there. This one is perfect for showing off a brooch.
- Chic drapes: cross both ends at the back of your neck and bring them forward over your chest for fuller coverage.
A bawal that is easy to shape makes the awning much simpler. Nisa 2.0 is a square hijab in soft, lightweight chiffon with a smooth cottony texture that shapes and drapes well.
How do you wear an instant hijab?
An instant hijab takes the pinning out of your morning.
- Slip-on instants go straight over your head. Safaa Basic is an easy, breezy slip-on in breathable bamboo jersey. Hudaa Basic, in soft lycra, has an oval-shaped front drape. Adjust the face opening so it sits evenly, then smooth the drape.
- Semi-instants with an attached inner give you the look of a bawal or shawl without pins. Niya Chiffon 2.0 comes in a rounded triangle or shawl cut, with an attached inner necktie and chin strap. Tie the inner first, fasten the chin strap, then arrange the front drape.
Instants are also the easiest option for fabrics that crease. See our guide to ironless hijab fabrics if you would rather skip the iron as well.
How do you style a tudung for Raya?
Raya is the day to try something new, from a simple 30-second style to something much fancier. A few tips help it hold through a full day of visiting:
- Pick a fabric with a glow. Satin catches the light in photos. Raisa is a soft satin silk with a lustrous shine. Inaya has a bullet cut, with one curved end and one straight end, which gives you more ways to drape.
- Dress up a familiar style. The side drape or chic drapes bawal looks festive with a brooch or hijab ring at the shoulder, and you don't have to learn anything new.
- Anchor it well. You will be hugging, bending and eating all day, so pin the inner at the nape and add a pin at each side.
- Practise before the morning of Raya. Try the style once during Ramadan, so you know how long it takes.
Which tudung style should you start with?
- New to hijab, or want zero fuss: a slip-on instant.
- Want a neat, structured front: a bawal.
- Want flowing coverage and lots of variety: a jersey shawl, then move on to chiffon and satin.
- Raya or a wedding: a satin shawl or a dressed-up bawal.
