The Evolution of Muslims and Clothing in NY
I would like to write about Islamic clothing. Contrary to popular belief, I am not forced to dress the way I do, and I think it’s an important to realize exactly how important dressing is to Muslims. Also, when Muslims come to America from various countries, they feel struck by the difference in what people wear here in America and what is acceptable by American standards. As a result, I would like to write about the clothing liberations and restrictions Islam puts upon women (and men!). Often times people comment on things they do not really know much of and I feel that after my part, they will know more about Islamic clothing.
I would also like to write about how Muslims adapt Western clothing in their lives. Often times they leave the rules of Islam because of the fear of standing out. So there is a background of politics in clothing as well. Does Islamic clothing hinder assimilation or suppress Muslims at all in New York? These questions would be some that I will study. The other flipside to the coin is the adaptation of Western norms in Islamic clothing. For example, how have Muslim designers tried to incorporate Western styles into modest clothing, and how much of that can we see and observe in New York today?
With my part of the class project, I would like to draw from my own experiences and the experiences of people I know to develop this topic. I have friends and family that can give me interviews and let me in on experiences they have gone through. I also live right next to and am known to a masjid, so anyone that comes or goes from there will give me an interesting insight into this topic. I have researched Islamic clothing intensively for a long time now (so as to understand why and how I should wear clothes pertaining to the rules given by Islam) so I will use that research and develop my topic more with the interviews I will conduct with my Muslim friends and their families, as well as mine.
