Indonesian Fashion

hijabs come in every color of the rainbow

One of the very first things one notices after stepping off the plane in Jakarta is the way Indonesians are dressed. Many Muslim women wear the traditional Muslim garb. Men, on the other hand, wear what Americans would consider more normal looking clothing except on Fridays which are their special prayer days. On Fridays, when men go to mosque they wear the traditional hats (takiyah) and their long skirt-like wraps (sarongs). They also wear these to special occasions such as weddings.

 prayer caps for men

I have yet to figure out why some Muslim women go all out while others do not cover their heads at all. It's my understanding that here in Indonesia, it is left up to the women whether or not they wear these and that as more outside influence comes in, more women are opting to wear the full garb. In general, the younger girls do not wear head coverings (although many do) and as they get older and want to signal that they are not interested in attracting male attention, they become more modest and cover their head. Keep in mind that I am no expert on Muslim fashion - I'm only repeating what I've been told.

sneaking a shot of women at prayer in shopping center

In addition to their daily dress (modestly covering all body parts except for face and hands) there is a special garment that is used for prayer times. These calls to prayer occur 5 times daily, and Muslims must stop and pray wherever they are (there is always a musholla nearby - a special room or area set aside for prayer in  public places). I assume the women carry these special prayer clothes with them so if they get caught away from home when the call comes, they can easily slip them over their clothes and be dressed appropriately.

sales girl models prayer covering

These special prayer clothes used by women consist of two pieces: a long skirt that has a waist with stretchy elastic, and a top that covers the head and shoulders and falls well below the waist. Sometimes they are plain though they can feature lace or embroidery.





The purpose behind the mens taqiya or prayer hat is to emulate Muhammad. According to my research, Muslim men are required to cover themselves between the navel and the knees. Others argue that Muħammad wore clothes that revealed his thigh when riding camels, so if it was good enough for Muhammad, it should be good enough for other Muslim males. Still, you will never see a Muslim man wearing shorts.

men's more formal wear

Both men and women wear the sarongs.These are made from a large length of fabric wrapped around the waist. The men mainly wear plaid or checkered patterns or perhaps batik depicting animals or plants. 

traditional batik colors

Batik is HUGE here. I cannot possibly exaggerate its popularity, as there is nothing more Indonesian than batik. I hope to visit a place where batik is made soon and hopefully learn and share more about that process. I confess that I am not a fan of batik, but if you stay in Indonesia for any length of time, you really need to at least own some. We did buy batik dress shirts (both long and short sleeves) for Ronnie, as that is what Indonesian men wear to weddings. Besides, he would much prefer to wear a short sleeve shirt than a coat and tie any day! Most of the men (both local and expats) at the church we attend wear batik shirts as well.

batik fashion for every member of the family

common for husbands/wives to wear matching batik

Even though the climate here is mild the year around, the vast majority of women remain fully covered at all times. Even if they have on jeans and tops, the head  remains covered. Sometimes they look so hot, but I've decided that their bodies are just more suited to this climate than ours are. On the RARE occasion that I see a woman wearing shorts (even modest ones) there is a 99.99999% chance that they are not Muslim (usually a young Chinese girl).

so many colors and styles

The word hijab refers to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general. As you can see from the photos, these come in all colors and fabrics, some with adornments that can be quite fancy. The dresses themselves can be solid and plain or of a dressier fabric with overlays of lace and hand sewn beads. The latter are usually seen at weddings and formal affairs.



 

Muslim fashion is obviously big business. If you are interested in fashion at all, you might find the article below interesting.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/11/muslim-chic.html

young girls at work

perhaps for those who are more figure challenged?

fabric stores are big business too!

Because Bandung is home to many textile factories and clothing manufacturers, people from Jakarta and surrounding areas flock here each weekend to shop Bandungs 40+ outlets. There are so many places where fabric is sold - any kind you can think of, so the city is a literal magnet for people who want to buy ready made clothes or fabric to have them sewn.

solid white for pilgrimage to Mecca

All Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage to Mecca (Saudi Arabia) at least once in their life. The birthplace of Muhammad, Mecca is considered the holiest city for Islam. For this occasion, all clothing worn (including shoes) must be white from head to toe. The shop at left carries clothing that Muslims would choose for this once-in-a-life time journey.