How to Wear a Hijab: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

Every hijab tutorial assumes you already own the right things. This one does not. Here is what to buy first, the one wrap worth learning, and the mistakes that make the first few weeks harder than they need to be.

What to buy before anything else

• Two jersey rectangle scarves in neutral colours. Jersey grips, does not fray, and forgives an imperfect wrap.
• Two undercaps in a colour close to your scarves.
• Hijab pins or magnets. Straight pins for security, magnets if you are nervous about pins near your face.

That is genuinely all. Resist buying chiffon and satin at first — they are the hardest fabrics to control and they will put you off. Our fabrics guide explains why.

The basic wrap, step by step

This is the everyday style most people wear, and it takes under a minute once it is in your hands.

• 1. Put on the undercap. Push it back slightly so it sits just behind your hairline, not on your forehead.
• 2. Drape the scarf over your head with one side short — roughly to your collarbone — and the other long.
• 3. Pin the two layers together under your chin. One pin. This is the pin that holds everything.
• 4. Take the long side across your chest, around the back of your neck, and bring it forward over the opposite shoulder.
• 5. Adjust the drape at the front, then pin at the shoulder to hold the tail in place.

Stand in front of a mirror and check the sides are even and no hair is showing at the temples. That is the whole style.

The five mistakes almost everyone makes

Buying slippery fabric first

Satin looks best in photographs and behaves worst in real life. Start with jersey and graduate later.

Skipping the undercap

Nothing grips bare hair. The undercap is what makes the difference between a wrap that lasts an hour and one that lasts all day.

Pinning too tight under the chin

It should be snug, not pulling. Too tight and it drags the whole scarf backwards as you move your head, which is what creates the constant readjusting.

Choosing a scarf that is too small

A rectangle under about 170cm will not have enough length to wrap and drape. Check the dimensions rather than the photo.

Trying a new style on an important day

Practise at home first, always. This applies at every level of experience.

Making it stay put

If it slips, the cause is almost always the undercap, the fabric, or the pin placement — in that order. We cover the fixes in detail in how to stop a hijab slipping.

Where to go next

Once the basic wrap is automatic, the natural next steps are the turban for hot days, the al-amira for sport and school, and the draped style for occasions. All of them are covered in types of hijab styles.

For colours that work with your skin tone rather than against it, see choosing hijab colours.