Of Abaya And Niqab

I came across this funny picture when I was surfing the internet. It was posted on this Muslim girl's blog about abaya fashion -- yes, she advises on how to bling-ified the black cloth or accessorise the overall look! She gives very interesting and useful tips for abaya-cloaked ladies. I actually enjoyed her blog reading very much.

I have always wondered how the ladies wearing niqab distinguish one friend from another. Is it just by the different abayas they are wearing? Or eye makeup (which I promise you, the Arab ladies does the best eye makeup in the world)? I've asked this question many times to many Arab friends but never got a satisfying answer. Usually the answer is "you just know". As for me, I only try to differentiate them by their abaya's blings or their handbags. So far it works... but once. I approached the wrong abaya-cloaked lady and spoke to her for several minutes before realising she was not the right person I was looking for. Blimey!

Did I mention I especially love the metal face veil of the traditional Emirati women? I find the metal piece very alluring and emphasises her big black eyes. The professing of my like for the metal face veil is often met with strong reactions from my friends. Same queer looks I get when I tell them how much I adore the Arabic oud perfume! Ah, I'm really made to live in this part of the world! (That'll be another blog entry on its own another day.)