Istanbul: On the Intermingling of Fashion and Politics

Indeed, and as no introduction book on Turkey get's tired to repeat ;), Turkey is certainly the only example of a secular republic with a majorly Muslim population (nominally 95 percents). It's constitution applies strict laicism, as one of the basic principles of the official state ideology of Kemalism. Still, however, and to come to the topic, until the 1990ies, there has never been any uniformly applied ban concerning the wearing of the headscarf. Though, sure, in public discourse, the latter was commonly referred to as backward-looking, a general obstacle to the country's ongoing process of secularization and modernization.

Hence, when in the 1960ies problems began to arise for students which deliberately insisted on wearing their headscarves at universities this gave the starting signal for a now decades-spanning controversy -- in which the one side declares this piece of cloth as an expression of personal belief, while the other one damns it as a symbol of women' s oppression and hence the figurehead of Islamic fundamentalism. (Interesting enough, both sides refer to democratic values, like freedom of speech and individual liberty in their arguments, but that's another topic...)

Eventually, however, in 1997 Turkey explicitly banned the headscarf in public and government buildings, including schools and universities.

This, however, left the scarf itself unperturbed, which over the last 10 years certainly had it's triumphal – and significantly fashionable – procession.

In any event the headscarf style worn by many, especially young and well-off Turkish women nowadays is very distinctive. It is called 'turban' (the English version of Wikipedia translates this as 'echarpe') and goes far beyond the traditional, more simple and loosely bound head cover type worn by Turkish elder women of rural origin in particular (which is called 'basortusu' and thus corresponds the English term 'headscarf'.

How does it word? Well, an elastic cap is worn underneath, but remains invisible for the spectator. What is seen is a half m2 size tissue, which is first folded into a triangle and fixed underneath the chin, then wrapped over head and shoulders and pinned on the top and behind the neck to get some specific style or form – with impressing results!

Indeed, Istanbul streets are filled with numerous examples of really well-dressed women knowing perfectly how to integrate the scarf into their outfit as a perfectly modish accessoire.

Thanks also to a growing number of fashion designers, which discovered the 'hijab-style' ('hijab' is again the Arabic term for 'turban'), scarves can be found today in every color, style and price class – from blank cotton over butterfly print up to leopard on silk. In most cases, however, they are brightly covered with splashing colors and hence, fairly noticeable. (Which makes some of their radical secular counterparts to snidely call their wearers 'bonbons'.)

Another interesting thing is that some women wearing headscarves do not hold back also from wearing tight jeans and high heels. Neither do they hesitate to walk hand in hand with their boyfriends. (Forgive me the side blow, but in that case the male part then has usually the duty to carry the women's faked Gucci hand bag ..)


However, simply put: Many of which women look really great.

Well, taken into account that 'hijab', meaning literally in Arabic 'to cover', actually refers not only to covering the head but rather to a generally modest style of dress in general, this is – well – 'confusing'?! A religious form of clothing, actually meant to prevent women from being recognized as sexually attractive beings, now even serves as an attractiveness booster!?

So, how to locate a turban? As a fashion statement? As a political act? Can a piece of cloth, which is apparently able to divide a whole country, which is even able to stop presidential elections*, still be named fashion? Or, formulated the other way round: How political does, can, should, must fashion be – or not be?

I myself have friends which were pulled into the fight, without further ambition. One, in the age of 26, decided to wear the turban. One, in the age of 25, decided to take it off. Both did it for absolutely personal reasons, both were owing such decision to nothing and nobody else than their own conscious. (This is, by the way also what the majority of academic studies find out on the issue.) As mentioned, both women were not very politically active, although getting face with more or less comfortable situations in everyday's life (including the question of university attendance) – they naturally had to define their political position, too.

And yes, headscarf or not, both wanted to 'look good'! So, they of course did their best to appear, if not sexy, but attractive.

So, what is this, a clash of ideologies, which came to find it's mirror in Istanbul's 'fashion victims'. I actually refuse to hang it that high. A fashion mood? I don't want to put it that low. Well, what comes to my mind is, that actually there is a space where both attitudes find their common denominator. A space which gained extreme importance in rapidly developing and financially gaining Turkey: The shopping mall. Headscarf or not, women here go crazy for the big international fashion chains, like zara, mango or h&m, most of which brands opened their stores in Istanbul over the last years. And these, sure, follow the same media and in fact adopt the same role models in many points. Headscarf or not – consumism is certainly an issue, a combining one. Actually a pretty secular issue, I'd say!?