Hijab Styles: How to Wear a Hijab, Step by Step

There are hundreds of hijab styles online, but most are variations of the ten below. Each has numbered steps to follow in front of a mirror, a one-line "best for" and the right scarf and fabric. Find yours in the table, then jump to its steps.

Which hijab style suits you? Quick comparison

Tap a style to jump to its steps. "Pins" includes hijab magnets.

Before you start: the 10-second basics

• Undercap first. Tie your hair in a low bun or plait, then pull on a snug cap. It keeps hair in, adds opacity and gives the scarf grip. Find modal caps, and hijabs sold with a matching cap, in underscarves and undercaps.
• Know your shape. A rectangle (long shawl) suits most styles here. A square folds into a triangle for the Turkish-style fold. An instant hijab is pre-sewn: nothing to wrap.
• Check the grip. Jersey and modal cling to themselves and the cap. Chiffon and silk-feel satin slide, so plan on hijab magnets (or your own pins).

For bandana and head-wrap ties, see how to tie a headscarf.

Easy everyday hijab styles, step by step

These five cover school, work and weekends. New to wrapping? Learn them in this order.

1. The classic everyday wrap

Best for: every day and your very first hijab; suits most face shapes.

1. Set the base. Hair tied low, undercap at your hairline.
2. Place the scarf. Drape a rectangle over your head, one side about 20 cm longer.
3. Close under the chin. Pin both sides together under your chin.
4. Wrap the long side. Take it around the back of your head and round to the front.
5. Fasten at the side. Pin it level with your ear.
6. Finish. Let the end fall over your chest and ease the front edge forward to frame your face.

2. The no-pin wrap

Best for: school, work and travel, with nothing sharp near your face. Jersey or modal only.

1. Start uneven. Over your cap, drape the scarf with one side about twice as long.
2. Anchor the short side. Bring it under your chin and hold it against the opposite cheek.
3. Wrap over it. Take the long side under your chin, over the short side and around the back of your head.
4. Come over the top. Bring the end over your crown to the side of your head.
5. Tuck deep. Push a hand's width of fabric into the layers above your ear. The stretch holds it.

Stretchy jersey hijabs are the easiest to learn on; modal hijabs are lighter, and many come with a matching cap. Six more pin-free styles are in how to wear a hijab without pins.

3. The loose drape (shayla style)

Best for: warm days and relaxed weekends; soft on long and square faces.

1. Cap on. The style sits loose around the face, so the cap matters.
2. Place very unevenly. The short side should just reach your chest; the long side hangs well below.
3. Pin at the side. Fasten just below your ear on the short side.
4. Cross the front. Take the long side under your chin and across your neck.
5. Throw it over. Lay it over the opposite shoulder and let it fall down your back.
6. Soften. Loosen the folds at your neck; on windy days, add a magnet at the shoulder.

4. The tie-back wrap

Best for: work, school, glasses and busy days; the sides stay smooth, with no loose ends.

1. Centre the scarf. Over your cap, let both sides hang evenly.
2. Cross under the chin. Cross the sides, pulling them close so there is no gap. Add a magnet if the fabric is smooth.
3. Take both ends back. Bring them behind your neck, under the fabric covering your hair.
4. Tie a soft knot. Single or double at the nape: secure, not tight.
5. Bring the ends forward. Drape them over your shoulders to cover your chest, or tuck them into your neckline.

5. The square fold (Turkish style)

Best for: a neat, structured frame for work and smart days. You need a large square scarf.

1. Fold a triangle. Fold the square diagonally, slightly off-centre, so it looks fuller and less sheer.
2. Place the long edge. Lay the fold along your forehead, point hanging down your back.
3. Pin under the chin. Bring the side corners together and fasten with one pin.
4. Cross behind. Take the corners behind your neck and cross them over the back point.
5. Finish. Bring them forward over your chest, or knot them at the back.

Only own rectangles? The tie-back wrap gives a similarly close, tidy frame.

Hijab styles for weddings, Eid and evenings

Smoother fabrics and fuller drapes need a grippy cap and an extra pin or two. Practise once with your outfit a few days before.

6. The turban style

Best for: parties and sleek statement looks. It leaves the neck uncovered, so add a high or polo neck if you want it covered.

1. Set the base. Undercap on, hair in a low bun for a neat shape at the back.
2. Centre at the nape. Place the middle of a long jersey scarf at the back of your neck, ends forward.
3. Bring the ends up. Take both over your head to your forehead.
4. Twist. Twist them around each other once or twice above your hairline.
5. Take them back. Wrap the ends around the sides of your head to the nape.
6. Secure. Tie or tuck them under the fabric at the back and smooth the sides.

Short on time? A pre-tied turban slips on in one move, and a tie-back bonnet hijab adds long tails that tie at the nape and drape over your chest. Both are in turbans.

7. The layered chiffon drape

Best for: weddings, Eid and evenings; the soft layers suit long and square faces.

1. Grip first. Wear a modal or cotton cap, never a shiny one: chiffon slides.
2. Place unevenly. One side about twice as long as the other.
3. Pin under the chin. Catch the undercap with the pin if you can.
4. Make the first layer. Bring the long side over your head, a few centimetres behind the front edge, and pin it at the opposite side.
5. Add a neck layer. Take the remaining length loosely across your neck and pin it at the shoulder.
6. Fluff and check. Loosen the layers; check the back with your phone camera.

8. The pleated satin drape

Best for: Eid, parties and weddings, when you want a polished finish that catches the light.

1. Use a grippy cap. Satin needs modal or cotton underneath.
2. Place and close. One side about 20 cm longer; pin both sides under your chin.
3. Fold the pleats. On the long side, fold the front edge into two or three finger-wide pleats at your temple.
4. Pin the pleats. Secure them just above your ear.
5. Wrap and fasten. Take the long side around the back of your head and pin it at the opposite side.
6. Let it fall. Drop the end over your chest so the sheen shows.

Our chiffon hijabs include long crepe chiffon rectangles and modal chiffon sets with a matching cap. Our satin hijabs are silk-feel satin in solid, crinkle and ombre finishes.

Quick hijab styles for sport and busy mornings

Both are pre-shaped: no wrapping, nothing to pin.

9. The sport hijab style

Best for: the gym, running and cycling, with no pins near your face.

1. Hair low and flat. A low plait sits flatter under a close fit than a high ponytail.
2. Pull it on. Like a hood, seam at the back.
3. Set the front. Edge at your hairline; check your ears feel comfortable, not pressed.
4. Smooth the cape. Spread it over your shoulders and upper chest.
5. Layer your top. Tuck the cape into a fitted top, or zip a high-collar jacket over it.

Our sport hijabs are one-piece slip-on styles in quick-dry jersey. No sport hijab? A jersey tie-back with the ends tucked into your top works too. For swimming, choose a swim hijab.

10. The instant slip-on

Best for: beginners, school, prayer, travel and rushed mornings.

1. Tie your hair low. It keeps the back smooth.
2. Add an undercap. Skip this if one is built in.
3. Pull it on. Like a hood, seam at the back.
4. Set the front. Band just above your hairline, sides smoothed forward.
5. Arrange the drape. Loose over your chest, or one side flipped over your shoulder.

Instant hijabs range from one-piece jersey styles to extra-long amira hijabs and instant khimars for fuller coverage. Fitting tips are in how to wear an instant hijab in 30 seconds.

Hijab styles for round, oval, long and square faces

Rules of thumb, not rules: wear what feels like you.

• Round: set the front edge a little higher on your forehead and let the fabric fall in a soft V below the chin; avoid wrapping tightly around your cheeks. Try the classic wrap, loose drape or pleated satin. With a double chin, drape loosely under the chin and pin at the side of your neck.
• Oval: almost every style suits you, so choose by occasion and fabric.
• Long: bring the front edge a little lower on your forehead and add soft width at the sides; skip height on top. Try layered chiffon or the loose drape.
• Square: soften the jaw with draped folds rather than tight lines. Try the loose drape or layered chiffon.
• Heart-shaped: keep the crown smooth and add fullness around the chin, such as the tie-back with the ends brought forward.

How to wear a hijab with glasses

1. Wrap first, glasses last. Finish the hijab, then slide the arms over the fabric.
2. Keep the temples flat. No pleats, folds or pins where the arms sit. Thin jersey or modal is easiest.
3. Pin behind the ear. Place side pins or magnets behind or below your ear so your glasses sit level.
4. Glasses under the hijab? Put them on over a thin cap, then wrap looser at the sides so the arms are not pressed into your head.
5. Pick a friendly style. The tie-back, no-pin wrap and instant hijabs keep the sides smooth; pleated and layered styles take more fiddling.

Which fabric works for which style

• Jersey: no-pin wrap, tie-back and turban. Stretchy and holds itself.
• Modal: classic wrap and loose drape. Soft, light and grips the cap.
• Chiffon: layered and loose drapes. Airy and elegant, but needs pins or magnets.
• Silk-feel satin: the pleated drape for Eid and evenings, over a modal or cotton cap.
• Cotton and viscose: classic wrap and loose drape. Matte and breathable; cotton and crinkle hijabs add grip.

For weight, opacity and breathability side by side, see the hijab fabric guide.

Common mistakes and quick fixes

• Learning on satin or chiffon. Practise each new style in jersey or modal first.
• A hijab that slides back. Usually the cap, bun or fabric, not your technique: see how to stop your hijab slipping.
• Wrapping too tight. It causes headaches and works loose. Snug is enough.
• A high bun. It tips the scarf backwards. Tie your hair low at the nape.
• Too many pins. If a style needs more than three, the fabric or cap is fighting you. Try a grippier cap or a jersey scarf.

FAQ

What is the easiest hijab style for beginners?

An instant hijab, because it is pre-sewn and simply pulls on. To learn wrapping, start with the classic everyday wrap in a jersey or modal rectangle over an undercap: one pin under the chin and one at the side.

How do I make my hijab look neat without pins?

Wear a snug undercap and a jersey or modal hijab, which grip themselves. Use the no-pin wrap, tucking a hand's width of fabric in above your ear, or the tie-back with a soft knot at the nape. Smooth the front edge last.

Which hijab style suits a round face?

Styles that frame your face in a soft V: set the front edge a little higher on your forehead and let the fabric fall below the chin, as in the classic wrap, the loose drape or the pleated satin drape. Avoid wrapping tightly around your cheeks.

How do you wear a hijab with glasses?

Finish your hijab first, then slide your glasses over the fabric. Keep the temples flat, with no pleats or pins where the arms sit, and pin behind the ear. The tie-back, the no-pin wrap and instant hijabs are the most comfortable.

What is the best hijab style for work or school?

The tie-back wrap, the no-pin wrap or an instant hijab. They stay neat all day, keep loose ends away from your face and need few or no pins. Jersey and modal hold their shape best.

Which hijab style is best for a wedding or Eid?

The layered chiffon drape, the pleated silk-feel satin drape or a turban. Practise once with your outfit beforehand, wear a grippy modal or cotton undercap and carry spare pins or magnets.

Do I need an undercap for every hijab style?

Not always, but it helps with almost all of them: it keeps hair in, adds opacity and stops the scarf sliding back. Jersey styles can work without one; chiffon and satin really need one. Many instant hijabs have a cap built in.

Choosing your next scarf? Start with our hijab fabric guide.