From XOJane.com
by Amira Jaradat
There are a lot of factors that come into play when you’re choosing the perfect travel outfit. You have to take the weather at your destination into account, you need to be able to move well enough to haul luggage around, and, most importantly, you don’t want to wear anything that could possibly suggest that you are a mass murderer.
If people look at you and think, “Please don’t let her be on my plane,” you’re gonna have a bad time.
I started wearing hijab at 18 years old, and, since then, air travel has become even more of a drag than it used to be. As a Muslim, I believe that living modestly is a commandment from God, and I choose to express that by covering my hair, neck, and body when in the company of men outside of my immediate family.
During the time I’ve spent in the United States, wearing hijab has rarely been an issue. Sure, I get stared at sometimes, but it’s mostly curious stares; my sister once told me to just pretend I’m wearing a huge, ridiculous hat, and, since then, the typical reactions I get don’t faze me.
But that all changes the moment I step foot into an airport. Instead of vague interest, I get suspicion. People seem uncomfortable sitting next to me. Their eyes follow me nervously, and their faces seem to fall when I stop at their gate.
Suddenly, I am a security threat. As if traveling didn’t suck enough.
Because of this, I try to look as harmless as possible at airports, which, with my chubby cheeks and hulking 5’4” frame, is no easy task. When it comes to travel-wear, I live by the words of comedian Dean Obeidallah: “Dress white, make your flight.”
I am sure that white Muslims such as myself typically enjoy a more privileged position than Muslims of other colors, but when traveling, it’s not enough to just be white — you need to act the part. My preferred travel outfit is thus a pair of jeans, a ridiculously adorable (if I do say so myself) Elmo hoodie, and fuzzy boots. I also drag a purple and pink polka-dotted piece of luggage with me, just in case Elmo is a little too menacing for the not-yet-speaking crowd.
