Fashion in London: Hijab Shopping

Basement of the Islamic Impressions shop on Green Street

Having consulted with Imaan members, and with the added luck of having a friend come and visit me in London, with a plan to buy scarves, I spent the first week of New Year trawling through the various places in London where one can buy Scarves and Hijab related paraphenalia.

Here I present my findings, please feel free to comment and add your own thoughts on the matter,  I will then update the post to include your contributions!

East London

Whitechapel

The Market

whitechapel market extends from the corner of Cambridge Heath and Whitechapel road till the corner of Whitechapel and Court street. Here I have spotted one or two stalls that sell predominantly long pashmina style scarves and a few of the shiny turkish under scarf (bandana). Prices seem reasonable with the bandana costing about £3 (similar to prices in the Middle East, if that means anything to you).

Under the East London Mosque

There is a shop called “Arabian Nights” which stock some beautiful Jilbabs and Abayas, as well as dressy scarves. A bit pricey, but worth it for a special occassion.

Green Street

Getting off at the Upton Park Tube station (District and the Hammersmith and City lines), and turning left gets you onto the East Ends famous Green street. Along here my friend and found a few shops which sold long rectangular scarves and the Turkish underscarf, again at very resonable prices. Scarves at £3 and underscarf at £2 (they had a sale). The Islamic Impressions shop has a basement section where they also stock Abayas and Jilbabs.

Bethnal Green Road

I have not explored these shops personally, but have spotted a Hijab shop along there that looks promising.

West End

Shepherds Bush Market

This is a tiny outdoor market just opposite the Shepherds Bush Market tube station (Hammersmith and City Line), around the corner from Shepherds Bush station (Central Line). There are at least three very well stocked, and very reasonably priced Hijab shops there. This has to be my favourite place for Hijab shopping, mainly because of the variety. There my friend and I bought loads of underscarves, amira type scarves, rectangular scarves and square ones. They had different styles of bandanas, hijab pins etc.

I think I may be a bit biased towards this place, because just round the corner is “Mr Falafel”, a little Palestinian place specialising in falafel… and they do the proper sort!

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