In this guide
For the UAE summer, choose a plain hijab or shayla in Cotton Voile (code SD) or Duja Al-Lail (دجى الليل, code DS): the first is soft and light, and the second is a comfortable, light fabric. Wrap it with fewer layers, look at the colour in daylight, and keep two or three pieces to rotate, since plain pieces can go in the washing machine.
A light plain hijab for the day
Plain Cotton Voile hijabs
Plain Cotton Voile pieces, such as SD6-227 in light yellow and SD6-217 in light blue, are home hijabs that stay in place on the head, soft and light and excellent for daily use. These are the pieces gathered in the plain Cotton Voile collection, and most of them come in a single width of 106 cm.
Plain Duja Al-Lail hijabs
Plain Duja Al-Lail pieces, such as DS4-76 and DS2-12, are made from a comfortable, light fabric in a practical design suited to home and daily wear. If you are choosing between them for the first time, order one piece of each and try them on an ordinary day. For the difference between the two fabrics, see the hijab fabric guide: Cotton Voile or Duja Al-Lail.
A summer hijab with fewer layers
Most pieces at Shailah are 214 x 106 cm, and the store's About page says the 106 cm width leaves enough fabric to wrap around the head with the end falling freely over the shoulders. In summer, use this width for a single layer on the head, and let the end fall instead of doubling it.
Many plain Duja Al-Lail pieces also offer a size option with two widths: small at 69 cm and large at 106 cm, with a length of 214 cm in both. The small width puts less fabric on the head, but leaves less room to double the front if you need a second layer for coverage. Availability of each width varies from piece to piece.
Hijab colour and coverage in daylight
Light colours usually show more of what is underneath, especially in a single layer, so try a light piece in daylight the way you wear it. Do this before removing the tags, because the return policy accepts an unworn piece with its original tags and packaging within 14 days of receipt, after prior approval.
If you want a colour that matches your abaya, the plain Cotton Voile collection includes dark colours too, such as black SD6-224 and burgundy SD6-233.
More frequent washing in summer
In summer a hijab is washed more often, and this is where plain pieces make life easier. Shailah recommends washing plain Cotton Voile and Duja Al-Lail pieces in the washing machine in cold water on a gentle cycle, and drying them in the shade; the durability of Shailah's fabric means it lasts for years.
To organise washing through the summer months:
- Rotate between two or three pieces, so you wear one while another dries.
- Wash dark colours separately from light ones.
- Dry the piece in the shade, away from direct sun.
Pieces whose own title or description names hand work, such as DK5-39 (a wide beige voile hijab with scattered handwork), are washed gently by hand, and all other pieces can be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle. So if you wash often in summer, make your everyday pieces ones that go in the machine. For details, see the care guide for embroidered and crochet hijabs.
A spare in your bag
Keep a spare plain piece in a clean fabric pouch inside your bag, away from pens and keys. A Duja Al-Lail piece in the small width, where offered, is smaller when folded. For more on choosing a daily piece, see the daily hijab guide.
Common questions
What is the lightest hijab for the UAE summer?
Choose a plain Cotton Voile or Duja Al-Lail hijab: their pages describe them as soft and light, or comfortable and light, and plain pieces carry no beads or stones. If you are comparing the two fabrics for the first time, try one of each on an ordinary day, worn in a single layer with the end left to fall.
How many hijabs do I need for summer?
Two or three plain pieces are enough to rotate: you wear one while another dries. Plain Cotton Voile and Duja Al-Lail pieces can be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle, which makes frequent washing easy through the summer months.
Are Duja Al-Lail hijabs suitable for summer?
Plain Duja Al-Lail pieces, such as DS4-76, are made from a comfortable, light fabric suited to home and daily wear. Many offer two widths, 69 cm and 106 cm, so choose the small width if you want less fabric on the head, bearing in mind that availability of each width varies from piece to piece.
