Headgear 101

By Sora Song

Though turbans and veils are associated with Muslims--at least in the West--they actually have little to do with Islam, and lots to do with cultural or tribal mores, says Jean Abinader, managing director of the Arab American Institute. "The veil is not required in Islam," he says, although dressing modestly is. It is local interpretation that dictates that women not be seen. Turbans also reflect local culture (except in the case of Sikhs), or often geography. Says Abinader: "Different turbans are outgrowths of the different climates in which they are worn."

--By Sora Song