“When people look at me, they see a hijab.

There are so many preconceptions around this mode of dress. Most people when they meet me think the hijab is forced upon me. They have a preconceived notion of how you should dress if you wear it. They think that you can’t be your own person. But at the end of the day, the hijab is not a uniform for women, and my hijab is unique to me.

I think it comes down to the fact that people aren’t used to seeing the hijab in mainstream culture, so they don’t really understand it. That’s why it’s encouraging to be part of this campaign with Tu clothing. I remember seeing a woman in a hijab in a high street clothing campaign a few years ago. That was the first time I’d seen that, and it wasn’t even that long ago.

The thing I always want to tell people is that it’s my choice, and a choice that I’m happy with. It hasn’t been forced on me by my parents, or society or my culture. There are hundreds of thousands of Muslim women who choose not to wear the hijab. The choice to wear it is mine and mine alone.

I’m more than just my hijab – here’s what I want you to know about dressing modestly