Tag! My hijab story

Asalam Alaikum,
So this tag is from Muslim Convert, Since I recently posted about hijab in one of my Friday Features, I thought a little more background/details might be fun.

Rules
The title of this tag is : My Hijab Story
You can tag as many people as you want
Please state who tagged you
Have fun!

Questions:

1. How old were you when you started wearing the hijab? 23, (after reverting in December 2006)

2. What or who influenced you to become a hijabi? I had researched Islam and met several Muslim women in our local masjid, from the moment I decided to revert I knew I would wear hijab.


3. How has hijab changed your life? I find it helps me to focus more on my good points, instead of spending hours looking at my faults(mind vs. body issues)

4. What does hijab mean to you? Total attitude, not just the scarf, but the way you present yourself.

5. How do you deal with the rude comments/stares you get due to being a hijabi? So far I haven't had to deal with too much rudeness, but on the rare occasion that somebody has said something or asked a rude type of question I just answer them politely and they tend to do a double take and realize how rude they sound.


6. What is your favorite thing about wearing the hijab? It feels so feminine, since I was pretty much a tomboy this is something kind of new.

7. What is your hijab must have accessory? Plain old safety pins, I never leave the house without them(and a bunch extra in my purse)!

8. What advice could you give a newbie hijabi? If it is difficult for you then take it slow, better to go slow than jump in feet first, get frustrated and then leave off the hijab altogether.

9. What is one hijab trend you never understood? The whole gulf fashion of useing huge flower pins under the shayla stlye to "poof out" the back of the head. It just looks really odd to me.


10. What question do you get asked the most due to wearing the hijab? When in America it was the classic-"aren't you hot in that?", to which I reply- "not really, the airflow is pretty cooling and the sun is not beating down on my head".

In Pakistan it is generally "why don't you loosen up your dupatta, isn't that uncomfortable?", to which I reply "no, thank you"

So there is a bit more detail on my hijab. I tag anybody who hasn't already done it and wants to.