‘It’s the Muslim Met Gala’: abayas, boubou gowns and finding the ‘flyest’ clothes for Eid

The annual Met Gala has come and gone but, this week, one community is gearing up for a gala of its own. Eid al-Adha is one of the most important dates in the Islamic calendar, a time for repentance, forgiveness and celebration. The festival has been branded online as the “Muslim Met Gala”, with the hashtag #eidoutfit and #muslimmetgala amassing more than 1.1m views on TikTok.

In recent years, users have begun to share their intricately put together Eid outfits, from Middle Eastern thobes and abayas, to west African boubou gowns and Pakistani shalwar kameez.

For me, Eid has always been about food ahead of fashion – the aroma of cooking that hits when I arrive at my grandparents’ house. I count the days down until I can indulge on benachin (jollof rice made up of tomatoes and spices served with meat and vegetables that is the national dish of my country, the Gambia). However, the online buzz has also reignited my interest in the sartorial side of the celebrations. For the past three years, I have attended my own gala, dressing up dramatically with friends and going to fancy restaurants to celebrate. My favourite look has to be from 2021 when I wore a black and gold embroidered abaya (pictured above) with soft glam makeup and henna tattoos. For 2024, I made a promise to myself to introduce more colour, and so this Eid my abaya is pink.

So what are others planning on wearing and what has the Muslim Met Gala brought to their festivities? Here are three Muslim content creators from across the world, on how fashion and Eid can go hand in hand.

‘It’s recommended to wear your flyest clothes’

Eid literally means festival, so from a young age it’s been instilled in me to dress up – it’s always recommended to wear your flyest, newest clothes.

The whole Muslim Met Gala came about because I think everyone recognised how much Muslims dress up on Eid. It’s not every day you get an opportunity to wear something extravagant to share your culture, especially when you’re living in the west.

As an African family originally from Guinea, we are very vibrant in the way we dress – that is all incorporated into my Eid outfit. I typically wear a gown made from a material called bazin, renowned for its stiffness and vibrant sheen.

The trend makes Muslims more relatable. I see non-Muslim people on TikTok rating outfits, bringing more awareness to the religion and just talking about how gorgeous it is.

Outside the fashion element, there’s so much more to Eid. It’s a time when we come together with our families, friends, loved ones, people who you probably haven’t seen for a long time. It’s a time of community – we eat together, pray together and congregate. Love can be felt all around. Aïssata Diallo (pictured above), 31, New York

‘I wear what I wear on a normal day – but times 10’

The excitement of Eid stems from my childhood. The night before, my mum would hang all our new clothes up – from the top of our heads to our socks, everything had to be brand new.

Eid isn’t always the same now, the magic fades as you get older. [But] the Muslim Met Gala has sort of reignited it. I think that’s why people started to really make more of an effort.

For my Eid outfit, I pick whatever I feel is my style but that will also enhance me. So whatever I choose to wear on a normal day, but times 10.

I’m half Lebanese and half Brazilian and I wouldn’t say I have a specific cultural dress to turn to. But I look for prints, colours, vibrance, and I think that comes from my Brazilian side. Last Eid I wore a very heavily sequined wrap dress that was made in Kuwait and which, with its colours and frills, really stood out. Habiba Da Silva, 29, Birmingham/Zanzibar

‘The perfect Eid outfit has to flow’

Every Eid, I choose an outfit that speaks to my character [and] that I feel confident in. I think the key characteristic for a perfect Eid outfit is something that flows, but I have to say this year I am really resonating with the colour blue – out of the five Eid outfits I’ve bought three of them are blue. I love to order a lot of outfits so on the day I have options.

[Social media users] equating Eid to the Met Gala is definitely a smart move, because it amplifies representation of us Muslims around the world. I think it brings such joy for those celebrating, especially those who pay close attention to fashion. Eid for us Muslim girlies is the most anticipated occasion every year, and it’s so exciting to see everyone online go all out – watching all the content is very wholesome.

In Malaysia, our Eid outfit is slightly different. We tend to do a lot of long skirts in homage to our traditions in south-east Asia. The men wear a traditional Malay outfit called baju melayu, which consists of a long-sleeved shirt and trousers paired with a songkok (cap), and the women wear a baju kurung, which is a loose-fitting full-length dress, made up of a blouse and skirt.

We all visit other people’s homes to celebrate. Despite all the ups and downs we face in everyday life, we’re still here and trying our best to forgive each other and do better. Arissa Munira (pictured above), 26, Malaysia

What’s hot – and what’s most definitely not – this week

Going up

Texan hair | Pinterest says searches for a “bouncy blow dry” have spiked 25%. Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus kickstarted the volumised trend but now even Penny Mourdant is embracing it, going for a va-va-voom blow-out for the BBC election debate.

Calabash tomatoes | The slightly flat and ribbed tomato has gone from the greengrocers to fashion’s wishlist thanks to a viral tweet about them being “so Loewe”. Days later, Jonathan Anderson revealed a clutch shaped like the heirloom fruit, claiming “we had already made it for next season lol”.

Placeholder engagement rings | A booming jewellery category, thanks to the fear of getting the style of the actual engagement ring wrong.

Going down

Fast track security | Influencers are holding up queues while carefully curating their belongings into screening trays to snap for social media. *Screams internally*

Pearls | Simone Rocha’s latest collection featured earrings made from twisted hair, while Schiaparelli showed plaited hair ties. A new side hustle for hairdressers?

Iced coffee season | Brrr, this yo-yo weather hasn’t persuaded us to swap our oat flat whites for iced lattes just yet.

Chloe Mac Donnell, deputy fashion and lifestyle editor, solves your wardrobe dilemmas

Q: I’m getting married in Spain in September. I’m searching for a really fun and colourful look for my rehearsal dinner, but nothing too ‘wedding’. – Gabriela

A: How fun! The British designer Zandra Rhodes has teamed up with the Spanish designer Celia Bernardo who helms the brand Celia B on a joy-evoking collection that meets all your requirements. My two favourites are the Zandra dress with its exaggerated ruffles and the yellow and purple daisy printed co-ord. Fashion rental sites such as Hurr also have a great selection of vibrant pieces that might meet your brief. Happy days!

Got your own style question? Send it to fashionstatement@theguardian.com.