The sound of the Eid Salah prayer can be heard across several blocks in Harlem, signaling the end of Ramadan’s 30-day fast and the commemoration of Eid. In an hour, the same call to prayer will be heard again. Thanks, in large part, to social media, the moments in between have taken on new significance. Once a quiet period of anticipation, it now spills out onto the streets surrounding the mosque. For many, the morning congregation is no longer just a sacred moment of worship followed by a quick departure. It has evolved into a display of togetherness, as many meet up with those within their communities and show off their best Eid style.
The social media trend of taking photos and showing off Eid outfits first emerged on X, formerly Twitter, with the hashtag #BlackoutEid going viral in the mid-2010s. African diasporic Muslims, particularly in Harlem, began sharing photos of themselves in traditional garb, and the event soon became known as the “Muslim Met Gala.” Since then, the hashtag has continued to gain traction annually. Those who indulged posed proudly in front of their mosques, wearing abayas, thobes, and bazins in an array of bright colors, intricate embellishments, prints, and sweeping silhouettes. And while it’s not a requirement, dressing up has evolved into a cherished tradition, an informal “fit off” of sorts, offering a rare opportunity to center modesty and emblems of African and Asian culture.
Unlike casual ready-to-wear, traditional Islamic garments aren't bound by the same fleeting trend cycles often picked up by social media. As a result, when asked about recurring Eid trends, the typical response was, “I don’t follow any.” However, the one sentiment that seemed to be reiterated was that most outfits were chosen at the last minute. Even I, who had known my plans since the start of Ramadan, had to expedite the making of a plum-colored butterfly abaya and hijab from Vela just two days before. (Even on the morning of, I faced Eid outfit anxiety and wasn’t sure if I would wear it.)
What did stand out, though, was how younger Muslims were blending modern fashion with traditional clothing. Teenage boys and young men paired thobes with branded streetwear hoodies and Jordan sneakers while adolescent girls opted for embellished, coquette-styled hijabs, accessorized with bows or light-colored jewels.
To capture the essence of traditional Islamic fashion, its modern infiltration, and the inevitable in-between, we talked to 12 people about their Eid outfits.
Djene
This is actually a last-minute outfit. My original outfit didn’t come in in time, and I was so sad. I saw this on Instagram and got it within the hour. Everything ended up coming together at the last minute, alhamdulillah.
I do not keep up with trends. I just started taking care of myself in terms of keeping up with outfits. But I love a bazin look. In West Africa, they're really big on bazin culture, anything with a loose fitting. So that's my inspo — West African culture.
Why gold? Yellow represents how I'm feeling right now. Joyful, happy, blessed, rich, in so many ways.
Salimatou
I'm wearing a butterfly abaya, I needed something to fit my bump. I got it from Instagram. I thought it was going to go well with my skin complexion. It gives royal.
Sekou, Joratty, Abba, Rahman
Joeratty: I'm actually a revert. I converted last year, so it's my first time wearing thobes. I try to mix and match what I usually wear with what I wear to the mosque.
Rahman: A lot of it is inspired by culture: West African culture. It's about colliding the two with Islam in a way and being able to express yourself modestly while also showing the world your cultural style.
Sekou: It's mixing American culture with Islamic culture—just a way to embrace and show out more.
Fatoumata and Moustapha
Moustapha: We're wearing bazins, and we got them from Mali, West Africa. This is our little African style right here. We usually wear bazins every Eid because we like to follow more African styles. There was only one year I wore a thobe.
This is my little sister, so she and I had to match with the black and pink, and my other two siblings are matching. The inspiration for the pink is that she brings out the feminine side in me.
Nagma and Shazib
Nagma: I'm just wearing a cbazaar. It's just the significance of my culture. I'm Indian, so it's about embracing it on our big celebration, which is Eid. I love Eid because of the family quality time with my significant other and family members, trying new foods, and doing activities.
Shazib: I'm wearing a sherwani, specifically from Pakistan. I had it tailor-made. And although we are [matching], it isn't a trend; it's just something couples do together.
I really appreciate that at this mosque, people, for Eid, try to dress up in their traditional clothes from Pakistan or India. I've seen a bunch of other thobes and sherwanis; it's really nice.
Hameenat
There was no inspiration; it was just a last-minute, “I need to get in the spirit for Eid.” There's this girl in Harlem—I think it's called the Harlem Bazaar—and her boutique is in there. I got everything from there, the hijab, all of it. I don't follow any Eid style trends; I just like to wear what I wear. And I like this color.
Mayamoe and Hadja
Mayamoe: I'm wearing a bazin. It's popular in West African culture, and I wear it to represent my West African background. I just chose to wear it because it's pretty.
Hadja: This is a lace bazin. In African culture, especially West African culture, this kind of print is popular. We are told by Islamic culture, on Eid, you wear your best outfit. This is why I chose this outfit today and coordinated it with this pink hijab. It's springtime, Eid falls during the spring, and I wanted to wear something bright. I also like wearing white—it's one of my favorite colors—so combining it with bright colors is my favorite.
One of my favorite Eid memories is when we used to have a community event with all the women in my community. We would organize Eid parties, and we would do a little fashion show so everyone could show off their best outfits.
Sama and Mel
Mel: It was last minute. I was supposed to order online, but I went to an Arab neighborhood in Bay Ridge and found this. I like this color.
Sama: I got this on Amazon, super last minute. But no inspiration—I just like the color gold, and I feel like it should've been saved for Eid.
Fatima and Abdulla
Fatima: I'm wearing a green butterfly abaya with green ruffles on the side, and I got it from Voya Lee NYC. It was a last-minute purchase. We were supposed to do green as a family for two years now, and we finally got to do it. So I picked this. I love butterfly abayas. I wear them often.
Abudulla: I have on a green emerald thobe from Shop with Hawa. She picked it out for me. I just like green. It just looks fly.
Jamal And Christina
Jamal: We went to Philadelphia for a seminar, and we came across a store. We saw it [our outfit], we liked it, so we bought it.
Christina: Everyone chooses how they want to dress for Eid, so there are no trends—it's up to the individuals.
Samirra
I'm wearing a bazin from Mali, but I bought it here. I got it from a lady named Fatou in New Jersey. This [jewelry] is all Swarovski, and I didn't plan to wear it, but when I saw the dress, I thought it looked nice. But I planned to wear a different color hair tie [hijab].
Alassan, Manfidoukoure, and Kema
Alassan: The outfits that we're wearing are from Ivory Coast and Mali, the best places in the whole world. The reason we're wearing pastels is because of my beautiful wife. We have to dress as beautifully as possible.
Manfidoukoure: I picked this piece because I liked the baby blue, but my significant other liked the pink, so we put them together. We're celebrating Eid, so it's beautiful.
Kema: We've picked out our clothes for a while. You pick out your clothes before you start fasting because you anticipate that you will finish the 30 days.