Modesty And Taste

Many foreigners enjoy spending vacation time in Turkey. Often I receive letters asking me if it is okay to wear a bikini on the beach in Turkey. In short, the answer is yes. Many foreigners come and stay with a Turkish acquaintance or rent a villa. In such a setting, it is natural to get some insights about people and culture. Recently I received this note from a Today's Zaman reader about her vacation time with her family in a villa. Pamela from England writes:
“Dear Charlotte: My family rented a villa in Kuşadası. Our kids liked going out in the morning before it got too hot to play. We noticed that our Turkish neighbors kept a different schedule from ours. Most families were outside from late evening until about three or four in the morning. People sleep in as late as 11 in the morning. I was surprised when a neighbor asked me to not let my boys run around or dive in the pool until the afternoon! I was pleased that I could wear my two piece swimsuit there … Overall, our family enjoyed the time and all the fresh fruit.”
Dear Pamela: For me summer means watermelons and swimsuits. The other day a friend gave me some watermelon to refresh me. Sitting around eating watermelon brought back some fond childhood memories. One of my happiest memories was sitting on the front porch with family and my grandfather introducing me to the idea of putting salt on my watermelon. It was only after coming to Turkey that I learned another way to eat watermelon. Last summer, while in the States, one evening I sat around and ate watermelon with some American friends. I'd say they were unimpressed when I shared that I normally eat my juicy, red watermelons with a little white cheese instead of putting salt on my melon. I explained to them that, ideally, it is best if the cheese is slightly salty and with at least a mild tang. You could say I had a wee bit of reverse culture shock for lack of no feta cheese! I think salt brings out the melon taste but the feta cheese really adds flavor. Try it once!
In the summertime, everyone wants to have a picnic, swim and enjoy the outdoors! I have found in my travels some interesting pieces of clothing to be used for appropriate swimming attire. In Karachi, Pakistan, when we went to the public beach we swam in our shalwar kameez with a dupatta. Pakistan is a strict Muslim nation ruled by Shariah law. Any conservative Muslim female will cover when swimming. According to Islamic law, a Muslim woman must cover everything except the face and hands when in the presence of men she is not related to or men she can legally marry (she cannot, for example, marry her grandfather, father, brothers, etc. and in these cases, the dress code is less strict). When in the presence of women only, a Muslim woman must cover everything between the navel and the knees (which, incidentally, is the minimum dress requirement for men at all times) at the very least.
Probably before ever wearing a shalwar kameez, the closest I'd come to swimming in such attire would have been the couple of occasions when at a pool party in Texas, I was pushed into a pool when I was wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt. Very conservative Muslim women for modesty's sake will wear what is called “tesettür giyim" or hijab clothing. I first came across this bathing suit for Muslims in Unkapanı where there are many textile stores. A shop online refers to their selection of swimwear line as ‘veilkini.”
I giggled the other day as I read a column piece in Women and Home magazine by Karren Brady where she confesses to her readers how she loves women who wear a bikini no matter what their age or shape, but it requires body confidence she doesn't have. I nodded in agreement.
As the summer days get hotter and I head to the beach, I am faced with a dilemma as to what to wear on the beach or to the pool. I imagine some of you reading this can relate! I, too, like Karren Brady, remember in my 20s my bikini days, then my one-piece-suit days and even a few days with a T-Shirt over the suit! I'm not so modest to have worn a “tesettür” yet.

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON (Cihan/Today's Zaman)