The assignment for Virginia Commonwealth University fashion students: design an abaya, an enveloping cloak worn by Muslim women, that is stylish yet acceptable in Arab countries.

The results: elaborately beaded designs, a flamenco-influenced abaya, a punk rock abaya — and perhaps a better understanding of cultural norms in the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, where the university has had a campus for 10 years.

"We were trying to make a feeling of youth — but still be true to their culture," said Kendra Palin, a fashion design major who partnered with classmate Shelby Day to design an abaya with looped buttonholes, princess seams and a high waist. "Everything else had to be black, but the embellishment could be any color, and we used silver and blue."

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Scareypete commented, on May 13, 2008 at 1:17 p.m.:

Hell Yeah!!

Fashion Design majors = Punk Rawk???

I mean really...

Mallorie_Nasrallah commented, on May 13, 2008 at 1:19 p.m.:

i have had many many long conversations with the directors of the fashion department there (i was going to shoot all the student's final projects last year) and let me tell you, never, i mean NEVER have i spoken with such stupid people. one was worse than others, when i ask with whom i was speaking she said her name, i asked her position and she said SHE DIDNT KNOW. i shit you not. i was like...well what do you do...and she goes "this and that".

i almost feel like its like beating up a retarded kid to pick on them now.

Verv commented, on May 14, 2008 at 9:49 a.m.:

Right f*cking on.

This is exactly what the Western liberals like to do -- think that all women want to wear the Hijab and that we can harmlessly fix the problem by adding designs to them. God knows that Muslim men would be thrilled to have women listening to songs critical of everything from God to Nation.

"Don't worry guys! We can fix the problem by sending over punk Hijabs and everyone will be thrilled and the Lion will lay down with the Lamb after it slays evil apartheid Israel."

daddyx commented, on May 14, 2008 at 9:50 a.m.:

Marketing a colorful Hajab to women in the Middle East is as punk rock as wearing clean Klan robes to a lynching, or wearing a a heavily decorated Nazi uniform to a rally in Nuremburg during the 30's.

We should all crap in a box and then mail it to the spokesperson of this trash, for attempting to associate punk with spreading your ass cheeks wide to appease an oppressive culture.

Jeramy commented, on May 14, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.:

So you mean, not punk rock at all then?

Damn there goes my idea for floral print hijabs.

shane commented, on May 14, 2008 at 9:52 a.m.:

Sh*t I should have read the entire post before i went out and bought some buddy holly glasses, and an emo wig as i am going bald and couldnt get it cut that way. these tight ankle pants are killing me, and what am i going to do about my hijab with pictorials of Mohammed doing the hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil sewn on to cover the naughty bits?