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What is the ruling on women wearing an outfit divided into two halves that differ in color or shape, such as one half being black and the other white, or one half having long sleeves and the other being sleeveless?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The basic principle for clothing that covers the awrah (intimate parts) is that it is permissible, as long as it does not involve extravagance or arrogance. Jurists have unanimously agreed on the permissibility of all colors of clothing. Accordingly, it is permissible for a woman to wear a garment with two halves in different colors, unless it attracts attention due to excessive adornment, in which case it would be considered tabarruj (displaying one's charms), or if its strangeness is intended to draw attention, then it falls under the category of libas ash-shuhrah (clothing worn for fame or notoriety), which is prohibited.

As for wearing clothes that are not symmetrical in design, such as a garment with a sleeve on one side and no sleeve on the other, it is prohibited to wear it in front of men if it would expose the awrah. However, if the awrah is covered, or if the clothing is worn in front of women or the husband, then the default is permissibility. Nevertheless, it is preferable to avoid such attire, because it does not align with the moderation and balance of Islam, given the disparity and perceived injustice to the body it entails, similar to the prohibition of shaving part of the head and leaving part of it, or sitting between the sun and the shade.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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