A mona hijab is a hijab, or headscarf, that is composed of a tube-like hood made of stretch material, to which a longer length of fabric is attached. The result is a hijab that is easier to don each day, making the mona hijab much more convenient than wrapping and pinning two separate scarves. Retailers of Islamic clothing sell many different types of mona hijabs, including some that are designed to give the appearance of hijabs worn in specific cultures. Some retailers advise this type of hijab to women who are new to wearing a headscarf, as they can be easier to manage than traditional headscarves.
Islam requires both men and women to dress modestly. Many scholars believe that women are obligated to cover most of their bodies while in public or when in the presence of men to whom they are not closely related. This dress code is known as hijab, and the term is often also applied to the headscarves or head coverings that Muslim women often wear. There are several different styles of head coverings worn by Muslim women, although they typically all have the goal of covering a woman's hair and neck. Some head coverings also cover a woman's shoulders and chest or even much of her torso as well.
In order to ensure maximum coverage of the head and hair as well as to create a fashion statement by combining different fabric colors and textures, it is not unusual for a woman to wear two types of headscarves or head coverings at the same time. This look is often achieved by wearing a small, tight underscarf, cap, or hood over the head and neck and then wrapping another larger and looser scarf over the head as well. The trouble with this approach is that it can often take a significant amount of time to ensure that both scarves are securely wrapped around the head and will not detach.
The mona hijab eliminates some of the fuss of wearing a two-piece covering by sewing the loose overscarf to a hood. The wearer then has only to slip on the hood and wrap the scarf around her head. This can allow a woman to put on her head covering very quickly and does not require her to use several pins to hold her head covering in place. The disadvantage to a mona hijab is primarily aesthetic. As the underscarf and overscarf are already matched to each other, it isn't possible to use different scarves or headpieces to create a different look.