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Anno Gentis XLVI (AG 46)

With a deep sigh, Michelle tepidly considered the clothes in front of her. She just found them all to be so dull, not least because most of them were nothing but plain, black cotton. Nonetheless, she had to wear something if she was going to be able to meet up with her friend Zac so she threw on the black panties, bra, socks, and gloves. These were followed by the trousers and long-sleeved top, both of which were baggy to, in Michelle’s opinion, maximise their drabness.

The black underscarf that Michelle covered her hair in was similarly unexciting. The black monotony was finally broken when she put on a long, flowing abaya that had ivory white patterns interrupting its black. The white patterning on black was continued by the headscarf that Michelle put on next but the niqab with a single eyeveil was only black.

Fully dressed, there was no part of Michelle left visible, with even her eyes hidden from view. In her place stood a figure draped almost exclusively in black. The little bit of white was insufficient to excite Michelle but she still deigned to wear the drab garb because that is what the women in her family wore and she had just found it easier to go with the flow. Besides, the family sentiment towards women covering themselves had still partially trickled through to her and she wasn’t sure she was comfortable with the idea of entirely doing away with the coverings she had been wearing since she was 15...