When and where do Muslim girls wear the hijab?

The hijab is a veil worn by some Muslim women in Muslim countries with the main religion of Islam, and also in countries where the Muslim diaspora has a minority Muslim population. Wearing or not wearing a hijab is religion, part culture, part political statement, even part fashion, and most of the time, it's a woman's personal choice based on four intersections.

Wearing the hijab-style veil was once the practice of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women, but today it is primarily associated with Muslims and is one of the clearest signs that a person is a Muslim.

Who wears the veil and what age?
The age at which women start wearing the veil varies by culture. In some societies, the wearing of the veil is restricted to married women; in others, girls begin wearing the veil after puberty as part of a ritual that signifies that they are now grown up. Some start quite young. Some women stop wearing the hijab after menopause, while others continue to wear it throughout their lives.

There are various veil styles. Some women or their culture prefer darker shades; others wear full color, bright, patterned or embroidered. Some veils are just sheer scarves around the neck and upper shoulders; the other end of the veil is a full-body black and opaque coat, even with gloves over the hands and thick socks to cover the ankles.

But in most Muslim countries, women have the legal freedom to choose whether to cover the veil, and what veil they choose to wear. In these countries and the diaspora, however, there are social pressures both within and outside the Muslim community to adapt to the norms set by a particular family or religious group.

Why Muslim women wear the veil

Some women wear the hijab as a cultural practice specific to the Muslim religion and as a way to reconnect with women in their culture and religion.
Some African-American Muslims use it as a sign of self-affirmation as a generation of their ancestors was forced to unveil it and expose it on the auction block as slaves.
Some just want to be identified as Muslim.
Some say the hijab gives them a sense of freedom from choosing clothes or having to deal with bad hair days.
Some people choose to do this because their family, friends and community do it to maintain their sense of belonging
Some girls use it to show that they are adults and will be valued