What does “snug as a nun’s wimple or loose as a suggestion mean?

Question

The Time Magazine’s article (November 5, 2015) titled, “Is Iran finally ready for change?” begins with the following passage:> “The politics of Iran may be relentlessly convoluted, but for years it> was possible to judge at least the general direction of things by> doing a little girl watching. Or, at least, trying to. Hijab that can> be worn snug as a nun’s wimple or **loose as a suggestion** – was of> immense importance to Iranian hard-liners, who like Romantic poets and> Miss Clairol equated hair with sexuality, a quality strictly forbidden> in public."I cannot get an idea of the meaning and analogy of ‘(Hijab) worn snug as a nun’s wimple or “loose as a suggestion.”’ What does it mean? Is “loose as a suggestion” a popular set of words?

Answer 1

Hello!

A nun’s wimple is a traditional head covering that nuns would wear. They are tight fitting and would cover the head and neck out of modesty. “Loose as a suggestion” is not a common simile, but is being used as a contrast to “snug as a nun’s wimple”. “Suggestion” in this context may mean “vague”, or suggest a shrug towards trying to dress modestly. The overall meaning is that at some times women in Iran were allowed to show more skin, and in other political climates they were required to cover more of their bodies.