. On Instagram, her feed was a curated balance of modest fashion and career wins, but her WhatsApp group with her cousins was a constant debate on the "unwritten rules" of being a Melayu woman today [1, 2].
While many still adhere to traditional courtship methods, many modern couples are renegotiating roles.
While religious teachings encourage modesty and discourage premarital relationships, many young Melayu bertudung women engage in dating. The dynamics often involve navigating strict parental expectations and community surveillance (known as jaga tepi kain or minding others' business).