This is a summary taken from an essay written in 'I Appeal to Your Sense of Shame My Muslim Sister...Will You Not Respond?" by Sr. Nawaal Bint Abdullah
The Requirements of Women's Hijab in Accordance with the Qur'aan, the Authentic Sunnah, and the Practice of the Pious Predecessors
The First Requirement: The Extent of Covering
The dress worn in public must cover the entire body except what has been specifically excluded, based upon the following proofs:
Allah(swt) says: "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss." [Surat An-Noor, Aya 31]
The Second Requirement: Thickness
The garment should be thick and opaque so as not to display the skin color and form of the body beneath it. Delicate or transparent clothing does not constitute a proper covering.
The Prophet(pbuh) said: "There will be in the last of my Ummah, scantily dressed women, who go astray and make others go stray; they will not enter Paradise nor smell its fragrance, although it can be smelled from afar." [Saheeh Muslim]
The Third Requirement: Looseness
The clothing must hang loosely enough and not be so tight-fitting as to show the shape and size of the woman's body.
The Fourth Requirement: Color, Appearance and Demeanor
Allah has commanded women not to display their beauty, meaning both natural and acquired beauty.
Allah(swt) says: "O Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the (other) women: if ye do fear ((Allah)), be not too complacent of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire: but speak ye a speech (that is) just." [Surat Al-Ahzaab, Aya 32]
The Fifth Requirement: Difference from Men's Clothing
The clothing of a Muslim woman must not resemble the clothing of men.
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has cursed the men who make themselves look like women and the women who make themselves look like men." [Reported by al-Bukhaari; see al-Fath, 10/332]
The Sixth Requirement: Difference from the Clothing of Unbelievers
Her clothing must not resemble the clothing of the unbelievers. This is a general ruling of the Sharee'ah which encompasses not only dress but also such things as manners, customs, relifious practices and festivities, transactions, etc.
The Seventh Requirement: No Vain or Ostentatious Dressing
The woman's dress must not be an expression of ostentaion, vanity or as a status symbol bu being excessively showy or expensive, not must it be excessively tattered so as to gain admiration and fame for being humble.
The Prophet(pbuh) said: "Whoever dresses for ostentation in this world, Allah will dress that person in a dress of humiliation on the Day of Resurrection, and then set it on fire." [Abu Dawood]
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