Pageantry and Islam; Are Muslim women dowdy?

Over the past week, there have been different reactions mostly on social media to an event that has previously not been ascribed to Muslims; a beauty pageant for Muslimahs. While going through some of the reactions, I observed that even some Non-Muslims found it strange whilst some supported it and saw it as a means of empowerment/liberation of the Muslim woman(really?). As expected, this gave islamophobes the opportunity to attack the Muslims who opposed the event by saying terrorism should be dealt with before issues as mundane as beauty contests should be addressed. Some said, after all they didn't expose their bodies, why should it be a problem? Could it be the fact that they were covered in a pageant that caused all the reactions? Is the hijab synonymous to pageantry? The most hilarious was a person who said Muslims are a bunch of saddists,lol! Are we really that uptight? Is being beautiful and fashionable a taboo for us?

A man once asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) if it's part of pride for a person to like that his clothes look good. He responded, 'Allaah is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means looking down upon the people and denying the truth.' Loving that which Allaah loves means we love beauty too, right? We are only careful not to become conceited. It is said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to have a good looking appearance and he did not stop his companions from taking care of their appearances. Instead, he corrected those who appeared shabby and unkempt. The female companions beautified themselves for their husbands and the men did the same.
Wether the society agrees or not, it can't be denied that women are part of the good provisions of this life. Does that make women objects to be possessed by men? No, it is to let the men know that women are entrusted upon them as are children and wealth and all these trusts will be accounted for in the Hereafter. This doesn't mean a woman in Islam is voiceless or devoid of a life or an opinion, she only approaches life differently from men in areas where differences exist which is why the use of hijab is enjoined upon her. By nature, women are delicate and more attractive than men (except for Yusuf alayhi salam :) ), we just can't help it. Wearing hijab doesn't make us dowdy in the least, it just gives us the privacy we desire. Yes, privacy! Men are visual beings naturally, we can't take it from them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying men don't have better things to do than stare at women or that women don't ogle men too (do we? *yinmz*). We just want to focus more on what we say or do and be judged by our intellectual capacities not by our measurements nor facial features. Is that asking for too much? No victim of sexual harassment will disagree with me on that. On the other hand, I have never and will never support harassment from either gender. If you ask me why our men don't wear hijab and we do, I'll ask you what's there to cover that their clothes haven't covered?
Being fashionable while wearing hijab (proper hijab) is not difficult, it just involves dressing up anyhow you want to but making sure to cover it when going out. I don't see how that should be a problem to others if it is not a problem for the one who does it and I'm yet to meet a woman who wears hijab and complains about it. From jewelry, to make up, to beauty routines, the Muslim woman is permitted to do all these as women are inclined towards beautiful things naturally. The things not permitted for us are wanton display of ourselves or seeking extreme/harmful measures to look beautiful. This is why pageants, while covered or uncovered are just not our thing. Looking beautiful is part of our lifestyle, it's not to be singled out with us competing to outshine each other. Besides, what should be most beautiful in us is our hearts and the goodness that shines through them.
Most important is the awareness that observing the hijab and all other obligations in Islam is done only in submission to the One who made us be. It's the acceptance that our bodies and our souls are really not ours and we only do with them that which He has permitted. Our true beauty lies in submitting to a Will greater than all that lies in the heavens and the earth.