Inanna, yes, I'm sure it's more common/traditional in some places than others, but it wasn't always so (I'm a little older than some of you so I remember). In Tehran, Iran in the 1960's & 70's the wearing of hijabs, nijabs, and burkas was uncommon. It was after the Islamic revolution (around 1979/early 1980's?) when the country took a hard right to religious totalitarianism that hijabs, nijabs, &/or burqas became common/required. Wearing certain garments can be spiritual or religious in nature, but it can also be political because it was forced by a political state and has become symbolic of such. It is associated with political/religious extremism (and not necessarily with spirituality) for that reason.
Photos from Tehran, Iran in the 1960's-70's.
Indonesia 1970's.
It's not easy to find data, but even in Afghanistan the wearing of such was not common in the mid 20th century until the take over by the conservative Taliban rule that the wearing of such/laws restricting women's dress and activities was enforced. Many Afgahni women assert it was
never a part of their culture prior to the take over the of Taliban.
I know styles/customs change. It was much more common for women to wear headscarves (and men to wear suits and hats-not baseball caps) in public in the US at one time. But it wasn't mandated by law. I guess my point is that these are often more recent laws/customs (within the past 40 years) and a woman died for lack of a piece of headwear.