Islam IS the true religion of humanity.

[pocaracas]

Counter-intuitive, because , if it's hot, you'd want to remove clothing, not be completely enveloped by layers and layers of fabric... at least, that's what my Mediterranean intuition claims...

That, I am to understand is NOT the case. And MY European/ Australian intuition claims the same BUT.

You and I both don't KNOW what it is like living in a desert country and how these very garments help the body to survive.

So, to claim or intimate "vanity" as the sole driving force for the niqab and burka I am thinking is disingenuous

Yes, these garments do help them survive. Present day Tuareg still use them, even the males cover their faces, leaving only the eyes for obvious reasons...
But if you live in some village I don't think there would be that much of a reason to use so much covering to go from one abode to the neighbour's, unless some vanity was involved... Or the men forced it to keep women pretty
Thus allowing the "social" aspect of always wearing it outside to creep into their psyche...