Greetings,
Here is a commentary of the first part of this verse, by the classical scholar Ibn Katheer (rahimullah):
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ
"And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance..."
[33:33]
(And stay in your houses,)
means, stay in your houses and do not come out
except for a purpose. One of the purposes mentioned in Shari`ah is prayer in the Masjid,
so long as the conditions are fulfilled, as the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the Masjids of Allah, but have them go out without wearing fragrance. According to another report: even though their houses are better for them.
(and do not Tabarruj yourselves like the Tabarruj of the times of ignorance,)
Mujahid said: "Women used to go out walking in front of men, and this was the Tabarruj of Jahiliyyah.''
Qatadah said:"When they go out of their homes walking in a shameless and flirtatious manner, and Allah, may He be exalted, forbade that.''
Muqatil bin Hayyan said: "Tabarruj is when a woman puts a Khimar on her head but does not tie it properly.'' So her necklaces, earrings and neck, and all of that can be seen. This is Tabarruj,
and Allah addresses all the women of the believers with regard to Tabarruj.
[From Tafseer Ibn Katheer]
You may ask what these conditions are.
Women should refrain from wearing such adornments which may attract the men's attention on the streets, like bangles, anklets, etc. that make noise and make known the presence of a women.
During Jahiliyyah, when women walked in the streets wearing anklets and no one could hear them, they would stamp their feet so that men could hear their anklets ringing. Allah forbade the believing women to do this.
By the same token, if there is any kind of adornment that is hidden, women are forbidden to make any movements that would reveal what is hidden. Allah says in the Qur'aan:
"And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornments." [Soorah an-Nur (24): 31]
Women are prohibited from wearing scent and perfume when they leave their houses, lest men should smell their perfume. Abu Musa (radhiyallahu anhu) said that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said:
"Every eye commits fornication and adultery, and when a woman puts on perfume and passes through a gathering, she is such and such meaning an adulteress." [At-Tirmidhee, similar Hadeeth is also reported by Abu Hurayrah with a Hasan isnad in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (8/70)]
Women are forbidden to walk in the middle of the street, because it involves immorality.
Abu Usayd al-Ansari said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) as he was coming out of the Masjid and men and women were mixing in the street, telling the women:
"… You should keep to the sides of the road."
The women used to cling to the walls so much that their clothes would catch walls.
[Abu Dawood (this is a weak narration but there are other narrations to support its meaning, which would classify it as Hasan. See Saheeh al-Jamee as-Sageer)]
Also see
this fatwa.
I feel that this thread is probably best closed, as people may start posting their opinions rather than legal evidences.
Ibnu Batta has narrated in Al Ibaanah Al Kubra, on the authority of Ayoub As Sikhteyaanee that he said:
"Abu Qelabah said to me: “O Ayoub, memorize four things from me: Don’t explain the Qur-aan with your opinion, beware of [disbelieving in] al Qadr (divine destiny), if the companions of the Messenger of Allaah are mentioned then hold your tongue, and do not listen to the people of desires for they will plant in you what they wish (or he said: establish in you what they wish)."
:threadclo