Yeah, I used to think the same, until I started attending a 'madrasa'. Basically my teacher did tafseer and then I still had doubts, which disturbed me A LOT. And then I read and checked the translations of the ayahs in Surah Noor and another one (Azab, I think) and then...after repeated pondering, and not to mention prayer to Allah for guidance, I am now absolutely sure that veil, as in, 'purdah' is fard....As in, you can't show your beauty to anyone else other than your 'mehrams'.
I mean, back then in those days of our Prophet(PBUH), every women did it. And today, man the condition around is much worse.
Man your lucky if you haven't missed any prayers in your life, I mean, erm...you know, if there is someone who used to not pray earlier in his life, and then changed and started praying regularly, then he'd have to make up for those he missed earlier...Like, he'd have to calculate the number of years and then pray the kaza for the fard and witr prayers...sorry, I hope I haven't confused you much.