Today, we would like to give you a brief education on how the locals here dress. The first illustration below shows how the Gulf Arab men dress. Gulf Arabs include the Saudis, Kuwaitis, Bahrainis, Omanis, Qataris - and of course the Emiratis. Essentially, their dress consists of the "thobe" or "kandura" or "dishdash," (these words all mean the ankle-length outer garment) and then the headdress, known as the "ghutra" (in other parts of the Arab world, they call this headdress the "keffiyeh"]. Note that each country has slight differences in how their traditional dress is tailored and worn. After being here a while, it's starting to get easier to tell the different nationalities apart. [You may want to click on the picture to get it to open up in a separate, larger window]. As with clothes everywhere, these can be bought "off the rack" or can be
custom-tailored. Most Emirati guys seem to have theirs custom-made.
As far as accessories go, it's common to see designer sunglasses in the pocket or hanging from the buttons of the kandura. Fountain pens are pretty common as well, either in the pocket or hanging from the placket that runs down the front of the garment. If the kandura has cuffs, cufflinks are worn (most Emirati ones don't, but some of the other Gulf Arabs often have cuffs). And finally, no kandura is complete unless it is properly accessorized with a designer watch. Rolex is by far the favorite, although other luxury brands like Patek Philippe, IWC Schaffhausen, Omega, etc. are also worn.
And now, here are some differences in the way the ladies of the region dress. Most people in the West would say "all Muslim women wear burkas" or "all Arab women wear burkas" or something similar. Not true.
Gulf Arab women wear what is known as an "abaya" - a black cloak, often elegantly embroidered, and a matching headscarf known as a "shayla". There are some variations of this, including the "niqab", which is a veil either covering the entire face or having only a horizontal slit for the eyes. The abaya and shayla are by far the most common, with the niqab (the full veil) being worn by perhaps only 10% of the women one would see here. And contrary to the "unfashionable" perception many westerners have about the abayas and shaylas, they are actually quite elegant. In the illustration below, "Khaleeji" is the term for "Gulf Arab".
Gulf Arab women accessorize with rings, watches, and especially with designer handbags (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Fendi, Hermes, etc.)
Arab women from the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine) wear the attire seen below for important occasions, but more often would wear "western" clothes paired with a headscarf that is often called a "hijab". Younger Levantine Arabs would be almost completely western in their dress, without even a headscarf. Most of the young ladies from the Levant who attend our university would not look out of place on a North American campus.
Some of the other women's attire (for Afghans, Turks, and Moroccans) is shown below as well. We do know a few Turkish women who wear the clothes shown below, but have never seen an Afghan woman in the full body covering.
And now, here are some differences in the way the ladies of the region dress. Most people in the West would say "all Muslim women wear burkas" or "all Arab women wear burkas" or something similar. Not true.
Gulf Arab women wear what is known as an "abaya" - a black cloak, often elegantly embroidered, and a matching headscarf known as a "shayla". There are some variations of this, including the "niqab", which is a veil either covering the entire face or having only a horizontal slit for the eyes. The abaya and shayla are by far the most common, with the niqab (the full veil) being worn by perhaps only 10% of the women one would see here. And contrary to the "unfashionable" perception many westerners have about the abayas and shaylas, they are actually quite elegant. In the illustration below, "Khaleeji" is the term for "Gulf Arab".
Gulf Arab women accessorize with rings, watches, and especially with designer handbags (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Fendi, Hermes, etc.)
Arab women from the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine) wear the attire seen below for important occasions, but more often would wear "western" clothes paired with a headscarf that is often called a "hijab". Younger Levantine Arabs would be almost completely western in their dress, without even a headscarf. Most of the young ladies from the Levant who attend our university would not look out of place on a North American campus.
Some of the other women's attire (for Afghans, Turks, and Moroccans) is shown below as well. We do know a few Turkish women who wear the clothes shown below, but have never seen an Afghan woman in the full body covering.
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