Islamic wear for women serves as an attribute of morality and a mean of self-expression at the same time. There are certain requirements it should meet. The most significant one is to conceal the body from prying eyes. However, it does not mean that Muslim clothing for women should be unfeminine. On the contrary, modern Arabic ladies can choose from a variety of fashionable abayas, kaftans, and maxi dresses that look not only gorgeous but also comfortable to wear. Nowadays, Islamic clothing has become a powerful medium to express one’s religious beliefs and show national identity. What is more, it always looks modest and beautiful on Muslim women. Taqiya – the skullcap is worn without the keffiyeh to keep the head cool, again, just like in Egypt. Kumma – there is no space for the shumagh in Oman. Here, shumagh is substituted by the traditional cap, which comes in different colours and has holes to keep the head cool. It is not unusual to see a niqab in North Africa or the Levant, but it is most commonly used in Saudi Arabia

Age and location make a big difference when it comes to clothing in the Middle East. On the one hand, younger people tend to wear Western clothes and use their traditional outfits only for special occasions such as weddings, religious celebrations or a pilgrimage, while the older generations are more easily seen with traditional garments. One of the most fun aspects of any good Arabian Nights party is the chance to dress up. We totally recommend that you go all-out. This style calls for floaty harem or yoga pants, crop tops, billowing shirts, waistcoats, gold jewelry of all kinds (and plenty of it!), and dramatic eye makeup for guests of every gender. Clothing in the Middle East is an important business, perhaps even more than in the West. Clothes reveal so many things about not only the personality, but also the region and social class of the wearer. Moreover, the choice of a certain item of clothing assumes a fundamental moral value. For example, some Arabs more or less consciously think that women without hijabs are more open minded, but also have fewer morals, while women with hijab are somewhat more religious and thus respectable. Thus, clothes in the Middle East are a fashion statement, just like they are in the West, but clothing has a stronger social and moral dimension, too. https://eternaljoiedevivre.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/traditional-kuwaiti-clothing-and-fashion-the-story-behind-it/ It is usually worn on top of a matching colour cap, which helps keep the hijab in place. The rim of the cap may or may not be shown according to the woman’s preference. It is the most common kind of hijab, particularly in the Gulf countries (except for Saudi Arabia).Taqiya – this skullcap is usually worn in some Levant and Gulf countries under the ghutrah (men’s headscarf). The particularity of Egypt is that some men wear this kind of cap on its own. Fashion here has evolved incredibly fast and if in the past sirwal and burqa were a must for women, they have been substituted by the abaya and even the white thobe now comes in a variety of colours. The use of hookah or shisha pipe is a centuries-old tradition in Arab countries. Shisha experts are available to set up mobile shisha bars where you and your friends can gather around ornate water pipes and choose a flavor of herbal shisha to smoke.

Like the Maghreb countries, Western clothes are predominant in the Levant, especially in big cities such as Beirut or Damascus. However, many local garments and attires can be seen in big cities and not just in the countryside. Saudi instructs overseas officials to wear national dress". Arabian Business. 14 July 2016 . Retrieved 13 September 2023.Most men in big cities such as Ramallah or Jerusalem wear jeans and t-shirts, while women wear jilbabs – some soft westernised type of garment. However, the country has a specific chequered type of headgear that now represents the country on a global stage, thanks to Yasser Arafat. Red – is the national colour, and it is not unusual to see women wearing accessories of this colour on important days. Shawl – a headscarf, similar but somehow different from the shumagh, is wrapped around the head just like a turban, and it comes in many different colours. Kuwaiti women waiting to vote in 2012 Kuwaitis in a political rally in 2012 Photo credit: Kuwaitelections2012 Photo credit: Kuwaitelections2012