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Arabic Dress |
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The national clothes in Ras Al Khaimah, and actually in the whole Arabian Peninsula, reflect the old clothes from the early Islam period. This style of dressing is not only a result of adaptation to the climate, but it is also a way to manifest the teaching of the Qur’an, namely modesty and humility. Although the clothing has not changed much over the centuries and long and loose fitting garments are still worn by both women and men, some modifications are visible mainly due to cultural changes.
MEN DRESS
Men all over the country wear a unified (with small differences in tailoring) loose fitting shirtdress, called kandura or dishdasha. It is usually white, but in the winter months, darker colours can also be seen. The bisht, which is often worn by the sheiks and on special occasions, is a black or gold robe worn over the dishdasha. A scarf called ghutra, which is often placed on a woven praying hat (ghafiyah), covers the men’s head. To keep the ghutra in place, the twisted black rope called agal is used. The ghutra can be put on in different ways, and often the way it is worn defines who someone is. In the recent years, a baseball cap often replaces the ghutra, especially amongst the young people. All men of all classes and for every occasion typically wear sandals.
WOMEN DRESS
Women, whenever they are in public, wear a long, black cloak called abbaya. Exception are young girls are not expected to cover themselves with an abbaya until they reach puberty. The main reason for wearing the abbaya is reflection of modesty. Women’s heads are loosely covered by the shayla, a piece of black fabric. Nowadays, the shayla is often decorated with beads and embroidery, and usually matches the abbaya or other accessories. Women that want to or have to cover their faces use the burqa, which is a veil with a split for the eyes. The burqa could also be in a form of a mask in metallic colours. Actually, the mask worn by the women is the most traditional form of the burqa in the UAE, but nowadays is worn only by the elderly women.
The kandura, a decorative long tunic, and baggy trousers, which are tight at the ankles (sirwal), are worn under the abbaya. Modern women, however, often dress in Western clothing and then cover themselves with the abbaya. Jewellery is often used to accessorize the whole look. Traditional jewellery such as hiyaar that covers the hair, and schnuf, a decoration placed on the forehead, are still worn by women. Although, these days, modern pieces of jewellery are also popular.
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