Traditional Costumes

Published 21/09/2010

Nations differ in their clothes and costumes just as they differ in their customs, traditions and languages. Religious principles and original Arabic traditions played major roles in fashioning the local costume.

The women’s costumes were large, flowing and did not hinder the woman’s movement in the house, nor revealed her beauty. These costumes were made of cotton and light silk such as the thoub, kandoora, sirwal and wigaya. One of the most famous and beautiful “thoubs” was “Almijaza’a”.

It was decorated and embroidered with gold and silver threads or “talli” thread of different decorations for the “Kandoora”, it was not as wide or bright-coloured as the “thoub”. It was embroidered at the pockets and sleeves and was worn under the “thoub”.

Women also put a piece of black, light cloth on their heads to cover their hair. They also covered their faces with “birqa’a”, which gave them more beauty, decency and dignity. However, the men’s costumes were known for their simplicity and lightness due to the prevailing weather in the region. The cotton “Kandoora” was considered to be the men’s formal costume under which a “wizar” – loin cloth – was worn. They also wore the “gahfiya” and “gitra” (head cover) on the head, which were fixed by the “igal” (headband). The “gitra” was woollen for winter  and called “dissmal”. It was, sometimes, worn  around the head and called “issabah”. During summer, men wore light short-sleeved shirts with a “wizar”.

The “bisht” (men’s cloak) was the most important costume for men, especially the upper class. It was worn over “kandoora”, and the best quality was made from light camel’s hair