Tag archive: Arabian
The Basics of Middle Eastern Attire
The Basics of Middle Eastern Attire
As with a lot of Muslim cultures, many nations can be easily identified purely from their traditional cultural dress. The brightly coloured tudung costumes of Indonesian and Malaysian women stand out uniquely as much as an Indian sari or Moroccan djellaba; and the same goes for the typical Arabian dress styles of the Middle East; in particular the Gulf.
TheGulfofArabia(or ‘Khaleej’ as it is known to the locals) is known throughout the fashionable Muslim world for their unique Islamic dress; long black sweeping gowns tailored for ladies and the crisp white thobes made for Muslim men.
The women of the Khaleej love to wear the long elegant attire; known as the ‘abaya’, on a daily basis. The designs of these Khaleeji abayas can range anywhere from a plain black ensemble to an elaborate piece detailed with heavy use of expensive flamboyant fabric, crystal decorations and silk panels; although the one constant feature of the abaya rarely changes – it remains based on a simple, yet modest black full length garment that sweeps the floor with each elegant step and covers the body in a modest yet feminine demeanour.
Although some Muslim women cover their faces with a niqab, most choose to display their face and instead opt to drape the sheila (or hijab) over their head in order to conceal their hair, while beautifying their outfits and Arabian scarves with a plethora of co-ordinated accessories such as jewellery, embellished pins, lavish handbags, glamorous shoes and designer sunglasses, especially in areas such as the United Arab Emirates where it is quite typical to accessorise the abaya in order to bring an otherwise simple outfit to life with personal stylish touches.
Men, on the other hand, tend to comfortably wear the traditional Arabian thobe. Although it can come in a range of muted colours, the thobe is generally a crisp white garment, similar to a woman’s abaya in design in that they both share the same features; long sleeved, floor length and all-encompassing of the body. The main difference besides the colour traditionally used, is the fact that the men of the Khaleej tend to prefer very simple designs when it comes to thobes. While women love to display the latest abaya fashions full of embellishments, colourful trimmings and bling; Khaleeji men tend to wear a very simplistic outfit of a plain white thobe and choose to display their personal style through a myriad of ways in which they wear the ghutra; the red and white checkered head covering; accessorising with watches, sunglasses and leather sandals suited to the hot climate.
Not only do both the abaya and the thobe meet with the region’s traditional and religious respect for physical modesty, but the clothing also assists in comforting the skin from the harsh heated rays of the hot Arabian desert sun, thus making the Middle Eastern cultural dress of the Gulf of Arabia not only fashionable, but practical.
Other Middle Eastern nations, such asEgypttake a more colourful approach to traditional dressing. Although many Egyptian woman wear an abaya similar to that of its Gulf counterparts, most tend to pick designs that feature more colour and less embellishment, though in saying this, a great deal of Non-Gulf Arabian women will quite happily wear stylish trousers, long skirts, maxi dresses and kaftans (known locally as a ‘jalabiya’) on a daily basis; instead of sticking to one type of clothing.
The majority of Egyptian women tend to wear a more Western style of dress; always incorporating splashes of bright hues that are made to catch the eye. While the Khaleeji woman prefers the traditional black scarf; women ofEgypt,Moroccoand the surrounding North African Arab nations tend to frame their faces in all the shades of the rainbow, with some relying heavily on carefully picked matching accessories.
Women from these areas also put more time and effort into stylising their hijabs into the latest trends. Instead of simply wrapping a black scarf around their head as Gulf women do, many ladies will play around with layers of colour, turning their multi-scarf design into an artwork in of itself, especially on formal occasions.
No matter what Arab nation you may visit, each has its own particular style when it comes to dressing; and despite the differences found from region to region, the people of theMiddle Eastcontinue to maintain and support their own cultural and religious identity while staying within the confines of modesty.
If you are searching for fashionable Islamic clothing, why not stop by Wahat AlJalabiya and peruse our collection of Arabian clothing?
DetailsStyle: Mixing East with West
Taking an ethnic inspired piece, such as the Arabian kaftan, and incorporating it into every day wear can seem tricky, but with the right jalabiya you can create a myriad of different looks – whether casual or formal, that will easily blend in with Western appropriate styles.
Once you have chosen the perfect long kaftan; all you need to do is start building the perfect outfit by choosing accessories that compliment the kaftan design you have selected.
If your kaftan is very elaborate in design, it is best to go with simpler accessories so not as to over-crowd your look. Try to pick pieces that not only match your clothing, but also help accentuate it. The easiest way to do this is by picking complimentary colours.
Here we have chosen the exquisite Desert Rose jalabiya. This elegant ladies kaftan includes a very busy polka dot pattern, yet remains very subtle in appearance thanks to the sleek bronze detailing at the chest, which takes the immediate focus off the dots.
Since this is quite a ‘busy’ piece to look at, it is best to dress this design in simpler accessories. By keeping the colours in the same bronzed family of shades; you can easily take this stunning kaftan design from day to night.
Here are two ways we would wear this:
Our casual day look consists of laid-back golden bronze sandals, a relaxed crossover satchel and bohemian jewellery to really bring forth the casual chic.
For a more formal look, try wearing our Desert Rose jalabiya with an elegant pair of bronzed heels, a glitter clutch and subtle accessories for a glamorous touch. Of course you should always add a simple metallic flecked hijab to complete the perfect evening wear attire for any stylish Muslim woman.
Our Desert Rose kaftan is the perfect piece to take from day to night thanks to its easy fusion with Western accessories. Why not buy this design today and bring a little Arabian glamour into your wardrobe? For a mere $68, this is easy style you should not miss out on!
DetailsHow to Design a Kaftan at Home
Design Your Own Kaftan!
A simple internet search of the word “Kaftan” brings up a myriad of differing versions of this free flowing garment. Although the traditional Arabian version is a long kaftan, extensive enough to sweep the ground, other styles can include 3/4 length or shorter kaftan tops designed for beach cover-ups in the West while the longer version is used for formal occasions in the Middle East, although simpler pieces are used on a daily basis in many homes.
The more elaborate formal kaftan designs can take hours of hand sewn attention due to intricate beading and professional threading, although it is quite easy to make a simple house kaftan with even the most basic of sewing skills!
Why not try to design your own ladies kaftan today?!
All you need to make your own beautiful kaftan design is listed for your convenience below…
How to make your own kaftan:
The tools:
- A pair of fabric scissors
- Sewing pins
- Iron
- Measuring tape
- Sewing machine or hand sewing needles
- Fabric of your choice
- Coloured thread to match your fabric
The steps:
- Start off by choosing a fabric that is suited to kaftan designs. Kaftans tend to be made from very lightweight materials to ensure a free flowing soft fall around the body. For a better design, opt for a good quality silk, satin or cotton blend (the highest quality designs are always silk kaftans). Depending on your own personal style, you may like to choose a fabric in a bright printed design or something in a very subdued hue for an earthier look. You can even use the fabric to make a matching hijab style!
- Fold the length of the fabric in half, spread out flat on the floor. Ensure you have bought enough fabric to cover your body’s height twice over. The fold will be used over your shoulders when the kaftan is complete, so make sure you have evenly folded the fabric over in half and that each half is ample enough to cover your desired height from neck to feet and width from shoulder to shoulder, plus some more left over to cover the tops of your arms.
- Measure yourself and decide on which length is needed to perfectly fit you. The average sizing offered by most kaftan manufacturers is 50-60 inches in length, but due to your own height you made need a longer or shorter version. For length try to measure from the top of your shoulder to the bottom of your feet. Don’t forget to measure around important areas such as your bust and hips to ensure you are going to end up with a loose, flattering shape. Remember Islamic fashion is about having style, as well as modesty!
- Loosely measure your neck. In the fabric fold, cut out a hole that will allow you to put your head comfortably through it when it comes time to wear it. Using either a sewing machine or hand sewing, sew the newly cut edges into a neat interior hem so they do not fray.
- Next, leaving a gap for either arm to go comfortably through, sew the sides of the kaftan from just under your arm pit to the feet.
- Sew a basic hem at the feet of your fabric to ensure it does not fray.
By following these simple steps, you can now make your very own quickly sewn Arabic kaftan. A design such is this is perfect for luxuriously lounging around at home with friends though if you prefer a professional, heavily detailed and adorned kaftan; see Wahat AlJalabiya’s latest collection of traditional and elegant kaftans. We have designs for every event, whether it is a simple house kaftan or an elaborate reception piece that you are after!
Go behind the scenes and see how we make our kaftans and jalabiyas in the video below.
DetailsJilbab Fashion Styles
Fashion Styles
Fashion’s finest collection of modern Arabian style Jilbabs…brought to you by “Wahat Aljalabiya“. Our wide selection of Jilbabs (Jalabiyas) meet all tastes and ages in addition to being appropriate for all occasions. Pride comes from knowing our Jalabiyas are made from the best materials, and designed by the fine taste and experience of the top professional fashion designers in the world. Visit our website today to see the latest collection of Jalabiya designs: www.aljalabiya.com
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