The Middle East is known as the home of three major world religions; Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Given its economic, religious, and geographical location, the Middle East has been at the center of many world issues and political affairs. It contains various countries spread around Asia and northern Africa. Though having deep connections with each other historically, religiously, economically….etc. one particular aspect I personally find quite attractive is fashion and costumes. Cultural clothing in the Middle East can be quite similar from one country to another, yet may feed a different purpose.
A substantial example of this is the “kufiya”, also known as a shemagh, keffiyeh, ghutrah, hattah, kaffiyeh..etc; its label varies depending on the region’s dialects. A kufiya is a square scarf typically made out of cotton, commonly found in wasteland regions; as it provides protection from sunburn, dust and sand.
Another prime example of costumes in the Middle East is the thawb, also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions. For instance, the thawb for men is an ankle-length dress, usually with long sleeves, while an izaar is typically worn underneath it. Thawbs are usually white in summer and darker colors in the winter and colder days. Whereas for women it is standard to find the thobe richly embroidered, with different colors and patterns signifying various aspects of the wearer’s social position.
While both the keffiyeh and thobe are similar, when compared with those of other countries, each country’s kufiya or thobe serves a different purpose and carries a unique and meaningful design to represent the said country and its history. For instance, the keffiyeh in Palestine is a checkered black and white scarf signifying a quest for self-determination, nationalism, and struggle against the occupation of their land, whilst said keffiyeh, also named shemagh in Jordan is a red and white headcloth designed for a desert environment to protect the wearer from sand and heat. Although parallel, the costumes, and fashion overall in the Middle East contrast from one country to another in terms of details.
