What are the customs in the Middle East?

With the progress of society, the development of science and technology, and the infiltration and exchange of eastern and western cultures, the traditional customs of the Arab people have also evolved. Their aesthetics, costumes and residence are both traditional and dynastic.

(A) Men's clothing

It is the image of Arabs to wear robes, cloaks and headscarves on headscarves.

Arabian robes are mostly white, with wide sleeves. They are simple in workmanship and have no hierarchy. It is not only a casual dress for ordinary people, but also a dress for dignitaries. The texture of the material depends on the season and the owner's economic conditions, including cotton, yarn, wool and nylon.

Relaxation and comfort are the characteristics of Arabic robes, but there are subtle differences in workmanship and decoration in different regions; For example, Saudis have long sleeves, high collars and linings. Sultan's robes are collarless, with large breasts and sleeves. They are cylindrical, ankle-long, with a pocket in front and a waist pocket on the side, which can be worn alternately on both sides. Tuiman's robes are collarless, with a cord spike about 30 cm long hanging from the chest at the neckline, and a calyx-shaped opening at the bottom of the spike, where perfume can be sprayed and spices can be placed.

Besides white, the colors of Arabic robes are dark blue, dark gray, dark brown and black. Arab underwear varies from region to region. Tops are mostly striped gowns and white undershirts, and many people don't wear underwear in summer. The lower body is dressed strangely. In Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates and other countries, men wear skirts and women wear pants. Poor people in tribes or remote areas only use a piece of cloth around their lower bodies. Men in Libya, Tunisia and other countries like to wear baggy knickerbockers. Because Arab men wear robes all year round, there is not much chance to reveal the style and color of underwear.

With the development of society, Arab countries have been impacted by western culture, but the traditional white robe has not been left out in the cold, and it is still quite popular. Even fashionable young people and civil servants wear suits and jeans to work, and they still change into big robes when they go home. It is not uncommon for heads of state and senior officials to attend banquets and celebrations in big dresses. Some people combine foreign cultures, wear suits outside their robes, or wear robes outside their suits, which is unique.

Arab robes have been enduring for thousands of years, but they have irreplaceable advantages for Arabs living in hot and rainy areas. Life practice has proved that the big robe has more advantages of heat resistance and heat preservation than other styles of clothing. Whether it is white or other colors, while absorbing external heat, a ventilation duct is formed inside, and the air circulates from bottom to top, just like a chimney, which makes people feel cool.

In the eyes of Arabs, cloaks are festive costumes, and men wear cloaks on their robes, which looks radiant and manly. Cloaks come in many colors and different qualities. For example, in the cloak market in Kuwait, men's and women's transparent tulle cloaks are worn in summer and wool, camel hair and woolen cloaks are worn in winter; There are ordinary cloaks with good quality and low price worn by civilians, as well as luxurious cloaks with fine workmanship and gold and silver silk worn by royal family members and the rich.

The Arabic headscarf is also a product of desert environment, which plays the role of a hat, protecting against sun in summer and keeping warm in winter. This headscarf is a piece of cloth. Put it on your head and fix it with a headband. Its color is mostly white, and there are other colors. The thickness of fabrics varies, depending on seasons and conditions.

The headband is a ring made of camel hair, mostly black and occasionally white, with different thicknesses. Young people like a thick hair band and a ribbon to make them look smart and handsome.

In some Arab countries, such as Yemen on the peninsula and Mauritania in North Africa, men wear a long white headscarf instead of a headscarf. In addition to hats, their headscarves can also be used for other purposes: as bedding when sleeping, as a cushion when worshipping, as a towel when washing your face, as a burden when shopping, and as a windshield when it is windy.

Oman men only wear headscarves, not hair bands. The color of headscarves is graded, mostly white or plain. Members of the royal family use special headscarves based on red, blue and yellow, but others are forbidden to use them.

It is the habit of many Arabs to wear a small white hat under the headscarf. On informal occasions, they like to wear only a small white hat instead of a headscarf. Some men in Egypt, Libya, Algeria and other countries don't wear headscarves or small white hats, but only wear a red or black Turkish felt hat. Some people like to wrap a white cloth under a felt hat, which is more colorful and novel.

Dressing is a long-standing decorative habit of Arab tribes, with various styles and advantages, especially waist knives in Yemen and Oman.

Waist knife was originally used as a weapon for self-defense, and later it gradually became a precious ornament and national custom. Arabs believe that only wearing a broadsword can show a man's chivalry. A man who doesn't wear a broadsword is not a hero. At the same time, wearing a broadsword is also a sign that boys grow up. Until now, some tribes will hold a ceremony to dress boys when they reach the age of 15 to express their congratulations.

Yemen has been making broadswords for more than 2,000 years. Now many cities still have workshops to make waist knives, both mechanical and manual, with exquisite workmanship. Most waist knives are double-edged hook-shaped, and the scabbard is decorated with a silver ring, which is connected with a wide belt or ribbon embroidered with exquisite patterns, making it easy to wear.

In Oman, the broadsword is a national symbol, and its pattern is painted on the national emblem. The map of Thurman country is also shaped like a waist knife.

The waist handle is also exquisite, with horns, horns and wood. The most precious thing is that it is made of rhinoceros horn or long horns, and the gold and silver inlaid patterns or scriptures are dazzling and valuable. Some are also inlaid with the owner's surname and production year, passed down from generation to generation.

This is called broadsword. Not all of them hang around people's waists. Some are different from belts embroidered with gold and silver colored threads, and more are inserted in special wide belts on the chest. Whenever they sing and dance, they often dance with broadswords. The broadsword almost never leaves the body, such as taking it away from the master, which is the most severe lesson and the biggest insult to the master. The Yemeni government stipulates that the security personnel and tribal chiefs have the right to detain a man wearing a broadsword when he fights, and punish him for only going out with a scabbard for a few days to inform people that he is suffering. Therefore, don't take off the waist knife on others at any time.

Mauritanians' property is different from that of other Arab countries. Almost everyone carries amulets, and some even carry several. The amulet is packed in a small leather bag. In addition to beauty, it is mainly earthy.

[2] Women's wear

Wearing black veil and black robe is the image of Arab women under Islamic rules. Arab women's black veil is very thin. Wearing it, outsiders can't see the owner's face, but the owner can see things through the gauze as usual. A few women wear double black veil, which makes it difficult to see things and often needs children's help; Some people cover their hair with a piece of black gauze, and the other piece covers their face and mouth, exposing their eyes; Someone made a hole or two in the black veil to make it easier to see things. There are sizes of black veil, the small one covers the head and neck, the big one covers the head, and the four corners can hang down to the chest or even the legs. Most women wear hats with elaborate ornaments besides black gauze.

Black robe is the traditional dress of Arab women, with simple workmanship and different styles and colors. For example, the black robe of a Saudi woman is a large black cloak.

There are two kinds of clothes for Yemeni women: one is black gauze on the top of the head, which covers the head and then wraps the whole body with black cloth (or plaid cloth); The other is divided into three parts: head, upper body and lower body. The black veil on the top of the head hangs down to the neck, the black shawl on the upper body hangs down to the waist, tied to the chest, and a black skirt on the feet.

The black robe of Egyptian women is a rectangular piece of black cloth, that is, the 5-meter-long cloth is divided into two parts, the two sides are sewn together and embroidered with lace according to personal preference. You can wear it or wear it, which is flexible and convenient, and you can wear it at will to expose a certain part of your body.

Sudanese women like to wear robes to mop the floor. The robe is a piece of cloth that can wrap the whole body, black and white.

When Libyan women go out, they often wrap themselves up with a cloth similar to a bed sheet, only showing their eyes.

Arab women look simple, even barefoot, but they are not. They are almost covered with all kinds of gold and silver jewelry. Wearing a silver headband, a silver chain on the headband, a gold and silver chain on the forehead, flowers on the nose, earrings one after another, necklaces one after another, bracelets on the wrist, anklets and anklets ... are also very chic, fully demonstrating the elegance of wearing gold and silver.

The rolling oil wealth is changing the ancient land of the Middle East, changing people's life rules and lifestyles, and also changing people's aesthetic consciousness. Nowadays, the traditional dress of Arabs is still dominant in remote areas, and big cities have gradually given way to a new era of dress combining foreign and eastern styles. In particular, young men and women prefer to follow the fashion in clothes.

The mainstream of Egyptian women's clothing is to show the physical beauty of women, and the styles are eclectic. Suits, jackets, suits, trousers, dresses, miniskirts, jeans, etc. Both are very popular, and traditional cloak-like robes are still worn by people.

In Libya, although traditional clothing still dominates, young men often wear suits and ties, and women also wear suits and skirts, which is solemn and elegant. They appreciate and pursue "faded" western makeup artist, such as rouge and lipstick, touching, nail dyeing, perfume, earrings, necklaces and other dim gold jewelry.

Even in Saudi Arabia, where Islamic rules are the strictest, clothing is changing. Although women still wear veils and robes, robes are full of color. Young students wear jeans and T-shirts, and upper-class women also wear fashionable suits.