Women's arabian look

Traditional Dress & Jewelry

Saudis prefer traditional clothes to Western styles of dress, and generally wear modern adaptations of age-old designs. The loose, flowing traditional garments are practical for the Kingdom’s hot, windswept climate, and in keeping with the Islamic ideal of modesty.

Women Women customarily wear a black outer cloak (abaya) over their dress, which may well be modern in style. On their heads, Saudi women traditionally wear a shayla – a black, gauzy scarf that is wrapped around the head and secured with circlets, hats or jewelry. Traditional dress is often richly decorated with coins, sequins or brightly colored fabric appliqués.
Some Saudi women wear veils made of sheer material. The practice of wearing a veil is an ancient one that dates back at least two millennia, before the advent of Islam. In a harsh desert environment, a thin veil provides protection from constant exposure to the sun, which can damage the skin and eyes. Today, a veil is also a sign of modesty and virtue.

 Jewelry
Jewelry has been an essential part of Arabian dress for thousands of years. More than just personal decoration, jewelry symbolized social and economic status. For the migrant Bedouins, it was also an easily transportable form of wealth and security.

  Traditional jewelry was mostly made of silver, although gold was also used. Jewelers used stones such as turquoise, garnets and amber from the Kingdom’s rich mines, and pearls and coral from the coastal areas. Tiny bells, coins and chains were also used for decoration. Designs primarily evolved from Islamic calligraphy and motifs, and featured intricate patterns of geometric shapes, leaves, crescents and flowers.

 Today, Saudi women still receive gifts of jewelry from their husbands when they marry or have children. Unlike their ancestors, who received large amounts of bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces as part of their dowry, modern Saudi women wear jewelry in traditional and contemporary designs with diamonds and a variety of precious metals. Solid gold bracelets remain a traditional gift for girls.

Adherence to traditional dress varies across Arab societies. Saudi Arabia is more traditional, while Egypt is less so. Traditional Arab dress features the full length body cover (abaya, jilbāb, or chador) and veil (hijab). Women are only required to wear abayas in Saudi Arabia. In most countries, like Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Jordan, Syria and Egypt, the veil is not prevalent. It is clear that religiously speaking, the mention of the burqa doesn't exist for Muslim women and today represents more of a politic position rather than a religious interpretation. Nowadays, some conservative Muslims believe that hijab is not obligatory^{[citation needed]} while others feel that it iS.

Traditional Arab women are subordinate to men in their society. The extent varies by country, and you cannot generalize. The most restrictive conditions exist on the Arabian Peninsula, and the most relaxed conditions exist in Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. In Iraq, dress codes for women are still conservative with women wearing headscarves in public. Dresses are cut from below the knee to the ankle and blouses cover the shoulder and much of the arm. Women in Iraq do not hold managerial positions and their opinions and input will most likely be ignored.

Do not show any type of interest in an Arab woman or female members of an Arab family. Do not photograph them, stare at them or try to speak to them. Do not ask about women, it is considered too personal and rude. It is best to ask about the "family," not a person's wife, sister, or daughter. Men should stand when a woman enters the room. Public displays of affection between the sexes, even foreigners, are unacceptable. Arab society has a basically negative stereotyped impression of Western women as loose or immoral. Female soldiers need to be careful not to reinforce this impression by their dress and conduct.

If you are a Woman, Do:

• Dress in a manner acceptable to Arabs. Uniforms for US Armed Forces personnel are

always correct. For civilian attire, western clothing is acceptable if it is loose and

covers the neck, arms and legs. Western women are not expected to wear veils.

Wear what would be appropriate within a US compound or facility.

• Expect to be excluded from some stores.

If you are a Woman, Do Not:

• Wear tight or revealing clothing in public. This is considered immodest and undignified

in Arab culture.

• Kiss, touch or show affection toward any man in public.

GREETINGS:

Arab men shake hands very gently and may pull those he greets toward him and kiss

them on either cheek in greeting. Arabs may also hold hands to walk to other locations. If an Arab does not touch someone he greets, he either does not like him or is restraining himself