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efemmera
Joined: 24 Jul 2009
Posts: 52
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 Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 1:20 am Post subject: Thanks |
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Hi everyone,
Thanks very much for your comments, they were very helpful. My question on tha abaya was not so much fashion oriented as practical in nature; black being an attractor of heat and KSA being a hot country. I guess on a positive note, it is helpful that I wear a lot of black clothing in my western life. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 2:57 am Post subject: Re: several questions regarding coverage |
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I thought that I would add a couple more comments on these ideas.
| efemmera wrote: |
| wearing a knee or ankle length skirt with black tights underneath |
Don't forget how hot it is... for most of the year the thought of tights of any color is...  As to whether they can be worn when you are teaching, that probably depends on your employer as far as the knee length skirt. The ankle length would be fine, of course, with or without tights.
| efemmera wrote: |
| wearing a knee or ankle length skirt with trousers underneath |
Trousers under an ankle length skirt? Can't really see the point of that. Baggy trousers under a knee length dress, also known as s salwar kameez, is common among certain nationalities.
| efemmera wrote: |
| wearing an abaya type garment in a pastel colour |
These are seen in some countries (among the young in Cairo, for example), but not the Gulf. What you do see in the Gulf are some interesting examples of lace and/or embroidered decoration
VS |
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:26 am Post subject: |
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I will post from my extensive observations of people in the country. However, I am only sure of what is acceptable in the more 'liberal' parts of the country, namely, Jeddah, and the Eastern Province. Riyadh is much more conservative, so best tighten the belt if there.
| Quote: |
| covering head with a bandana |
While I have seen this rarely in public, if you are a white woman wearing one, it is probably not a good idea; better to have your hair uncovered! But if you do, no one will stop you or ask you to remove it.
| Quote: |
wearing a knee or ankle length skirt with black tights underneath
wearing a knee or ankle length skirt with trousers underneath |
Not in public, for sure. At work, depends on the code there, but tights I would say no. Trousers are ok under a knee length skirt/dress.
| Quote: |
| wearing an abaya type garment in a pastel colour |
I have seen abayas in colors other than black, but not pastel colors. Any and all drab/unattractive colors are acceptable, namely beige, dark brown, dark blue, dark grey, etc. The best option is beige, if you want to minimize being baked. However, you will attract slight attention with a color other than black, and more so with a light color.
I have also seen women in public without abayas, albeit rarely, and my wife also went out once without one recently. She wore a dark brown loose long shirt/dress which came to her knees and loose black casual trousers. One of the other women I have seen without an abaya was an old British lady wearing formal trousers with an overcoat that came to her knees. Not advisable in Riyadh at all (see below about nurses).
| Quote: |
It is perfectly acceptable to wear the salwar kameez or trouser suit.
I've seen plenty of Philipino nurses wearing one in Riyadh. |
Certain sections of society are 'exempt' from the abaya 'requirement' in KSA. Nurses are one of them. I have seen many nurses over the years out and about on the streets and in malls wearing their milk-white outfit, and nothing over it, even in a conservative place like Ha'il! Another group is the African women selling trinkets by the side of the streets, who wear their traditional Somali outfits. And yet another is tiny Pakistani/Indian grandmothers who are frequently seen out in the shalwar kameez. Just some of the unwritten rules in a country with no written constitution.
If things have changed and women not from the groups above could be seen in Riyadh in public without an abaya, then I stand corrected.
One final comment:
Sorry eclectic, you are very wrong on this one. You will see more makeup in public in KSA than just about anywhere in the world, esp in Jeddah (and I guess the Eastern province as well). |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:13 am Post subject: |
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| f things have changed and women not from the groups above could be seen in Riyadh in public without an abaya, then I stand corrected. |
The point about the salwar kameez is that it covers everything the abaya does. I have never seen anyone being reprimanded for wearing one.
I doubt if there are exceptions being made for the groups you mention. That said a western woman wearing a salwar kameez might be enough of a rarity to attract attention. |
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dareva
Joined: 25 Aug 2009
Posts: 74
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:52 pm Post subject: womens dress code in KSA |
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[quote
are western women capable of "not looking in any way as if u r trying to catch a man's attention"? I have my doubts. It is drilled into them since birth.
A blatantly sexist comment followed by a blatantly racist one. In any society that devalues women from birth down to only their ability to attract a man, one has this situation... not to mention that it is a comment that could only be made by a man who knows little or nothing about Arab women either.
VS[/quote]
Thanks for that I couldn't agree with your more and I ididn't have 'catch a man's attention' drilled into me...  |
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