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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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 Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Depends on the employer. Where I worked, we could wear pants and short -sleeved (not sleeveless) shirts, and many women just chose to wear their abayas around every day. As long as we weren't showing a great deal of skin, whatever we chose to wear was pretty much ok. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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If it is anything like many of the places that I have worked, they keep the AC set so cold that one could use the abaya to keep warm. 
VS |
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lizziebennet
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 355
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:23 am Post subject: abaya |
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Yeah, that's what I wanna know... can I wear an abaya at work without anyone thinking I am wierd  By your last comment I assume its ok lol or are you considered as wierd |
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reneebcc
Joined: 26 Jan 2009
Posts: 60
Location: Georgia
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:02 am Post subject: Abayas |
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I can see the benefits of wearing the abaya everyday. It seems you can wear what you want underneath just as long as you're not showing skin  |
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meyanga
Joined: 02 Mar 2008
Posts: 103
Location: Malaysia
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:01 am Post subject: |
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In my work in Jeddah we can wear anything as long as it is smart. We can wear sleeveless tops/dresses and none of the teachers keep their abayas on at work.
The students usually take them off, although some don't.
Almost all abayas I have seen in Jeddah are front opening - this is good especially in the winter months (October to May) when it is comfortable to wear trousers or jeans and you can get away with not closing the bottom half of your abaya. An abaya will cost you anything from super cheap 60 SAR to super expensive 2000 or more SAR.
Wearing an abaya has not been as bad as I'd expected before I came - you get used to it very quickly and there are some beautiful ones. To be honest, rather than an item of clothing to make women look modest, many women in Jeddah wear such stylish and fitted abayas that they are in fact necessary fashion accessories! Jeddah is changing fast and is far FAR more liberal (among some people) than I could have imagined prior to arriving 
Meyanga |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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"resident abaya expert"... I can live with that!
Most of the abayas worn in KSA open down the front like a long coat. Some are plain 'bin liners', others, like the last poster says, could almost pass for elegent evening gowns!
It's not a bad idea to buy an abaya before arrival as it will save you feeling 'conspicuous' for your first few days. Prices and styles seem reasonable on that website. You can then easily add to your collection once you arrive.
As for indoor clothing, some girls' colleges allow teachers to wear trousers, many - especially in Riyadh - do not. Even in the places where trousers are permitted, you will still have to dress in a fiarly conservative manner - elbow length sleeves, full length trousers/skirts and nothing too tight. Where I've worked, many of the students just leave their abayas on during hte day, simply because they can't be bothered folding them up and putting them away. Most dress codes do not allow teachers to wear abayas at work, and I've never heard of anywhere where teachers are actually required to wear one. |
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dareva
Joined: 25 Aug 2009
Posts: 74
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:34 pm Post subject: Abayas - where to buy-a-abaya |
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Interesting and illuminatng comments  I'm amazed and it's making KSA sound more intersting than I initially thought. Thanks. Keep 'em coming... really appreciated. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
| Most dress codes do not allow teachers to wear abayas at work, and I've never heard of anywhere where teachers are actually required to wear one. |
This is interesting.
In the Emirates, some of the new expat women teachers going into the public schools under the new project there have found that they are required to wear abayas when they teach. That part of the educational system had always been something that we university level teachers don't encounter... and the international schools naturally don't require such for their teachers.
What about the Muslim teachers Cleo... would they also not be allowed to wear their abaya while teaching at your employers?
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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| What about the Muslim teachers Cleo... would they also not be allowed to wear their abaya while teaching at your employers? |
I have known a few women to wear the abaya while teaching, but this is not considered professional, whether one is Muslim or not. Some Muslim women wear headscarves at work, and this seems to be considered OK. Even the very conservative Saudi women I've worked with do not wear abayas in women-only environments - it may be different in schools, but definately in third-level colleges it is not considered appropriate.[/code] |
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lizziebennet
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 355
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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Most dress codes do not allow teachers to wear abayas at work
Noooooooooo lol, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to buy a whole new wardrobe and could get away with wearing abayas to work!!! I mean not many shops these days make full skirts that are appropriate for woman under the age of 45!
In the last week or so I have bought 3 abayas. So strange because I live in a muslim area in Singapore. Right now just a block away there is the Hari raya bazaar on (it takes up about 6 blocks it's so huge)... So I was on a mission to get an abaya... who knew it would be so tough because no one wears those here!
They all gave me wierd looks and after 3 hours I found one store that had some but had to bring them from thier shop on Arab street! One is a bit too long but will be fine with a nice pair of high heels... They all have a little seqins on the cuffs of the arms and neck (although this will be covered by the matching scarves)...
My husband thinks I look like a Russian grandmother in them so he is now calling me 'his little BABUSHKA' although I am not so little! We are already getting giggles out of them, and they aren't that bad!
Last edited by lizziebennet on Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| One is a bit too long |
Just as a woman cannot be too thin or too rich (well, I agree with the last part!), an abaya cannot be too long! |
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:29 am Post subject: |
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| I mean not many shops these days make full skirts that are appropriate for woman under the age of 45! |
You're in luck with this one: KSA is full of excellent tailors who will copy any skirt from a picture for an unbelievably reasonable price. |
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desultude
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 614
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 1:32 am Post subject: |
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| meyanga wrote: |
In my work in Jeddah we can wear anything as long as it is smart. We can wear sleeveless tops/dresses and none of the teachers keep their abayas on at work.
The students usually take them off, although some don't.
Almost all abayas I have seen in Jeddah are front opening - this is good especially in the winter months (October to May) when it is comfortable to wear trousers or jeans and you can get away with not closing the bottom half of your abaya. An abaya will cost you anything from super cheap 60 SAR to super expensive 2000 or more SAR.
Wearing an abaya has not been as bad as I'd expected before I came - you get used to it very quickly and there are some beautiful ones. To be honest, rather than an item of clothing to make women look modest, many women in Jeddah wear such stylish and fitted abayas that they are in fact necessary fashion accessories! Jeddah is changing fast and is far FAR more liberal (among some people) than I could have imagined prior to arriving
Meyanga |
Our students used to leave their abayas in their lockers and wear just about anything. Then there was a bit of a takeover by the conservative Saudi women in the admin, and the pressure was put on them to wear the abaya all day, and that is just what happened with most of them. The poor women students sweltered even when the AC wasn't working, but they had been intimidated into compliance.
One of the faculty was chastised by the vice-rector for going sleeveless to the faculty end of year party.
It is a rather random situation- some people get harassed and some don't in the exact same situation. |
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desultude
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 614
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 1:35 am Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
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| One is a bit too long |
Just as a woman cannot be too thin or too rich (well, I agree with the last part!), an abaya cannot be too long! |
If it hasn't already been pointed out- the purpose of the extremely long abaya is so that when a woman walks in the sand, her footprints are erased. At least that is what I have been told.
They can be glamorous, fashionable, beautiful, etc., but don't lose sight of the fact that the design is explicitly to render women invisible. In other words, the intent is to negate the presence of women. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:21 am Post subject: |
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| n other words, the intent is to negate the presence of women. |
Maybe so, but we all know about the road to hell being paved with good intentions and all that.
Some of the abayas I have seen render a woman anything but invisable. |
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