One of the first reactions I usually have to deal with when I tell someone I live in Saudi Arabia is: "Ohmigod, do you have to wear a burqa?!?". After getting this for the umpteenth time yesterday, I decided it's finally time to cover the topic of female attire in the Kingdom.
First of all, a burqa is a garment seen only occasionally in Saudi Arabia. It's a type of outerwear that covers a woman's entire body, and even includes a veil which covers the eyes. Burqas are a rather extreme form of Islamic dress, and are mainly worn in countries such as Afghanistan, where they are imposed on the female population by the regime. In Saudi, women wear abayas, hijabs, and, very often, niqabs. The abaya is a loose-fitting black garment, worn over regular clothing, which covers the body like a long dress, from the neck down to the feet. The word hijab usually refers to the headscarf that serves to cover womens' hair, but can also be used to convey the concept of modesty in general. The niqab is a black cloth, about the size of a handkerchief used to cover a woman's mouth and/or nose.
Women will be women everywhere, so even with this seemingly limited choice of clothing, each one strives to create her own personal style. Abayas can be found in all sorts of designs, always maintaining the appropriate amount of modesty, of course. They are often adorned with embroidery or sequins, mostly along the sleeves and hem. What's really surprising though, is the variety of ways a hijab can be worn. You'd think that a cloth covering your hair could only look one particular way. However, I have found that wrapping a hijab around your head is something of an art. I haven't managed to do it myself yet, but the local women seem to have hundreds of different techniques. What also varies, is the amount of face and/or hair each women chooses to reveal. Some wear their hijabs low, covering their faces down to the eyebrows, while others wear them pushed farther back, sometimes even omitting a few locks of hair on purpose. Certain women also wear dark sunglasses indoors to hide their eyes, while others even wear black gloves. The amount of skin revealed is based on each woman's interpretation of Islamic law stating that believing women should cover their bodies and hair. There is no requirement for faces and hands to be covered, yet some women choose to do so. It's all a matter of personal belief.
Expat women are only expected to cover their bodies with abayas, and in some places, such as the souk, it is simply prudent to wear the hijab as well, to avoid unwanted staring. Now, what follows the first question is usually: "Doesn't it offend you, being forced to cover your body in an unflattering black thing every time you want to leave the house? Don't you feel oppressed?". Nope. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't feel oppressed or offended by this. And it's not just because I'm generally not especially fussed when it comes to clothing. Imagine for a second that you are staying over at a friend's house for a couple of nights. Your host politely requests that you don't walk around the house in your nightwear, because he/she doesn't feel comfortable with it. Do you feel oppressed because you have to wear a robe, whereas at home you never do? I don't think so. You probably oblige happily, respecting the person who let you into their home, even if you don't necessarily agree with his/her views on decency.
This is exactly the case here. I am a guest in this country and Saudis are my hosts. This attire is not only a religious requirement, but also a remnant of bedouin tradition wanting wives covered up, for fear of them being stolen by rivals. Therefore, it's an extremely important part of Saudi culture. I don't mind wearing an abaya knowing that in this way I respect the local culture. It's only clothing after all. And besides, abayas are even practical in a couple of ways. At least when you're not tripping over them on staircases or getting them tangled in the wheels of your shopping cart. That might just be my complete lack of grace though. Anyway, one of the main perks of wearing an abaya is that they keep you nice and warm. You're probably wondering why one would need to keep warm in the desert. Well, it may be blazing hot outside, but in all indoor areas, from malls and restaurants to banks and supermarkets, the AC is always on full blast, making it absolutely freezing. The best part of wearing an abaya though, in my opinion, is that you never have to fret over clothes. It's the answer to womens' age old dilemma of "what shall I wear". It practically eradicates the dilemma, since there is barely any choice. All you need to do is pick out an abaya. Under that you could be wearing a color combination as eye-watering as Dora the Explorer's, or even go stark naked and no one would ever know. Yeah, I'm not the worlds biggest fashionista. Whatever.
Wrapping up, I request that next time you see a woman in Muslim attire you don't hasten to pity the "poor oppressed soul". Remember that this dress, conservative and oppressing as it may seem, is the product of their religious and cultural beliefs, a personal life choice. Unless you see this woman in a country where it's deemed mandatory by some sort of dictatorship. In that case, you can weep your eyes out with my blessing, although I'm willing to bet clothes are the least of her worries.
First of all, a burqa is a garment seen only occasionally in Saudi Arabia. It's a type of outerwear that covers a woman's entire body, and even includes a veil which covers the eyes. Burqas are a rather extreme form of Islamic dress, and are mainly worn in countries such as Afghanistan, where they are imposed on the female population by the regime. In Saudi, women wear abayas, hijabs, and, very often, niqabs. The abaya is a loose-fitting black garment, worn over regular clothing, which covers the body like a long dress, from the neck down to the feet. The word hijab usually refers to the headscarf that serves to cover womens' hair, but can also be used to convey the concept of modesty in general. The niqab is a black cloth, about the size of a handkerchief used to cover a woman's mouth and/or nose.Women will be women everywhere, so even with this seemingly limited choice of clothing, each one strives to create her own personal style. Abayas can be found in all sorts of designs, always maintaining the appropriate amount of modesty, of course. They are often adorned with embroidery or sequins, mostly along the sleeves and hem. What's really surprising though, is the variety of ways a hijab can be worn. You'd think that a cloth covering your hair could only look one particular way. However, I have found that wrapping a hijab around your head is something of an art. I haven't managed to do it myself yet, but the local women seem to have hundreds of different techniques. What also varies, is the amount of face and/or hair each women chooses to reveal. Some wear their hijabs low, covering their faces down to the eyebrows, while others wear them pushed farther back, sometimes even omitting a few locks of hair on purpose. Certain women also wear dark sunglasses indoors to hide their eyes, while others even wear black gloves. The amount of skin revealed is based on each woman's interpretation of Islamic law stating that believing women should cover their bodies and hair. There is no requirement for faces and hands to be covered, yet some women choose to do so. It's all a matter of personal belief.
Expat women are only expected to cover their bodies with abayas, and in some places, such as the souk, it is simply prudent to wear the hijab as well, to avoid unwanted staring. Now, what follows the first question is usually: "Doesn't it offend you, being forced to cover your body in an unflattering black thing every time you want to leave the house? Don't you feel oppressed?". Nope. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't feel oppressed or offended by this. And it's not just because I'm generally not especially fussed when it comes to clothing. Imagine for a second that you are staying over at a friend's house for a couple of nights. Your host politely requests that you don't walk around the house in your nightwear, because he/she doesn't feel comfortable with it. Do you feel oppressed because you have to wear a robe, whereas at home you never do? I don't think so. You probably oblige happily, respecting the person who let you into their home, even if you don't necessarily agree with his/her views on decency.
This is exactly the case here. I am a guest in this country and Saudis are my hosts. This attire is not only a religious requirement, but also a remnant of bedouin tradition wanting wives covered up, for fear of them being stolen by rivals. Therefore, it's an extremely important part of Saudi culture. I don't mind wearing an abaya knowing that in this way I respect the local culture. It's only clothing after all. And besides, abayas are even practical in a couple of ways. At least when you're not tripping over them on staircases or getting them tangled in the wheels of your shopping cart. That might just be my complete lack of grace though. Anyway, one of the main perks of wearing an abaya is that they keep you nice and warm. You're probably wondering why one would need to keep warm in the desert. Well, it may be blazing hot outside, but in all indoor areas, from malls and restaurants to banks and supermarkets, the AC is always on full blast, making it absolutely freezing. The best part of wearing an abaya though, in my opinion, is that you never have to fret over clothes. It's the answer to womens' age old dilemma of "what shall I wear". It practically eradicates the dilemma, since there is barely any choice. All you need to do is pick out an abaya. Under that you could be wearing a color combination as eye-watering as Dora the Explorer's, or even go stark naked and no one would ever know. Yeah, I'm not the worlds biggest fashionista. Whatever.
Wrapping up, I request that next time you see a woman in Muslim attire you don't hasten to pity the "poor oppressed soul". Remember that this dress, conservative and oppressing as it may seem, is the product of their religious and cultural beliefs, a personal life choice. Unless you see this woman in a country where it's deemed mandatory by some sort of dictatorship. In that case, you can weep your eyes out with my blessing, although I'm willing to bet clothes are the least of her worries.
Perspective.
