Middle Eastern style has evolved with modern life in Arab countries. The region is, of course, firmly rooted in strong cultural identity. As such, Arab women’s clothing is often mistaken in the West to be strictly adhering to traditional Middle Eastern outfits. In reality, Arab women are just as stylish in dress as they are traditional.
Fashion Expressing the Individual
Fashion changes with circumstance. If you are young and from the city, it is more likely to find you keeping up with latest fashion trends, sometimes attired in Western clothing. Traditional Arab clothing is saved for special occasions. Contrarily, older generations are more easily found in conservative attire.
Social class also tends to divide the populous. In some countries, top fashion brands are sought after by the middle and upper classes, often in the form of Western designer clothing.
The variation in Arab fashion style is therefore extensive. Women have the freedom to be selective as suits their personality.
Variation by Nation
Societal limitations of self-expression through fashion vary from region to region. The Persian Gulf is ostensibly the most traditional area, the standard being long abayas, Shayla hijabs and niqabs. In places like Dubai, however, fashion is evolving rapidly, and demand for modern Arab clothing is high.
Elsewhere, citizens in North Africa and the Levant are much more readily seen in Western attire. In these places, women have more flexibility in dressing choices.
Fashion Leaders in the Middle East
Saudi, Kuwaitis, Qataris, and nationals of UAE are at the forefront of the changing fashion landscape. In these places, demand for in-fashion Arab clothing is high. They are cosmopolitans at the front line of Middle Eastern fashion.
What Fashion Stands For In the Middle East
In the Middle East, fashion plays a key role in defining cultural identity. Women are by no means bystanders here when it comes to what they wear. A great deal of personal identity can be put down to their fashion sense.
