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Khalid Marghalani, Chiaki Iwaoka, and Siraj Magadmi |
Traditional Clothing in Saudi Arabia (men)
Khalid Marghalani
AES 130 Communications Skills
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Khalid Marghalani, Chiaki Iwaoka, and Siraj Magadmi |
Traditional Clothing in Saudi Arabia (men)
Khalid Marghalani
Every country has different traditional clothing. These clothes have been used for a long time as one of traditional of the countries. Everyone knows about his traditions clothing, but no one knows about other countries? In my article I will give an idea about the Saudi traditional clothing.
The history (1) of Arabian traditional clothing began from ancient times. From the earliest times fine cloth and beautiful adornments have been designed into Arabian fashion. Saudi traditional clothing in divided into six items: Thawb (2), Ghutra (3), Taqiyah (4), Igal (5), Sirwal (6), and Bisht(7).
Saudi men wear Thawb during the day; it almost covers all the body. There are many different types of Thawb. It could be made from cotton, flax, polyester, wool or a mix. It could also be with cuff links and sometimes embroidered with different colors. The colors for the Thawb depend on the weather. In the winter, the Saudi people wear dark color to keep them warm such as black, brown, and gray. The most common color for the Thawb is white or cream.
The Ghutra or Shumagh are two type of head covering. Saudi men wear the Ghutra on the top of the head. The main form for Ghutra is square, but it changes to a triangular form when it is worn. Men wear Ghutra on the top of Taqiyah and on the top of both, they wear Igal. The difference between the Ghutra and Shumagh is the color. Also, the Ghutra is made from cotton fabric and the Shumagh is embroidered with white and red threads.
The men wear Taqiyah or Kufeya on the top of the head as a hat to hold and keep the Ghutra from slipping off the head. It comes with different kinds of style. Men could wear it without Ghutra or anything on the head.
Saudi men wear the Igal on the top of the Ghutra or Shumagh. It comes in only one color, black. The Igal keeps the Ghutra from slipping off the head. It is usually made from goat-hair and sheep's wool.
Saudi men wear the Sirwal under the thawb, as underwear. It is usually made from cotton, flax, or polyester. There are two type of Sirwal, long Sirwal and short Sirwal. Also, sometimes the men wear Sirwal that is embroidered at the bottom.
Finally, Saudi men wear the Bisht or Mishlah usually at a wedding party. It comes with many different colors such as black, brown, and cream. Men wear the Bisht over the Thawb. The Mishlah is clipped with fantastic golden or silvery embroidery.
In conclusion, as in all countries, Saudi Arabia have unique traditional clothing. Men in Saudi Arabia wear an Igal on the top of the head, and then they wear Ghutra under the Igal and the Kufeya under the Ghutra. Also, they wear Sirwal and over it, they wear a Thwab, then the Mishlah.
Sources:
1 http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/198705/the.fabric.of.tradition.htm
2-6 http://www.saudiembassy.or.jp/DiscoverSA/traditionalcostumes.htm
Traditional Clothing in Japan
Chiaki Iwaoka
Kimono , the Japanese traditional clothing, is well known for its beautiful appearance. People in Japan used to wear kimonos as casual attire. However, nowadays they wear it in only for special events. So, when do Japanese wear kimono ? There are lots of things to know about kimono . The origin of kimono traces back to the ancient world. Also, there are many types of kimono in Japan. Now, let me explain about the history (1) and types of kimono and when modern Japanese people wear kimono .
Around the beginning of the 7th century, a garment similar to kimono , which was made of woven cotton, was brought from China to Japan. People wore it as underclothes. They started to wear kimono as outer clothes in the Heian period (794-897). Later in the Heian period, the Japanese styled kimono emerged. Nobles in court wore a long sleeved robe with a sash, the typical kimono . During ceremonies, women wore special kimono , which consisted of 20 layers at most. In the Kamakura (1192-1333) and Muromachi (1338-1573) periods, kimono became popular among common people. The samurais still wore the traditional kimono in ceremonies, while the warriors started to wear the hakama . Lastly, in the Edo period (1603-1868), the sleeve was custom made to fit the individual person and the obi , a sash which is wrapped around the waist, emerged.
Men's women's and children's kimono are different. Men's kimono is a bit different from the women's. Usually, there are not so many varieties of color, pattern or design in men's kimono . It tends to be black or gray accompanied by a simple design. In contrast, children's kimono (2) is very colorful and strongly patterned. Especially, when children cerebrate the event called Shichigosan, they wear gorgeous ones. In Shichigosan , five year old boys , seven year old girls and three year old girls go to a shrine with their parents to show appreciation to the gods for being healthy . In summer, both children and adults wear yukata made of cotton. People used to wear yukata as a garment after taking a bath. However, now people wear yukata when they go to festivals or see fireworks in summer. When young women attend the ceremony on Coming of Age day, they still wear traditional kimono called furisode (3) while boys wear hakama (4). On this day, people celebrate the age of 20 which is considered as an adult in Japan. Furisode is a kimono with very long sleeves. Only unmarried women can wear furisode because women in Heian period turned down the men's love offer by fluttering the long sleeves. At weddings, the bride wears shiromuku (5) which is a white precious kimono . The color of white represents the bride's purity and also the start of a new life. The groom wears hakama made of silk with black outer clothes called haori . Also, people wear kimono on occasions like tea ceremonies and relative's weddings and some older people even wear them in everyday life. They carefully choose kimono and the combination with obi according to the season, the weather and so forth.
The way to wear kimono is different depending on age, sex, era and occasion. Although Japanese people, especially young people, have many fewer opportunities to wear kimono compared to the past, they still wear kimono on special occasions. They are proud of being able to wear kimono, which has a long history.
Sources:
1 http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/kimono.shtml
2 http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/kimono-child.html
3 http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/woman-sleeve.html
4 http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/man-hakama.html
5 http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/woman-bridal.html
Traditional Clothing in Saudi Arabia (women)
Have you ever heard about "Hijab" (1) or "abaya" (2)? In the Arabian cultures, women behave differently than any other cultures. Women in the Arabian cultures have some especial customs. On of the most popular customs is that women wear "Hijab" and "abaya." Hijab is the Arabic term for cover, based on the root meaning "to veil, to cover, to screen, to shelter." While abaya is a kind of clothes that has a long black garment and long sleeves.
The abaya and hijab for the Arabian women is like the sari for Indians. In fact, Arabian women wear abaya and hijab because they grow up with them. As a result, they consider them as customs. Other reason is that most of the women in the Arabian countries are Muslims, and Islam required abaya and hijab for women. Thus, they wear abaya and hijab following to their religion.
In addition, usually when Arabian women go out their houses, they wear abaya and hijab. However, they don't wear them while they're in their houses. While they're in their houses, they dress the normal clothes for any woman in any other culture. They wear shorts, t-shirts, jeans, "tnora," and "jlabia."(3) Although Arabian women wear abaya and hijab while they are out of their houses, they wear the normal clothes, such as jeans and t-shirt under the abaya. On other words, the abaya and hijab are worn over the normal clothes. The clothes they wear under the abayas are even more expensive, and same goes at regular segregated wedding parties, or women-only get-togethers in the Kingdom. Exquisite designer garb, "beautician-perfected" manicures, makeup, beautiful tresses, and imported accessories are all on display as the classically beautiful "Saudi women compete for the most oohs and aahs of admiration"
Some people think that abaya makes woman feel hot, and uncomfortable. In fact, the Arabian women believe that covering the body helps to protect it from the heat of direct sunlight. In loose, the air around the body flows freely and cools more readily. The choice of cloth covering the body is more important than the square inches exposed or covered the body. On severely hot days, women might be uncomfortable as is everyone else. During those times, women find the comfort by knowing that they are following the commands of Allah, and "the fire of hell is hotter." Thus they support themselves by themselves. In addition for that, wearing hejab protects the skin and the eyes because it covered the skin and the eye from the sun.
In conclusion, the Arabian women have especially ways to dress. In these ways, they follow their customs and their religion. The abaya and hijab are two factors that woman can't leave when she is going out of her house. In addition, wearing abaya and hijab makes women more beautiful, not like some people think it makes them look worse. Finally, Arabian women wear clothes under the abaya, and these clothes are fancy and fashion sometimes.
Sources:
1-2 file://localhost/Volumes/KHALID/marghalaniweb/images/asfory_1926_305907.jpeg
3 http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/dress-saudi-ar.htm
Traditional Clothing in Saudi Arabia and Japan
Comparing and Contrasting:
Have you ever heard about Saudi clothing or Japanese clothing? Every country has unique traditional clothing. The men in Saudi Arabia wear different clothing than women wear such as, "Thawb" (1) for men and "Jlabia" (2) for women. On the other hand, Japanese men and women wear the same kind of clothing called "Kimono" (3) . Also both kinds of clothing have their own histories.
There are several similarities between Saudi clothing and Japanese clothing. In both Saudi Arabia and Japan, men and women wear clothes that identify them as Saudi Arabian or Japanese. As mentioned before, the men in Saudi Arabia wear different clothing than the women. Also, in Japan, even though both sexes wear "kimono", the men wear the gentlemen kimono and the women wear the ladies kimono. Both Saudi and Japanese clothing are made from cotton, polyester and silk. Furthermore, there are many kinds of clothing, depending on the weather. In both Japan and Saudi Arabia, men and women wear thinner, lighter clothing in the summer than in the winter. For example, in both countries, men and women wear clothing made from lighter cotton in the summer. However in the winter, they wear clothing made from heavier materials.
In contrast, there are many differences between Saudi Arabian traditional clothing and Japanese ones. First, let's look at the differences in women's clothing between both countries. Women in Saudi Arabia wear traditional clothing called "abaya" when they go outside of their homes. On the other hand, Japanese women wear kimono only on special occasions such as wedding, the coming of age day, funerals and so forth. In addition, Saudi women wear casual clothing such as jeans and T-shirts under the "abaya". However, Japanese women do not wear casual clothing under the "kimono".
The way men in both countries wear their traditional clothing is different. In Saudi Arabia men always wear "ghutra" or "shumagh" on their heads. However, Japanese men do not wear a hat or a cap when they wear kimono. When it rains, they put a small umbrella over their heads. Also, for Saudi men's clothing, they use buttons to fit their clothing, but Japanese men use belts.
When you compare the traditional clothing in Saudi Arabia and Japan, you can see many differences in their appearance. Yet, you can also find similarities in both sets of traditional clothing. It is easy for you to find differences in different cultures, but it is also important to see similarities between different cultures by looking at things such as culture celebration, history, and even the way people wear their clothing.
1- http://www.saudiembassy.or.jp/DiscoverSA/traditionalcostumes.htm
2- http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/dress-saudi-ar.htm
3- http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/index.html
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