General Information » Culture & Lifestyle » National Dress

On the whole, the national population still chooses to wear traditional dress. For men this is the ‘dishdash(a)’ or ‘khandura’ – a white full length shirt dress, which is worn with a white or red checked headdress, known as a ‘gutra’. This is secured with a black cord (‘agal’). Sheikhs and important businessmen may also wear a thin black or gold robe or ‘bisht’, over their dishdasha at important events, it is equivalent to the dinner jacket in Western culture.

In public, women wear the black ‘abaya’ – a long, loose black robe that covers their normal clothes – plus a headscarf called the ‘sheyla’. The abaya is often of very sheer, flowing fabric and may be open at the front. They are often far from plain with intricate embroidery and beadwork along the wrists and hemline, sheylas are also becoming more elaborate and a statement of individuality, particularly amongst the young.

Some women also wear a thin black veil covering their face and/or gloves, and older women sometimes still wear a leather mask, known as a ‘burkha’, which covers the nose, brow and cheekbones. Underneath the abaya, women traditionally wear a long tunic over loose, flowing trousers (‘sirwall’), these are often heavily embroidered with silver thread and fitted at the wrists and ankles. In Abu Dhabi, these outfits are commonly seen around government facilities and hospitals, but less often in the larger shopping malls.

Younger women are choosing more often to wear trousers or long skirts under their abayas, and high-end fashion brands are just as popular as in Western countries. Some women are even forgoing the abaya, sticking though with conservative dress – headscarf, long sleeves and long skirts or trousers.

Sharjah has a Decency Law that penalises those who do not abide by a certain dress code and moral behaviour. ‘Indecent dress’ includes anything that exposes the stomach, back or legs above the knees. Tight fitting, transparent clothing is also not permitted, nor are acts of vulgarity, indecent noises or harassment. If you have offended the law, you will initially be given advice by the police on what decency is, and then warned to abide by the law in future. If the police find you breaking the law again, a more severe penalty will be imposed.