Kurdish folk garments Shal and Shepik
The Kurdish traditional clothing is still used sometimes today, though, mostly by older people. Particularly, the ancient outfit called the…
The collection
Middle East
45 articles about clothing, craft, and tradition.
Private Ottoman jewelry collection became a museum in Turkey
One of the most extraordinary museums of traditional clothing, accessories, and jewelry in Turkey is based on a private collection. The…
Kid folk clothing in Qatar is much more colorful than adult traditional dress
What do children wear in Qatar? Are traditional Qatari outfits popular among kids? How are their folk costumes different from adult…
Emirati traditional weaving. Bedouin weaving technique Al Sadu
Al Sadu is a traditional weaving technique in the United Arab Emirates. Just as many other folk crafts around the world, Al Sadu is close…
Yashmak – Turkish traditional semi-transparent veil. Practically out of use today
In the past, Turkish Muslim ladies often covered their faces with an almost sheer veil called “yashmak”. Although, such an accessory is…
Yemeni izaar or futah. Male wrap-around skirts are popular not only in India and South Asia but in Arab countries as well
It’s known worldwide that Arab men wear thawbs, loose robes that are so convenient for the local climate and lifestyle. But few people know…
Omani khanjar dagger, shaped like the letter “J”, is a symbol of manhood
We can find various dress knives that are an integral part of traditional costumes throughout the world. In the Arab world, a khanjar…
Secrets of Palestinian traditional dress and its influence on European fashion
Palestinian traditional clothing culture is so rich and admirable, it has inspired for centuries the tailors and fashion designers not only…
Folk costume glossary. Palestine
Traditional pieces of the male and female national costumes in Palestine: abaya, bisht, burnous, bushnika, damer, dimaya, hata wi ‘agal,…
Folk costume glossary. Lebanon
Traditional pieces of the male and female national costumes in Lebanon: abaya, abba, agal, gambaz, jubbe, kabkab, kaffia, kubran, labbade,…
Old photos of Turkish national clothing from 1873. Part 2
A short time ago, we’ve published the first portion of old photos of Turkish traditional outfits from a rather large collection. Here is…
Old photos of Turkish national clothing from 1873. Part 1
We’ve found a large collection of vintage photos of Turkish folk costumes from the end of the 19th century. And we’d like to share them…
Lebanese 13th-century mummies in cross-stitch embroidered tunics. You can even determine the patterns
In the National Museum of Beirut, 8 mummies are displayed together with outstanding clothing they wore to the grave. These people – adults…
Vintage Turkish clothing. Photos of ornate Ottoman royalty garments
The Ottoman Empire (the 14th – early 20th century) was a very large, very powerful, and very wealthy state. The clothing of its rulers and…
Colorful jalabiya is the best choice for UAE celebrations
The jalabiya is definitely one of the most beautiful and impressive Emirati pieces of clothing, if not the prettiest garment ever. These…
Emirati talli embroidery technique. Authentic Bedouin craft in the Arab world
The talli embroidery or braiding is one of the authentic clothing crafts still popular in the United Arab Emirates. Emirati women have been…
Folk costume glossary. Turkey
Traditional pieces of the male and female national costumes in Turkey: aigrette, anteri, bademler, başmak, bindalli, binish, çarik, çedik,…
Palestinian national costume described by the local elderly woman
It’s always fun to listen to people talking about their folk dress. They can share lots of tiny details and peculiarities that we wouldn’t…
Palestinian tatriz patterns in several large regions and their unique features
Palestinian traditional embroidery called “tatriz” can be very different in different regions of the country. Some areas prefer a certain…
Secrets of Palestinian embroidery. Needlework in Palestine after 1948
The craft of embroidery in Palestine underwent big changes in the mid-20th century. Why? What geopolitical events were so serious that they…
Omani folk attire for men looks so elegant
The national outfit of Oman is truly elegant. This is a country of the Arab world, so the folk clothing here is rather modest and typical…