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 that sarong-style men’s skirts, typical for the Indian subcontinent and Southeastern countries, are also common in the Arab world. For example, in Yemen, Somalia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and a number of other countries men traditionally wear such garments as izaar or futah.
As usual, this garment has many names depending on the country, ethnic group, or region – izaar, izar, futah, maʿawaz, wizarah, maqtab, etc. But the basic design and functions remain the same.
The izaar or futah is a men’s wrap-around garment for the lower body. Basically, it’s a rectangular piece of cloth made from natural fabrics, most often, cotton. It can be worn as a separate item of clothing, paired with a shirt, or underneath the thawb instead of the pants. There are white and patterned (for instance, checkered or striped) izaars.
If to talk about the area of usage of an izaar, that’s, first of all, Yemen, but also Somalia, the UAE, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
Yemeni izaar is a pretty and comfy male garment. You can often see Yemeni men dressed in a shirt (traditional or Western-style), an izzar, belted with a decorative belt or sash, and with a traditional jambiya dagger tucked under the belt as a statement piece. And this outfit is charming.
