Folk costume glossary. Lebanon

Traditional pieces of the male and female national costumes in Lebanon: abaya, abba, agal, gambaz, jubbe, kabkab, kaffia, kubran, labbade, libas, mandeal, sherwal, tantur, tarboush, and taqiah.

Abaya – traditional cloak. It can be 1) rectangular male overcoat; 2) outerwear used by some Muslim women.

Abba – a kind of men’s coat. It is knee-length and short-sleeved.

Agal – doubled black cord used to keep the headdress in place. Male accessory.

Gambaz – female ankle-length dress. Gambaz often has slits at the sides so that another skirt or baggy trousers underneath are seen.

Jubbe (jubbah) – short female jacket worn in winter. It is collarless and doesn’t have any fastenings. Jubbe is worn over the gambaz. Usually, it is made from dark wool.

Kabkab (kab-kab) – traditional Lebanese female shoes of a very unusual shape, a kind of platform shoes. They were used in Lebanon since the 14th century.

Kaffia (keffiyeh) – scarf tied over the labbade hat. It can be white, read&white, or black&white.

Kubran (koubrane) – short vest embellished with many decorations (embroidery, braiding, etc.). In the past, kubran was a long-sleeved bolero jacket. Though, today it is a vest used by men and women.

Labbade – ancient Lebanese headdress; cylindrical hat made from camel wool. It is worn with a white scarf (or black and white scarf) called “kaffia” tied over the hat.

Libas – baggy pants used as an undergarment.

Mandeal – small women’s headscarf used in the rural areas.

Sherwal (sirwaal, shalvar) – very wide trousers which are narrow at the ankles. Also called “baggy trousers”. Sherwal are used by both men and women.

Tantur (tantour) – extraordinary female headdress. It is a silver (sometimes golden) cone worn by married noblewomen. It is used with a silk scarf wound around the base of the tantour and a white veil floated from its peak.

Tarboush (tarboosh, tarbouche) – male tight-fitting scull-cap often made in a shape of a short cylinder. The turban is winded around this cap. Tarboushes are produced from red felt and sometimes decorated with a tassel at the top. Women also use tarboush but it looks a bit differently. This headdress is also called “fez”.

Taqiah – Lebanese cotton or silk skull cap. It was used before the tarboush.

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