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An imposing figure made a bold personal fashion statement by appearing in a deep cerise dishdasha
written by Rob Arnhem photographed by Syed Fasiuddin

An imposing figure made a bold personal fashion

I thought myself reasonably aware of cultural sensitivities, but the extent to which this operates in Oman was brought home to me in an unexpected way. At lunch with Omani friends, the five-year-old son of my host quietly asked his father why ÒUncle wasnÕt properly dressed.Ó Now I was wearing loose trousers and my arms were covered and here I was, all ready to sit cross-legged on the floor. But what shocked the fastidious young Haytham was the fact that I was wearing a visible T-shirt under an unbuttoned shirt in a smart-casual style I thought was really cool. His father explained to me. For Omanis, a T-shirt is worn as a vest under the dishdasha, and for Haytham, the fact that I hadnÕt bothered to button up my shirt spoke volumes about my lack of etiquette. The child taught the man. There he was, all of five, with his dishdasha buttoned to the neck, pouring coffee with aplomb and not spilling a drop on his sparkling clothes. I duly buttoned up and shook his hand and got the nod of approval.

out of sight T-shirts and wazars

In terms of underwear, a white cotton T-shirt is the most popular item, while the wrap or loincloth, called a wazar, can take many forms. In the north of Oman itÕs usually white with two narrow borders of multicoloured bands, but in Dhofar itÕs more often dark Ð greens, dark blues, purples and more Indonesian-inspired printed batik designs are also worn. Recently, light pastel shades have become available. Most of them are made of fine Indian cotton with a fringe, sometimes tasselled, on the two short ends. Many Westerners find that they also make good tablecloths and throws, and itÕs always a good idea to have one in the car or on camping trips. These versatile multi-purpose clothes, the vest and wazar, also take the place of pyjamas, and as casual wear in the privacy of the home or garden, or as working gear outdoors. The South Indian lungi is a checked or striped cotton sheet, sometimes sewn into a
cylinder, which is also worn by many Omanis on the Batinah, especially fishermen and farmers. It is longer than a wazar, and thereÕs an art to folding it. You step into it, pull it tight in front of you, and in three deft movements fold it to the right, left, and again to the right, breathe in, tuck in and roll the top down to form a sort of belt, and there you are. Until it falls off, that is. This garment is almost universal in the humid climate of South Asia, whether as lungi or sarong. A lungi is folded to give three neatly folded layers across the front of the body for modesty and also to blur the profile of the body against light. A wazar is also folded double across the front of the body with an overlapping flap so that it can be opened to answer nature is call. Properly, Muslim men should squat to attend to both natural functions, so it's a practical garment, too.

Dishdashas Fashion and tradition

The dishdasha, or thob elsewhere in Arabia, is meticulously tailored to very specific requirements. The material drapes so well because of the triangular yoke across the shoulders. From the cut, and the length, the observer can often learn a good deal about the wearer. Like the Puritans of old, for whom it was unseemly to wear unnecessarily expensive clothes because they encouraged the sins of vanity and pride, many conservative Omanis, especially if they are older and come from the interior, avoid colours other than white, and choose plain materials. Their dishdashas are therefore also cut more severely and sparingly: much shorter in length, to well above the ankle, with cuffs at the wrist. The garment is plain and not as full, dropping straight to the ground. Smart, with-it fellows, though, have slightly flared dishdashas which almost skim the floor yet miraculously avoid getting dirty. Similarly, fashionable cuffs reach to the knuckles, yet Omanis still manage skilfully to eat their meals with their hands without affecting their clothes. Good posture shows off the dishdasha to perfection. The tailoring is complex, and the garment is beautifully finished. Each side has a deep slit pocket for those indispensable mobiles and wallets. The thickness of the fabric differs Ð light in summer and thicker and heavier for winter. In the past, the cotton was locally grown, a natural white or brown, but now almost all fabric, generally a cotton-polyester blend, comes from East Asia, mainly Japan. Formal dishdashas tend to be white or pale beige or grey, but at night trendies wear charcoal grey or even sleek black ones, and on the more ethnically mixed Batinah especially, youÕll see the whole spectrum of colours. Aubergine, avocado and pistachio green, sky blue, turquoise, midnight blue, champagne, oyster and pale salmon pink are all available, and on one memorable occasion, an imposing figure made a bold personal fashion statement by appearing in a deep cerise one. Small boys often wear brightly coloured dishdashas, but colours fade with age and you'll seldom see an old man wearing anything but white. Sur has its own more ornate trademark dishdasha embellished with narrow strips of embroidery which ruck the fabric, a little like smocking and Suris are very proud of this touch of local style. Recently, some younger men have taken to wearing the sleeveless gown or jalabiyya of Egypt as leisurewear, and the Moroccan-inspired one with the hood.

The tassel at the neck, to help with doing up that tricky top button, is the fareekha or kashkusha. It's soaked in perfume and sniffed to dispel bad odours, or just for effect. Again, the design and length vary according to region and personal choice. It can
be a hank of loose strands tied once or twice along the length, or even intricately woven. Those from the Dhahirah region closest to the UAE are the longest, reaching the navel in some cases. There will also be more buttons down the front, but Omani and Emirati dishdashas are both collarless. The parson's collar, and wing collar and Western-style cuffs are features of other Gulf states further north.

practicalities Insulation and fumigation

Sitting and not exposing the vital equipment while wearing the wazar and dishdasha is an art every Omani boy learns early. There's no elasticised tight underwear, although fashions are changing. Boxer shorts and long cotton drawers are becoming increasingly popular with young city Omanis. The main advantage of wearing layers of light, loose clothing is that the body is kept cool and protected from the sun. There are no tightly fitting contact points between clothes and body, so perspiration is easy and air circulates freely. The T-shirt and waist of the wazar absorb any excess sweat, while the dishdasha provides insulation and reflects light. For observant Muslims, the ablutions five times a day before prayers are also much easier to perform. In addition, every home has a mabkhara, the wooden stand on which you drape your clothes. It fumigates and perfumes the clothes with incense, or bakhoor. Deodorants are thus impregnated into the clothes by the bakhoor blends that every family prefers.