Traditional Kuwaiti men’s clothing reflect local culture – Traditions, social norms, climate play crucial role

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KUWAIT CITY, July 20, (KUNA): It is no secret that clothes have always played part in displaying the cultural identity of people around the globe and this is very true when it comes to traditional garments worn by Kuwaiti men.

Though the design is almost identical all over the Gulf region, Kuwaiti traditional men’s clothing have distinct features that separated them from the rest.

Speaking to KUNA on the issue, cultural researcher Ghanima Al-Fahad said that traditions, social norms, as well as the climate played a crucial role in shaping men’s clothing in Kuwait, which could be either very expensive or quite affordable.

For example, “Al-Shllah”, a loose type of garment made of light material, was worn by men at social occasions during summertime, said Al-Fahad, revealing that this type of clothing developed to the point that women, now, were wearing them, after applying some feminine touches of course.

She added that “Al-Zaboun”, a coat imported from India, was another type of clothing that men wore over their “Disdashas”, the traditional name given to a dress-like type of clothing.

However, the type of clothing that showed the high status of a man among his peers was the “Bisht”, a traditional cloak, worn by men who are well off, but now is very common during social occasions like weddings and official receptions, said the researcher.

Back to the Disdasha, Al-Fahad affirmed that this was the mainstay of men’s clothing, but said that the design continued to evolve, or sometimes devolved, with fashion statements from the past, such as the cool 1960s cuff shirt worn under the Disdasha, making a comeback in our modern times.

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