Bedouins are indigenous people. They are Arabs and desert nomads. They come from and continue to live primarily in the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East and North Africa. Bedouins have traditionally lived in the arid steppe regions along the margins of rain fed cultivation. They often occupy areas that receive less than 5 centimeters of rain a year. They rely mostly on pastures nourished by morning dew rather than rain to provide water for their animals. They have given birth to a unique culture that exists even today. Specially, Bedouin clothing and music is still quite pertinent in the 21st century. Their dressing style is emulated by designers all over the world.
Prerequisite of Bedouin clothing:
Since the Bedouin are desert people they have to endure very harsh weather conditions. therefore the first their outfit must give them protection from the scorching sunlight and dry sands.so the Bedouin clothes are wrap able around the wearer. They are loose clothing which helps to protect skin against severe sunlight and give enough space to manage heat without passing it to body. These are the basic requirements which Bedouin clothing fulfill in the best way.
Clothing style:
Bedouin man wear clothes in such a way to show their locality, social position and marital status. These things are shown by embroidery, cloak, head gear, jewelry and hair style on the special events. Each tribe has their own special design not only for man’s wear but also for the tents and bags he uses. These elements distinguish Bedouin man of one tribe from the other.
Main dress:
Most of the time Bedouin man wear white cotton foot length clothes with long sleeve shirt. This is accompanied by robe known as Dishdah. They also wear a dagger in their belt. At night they use their robe as a blanket sheet. This configuration varies from area to area. In other places the Bedouin men wear a Thobe, a long white gown. They also wear a long sleeve coat called Kibber over the Thobe.
Head gear:
Apart from this they also wear a Keffiyeh. A Keffiyeh is white cotton scarf which has square shape. It is worn over head with Aghals. Aghals are pipe like stuff which is put over Keffiyeh to grip it on head. Also, they use caps and turbans as their head gear depending on their choice and availability of the stuff.
Foot wear:
Bedouin men wear camel hides as the sandals. Newer trends have given them variety of choice in shoe selection. Now one can also see Bedouin wearing ankle boots or western style shoes to guard themselves from scorching sands.
Thus one can find Bedouin men fully equipped to counter the effect of hot and arid weather of Middle East. Their clothing gives them great support in the difficult environment. Moreover, they have modified it passing time and have adopted the modern accessories like western boots to further help them in their difficult life style. Therefore it will not be wrong to assume that Bedouin men will survive the harsh times with their traditional clothing.
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