The Importance of Encouraging Saudi Women on Wearing Different Styles and Colors of Abayas
Salma S. AlZamil
Dhahran Ahliyya Schools
The Importance of Encouraging Saudi Women on Wearing Different Styles and Colors of Abayas
Culture is one of the biggest advantages a country could have. It plays a crucial role in government decisions as well as tradition. Every country’s culture is what makes it special. With that being said, every country’s beliefs roots from cultural and historical background. For example, in the Arabian Peninsula, red rice is one of the significant historical meals. On the contrary, the Japanese traditional food is raw fish or as we now call it, Sushi. This is an understandable representation of how food is a big part of culture and in some cases is the only well-known component of a country. One of the most ancient areas in the world celebrating culture to this day is the Arabian Gulf. Saudi Arabia especially. Today, the Saudi Government is paying more and more attention to culture and tourism and investing in both. Culture not only includes food, but also clothing and, as mentioned previously, traditions which is why it comes to no surprise that the customary clothing in the gulf countries for women is the Abaya. A full-length outer garment designed to cover female features worn by some Muslim women. Just recently, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman AlSaud, has issued a royal decision for female citizens and tourists visiting Saudi Arabia to not have to wear the abaya as long as they respect the customs and decisions of our religion and country in wearing something conservative.(Gulf News , 2018) By redesigning the Saudi women’s abaya, Saudi women could enjoy traditional clothing by having the freedom in personal clothing choice and, at the same time, adhere to their values from Islam.
It is every person’s right to choose what to wear and how to style the way they dress. Having a choice in what you wear will ultimately affect many things you do in your day, such as cleaning or cooking or even going to work. This might not seem a topic of that significance only because some feel it is unimportant to tackle something related to clothing instead of the other thoughts that are more crucial to us. Taking care of the way you look does indeed make a large impact on how you are person is feeling. A research by the Northwestern University in the US concluded a study about the relationship between fashion and mental health, stating that wearing a specific favorable item of clothing can have symbolic meaning which can ultimately influence or reflect a person’s psychological state. (Dittrich,2019) Having a bad day is already very exhausting and tiring so wearing something intolerable will definitely add to the crabbiness in your mood, so imagine having to keep tugging your shirt down or pull your jeans up. That will not give you the satisfaction you deserve when wearing something you put together. Because it is crucial to feel good at least most of the time, choosing the right clothes for the right occasion is the best way to assure you have a good time while still looking sensible and put together. Sometimes on days when we are not feeling our best, our attire can make us feel much better as it acts as our own “potential armor”. (Dittrich,2019) Clothing does not only change your mental health, it also focuses on your mood and feelings. For example, putting together something you have put together and styling it how you like can help improve your daily performance. It can also make you feel more powerful and a better thinker while being at ease. Other than the importance of choice in clothing, a huge amount of people change the way they look to impress someone else without considering the consequences it could have on their mental state of mind. Most people think fashion does not only form our self-expression, but it also influences how people treat us which in return might affect our mental wellbeing. There is a sufficient amount of people who wear certain clothes to get accepted into a social group or standard, or just feel the need to prove themselves to others. This is exactly why people should understand that wearing what you like should not be measured by social status. No one should force themselves to wear things just to feel accepted because in some situations what they think will make them feel accepted can be just the reason they’re not. This is unfortunately something that is hugely wide spread globally. The need to please others to feel accepted has become more of an urge. The same goes for Saudi women, they should not feel the need to spend a substantial amount of money on a abaya just because someone else wears it or buys from the same brand. The point of the abaya is to wear something conservative, comfortable, and practical. The fact that some women in Saudi spend way too much money on abayas that are not necessarily pleasant or well off just to be seen wearing a certain brand is why abayas should not be measured by their price. Others sometimes wear abayas unfit for the occasion. For instance, they would wear a fancy and very neat abaya made for gatherings to a coffee shop. Or wear an evening abaya to the supermarket.
The evolution of the Saudi Abaya has definitely changed over the decades. First off and for quite a long time, women would often wear plain black abayas that would cover their face and figure from top to bottom. Then, abayas took a drastic change in 2007 when women in Jeddah started making white, brown, and dark green abayas. It was a huge transition at the time, especially because it caught a lot of attention which is why some people automatically claimed it was frowned upon in Islam. This led to a number of opinions circulating around this topic and if this movement should be encouraged. Some people even tried to tie this with Islam and what women should actually wear. This change in the abaya led to conflict because some people prefer the more traditional design and cannot bear changing into a major culture adaptation. Brave women were the ones to remodel the traditional abaya into a more modern one with incorporating both religion and style. Even with all the issues and conflicts surrounding this case, in 2011, Saudi designers were making expensive custom abayas in a wide range and selection of colors and fabrics (Carrie Shearer, The Cultural Shift: The Abaya and Change In Saudi Women) which then led to colorful abayas spreading throughout the kingdom by 2015, and worn by a variety of women even the ones who used to criticize the idea of wearing colored abayas. Although the change is slow, it is still happening and is a steady movement to redefine the look and feel of the abaya. (Carrie Shearer, The Cultural Shift: The Abaya and Change In Saudi Women) From a western view, wearing a different color abaya might not appear like progress, but we have to look at this from a cultural point of view. What people are not comprehending is that, women are not changing the concept of the abaya, they are merely readjusting its design to fit modern day regulations. It is for the women of Saudi’s own benefit to try and make an effort in putting colored abayas to the test to at least see how they feel when trying something new. Black abayas are still in fashion, but the climate around the year in Saudi is mostly hot so wearing black will only attract sunlight and only make women feel heated. Whereas, in wearing colored abayas, women have the option in choosing colors fit for the daylight sun. Black abayas are great in the winter time when the temperature drops and it gets a bit chilly because they help in feeling warmer due to sunlight. Inspiring Saudi women to express themselves while still clinging to the values of Islam and at the same time have their own personal clothing choice and style without anyone’s interference is what should be portrayed to people who are misinformed about this topic. This can be measured in several ways especially asking women their opinion on the colored abayas they have just bought and asking them if it meets their standards and requirements. By encouraging self expression through the abaya, hopefully Saudi women will be more confident and comfortable in their day-to-day traditional attire.
Change consists of small continued steps, but considering what has happened in Saudi Arabia the past few years and the role of the Saudi woman in her community, I am looking forward to what positive changes they will accomplish next.