New Hairstyle

Oman has managed to preserve much of its original culture, including the differing and colourful varaiations of regional dresses for women. Now more or less reserved for special occasions or hidden under black abayas, the traditional dress is being reinvented and influenced by the different regions brought together in workplaces and schools. The kind of jewelry once worn by women in Dhofar is now worn by women in Buraimi, ect. Designers of the "new " traditional dress are influenced by the other regions or other media, and this has always been the case in Oman, due to the import of Indian craftsmen and trade in Zanzibar, and a policy of welcoming foriegners as valued guests.
Traditional Muscat/a form of Al Batinah regional dress is constantly adapting, but has strongly influenced the perceived form of the 'national dress' along with the interior Ad Dakliyah region. Often worn for state occasion and by school children for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Al Batinah and Ad Dakliyah dresses could most commonly be considered the majority Omani dress.

Mistakenly referred to by expats and non-Omanis as "Hindu" or "Pakistani" influenced dresses, due to the predominance of the tunic top and sirwal, Omani pants, being tighter at the ankle, are in no way similar in cut to the churider pants of India, nor is the cut of the Omani tunic, though the embroideries of these dresses today, are predominately Pakistani and Indian due to the tailors originating from those countries in Muscat.

*In the 1900s it was quite common for the women of Muscat to wear the birqa face covering now more closely associated to Beduoin culture in other regions.*

Traditional Muscati dress consists of a knee length tunic dress and worn over sarwal /pants, a headscarf often fringed called waqayah or lihaf, worn under another longer rectangular scarf without fringe called the leso or a kanga by the Zanzibari/East African Omani population dependent on the textile used. Al Batinah and Ad Dakliyah Regional Dresses

Dresses of the Muscat and Al Batinah region also typically feature what are called zarrie laces running from the shoulder to the hem as a means of decoration, on the sirwal, and at the neck fastening of the tunic. This is also consistant from Muscat, Al Batinah, and Ad Daklihaya region/governates, only difference being Al Batinah and Ad Dakiliyah typically have a textile trimming the bottom of the tunic additionally called, I believe, the sinjaf??? Al Batinah usually use purple fabric to form the sinjaf traditionally, while Ad Dakliyah tunic styles are hemmed on the longer side, mid calf rather than knee length. Ad Dakliyah dresses ALWAYS include the leso and the yarn fringed warqiyah/lihaf, and this is the Omani style you will most often spot OPNO sporting.uscat style, are also, now being influenced by Western and Indian culture, as these artistic expressions below bear testment to:

Dhofari dress: The outfit worn by Dhofari women is made up of three parts: the sarwal (the trousers), the loose dress which is shorter in the front and longer in the back called abuthail "father of the tail", the shayla/headcovering. It differs from the regional dress of other parts of Oman, mainly because of the area's classical relation to the Hadramout Kingdom.
Traditionally, the sarwal were not worn in areas of Dhofar further away from Yemen, although they always WERE worn in Yemen. Today, however, women in Dhofar wear the sarwal when leaving the house. For more casual occasions they are made of cotton and for special occasions velvet, silk or another more valued textile, and often decorated at the ankle hem.
Daily worn, the abuthail dresses are made of cotton with no embellishment and with a shorter tail hemline as exampled in the below, albeit, the below being a highly embellished example of the shorter, more practical day-wear hemlines.For special occasions they are made of velvet and silk chiffons, and highly embellished with crystals or embroideries. Traditionally, black velvet was worn for the abuthail with edging embroidered with bright alternating coloured threads in pointed and straight lines. Though new styles have evolved, originally the dress had a square neckline with no sleeves, only openings in the side seams. With the back trailing behind and the front hemmed above the ankles, legend in Salalah says the dress evolved this way to erase a woman's footsteps. Of course, it wouldn't have been made of silk in the past, if the legend holds true;)
The headcovering in Salalah is traditional worn loose but is now securely wrapped, this having evolved from more Northern Omani styles.
Having just covered one of the most often produced traditional dresses reinvented by designers on the runways, after the Dhofari dress, the other dress most worn by my Omani friends who aren't ACTUALLY from Dhofar or Sur in Ash Sharqiyah region, is the traditional dress of Sur, the suri.

Ashsharqiyah Dress from Sur is traditionally of the same function as Northern Omani dress, consisting of a tunic dress and sarwal pants, but the way that these items are embellished is distinct to the region. While other Omani regions typically embellish the bottom of the tunic and its chest, this region only embelished the garment on the wrists and on the bottom hem of the Sirwal. Additional embroidery for the chest panel was left for the suri.
The suri, better described pictorially in its traditional form in this post http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/12/suris-traditional-sharqiyah-dress.html is a loosely woven (traditionally black) wide sleeved overgarment, usually extensively embroidered along the chest, and often minutely on the sleeve hems. It is worn over the embroidered traditional tunic and pants by pulling the sleeve edges up and over on the head so that they criss-cross eachother. This can leave the arms either covered to the elbow, or to the wrist, depending on how far back on the head the garment it tied/pinned. It may also be used to fully envelop the face. It is very breathable, and easy to move in and usually covers to the feet or ankles, unlike the shorter tunic worn beneath.

Barka Al Jig Baluchi dress- There are no concrete facts as to the origin of this design but popular opinion is that it originated in the city of Barka in the Al Batinah region. However, there are numerous other cities where the Baluchi women also wear this style.

Unlike traditional Baluchi dress with ruched siding seams at the waist, this dress is not worn beyond Omani borders, and the embellishments on the chest, wrists, and hem all demonstrate an Omani influence, including the two vertical lines that run from each shoulder to the hem.

This style dress usually includes a lihaf (headcovering), tighter sirawal than traditional Baluchi pants embroidered Omani style with laces and zarrie, and a mid-calf dress without set-in sleeves called a Juma. Similar to the Dhofari abuthail, it has side seam openings instead.

Although I could not find any pics of traditional Baluchi dress at this fashion show, I posted about it here:
http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/10/not-traditional-omani-dress-but-close.html

and this Muslim woman whose blog I enjoy also did: http://muhajabat.wordpress.com/2010/10/07/dress-of-the-balooch-women/

1.) Mutrah Souq, Muscat: as it contains spices, insence, perfumes, tourist souvenirs, cheap clothes and accessories persons--house&home--and more from India and China, a gold souq, a fish souq, fabric stores, tailoring bits&bobs plus tailoring services, Omani traditional things, furniture (not very much but...), and a lovely location along the Corniche. You feel like you are in Ali Baba's cave or in the Disney Aladdin movie at times.

The reason this souq is number one for Oman to me is a. it's location in Muscat and touristy traditional things, easily accessible by tourists but still frequented by real live Omanis going about their shopping, and near-ness to a lovely stroll down the corniche , or trips to Museums [Bait Al Baranda] and a decent cafe or 2. I also love the tailors since I am a fan of Omani traditional dresses.

Located in the Al Batinah region, just a short drive away from Muscat. Open Weekly from: 8-9 am, and 4-10:30 pm. Fridays: 4:00-11:00 pm is best.

2.) Sinaw Souq, As Sharqiyah: for it being the oldest preserved souq in Oman and for it being the best place to buy genuine antique beduoin jewelry and rifles, as well as camels.

I chose it because I love Beduoin life, and short of journeying into the wahiba or spending more time in the region, this is a place Beudoin families come for socialising. And anyone who knows me in IRL, knows I am a Beduoin if they ever was one.


Located in Al Sharqiyah Region, the quickest way to get here from Muscat is to drive up the Nizwa road, and turn towards Adam. From Adam it takes roughly 40 minutes.
Open from 7 a.m- 11:oo a.m. Best day is Thursday.


3.) Al Hafah Souq, Dhofar: Nestled in the coconut groves on Salalah's south side it is a cozy souq in the Al Hafah section of town. Here are textile shops, gold and silver souqs and probably best of all, perfumeries where you can find the best frankincense in Oman, and bukhoor that will send your olfactory senses sailing.

Additionally, there are several local cafe's serving up the best in local snacks and tidbits-mishkak, hummus, etc, and if you are a fan of khaleeji abayas, Salalah's tailors make the nicest at the lowest prices.

Located is Al Hafah, Salalah, open from, honestly, I don't know, please, a Dhofari reader let me know, but usually from 8 am-1 pm, and 4-10 pm I'm guessing.

4.) Nizwa Souq, Ad Dhakliyah: I kind of had to choose Nizwa souq even though I don't frequent it personally, very often, because a. it is only a 2 hour drive from Muscat, b. for Omanis it has the best traditional livestock souq [goats, cows, chickens] on friday mornings and the best silversmiths in the country [I always buy a new ring or bracelet when I come here, maybe a get some work done a khanjar for my son], b. it is located adjacent Nizwa fort, a popular tourist destination in itself, and finally, c. there's always the touristy stuff, and on any day of the week you can experience the usual hustle-bustle of the traditional markets selling fruits and vegetables, spices, meat and fish.

Open from 7:30 am-1:00 pm, and 4:00-9:30 pm. Best day, early friday morning.

5.) Ibra's Wednesday Women-Only Souq, As-Sharqiyah: Ladies, here is your chance to prove your shopping mettle at the Wednesday Souq in Ibra. Why? Because it's an all-women affair. No men allowed. So ditch your significant other and come to Ibra. Handicrafts, utensils and textiles are the main features here.

If you like traditional dress as much as OPNO does, this souq is for you. Wednesday morning 7:30-11:30 pm is the best time.

On the weekend, OPNO and friends drove to Sinaw from the road in Bid Bid. And we only took one wrong turn, which was the fault of some old Omani dude in a petrol station we asked directions from. He said to turn at the next petrol station. He meaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant, the next petrol station AFTER the next petrol station.

Thank you nice Sharqiyah family who drove as all the way to the real road!

All the way there, Princess and OPNO were chanting, "We're going to Sinaw, we're going to sinaw" and MOP was singing Dhofari traditional songs, about pearls, "Da da dana" or something, and not-so-traditional songs from Salalah, about a young Dhofari lad at the Univeristy begging the security guard to let him in to see a girl, because he was a changed man, although not related to the girl.

Radio does not work once you hit the mountains.

Well, it was a nice trip, lots of driving. We left late though, so really, it is better to leave at 6 or 7 am from Muscat on the Nizwa road to get to the traditional souq in Sinaw if you want to see it for what it is. 9 am until 11 am is the best time to see Souq Sinaw.

Thankfully, we still checked out the going price on camels for meat and for riding. (We are poor folks, and racing camels, we do not need).

Though MOP told us a funny story about "racing camels" from back in the days when he worked with the Beduoin.

We mainly went to check out the Beduoin culture, and to see some real knives and khanjars. We also checked the prices on some antique rifles, cuz MOP wants one. OPNO REEEEAAALLLY wanted to buy some Sharqiyah traditional dresses but we came to late for that.

We did buy a decent box of tomatoes though, for only 1 rial, lol, and checked out a Mandoos tv cabinet which was totally cool for one of the rooms in one the OPNO girl's places.

After the Souq sinaw closed, and the most sensitive OPNO had petted her fair share of camels and goats, getting excited everytime she saw a Toyato pick up with two camels haunched in the back yelling at them "Hi sweeties!!!!!!" to the chagrin of MOP, the group headed to Nizwa by way of Adam, haunted by sign advertised Adam's horse racetrack, where they explored the Niwa souq there and had lunch in a grand coffee shop. (The red one) acroos from the mountain that kind of looks like a dragon sleeping or a stegasaurus (sorry, my directions SUCK without pictures). Perfect meal, for only three rials et al. Yummy.

For all ya'll who have never seen the most famous fort (I don't know why, I don't love it all that much though it has some great cannons) (maybe cuz there are ALWAYS busloads of tourists here so shopping for a decent price is hard): Nizwa fort, open Saturday to Thursday, from 9 am until 4pm, and Fridays, 8:00 am until 11:00 am.

They also explored an Islamic book shop, looking for a book explaining Ibadhi fiqh, and bought some Salat lecture cassette tapes in the Ibadhi madhab. This is a religious thing. If you're not Islamically inclined, ignore.

After that, they THOUGHT of driving through Izki, but decided to save that for another day, and headed back to Muscat on the Nizwa road way.

OPNOs practiced their reading of Arabic under the tutelage of MOP who was aghast that the girls could not read "Fanja" since they knew all the letters, and at home they watched four movies, two of which were terrible, picked by MOP, and one that was okay, picked by Princess, and one that was excellent, of course, picked by OPNO. ;p take THAT MOP.

A Suri is a loosely woven (traditionally black) wide sleeved overgarment, usually extensively embroidered along the chest, and often minutely on the sleeve hems. It is worn over the embroidered traditional tunic and pants pictured below, by pulling the sleeve edges up and over on the head so that they criss-cross eachother. This can leave the arms either covered to the elbow, or to the wrist, depending on how far back on the head the garment it tied/pinned. It is very breathable, and easy to move in and usually covers to the feet or ankles, unlike the shorter tunic worn beneath.