Object Note
This overgarment (thawb) is part of a three-piece ensemble, that also includes an embroidered tunic (kandurah) (ZI2006.50012a UAE) and striped undergarment (sarwal) (ZI2006.50012b UAE).
Object History
Dr. Reem Tariq el Mutwalli bought this outfit from Fatima al Ali, Um Hassan, a craftswoman from Sharjah because she felt it was the quintessential contemporary interpretation of traditional Emirati style. Fatima had worn the outfit a few times on social occasions.
Fatima is a high school graduate, married to her paternal cousin, and has 3 daughters and four sons. She uses her crafting skills to make traditional (talli), outfits such as this and face masks (burgu).
Object Features
Before the 1980s, it was common to employ contrasting colours and techniques within the components of UAE traditional dress. Women used to wear an overgarment (thawb) that was distinct and in contrast to the tunic dress (kandurah) underneath. Soon this evolved into matching sets known as (thawb_wa_kandurah), where the two garments were made of the same or matching fabrics and colours. By the late 1990s, this evolved further, as the two separate articles were merged into one and became attached at the neckline, utilising the inner tunic as lining and creating a combination overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah).
Part of a resent more contemporary example of the thawb_wa_kandurah ensemble, this overgarment thawb is made of silk chiffon (safwah) adorned with scattered silver straw specks (talli) hence the name (bu_dagah).
Customarily, the overall simple shape of an overgarment (thawb) is derived by plainly folding a length of fabric and cutting an opening (halj) at the center of the fold to allow the head to pass through, creating the neckline (halj) and central axis (bidhah). The two outer edges of the folded fabric are then stitched from the hip line down to the lower hemline, on both sides, creating two large openings for the hands to pass through forming the standard wide sleeves (jinan).
However, in this example, the fabric is simply folded to create the square shape inclusive of the right sleeve, while the left sleeve is added by attaching an extra panel resulting in an unbalanced crude stitching line on the left side of the garment. Interestingly, in an attempt at modernity, these sleeves are then tapered to create a narrower silhouette.
The wide-open neckline (halj) and central axis (bidhah) are machine embroidered (khwar_zari) in paisley (gazuwah) motifs surrounded by arabesque motifs in gold and silver metallic thread (zari). The design is repeated on a smaller scale down the central axis, which extends to below the navel. A running 3 cm wide geometric boarder finishes the outline of the whole area, and the same accentuates the hems of the wide sleeves.
The bidhah opening is relatively wide allowing the embroidered neckline on the tunic (kandurah) underneath to show through.
Keywords: mnaghad
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