Tuesday 24 / December / 2024
Before 1970, a variety of dress styles were worn by both men and women. Within the current national and regional borders of Oman, dress styles often overlap. As a result, more than one region can share a number of dress styles. One of the earliest directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said was on the subject of Omani dress where a new national dress for men and women was declared. This initiative was not intended to replace the existing regional styles but to choose just one that would become the nation’s dress identity for the first time ever in the Sultanate of Oman.Several styles of traditional dresses are found throughout the Sultanate with each region having unique characteristics. Distinctions are determined by the details of embellishment, size or length of the dress, ornamentation, as well as the type of thread, fabrics and fashion.
A woman’s traditional dress in Oman identifies the community to which she belongs and differs from one to the next. The distinctions could be as simple as the length of the dress or colour of the head covering, or the type of embroidery. There are numerous names for various forms of head covering. Its function is to cover the hair, the head and the neck, or even to wrap around the face.
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A common accessory applied by women as eyeliner is kohl. Traditional Omani kohl is obtained by burning an aromatic resin (frankincense) and almond shells. This mixture is put on a piece of cloth, normally cotton, and soaked with oil to retain its properties.
The genuine kohl has a deep black colour and a creamy consistency and feels cool when applied. Originally from Ancient Egypt and worn by queens and noblewomen, it is used as eye protection against harsh radiation from the sun.
The kohl is too soft to keep in pencil form and thus needs a stick for application. Modern containers are made from silver. The applicator is dipped into the paste and the kohl is swept across the inner rim of the eye. The shape of the eyes can be enhanced by lining carefully around them. Sometimes, both women and men apply kohl on their eyes. Another form of decoration directly applied onto women’s skin is henna. This is a temporary tattoo applied to the skin in diverse patterns. The paste is prepared using henna leaf powder. Women initially began to adorn their hands and other body parts with henna ink to replicate the shapes of bracelets and hanging jewels. According to body parts and the thickness of the skin, henna stain shows different results of permanence.
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