Qatari Boys' Garments


Figure 1.--These Qatari boys in Doha are in the pet Souq. They wear Western clothes while their fathers wear traditional garments. It is bird and small pets night. People including the two boys have brought birds to auction.

Clothing in Qatar was largely traditional even in mpdern times. To some extent this was the power of tradition in a deeply conservative society. Traditional dress is standard Arab garments. This reflects the origins of Qatrari citizens. We see both men and boys wearing a kind of white robe with a black and white haeadwear garment. Boys and men wear the same garment. We see similar outfits in other Guld datates. We are not sure if there are destinctive features for Qatar or the other Gulf states. We do not know if any specificall Qatari garments. Another factor was the poverty of Arabia and Persian Gulf emirates. This did not begin to change until after World War II when the oil industry developed. Most boys now extensively wear Western dress. They often wear Western-style school uniforms and play clothes. We are not entirely sure why this is. Do boys prefer Western clothes? The fact that Western clothes are more utilitarian for activities seems to be a major factor. You can't very well play sports in traditional clothing. We see boys for special occasions wearing traditional clothing. We are not sure how common this is. Nor are we sure about social-class conventions. Adults are more likely to wear traditional clothing than children. This may be a political/religious statement.

Clothing Types

Qatari boys wear both traditional and Western clothing. Clothing in Qatar was largely traditional even in mpdern times. To some extent this was the power of tradition in a deeply conservative society. Traditional dress is standard Arab garments. This reflects the origins of Qatrari citizens. We see both men and boys wearing a kind of white robe with a black and white haeadwear garment. Boys and men wear the same garment. We see similar outfits in other Guld states. Western clothes were not very common before World war II. With the development of the oil industry, we see more people wearing Western dress. Most boys now extensively wear Western dress. They often wear Western-style school uniforms and play clothes. We are not entirely sure why this is. Do boys prefer Western clothes? The fact that Western clothes are more utilitarian for activities seems to be a major factor. We see both styles being worn by men and boys. Western clothese seem nuch more common among men and boys than wonen and girls, especially women. Western clothes seem more common with boys than adult men. We are not entirely sure why this is.

Schoolwear

Most Qatari children wear Western style school uniform to school. However they change into traditional clothes once they arrive home.

Special Occassions

We see boys for special occasions wearing traditional clothing. We are not sure how common this is. Young teenage Qatari boys dress up in their traditional clothes for social outings. This is certainly dressing up. It is immaculately clean and pressed. The sleeves are fastened with expensive cuff links. There will be a gold plated pen in the top pocket.

Casual Clothes

The boys are often in friendship groups. They wonder through a shopping mall in groups of three. Their behaviour is impeccable. They are well manured . The highlight of the evening out is to eat at a fast food restaurant. They form an orderly queue. Boys wearing Western styled clothes are dressed down and enjoy the same activities and are just as well behaved. Their dress is more appropriate if they spend time skating on the rink. At a shopping mail called the village ( Villagio) There is a Venice type canal waterway. It is popular for youngsters to travel about the Mall in a gondola. Window shopping or real shopping or just visiting a fast food restaurant seems to be an enjoyable experience for young Qatari boys. They are with their friends and not accompanied by an adult. There are several ways they will have travelled to the mall. They rode in the family chauffer driven car.. Father may have driven them to the mall. They could have taken a taxi. The driver is often the same person so he is an unoffical chafferone and drives the youths safely to and from the venue. When its time to return home the youths will take out their Blackberry cell phone and call home.

Social Class

Nor are we sure about social-class conventions. Adults are more likely to wear traditional clothing than children. This may be a political/religious statement.






HBC





Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main Qatari page]
[Return to the Main Middle Eastern page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Topics]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]






Created: 10:11 PM 10/23/2009
Last updated: 12:25 AM 4/18/2010