Figure 1.--Here is another 19th century photograph showing Egyptian boys wearing traditional rones. Also noitice the headwear. The boys are pictured with a donkey. We do not know to what extent this was a set up portrait, or if the donkey actually belonged to the boys. Itis mot studio portrait, but a photograph taken out on the streets. Some boys would have made money carrying items around with the family donkey. It does look like an acrualy working donley. The portrait is undated, but was probably taken in the 1880s. It is also not identifued, but was probably taken in the 1880s. It seems to be a good example of the traditional clothes worn in Egypt during the 19th century. It looks to be an example of the photographs taken for the tourist trade or for sale in Europe where Orientalism had become a popular fad. The clothing looks to be essentially the same as worn a millenia earlier. That is interesting from a fashion point of view, but also reflects a society and economy that had also not changed.
Egypt is the most populace country in the Arab world. Traditional clothes appear to be still widely worn in Egypt, especially in rural areas. Early photographic images of Egypt in the 19th century suggest a country where fashion was little chnged for centuries. The earliest Egyptian image we have was taken by Wilhelm Hammarschmidt, a German photoigrapher in the 1860s. It shows a little boy in white brimless cap and robe buying water. Traditional clothing was essentially the same for men and boys without age detinction. This is indicative of a society that was little changed. This despite the fact that the 19th century was a time of dynamic change in Europe. This is more than a fashion curiosity. One must ask why Egyptian society along with that of the wider Arab world did not change for centuries. Poverty may be a factor here. The rural peasantry could not afford anything but the most basic garmnts. Traditional clothing is in effect a way of viewing pictorially deeper trends in society. Arab nationalists want to blame the West rather than look at their own society, but in Egypt Britain did not install a protectorate until the 1880s. As far as we know, traditional clothing are generalized Arab and not specificlly Egyptian styles. A reader writes, "Men and boys were still dressed like this when I visited Egypt in 1978. They were all different colors, but the women always wore black with just their faces showing no matter how hot it was."
Egypt is the most populace country in the Arab world. Traditional clothes appear to be still widely worn in Egypt, especially in rural areas. Early photographic images of Egypt in the 19th century suggest a country where fashion was little chnaged for centuries. The earliest Egyptian image we have was taken by Wilhelm Hammarschmidt, a German photographer in the 1860s. It shows a little boy in white brimless cap and robe buying water. We only begin to see European garments (19th century). We see this in the Ottoman court and among Egyptian officials and elite, especially after the establishment of the Protectorate. Civil servants and members of the ruling intelligentsia could be seen wearing European style clothing. This seems to have been a very small part of the population. Outside Cairo and other large cities, however, traditionl garments persisted. We seen increasing numbers of Egyptians weating Western garments, especially after World War I, at least in the cities. This trend continued after World War II especially into the 1950s and 60s. Then there was a change and we see an increasing Islamization of society. We see more Islamic dress, espcially at the universities that had opened to women. This was especially true for women who had begun wearing Western dress. Egypyian women acquired a reputation for stylish dress. We see them beginning to return to traditiona garments (1970s). Interstingly, Western dress for children and young men, even Islamicists, continues to be fairly common. We see less of the expensive tradutional/Islanic dress that we we see in Saudi-Arabia and the Gulf states. We suspoect that a factor here is economic. Saudi abd the Gulf states have the immense oil wealth. Egypt in contrast has little oil and has had difficulty creating a prosperous economy, in sharp contrast to neigboring Israel which also does not have an oil resource.
Ages
Traditional clothing was essentially the same for men and boys without the age detinctions that we often see with Western dress. Here after Wotld ar II we begin to see differences often based omn afe as to hi wore WEestern abd tradituinal/Islanmuc dress.
Change
The prevlence iof traditional clothing into the 20th century is indicative of a society that was little changed. This despite the fact that the 19th century was a time of dynamic change in Europe. This is more than a fashion curiosity. One must ask why Egyptian society along with that of the wider Arab world did not change for centuries. Poverty may be a factor here. The rural peasantry could not afford anything but the most basic garments.
Significnce
Traditional clothing is in effect a way of viewing pictorially deeper trends in society. Arab nationalists want to blame the West rather than look at their own society, but in Egypt Britain did not install a protectorate until the 1880s.
Wider Arab Styles
Many Arab counties had similar dress styles and garments in common. There were som generalized Arab styles in Egypt, but we see some specificlly Egyptian styles and local variations.
Colors
A reader writes, "Men and boys were still dressed like this when I visited Egypt in 1978. They were all different colors, but the women always wore black with just their faces showing no matter how hot it was."
Garments
We are not very knowledgeable about Arab clothing, but have some basic information. European headwear styles were never adopted in Egypt. We notice many boys wearing a kind of stocking cap. Some looked more like scull caps. We are not ure what the Egyotian ternm is for these caps. Ottoman Sultan Mahmud Khan II (1808-39) decreed that checheya heargear would be worn which Europeans refer to as the fez, presumsbly because they noted in in Morocco. The Egyptian fez was called a 'tarboosh'. Mohammed Ali subsequwntly made the tarboosh a part of the Egyotianm military uniform. The military commnders nvolved in the 1952 revolution did away with the fez because of the Ottoman association. The Egyptians did not wear the Arab kufeya and `igal, except for some of the Bedouin. The basic traditional Egyptian garment for men and boys is the gallibaya which looks like a long shirt. The gamis/kamis is a wide sleeved version of the gallibaya worn by the fellahin, the Egyptin pesantry. Tilke is a woollen version that has a looser fit under the arms with wide sleeves. We can see the gamis/tilke here (figure 1). While working in the fields, the fellahin commonly hitched up the skirt of the gallebaya and wrap it around their thighs to keep it from geting diurty. Trousers (sserual) were sometimes worn under the gallebaya. The poor might wear just a gallibaya, especially in hot weather. There were a range of garments thst might be worn over the gallibaya. Commonly a kaftan, a kind of vest and often striped, might be worm. The kaftan is a full length garment like a coat, but not a heavy garment. It has long wide sleeves and worn open in front. Often a fabric belt (hizan) was used to bind it. The binish was worn over the kaftan. It was an unlined cloth overcoat with wide sleeves. Many were slit at the sides. Many were dark grey. The djubbeh was another choice. It was a more elaborate garment thsn the binish. It was commonly worn during the Ottomsn era and intriduced by the Turks. The `ulama commonly wore a jubbah over a stripped kaftan. This was a long, wide sleeved gown. It fell to the feet and was buttoned half way down.
