Thawb

In the Gulf states thobes are typically made with white or beige polymer fabric, with coloured wool thobes worn in the winter months. Thobes commonly worn by men and are considered as symbols of national and cultural identity, and are appropriate attire for formal occasions and religious ceremonies. In recent years, the thobes have become a popular fashion item, with many fashion designers adding their own modern twists to the traditional garment.

In some Gulf countries, thawb sleeves and collars can be stiffened to give a more formal appearance, front pockets and embroidery could be added and placket buttons can be covered, exposed, or replaced by zippers. In the UAE and Oman, men's thobes have no collar, use frog closures as placket fasteners, and include tassels; in Oman, tassels tend to be short, and in the UAE tassels extend to waist.

Sudanese woman wearing a traditional thawb

In Sudan, the term tobe is used to refer to women's outer garments.[2] In her book Khartoum at night: Fashion and body politics in imperial Sudan,[6] cultural historian Marie Grace Brown explained: "Meaning “bolt of cloth,” a tobe is a rectangular length of fabric, generally two meters wide and four to seven meters long. It is worn as an outer wrapper whenever women are outside their homes or in the company of unrelated males. The tobe’s origins date back to the late eighteenth century when prosperous merchants in Darfur clothed their wives and daughters in large swaths of fine imported linen, muslin, and silk as a sign of their wealth and prestige."[7] In the context of urban culture in Sudan since the 1930s, new and often colourful styles of tobes became fashionable, as Sudanese women "expressed their growing opportunities and desires through fashion."[8]

The traditional Palestinian woman's long tunic is also called thawb. It is richly embroidered, with different colours and patterns signifying various aspects of the wearer's social position and it's unique from town or city to another.[9]