Local dress/Tradional wear, Jiddah

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Saudis are very proud of their clothing traditions, and it is very common to see Saudi men, young and old, wearing the thobe, a long shirt that goes from the shoulders to the ankles. While it may be easy to dismiss all thobes as looking alike, there are a variety of different styles and types, some of which are associated with specific countries or regions. There are also differences in the length of the thobes and their various accessories or permutations that can often identify someone as a liberal or a conservative, a reformer or a traditionalist. In Jeddah, a number of young designers are experimenting with different innovations, blending traditional and Western styles to create a product that is uniquely Saudi. This thobes were seen in a store on Palestine Street, and there are a number of stores that sell the hybrid thobes in malls across Jeddah.

For men:

Shorts above the knee are not very welcome. You will feel uncomfortable anyway, cause nobody wears them.

For women:

Don't wear sexy clothes. Try to cover your body completely. The magic word is "Abaya”. This is the traditional long black dress. With this item you can never go wrong.

Generally, Jiddah is one of the more relaxed places in Saudi Arabia concerning dress codes, but don't push it.