Today, at shops in Nouakchott, it's common to see daraas made from polyester, muslin and the wool of camels and goats, in addition to silk versions for non-Muslims. Many daraas in Mauritania are also embellished with gold and white embroidery, and some even have several internal and external pockets — details that would have been rare centuries ago but are useful in today's modern, urban world.
There have been attempts to introduce more Western clothing in Mauritania, however, most have failed. Nevertheless, many Mauritanians couldn't bear to leave their traditional daraa and its cultural importance behind.
Men proudly wear blue daraas in Nouakchott Credit: Juan Martinez. While elements of the traditional attire have been lost in most cities across the Sahara, men proudly wear their blue daraas in Nouakchott.
They have become such an integral part of Mauritanian culture that even businessmen dressed in smart suits wear a custom daraa instead of a blazer.
In Mauritania, younger generations regularly wear blue daraas Credit: Juan Martinez. While most Saharan countries now look to the West for fashion trends, in Mauritania, change seems a long way off. The younger generations are also proud of their traditions and regularly wear daraas. There are also hints of the clothing appearing in the modern fashion world. Recently, versions of Saharan tagelmusts have inspired trendy scarves in Europe.
As more and more cultural traditions are becoming endangered in today's fast-paced, ever-changing world, the blue daraa and tagelmusts — and the long-held traditions they represent — still continue to shine from the Sahara to the rest of the world. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc. In Pictures Cultural Traditions. What do they produce? What do they wear traditional clothes? What are some of their rituals? What is their daily life like? The clothes worn by nomads typically covered them from head to foot, as protection against solar radiation and windblown sand, and were loose with wide sleeves so the air could circulate freely underneath, allowing their perspiration to evaporate and cool their skin.
Most Arab men today wear a plain long-sleeved shirt reaching to their ankles known as a dishdasha or thawb -- white in summer but heavier and darker in colour in winter, when a heavier and darker outer robe a mishlah may be worn over the thawb. Arab men typically cover their heads with a small cap and wear over that a square scarf, usually of cotton, referred to as a keffiyeh or ghoutra.
Typically checked, black-and-white or red-and-white, it is folded once to form a triangle, draped over the head, and held in place by an igal -- a ring of black rope-like cord, commonly made of goat or camel hair. In Alexandria. Women also wear long cotton thawbs , now commonly made from cloth bought in the market. These are worn over baggy trousers and, again, are often covered by a heavier robe sometimes of wool in winter and on cold nights.
Bus queue in Biskra. And though black is the commonest colour worn by women, especially in winter, garments are frequently decorated with panels of brightly coloured woolen embroidery. Embroidery on two dresses the author acquired in Siwa.
Similarly, those women who wear the veil, and by no means all tribes do so, may decorate it using coloured wool, coins and beads. Despite still wearing dresses and sleeveless jackets, they do not carry any ornaments on the chest, which signals the maturity and dignity of wives. Older women wear loose pleated dresses concealing their whole body, made of light colored cloth or dark colored silk fabrics, with stand-up collars, embroidered with geometric patterns, and normally reach the knee.
Kazakh children taking a journey on camelback. Young Kazakh girls usually wear a triangular or square headdress in summer, profusely decorated with flower designs. In winter, they usually dress up in hard shell bowler hats, with bead ornaments and owl feathers on the top of the hats, signifying a resolute and valiant spirit, and implying happiness.
Girls, when getting married, wear high pointed caps, embroidered with flowers and decorated with gold and silver jewelry. The front of the hats are embellished with beads hanging in front of their faces, making the brides appear bashful. Kazakh women should wear headscarves after they get married.
In the first year of marriage, most of the scarves are made of red silk, thereafter changing to a loose scarf made of embroidered white cloth that only displays the face. In addition, a large scarf should be worn on the shoulder.
The scarves of young or middle-aged women are gaily-colored, of fine workmanship, embroidered with lovely patterns and flowers. Men and women must wear hats in winter and summer. They cannot wear brightly colored headscarves within a year following the death of a family member, but should instead wear specially designed headscarves.
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