16
Apr 09

Shopping Mall in Doha … am I missing something?

New to the Gulf and largely uneducated in the ways of the region’s conservative Muslims, I was a bit baffled today as I visited a small shopping center in Doha, Qatar. Women filtered through the mall as anywhere else, and just like anywhere else, they visited stores selling dresses, skirts, and halter tops. Except that they wore black head-to-toe abayas and hijabs, which literally covered everything but their eyes.

Maybe they’re buying dresses for special occasions? Inside their homes? I guess I’ll chalk  not understanding this one up to my ignorance.


Shopping Mall in Doha Qatar … am I missing something? from Paul G on Vimeo.

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Category: video

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  • Mike

    yeah, i think they wear western clothes under the hijabs, which they have to wear in public (“have to” cause of norms, maybe not laws). In their houses or with other women, they can wear/show off their other clothes.

  • Anay

    I had the same reaction. But then I started noticing the subtle differences in the hijab itself and realized that they wear it at home and still have that desire to “look pretty”
    Wild place I’m sure. Wait until ankle start to excite you…

  • jane

    You’d enjoy Reading Lolita in Tehran for an insight into women “at home”. mom

  • http://Website Ben T

    is this iPhone vid?

  • Paul

    This came from an HD FlipCam. Sorry to say you can’t officially do video on the iPhone … yet.

  • Lindsey

    Wow. Having never visited the Gulf, I watched this video several times…. it’s stunning. There is something so bittersweet about this image.

    As a designer, I also have to say, I’m not sure of the design of the hijab, but it is interesting to me that the dresses in the window are all strapless-in my mind a strapless dress is one of the most revealing dresses a woman can wear, although I’m sure plenty of women would disagree with me.

  • Graham

    Abaya covers normal clothes when out and about in public, but “normal” clothes are worn when in private (strapless dresses included). You’ll also notice that a lot of abayas are quite ‘fitted’, so don’t exactly do the job they were designed for, i.e. cover the feminine form. That’s because for a lot a women the abaya is no longer a necessity, but they wear it as a form of national identity and pride.

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