Palestinian Clothing: Traditional Dress & Modern Adaptations

Regional Diversity in Traditional Palestinian Dress

Palestinian clothing varied dramatically across regions, creating a rich tapestry of styles. In northern areas like Galilee, dresses featured bold red and green embroidery with geometric patterns. The Bethlehem region became famous for its "Bethlehem jacket," a heavily embroidered couched-work piece that could take years to complete. Coastal cities like Jaffa and Gaza favored lighter fabrics with distinctive color palettes, while the Hebron area developed its own unique embroidery motifs with usually dark colors.

This regional diversity wasn't merely decorative. The patterns, colors, and placement of embroidery functioned as a visual language, instantly identifying where a woman came from and often her marital status. A trained eye could look at Palestinian clothing and read its wearer's entire story, a crucial form of cultural preservation that continues today.

Men's Traditional Clothing and Accessories

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While women's embroidered dresses often receive the spotlight, traditional Palestinian men's clothing carries equally rich cultural significance. The thobe (also spelled thawb) forms the foundation, a long, ankle-length robe typically made from cotton or wool, depending on the season and region.

Men's thobes came in various styles: white for summer, heavier dark colors for winter, and striped varieties for everyday work. The Bedouin communities developed their own distinctive styles, often with decorative stitching along the chest and sleeves. Wealthy men might wear thobes made from fine linen with subtle embroidery.

The Keffiyeh and Headwear

Headwear completes the traditional male ensemble. The keffiyeh (also called kufiya or hatta) is perhaps the most recognizable element of Palestinian clothing worldwide. This checkered scarf, typically in black-and-white or red-and-white patterns, serves both practical purposes—protection from sun and dust—and symbolic ones, representing Palestinian identity and resistance.

The keffiyeh is secured with an agal, a black corded band. Men also wore embroidered vests called sidriyeh or damiri over their thobes, particularly for special occasions. These vests featured intricate geometric patterns and reflected the wearer's social standing.

Women's Traditional Dresses and Headwear

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The jewel of Palestinian traditional dress is undoubtedly the thobe or embroidered dress worn by women. These garments represent countless hours of skilled handwork, with some pieces requiring up to two years to complete.

Tatreez: The Art of Palestinian Embroidery

The iconic embroidery style, called tatreez, uses cross-stitch techniques passed down through generations. Common motifs include the moon (representing beauty), cypress tree (symbolizing eternity), feathers (representing ascension), and the eye (offering protection). Each village developed signature patterns—the "path of gazelles" from Ramallah, the eight-pointed star from Bethlehem, or the palm tree designs from Jericho.

Colors carried meaning too. Deep indigo or black fabric served as the base, while red thread dominated embroidery work, symbolizing life and joy. Orange, yellow, pink, and green appeared in specific regional patterns.

Traditional Headwear

Women's headwear varied by region and occasion. The shawal was a long veil draped over the head, while married women might wear the wuqayeh, a stiff headdress decorated with coins and embroidery. Coastal regions favored the asaba, a wrapped headscarf style that differed from inland traditions.

Modern Palestinian Fashion Designers

While many Palestinian designers have excelled at their innovative designs in the fashion industry, this blog features three Palestinian designers who are making significant waves in contemporary fashion.

Reema Al Banna

Founder of Sharjah-based label Reemami, Reema Al Banna has captured international attention with her sculptural silhouettes and nostalgic collections like 'A Tin of Olive Oil,' which features illustrations of Palestinian delicacies across corduroy shirts and slip dresses.

Sylwia Nazzal

Sylwia Nazzal of Nazzal Studio won the prestigious Franca Sozzani Debut Talent prize at the Fashion Trust Arabia awards for her attention-demanding pieces, including oversized puffer-coat gowns inspired by traditional Palestinian women's clothing and innovative hoodies that incorporate hijabs.

Hind Halil

Hind Halil, who founded her slow fashion label in 2019, brings an architectural sensibility to her Bethlehem-based studio, where every piece is designed, cut, and made in-house with deep respect for artisan craftsmanship. Her 'Under Another Sun' collection features timeless premium linen pieces including sleeveless maxi dresses and draped skirts perfect for summer.