Tarik Sultan

I thought this was a cool video showing how vibrant women's fashions are in Egypt. There's a lot of talk about the resurgence of the veil. I think in some ways its an expression of identity, but they haven't sacrificed asthetics, nor are they trying to be throwbacks of a bygone age. They are modern women and have created their own expression of fashion.

lizaj

This has been a great series on BBC TV called Women in Black. I missed this one but luckily a friend has recorded it. The one on the Yemen was illuminating in the extreme. I have to catch up on Dubai!

khanjar

Ah I missed Yemen, but I saw Dubay, it was very good and worth seeing.

On a practical note, the wearing of head ware, be it scarf or whatever, is very practical in that the Middle Eastern sun has a very quick drying effect on hair and skin, there accelerating ageing. Staying covered up, is not a bad idea, that is, if like a mad dog or an Englishman you go out when the sun is at or around it's zenith.

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I am a dream to some...and a nightmare to others.

lizaj

I always wear a head cover on holiday either in the Med area or North Africa in high summer not for any culltural sensitivity but because bright sunlight has a devastating effort on bleached blonde hair. I pay plenty to stop from going white as it is. I am not going to undo my hairdressers's hard work. It also means I am less likely to suffer from sunstroke. If folks think I am being respectful I suppose there's an added bonus

khanjar

Good for you on the staying covered idea, I have seen blonde hair go almost white with only a few days in Middle Eastern sun. My own seems not to suffer too bad in the sun, it being thick, usually oily and almost black, but I wear head ware in the sun anyway. If it does dry, out comes the olive oil, which I use for skin care too and the onerous task of shaving.

On the subject of respect, well aside from hiding from the sun, staying covered is a good form of camouflage in that one does not stand out in a crowd. I wish not to insult anyone, and so always research accepted forms of appearance and conduct for wherever I may go.

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I am a dream to some...and a nightmare to others.

maariku

Ooh, great video! I have always been very surprised how colourful and colour-cordinated the girls on the streets of Alexandria and Cairo are dressed! And the scarves - they come in all colours, patterns and they are fastened with sometimes the most outrageously decorated pins. Oh, and a girl I met in Alex told me she had more than 120 scarves!

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"[A good bellydancer] must express life, death, happiness, sorrow, love and anger, but above all she must have dignity." -Tahia Carioca,

Babylonia

My daughter went to school with sisters who wore hijabs. She said that they had the best clothes, very gothic/punk like they stepped out of a Hot Topic catalog.