Dishdasha Shopping & Tailoring Guide

To be honest, I have very little experience when it comes to buying and tailoring a dishdasha because I only wear them during celebrations and formalities (eid, weddings, etc…) but I’m aware that there are Kuwaitis who are on the same boat as I am, so I decided to put this together. Feel free to point out mistakes, contribute, etc.. by leaving a comment.

Where to Buy
The most famous place is Souq Al Aqmisha in “the city” (Don’t ask, I always get lost there!) It’s very common that the shops which sell the fabric also tailor dishdashas for you.

Tailors
The most talented and crafted tailors are Iranians although some might argue that indian or pakistani tailors with a lot of experience are just as good. I’ve also heard there are It may take anywhere form 2 to 6 days to tailor a single dishdasha depending on the number of customers.

Fabric
The most expensive fabric (softest texture) is the Spanish fabric. Other fabrics are from Japan, UK and Saudi Arabia (very silk-like). I don’t recall how much the Spanish fabric costs but it’s a hefty price. It takes anywhere from 3 to 5 meters of fabric per adult per dishdasha for tailoring. Not too sure if they’re pure cotton, wool or a mixture of polymers.

Colors
They range from dark black/blue/brown/grey shades to light blue and especially a broad range of yellows. The most popular colors are white or off-white during the summer, while winter is reserved for the darker shades.

Options
If you’re having your dishdasha tailored, you can have it made with one or two buttons for your collar and choose to have them exposed or hidden. Some people opt for cuffs as well, but that’s out of the traditional.

Accessories
This is basically the gahfiya, gitra, shmagh or ogal. It’s been said that the Turkish ogal is the most popular kind (comes in different thicknesses) and lasts the longest.

Cost
Roughly 15 KD per dishdasha? Plus 8 KD gitra and I don’t recall how much the 3gal went for.

The Whole Picture
Dishdashas are worn with black/white socks and black/brown shoes, along with a classy watch, for formalities. For a more casual look, a sandal will do. Some men carry a misbah (islamic beads) made from certain gemstones (I don’t know their names!!).

More Topics?

• Bedtime/Home dishdashas
• Dishdasha styles in other arab countries
• How to wear a gitra! (Needs an entire page of its own!)