Underneath those drab black floor length cloaks that all women wear when out in public here in Saudi Arabia lies the latest fashions by the hottest and most expensive designers. Clothing like what is shown in this women’s fancy dress shop would be worn usually to weddings or other formal occasions such as that. Only a woman’s husband, brother or father would ever see her wearing a gown like this, since men and women are generally completely segregated at functions like weddings because socially mixing of the sexes here is culturally unacceptable.
City Daily Photo is an online group of photo bloggers who post photos of their cities so we can all be armchair travelers and learn about other places in the world. The first day of each month is City Daily Photo’s Theme Day. This month’s theme is Bright Colors. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
About This Blog, and About Me: Susie of Arabia
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is KSA's 2nd largest city and is located on its west coast, right on the Red Sea. I moved here in 2007 with my Saudi hubby. This journal reflects the things that I see here, life through my eyes, my lens.
Please be sure to also visit my other blog, SUSIE OF ARABIA (formerly SUSIE'S BIG ADVENTURE), which relates my experiences, thoughts, and observations about living in Saudi Arabia.
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JEDDAH DAILY PHOTO 
Great Theme Day post! Mine is up at Great photo! Portland Oregon Daily Photo.
Glad to know there is colour somewhere in their lives.
they’re colourful for sure.
happy august theme day!
Thanks for this lovely photo! I’m glad so many people will be able to see what residents in the Kingdom see as a matter of course every time they visit a mall.
As for weddings, I’ve attended several in Riyadh, one of them rather lavishly done. The women wore hijab only for a few minutes, when the groom made his appearance towards the end of the celebration. All the rest of the evening, they strutted and preened in the most elegant of attire, a sight to behold, indeed.
Lovely. And it’s nice that it also shows a bit of culture from your city too!
Lots of lovely bright colours here.
So beautiful! Seems a shame not to be able to show them off to other people. I guess dressing for oneself and one’s husband has to be enough.
Do you really think woman keep on their abayas on the whole time they are hanging out? lol
These are nice but actually aren’t very fancy and would probably only be worn at home anyways.
I know I’ve seen much fancier ones, but this is not something I would wear at home – I want to be comfortable, especially in my old age!!!
Oh dear, such beautiful clothing and no chance to show yourself in it. What a shame !
Your photo fits today’s theme beautifully and as always provides a great insight into KSA’s upsetting cultural world.
Good theme day post.
Waah ok this is funny! Are you sure those are women not men in the picture? There is something going one under their dresses.
There are mixed Saudi weddings in Jeddah and I have been to 2 of them.
Thanks, Pathfinder. I know they exist, but the only ones I have ever been to are totally segregated. Can you tell me – do women wear their abayas and hijab all night at mixed weddings or do they show their gowns and their hair? Just wondering…
You are welcome :). Some women wear hijab some don’t. Nope no body was wearing Abaya only colorful modest cloth. The first one I attended was heald in a privet beach house belong to the family and the other one was in “Nadi Al Forosiyah” I think in English its called Equestrian Club.
Interesting – I would love to go to a “mixed” wedding here for a change! Thanks so much for your insight.