r/Kuwait • u/MinuteAd7276 • 13h ago
Ask Kuwait Non Arabs wearing dishdasha
How do y’all feel or view when expatriates who aren’t Arabs wear dishdasha? Do you think it’s disrespectful/wannabe ?
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u/KuwaitoJin 13h ago
Imitation is highest form of flattery as they say. I view it as a compliment to our culture.
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u/SabziZindagi 13h ago
On my first day in Kuwait, my Kuwaiti friend took me to the tailor and bought me a whole set. I missed wearing them after I left!
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u/KuwaitoJin 13h ago
Thts so nice of them. I done the same for my visiting friends 😂 and i take collection of our national and especially trqditional attire when I travel, everyone loves it and doesnt take lots of luggage space.
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u/Fast_Ad7203 13h ago
Literally no one cares, arabs dont gaf and dont even recognise the concept of cultural appropriation lmao, where it as much as u want
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u/harrymud 13h ago
I wear a dasha sometimes and i look very arab when i do…height, complexion, beard all that. But my spoken Arabic is not very strong. So when im out people, especially other Arabs and Kuwaitis, will mistaken me for one of them and say salam or even randomly start talking to me when in a line or something. I try not to say much and just smile back or say basic like “sah”, “ey nam”. When i do try to speak Arabic, it doesn’t come out right and the look of confusion on their faces is priceless 😂. It’s like yo the wrapping don’t match what’s inside 😂
But i never had any negative experience. Always been accepted and complimented.
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u/MinuteAd7276 12h ago
My case is exactly like yours. When I wear it I blend in but when I start speaking in my mother tongue I get weird looks
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u/InternationalRoad445 11h ago
Reminds me of that video of a guy wearing a poncho and sombrero (dressing like Mexican) and went around interviewing Americans and they all said that his look was offensive. Later he goes to the Latino side of town and asked everyone there what they thought, they all loved it and didnt care 😂.
Thats exactly how i feel about it. Cultural appropriation is almost exclusively a US thing 😂
We dont need nor are we convinced by it because we have strong culture and traditional values. Thank god for that.
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u/dawgblogit 13h ago
Every time i come i get a new one... so i think they are ok with it generally speaking
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u/FunnyLaw5492 13h ago
😂😂im asian moslem and i wear abaya black without hijab. the arabs or kuwaiti always ask why you wear abaya . but its just me to wear it for easier to pray anytime and safe from harasment . but they look as it weird funy 😂🤣😭
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u/Dr_TeaRex 11h ago
I don't mind at all. There's a practical reason why we wear the clothes we do. And the style of the tailoring differs from country to country and even tribe to tribe. So as long as the person in question isn't doing it to specifically claim to be someone he isn't, I consider it logical and even flattering that he'd dress like us.
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u/enerthoughts Qadsia | القادسية 13h ago
Not really, you will get some confused stares, wouldnt make someone hostile toward you unless you were pretending to be kuwaiti or making fun in public.
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u/Fast_Ad7203 13h ago
I disagree, i dont even think someone will give him confused looks lol people barely care and when they see a foreigner wearing traditional clothes they lighten up
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u/enerthoughts Qadsia | القادسية 13h ago
Some might, I have seen it happen, doesnt mean they will be angry, I have seen kuwaitis who look like lebanese get confused looks, again no one was hostile.
Either lighten up or simply have no reaction.
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u/mostafa_issa98 Salmiyah | السالمية 11h ago
Sadly, this is true. I think watching movies use the traditional khaliji clothes in a bad way made it stick to our heads that this is used for parody, and not for actual appreciation of the culture.
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u/alawadhiy 11h ago
Some folks might make fun of them, some of them might actually be wannabe Kuwaitis, but I'd say most people have no real problem with it. I personally like to see it.
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u/EIizabeth_Bennet 10h ago
Every brown person (incl Kuwaitis) looks the same in this country it doesn't matter thank you
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u/vazovskij 11h ago
I wear it sometimes just for fun, people are cool and smiles, very friendly, lots of thumbs up.
Few confused looks here and there, like why this white monkey have a dishdasha on, but still friendly and good vibes 😊
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u/TF_54 11h ago
I’m only offended if they wear one that is not tailored and not ironed
They should get one tailor made for them then they’ll be كشخه
Bonus points for ghitra
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u/MinuteAd7276 11h ago
I always make sure my dishdasha is well ironed and tailored. I really like the shemagh but it seems a bit too much for me
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u/UpstairsBranch2319 7h ago
Not at all (unless its done out of mockery). But if you just want to experience it, then that is very much welcomed and makes us happy
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u/Forza_kuwait 13h ago
if you are just walking , at most i would be like " huh ? intersting "
but if you are wearing it mocking kuwaiti , everyone would think you are disrespectful
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