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The term "a loosely comfortable garment with graceful lines that is a type of over-garment worn by women all around the Arabian Peninsula" describes the thawb, the traditional dress of the United Arab Emirates' women. Any kind of tunic or robe worn over a gamis or kandurah (under garment/dress) can be used. Women from several regions of the Middle East wear similar clothes.

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The object was handmade by the grandmother of its original owner Hamamah bint Mubarak and was bequeathed to her (Mkhalaf_'alayiha). Although the seller insisted it dates from between the 1930s and 1960s, possibly more recent 1970s or 1980s. Hamamah was in her late eighties when she decided to sell us the outfit in 1996.

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Up to the 1960s

The traditional thoub was a simple floor-length garment made from gauze cotton or nylon net, featuring minimal decoration—just a few lines of teli (thread embroidery) around the neckline.

Both gauze cotton and nylon were materials used by Emirati women to make the thoub, but they had different purposes and preferences depending on the occasion and availability.

1. Gauze Cotton

Natural fabric, soft and breathable.

Lightweight and sheer, ideal for the hot desert climate.

Commonly used for everyday wear or underlayers.

Imported mostly from India, Iran, and Iraq.

Preferred for its comfort and natural feel.

2. Nylon

Synthetic fabric, introduced more widely in the 1950s–60s.

Shiny, sheer, and more durable than cotton gauze.

Became popular for special occasions, especially decorative thoubs.

Came in bright colors and sometimes with metallic threads or prints.

Often imported from Japan, Europe, or via Bahrain/Kuwait.

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In the early 1970s, a simple square-shaped dress known as the UAE thawb became widely popular. The introduction of wider imported fabrics eliminated the need for the traditional three-paneled construction. At the same time, foreign tailors began working in the UAE, many of whom were unfamiliar with traditional Emirati tailoring techniques.

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In the 1980s, it became fashionable to use matching satin-silk and chiffon-silk fabrics to create coordinated sets of opaque kandurahs and sheer thawbs featuring the same design. These ensembles were often enhanced with matching embroidery on the neckline and cuffs. During this period, thawbs began to feature wider and lower necklines, allowing more of the embroidered neck and front of the kandurah beneath to be visible, adding a decorative layered effect.

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Distinct display of social status and opulence. The Shaylah Imaqidah acquired by the Zay Collection from Abdullah Khunji. Abu Dhabi 1980s

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Distinct display of social status and opulence. The Shaylah Imaqidah acquired by the Zay Collection from Abdullah Khunji. Abu Dhabi 1980s

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The matching ensembles replaced the tradition of wearing a thawb alone. By the 1990s, the kandurah and thawb were combined at the neckline to create a double-layered garment. Influenced by international interest in kaftan-style dresses, UAE women modernized their traditional attire by transforming the kandurah into a short-sleeved or sleeveless slip dress worn beneath a coordinating thawb-style outer layer. Embroidery also evolved, extending beyond the neckline to adorn other parts of the garment, including the lower hem, the entire front, and the sleeves.