Learning the Ropes: Tara vs. Sleeves

When I first told people where I was moving, I had to answer a lot of questions. (And offer a lot of reassurance, because, let’s face it, to many North Americans The Middle East is a vast unknown. And there are a lot of misunderstandings, misnomers, and stereotypes flying around concerning it.)

Abu Dhabi is predominantly Muslim. It’s not, however, as conservative as say, Saudi Arabia. I’ve seen women out alone on the streets (though more often I see them in pairs or small groups). They’re allowed to drive. Not everyone wears robes or headcoverings. Many do.

I am still adjusting to the question of appropriate attire. The literature we were given is a bit vague (irritatingly vague, in my opinion). Again, I’ve seen a huge range of attire, from girls in shorts and tank-tops (who, admittedly, look very out of place) to women in full burqa. As a non-Muslim Western woman, I’m not expected to wear headcoverings or anything. But I am, according to the vague wording of the informational pamphlet, encouraged to dress ‘respectfully’. Of course, this sentence is paired with “generally, lightweight summer clothing is appropriate year round.”

Ladies, I don’t know what your lightweight summer clothing looks like, but you know? I’ve got virtually nothing with a sleeve. Certainly nothing with a full sleeve. Maybe a couple of t-shirts, but I’m not a t-shirt sort of girl, for the most part. (They suggest sleeves are better than no sleeves. What constitutes a sleeve? Does a cap-sleeve count? How about a thick strap?)

I went to the mall (malls are a big thing here, what with it being hotter than the surface of the sun outside, and everyone running from air-conditioned spot to air-conditioned spot. Again, see: trouble with appropriate attire) and was bombarded by every store you’d expect to see on a UK high street: Oasis, Monsoon, Next, M&S, etc etc. And you know what? The clothing is all the same clothing you’d find in the UK, complete with… you know, things without sleeves. All kinds of things without sleeves! So I find myself confused. The stores exist here? People must buy the things in them? And presumably wear them?

I did, however, go out wearing what I consider to be a pretty conservative (if, yes, perhaps-a-little-form-fitting) dress, and I felt out of place. I think that one’s getting shelved. I really do want to be respectful of the new environment I find myself in. 

But when it’s somewhere between 40-50C with heat and humidity, I am not sure what, exactly, to do with the word sleeves. So far I've been making do with a combination of light cardigans (though, really, none light enough) and shawls, and I'm trying to learn where the overlap is between what's respectful, what I own, and what I personally feel comfortable wearing. I think it's a process. We'll see how it goes.