♥ Diraac Fabulous ♥

The word diraac comes from the arabic word dira3 (ayn at the end) 

which originally meant shield in classical arabic but has come to 

mean a diaphanous, wide sheath like dress; which is usually worn 

with an underskirt (some yemeni variations have matching or white 

trousers worn underneath) and a shawl which is traditionally worn 

wrapped around the shoulders; or on the head. 

The diraac it appears originated in Yemen; and was possibly brought

to Somalia by a group of people called the Mahrah; a semitic; but 

non-Arabic people from Al-Mahrah province in Southern Yemen. 

This ethnic group have traditionally travelled back and forth between 

Yemen; and Somalia and Kenya. In Somalia they are known as Arab 

Salaax (Salih) and are a recognised tribe. 

Now the diraac can be found all over Yemen, though it is more 

popular in Sana and Aden; as well as in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya 

and several other East African countries. It is also found in the UAE; 

and to an extent Oman but it is not known if this is a recent cultural 

import or a more traditional thing.

There are two types of diraac; the house type usually made in 

cheap screen-printed rayon challis fabrics in a 36" width, and the 

formal type that are made in a variety of occasionwear fabrics and 

these days tend to be in a 45" or 60" width. 

In the yemeni Arabic 

dialect the house type are known as 'Ma3awees'; but in Somali this 

word is used for the men's sarongs. In some Somali dialects; such as 

the reer xamar; the house ones are known as 'baati', in others 

'diraac sheed'. As well as the fabric difference the house variety tend 

to be more open from the sides; whereas the formal type are usually 

very fitted around the arms. This store specialises in the formal 

variety of diraac but the way both types are made is pretty much  

the same.

Your typical diraac set consists of a usually sheer overdress (though 

not always, opaque satin ones are increasingly popular), a satin 

underskirt or full bra slip with a lace or scalloped embroidered trim 

on the bottom,and a shawl of some type, usually the shawls are silk 

these days but there are variations. Some of the very wide opaque 

diraac do not come with a shawl as it is superfluous. 

Some diraac sets come with either a shaash which is a bandana worn 

by married women and these are usually made in India (though the 

concept of married women only covering their hair comes from the 

pre-Islamic culture in the region of Somalia and Ethiopia) or a 

malqabad which is a filmy rectangular scarf worn by both married 

and unmarried women in Yemen and Somalia. 

In Yemen a malqabad is traditionally worn either like a bandana; 

or draped over the face as a niqab; under a yemeni khimar. 

In Somalia it traditionally tended to be worn like a headband; 

not covering all of the hair.

It is traditional in both cultures for the formal diraac (and I mean 

the dress itself here) to have some 'drag' to it, this is seen as more 

elegant and so the diraac can be held with the hand; or tucked in. 

I find it more convenient to have quite a long 'drag' as then it stays

tucked in better; but if you don't like to tuck it in it may be more 

convenient to have it just about floor length. The underskirt/halfslip, 

known as gogorad in Somali; tends to come just under the bust these 

days so you can create an empire line look if the diraac is tucked in.