Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Abu Dhabi: What to Wear...

I've been asked what I would/wear here. The firm's guidance is to generally be covered, particularly you should have your shoulders or your knees covered, never both exposed at the same time. Mostly I've been just fine wearing a long-sleeve black T-shirt and a long dark skirt or pants with a scarf (black, white, or pink). Soooo...exactly what I've been wearing for the past 18 years. I fit in in Abu Dhabi better than i did in Hawaii. ;)
The biggest divergence for me in packing was not bringing 6 pounds of jewelry...like I usually do. In addition to my watch (incidentally, an anniversary gift from my husband), I have a pair of stud pearl earrings I found in the pocket of a thrift store suit jacket a million years ago, and the ring my husband had made for me a couple of years ago featuring a rock from the Nehalem River flanked by two sapphires. That's it! I'm in jewelry withdrawal! I should go shopping... ;)
I've seen everything here on women from full head-to-toe abaya and veil, to head covered but with jeans and a neon T-shirt, to traditional Indian garb, to obvious ex-pats in revealing things I wouldn't wear to a nightclub.(I've seen and don't understand: a woman in a full abaya and headscarf [no face veil] and sky-high stiletto hooker heels that I couldn't even stand up in! This I don't understand AT ALL.) But I find I've seen nothing more striking than the flight attendant uniforms for the airline of the UAE -- Etidah Airlines. I like the classic lines and the tip of the hat to tradition in the scarf. Perhaps they remind me of the scarves I requested of my sweet bridesmaids. :) 
I know there's a Woolite equivalent in the states, but it never occurred to me to buy it. But I saw this in the store...and the black abayas I've seen here are RIDICULOUSLY BLACK! I am covetous. I'm gonna try this sort of product upon my return. 

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