The long gown which is the common garment worn by men in the Middle East is called the gallabeya in Egypt and goes by other names depending what part of the Arab world you are in. This is a long robe that is standard form of clothing both in the teeming metropolis of Cairo and in the solitary plains of the Sinai. Many variations of the basic style are possible but essentially the gallabeya resembles a nightshirt.
The gallabeya may be open all the way down the front like a dressing gown or it may be slit from the neck only part way to the waist. In the latter case it would be slit up from the hemline at either side or at the centre front to facilitate walking. Braid and braid covered buttons are used as fastenings on the gallabeya.
Traditional material for the gallabeya is a specially woven fine striped mercerized cotton. Plain cream coloured silk or broadcloth are also popular for summer wear while pin striped wool is a winter choice. Dark blue, grey and brown are favorite winter colors. Some sects wear a gallabeya of gabani cloth.
It is becoming popular to wear a western style suit coat made to match the gallabeya, but the more authentic overcoat is the abaya, or the shorter Bedouin jubbe. A shirt and the libas are worn under the gallabeya. The most easily recognised aspect of a Bedouin's attire is his headgear—which consists of the kufiyya-cloth anda Bedouin man. The headrope in particular carries great significance, for it is indicative of the wearer's ability to uphold the obligations and responsibilities of manhood
