The setarrah: An endangered species?

As more Yemeni women choose baltos over the traditional dress, setarrahs may fade into oblivion.

These days, older Yemeni women are the only ones wearing setarrahs, but the design is being reincorporated into modern fashion.

The traditional clothing worn in Yemen is one of the country’s most colorful characteristics. But what is now considered “traditional” was at one point quite cutting edge, and replaced something that came before it.  Yemeni style is in fact evolving more rapidly than the average foreigner might realize. 

One example of traditional clothing that has fallen almost entirely out of style in the last decade is called a setarrah. Setarrahs are long pieces of fabric, died red, blue, green, and yellow. Women drape them over their heads and let them freely hang down their backs until they nearly touch the ground. To the foreign eye, it may look like the setarrah -wearing woman has walked away from lunch wearing the tablecloth.  

The setarrah, which was once all the rage, is now worn almost exclusively by elderly Sana’ani women. These days, younger Yemeni women are more inclined to sport the black balto, which is a narrow garment worn like a raincoat over clothing.

And not just any balto.  
Baltos from the Arabian Gulf countries are widely considered to be the most elegant outdoor outfits in Yemen. Adorned with beaded patterns and embroideries, the Gulf balto is far more popular than its predecessor, the setarrah. Thus, the traditional setarrah may be about to die, because women have lost interest in the colorful garment. 

In an attempt to rescue the dying tradition, some young Yemeni girls are incorporating the fabric of the setara into the design of their baltos. Some foreign women are also attracted to this design, so they also buy these new baltos. 

“It is so beautiful to maintain our heritage in a modern way through traditional clothing,” said Ashwaq Abu Baker, 27, who works in the Ministry of Human Rights. “I feel it is my duty to show this heritage to others who do not know our heritage. Thus, when I travel outside Yemen, I try to wear these clothes.”

“I like to wear traditional clothes, particularly this kind of balto that has setarrah patterns in it, because it looks strange and unique from other baltos,” said Sohair Abdurahman, 23, a university student. “It is really so wonderful. Beside, if a girl wears this balto in another country, I am sure that others will be so attracted by it. And they will start wearing Yemeni-style clothes.”  Others say they would consider wearing this new kind of balto if there wasn’t so much patterned fabric to confuse the eye.  They suggest that it is the simplicity of the balto that makes them so elegant.  

“I might wear this kind of balto if it did not have so much going on in the fabric,” said Fatema, 13. She thinks that girls are wearing this kind of balto because it is en vogue, but they don’t look good at all.  There are others who say they like to wear traditional clothes or clothes that have the traditional design like this kind of balto, but only during certain occasions.  They would not wear them in the streets or when they go to work or school. 

“I might wear the balto with setarrah patterns if my father of brother picked me up and took me to whatever place I wanted to go,” said Fadia al-Matary, 19, a university student. “But if I have to walk in public, I do not wear it, because all the men look at me in a strange manner.”

The male gaze is frequently used as an argument against wearing the setarrah -like balto.  Many women do not like to wear this kind of balto at all, because they think they are so attractive that men’s eyes will follow them everywhere.   “I don’t like [wearing baltos with the setarrah design],” said Ansam Swar,16, a high school student. “I think girls who wear these kinds of clothes do not want to maintain the heritage of it, they just want to attract others.”

“I will not wear a balto with this design because first of all my family will not accept it,” said 15-year-old Rehab Ahmed. “Besides, I personally do not like it, because it makes others stare at me as if I did something bad.” 

“I am completely against the idea of wearing a balto with the setarrah design,” said 15-year-old Youmna Ali. “The people who wear these baltos are not maintaining their heritage, they are making their heritage look bad to others.  The purpose of wearing these baltos is to show off and attract men’s eyes, not to exhibit heritage, as people say.”

Owners and sales employees of stores that sell baltos say that many women are buying baltos with the setarrah design. And these baltos are more expensive than others baltos. 

“Lots of young women asked us to make these kinds of baltos for them,” said Ali Ahmed, who sells baltos on Hael Street. “One woman who has a clothing store in Hadda street asked us to make many baltos with this design for her to sell at her store for Yemeni and foreign women. It’s good for me because I can sell these baltos at a high price. Much more than normal baltos.” 

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