Thread: Baladi galabeya confusion

I would like to buy a galabeya for baladi style. I know that there are 2 baladi styles- tet and awadi- men's and women's. For the women's style I've seen shiny galabeyas and cutaway dresses that expose a costume bra. I've also seen the men's done in a white cotton galabeya. But to confuse matters, I've seen the women's done in a men's style galabeya that isn't white.

I really like the white cotton galabeya style, but I was wondering- can you wear it for any baladi, or only the men's style?

Can you recommend an online vendor that sells a really quality version?

The more masculine and/or aggressive your style is, the more you can get away with. Certainly if you are doing tahtib or an overt parody of tahtib, that calls for a manly style of costume. OTOH, if you're doing a very dainty, flirty style of cane, you need to have an oversized personality to pull off a man's outfit, because those two things don't normally go together and you are making a big, sexy deal out of the gender clash. I think the reason the man's galabeya works for Fifi Abdo is that she is what people would have once called "a ballsy dame." If you're channeling Fifi, then it works to wear what she does. If you want to recreate a very folkloric stylization for women's cane or baladi, there are galabeya designs specifically for women, so there's that angle, too.

You might try looking for vendors who sell Islamic clothing. If you need to discuss sizing with the seller, I'd suggest leaving off the part about being a dancer (if you're buying women's clothes), or a dancing cross dresser (for men's). Let's be honest--people who sell Islamic modesty garments do not tend to make up the core of our fan base. And make sure you are buying normal, secular, everyday clothes, not garments for specific religious practices. This isn't supposed to be button-pushing, provocative performance art.

I understand what you mean about the Islamic modesty garments....without coming from the culture, it's hard to know "what's what." Is Fifi the only entertainer who wears the men's galabeya like that?

no, Fifi isn't the only one. Katya (sp?) of Cairo currently dances in them, too, except she likes to vamp it up a bit by making the fabric from mid-thigh down sheer. I've also seen some others from here in Germany as well as in Norway, but their names are slipping my mind.

Little Egypt is a vendor that carries the men's style (I think it's Aida Nur's line of costuming, but don't quote me on that). It comes in different colors, if that interests you.

Originally Posted by Jungleflowers

I understand what you mean about the Islamic modesty garments....without coming from the culture, it's hard to know "what's what."

If the description uses specific religious terms or the word "Hajj", then those are the off-limits garments. If it says, "...would be suitable for Friday prayers or running errands," you can probably assume that it means it isn't dedicated religious clothing.

Is Fifi the only entertainer who wears the men's galabeya like that?

She's certainly the most famous one, and when Western female dancers wear a men's galabeya, they're often doing so with her as the inspiration.

Originally Posted by xodinahox

Little Egypt is a vendor that carries the men's style (I think it's Aida Nur's line of costuming, but don't quote me on that). It comes in different colors, if that interests you.

It is Aida Nour's line, and although the inspiration is the men's style, it's made of a silky fabric and has some female body shape tailoring. I have one, and it's swishy as you dance in it, not heavy like a real men's galabeya. I think Little Egypt often has them in bright colors as well, if you want to make it really clear that it's not a man's galabeya, like bright pink ..g.:

meant to add--and Aida Nour is known for wearing one too.

Aida Nour, Mona Said, Fifi, Lubna Eman, and other Egyptian dancers wear the white gallabeyia sometimes glammed up a bit and sometimes not. I love wearing mine when doing really pushy, cheeky baladi or shaabi. Playing the Maleema.

Ahhh, Maleema. I was just thinking of that in reference to Fifi's style. :)

Just curious--does anyone know the significance of the different styles of men's garments? I was taught that the straight style with the collar placket and pocket was more commonly worn in the Gulf than in Egypt, but that seems to be the preferred style for Fifi and Tito to wear for "regular" Egyptian baladi dancing, as opposed to the fuller style that Egyptian men wear for tahtib. Do they wear the narrower style because it's more convenient to belt in order to show off hip work? Pics of the two styles below...

I secind Little Egypt for buying. I just saw some at a workshop I was at and the fabric was to die for! It wasn't rough cotten but a soft wonderful cotten. AND she also had them in very pale blue, pink, and yellow. Loved them!

Mine is the gulf style with placket front, breast pocket and stand up collar. Tailored like a man's dress shirt. I think the more tailored look displays the body line nicely.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

Just curious--does anyone know the significance of the different styles of men's garments?

My guess is that when dancing tahtib there's more leg action. These have a slight flare to the bottom which would restrict a dancer a lot less. I'm not basing this on anything silly like facts or anything, though.,r:;

Tahtib is a Saidi (Upper Egyptian) dance, danced in a Saidi style galabiyya - you can tell from the large cut and large sleeves, and of course the boots and the "laffa" on his head.

for the men's outfits pictured: i think it's just that, because tateeb is a dance from a specific region, the regional fashion is used. for example if one were to set a play in NYC you wouldn't dress the characters in Miami style fashion.