Traditional Clothing (men)

Traditional Yemeni clothing for men may consist of a 'thobe', locally called a 'zenneh', which is a long, often white, garment. It is worn with a 'jambia' (dagger) and often a western-style coat. Others wear a 'ma'awaz', which is a long woven piece of cloth wrapped around the waist and a shirt on top. Instead of a 'ma'awaz', people in the south often wear a 'futa', an Indonesian-style sarong which is stitched together at the ends, unlike the 'ma'awaz'. A 'shawl' or 'smadeh' may be wrapped around their heads or simply put over their shoulders.

Although many men go to work in pants, you will also encounter employees in traditional clothes. Most shop-owners in the Old City wear traditional clothes. On Fridays and at qat chews, most men also dress themselves in a 'zenneh' or 'ma'awaz' because, they say, they're more comfortable.