Ramadan in the UAE: outfits for iftars and taraweeh

Iftar at someone’s home

Iftar with family or friends is usually relaxed but thoughtful. You may sit on floor cushions, help in the kitchen and stay for hours, so choose something that moves with you.

• A calf-length kameez in cotton or cambric with straight trousers or palazzos.
• Sleeves you can push up while serving, such as a three-quarter sleeve with a neat cuff.
• A printed or tone-on-tone fabric that forgives a splash of food better than a pale plain.
• A light dupatta that stays put when you bend, with a weighted or bordered edge.

Hotel iftars and Ramadan evenings out

Hotel and restaurant iftars are dressier, and the rooms are often very cold. This is the place for a lined chiffon or cotton silk kameez, a longer silhouette and a little more embellishment at the neckline and cuffs. Full sleeves look elegant and keep you warm under strong air conditioning. If you wear an abaya, an outfit in a deeper jewel colour with work at the cuffs shows beautifully at the sleeves when you sit down.

Outfits that work for taraweeh

For prayers at the mosque, comfort and coverage come first. Practical details to ask for:

• Opaque fabric, or a lining, so nothing is sheer in bright mosque lighting.
• A kameez long enough to sit well when you kneel and rise; our guide to modest outfits for Friday prayers covers lengths in more detail.
• Trousers with room at the knee, such as a shalwar or a relaxed straight leg, rather than a slim cigarette cut.
• Sleeves that stay down to the wrist when you raise your hands, which a slightly narrower cuff helps with.
• A neckline that works under a prayer scarf, such as a round or band collar.

Suhoor gatherings and the shorter working day

Late-night suhoor gatherings call for something easy but presentable: a co-ord set or a simple kurta in soft cotton is ideal. During the working day, many offices keep their usual standards, so neat office-wear kurtas with full sleeves serve you well and carry on into the evening with a change of dupatta.

Because Eid follows straight after, it is worth planning your Ramadan and Eid outfits as one order. One request can cover several pieces, each with its own design, and they are quoted together.

Ordering before Ramadan starts

Everything we make is cut and stitched in Pakistan and couriered to you in the UAE, whether you are in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or elsewhere. Making takes 5 to 7 working days once your quote is approved and paid in full, and courier time is extra, so order well before the month begins. You can send your own design as a photo or sketch, or describe what you need for each occasion in your notes.

Start on the design quote form for the UAE. Your written quote is in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling and already includes delivery and any customs duty, VAT and courier fees.