Emirati, Saudi, Qatari, Moroccan, Pakistani: the different types of qamis

Emirati, Saudi, Qatari, Moroccan or Pakistani: one word covers very different styles of qamis. All of them are long, modest and comfortable garments, but the collar, the cord, the cuffs and even the number of pieces change from one country to the next. Here is how to recognise each type of qamis, and then choose the one that suits you.

One garment, many styles

In Arabic, qamis (قميص) means “shirt”. In France the word describes the long men’s tunic that falls to the ankles, whatever its origin. In the Gulf people rather say thobe, kandura or dishdasha; in South Asia, kameez or jubba. The silhouette stays close: the details make the style.

Wondering what sets the qamis apart from the djellaba or the gandoura? We explain it in our guide Qamis, djellaba, gandoura, thobe: what is the difference?

The Emirati qamis, or kandura

In the United Arab Emirates the qamis is called a kandura. You can spot it at a glance: no collar, a round neckline and a long braided cord that starts at the neck and runs down the front, sometimes to the waist. It is called a tarboosha or a farukha, and it is often perfumed.

The sleeves often echo the stitching or embroidery of the neckline. The kandura is often worn with the ghutra, the white keffiyeh, and covered with a bisht, a light cloak, for weddings and ceremonies.

This is the style often called a “Dubai qamis” in France. Our Emirati Qamis is our take on it: made in Dubai, it keeps the round neckline and long cord of the kandura in a fitted cut, in black, white, cream white, blue or purple.

The Saudi qamis, or thobe

In Saudi Arabia the thobe is formal dress par excellence. It has a stand-up collar, often fastened with two buttons, a buttoned front and shirt cuffs that are often closed with cufflinks. The result is structured and neat, close to a long shirt.

It is worn with the white ghutra or the red-and-white shemagh, held in place by the agal, the black cord worn on the head. In France, a “Saudi qamis” usually means a qamis with a stand-up collar.

The Qatari qamis

The Qatari thobe is the closest to a shirt: a stiff shirt collar, a buttoned front and often a pocket. It is frequently cut in a slightly shiny fabric that gives it a crisp, luminous drape.

The Kuwaiti dishdasha

In Kuwait it is called a dishdasha. Its stand-up collar gives it an understated look. Its particularity: the colour follows the seasons, light in summer, grey or brown in winter.

The Omani dishdasha

The Omani dishdasha has no collar: its round neckline is usually embroidered, as are the ends of the sleeves. It also has a cord, the furakha, but much shorter than the kandura’s, around twenty to thirty centimetres, and usually perfumed.

White is considered the most formal; for more relaxed moments the colours are more varied. The outfit is completed with the kumma, a hand-embroidered cap, or the massar, a brightly coloured turban.

The Moroccan qamis: jabador, gandoura and djellaba

In Morocco, traditional menswear takes several forms, often grouped in France under the name “Moroccan qamis”:

• The jabador: a two-piece outfit, a long tunic with matching trousers, often finished with embroidery at the collar and down the front. It is the outfit for celebrations and weddings.
• The gandoura: long, light and hoodless, often short-sleeved, for summer and home.
• The djellaba: wider, with its hood, traditionally in wool and worn over other clothes.

The Gulf qamis is a single piece, worn on its own and without a hood: we explain these differences in our qamis, djellaba, gandoura and thobe guide.

The Pakistani qamis, or shalwar kameez

In Pakistan the national dress is the shalwar kameez, and the word kameez comes from the Arabic qamis. The silhouette is different, though: the kameez is a long, straight tunic that usually stops at or just below the knee, worn with the shalwar, loose trousers gathered at the ankles.

This is what is called a “Pakistani qamis” or “two-piece qamis” in France. In Afghanistan and the Pashtun regions of Pakistan, a close variant, the perahan tunban, pairs a loose tunic with wide trousers that stop above the ankles.

Thobe, kandura, jubba: which word for which country?

• Qamis: Arabic for “shirt”, and the most common word in France.
• Thobe (or thawb): Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain.
• Kandura: United Arab Emirates.
• Dishdasha: Kuwait, Oman, Iraq.
• Jubba: mostly in South Asia and in English-speaking shops.
• Kameez: the tunic of the shalwar kameez, in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

How to choose your style of qamis

By the look you want

Do you like the clean lines of a shirt? The Saudi, Qatari and Kuwaiti styles, with their stand-up collars, are the most structured. Prefer a clean neckline? The Emirati kandura and the Omani dishdasha, collarless and with their cord, look more fluid.

By the occasion

• Friday prayer and Eid: a white qamis or cream white, whatever the style.
• Weddings and evenings: a black qamis or midnight blue, perhaps under a bisht.
• Every day: a loose cut in an understated colour, grey or blue.

By your build

The cut matters as much as the style. Our Emirati Qamis, in a fitted cut, follows the body without clinging. Our Mecca Qamis, in a loose cut and a finer fabric, gives complete freedom of movement, ideal for long prayers and athletic builds. For the size (M to XL) and the length (54 to 62), follow our size guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Dubai qamis?

It is the name often given in France to the Emirati kandura: a collarless qamis with a round neckline and a long braided cord down the front. Our Emirati Qamis, made in Dubai, is inspired by it.

Are a thobe and a qamis the same thing?

Practically, yes: thobe is the name of the qamis in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. Both describe the same long men’s tunic; “qamis” is simply the more common word in France.

Saudi or Emirati qamis: which one to choose?

The Saudi style, with its stand-up collar and shirt cuffs, is more formal and structured. The Emirati style, collarless and with its cord, is cleaner and easier to wear. It all depends on the look you like.

What is a two-piece qamis?

An outfit made of a tunic and matching trousers, like the Pakistani shalwar kameez or the Moroccan jabador. The Gulf qamis is a single piece that falls to the ankles.

Why is the cord of a qamis perfumed?

It is a Gulf tradition: the cord, the tarboosha in the Emirates or the furakha in Oman, is perfumed so that its scent stays with the wearer throughout the day.

Whatever your style, our qamis are made in Dubai, in fitted or loose cuts, sizes M to XL and lengths 54 to 62. Discover the collection and find the one that suits you.