Djelleba of Morocco

The djellebas are an item of clothing worn by both men and women in North Africa. They are traditionally long loose-fitting robes with a pointy hood (known as qob) and made of wool or cotton material. However, there is a new trend of lightweight djellebas that are made of cooler material and are shorter in length.

Djellebas originally served a functional purpose in society. The hood (qob) blocked the wearer from the sun and the sand blowing in the desert wind. The garment also proved to be sufficiently insulting in the cold mountains; providing much needed warmth in the harsh winters. The colors of this garment were also important in earlier times and often indicated marital status or social standing.

It is common for people in the Maghreb region of North Africa to still wear these garments today. They are just as functional now as they were in previous times.