Latest news with #modesty
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
I've Tried Dozens of Pajamas. Nothing Can Beat These $9 Trunks.
Over time, I've noticed a few particularly well-designed details in the cut and construction that elevate these trunks above anything else in their price bracket (and even above some pairs that cost two or three times what these do). I find the fit generous without being baggy. The inseam is just long enough to keep me well-covered around the house (for modesty), and the legs are cut wide enough that the shorts don't pull or twist when I move my body or roll around at night. The trunks' fit allows you to wear them as you might wear actual pajamas, whether you're lounging around the house or briefly stepping out to pick up the mail. The most notable feature is the three-panel construction. Most cheaper boxers have a two-panel construction, with a seam running down the center back, but Muji's trunks are cut from three panels. This type of construction is usually seen only on more expensive trunks; in addition to eliminating the uncomfortable rear seam, it creates a more three-dimensional seat to better accommodate your butt and keeps the trunks from riding up. The Muji trunks' three-panel construction omits the center seam and makes them more comfortable. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter They also have a strip of fabric covering the interior crotch seam, also for comfort. All of these construction details add extra steps and time to the manufacturing process, but they produce a pair of boxers that look and feel like so much more than a pair of boxers. Everything about these trunks is designed for comfort and lounging. The clean, covered seams of Muji's trunks. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter The especially sloppy, exposed seams of a pair of made-in-Italy pajamas are a stark contrast. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter The clean, covered seams of Muji's trunks. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter But what really made me fall in love with these trunks is the waistband. I never thought I could ever be moved to care about the waistband on a pair of boxers. And then I tried these. Muji's boxers are the only ones I've ever seen that have an explicit mention of a reduced-tightness waistband in their product description. It is indeed the most comfortable waistband I've ever worn: It provides enough resistance to keep the trunks in place but has such a light touch that I never feel any actual pressure. The soft terry-like loops on the waistband of Muji's boxers. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter Cynically, I suspect that Muji used a cheap waistband and is marketing that decision as a feature rather than a bug. But in this case, I also believe that cheapness is a virtue; the most expensive boxers I've owned have covered waistbands with a strong elastic, and the result is infinitely less comfortable than the terry loops on Muji's low-resistance exposed waistband. The comfortable waistband, along with the crisp, breathable fabric, makes these boxers feel airy and laidback in a way that mimics the leisure and aesthetic purposefulness of real pajamas. I never feel like I am using underwear for off-label purposes. A nice-to-have would be the addition of a button at the fly, but its absence isn't remotely a dealbreaker.
Khaleej Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
UAE designers redefine abaya for younger generation
The abaya has undergone a quiet yet powerful transformation. What was once a strictly traditional garment has evolved into a canvas for creativity, self-expression, and cultural dialogue, particularly in the hands of a new wave of Emirati designers who blend heritage with modern sensibilities. Today's abaya is no longer just about modesty; it's about individuality, identity, and innovation. Fatma Murshed Al Usaimi, founder of 222cult, a UAE based abaya store, sees this transformation as a natural result of cultural confidence and personal expression. She believes that as women began to seek garments that not only respected tradition but also reflected their personality, abayas started evolving in shape, color, and detail. In the summer, that freedom takes on lighter fabrics and softer tones, pastels, linens, and breezy cuts designed for comfort and versatility. As she sees the people are gravitating toward two-fabric combinations and floral accents, pieces that feel effortless yet distinct. While Fatma sees design as a reflection of identity, Leya Al Hosani, founder of Lya the Label, a UAE based abaya store, emphasizes that the abaya hasn't changed at its core, but instead has developed through design evolution. 'It used to be very simple black and plain,' she explains, 'but now we use silks, crepes, and linens, and still hold onto the value of modesty.' Light fabrics, summer colours Leya's summer collections focus on breathable, loose-fitting designs in soft, heat-friendly colors like beige, light yellow, and baby pink. She incorporates playful seasonal elements like pearls, seashells, and floral prints, making her pieces feel summery yet true to the abaya's essence. Leya also highlights how social media has shaped public understanding of the abaya, both positively and with some concern. While platforms like Instagram have helped abayas reach a global audience, she notes that the garment is occasionally misrepresented or misused by people unfamiliar with its cultural and religious significance. As a local designer, she feels a responsibility to gently educate others and preserve the cultural integrity of abaya design while staying open to new ideas. For Naamah, founder of a UAE based abaya store, says the shift is as much about perception as it is about design. She says people no longer expect abayas to be strictly black or colourful, there are different styles that have become widely accepted, so long as modesty is preserved. This season, she's seen demand spike for butter yellow, pastel shades, and bold, saturated colors, showing that wearers are embracing brightness as part of their daily wardrobes. Statement of identity Social media has played an equally vital role in Naamah's brand journey, opening up inspiration from across the region. Following abaya designers in countries like Saudi Arabia has widened her perspective on styling and innovation, allowing her to infuse those ideas into her work without losing the distinct identity of Emirati fashion. 'The abaya has transitioned significantly from a standardized, modest garment into an expressive, culturally layered form of contemporary fashion,' says Qasaied Al Tamimi, an abaya enthusiast who views its evolution as more than just aesthetic. She attributes the shift to changing societal dynamics greater female presence in public life, economic growth, and a new wave of cultural confidence among youth. For younger generations, the abaya is no longer a uniform of modesty but a statement of identity. It's styled with sneakers, bold textures, and playful accessories reflecting personality, mood, and a fusion of tradition with streetwear. Qasaied notes this shift marks a deeper renegotiation of identity. Rather than abandoning tradition, today's women reinterpret it preserving cultural relevance while embracing global fashion influences. The abaya, she says, remains rooted in heritage but now speaks in a more personal, modern language.
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Is there anything more British than an underwhelming boast on a sign?
Riding through the southern fringes of the city of Worcester a couple of days ago, I passed a sign with an arrow pointing in the direction of Bennetts Willow Barn – 'possibly the best farm cafe in Lower Wick'. Nice, that. Very British somehow, this kind of tongue-in-cheek modesty. I liked it so much that I've made the hour-long motorbike journey back out here to write this. The tea is good, the welcome warm and the sandwich substantial. It is indeed the best farm cafe in Lower Wick – there is no 'possibly' about it, because, as I suspected, it is the only farm cafe in Lower Wick. In this era of relentless, irony-free, fact-free boastfulness, a lesser establishment might have shouted about being the best cafe in Worcester, Worcestershire or all of merrie England. So this was refreshing to see. A good 20 years ago, I drove past a sign outside a pub near Warwick promising 'crap beer, terrible food, unfriendly service'. I've always regretted not popping in to pay tribute to the management. Another, less knowing example of this kind of thing that has long charmed me is the sign for Monmouth golf club on the A40 just outside the town. It says, in quotation marks, that it is 'arguably the prettiest course in Wales'. The 'arguably' is doing a lot of honourable work there. It's not clear who is being quoted – it may be the club itself – but a lesser establishment would have left the 'arguably' out, removing all doubt from the question. Respect. Sometimes, a boast is so deliciously odd that it's not clear whether or not there is irony at play. There is a sex shop in central London the sign of which boasts: 'The only 2 storey Adult Shop in Soho!' I've walked past this place a hundred times and always wondered about this. Is it true? Does it matter? I've never worked up the courage to go in to ask. Now, I've ridden through the northern fringes of Worcester and chanced upon another wry sign, this one for an art gallery. It reads: 'Last Gallery Before M5'. I like its style. This is a place called the Bevere Gallery. Assuming its art is as good as its signage, I'll be back for a look. Adrian Chiles is a broadcaster, writer and Guardian columnist
The National
08-07-2025
- General
- The National
There's no dress code in the UAE but how appropriate is your outfit?
I recently met a friend for coffee and she showed me an email she received as a resident of a gated community in Dubai, where she lives with her family. It was a polite reminder about dressing modestly in shared outdoor spaces: no transparent clothing, no offensive slogans, cover shoulders and knees, and reserve swimwear strictly for the pool or beach and no nudity poolside. It was respectful in tone, but still unmistakably a directive: please be mindful of how you dress in public. This wasn't the first time I've seen such notices. There are some outside many of Dubai's shopping malls for instance. But it did spark a deeper question: why is there a continued need to remind people of what is 'appropriate' in a country such as the UAE? And perhaps more importantly, why is the meaning of appropriateness no longer clear? The UAE is one of the most diverse societies in the world. It is home to more than 200 nationalities, and it has done an exceptional job in balancing openness with the preservation of its identity. People from almost every continent live here, some temporarily, some for decades. People raise families and build lives here. This diversity is a part of what makes the UAE remarkable. But such diversity also brings the challenge of dealing with very different cultural reference points. What is 'appropriate' or 'modest' is no longer universally understood. One reason for this, I believe, is the global shift in fashion norms. What was once considered 'beachwear' is now worn to cafes and shopping malls. Garments that used to be reserved for private or athletic spaces are now mainstream streetwear. Often clothes are designed to be revealing and expressive – and this is true across cultures, not just in the west. Young people everywhere, regardless of background or religion, dress differently than people did 20 years ago. At the same time, the words 'modesty' and 'appropriateness' remain subjective. For someone with a conservative upbringing, short shorts in a public space might seem shocking; for someone from a cosmopolitan background, it may be normal. These perspectives often collide in the country's shared spaces. When people unfamiliar with the cultural and religious values of the UAE arrive – sometimes for the first time – they may not even realise that they're violating unspoken norms. The UAE, notably, has never taken a heavy-handed approach to this issue. The country's success lies in its moderation That raises a critical question: is it fair to assume that everyone knows how to behave or dress respectfully in a new environment? Or do we need to do more to help people understand – not through imposition, but through gentle guidance? The UAE, notably, has never taken a heavy-handed approach to this issue. The country's success lies in its moderation. It does not enforce rigid public dress codes. There are no fines for uncovered shoulders or short skirts in most spaces. This level of trust and flexibility is admirable and rare in the region. But perhaps because people are not regularly reminded, many assume there are no boundaries at all. In other parts of the Middle East and the wider Islamic world, we see varied approaches. In Saudi Arabia, public dress codes – particularly for women – have relaxed considerably in recent years. In places such as Qatar or Oman, public modesty is still encouraged, but the expectation is more social than legal. Jordan and Turkey present a different model, where religious identity and state governance have a clearer separation. These countries have more secular public spheres, but even they maintain strong social expectations, particularly in family-oriented spaces. By contrast, western societies tend to rely almost entirely on informal norms. Dress codes exist, but they're often unstated and apply only in specific contexts – workplaces, restaurants and religious institutions. People are unlikely to wear beachwear to a business meeting, but they're also unlikely to be told not to dress like that to a public park. There is no formal need to remind people – because the social fabric is built around personal autonomy and the clear separation of religion and state. In the UAE, culture, religion and society are more intertwined. Here, modesty is a religious concept and part of the national ethos. And that is not something you can always read in a tourism brochure or on a sign. It requires an attuned awareness of your environment. This leads to a more nuanced question: What does it mean to truly belong to a place, not just live in it? Fitting in doesn't mean abandoning your identity or suppressing your self-expression. But it does require understanding the social parameters around you. As someone who was born and raised in the UAE, I've always seen this understanding as a kind of mutual respect. We learn to read the room, so to speak, and adjust accordingly, not because we're being told to, but because it's part of participating in society. To the UAE's credit, I've rarely seen Emiratis or other Arabs react negatively or rudely towards people who dress in ways that diverge from cultural expectations. In fact, the restraint and tolerance shown in most public spaces is remarkable. People co-exist without confrontation. No one stares or makes others feel uncomfortable. And that says a lot about the country's values. But it also underscores how important it is that we not take that tolerance for granted. The goal shouldn't be to police what people wear. Instead, we need to create greater cultural fluency. Perhaps more communities can adopt creative ways to raise awareness, through visual guides, light-hearted campaigns, or orientation materials for newcomers. Schools, malls, and even airlines can play a role in sensitively sharing what is expected in family-friendly areas. The idea is not to limit people, but to help them thrive in the environment they've chosen to be part of. It's about recognising that the UAE's openness is built on a delicate social contract – one that requires all of us to contribute to a respectful, thoughtful and inclusive public space. Modesty, in my opinion, is not only about how much skin you show. It is fundamentally about self-awareness. It's about understanding something that feels normal to you might feel disrespectful to someone else. And in a country like the UAE, where difference is embraced but identity is protected, that awareness is a courtesy, but it is also a responsibility.
Free Malaysia Today
05-07-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Preacher arrested over alleged sex videos with wives, other women
Shah Alam police chief Iqbal Ibrahim said a check on the suspect's phones revealed several sex videos with his wives, and inappropriate photos of other women. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Police have arrested an independent preacher for allegedly distributing sex videos involving himself, his wives and several other women. Shah Alam police chief Iqbal Ibrahim said the man's second wife lodged a report on June 16, claiming her husband had distributed the explicit content. 'Following the report, police arrested her husband and seized two mobile phones and a laptop belonging to him. 'A forensic check conducted on the phones revealed several sex videos with his wives as well as inappropriate photos of several other women,' he said in a statement. Iqbal said the suspect was remanded for four days until today, and has since been released on police bail. The case is being investigated under Section 509 of the Penal Code for insulting a person's modesty, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for improper use of network facilities or services. Police are also investigating the case under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 for insulting behaviour.
