Traditional clothes

Clothing styles in Djibouti play an important role in revealing the wearer's ethnicity. French people typically wear casual shorts, whereas indigenous groups dress modestly in long dresses or skirts layered with a colorful shalma or futa (for females). While women typically dress in bright colors, men typically dress in white.

The majority of Djiboutis are Somalis, with the remainder being Afar, but the two groups are so similar in terms of language and culture that there is only one traditional style rather than several. A single-strapped dress is the most common traditional garment worn by both Afar and Somali women. In antiquity, Somali women wore it in white or red, but today, Somali women wear it in red and orange. Afar women today appear to wear it in red and black, though some women wear a red and black skirt with a white, silky tunic instead. The Afars are well-known for their ornate gold and silver jewelry. Raffia is used by people still living the nomadic lifestyle for weaving mats and large pieces are used to cover their dome-shaped houses.