How are women’s dress customs in Bahrain different from those in more conservative Gulf states?

Bahrain is characterized by a more cosmopolitan and moderate social environment compared to many of its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, largely due to its history of ocean travel and exposure to outside influences.1

While Bahrain remains an Arab-Islamic country, its dress customs are notably more relaxed than those found in more conservative regional states, such as Saudi Arabia. In Bahrain, Western-style clothing is common. Although women in rural areas and conservative urban communities continue to wear the hijab and the traditional long cloak known as an ʿabāyah, these standards are considered more flexible than the stricter requirements often enforced in more insular or conservative Gulf nations.12