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BAATIS

Anything is more memorable with a name; a place, a game, a scandal, anything. It makes it easier to reference and cancel any unwanted noise and distractions. Like with food, the name of clothing preserves its identity.  

A garbasaar, or garbosaar, is a type of shawl commonly worn by Somali women. This rectangular scarf varies in size, style, and fabric, and is worn in many different settings. Everyday garbasaars are often made from viscose, the same fabric used for baatis.

If I were to anticipate gaining a skill from working in fashion before I began, it would be getting better at choosing clothes. I hoped to get better at recognizing good fabric among rapidly and hurriedly produced goods, and best believe I was looking forward to it.

We'd like to share some important updates with our loyal customers and curious readers. As you might have noticed, there have been some changes here and there on our Baati UK website. Considering that there is more to come, we think it’s best to keep you informed about everything that is going on.

Usually made from viscose and sometimes polyester, you must ensure to use a gentle wash cycle and cold water to avoid damage and shrinkage. Here are some further tips on how to have a perfect wash each time: 

You may call it a spa day or that specific day of the week when you relax. However, remember that you are a Somali girl, and there is no relaxing before completing all your chores and tasks. You see, a Somali girl's spa day is quite regular; a weekly or maybe even a biweekly occurrence.

The baati is for women of all sizes and if we were to be questioned whether they fit someone, it is usually regarding the height of a person. The standard length of the garment is around 160cm. Taller women might look for tailor-made baatis to accommodate to their heights and shorter women may either want to tuck in a standard baati or get it shortened.

When we began Baati UK back in 2018, we immediately realised that we were walking on an untrodden path. If you wrote 'baati' on Google, an Indian dish was not only the first thing you saw, but pretty much the only thing you saw. It would take somebody extra effort to guide the search engine a little further to find the Somali clothing.

The baati is a pretty funny garment in the sense it is perfect for sharing. Outrageously long and wide, you can lend your baati to anyone. That is the reason you are offered to change into a baati when you visit a Somali house, especially if you are visiting to offer help in cooking, cleaning or visiting for longer than an hour.

We actively refer to the dress that we sell as a “baati”, it is literally in our name and so do many people around the world. But that is not the actual name of the dress. The dress is actually called a “dirac baati” (or “dirac shiid”), and it’s simply shortened to “baati” (or “shiid”).