Clothing styles in the Middle East vary from country to country, and from region to region. In Palestine, the embroidery of patterns using specific colours is called tatreez. The word means embroidery ...

It’s a familiar exchange to many women: “I love your dress.” “Thanks ... the European three-piece suits developed from Persian kaftans by the late 17th-century, she noted.

For something less lounging-at-the-beach and more exploring-the-cobblestone-streets, there’s H&M’s lovely tie-belt kaftan dress, £37.99, with buttons down the front. It’s in a cotton and ...