In this concluding segment of the series on traditional male attire in the Moroccan urban context, attention turns to the various forms of footwear worn by men navigating the streets of the city. As with the garments and accessories examined in the preceding instalments, traditional footwear functioned not merely as a utilitarian necessity but as a significant cultural marker, encoding distinctions of social class, professional affiliation, and regional identity. The material composition, craftsmanship, and stylistic nuances of these shoes offer critical insights into the ways in which footwear – like other elements of dress – contributed to the visual articulation of hierarchy, mobility, and everyday life within the urban fabric of Morocco.

Footwear:

Traditional footwear, most notably the ubiquitous balghah – a soft leather slipper worn by men across a range of urban classes—further reinforces the interplay between utility and aesthetic refinement in Moroccan dress traditions. The materials, colours, and degrees of ornamentation found in men’s footwear offered subtle yet meaningful distinctions between everyday use and formal occasions, and between artisanal craftsmanship and imported luxury.

Blāri / Balghah /Babouche (Mséita, Mbentra and Mkhousra)

In urban Morocco, the most commonly worn form of traditional male footwear was the yellow leather slipper known locally as the blāri. Distinguished by its characteristically folded heel, the blāri not only served as a practical element of everyday dress but also represented a regional variant of the widely recognized balghah or the babouche (البلغة / بابوش), a type of backless slipper prevalent throughout North Africa. The ubiquity of the blāri across social classes attests to its functional adaptability and symbolic resonance within the broader continuum of Moroccan male attire.

Title: Moroccan babouche, green velvet with silver thread at the Bata Shoe Museum, Morocco, c. 20th century; Source: Wikimedia Commons; Link

 

Title: Embellished Shoes, Morocco / Iraq, c. 20th century; Acc. No: ZI2023.501024 MOROCCO; Source: The Zay Initiative; Link

To the untrained observer, traditional Moroccan footwear may be broadly categorized into two principal stylistic forms: the curved-toe and the pointed-toe varieties. The curved-toe balghah (البلغة), also known as idoukan, is typically associated with Amazigh communities and is often characterized by vibrant embroidery and decorative detailing. In contrast, the pointed-toe balghah, commonly referred to as the fassi, is more prevalent in urban settings, particularly in Fez, and is frequently crafted in saffron coloured leather. This latter form is traditionally reserved for festive and ceremonial occasions, where its refined construction and colour symbolism underscore its association with formality and prestige.

More nuanced variations, however, were acknowledged within artisan communities, where specialized knowledge informs the classification and evaluation of traditional footwear. These subtle distinctions – often pertaining to construction techniques, materials, regional styles, and degrees of ornamentation – are documented in trade records and craft literature, reflecting a sophisticated internal discourse among practitioners that extends beyond broader public perceptions.

Within the Moroccan artisanal context, multiple variations of the balghah (البلغة) emerged, each tailored to specific socio-economic strata and occupational needs. The mséita, for example, was widely used by working men and individuals who engaged in prolonged walking. Its appeal lay in its thick, durable construction, which prioritized comfort and resilience.

In contrast, the mbentra – a lighter slipper with a thin sole made from pale, almost white leather – was traditionally favoured by scholars and men of learning, reflecting a preference for understated refinement and possibly indoor use. Perhaps the most refined and symbolically charged of these variants was the mkhousra, a high-quality slipper distinguished by its superior leather craftsmanship and elegant form. Commonly worn by high-ranking government and imperial officials, the mkhousrasignified not only status but also access to elite artisanal production.

Collectively, these variations in footwear highlight the subtle yet significant ways in which material, form, and usage articulated distinctions of class, profession, and cultural capital within the landscape of traditional Moroccan urban dress.

 

Teqāchīr

In addition to the blāri  or balghah (البلغة) slippers, other forms of utilitarian footwear, such as socks, occupied a functional yet culturally meaningful place in traditional Moroccan male dress. Historically, the wearing of socks – particularly of knitted woollen varieties known as teqāchīr – was primarily associated with older men or members of earlier generations. These items were typically produced and sourced locally, reflecting both artisanal self-sufficiency and the climatic demands of specific regions.

Over time, however, the adoption of socks expanded beyond generational boundaries, influenced in part by the increasing circulation of European fashion and dress norms in Morocco. The growing availability of mass-produced socks, facilitated by expanding trade networks and industrial manufacturing, contributed to their normalization across diverse age groups and socio-economic classes.

This gradual shift to European imported hosiery, well-documented in colonial-era fashion journals and trade records not only reflects changing patterns of consumption but also illustrates how external sartorial influences were selectively integrated into local practices, reshaping the daily expressions of dress within the Moroccan urban landscape.

In conclusion, the examination of different traditional attires within the urban Moroccan male wardrobe reveals a richly textured interplay between functionality, craftsmanship, and social symbolism. Accessories such as the mdomma, hizām, and kourziya also served as structural supports for layered garments as well as markers of status, occupation, and cultural identity, with distinctions in material and design often reflecting regional and communal affiliations. Likewise, variations in footwear – from the blāri and its specialized forms – mséita, mbentra, and mkhousra – further underscores the nuanced visual codes that were embedded in male dress. The integration of ancillary elements also demonstrates how evolving generational practices, and external influences shaped the continuity and transformation of local dress traditions over time.

Having thus surveyed the principal accessory components of traditional male attire, the series will now turn to the richly layered world of traditional women’s dress in the urban Moroccan context. The forthcoming segment will explore the garments, adornments, and textile practices that defined female appearance in public and private spheres, offering insight into how women’s clothing similarly articulated identity, aesthetics, and socio-cultural belonging in the dynamic fabric of Moroccan urban life.

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