Dresses
Men.
Men wear western pants or a flowing plaid ma'awis (kilt} western shirts, and shawls.
On their heads they may wrap a colorful turban or wear a koofiyad (embroidered cap).

Women
Women usually wear one of the following dress:
Direh, a long, billowing dress worn over petticoats.
Coantino, a four-yard cloth tied over shoulder and draped around the waist.
Toob, commonly worn throughout Africa
Hijab, and head scarfs are very common

Customs and Courtesies
Greetings
Somali warmly greet each other with handshakes, but shaking hands with the opposite sex is avoided.
Common verbal greetings include:
Assalam Alaikum (Peace be upon you)
Nabad miyaa (is their peace).
Subah wanaagsan (Good morning)
Galab wanaagsan (Good afternoon)
Habeeb wanaagsan (Good night)

Gestures
Somali use sweeping hand and arm gestures to dramatize speech. Many ideas are expressed through specific hand gestures:
A swift twist of the open hand means "nothing" or "no".
Snapping fingers may mean "long ago" or and "so on"
A thumb under the chin indicates "fullness".
It is impolite to point the sole of one's foot or shoe at another person.
It is impolite to use the index finger to call somebody; that gesture is used for calling dogs.
The American "thumbs up" is considered obscene.



DATING AND MARRIAGE
Dating in the Western sense does not exist in Somalia. Young urban people often meet at universities or at work and persuade their parents to help them establish a courtship. Rural marriages are usually arranged.
One-to-one dating is reserved for after the engagement party or after the marriage contract has been signed.
The groom must give a bridal token to the bride's family. Traditional wedding festivities are spread over three nights of dancing and singing, and men and women celebrate separately on some of the nights.