Rashida Tlaib will be sworn into Congress in style.
The representative-elect from Michigan’s 13th Congressional District announced in an Instagram post on Saturday that she will wear a traditional Palestinian thobe to her swearing-in ceremony in Washington, D.C., next month.
“Sneak peek: This is what I am wearing when I am sworn into Congress,” Tlaib wrote on Instagram with the hashtags #PalestinianThobe and #ForMyYama, which means “For my mother” in Arabic. She posted a photo of a black gown with red embroidery down the front and arms.
A thobe or thawb is a traditional gown worn in Arab countries in the Middle East and in some African countries. A Palestinian thobe is known for its embroidered patterns and has its own unique style depending on where the person wearing it hails from.
After Tlaib posted the image, other women on Twitter decided to post photos of themselves wearing their traditional thobes on Tlaib’s swearing-in day of Jan. 3, with the hashtag #TweetYourThrobe or #TweetYourThoub.
“All friends: post pics of your beautiful selves wearing Palestinian thobes (scarves, shawls, whatever you got) between Jan 3rd-5th,” Susan Muaddi Darraj tweeted on Sunday. “Flood social media with this artwork, as a big congrats to Rashida Tlaib!”
Two women already posted images of themselves wearing their thobes with one writing, “I am in! Couldn’t wait.”
Tlaib, along with Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar from Minnesota’s 5th District, became the first Muslim women elected to the House in November. Tlaib faced no Republican challengers and Omar filled the seat of Rep. Keith Ellison (D), the first Muslim person elected to Congress, who left his seat to run for state attorney general.