If one article of clothing originating in the Middle East has truly conquered the world of fashion, it has to be the shemagh. Shemaghs are incredibly versatile, multipurpose pieces of headwear that can be configured in a dozen different ways and used for at least that many other purposes.

From keeping the scorching sun off of your head and neck to protecting your nose, mouth, and eyes from windblown dust, shemaghs are perfect.

And they’re also highly fashionable, being seen on sharp-dressed men and women alike across the world, and also worn by warfighters, outdoorsmen, insurgents, rebels, and others for more utilitarian purposes.

You can make a great case for owning and wearing one as part of your preps, but you also need to be aware of the fact that there are some shemagh colors that should be avoided for various reasons. Keep reading, and I’ll tell you about the colors that you should stay away from.

What’s a Shemagh, Anyway?

A shemagh is basically a combination of neckerchief and head wrap. These large, typically all-cotton garments can be wrapped around the head, face, and neck either singularly or in combination depending on what kind of weather you are facing and what is comfortable.

Don’t let the exotic name fool you: that is really all they are, and they have a lot in common with the traditional, oversized Western neckerchief that often compliments a bandana.

However, because this is a distinctly cultural garment, despite proliferating around the world, shemaghs are sometimes charged with meanings and assumed identifications that they might not warrant.

Consider the Optics: Perception is Everything

The first thing you must keep in mind when choosing a shemagh color is the environment that you’ll be wearing it in and the people that inhabit it.

As the saying goes, perception is everything and what you choose to wear is always a conscious choice that informs other people of what to think about you, whether or not you put a lot of thought and effort into it.

If you as a Westerner decide to wear a shemagh in a Middle Eastern country it might attract attention or it might not. Likewise, the specific colors may or may not say something about you based on the culture you are in and the tribes, factions, and individuals that inhabit that area.

Even at home in the US, assumptions may be made about you if you wear one. In the middle of a city with a bunch of chic, fashion-forward people in it, a shemagh might be beneath notice when worn as a simple scarf, especially if it is trendy at the time.

On the other hand, people who served in the military overseas in the Middle East or zealous patriots might assume that you either served as well or have sympathies for the people we were fighting against.

These are just examples, but definitely something to keep in mind if you choose to wear one of these ancient garments. It is, at the end of the day, just a scarf- but it’s not a typical scarf!

What to Avoid for Foreign or Domestic Travel

If there were just two colors of a shemagh that I would tell you to avoid wearing entirely, it would probably be the classic black and white and the lesser-seen but still troublesome black and red.

Depending on who you ask at home and abroad in places like Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Pakistan, and elsewhere these two colors are either associated too strongly with certain national and tribal identities or with certain political movements endemic to the region.

If you wear these colors you might get some static for it- or you might not- but I assert it is just not worth the risk for Westerners, especially when you have so many other colors out there to choose from.

I would strongly advise you against wearing them in any foreign nation unless your guide or host tells you it is okay.

Colors to Avoid for Outdoor Survival Situations

Now, politically and culturally charged concerns aside, shemaghs are incredibly practical and there is a whole lot to recommend them for preppers. Especially when used in outdoor survival situations, they give you a lot of capability for minimal weight and bulk.

However, if camouflage is on your mind, and it should be, there are some shemagh colors that you obviously should avoid.

Any of your bright primary colors are right out, especially purple, red, blue, and any fluorescent color like orange. These are only going to increase your visibility in any natural environment, even when sitting still, and drastically so.

And whatever the color, be cautious of choosing any shemagh that has a big, bold geometric pattern. The traditional “houndstooth” pattern will blend in a fair degree at a distance, but large plaid or checks are more easily spotted even when the color matches the surroundings.

Colors to Avoid for Urban Survival Situations

Likewise, choosing a shemagh for urban survival should not draw attention to you unnecessarily.

Camouflage is still a consideration, of course, but you might need camouflage of a different kind; blending in with the mass of humanity as a Joe Schmoe civilian rather than sticking out as a prepper or “operator” because of curious color or pattern choices.

For everyday carry or wear in an urban or suburban environment, stay away from the military colorways, ones like OD green, coyote tan, flat dark earth, and so forth.

That or any combinations of these colors or shemaghs that happen to have an actual camouflage pattern. Most people who see these will think your fashion sense is questionable at best.

If you want one in an actual color suitable for urban camouflage (i.e. concealment), consider choosing a dark brown, green-gray, or dark green.

Sometimes “Aggressive Mimicry” is Best

One more thing to keep in mind is that sometimes a strategy of aggressive mimicry can help you avoid the most trouble.

If you get caught trying to stay concealed using camouflage, and you’re dressed head to toe in camouflage colors, that says something about your motives- especially if you are packing other military-style gear!

Wearing “innocent” civilian colors and patterns in such a situation might make staying concealed more difficult, but also to a degree makes you look a bit more innocent if you’re caught trespassing or discovered.

And by the same token, it is true that military camouflage and colors are fashionable to a degree:

You can rarely go anywhere in a suburban or urban area without seeing someone with a camouflage backpack, BDU-style pants, or similar accouterment although this is usually only part of an outfit and not the whole thing.

The post 11 Shemagh Colors to Stay Away From appeared first on Survival Sullivan.

By: Tom Marlowe
Title: 11 Shemagh Colors to Stay Away From
Sourced From: www.survivalsullivan.com/bad-shemagh-colors/
Published Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:26:43 +0000

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