«فُوطَه بْحَوَاشِي وِمَا تَحْتَهَاشِي»

The saying pictures a cloth towel or napkin, not a garment, with finely worked borders that seems to be draped over something valuable. When someone lifts it, the space beneath is empty. The Arabic rhymes ḥawāshī (borders) with taḥtahāshī (nothing under it), a playful effect English cannot fully reproduce.

In use, it mocks anything or anyone whose polished exterior raises expectations that the reality cannot meet. It warns against judging by attractive surfaces and exposes pretension: elegant packaging, impressive talk, or a grand appearance with nothing worthwhile behind it.

Use it to deflate something or someone whose attractive presentation hides a lack of substance, such as a showy proposal, a well-dressed but unqualified candidate, or an elaborate package with little inside. It works best as a wry aside. Applied directly to a person, it can sound insulting.