Meydān-e Ḩar

Head scarf, Hijab, Chador, Burka – street fashion in Iran
One of the things that most most people were curious to know about my trip and that at the same time seems to hold back a significant amount of them from actually traveling to this amazing country, is the dress code enforced on Iranian women and every women entering the country.
I got asked several times by good friends: “How was it to wear a burka during your trip?” When I then show pictures of my travel buddy and me and during our trip and of my stylish Iranian friends, they all have to admit that the street style has become incredible modern and the regulations pretty liberal.

A piece of cloth - Whats the difference?
There is a variety of veils worn by women in muslim countries and communities around the world. How much of the woman's body has to be covered, is depending on the country and its (religious) rules, but also the status, lifestyle and self-image of the woman wearing it.

The niqab is covering the head and face but leaves the eyes exposed. It usually flows down to the mid-back and to the mid-chest at the front. It is common in many Arab nations, especially the Arab Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Yemen and Oman. It is also increasingly common in South Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

The hijab is type of scarf covering the head and neck, but leaves the face uncovered. It is common in many countries; from Indonesia and Malaysia to Egypt and among many Muslim women living in the West.

The burka covers the full face and body and compared to the other veils conceals the most. The face is completely covered and a mesh cloth covering their eyes. The cloth allows the woman to still see, but leaves the eyes hidden. It is mostly worn by Afghan and Pakistani women.

The chador, worn by many Iranian women when outside the house, is a full-body cloak, basically a big piece of cloth. It is often accompanied by a smaller headscarf underneath. It is held in place under the neck by hand. Black is the preferred color in public, but women often wear colorful versions at home or at the mosque.

In Iran most girls and ladies, especially in the metropolitan areas, simply wear a scarf (often in bright colors or with modern prints). It is wrapped loosely around the head and neck, so that the back of the neck and head stay covered. The scarf is combined with a manto, a long-sleeve coat or blouse. 
You also see hijabs, as part of the girl's school uniform and work attire of women in governmental positions. Here usually black or dark blue versions of the hijab are common. In smaller towns, more conservative communities and when entering a mosque or shrine women wear the chador.

Getting used to the scarf
Sure it felt a bit strange when the flight attendant on my flight to Tehran announced, as soon as the plane hit the runway on Tehran airport, that women by law have to cover their head and arms.
It also has been very amusing to watch other female passengers too carefully covering every piece of skin and knot their scarfs underneath their chin like grandmothers.
My artsy neighbor on the plane helped me out and showed me how to sling the scarf around head and neck, so it looks quite cool and still meets the requirements.

Before flying to Tehran I looked at some of my Iranian friends' social media profiles and checked some Iranian fashion blogs to find out what I could bring with me.
I packed some of my shirt dresses, longer tunics and some loose dresses as well as some matching long skirts, leggings and harems pants and added a set of light and colorful scarfs.
During the trip, I just mixed and matched them based on my mood and the weather conditions and the planned activities for the day.
After less than a day I got used to the headscarf, moved confidently and freely through the streets of Iran and mostly even found it useful as a sun protection.
Based on some travel books I read prior to the trip, I was prepared to get stopped and my dressing style corrected by the police. I was sure that with the wind, our movements, my gestures or a bag or camera strap, would move the scarf and dress into the wrong place, expose a bit too much skin and would bring me into trouble.
In three weeks I didn't have a single encounter with a police officer. But occasionally some ladies in chadors gave us the evil eye in smaller towns, but we never really found out why.

Iranian fashionistas
Iranian women are known for their beauty and they definitely have got style.
Foreigners often believe that, as the government forces a dress code on women, they would all look the same and not attractive.
But nowadays women and fashion designers play with these restrictions. The mantos come in all colors and shapes and often the cuts emphasize the female body rather than making it disappear behind a sheet of cloth. The scarf is placed further and further at the back of the head and often just seems to balance there, revealing most of the face, hair and neck.
In Europe I often notice a trend towards reduced colors, pastels and classic shapes and sense a lack of courage to wear bright colors and unique cuts. It regularly happens that I think to myself, that a woman could wear a bit more color, one that matches her personality and complexion better than the current color trend. Iranian girls on the contrary seem to love colorful clothes and accessories that enhance their faces and eyes. It is definitely fun to watch ladies walking around in the latest street fashion and get inspired.

The chador trap
I got used to the scarf quickly, but made a fool out of myself wearing the chador. 
When visiting a shrine or other sacred site, even tourists need to cover themselves with a chador. At the entrance of such a place, you are handed a sheet of fabric that looks more or less like a table cloth with floral or 80s style prints. Before entering the holy place and during the whole stay, you have to throw it over yourself and hold it in place underneath the chin.
When we went to see the Shah Cheragh in Shiraz, I got a white piece of cloth with small green flowers on it before joining a guided tour. But the this piece turned into a real challenge - no matter how much I focussed on keeping the fabric in place, I either stepped on it or it got entangled in my camera strap. 
Things got even worse when we stopped next to a fountain to follow the instructions of the guide. The loose ends of my chador got caught by the wind and started to float on the water. Two elderly ladies observed my struggles, apparently felt sorry for me and not only got me back to the correct dressing style but also introduced me to the right way to hold it in place.
Everything seemed to run smoothly now, till I managed to somehow knot the chador, the strap of my handbag and the one of my camera together and almost strangled myself, much to the amusement of everybody around.

A feminists side note

Iran has been one of the highest ranked countries to visit on my bucket list, one that I a, really interested in and curious about for many reasons, but unfortunately the rulers of that country define a dress code for women – locals and foreigners alike.
This restrictions got me into passionate discussions with friends who couldn't understand how I could travel to a country that forces it's female citizens and tourists to cover themselves and at the same time be a feminist. They blamed me for undermining the women's fight for autonomy.
I am less than thrilled about these limitations forced on women and fight for women's freedom to wear whatever suits them and they feel comfortable with and support everybody who does so too. One option could have been to not travel to Iran at all until the limitations are lifted. I decided to go with the second – to visit Iran and follow the rules as loosely as possible.
I so much wanted to get to know it's people and explore it's rich history, art and culture, even if that includes that I have to cover my head and elbows.
The scarf and manto, still let me do everything I expect from clothes to allow me to do – I traveled and moved freely, I could express my style and personality and it even protected me from the influences of the weather.
And visiting the country gave me the opportunity to discuss the female perspective on the dress code and a variety of other issues with the ladies there.Read more