Ethnic and Tribal Groups

Various tribes are living in Iran because of neighboring central Asia, Turkey and Arabic countries .one of the biggest tribe in Iran is the Turkmen tribe which lives in Turkmensahra and north of Khorasan. The Turkmen may differ in appearance and language but their culture and tradition are the same like other Iranians. Azeri Citizens who live northwest of Iran do not differ much with other Iranians in the central plateau except in language. In central Iran there is the Qashqai tribe who also speak Turkish.
Arabs are mostly living in Khuzestan or are scattered at the Persian Gulf coastal towns and villages .the other ethnic tribes in Iran consisted of Persian, Kurds, Lors, Mazandarani, Bakhtiyari, and Baluchi citizens .Due to speedy communication and better roads and closer interrelation between people in recent times the ethnic groups are often mixed with other and are not easily distinguished the exact boundaries of tribes in Iran. Negroes who are living in a scattered manner at the Persian Gulf shores are the descendants of slaves which were imported from Zanzibar several centuries ago and the Indian in that region are the progeny of Indian merchants who settled and traded at the southern harbors.

Nomadic Tribes

The nomadic tribes are hardy people who earn their living by animal husbandry and as a result they are bound to move from summer quarter to winter every year. Traditionally the nomadic tribes have no fixed place to live and their homes (which are often tents) can be easily dismantled and moved elsewhere. The word “Ashayer” in Persian means moving nomadic clan’s .In the past the nomadic tribesmen formed the backbone of the Iranian armies. Of famous nomadic tribes one can refer to the Bakhtiyari tribe and clans, the Lors and the Qashghaei. The equivalent of the Farsi term “Ashireh” is “ram” or “Rameh” which means herds and flocks. This term is used in ancient texts to describe the ethnic groups in Fars province. Being far from Towns and living in compact settlements they nomadic tribes have been able to keep their ancient customs and rites, and dress and the travelers who have toured Iran have expressed their deep admiration and interest in their lifestyle.

History of Clothing in Iran

For the sake of modesty and virtue Iranian women have worn the hijab during the course of various Persian dynasties. The Medes were the first extensive empire in the Iranian plateau and Median women did their best to array themselves and restored to everything which could embellish them. At all periods the Iranian women used gold, silver, bronze, iron, and shells to adorn themselves. In the Louvre Museum there is an embossed statue of woman who lived during the Parthian Dynasty. This woman is wearing a mantle and her turban is visible under the Chador. Above her forehead and below her turban the Parthian woman is wearing a broad projecting metal which covers the hairs in front of the head like a lace. The corner of the Chador is pinned under an oval shaped ornamented clip or button and hung under the neck with a chain. It is said that the chador which had been used by women from older times was worn by the women during the Sassanid period albeit with different colors and designs.
During the Safavid period because of focusing on Iranian tradition and strict adherence to Shia faith, various arts blossomed and the women’s dress had its specific shape. The robes were often colorful and flowery or silk embroidered. Above their dress they wore a coat which reached their feet and was open on their chests. They fastened their robe loosely on their waists, wore a small cap, a Scarf, cotton Pants and short woolen socks during the winter.
During the Zand and Afshar periods the women reduced their ornaments and wore simpler garments. They shortened their blouse and their coat and wore loose pants, and wore a mangle over them. The women often wore tight shirts made of wool and silk, a round collar which was fastened under the neck by a lace. When necessary they put on a long coat which reached their ankles.
The shape of women’s dress changed very slightly during the Qajar period. They wore a shirt with an open front and long sleeves and long, baggy and frilled robes. They embroidered the edge of their skirts and wore a golden, silver or jeweled belt. Like Zandian period the women wore a net and a small cap on their heads.  

Qajar Era, the Turning Point of Fashion in Iran

If we want to define the starting point for a change in the dress of women in the Qajar royalty, everything starts from a party. At a party, Fath Ali Shah’s first wife met Elizabeth McNeill, John McNeill’s wife. She wore a white satin shirt decorated with jewelry. As a result, this party was the starting point for changing the clothes of Qajar women. The travels of Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar to different courtiers, and the communication of students, and ambassadors to Europe brought about a significant political and commercial change in Iran. Moreover, all of this expanded the cultural and social ties between Iranians and Europeans. As a result of these connections, there was a big change in the type of clothing Iranian men and women wore.

Qajar Era -The Leaders of Fashion in Iran

1. Malik Jahan
Malik Jahan was one of the royal women who cared a lot about her dress and jewelry. With the arrival of silk, satin, mahogany, and cotton fabrics and the activity of European tailors in Iran, the Iranian outfit took on European styles.
Malik Jahan used the finest velvet and silk fabrics to sew her garment. And always used pearls and wonderful jewelry to decorate them.

2. Taj al-Saltanah
She was one of the most important women in the Qajar royalty. She was very interested in French fashion. And she had a great desire to follow European fashion.
Taj al-Saltanah considered wearing European clothes as one of the ways for women to be free and active in society. She was a member of the Women’s Liberation Association. Unlike many Qajar women, she went to school. Her efforts for the freedom and rights of Iranian women at the time were criticized and hated by Mozaffar al-Din Shah (her brother) and many other Qajar royalties.

3. Nasser al-Din Shah
Nasser al-Din Shah himself was one of the people who had a special interest in European clothes and outfits. During one of his trips to Russia and watching a ballet show, he was impressed by the skinny pants and puffy short skirts. In fact, in many of the photos, you see Qajar women wearing pleated skirts and trousers. And as you now know, they were all inspired by the same Russian ballet show.

Pahlavi Era - Public Outfits    

Iran’s Cosmetics and Fashion In 1925, the Pahlavi regime in Iran began. It was then, the imitation of European culture and fashion reached its peak. The spark for banning all Islamic veils was heard in the late Qajar period. But the arrival of the Queen of Afghanistan to Iran and Reza Shah’s visit to Turkey and meeting with Ataturk pushed things further. After all this, Reza Shah announced the banning of all Islamic veils and the unification outfit of the Iranian people.

Reza Shah’s order to modernize culture and clothing led men to wear European men’s suits and chapeau hats instead of the traditional Qajar outfits and even the local costumes of the cities. Women could also use a feminine chapeau instead of a headscarf.

The Islamic Republic Revolution and Religious Clothes

The revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979) brought about great changes in the type of clothes that people wore, especially for women. As you know, political and religious developments play an important role in people’s lifestyles. So after the revolution, the type of clothing and even the style of clothing for men and women underwent major changes in a short period of time. Iran’s Cosmetics and Fashion.
After the political developments and the imposed war in the early days of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, clothes diverged far from Western fashion. In those years, the style of men and women became Islamic clothes. And the problems of the war were a lot that people could not think about Western clothes and fashion, at the time. Therefore, in those years, most of the clothes were Islamic and simple. Over time, men’s and women’s clothing kept changing. Of course, the advent of technology has had a great effect on these changes.

The Style of Men and Women in Iran in 21st Century

Iran’s Cosmetics and Fashion With the availability of technology, computers, and the Internet in Iranian homes, fashion changes have increased more than in previous years. In the early years of the 21st century, most young boys and girls wore the color of the year and according to western trends (of course, as much as the Islamic rules allowed them).But in the second decade of the new century, the activity of Iranian designers increased. And, as a result, the variety of men’s and women’s clothes raised up. Therefore, the pattern of the clothes was not only obtained from European and American fashions. Instead, many of the clothes took on an oriental style close to Iranian culture.
This development of clothing design in Iran is increasing every day. Prestigious and successful Iranian brands have found a particular position not only in the country but all over the world.

Iranian Clothes Categories:

Although most clothes in Iran are typical in Europe, you may find few pieces unfamiliar. You don’t have to change your dressing style a lot for traveling to Iran.
Here are the unfamiliar pieces:

Mantos:
It comes from the French word, manteau, a thin loose-fitting rob on top of other clothes. In Iran, it’s considered an Islamic Hijab for women. Female students put them on as school uniforms. And on formal occasions and offices, Iranian women wear plain types of mantos.
These days there are various elegant mantos designed and sold in fine boutiques and malls. We suggest you leave some space in your suitcase, you may be inspired by stylish Iranian clothes.

Scarf:
Scarves have diverse designs and colors in Iran. Sometimes you can see traditional patterns of tiles or paisley shapes over them.
At times they have more modern designs. The same happens about mantos. Recently, it’s become very popular to tie them in different ways overhead.

Maghnae:
A formal version of a scarf, usually worn in darker colors like black and navy blue. Usually, female students and staff on formal occasions and in offices wear Maghnae.

Chador:
Chador is an Islamic outer garment. In fact, it’s an open cloak that covers the body shape from the top of the head to the feet.
It’s worn by religious people to be more moderate. They wear black chadors on the streets. The colorful ones are mostly used at home in front of guests.
Apart from these pieces, other Iranian clothes are exactly like anywhere in the world. Sometimes they wear a coat and skirt or pants at weddings and even on the streets if the skirt is long enough to cover the legs to the feet.
Even the popular color changes yearly. For some years European styles were so common among Iranian women, But these days they’re also excited about traditional designs.

Is What Tourists Think Right?

Some tourists think they should look very simple while entering Iran, but amazingly Iranian women are chic and pushed up. They wear makeup, dye hair, and have the latest styles. It has become the norm to look more fashionable, there’s no push-back about it. Nowadays young Iranians access to social media, movies, magazines, and foreign beauty products. They follow the latest Western fashion trend on Instagram and find out more about beauty standards. Some of the hashtags you can search about recent Iranian clothing styles are #Persian Style, #Persian Fashion, #Persian Clothing, #manto.