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Dress code for women:

Since the Islamic Revolution 1979, all Iranian women aged more than 9, and all females travelling to this country need to have hijab and dress according to the rules. What do these rules say? Here you are:

Head Hijab

The bottom line is, women need to cover their hair, and a scarf or shawl would do the trick. If you look around you when you’re in Iran, or if you check some images on social media before the trip, you could see the way Iranian girls cover their hair in public. They usually wear a scarfhalfway, with some hair showing in the front or back. As long as you have the scarf on, it’s fine.

Make sure you pack one scarf for your trip and then buy some more in the bazaars of Iran. Beautiful ones can be found in the shops, so you can mix and match them with your clothes and play with the colours if you want.

If you are traveling to Iran in winter or fall, you can use a hat as Hijab and rap a scarf around your neck. You don’t have to cover your neck separately, if you are wearing a scarf.

Do I need to wear Chador?

No. Chador (a piece of clothing that covers the whole body from head to ankles) is not compulsory in Iran. You can see religious people wearing black Chador on the streets, or colorful ones in the shrines to spice up their pictures, but there is no need for that and it’s mandatory.

In some holy shrines, like Imam Reza in Mashhad, Hizrat Masumeh in Qom, or Shah Cheragh in Shiraz wearing Chador is necessary. In this case, one will be given to you at the entrance, so you don’t have to buy one for your trip.

What if my head scarf falls?

No hard feelings! It can happen to anyone and is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Just put it back on, as soon as you notice it. You can use bobby pins or a bun to help you keep it in place, if you are worried or if watching the scarf all the time bothers you.

Where should I wear head scarf?

From the moment you get out of your plane landing in Iran, until you leave the country, you need to have it on in public places, and in the lobby of your hotel. No need to say that in private places or in the nature where few people are around there is no need for them.

Covering the body

Neck down should be covered. If a bit of your neck is showing, or if you are wearing ¾ sleeves, or if your pants do not cover the ankles completely, it wouldn’t raise eyebrows! Just make sure your dress is not backless or transparent and you’ll be fine.

You may even be surprised by the sense of fashion in Iranian girls and boys! So no need to limit yourself to baggy pants as you may have heard. As long as you read the room and know the setting, you can wear anything from long shirts to jeans, leggings and skirts.

Dress code for men

As a man, you just have to know how to dress like an Iranian to blend in. In Iran it is not normal to see a man with shorts or sleeveless shirts on the streets. So try to stay away from them. Of course you can wear long shorts on the beaches of the north and the south without drawing any attention to yourself.