Bahrain and Iran - Females Outfit

By George Priestley


When I lived in to Bahrain on the late 1970s and through the 1980s, I thought Muslim female were steadily evolving away from the covered heads and dark colored cloaks (abayas) of earlier decades. I almost never saw someone with a veil over her face.

Real, the Khomeini Revolution forced Iranian woman back in black color covering from head in order to foot, but even into Iran, faces-without the forbidden makeup-were unveiled.

When I returned in order to Bahrain towards 2006, after 16 years away, I found the changes in costume startling. Not more modern, as I would have predicted while in the 80s, though distinctly more common. On the malls, many lady wore the ankle length dark-colored abaya, but its trend had changed. No longer a cape that covered the head and extended throughout the shape, the abaya had transitioned to a black, ankle-length outfit, supplemented by a black head covering that often included a veil over the face.

Although former students told me that numerous of the veiled girl were from Saudi Arabia, now easily accessible over the causeway that connected the two countries, quite a few Bahrainis dressed the same. "Why the change? " I asked in to every conversation.

Diverse explanations were proposed, however , all centered during the fact that Muslims felt their faith to be threatened, and dress became a way of affirming their Muslim identity.

Some suggested that the Khomeini Revolution, the Afghan-Soviet conflict, or the Gulf War of 1990 had triggered the concern. Others proposed that the changing role of female, with significantly greater involvement towards higher education and employment, led them in order to choose conservative attire to exhibit that a change towards life trend was not a rejection of the faith.

I returned into 2009 wondering if the trend toward common outfit had intensified. It had not. Perhaps not enough time has passed for a definite conclusion, though my impression is that fewer woman veil their faces plus the abaya has become a more funky outer covering. The cover picture for my book was taken this year and although most of the women put on an abaya, it's not the traditional sleeveless cape. Wide, embroidered sleeves are clearly visible. Most for the girl wear a dark scarf over their hair however while in the background are several with uncovered heads and no abaya. This is as well what I observed during the street and outlets.

Unlike Iran or Saudi Arabia, Bahrain has no laws regulating women's outfit. The pressure to conform in order to what others are wearing, felt by woman everywhere, has a major role into determining costume towards Bahrain. Probably the choices are more complex there for the reason that for the tension amid religiously backed tradition and newer trends that assert a changed role for women.

Both Saudi Arabia and Iran have laws governing woman's dress. I had little direct experience with Saudi women's attire on my recent trip, but I spent nearly two weeks into Iran.

As I planned my Iranian trip, I remembered the attire restrictions inaugurated by Khomeini into 1979 and imposed by harsh treatment of lady who protested. With this in to mind, I borrowed an abaya with sleeves and packed quite a few scarves in order to cover my head. Although I saw similar dress in rural provinces, I was out of factor during the cities, where the female have largely abandoned the ankle-length chador (abaya). The new trend is a knee-length, fitted coat-dress worn over pants. Far from shapeless, this manteau is often cinched having a wide belt, producing a rather modern and fashionable gaze.

Other restrictions enforced during the early Khomeini years are as well gone. Make-up is universal, and although a scarf is required by law, inches of hair show on all female except those towards official positions who wear a uniform dark colored scarf that fits lightly around the oval of their face. No faces are veiled.

I eventually abandoned my efforts in order to dress inconspicuously. When I did not wear my borrowed abaya on the cities, I was left with my standard cotton pants and long sleeved shirts. Provided my head was covered, these were perfectly acceptable by Iranian law, however the light colours I normally put on drew attention in to a society where women universally put on dark colours. Under a navy blue manteau, an Iranian college women might wear blue jeans, however , the all in all effect is dark colored.

This is not genuine for school girls for whom pastels are the rule. I saw quite a few ladies, aged perhaps 7 in order to 14, as they left school or were on their way residence and all wore pants covered by a knee length tunic with a head covering for the same color. Each school had its distinctive color. Pale blue and pink seemed to be stylish choices. Are light colors considered suitable only for children, with darker colors indicating maturity? I could just observe.

Muslim lady in to all countries costume in compliance to the Islamic mandate that their bodies be covered from neck to ankles. Although Bahrain and Iran are close geographically, lady attire quite differently. My tentative conclusion, based on limited time in to these two countries, is that women's dress on the Middle East is diverse and evolving. My tentative conclusion, based on limited time in to these two countries, is that women's dress during the Middle East is diverse and evolving.




About the Author: