Many travelers are intimidated by the “strict” Iranian dress code. Don’t let this scare you away, beautiful girls, in fact, everything is not so scary - many European women travel around the country, but you still have to follow some rules.
This post is about how to dress in Iran and what clothes to take with you on a trip, as well as about the everyday clothes of Iranian women.
What kind of clothing is there in Muslim countries?
To get you started, here's a good infographic about the species women's clothing in different Muslim countries.
Source: aif.ru
The burqa (completely covering the body except the eyes) is not worn in Iran, contrary to popular belief. Maybe only very religious people in remote villages somewhere in the south of the country. Moreover, not all women wear chador (veil), only about half. It is only required when visiting some special sacred places, and it is given out at the entrance.
Religious women wear chador
Entrance to the Amir Chakhmaq complex in Shiraz
I can only imagine how hot it is in such outfits in the sweltering Iranian climate.
General rule- hair and the entire body must be covered, except for the hands and feet. In addition, you need to cover your hips, that is, just pants or jeans will not do. Even if you accidentally break something, everyone will politely point it out to you, because you are a tourist.
Here's a little Iranian women's fashion, photographed at a market in Shiraz
There are even swimsuits, naturally closed. Although women in Iran can only swim on women's beaches, where men have no access. Swimsuits are sold on the market for everyone to see, it was strange for me.
Manto
In big cities, many young girls dress brightly and stylishly. Usually Iranian women wear trousers or jeans, and put on a coat over it - something like long dress(or just above the knee) with sleeves. There are different coats, with buttons in the front or pulled over the head, colored or calm beige or dark colors, sometimes looks like a coat, cloak or dress. No one forbids wearing a dress down to the ankles under the bottom of a coat, but this is rare.
Shawl or scarf
The head of an Iranian woman is covered with a headscarf or scarf, black or colored, there are a great variety of them, for every taste and color. Moreover, many wear it at the very back of the head, as if nominally observing the rule, but at the same time their hair is open.
Cosmetics
Iranian women love a lot of makeup, I would say they have a passion for cosmetics. Due to clothing restrictions, this good way stand out and show off your beauty. Brightly painted lips, penciled eyebrows, huge eyelashes are the usual image of a modern Iranian woman, although from a religious point of view this is not encouraged.
In addition, there is simply a boom in plastic surgery in Iran. Many girls (and guys too) can see a white bandage on their nose. This means that an operation was recently performed to change its shape, because for many it looks like a potato, so wide and swollen. And Iranian women try to make their shapes like European women, so that their noses are thin.
Some people simply apply this patch, even without surgery, so that others think that the girl is wealthy and has money. :-)
What clothes should a girl take with her to Iran?
- It would be a good idea to take a tunic or cardigan with you to Iran; maybe you have something similar to a coat lying around in your wardrobe. The latter can be bought locally inexpensively, for about $15-20.
- Pair the tunic with jeans or trousers.
- You can try to take a dress, but it will require dark tight tights or leggings.
- On your head, take a scarf, a scarf, a stole of any color you wish.
- You can take a light long shirt.
I have also seen older foreign women wearing wide, loose pants and a tunic just below the hips, as well as dresses under the tunic, but the locals don’t dress like that.
The rules of the Iranian dress code begin to apply when you get off the plane upon arrival, you need to prepare in advance.
What about men?
For men in Iran, everything is much simpler: it is not recommended to wear shorts and sleeveless T-shirts, otherwise everything is as usual: jeans or pants, a T-shirt or shirt. Shorts are not worn even in the most hellish heat in the south, you will have to be patient, especially compared to the torment of girls under layers of clothing - this is a mere trifle.
Head of a ruler, ca. 2300 - 2000 BC.
Presumably Iran
Copper with arsenic
Height: 34.3 cm
Helmet with figures of deities under a bird with open wings, XIV century. BC.; middle Elamite period
Southwestern Iran
Bronze; gold foil on bitumen
Height: 16.5 cm
Vessel ending in the front of a lion, Achaemenid period, 5th century. BC.
Gold
Height: 17 cm
Tetradrachm of Seleucid I, 300 - 280. BC, period of Seleucid rule
Found during excavations in Pasargadae
Silver
Top of the standard, VIII - VII centuries. BC.
Luristan, Western Iran
Bronze
Height: 16.5 cm
Vessel with spout and stand, 9th century. BC.; Iron Age II
Found during excavations at the Hasanlu cemetery, Northwestern Iran
Ceramics
Height: 21.7 cm
Vessel with grooves, Achaemenid period, reign of Darius I or II (522 - 486 BC or 432 - 405 BC)
Gold
Height: 11.1 cm
Bowl with gazelle decoration, early 1st millennium BC.
Northwestern Iran, Caspian region
Gold
Height: 6.5 cm
Belt or harness decoration, depicting an eagle and its prey, 1st century. BC. - I century AD; Parthian period
Gold inlaid with turquoise
Width: 8.4 cm
Standing man, 1st - 2nd centuries. AD; Parthian period
Gray stone
Height: 76.8 cm
Rhyton ending in front wild cat, I century BC. - I century AD; Parthian period
Gilt silver
Height: 27.5 cm
Dish depicting a king hunting rams; end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th centuries; period of Sassanid rule
Silver, mercury gilding, blackening
Height: 4.6 cm; diameter: 21.9 cm
Dish with a hunting scene from the legend about Bahram Gur and Azadeh, 5th century; period of Sassanid rule
Silver, mercury gilding
Diameter: 20.1cm
Head of a king, 4th century; period of Sassanid rule
Gilt silver
Height: 40 cm
Jug in the shape of an animal, 9th - 10th centuries.
Found in Neishapur, Eastern Iran
Pottery; polychrome ornament under transparent glaze
Height: 26.7 cm
Vessel with Arabic inscription, X century
Refers to Iran or today's Uzbekistan, Neyshapur or Samarkand; found in Iran: Neyshapur, Tepe-Madras
Pottery, white enamel with an ornament in the form of carved black enamel under a transparent glaze
Height: 8.5 cm, max. diameter: 27.5 cm
Vessel with Arabic inscription, late 10th - 11th centuries.
Found in Neishapur, Tepe Madras
Pottery; white enamel with polychrome enamel under transparent glaze
Height: 10.8 cm; diameter at top: 35.6 cm, diameter at base: 15.5 cm
Jug, 7th century.
Bronze, casting, engraving and inlay
Height (at the level of the top of the cat's head): 48.5 cm, width (including handle): 25 cm, handle length - 29 cm, diameter: 21.1 cm
Bracelet, 1030
Gorgan, Northern Iran
Gold
Clasp height: 6.4 cm, max. diameter: 10.5 cm
Stand for a jug with medallions in the form of zodiac signs, period of Seljuk rule (1040-1196), first half of the 13th century.
Brass; engraving, inlay with silver and red copper
Height: 22.2 cm, diameter: 17.5 cm
Vessel, early 14th century.
Western Iran
Brass inlaid with silver and gold, champlevé enamel (engraved)
Height: 13 cm, diameter: 51.1 cm
Vessel with images of celestial bodies and great rulers, period of Seljuk rule (1040-1196), late 12th - early 13th centuries.
Central or northern Iran
Fritted porcelain; polychrome paints under glaze and overglaze painting, as well as gilding on opaque monochrome enamel (“mine”)
Height: 9.5 cm, max. diameter: 18.7 cm
Vessel with a lion, period of Seljuk rule (1040-1196), beginning of the 13th century.
Refers to Iran, Kashan
Fritted porcelain: overglaze painting with luster paints on monochrome white enamel
Height: 10.5 cm, edge diameter: 22.2 cm
Vessel, period of Seljuk rule (1040-1196), late 12th - early 13th centuries.
Composite base, overglaze painting and gilding
Height: 8.9 cm, diameter: 21.7 cm
Chess game of the masters of Buzurjmehr: from the so-called “First Small Shahnameh (Book of Kings)”, ca. 1300 - 1325
Northwestern Iran or Baghdad
19 x 13.2 cm
Set of chess pieces, XII century.
Neishapur, Iran
Enameled Fritted Porcelain
Container in the shape of a horse and rider, XII - XIII centuries.
Composite base, underglaze painting
Height: 27.6 cm, width: 7.6 cm, diameter: 21 cm
Jug, XIII century. (1226)
Today's Iraq or Syria
Brass, engraving and silver inlay
Height: 36.8 cm, diameter: 20.9 cm
Jug, Seljuk period (1040-1196), ca. 1180-1210
Khorasan, Eastern Iran
Brass; convex relief, inlaid with silver and black composition
Height: 40 cm, diameter: 19.1 cm
Figure, approx. 1200, Seljuk period
Painted stucco work
Height: 144.8 cm, max. width: 49.5 cm, max. diameter: 24.1 cm
Flask with zodiac medallions, period of Ilkhanid rule (1206-1353), first half of the 14th century.
Kashan, Central Iran
Fritted porcelain; modeling, monochrome enamel
Height: 30.5 cm, width: 26 cm
Vessel on a foot, period of Seljuk rule (1040-1196), beginning of the 13th century.
Bronze; inlay with silver and black composition
Height: 11.1 cm, diameter: 17.3 cm
Inkwell with 12 zodiac medallions, Seljuk period (1040-1196), late 12th - early 13th centuries.
Brass, casting, silver and red copper inlay
Height: 6 cm, diameter: 8.3 cm
Inkwell with the signs of the Zodiac, period of Seljuk rule (1040-1196), beginning of the 13th century.
Probably Iran
Brass; casting, inlay with silver, red copper and black composition.
Height: 14.9 cm, height without cover: 9.2 cm, diameter: 11.6 cm
Funeral procession of Isfandiyar: from the Great Mongol Shahnameh (Book of Kings), 1330s.
Probably Tabriz, Western Iran
22 x 29 cm
Oil lamp, late 12th - early 13th centuries.
Khorasan, Eastern Iran
Bronze with silver and red copper inlay
Height: 20 cm
Storage vessel (albarello), end XIII- XIV century
Fritted porcelain, glaze painting
Height: 37.5 cm
Allegory of earthly and heavenly intoxication: a page from Hafiz's Diwan (collected poems of Hafiz), c. 1526 - 1527
Sultan Muhammad (Iranian active in the first half of the 16th century)
Tabriz, Western Iran
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
28.9 x 21.6 cm
Angel Soroush saves Khosrow Parviz: From the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, c. 1530 -1535
Attributed to Muzaffar Ali
Tabriz, Western Iran
47.1 x 31.8 cm
Shah's carpet (detail), mid-16th century.
Iran (most likely Herat)
Silk (warp and weft thread), wool (pile), asymmetrical knot
7.51 x 3.3 m
Jug, early 16th century; Safavid era
Afghanistan (most likely Herat)
Cast brass inlaid with silver and gold
14 cm, lid diameter: 9.2 cm
Festival of Sadeh: From the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, c. 1525
Attributed to Sultan Muhammad (Iranian active in the first half of the 16th century)
Tabriz, Western Iran
Paints, ink, silver and gold on paper
47 x 32.1 cm
Ferdowsi visits the writer to inspire him: a page from a scattered manuscript of the Khavaran-name, c. 1480; period of Ak-Kuyunlu reign
Shiraz, Southern Iran
Ink, paints and gold on paper
Height: 39.8 cm; width: 28.9 cm
Iranians mourn the death of Faroud and Jarira: From the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, c. 1530 -1530
Attributed to Mirza Muhammad Ghabahat
Tabriz, Western Iran
Paints, ink, silver and gold on paper
47.3 x 31.8 cm
Isfandiyar defeats the dragon: From the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, c. 1530 -1530
Attributed to Qasim, son of Ali
Tabriz, Western Iran
Paints, ink, silver and gold on paper
47.3 x 31.8 cm
Page from a poetic anthology including the works of Nizami and other poets, 1411; Timurid reign
Calligraphy by Mahmoud al-Husseini
Iran (Shiraz)
Ink, paints and gold on paper
Height: 26.7 cm, width: 17.8 cm
Koran of Sultan Ibrahim, 1427, Timurid period
Shiraz, Southern Iran
Ink, paints and gold on paper
Page height: 20.3 cm, width: 14 cm
Sheikh Mikhna and the Peasant: a page from the Mantiq al-Teir (Language of the Birds) manuscript by Farid al-Din Attar, c. 1487; Timurid reign
Iran (Herat)
Opaque watercolor, ink and silver on paper
19.7 x 14.6 cm
Sheikh Sankan and a young maiden on the balcony: a page from the Mantiq al-Teir (Language of the Birds) manuscript by Farid ad-Din Attar, c. 1600; Safavid period
Isfahan, Central Iran
18.5 x 12.2 cm
Drowning: a page from the Mantiq al-Teir (Language of the Birds) manuscript by Farid al-Din Attar, c. 1487; Timurid reign
Iran (Herat)
Opaque watercolor, ink, silver and gold on paper
18.7 x 13 cm
Astrolabe, 1654 - 1655; Safavid period
Signed: Muhammad Zaman
Brass and steel
Assembled - length: 21.6 cm, width: 17.1 cm, diameter: 5.7 cm
Plate, XVII century.
Presumably Tabriz, Western Iran
Fritted porcelain with blue pattern under clear glaze
Height: 7 cm, diameter: 43.8 cm
Jug with lid, first half of the 18th century.
Ceramics, glaze
27.9 cm
Carpet with medallion and background decorated with flowers, 17th century; Safavid period
Wool (pile), cotton + wool + silk (base)
205.7 x 142.4 cm
Polonaise type carpet, early 17th century; Safavid period
Silk, gold and silver threads
398.78 x 170.18 cm
Portrait of a Portuguese, c. 1630; Safavid period
School of Reza Abbasi (c. 1565 - 1635)
Paints and gilding on paper
30.5 x 17.8 cm
Div Akwan carries Rostam; Volume 158 of the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) version, mid-17th century; Safavid period
Signed: Musin Musavvir (active approximately 1638 - 1697)
Isfahan, Central Iran
Ink, paints, gold and silver on paper
36.5 x 22.2 cm
Palm-shaped standard, early 18th century.
Silver with blackening
Height: 48.9 cm, width: 22.9 cm
King Afrasiyab of Turan conferring with his brother Garsivar: leaf from volume 110 of the Shahnameh version, dated 1696; Safavid period
Attributed to Muhammad Zaman
Ink, paints and gold on paper
47 x 28.2 cm
Signed: Ya Sahib az-Zaman! (“Long live the hidden imam (Imam Mehdi)!”)
65
Bottle, XVIII - XIX centuries.
Glass, mold blowing, free blowing and machining
Height: 38.1 cm, max. diameter: 11 cm
Marriage agreement, 1874
Signed: Abul-Qasim Farhang
Ink, paints and gold on paper
26.3 x 14.3 cm
Queen Sheba on the throne, late 19th - early 20th centuries.
Ink, paints and gold on paper
29.2 x 14.6 cm
All photographs and text taken from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (
The Iranian interior is so impeccable and thoughtful that by choosing it to decorate your home, you will feel like a hermit in a calm haven, and in every corner you can relax and have a good time. An Iranian-style house has an atmosphere imbued with the warmth that comes from natural materials. After all, as in any country of the East, natural raw materials are also highly valued in Iran.
Basic color scheme In the Iranian interior, pastel colors are considered, which has much in common with the desert. Basically, these are natural shades that are found in the desert: terracotta, beige, black and Ivory. However, Iranian style cannot do without blue color. Blue with its two shades (pale blue and ultramarine) are the most common colors in Iranian homes. But designers believe that there are several perfect combinations pairs of colors that will look great in any case.
Such universal colors include, for example, white with black, light green with blue, and bright blue with brown. As it turns out, Iranians have an excellent sense of style: back in past centuries, or even millennia, they chose this color scheme, which today is the standard of designer fashion and an indicator of impeccable style.
Iran became famous for its arabesques - a repeatedly repeating ornament or pattern. In the Iranian interior, unlike other countries of the East, there are practically no images of animals. The theme of the arabesques was influenced by history. When Persia (present-day Iran) came under the rule of the Arabs, they decided to somewhat change the way of life familiar to the Iranians.
At this time, there were almost no images of people and animals in the Iranian interior, since Islam does not accept this. But, at the same time, patterns consisting of flowers, as well as exotic and elaborate vegetation, began to be actively used.
The Iranian interior should create an atmosphere of relaxation, which is why you cannot use a large number of bright and ostentatious materials for decoration. In addition, the premises must be organized so that they are always free and spacious. In an Iranian home, attention is paid to every item. Here everything is in its place, the furniture is perfectly arranged, and the interior is filled with luxurious accessories.
A characteristic motif of an oriental interior is flowers. It doesn’t matter where they are depicted (on fabric, carpet, wooden tabletop), as flowers always look sensual, sophisticated and rich.
Traditionally, the walls should be high, and the ceiling should consist of separate elements (arched or multi-level). The arch, as an element of architecture, is very popular in Iran. They are practically not used there interior doors, because their role is played by an arched wide opening with exquisite curtains and expensive textile panels.
But carpets have always remained the main Iranian pride. It is a basic element in an Iranian home. After all, Iran is the birthplace of carpets, and even today carpet production is well developed in this country. Carpets in eastern countries are universal items. They are not only laid on the floor, but also hung on the walls, in doorways, use them to enclose different areas, and also use them as sun loungers, wall bags and poufs.
It is by how many carpets there are in a house that Iranians learn about the level of wealth of its owners. Even now the residents European countries inherit the style of Iran, using carpets in the most unexpected interpretations, for example, in the form of seats and paintings.
A properly created Iranian interior should always remind you of relaxation, which is why ostentatious materials and very bright accessories are inappropriate here. The space is organized in such a way that personal freedom and spaciousness are always felt.
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I think the most popular question I heard from everyone who knew about my trip to Iran was: how are women's rights there? Is it true that in Iran they are not considered people, they are forced to walk around in a burqa, wrapped in all black, women have complete lack of rights and an extremely oppressed position in society?
Let me tell you what I know, and you draw your own conclusions. Just one condition: look at the traditions of Iran with an unbiased eye, try to understand their culture and rules. Not to accept, but to understand. Something will seem strange and wrong, but really the way of life in all countries should be similar to the American-European one we are used to? It would be sad to see the world the same, for all nations to wear similar clothes, eat exclusively sandwiches at KFC with Coca-Cola, drink coffee at Starbucks, sing the same songs, dance to the same music and completely lose their national traditions, sending them to an ethnographic museum . This is exactly what happened to our country: we don’t hear or sing Russian songs, we don’t wear Russian clothes on the street, we don’t know our traditions well and have actually lost Russian gastronomic culture. Even by fencing ourselves off from the whole world now, we are not reviving or restoring our own. And there are countries where traditions are cherished. And that's great.
2,200 years ago, Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang proclaimed the slogan we all know as Mao Zedong - “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools compete.” See the world through the eyes of the Chinese Emperor. Try to understand the beauty of Iranian traditions, get to know their school, admire one of the hundred beautiful flowers of the world - the beauty of Persian women.
2. Domestic flight attendant. 
Let's start with clothes.
In the European tradition there is such a concept as a dress code. When we go to a dinner party or formal event, we receive a dress code sheet along with the invitation. Iran (and most Islamic countries) have the same dress code. All women in Iran (including foreign tourists and diplomats, representatives of any religion, everyone) in PUBLIC PLACES are required to wear a hijab - any clothing that complies with Sharia norms. What is it: a necessarily covered head, nothing tight, with deep necklines, transparent. The face, hands and feet may be exposed. Everything else must be covered. Strictly prohibited short skirts, shorts and jeans, if the butt is not covered by a dress or jacket. Please note once again that wearing a hijab is mandatory only in public places.
Now we are accustomed to open, sexy clothes and consider this our conquest, but just a hundred years ago a Russian woman, an Italian, a French woman, an American woman walked down the street exclusively in a hijab - dresses, skirts, sleeves were long, and it was impossible to go out into the street with her head uncovered the height of indecency. Even now British Queen always appears in public wearing a headdress. We wear a hijab even now in Russia - they go (should go) to an Orthodox church in a hijab. If you put on a long opaque dress and tied a scarf on your head, then in this form you will be welcome in Orthodox church in Russia and in a mosque in Iran. 
There are several popular women's veils in the Islamic world:
1) Burqa is a long robe from head to toe, with a chachwan net covering the face (made only from black horsehair). The burqa is worn over the chachwan. Remember “White Sun of the Desert” - Abdullah’s wives wore the burqa.
2) Niqab is a women's headdress with a slit for the eyes.
3) The veil is an ordinary veil that covers the entire figure of a woman from head to toe. The veil looks very simple, but is custom-made taking into account the woman's figure.
4) A scarf is a scarf. He is the same as everywhere else.
Wearing a burqa, niqab, or veil is not mandatory; it is a personal decision of the woman, father or husband. The laws of Islam do not force a woman to wear the above, nor to cover her face. This is a theory. Now about life.
The burqa is almost never worn in Iran. In ten days I saw only one girl in a burqa. Very religious people wear the burqa. They can be found near the great spiritual centers and in the south of Iran, where there are still traditionalists.
4. Chador (left) and scarf. 
Almost all women in Iran wear a headscarf and veil. We can say that the veil is one of the symbols of Iran. Like a kimono in Japan. I was told about population surveys. It is said that 71% of men and 61% of women are in favor of compulsory veiling. But according to my observations, the ratio is approximately 50:50. In Tehran, there are significantly more headscarves than veils. In general, the veil has several undoubted advantages that many women will appreciate: a) hides figure flaws; b) equalizes social status (no one knows how rich a girl is); c) attracts men more to the face, rather than seduces with the body. After all, even ideal figure for women is not eternal. And they do not live with the body. Much more important is the face, the soul of a person. If two women meet on the street, then they don’t study each other’s outfits so carefully and stop having complexes about “the awesome dress that I can’t afford.”
5. Fashionistas of Isfahan specifically asked to have their photos taken so that other countries would know what beauties they are. :) 
An important clarification needs to be made here. The fact is that in our traditions it is completely different approach to the outfits. It's not just about clothes, but about the desire to dress beautifully. If in our country they do this to emphasize individuality, to distinguish themselves from the crowd, to attract attention, to “sell” themselves to others at a higher price, then in Iran it’s the other way around. There, a woman must be modest and not attract attention to herself in any way. All beauty should be on the face, and the body should not be given to all the men on the street, but to one person - the husband. At home, wear the most beautiful outfits, decorate yourself in every way, be such a beauty that your husband will love you, do everything to make a man crazy about you. But only at home. There should be nothing provocative on the street, be modest and discreet. This applies not only to clothing, but to cosmetics, makeup, and perfumes. You need to use everything listed in moderation, carefully, so that your perfume cannot be heard ten meters away, and your eyelids and lips do not shine like a traffic light. A woman should not be a female, inviting a male with her scent, color and outfit, but a human being.
6. Perfume seller. 
Iranian women generally pay a lot of attention to their appearance. There are a fair number of girls with good makeup on their faces in big cities. Perfume is sold everywhere and is loved. But the most surprising thing is that there has been a boom in plastic surgery in Iran for many years. The fact is that although Persian girls are good, they have one general disadvantage- a pear-shaped nose, and even with a hump. That's why girls (and now also guys) are making European noses en masse. If you walk around any city for an hour, you are sure to meet several people with a plaster on their face. This means that he recently had surgery. In the same way, breast enlargement (a very popular topic) and other body corrections are done. All this is not prohibited, on the contrary, it is encouraged. But show all the beauty only to your spouse. Other people should see your human, not sexual, elegance.
7. Typical Iranian nose. Cashier at a restaurant in Isfahan. 
In our country, when a woman goes out she dresses in all her most beautiful clothes, but at home she often wears anything, a torn robe or T-shirt, or old clothes. Then they are surprised that men begin to look to the left. In Iran it’s the other way around, maybe that’s why families there are so strong.
All people are divided into three groups: strangers, close relatives and distant relatives + friends. I told about strangers. In the presence of close relatives, you can walk around with your head uncovered, in fairly open outfits. If friends or distant relatives come, hijab is required. There is an interesting idea. Let's say you are sitting in your house and doing household chores. Suddenly guests come to you. How to find out who is walking - a man or a woman? When there was no door peepholes, we came up with these calls. If you knock with a stick, it means that a man has come and you need to cover your head with a scarf, and if you knock on a ring, it means that a woman has come and the housewife can open the door in the form in which she works or rests at home.
8. Doorbells. 
What do they wear at home? Except beautiful dresses, there are also beautiful veils. They can be of any color, with any pattern, transparent. By the way, brown or gray veils can often be found on the street. Although most of them are black, which creates the feeling that you are in a nunnery and there are only nuns around you. But this is not true at all.
9. Local Iranian McDonald's. 
One day I found myself in an Iranian store selling lingerie. It happened on the island of Kish. I needed to buy swim shorts and went to a store that sold lingerie and swimwear. It turned out that they did not have fitting booths (not accepted). I was kindly allowed to go up to the second floor, where the sexiest lingerie is sold, and at that moment there was no one there. Yes, friends, there is sex in Iran. A sea of lace, with holes, transparent, ultra-small ones - whatever was there. The lovely saleswomen who sent me upstairs especially asked me not to look around, but they understood that this was impossible, because during the fitting there was laughter from below. There was even more laughter upon my return. I may have been the first man to be admitted into the sanctum sanctorum.
10. These sculptures are sold in mall on o. Quiche. The top is a little open and the butt is not covered, but overall it’s a hijab. 
In general, women's underwear is displayed openly. Only the sexiest models are hidden. 
So you understand that hijab is obligatory for women only in the presence of strangers. You can even walk around naked at home - complete freedom. But only if you are alone or in the presence of your husband. It is strictly forbidden to be naked in front of parents and children.
Public baths, saunas or swimming pools have regular lockers for clothes. You can only undress down to your underwear. Then you go to a special closed booth to put on a swimsuit. If a child is over 9 years old, he should change clothes only in a closed cabin. His parents shouldn't see him naked. Just like he is mommy or daddy. Mother and daughter change clothes so as not to see each other. A woman can show everything to a woman except parts of the body from the navel to the knees. By the way, the same rule applies to men. Likewise, in the bathhouse and on the beach, shorts are required, no tight-fitting swimming trunks. I was told how one Iranian came to Russia, went to a Russian bathhouse, experienced a real shock and fell into depression. The fact is that after living for fifty years, he saw naked men for the first time in his life. He didn’t know where to go, tried to look at the floor and looked like a ten-year-old girl who saw a naked man for the first time.
All saunas or swimming pools are separate only. It is strictly forbidden for men and women to swim together.
15. The girls gathered for the beach. But don’t swim, just relax or go boating. 
If a family goes to the beach, they can only swim together on a wild beach. Hijab for women in this case is mandatory. There are special swimsuits that completely cover the entire body. All official beaches are only separate: women and men are separated by a fence.
Doctors can see everything. There are male doctors, including women's diseases. But Iranian women would rather see a female doctor.
Hijab is compulsory from the age of 9. Until this age, girls can walk bareheaded, wearing very open T-shirts and shorts. But I saw several girls under 9 years old wrapped in veils. Their appearance demonstrated to everyone around them that they were very pleased and proud of themselves - which meant they were already considered adults! Older women may not cover their heads at all, but as I was told, no one has ever seen them.
If you went out onto the street without wearing a hijab, even for five minutes, but a policeman saw you, you will be arrested, taken to the police station and will have educational conversations with you. There will be no punishment for Iranian women, but the parents will be called and explained to them that they raised their daughter poorly.
Nowadays you can meet quite a lot of women who barely cover their heads with a headscarf. The main thing is that your hair is covered at least a little. Many people wear it this way: only the ponytail at the back of the head is covered. More religious people consider this a retreat, but the dress code is not violated. You can also wear a hat. I have even seen very small caps covering one top of the head. Passes. If a scarf accidentally falls off your head, then no one becomes hysterical, everyone is completely calm and no one makes a comment. I saw a Turkish woman in a hotel in Isfahan who threw off her headscarf and no one even batted an eyelid. It’s clear that she’s a foreigner, what should I take from her? But there is no point in abusing peacefulness. It is better to respect the rules of the country. In the same hotel, a young Iranian fashionista decided to cover her head with a scarf, revealing her loose (!) hair to the middle of her back. Again, complete silence from the Iranians. Inwardly, she was probably condemned for her depraved appearance, but no one made a remark. In Tehran I saw a woman with a very open top, the top of her breasts was visible. She walked calmly down the street. Some young girls bare their arms up to the middle of the forearm. Again, they look at it calmly.
Our flight attendants go without hats on our plane, but when leaving the plane they are required to tie a headscarf on their heads. It's funny: we return home, everyone goes to the plane in scarves with very serious look, foreign women are almost indistinguishable from Iranian women. They boarded and all the women took off their headscarves. Well, or almost everything, I didn’t specifically check it.
17. This girl has a scarf hanging on her ponytail. This is fine. And, in my opinion, it’s beautiful. 
The girls in the mosque (!) were taking pictures of each other. They noticed me. They also blew a kiss. 
Since Iran is constantly exposed to terrorist attacks by radical Islamists and opponents of the regime, upon entering public buildings All people are checked like we do - you go through a metal detector - and a more detailed inspection is possible. There are separate entrances for women everywhere, usually covered with a curtain. There, if necessary, they can force you to take off your burqa or other outerwear. Naturally, the search is carried out only by female police officers.
Since we are talking about professions, I don’t know if there are any restrictions for women in choosing a profession. They work as taxi drivers and manage tower cranes and ships, there are pilots, athletes, scientists, businessmen (there are even billionaires), deputies, ministers, in a word, all professions are open to women. Get an education and move on. I don’t remember now, but it seems that there are more women in the Iranian government and parliament than in ours.
More than 65 percent of university students are women, with the proportion exceeding 70 percent in some fields (science and engineering). Before the Islamic Revolution, it was very difficult for a woman to get an education. Especially the higher one. Now there are even special theological academies for women theologians.
19. A young woman architect or engineer inspects the site of future construction work. 
There are many cars, motorcycles and mopeds on the roads with women driving them. The most common clothing style for young Iranian women: jeans, sneakers, a jacket covering the butt and a veil or scarf on the head. Very comfortable and quite beautiful. A completely normal picture: a moped, driven by a girl in jeans, sneakers, a veil and a cigarette in her mouth.
About public transport.
It is separate everywhere. Men sit in the first half of the bus, women in the back. It’s the same in the metro: each train has two cars exclusively for women. Men are strictly prohibited from entering the women's area. But women can freely enter the men's room. Unless, of course, it's crowded there. Touching is strictly prohibited. You can't even shake hands with a woman. Any attempts to hug or put a hand on a shoulder are equated to lewd acts and the man will be punished with canes (if the woman considers herself offended and can prove the harassment).
Even if a woman falls before your eyes, you have no right to touch her in order to lift her up. Give a stick, a rope, anything, but not a hand (of course, doctors can lift). I saw a young woman with her little daughter jump over a ditch and a man extended his hand to the girl. She was well brought up and rejected the hand. You can't touch. Dot.
20. City of Qom. Women are waiting for the bus. Men sit in front, women come in and sit in the back. Therefore, they stand a little further from the stop itself (apparently the bus will be long). A woman can enter the first door and sit/stand with the men. The last door is closed to men. 
21. Guide at the TV tower in Tehran. Pay attention to the thin fingers. During the excursion, she came up to me and, in good English, offered to answer any questions and tell me in more detail if I was interested in something. They generally like foreigners. They try to please and help in everything. 
22. The ice cream saleswoman was shy and stepped aside so that I wouldn’t take pictures of her. I had to pretend that I was taking off the ice cream. She was flirting, of course. The girl is very beautiful, it’s a pity I couldn’t persuade her to take a portrait. 
You might be surprised by these rules, but they have one undoubted advantage - even late in the evening or at night, a girl can safely walk alone in any park, in any area of the city, without fear of consequences. No one will lay a finger on her. Sex crimes, of course, happen, but this very rare, which the whole country will know about. And everyone knows that for a rapist there is only one way out - the gallows.
Complete freedom in an all-female team. School in Iran is separate: there are schools for boys and girls. Co-education is prohibited. Personally, I am convinced that this is very correct and wise. For those who don’t understand, I’ll explain in the comments. At school, girls do not wear headscarves and only wear them when leaving school.
The institutes are common, the training is joint. Even 30-40 years ago, spouses were chosen by parents. Now, as in the whole world, I choose my own life partner. The authorities welcome free communication boys and girls before marriage. It is believed that you need to get to know each other better before marriage. Therefore, there are no restrictions in communication between a boy and a girl. But if they cross the line, they'll start sexual relations and this becomes known, they will be forced to marry immediately or both will go to prison for a long time. For rape - the gallows. There will be no exceptions for anyone. 
Iranian style the interior contains harmony, tranquility, and relaxation. This is a homely, warm and cozy interior.
Iranian interior so impeccable and thought out to the smallest detail that, having decorated your home in a similar style, you will feel like a hermit in a quiet haven, and every corner will seem created for peace and a pleasant pastime. The atmosphere in an Iranian home is saturated with the man-made warmth of natural materials. After all, like any other eastern country, Iran also values natural raw materials.
The basis of the Iranian interior is traditionally a pastel color scheme, which is reminiscent of the desert. As a rule, these are natural colors inherent in the desert: beige, terracotta, ivory, black. But, interestingly, the Iranian style is also characterized by a great love for blue. Blue and its two shades (ultramarine and baby blue) are the most common colors in Iranian homes. According to designers, there are several ideal combinations of color pairs that always look advantageous.
Such universal colors include, for example, black and white, blue and light green and, of course, the color of water and the color of earth - brown and bright blue. This is a trend that exists outside of time. So the Iranians, as it turns out, have an excellent sense of style: hundreds of years ago, or even entire millennia, they turned their attention to color schemes, which became the standard of designer fashion and an indicator of impeccable style.
Iran is famous for its arabesques - an ornament or pattern that is repeated many times. Unlike other eastern countries, images of animals are quite rare in Iranian interiors. The theme of arabesques has developed historically. When Persia (modern Iran) was conquered by the Arabs, they made some changes to the usual Iranian life.
For some time, images of animals and people practically disappeared from the Iranian interior, since Islam does not accept this, but floral patterns, elaborate and exotic vegetation, as well as easily recognizable Iranian abstraction or geometry began to be actively used.
Everything in the Iranian interior should evoke thoughts of relaxation, therefore, firstly, one should not overuse bright, ostentatious materials for decoration. Secondly, the premises should be organized in such a way that there is always a feeling of freedom and spaciousness. In an Iranian home, there is not a single item that is left unattended.
Everything is in its place here, the furniture arrangement is perfectly thought out, and the interior is replete with luxurious accessories.
Flowers are a characteristic motif of an oriental interior. Applied to fabric, carpet, wooden table top or any other covering, flowers in an oriental interpretation always look very elegant, sensual, and rich.
The walls are traditionally high, and the ceiling is created according to the principle complex design: multi-level, arched. Arch like architectural element Generally popular in Iran. Interior doors are rarely used there - they are successfully replaced by wide arched doorway with beautiful curtains and decorative textile panels.
And finally, the main Iranian pride is carpets. The carpet is the main one decorative element in the Iranian interior. Iran is considered the birthplace of carpets, and today this country continues to be the undisputed leader in carpet production. In the East, carpets are universal objects. They are not only floor covering- carpets are hung on the walls, in doorways, used as a dividing fence different zones, a lounger on a low podium, a wall bag, a pouf, and with the help of a carpet, they designate a personal place for prayer.
Iranians determine the level of wealth of the owners by the number of carpets in the house. Even today, Europeans continue to inherit the Iranian style, using carpets in unexpected interpretations: in the form of a picture or, for example, a removable seat for a chair.
In a properly created Iranian interior, everything should be reminiscent of relaxation, and therefore too bright accessories and ostentatious materials will be inappropriate. The space needs to be organized in such a way that there is always a sense of personal freedom and a sense of spaciousness.
