Dress
The dress in Iraq is somewhat varied as many people today wear western-styled clothing,
however, a larger number of people continue to wear more traditional clothing. For
men this traditional dress is called a dishdasha, which is a loose-fitting
garment that completely covers a person from the neck down. In Iraq this piece of
clothing can come in nearly any color, but tends to be in black or browns. Women
often wear a dishdasha or an abaya; however the decoration and
detail of a woman's dress tends to be much more significant than a man's
and the women in Iraq tend to have very colorful clothing, often highlighted in
golds. Both men and women in traditional dress cover their hair; women wear a cloth
called a hijab, which is wrapped around their neck so only their faces
can be seen, while men may wear a keffiyeh, another head covering, or leave
their heads uncovered.
Today, some Iraqis have turned to western-styled clothing with the traditional headwear
or a simple scarf. These clothes are similar to what can be seen in much of the
world, but both men and women tend to cover up with long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Foreigners in Iraq should dress conservatively with both arms and legs covered.
Some women many feel more comfortable covering their hair in public, but even amongst
the locals this is a slowing dying practice. More importantly, due to the violence,
it is recommended that you wear nothing that makes you stand out as a foreigner.
Most visitors to Iraq today go with a larger organization, whether that is a military,
a non-governmental organization, or another group, which is best suited to assist
in what and how to dress.