Clothing, Traditional—Iraq | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

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Iraq Summary

Clothing, Traditional—Iraq

Artifacts found in Sumerian tombs suggest that the early inhabitants of Mesopotamia (c. 3500–2500 BCE) wore a wrapped sheepskin skirt, called kaunakes, with one end of the garment passed under a wide belt in front and over the left shoulder. After woven cloth was available, the garment was fringed at the hem to simulate the effect of fleece. Cloaks covered the upper body, and royal women wore elaborate gold jewelry. Later Babylonian and Assyrian (c. 1000–600 BCE) costume shifted from draped garments to tunics. Assyrian law codes prescribed veiling for free, married women and prohibited it for prostitutes and slaves. Mesopotamia was the land of wool production and weaving, and wool was the primary fiber for clothes, tapestries, and curtains, although linen, cotton, and even silk are mentioned. The industry was technologically sophisticated enough to produce elaborate woven and embroidered figural motifs. Evidence of weaving guilds and apprenticeships, plus textile trade with other countries, attests to the importance of the textile industry.

The traditional dress of Iraq is a reflection of Iraqi technical skills, aesthetic and political ideals, moral standards, and religious values. Members of Iraqi society are deeply immersed in Islamic fundamentalism; consequently, costume reflects these ideals and values. Traditional dress is less prevalent in urban centers such as Baghdad and Basra than in rural areas. All social classes wear the same clothing, with only subtle differences. Arabs and Kurds exhibit distinct differences in their clothing, though both are predominantly Muslim.

The traditional dress of Arab Iraqi men includes the dishdasha, an ankle-length, typically white, loose-fitting, shirtlike garment allowing free air circulation over the body; the aba, a long cloak, tan or neutral in color, for cool weather; the kaffiyeh, a white or checked square scarf folded into a triangle and sometimes worn over a small white cap with the agal, a circular black rope or plaited-cord device to hold the kaffiyeh in place; and sandals. Men also wear undershirts anddrawers, loose trousers, and a cotton or wool coat. The dishdasha may be hoisted up and secured for greater freedom of movement, and the aba may be doubled up over the head. To further protect against the elements, the ends of the headdress may be wrapped loosely around the neck, across the ears and lower face, or around the top of the head.

Iraqi women at Friday prayers in a mosque in Baghdad on 1 January 1999. (AFP/CORBIS)

The Arab Iraqi woman's traditional costume is designed to conceal the woman and achieves this through hijab, or veiling, the practice of covering the woman's hair and body for the sake of modesty and adherence to socioreligious requirements. Veiling is believed to prevent men from falling into temptation and to protect women from unwanted sexual advances. The traditional costume includes the abayah, a long black cloak worn over a dress and covering the wearer from head to foot; the asha, a black head scarf; the foota, a black chin scarf; sandals or clogs; and gold or silver jewelry (for example, ankle bracelets, earrings, or pendants, valued not only as ornament but as insurance in case a woman's husband dies, leaves, or divorces her). The dress under the abayah is traditionally a black long-sleeved, ankle-length shift or yoke-style, but may be other colors. Younger women may wear the abayah and veil only when they leave the house but indoors wear dresses of printed cotton (during the summer) and flannelette (during the winter). In winter women may wear four or five layers of clothing—heavy black sweaters and black imitation caracul jackets—under the abayah. The hashmiya is a wide-sleeved full net or sheer black ceremonial gown that women wear for certain religious ceremonies.

The traditional costume of Kurdish men includes baggy pantaloons, a shirt, a cummerbund (in which valuables are kept, as well as a dagger or two), peaked leather slippers, a close-fitting cap or turbanlike head wrap, and, in winter, a quilted jacket and long cloak in bright colors. Kurdish women have never practiced veiling and enjoy considerable latitude in community activities. The traditional costume is modest but colorful, and it includes a loose-fitting dress or kirtle, a short collarless jacket, a headscarf or turban, and several pieces of jewelry. At times they wear a bifurcated garment similar to Turkish trousers.

An Islamic man may have up to four wives, and a large family is highly desirable, since the greater the number of children, especially sons, the greater the prestige of the father. Young girls are dressed in brightly colored print dresses, and boys are clothed in candy-striped dishdashas, or trousers. Typical footwear is sandals or tennis shoes. Children often wear sweaters, wool scarves, and caps in winter. Boys and girls are traditionally separated at puberty, and girls are excluded from male society outside the family circle. Parents generally arrange marriages, preferably between relatives, and part of preparation for the ceremony includes decorative painting of the bride's hands and feet with henna, a natural red dye.

Westernization of traditional costume is prevalent throughout Iraq, and increasing educational levels and opportunities in the workforce encourage the abandoning of all or parts of traditional dress. Wealthy professionals in urban centers have adopted Western dress to a greater extent than other components of the population. Most men who have visited the city own at least one Western-style business suit, and women may wear highly fashionable Western dresses or suits with or without the abayah. Many women who discarded traditional dress after the revolution, however, have reverted to traditional dress as an expression of national pride.