Iranian women wear freer styles despite hijab laws

Iranian women are increasingly wearing crop tops, short skirts, sleeveless shirts and other clothing that departs from compulsory hijab rules, especially in Tehran, even as legal restrictions remain and conservative officials press for enforcement.

At a shop in central Tehran, 47-year-old Pariya Senyari sells styles sought by younger customers but keeps long coats in the window to avoid problems with authorities. “We can't force this new generation to wear headscarves anymore -- they want to be free,” she said.

Iran’s dress code, imposed after the 1979 Islamic revolution, requires women to cover the head and neck. Adherence has become more sporadic since the 2022 protests that followed the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested over an alleged dress-code breach.

The shift has met resistance. On November 10, Iranian authorities said several people had been arrested in central Tehran for “promoting the abandonment of the hijab and public nudity” after judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei called for action against what he called “abnormal behavior” in the streets. Lawmaker Hassan Ali Akhlaghi Amiri said claims that hijab laws had been abandoned were “entirely false” and called for enforcement.

Some women and sellers say they still act cautiously. Niyusha, a jewellery store worker using a pseudonym, said she often goes without a headscarf but puts one on where she thinks rules will be expected. Maryam, a designer selling clothes online in northern Tehran, said she hides models’ faces and writes Instagram posts in English because she fears questioning by authorities.