Women's fashion in the Pahlavi era , the last
Shahbanu of Iran, kept at
Niavaran Complex Attempts at changing dress norms (and perspectives toward it) occurred in mid-1930s when
pro-Western ruler
Reza Shah issued a decree banning all
veils. Many types of male traditional clothing were also banned. Western historians state that this would have been a progressive step if women had indeed chosen to do it themselves, but instead this ban humiliated and alienated many
Iranian women, This decision by Reza Shah was criticized even by the British consul in
Tehran. Later, official measures relaxed slightly during the reign of
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and wearing of the headscarf or chador was no longer an offence, but for his
regime it became a significant hindrance to climbing the social ladder as it was considered a badge of backwardness and an indicator of being a member of the lower class. and symbolically rejected the gender ideology of the
Pahlavi regime and its aggressive deculturalization. In the Islamic law of Iran imposed shortly after the 1979 revolution, article 638 of 5th book of Islamic Penal Code (called Sanctions and deterrent penalties) women who do not wear a hijab may be imprisoned from ten days to two months, and/or required to pay fines from 50,000 up to 500,000
rials. Fines are recalculated in the courts to index for inflation. Article 639 of the same book says, two types of people shall be sentenced one year to ten years' imprisonment; first a person who establishes or directs a place of immorality or prostitution, second, a person who facilitates or encourages people to commit immorality or prostitution. The festivals of the
Beauty pageant inside Iran were not held after the
1979 revolution, and the last selection ceremony of the
beauty queen of Iran was held in 1978 in this country. After this, a high number of Iranian girls participated in the Beauty pageant and Miss Universe outside of Iran.
Sahar Biniaz (
Miss Universe Canada 2012) and
Shermineh Shahrivar (
Miss Germany and
Miss Europe) are examples of Iranian models outside Iran.
Girls of Enghelab was a series of protests against
compulsory hijab in Iran. The protests were inspired by
Vida Movahed, an Iranian woman known as the Girl of Enghelab Street, who stood in the crowd on a utility box in the
Enghelab Street (Revolution Street) of Tehran on 27 December 2017, tied her hijab, a white headscarf, to a stick, and waved it to the crowd as a flag. She was arrested on that day and was released temporary on bail a month later, on 28 January 2018. Some people believe that Movahed's action was based on
Masih Alinejad's call for
White Wednesdays, a protest movement that the presenter at
VOA Persian Television started in early 2017. Other women later re-enacted her protest and posted photos of their actions on social media. These women are described as the "Girls of Enghelab Street" and "The Girls Of Revolution Street" in the English sources.
Protests against the compulsory hijab have been common since 1979, with one of the largest protests taking place between 8 and 14 March 1979, beginning on
International Women's Day and a day after hijab rules were introduced by the Islamic Republic. Protests against mandatory hijab rules continued, such as during the
2019–2020 protests, when protesters attacked a Guidance Patrol van and freed two detained women. In 2020, two representatives of the Supreme Leader
Ali Khamenei, separately said that improperly veiled women should be made to feel "unsafe". The representatives later backtracked and said that their comments were misunderstood. Among the general population, an independent survey conducted in the same year showed that 58% of Iranians did not believe in hijab altogether, and 72% were against compulsory hijab rules. Only 15% insisted on the legal obligation to wear it in public. In 2024, at a fashion exhibition held at Tehran's historic
Saadabad Palace, young Iranian designers showcased vibrant, colorful garments, marking a departure from the traditionally dark, conservative attire mandated by the Islamic Republic since 1979. Garments ranged from black chadors to fitted floral coats and calligraphy-inspired pieces. Furthermore, Hadis Pazouki, head of the national fashion foundation, announced plans to promote Iranian fashion week at cities like Paris, Milan, and London. As of 2025, regulations regarding conservative dress are to an extent no longer enforced in Iran, across Iran many women no longer cover their hair in public and wear shorts or expose their midriff. The Iranian government, however, still condemns dressing non-conservatively. Iran has an advanced
leather industry for women's clothing, however, it needs technology development for export. File:Peymanpayam.jpg|Common men's clothing in
Tehran File:Mohammad Reza Golzar in opening of Ali Daei store.jpg|
Reza Golzar, actor and model File:Shahrbanu Damghaninezhad - 50249744262.jpg|Fashion photography for sports outfit, near
Milad Tower File:1398-2019 Tehrani Modeling Persian pretty girl (2) (50655041002).jpg|An Iranian woman in 2019 == Persian boots ==