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.