Dress
The traditional clothing in Kyrgyzstan varies greatly from region to region and many Kyrgyzs can tell where an individual is from based upon his or her traditional clothing. However, there are a number of similarities across the people, beginning with the distinct white hats, called ak-kalpak. In addition to this hat, the outfit traditionally consisted of fully sleeved shirts and pants, generally loose-fitting and durable as many people were nomadic so needed durable clothes, but not many outfits. Despite this, there were different outfits for different occasions. The clothes varied in warmth depending on the season, but in winters most people also wore a coat called a chapan, boots, and other warmer clothing.
Today most Kyrgyzs in the cities wear modern-western-styled clothing, but this is not true in the country and even among many older people in the country. The clothing, no matter the style, tends to be conservative as Kyrgyzstan is historically a Muslim country and even today most of the people are Muslim (with most of the rest being Russian Orthodox). Although the Soviets banned religion and few people are incredibly devote, the locals still tend to cover their arms and legs due to their religion. Many women who wear traditional clothing also cover their hair, but this is not always the case.
Due to the liberal state of Islam in the country, wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts is acceptable, although you may get some strange looks as the locals rarely to never wear these things. However, if in a business setting or in a mosque, be sure to cover up and dress on the more formal side, depending on the situation.