Iraqi Customs

Every country has its own traditions, clutural background and own historical influence, which have impact on their behavior, dialogue, interaction with other cultures, and even the food they make. Customs is als regraded as another heritage any society or a community within the one society that influence and can be influence. Take, for example, Bavarians in Germany, they are people who are very proud of anything relates to their community; they are a proud of their accent, proud of their German Beer steins, and their special beer, of course. On their festivals, they are proud to wear their traditional customs, where men's pants are specially made of red deer leather, and woman wearing their zipper front dirndles with a colorful apronin, while all together playing and 'Yodelling' their own folk music - whom they kept on listening to them generation after generation...etc Simplicity in clothing also became distinguishable in some cultures. We find the Mexicans, for example, who are famous with their wide hats, sandals (whom they call it huaraches), and the sort of a blanket covering their shoulders with gap in the middle for the head to protect them from the cold during winter season.

However, Iraq, with its all diversities in religion, geographic nature and various societies, all that have been reflected in customs and clothing. Many factors played a role in the way Iraqis from the north or the south choose and select their clothing. Influence from other countries such as Iran, Turkey, the Hijaz (now Saudi Arabia) made its touch on the way Iraqis wear their clothes. We find the Abaye, a women dress influenced mainly by Iran. However, there are other communities in Iraq who inherited their customs from their fathers and grandfathers, this can be very clear illustrated when going to the north of Iraq and see customs of the Kurds.

Below is a number of sketches showing some of Iraqi customs from the different areas in Iraq. The custom were printed out on different Iraqi postal stamps. I am not sure which year these stamps were issued, but from the amount written on each stamp, I conclude that it is either late 1970s or early 1980s.

I want to point out here that these sketches are not entirely accurate, they have already gives the closest idea on how Iraqi custom from north to south used and still is.

Fashions and fashion shows were not something foreign on Iraqi society. The first fashion centre in Iraq was in 1969, by artist Firyal Al Kelidaar, who came up with the idea at that time during her trip back from a fashion exhibition in Rome, Italy, when she noticed that one of the customs designed during the show was inspired by the Akkadian culture without any mention to that. Thus, the main purpose for establishing the fashion design center in Iraq was not for commercial reason, its purpose and pure goal was to re-live the achievements in that regards of ancient civilizations in Iraq, from Sumer, Akkad, through the Islamic heritage, into the Iraqi folklore. The first Iraqi fashion show was in 1970, in Rome, Italy. This followed by a tour in other European countries, East Asia and North Africa. In 2003 the Iraqi Fashion Centre continued its work gradually after months of hault due to war and looting and there are plans to present Iraq and its great civilization through fashion soon.

Below are a number of pictures of Iraqi models wearing different clothing made by Iraqi fashion makers