Women wearing headscarves at the Dizin ski resort.

When in public, women are also required to wear a piece of clothing which covers their body shape up to the top of their knees. Usually this is achieved by wearing what Iranians call a 'Manteau' (French for coat). Of course a coat would be too hot to wear in Iran, so the 'manteau' has been adapted to a thin 'coat-shaped' garment.

Two young women wearing the 'manteau'

The best thing to do would be to wear a long shirt or a long sweatshirt when arriving in Iran, and to purchase one of these 'Manteaus' on the first day of your visit. Current regulations also demand that you should not show any 'flesh' above the ankle or above the elbow.

When it comes to non-Iranian women the 'clothing rules' are in many instances overlooked however it's good to abide by them just in case.

When skiing you can just wear a hat and there is of course no need for a manteau.

Foreign tourists at the Dizin ski resort

When it comes to the beach, there are 'women only areas' where you are allowed to wear what you wish. On Kish Island, there is also a 'foreign beach' area, where non-Iranians, male and female can mix on the beach.