Tajik Clothes

Tajik men wear a shirt, a collarless overcoat buttoned down the front, a long and wide colorful waistband and loose trousers. In winter, they add a cloak made of sheepskin over the overcoat. Tajik men often hang a knife around the waist, which they consider handsome, especially when riding on horseback. They often wear a round high-crowned hat made of black velvet with a turn-up brim. The hat has a velveteen surface and a black wool lining, and its brim can be turned down to cover the ears and the face.

Tajik women wear one-piece dresses. Married women wear a large piece of embroidered cloth around the back of the waist, which covers the whole buttocks; they wear round-topped embroidered hat sewn with a back veil for keeping warmth; when going out, they wear a long and wide kerchief. Old women love to wear a white kerchief, while brides have to wear red ones. When going out, women cover the cap with a long, large veil, which covers the head, shoulders and waist, with only the eyes, noses and mouths exposed. Most women hang three to five strings of red beads or four to five silver coins.

All men and women wear felt socks, and high soft boots made of wild goat hide with soles made of yak hide.