Traditional clothing women's of Iraq

The Arab Iraqi woman's traditional costume is designed to conceal the woman and achieves this through hijab, or veiling, thecustomary rule of covering the woman's hair and body for the sake of modesty and adherence to socioreligious requirements. Veiling is believed to prevent men from falling into temptation and to protect women from unwanted sexual advances. The traditional costume includes the abayah, a long black cloak worn over a dress and covering the wearer from head to foot; the asha, a black head scarf; the foota, a black chin scarf; sandals or clogs; and gold or silver jewelry (for example, ankle bracelets, earrings, or pendants, valued not only as ornament but as insurance in case a woman's husband dies, leaves, or divorces her). The dress under the abayah is traditionally a black long-sleeved, ankle-length shift or yoke-style, but may be other colours. Younger women may wear the abayah and veil only when they leave the house but indoors wear dresses of printed cotton (during the summer) and flannelette (during the winter). In winter women may wear four or five layers of clothing-heavy black sweaters and black imitation caracul jackets-under the abayah. The hashmiya is a wide-sleeved full net or sheer black ceremonial gown that women wear for certain religious ceremonies.