: Shifting Cultural Tides Bring Neckties Back to Iran

Maybe you weren’t paying attention during Iran’s revolution in 1979, but one of the dramatic changes involved not turbans but neckties (or rather, the lack of them). For years, Iran had its own cultural revolution where neckties were fervently discouraged (along with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll). The millenialists at the turn of the century even felt that they were a sign of the apocalypse (unlike Casual Fridays). Nevertheless, the “Shah’s donkey tail” has been returning to the streets of Iran, paralleling the subtle changes that have taken place in mens’ grooming and womens’ fashion. “Wearing ties makes us look more respectable. Most of our customers are very happy.” said a clothing store salesmen. But while neckties were never made illegal, government officials still voice their displeasure. “The tie is a symbol of the West. We want to keep our own cultural identity,” a Foreign Ministry official said.

Zahed Amanullah is associate editor of altmuslim.com.  He is based in London, England.