In Turkmenistan, the dress code rules for women are becoming stricter. According to new requirements, married women must wear yellow dresses to work, while unmarried women are required to wrap yellow scarves. This was reported by "Radio Ozodlik".
According to the publication, in workplaces in Ashgabat, leaders have informed unmarried women that wearing yellow scarves is mandatory. The official reason for such a decision has not been clearly stated, but leaders emphasized that it is a "directive from above".
The rules regarding clothing colors were introduced at the beginning of March. Those who do not comply have been warned that they may be dismissed from work. This has caused discontent among the local population, especially among women.
“When will this end? When will the humiliation of women's dignity stop?” says one local citizen, a woman who wished to remain anonymous.
Strict restrictions for women and previous requirements
Restrictions on women's appearance have previously been in place in Turkmenistan. In 2022, several cosmetic surgeries, particularly breast implants, lip augmentation, and tattoos were officially banned. According to government documents, growing nails and eyelashes has also been prohibited.
Additionally, there have been reports of women in the capital and other cities being publicly detained for having artificially altered nails or lips. They were forced to remove cosmetic products and were made to pay hefty fines.
Furthermore, women working in state institutions have been required to sign a declaration stating that they will not use cosmetics. Educational efforts have been conducted in schools to inform older female students that manicures and pedicures are not allowed.
The above image shows young girls wearing traditional Turkmen clothing. Their outfits consist of beautifully patterned, long, national-style dresses. Turkmen women often prefer national attire. Such clothing is considered not only an expression of cultural traditions but also a form that meets official requirements.
The new rules currently serve to impose even more restrictions on the dressing of Turkmen women.
This kind of strict interference in women's appearance has been observed in Turkmenistan before, but this time the decisions are causing strong public protests.
