Tajikistan is a small state of the Central Asia but it is a country of thousands of years old culture and traditions. If you go in Tajik market, you’ll see numerous Tajik men and women with a similar feature; their black and bushy unibrows. A unibrow (or monobrow) is a “confluence of eyebrows”; that is, the existence of extra hair between the eyebrows.

A Tajik woman with unibrows fashion ( Image: El-Len )

Surprised? What unibrow has to do with culture? For Tajiks, this is a matter of prestige and beauty. Especially in women, unibrow is considered the symbol of feminine beauty and purity. Even in the men, the presence of unibrow is associated with virility. This is quite opposite to the rest of the world, where the presence of unibrows is considered as a symbol of ugliness and this unnecessary facial element is often removed or plucked.

A Tajik man with his traditional cap ( Image: Em and Ernie )

Apart from the unibrows, the other prominent aspect of the Tajik culture is the traditional dress of Tajikistan that was developed as a part of the Central Asian costume. Although these days the clothing culture is much influenced with the Western dressing or it is mixed with the Western styles. Yet, we can see the Tajik people wearing their traditional dresses in the streets and bazaars.

A pretty Tajik girl with unibrows and traditional dress ( Image: Mikhail Romanyuk )

Normally, Tajik men are seen wearing jeans and shirts or in formal suiting while the Tajik women are observed in skirts, stockings and heels. The skirts of the women may contain many layers embellished with flowery or wavy patterns with round-toed heels having beads or buckles.

Tajik women in their traditional clothing in a ceremony ( Image: Sadaf Belal )

The traditional dress of Tajik men is a bulky trouser along with a collared and tunic shirt. Normally this dress was accompanied with a traditional black hat that was decorated with white embroidery. In some parts of Tajikistan, the men also use turbans for their head cover. The situation of the Tajik women clothing was not much different except from the neckline shaping of the long tunic shirt. The traditional dress of the Tajik women is long shapeless attire prepared with brilliant and showy color patterns along with the matching pants. The dress was usually accompanied with the embroidered traditional shoes.  Some women also use Scarf or Hijab in order to cover their head or neck.

A Tajik dancer performing in Bukhara (Uzbekistan) - Image by mittu12

Nowadays, the traditional dress of Tajikistan is usually worn in the wedding ceremonies by the Tajik people. Especially it is the primary choice for a Tajik woman on her wedding day when she also plucks the excessive hair between her eyebrows. In the festive occasions or in the ceremonies of the national importance, the folk people are seen performing in their traditional dresses.

A Tajik folk dancer in her traditional costume ( Image : Koshy Koshy )