Persian Clothing Vocabulary: What Iranians Actually Wear

The first time I went clothes shopping in Tehran after years in Milan, I walked into a boutique on Valiasr Street and asked for a ژاکت. zhâket. a jacket. The shopkeeper didn't blink. Then I asked about پانتالون. pântâlon. pants. Still no confusion. It hit me: half my Persian clothing vocabulary was just French words wearing a Farsi accent. Growing up, I never questioned it. But standing there, fresh off a flight from Italy, hearing French loanwords in a Tehran shop while thinking in Italian. my brain short-circuited in three languages at once.

That shopping trip taught me something about persian clothing vocabulary that no textbook covers: what Iranians actually wear, what they call it, and why so much of it sounds like a Parisian fashion catalogue filtered through a Tehran accent. Clothes in Iran aren't just fabric. They're political, cultural, generational. and the vocabulary reflects all of it.

Everyday Clothing: The Basics Everyone Needs

Before we get into the politics and the French, here are the 15 words you'll hear in any Iranian household. These are the clothes people throw on every morning without thinking.

پیراهن. pirâhan. shirt

This covers everything from a dress shirt to a casual button-down. In spoken Farsi, you'll often hear it shortened.

شلوار. shalvâr. pants/trousers

The default word for any kind of pants. Jeans, dress pants, sweatpants. all shalvâr. If you want to be specific, you add a modifier: شلوار جین. shalvâr-e jin. jeans.

کفش. kafsh. shoes

Generic word for all footwear. Sneakers? کفش ورزشی. kafsh-e varzeshi. sports shoes. Heels? کفش پاشنه‌دار. kafsh-e pâshne-dâr.

جوراب. jurâb. socks

کلاه. kolâh. hat/cap

Also used in the expression کلاه گذاشتن. kolâh gozâshtan. to trick someone (literally: to put a hat on someone). Iranians love their idioms.

کاپشن. kâpshon. puffy jacket/windbreaker

From the French capuchon. You'll hear this constantly in winter. It's the go-to word for any casual jacket that isn't formal.

پالتو. pâlto. overcoat

Another French loan. from paletot. This is the heavier, more formal coat. Your grandfather's winter coat? That's a pâlto.

دامن. dâman. skirt

تی‌شرت. ti-shert. T-shirt

Straight from English. No Persian equivalent exists because T-shirts weren't a thing in pre-modern Iran.

شرت. shert. shorts/underwear

Context matters here. شرت can mean shorts (as outerwear) or underwear, depending on the conversation. If someone says شرتت پیداست. shertet peydâst. your underwear is showing. they're not talking about your cargo shorts.

ژاکت. zhâket. jacket (from French jaquette)

کراوات. kerâvât. necktie (from French cravate)

پانتالون. pântâlon. trousers (from French pantalon)

Yes, pântâlon and shalvâr both mean pants. The difference? Pântâlon sounds slightly fancier. dress pants rather than everyday trousers. In practice, most people just say shalvâr.

شلوارجنگ. shelvâr-jang. leggings/tights

Literally "war pants." I don't know who named these, but I respect the energy.

مانتو. mânto. manteau (women's long coat/tunic)

This one deserves its own section. and it's getting one below.

The French Layer: Why Half Your Wardrobe Is French in Persian

If you're learning common Farsi words and thinking "wait, that sounds French". you're right. During the Qajar dynasty (1789–1925) and especially under the Pahlavis, Iran looked to France as the model of modernity. French became the language of diplomacy, education, and fashion.

The result? A massive chunk of Persian clothing vocabulary is borrowed directly from French:

If you already know some French. or if you speak Italian like me, which shares a lot with French. this is a shortcut. You basically get 20+ Farsi words for free.

Women's Clothing in Iran: Mânto, Rusari, and Chador

This is where clothing vocabulary in Farsi gets political.

مانتو. mânto. manteau (a knee-length or longer tunic/coat)

The mânto became the standard public covering for Iranian women after the 1979 revolution. It's technically from French manteau (coat), but in Iran it refers specifically to the long, often fitted coat that women wear over their clothes in public. The style varies wildly. from shapeless black ones to colorful, tailored designs that are basically fashion statements.

روسری. rusari. headscarf

Literally "head-cover" (from رو ru. face/surface + سری sari. head-related). This is the most common word for the headscarf Iranian women wear. Not to be confused with شال. shâl. which is a looser scarf/shawl, often used interchangeably in casual speech.

چادر. châdor. chador (full-body covering)

The châdor is a large fabric draped over the head and body, held closed by hand or tucked under the arm. It's the most traditional form of hijab in Iran. The word literally means "tent". which tells you something about the garment's shape.

مقنعه. maghna'e. a fitted head covering (like a hood)

Common in schools and government offices. It's tighter and more structured than a rusari.

حجاب. hejâb. hijab (the concept of modest covering)

In Persian, hejâb refers to the overall concept of Islamic dress code, not a specific garment. When Iranians mean the headscarf specifically, they say rusari or shâl.

Traditional Clothing: What Your Grandmother Wore

Modern Iranians mostly wear Western-style clothing day to day. But traditional garments survive in rural areas, ceremonies, and cultural events.

چادر. châdor. chador (also listed above. it bridges traditional and modern)

قبا. qabâ. a traditional long robe/coat

Historically worn by men, the qabâ was the standard outer garment in Qajar-era Iran. Think of those old photographs of mustachioed men in long coats. that's a qabâ. You'll still see them at traditional ceremonies or on Nowruz stages.

لباس محلی. lebâs-e mahalli. regional/local clothing

Iran has dozens of ethnic groups. Kurdish, Baluchi, Turkmen, Gilaki, Lori. each with distinct traditional dress. The umbrella term is lebâs-e mahalli. Kurdish men's baggy pants (شلوار کردی. shalvâr-e kordi) and Baluchi women's embroidered dresses (لباس بلوچی. lebâs-e baluchi) are the most recognizable.

شال. shâl. shawl/scarf

The word shawl in English actually comes from Persian. The shâl has been part of Iranian dress for centuries, used by both men and women.

گیوه. give. traditional handmade shoes

Light, woven shoes still made in western Iran. They're the original breathable summer shoe. way before Nike got involved.

Accessories and Materials

Once you've got the clothes down, you need the extras. Here's the vocabulary for jewelry, materials, and accessories. stuff you'll need if you're shopping in the بازار. bâzâr.

جواهر. javâher. jewelry/gems

پارچه. pârche. fabric/cloth

At the bazaar, you'll hear پارچه‌فروشی. pârche-forushi. fabric shop. Iranian bazaars still have entire sections dedicated to fabric.

چرم. charm. leather

Yes, "charm" in Persian means leather. کیف چرمی. kif-e charmi. leather bag.

کمربند. kamar-band. belt

Literally "waist-tie." Another word English borrowed from Persian. cummerbund comes directly from kamar-band.

انگشتر. angoshtar. ring

From انگشت. angosht. finger. Iranians love their rings. especially men with large عقیق. aghigh. agate stone rings.

گوشواره. gushvâre. earring

From گوش. gush. ear.

گردنبند. gardanband. necklace

Literally "neck-tie". but don't confuse it with kerâvât (necktie). Persian is literal when naming jewelry: it's on your neck, so it's a neck-band.

ساعت. sâ'at. watch/clock

The same word for both. Context tells you which. ساعتت قشنگه. sâ'atet ghashange. your watch is pretty.

کیف. kif. bag/purse

کیف دستی. kif-e dasti. handbag. کیف پول. kif-e pul. wallet (literally: money bag).

If you want to describe colors when talking about clothes and accessories, check out the colors post. you'll need it when bargaining at the bazaar.

Shopping for Clothes: Sizes, Trying On, and Complaining

Knowing clothing words is only half the battle. You need the shopping vocabulary too. especially the complaining part, because something will always be wrong.

اندازه. andâze. size

اندازه‌ی من چنده؟. andâze-ye man chande?. "What's my size?"

پرو کردن. prov kardan. to try on

From French prouver (to prove/test). Even the act of trying on clothes is French in Persian.

تنگ. tang. tight

گشاد. goshâd. loose/wide

Be careful with goshâd. in slang, calling someone goshâd is an insult (it implies they're careless or "loose"). When talking about clothes, it's perfectly fine. Context is everything.

تا کردن. tâ kardan. to fold

Useful when the shopkeeper asks if you want your purchase folded or bagged.

A few more shopping essentials:

بزرگ‌تر دارید؟. bozorg-tar dârid?. "Do you have a bigger one?"

رنگ دیگه‌ای دارید؟. rang-e dige-i dârid?. "Do you have another color?"

چقدره؟. cheghaddre?. "How much is it?"

If you want to practice these phrases with a real person, I'm on Preply. we can do a mock bazaar haggling session. It's more fun than it sounds.

Quick Reference Table

Want to drill these words with spaced repetition? ZabanYar has clothing vocabulary built into its beginner deck. and it teaches you the spoken forms, not just the textbook ones.

FAQ

For more vocabulary organized by topic, head to the Vocabulary by Topic hub. it's the best way to build your Farsi word bank systematically instead of randomly memorizing flashcards.

Get it wrong and the worst that happens is a warm laugh and a story they’ll tell for years. Get it right — refuse the tea twice, accept on the third — and you’ll watch a face open up. You didn’t just speak Persian. You played the game.