Life has improved in many ways for women, particularly in urban centers. They can walk around public areas without cover, although almost always with at least a discreet head shawl. Nevertheless, male bastions of tradition more hardline than the Taliban remain in many parts of the government. Some advice:
Do not try to be too “Afghan” or you may be treated accordingly. Dress conservatively, but look recognizably Western. Avoid wearing figure-hugging or revealing clothes. Ordinary loose-fitting Western dresses and below-the-knee skirts can be worn with loose trousers underneath to cover legs, calves, and ankles.
In public, cover your head and chest discreetly with a long shawl or chador, but there is no need to overdo it. In general, dress more conservatively in rural areas. You can dress more Western in the “international” spaces of Kabul and other towns.
Edward Girardet, a former correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor, is editorial director of The Essential Field Guide series and a co-founder of the Institute for Media and Global Governance. His latest book: is “Killing the Cranes – A Reporter’s Journey through Three Decades of War in Afghanistan.”
