Clothing is a set of items that people wear to cover their bodies. It should be noted that the type of clothing usually corresponds to the gender of its owner. Therefore, it is often possible to recognize a man or a woman by the way they are dressed. The purpose of clothing in general is to protect from cold, heat, cover nakedness and generally emphasize the beauty of a person. When it comes to clothing, this concept implies national clothing as an important pillar of national culture, which must retain its spiritual value so that future generations can also appreciate and inherit it.

If we take a closer look at the different historical periods and clothing styles, we will see that each historical period had its own unique clothing style, shape, material, color and pattern of fabric. In modern mass culture, all nations have their own culture and national costumes, and Tajiks are also the heirs of this culture. National clothing is one of the main pillars among various ethnic groups and nations, through which the national and racial identity and conviction of people are reflected. This is how national clothing has developed since the appearance of tribes, nations and states, depending on climate change, economic conditions, development and progress of science, and has become available to today's generation as a national and cultural heritage and tradition.

As the Founder of Peace and National Unity - Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, esteemed Emomali Rahmon emphasized in his speech on the occasion of "Mothers' Day": "Recently, there is a tendency to worship the alien and craving for foreign culture among women and girls in the country, as well as the propaganda of wearing foreign clothes in some cities and regions of the country have also become an alarming process. Feelings of worship of the alien and imitation in clothing, behavior and speech among women and girls can negatively affect the stability of the foundations of national culture. If someone has become addicted to such a style of clothing in order to imitate it, then others distributes these clothes among our women and girls in order to promote imposed ideas, and they want to introduce a new extremist trend in the country."

Indeed, recently there has been concern and regret about following foreign culture, namely the way some young people, especially girls, dress by wearing non-Tajik hijabs and imitating the West, which leads to the decline of their own culture and civilization. This style of dress goes beyond morality and has a negative impact on the thinking of young people, their morality and upbringing. The alienation of the manner and style of wearing clothes is a cultural alienation that calls into question intellectual independence, national identity and national culture.

In fact, the ugly behavior and imitation of foreign culture by a number of women and girls, on the one hand, indicates their ignorance of the traditional customs of wearing clothes of our ancestors, and on the other hand, the complete irresponsibility of parents in choosing clothes. Therefore, the Guide on Recommended Clothing for Girls and Women, which was very appropriately proposed by the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, is acceptable and is supported. I believe that in the context of globalization, the implementation of this initiative is necessary. 

It is a matter of pride that Tajiks have been enlightened, cultured and aesthetes since ancient times, and that by wearing their national costumes, they popularized and glorified both the civilization and culture of the Tajik people in the history of mankind.
 

Bobomurod Ghafurov – Science Researcher,
Khatlon Regional Branch of the Agency
for CBRN Safety and Security at NAST