Of course, I do not deny that the developpement began under Pahlavi rule. That's a fact. An established fact. And another established fact is that Empress Farah's contributions to this developpement, especially in cultural areas were high and decissive.
But I do not thing that frivolity and copying models from the West could brings anything interesting to any Middle East country. To be more clear, I think that even the West is deep in frivolity nowadays, and I, being a Western myself, I'm not proud of it? Why did Iranian boys and girls wanting to put on jeans or adding a piercing to their noses and mouths? It's looking "outdated" not to attack yourself with "Tattoos" and other ugly things? And what about the fashion of showing your navel to everyone (even in the crude time of winter!!! BRRRRR!!! I never could understand that!


) walking in a provocative way and acting like you are a...(well...The word starts with "s", but I don't write it, for it's not good and I don't want to be banned


) . Does young people of Iran feel bad for they can't do all this? My God...
I dont think that you need to be Islamic to like modesty and to think that fashion is a secondary thing. I'm a Catholic and I prize modesty. Besides, I saw recent pics from Iran streets and Iranian women are among the more stylish and elegants of the world. Certainly they wears their heards covered (in most f the cases , not totally covered) and their unique clothes (I'm not speaking about severe chadors, but about moderate hijabs) make them especial, and elegant in a way, we are not. These women had worth on them and have respect to themselves...Sorry, but some young people from today is dressed in an extreme vulgarity. When I see some of them, I believe that they are poor people from some bad neighborhood...and then I know they are sons and daughters of very important and old families Does Iranian young people wanting this for their country? If the answer is yes...Oh, my, my.
I'll see if I'm able to find some of the pictures I'm talking about to you to see. Of course, I also think that Empress Farah taught the women how to be elegant in a discrete and unique way. She was stylish and modest at the same time.
I'm not saying that there is not exces: Extreme black chaddors are not at all beatiful, and the woman lost her personality when dressed with them. But I think that all these extreme examples will disappear with time, and it's a fact that few women are wearing them currently. But some nice, not to extreme hijab are pretty nice. Decency makes a woman more beatiful than she is. Just think about Lady Diana when she was dressed in "Pakistani Way"...Wasn't she lovely? I liked her more when she choose this kind of dresses (or European classical ones) than the rather vulgar semi-rocker, semi-sportive outfits she was wearing at the last days of her life. Of course, I'm not saying that Western women must wear hijab. That's nonsense. Every culture has its own cannons of modesty. But I think that elegant, simple and not too erotic clothes are better than some outfits we are currently seeing in the street.
Vanesa (the old dinosaur):bishop:

(The better thing in this world is to know how to laugh of one self. This is good when contra-culture seems to be overthrowning every single value we formerly knew)