Saed News: During the Qajar era, Iranians preferred fuller-figured women, and being plump was considered a standard of beauty for women at that time. The characteristics of women in the Qajar period were unique. One of the important duties of women was taking care of the children.
According to the History Service of Saed News, it is interesting to know that from the era of Fath-Ali Shah, women gained a distinct presence in the Qajar court. According to Mirza Taghi Khan Sepehr, Fath-Ali Shah had about a thousand women and fathered two hundred and sixty children, of whom only one hundred and one survived.
The legal and social conditions of women during the Qajar period in Iranian history were very poor, because they were valued less than men’s property and rights. Women wore what men considered beautiful on women. Due to deprivation of their most basic rights, women did not have the freedom to choose their clothing styles.
The clash between traditional and modern cultures was one reason for the evolution of women’s clothing in the Qajar period. Factors that led to the spread of Western culture into the country included the Qajar rulers’ interest in establishing political and cultural relations, the Industrial Revolution, and intellectual changes in Europe. Note that the Qajar kings did not truly understand European intellectual and ideological changes and focused mainly on appearances and their material needs. Had the kings been more prudent, the country might have witnessed major cultural and economic transformations.
Women during the Qajar era were religious in terms of hijab and gave great importance to Islamic laws. Travelogues of foreign travelers in Iran show that ordinary women generally preserved their hijab by wearing a chador (veil). Therefore, women of that time used loose and long clothing to maintain their modesty. However, besides religion, other factors such as economic status, culture, and politics also influenced clothing choices.
If you look at pictures of women from the Qajar era, especially the Nasserid period, you may wonder why women were so plump. One reason was that men favored overweight women during that time!
The last Turkic dynasty ruling Iran was the Qajar tribe, which was overthrown by Reza Khan Pahlavi. One of the beauty and charm standards for women in the Qajar period, like other Turkic ruling tribes of Iran, was being overweight! Obesity became more common in the Qajar era and was more valued by Qajar men than in previous Turkic dynasties.
In ancient times (pre-Renaissance) in Western countries, obesity was a symbol of wealth and status, as overweight people could afford to eat well and gain weight. Among the Western aristocracy, this became so important that rulers and the wealthy would intentionally vomit after meals (e.g., by using their fingers) to empty their stomachs and eat again!
By contrast, poor people were thin and lean because they could not afford enough food. The Qajars’ belief about overweight women was that it represented a form of beauty; in fact, the number of overweight women in photos of that era was much higher than overweight men. For Iranians in the Qajar period, a woman’s beauty was judged more by her plumpness than her face, and overweight women were very popular in the Qajar court.
During the Qajar period, women did not actually have mustaches. Only Naser al-Din Shah had a camera, and he was attracted to women who were plump, had mustaches, and connected eyebrows. For photographs, Naser al-Din Shah prioritized women who suited his taste, who were not only overweight but also had long eyebrows and various styles of mustaches. Some Qajar women even drew mustaches on themselves for photos, despite not having mustaches in real life.
One of the important duties of women in the Qajar era was child care. Typically, Iranian women had many children. Due to early marriages, many women were considered grandmothers by the age of 30. Motherhood duties often lasted only until the children were about 11 to 12 years old because of early marriages.
Women in ordinary families had other responsibilities besides raising children, including house cleaning, cooking, sewing family members’ clothes, and shopping. They also engaged in other work like carpet weaving, wool spinning, and various handicrafts.
The gap between childhood and marriage for girls during the Qajar era was short. Most girls married between ages seven and thirteen. Factors that contributed to early marriages included gaining economic independence, rapid physical growth, and low average life expectancy due to disease. Girls and boys did not have the right to choose their spouses. Permanent marriage contracts were the most common.
Temporary marriage or “sigheh” was another common form of marriage, based on agreement and contract. Due to poverty, families often agreed to temporary marriages for their daughters. Temporary marriages were socially acceptable, and after the contract ended, women could marry someone else permanently with ease. Another form of marriage involved girls or women captured through wars, kidnappings, or slave trade.
Women in the Qajar era played a significant role in family production and livelihood, which also impacted the country’s economy. Women used their physical strength in livestock and agricultural production. Marrying widows was preferred among Turkmen tribes because they had experience in carpet weaving and animal husbandry.
A woman’s value was measured by her productive skills. After marriage, a girl would bring her handmade carpet to her husband’s house to show her patience and loyalty through the care she took in weaving it.
Domestic service was a common occupation for women, especially in wealthy families, where roles like “Gis-e-Sefid” (white-haired servant) and wet nurse were recognized. These women played key roles in maintaining the household, as aristocratic women avoided child-rearing to preserve their status, and some household duties like cooking, shopping, and cleaning were not performed by them.
Traditional medicine based on herbal remedies was another occupation for women. Women established hospitals or public clinics in one of Tehran’s religious centers and examined female patients. Women’s participation in commerce and markets was minimal, limited mostly to peddling fabrics door-to-door or street vending.
Source: Joseph Arthur Gobineau, Three Years in Asia, translated by Abdolreza Houshang Mahdavi, Tehran: Ghatreh, 2004 (1383), p. 221
