Iran A La Mode

Iran's dress code prohibits men from wearing short-sleeve shirts or Western-style haircuts, but many fashion-conscious young Iranians, like these Tehran shopkeepers, choose to ignore the strict rules.

As police have cracked down on "un-Islamic" styles in recent months, some barber shops have been closed for offering unconventional Western haircuts.

Iranian women in traditional and modern dress walk in Tehran. Some women say they dress conservatively in public but more daringly in their private lives.

While all women in Iran are required to wear the veil, there is great diversity in how the rules are observed, and some strive for high style while staying within the letter of the law.

Police and activists of the Basij militia check women to ensure that they are dressed modestly and properly veiled. Many women have been detained for wearing loosely-tied veils or too-short trousers.

A poster, issued by the police, warns shoppers at a mall to follow the dress code.

An Iranian woman models clothes at an Islamic fashion show. Modest Islamic fashions have been touted as an alternative to improper Western styles.