Musings: My response to a comment left on my post about the Butterfly style Manteau trend in Iran.

(Please note this post was written in 2009, since then picture may have been changed, links may no longer be active. Please keep that in mind when you read this posting – UmmIbrahim, 2024)

I am going to reply to a comment I recieved about my post on the Iranian butterfly style manteau which can be found HERE.

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” muslimah_uk
Submitted on 2009/04/12 at 5:23pm

Well the manteau or mantoo is very funny actually, really not Islamique to say the least but hey everything fashionable has french names…like that ‘french abaya’ which is so tight and opened at the front…….I suppose the name francais makes it more appealing to ‘fashionistas’ another word I’ve discovered actually amongst Muslimahs……BUT do we really have time to waste over fashion????those endless pictures of high heels twined with an abaya, an assorted bag and massive bangles and jewleries are giving me a eyeacke and looks ridiculous to say the least, alhamdulillah I haven’t seen any sister dressed in that ridiculous fashion yet, maybe that’s only for UAE or other Muslim countries to be blessed with having some terrible ‘hijab’ (how can you call that hijab in the first place) high-heeled and arabian make-up artists:( faces running around in pastels and all sorts of bright colors having the nerve, YES the NERVE to even dare to utter ‘ well we don’t all want to look like giant blag bags??????????????????????????????????????? well looking like some kind of big walking christmas tree is better???look love you don’t have to wear black, but don’t critisize the ones who do and plus don’t call your picasso wardrobre a hijab……that’s making a moquerie of Allah.

Salaam”

My take: Unfortunately, I do not think this sister knows much about the Persian language or Iran. First off, Iranians have been using the term manteau (مانتو) or montoo for coats for at least a hundred years if not longer. During the Qajar dynasty French culture became popular at court and all the wealthy segments of society rushed off to learn French. Similar to how the Russian and British upper-crusts learnt French. Additionally during this time many “foreign items” entered Iran and quite frequently their French names were adopted. Usually they have pure-Persian names too such as Rapoosh but generally as far as coat’s go, Persian Iranians use manteau for an overgarment that flows from the shoulders.

Before the Revolution, a Manteau was just a coat…any old coat, there were no cultural, religious or socio-economic links to the term.

After the Islamic Revolution the Manteau (مانتو) came to be the preferred Islamic overgarment that all women must (or should) be wearing when outside, whether short or long (although at the time they were all about calf-length). It had zero to do with fashion or trends. It was the law. Incidently the first Manteau (مانتو) worn by women when they were mandated after the Revolution were indeed the Trenchcoats that everyone seemed to own for those between seasons. Hence why the general look of a Manteau in Iran has always had that trenchcoat type of a look.

it’s merely the word Iranians use for Coat and because Iranian women must wear “coats” when outside everyone says manteau.

I kind of find it disturbing that someone would think this was a new trend and that it’s un-Islamic for an Iranian to use the term manteau. Good luck going into a manteau store in Iran and asking for a jilbab, abayah or a rapoosh – you’ll get weird stares; ask for a manteau and people will know what you mean!

Just for the fun of it here are a couple butterfly style manteau designs I found online.

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The second part of this sister’s comment which, unfortunately resembles a rant should of been posted on another blog as I have yet to do a polyvore complete with heels and a bag. I never intend too as there are other blogs that do this and neither of which interest me very much.

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Ok, let me know what you think! I look forward to reading feedback, enshaAllah.