Dress Code

Since this is one occasion where all Bhutanese dress in their finest clothes so the dress code for visitors would be formal. Inside Dzongs and monasteries hats are not permitted as a rule. Full sleeved shirts and full trouser would suffice for men, the same or dress for women. Ties are not necessary, jackets optional.

The national dress of Bhutan is called the gho for men and kira for women. It was introduced during the 17th century by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel to give the Bhutanese a unique identity.  In an effort to preserve and promote its cultural heritage, all Bhutanese are required to wear the national dress in government offices, schools and on formal occasions.  The gho is a long robe hoisted to the knee and held in place with a kera, a woven cloth belt, wound tightly around the waist. This forms a large pouch above that may be used to contain particular items, traditionally a bowl and betel nut. 
 

The kira is a floor-length rectangular piece of cloth wrapped around the body over a blouse called wonju.

The kira is held from the shoulders by broach-like hooks called koma and is fastened at the waist with a kera. The dress is complete with a short, open jacket-like garment called toego. 

The traditional dress of Bhutan is one of the most unique in the world. Men wear gho, a long robe that is raised till knee, folded backwards and then tied around the waist by kera, a belt. Traditionally, the pouch formed above the waist is used for carrying bowl, money and doma (areca nut and betal leaf eaten with a dash of lime). Men generally insert a knife in the belt from inside the pouch. But the dress for the tribal and semi nomadic people like the Bramis and Brokpas of eastern Bhutan and the Layaps of western Bhutan have a unique dress of their own and do not wear the gho and Kera. The Brokpas and the Bramis wear a dress made of yak hair and sheep wool with an animal skin over it and a hat with five fringes hanging from the sides. While the Layap men dress Gho the women dress differently with a loose outfit that reaches their calves. The dress is again made of yak hair. On the head they put on a conical bamboo hat. On formal visits to a Dzong or an office, Bhutanese men wear a scarf called kabney. Wearing of kabney is an important part of the Bhutanese decorum and should be put on in a right manner. The kabney also identifies the rank of a person. For instance, the King wears the yellow scarf, minister’s orange, judge’s green, and district administrator’s red with a white band going lengthwise and common people white with fringes etc. Women on the other hand wear a rectangular shaped cloth piece called kira. It is tied by belt. However women wear their kira long till their ankle. Women also wear the scarf called rachu. They hang it over their shoulder and it is beautifully hand woven with fringes at the end. It is smaller than a kabney.  
 

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