Recently Married
Uzbekistan 2012
It is the custom for new brides to wear their trousseau for the first two weeks of the marriage. She dresses in traditional silks fashioned in an up-to-date version of an old style of salwar chemise. She wears a hat like this one, which seems to have a Russian influence or perhaps a little gold pillbox with many gold chains dangling around her head. She lets her long hair hang loose, or she could braid it into many small braids which is really the old Uzbek way.
We saw quite a few brides as fall is the time to marry: after the harvest is in and people have time to celebrate. We’d see brides dressed like the girl above, with her proud husband, who wore a western suit and tie and who made himself useful carrying her bags. Or we’d see the happy couple sauntering through the park with friends.
They were all lovely.