According to local lore and some historical accounts, traditional markets in Iran once enforced a peculiar dress code for food vendors: they were expected to wear clean white robes while selling their goods. The rationale behind this unusual rule was deeply tied to civic order and consumer confidence. White robes symbolized purity and hygiene, reassuring customers that the food on offer was uncontaminated and handled with care. This practice helped maintain trust amid bustling bazaars where regulatory oversight was hard to enforce. While not officially codified in modern law, this customary rule reflects a fascinating blend of fashion, market culture, and food safety ideals in Iranian urban history. Vendors failing to meet this standard risked social disapproval or informal admonishment by marketplace overseers. Whether this was a practical hygiene measure or a more symbolic gesture, it illustrates how dress and presentation intersected with commerce and public trust in Iran’s past. Contemporary Iran does not enforce this rule, but it remains a curious piece of local market tradition circulating in historical and anecdotal sources.
Source / verification note
Local lore reported by historians of Middle Eastern markets; no current official statute.