Men wearing shorts in Uzbekistan

[CAHK]

Is it acceptable for men to wear short pants in Uzbekistan in summer? How about going into mosques?

Thanks!

[steven]

You cannot wear shorts in a mosque. In general, you will see very few men wearing shorts, especially outside Tashkent, and very few women wearing pants outside Tashkent, but as a tourist, you are not the subject of endless neighbour gossip.

[AreWeThereYet?]

I wore shorts with little if any issue.

[olivashwan]

Hello there,

Is it acceptable for men to wear short pants in Uzbekistan in summer? How about going into mosques?

Thanks!

Do not wear shorts in Uzbekistan. You will be an object of ridicule and it is very offensive. I occasionally see European backpackers wearing them and feel so embarrassed for them as basically it is seen by locals that they are wearing their underwear!
Ladies can pretty much get away with wearing anything in Tashkent (you should see the crazy Russian outfits!) but outside of the city, they should at least wear capris. Guys could perhaps get away with shin length (cut off) trousers. It is very very hot here in summer and you might really want to wear shorts and singlet tops - don't!

[mazeno]

generally in asia:
wearing trousers/shorts is a status mark - short means poor and despised, long means rich and respected (similarly slim and fat). boys wear shorts, men wear trousers. even if you are a tourist, a welcome guest, asian people keep it in the subconscious, unwittingly in their mind.
but central asian people (uzb, kzh, esp. in hot season) allow half-calf-trousers, they wear them, too, but never show knees.

[Greg]

I've now made two trips to Uzbekistan, both times cycling, and wore Lycra bike shorts in the day / 3/4 cargos in the evenings. No problem at all. I didn't hear any sniggeres, nobody looked offended and I never got service refused or anything like that.

[netllama]

I've now made two trips to Uzbekistan, both times cycling, and wore Lycra bike shorts in the day / 3/4 cargos in the evenings. No problem at all. I didn't hear any sniggeres, nobody looked offended and I never got service refused or anything like that.

What parts of the country did you visit when you were wearing bike shorts?

[Greg]

One trip from Tashkent to Osh and then back in from Shymkent, the other trip from Panjakent to Beyneu, so basically most of the parts of the country that people are likely to visit.

I also know other cyclists who have ridden through in lycra so I'm not the only one.