Abstract
This study will covered socio-cultural background and characteristic of the face-concealing culture of Istanbul which has liberal and westernized clothes culture for women even if it's an city in an Islamic country. This study depended on literatures related to religion, culture and costumes of the Ottoman Empire, especially costumic data on miniature of turkey, which was famous from 16th to 19th century. Since the 17th century, the Ottoman Empire has been gradually influenced by European countries but the change of women's clothes was not considerable. In the 18th century, women's clothes were influenced by foreign fashions. A veil to cover the face was gradually disappeared and traditional Turkish headdresses were replaced by European hats. Through face-concealing culture of Istanbul, we can see some socio-cultural features like Islamic religious character, one's social position, economic situation, westernization and renovation, beauty and completion of costume, duality for the reason of regional difference.