Advice to the Indian Aristocracy/Chapter 6
DRESS.
You should always wear a simple or plain dress, but it should be that of your own nation. This principle should be observed when you go out in the evening or to an ordinary party. The kind of dress now worn in India by Hindu gentlemen consists of a long coat reaching down to the knee with a stand-up collar. For the head a turband is the best, but some wear round caps embroidered by hand or braided with gold or silver lace. Of European braids there are many kinds distinguishing the Military, the Naval, the Police, and the Civil Services, and so forth. Many of our young men now-a-days use these braids indiscriminately, not knowing for what particular class each is intended. But you should not use any other than the one made for Civilians. You should also have two good dress suits, one to be worn at semi-state occasions, and one to be worn at a levee or on other state occasions. You may also then wear a few or many jewels according to the nature of the functions. At your own home you should wear your family jewels on state occasions, because it pleases your people to do so. Of course, when you ride, shoot, or play, you may wear any kind of dress that you please or that suits the occasion. Many of our Indian people think that it is becoming to wear a frock-coat and a neck-tie, and that by so doing they would please Europeans. In the first place, I do not mean to say it is an ugly dress, but it is purely European, and so unfitted for Hindus. In the second place, I can emphatically say that it does not please Europeans. On the other hand, they hate to see an Indian wearing an European dress. Even English people at home, I observed on the two occasions I went to that country. like to see us in our own dress far better than in European costume. At one of the semi-functions there, certain Indian gentlemen wore complete European costume; then I heard many Europeans who noticed them remark they should not wear such a kind of dress at such functions. Not only at such functions, but even in our daily life, they preferred to see us in Indian dress to seeing us in European costume.
On one occasion, when a Viceroy arrived at Madras, we were instructed to wear our family head-dress. One of us wearing his turband with an aigrette on, wore a frock-coat and neck-tie. It appeared rather a ridiculous dress. Therefore you must be very careful in your apparel on all occasions — at home and abroad.
In visiting or at such other functions you should not turn up the bottoms of your trousers. Instead of this you must be careful to employ a good tailor, who would make your trousers to fit you and such as will not need turning up.
As regards gentlemen's dress, Indian dress is, in my opinion, better than that of the Europeans. To strengthen my view, I give you below one or two quotations in connection with clothing from Mr. Macnagh ten's Lecture on Manners. "It is hard to understand why natives of India incline so much to English clothing. The inclination is, I think, on the increase. Every nation has its own habits which come of the national climate and character. 'As is the country, so should the garment be.' But while English clothes are generally ugly, Indian clothes are generally graceful. And Indian clothes are far better suited to the Indian climate than English ones. People of India, in my opinion, have much reason to be proud of their national costume."
Indian gentlemen wear indiscriminately various kinds of English and European boots and shoes. Shoes are made in different patterns suitable for different purposes such as for attendance at Court, for visiting, for playing tennis or rackets, and so forth. Boots are likewise made to answer several purposes. One kind of boots is worn in visits, another with military uniforms; and so different patterns are used for walking, shooting, riding, etc. However, I have on several occasions noticed our gentry wearing whatever kind of boots or shoes they happen to possess, or whatever kind they find comfortable or cheap; but they seem never to think of the purpose each kind is made for. Consequently those that know the etiquette to be observed in this respect ridicule them. It is, therefore, necessary for you to know the various kinds of boots and shoes, and to select such as are suitable for each occasion.