Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical/Chapter 14
CHAPTER XIV
OF ORIENTAL DRESS (continued)
"And never the twain shall meet," lilts Kipling of the East and the West; and in the province of dress, as everywhere else in the Orient, caste, ruling supreme, writes incontroversial laws of separation.
In India, the article of masculine attire to which most importance attaches is the turban, its shape and general aspect denoting the social and spiritual status of the wearer. Until the founding of the Mogul Empire in 1505, the women of Hindostan were strangers to the tyranny both of the Zenana and of the veil, but from that time onwards traces of Mohammedan influence are plainly visible in the habits and costume of the people.
The utmost magnificence and display characterised the dress of the Mogul Emperors and their Court; and although differing in colour, texture, and certain minute details, the costumes common to the period were identical in broad outline and general design; and Fashion moved so slowly in a country where tradition was regarded as law, that the sleeve and collar in vogue at the end of a century were very like those obtaining at the beginning. A prince of the Mogul dynasty, who is depicted in a dress typical of his time and rank, wears long, tightly-fitting pyjamas of striped red and gold material, very much rucked at the calf and terminating at the ankle. His feet are encased in embroidered slippers, which leave the heel bare, the pointed toes curling upwards. The over-dress reaches to below the knee, and is of transparent white tissue, the skirt pleated and held at the waist by a sash, worked in gold, scarlet, and black, knotted in front and with fringed ends falling in unequal lengths. A jewel-hiked dagger is worn at the left side, and a narrow scarf, in white and gold, crosses the breast, passing under the right arm and over the left shoulder, where one end hangs down behind and the other before. The closely-fitting sleeves are rucked, and bracelets are drawn over them at the wrist and above the elbow, while several rows of pearls appear at the neck. The small white turban is arranged in a point on the forehead and encircled by a broad gold band and a string of pearls, the latter raised in front by an enormous emerald, a superb aigrette waving above an ornament glittering with diamonds and other precious stones; and on state occasions a large sword, sheathed in crimson velvet, and with a cross-shaped hilt studded with jewels, was carried, another mark of Imperial dignity being the umbrella which overspread the throne.
The dress of high-born ladies was very similar to that of the men, for it, too, consisted of rucked trousers, of brilliantly-coloured silk, decorated with embroidery and confined at the feet with plain gold bangles or jewelled anklets. The pointed slippers curved up at the toes and left the heels exposed, and the pleated robe of transparent muslin
AN OLD INDIAN FESTIVAL DRESS.
terminated at the calf. From the waist in front a width of gold tissue, fringed and worked in various bright shades, hung apron-like, while the bust was supported by a corselet contrived from polished wood so light and so supple as in nowise to interfere with the lithe movements of the body. The arms were bare, excepting for bracelets at the wrists and above the elbow, and the head and upper portion of the figure were enveloped in the graceful folds of a sari, or immense veil of diaphanous texture bordered with gold and patterned in vivid colours. The hair was parted, and fell in plaits behind, a jewelled ornament being worn in the centre of the forehead; while a pearl was fastened into one nostril, and the nails were stained vermilion.
Court dignitaries are represented in long, loose garments coming below the knees and cut low at the throat to reveal a vest of fine white material, but otherwise identical in design with the ordinary dressing-gown of a man of to-day. The waist was encircled by a broad band of embroidery, and the trousers completely encased the feet. On the head was the inevitable turban, round in shape and wide of brim.
Under the British Raj, India retains her picturesque variety of costume, and remains the one land faithful to the traditions of the turban. Hardly less splendid than in the gorgeous days of the Mogul Empire is the dress of a modern prince of the caste of Rajput. A small red turban is wound tightly about the head, one short gold-bedizened end falling behind. The big ear-rings are crescent-shaped, and the necklace is composed of several rows of pearls. A white robe falls to the ankles, and is surmounted by a shorter yellow jacket embroidered in colours and held together at the waist by a sash of peacock blue satin, the gold fringed ends falling unevenly in front. The tight sleeves terminate at the elbow, where they are supplemented by white ones, which extend to the wrist.
Scarlet and white are the favourite contrast, and the effect is to make the crowded bazaars brilliant and attractive to the eye.
A costume characteristic of a Pathan, a Musulman by religion, consists of a white turban of voluminous proportions wound in such a manner as to form a wide brim. The tight trousers are clearly visible through a flowing robe of figured white cotton, which reaches nearly to the ground, and, crossing over at the breast, is kept in place by a striped shawl folded about the waist, the picture being completed by velvet slippers turned up at the toes. The coolies are generally naked except for a loin-cloth and turban, but some wear a white cotton shirt, short-sleeved and held by a folded belt in some bright shade.
Brahmins are distinguished by the sacred cord, in reality a twisted rope of cotton, which hangs from the left shoulder to the middle of the thigh. A typical costume is evolved from a long, straight piece of material wound round the body from the waist downwards, and drawn between the legs to form a trouser-like division. A shawl, draped about the upper portion of the figure, is manipulated in such a way as to cross on the left shoulder, one end hanging in front and the other behind. A shako-shaped turban and a chaplet of beads put the finishing touches, while on the forehead, breast, and bare arms the mark of the sect is painted with white powder.
From the age of seven, Parsees of both sexes don the sadra or sacred surplice emblematic of the coat of mail worn in ancient times by the Guebers to ward off the attacks of Ahriman, spirit of evil. The dress of the men comprises light, baggy trousers, white stockings, flat-heeled slippers, a tight black coat, usually of alpaca, buttoned down the front, and a high sugar-loaf hat of shiny black.
Nothing more charming could be devised than the dress peculiar to the female followers of Zoroaster. Until she marries the Parsee girl wears wide trousers fashioned from brilliantly-hued silk or satin, and the hems of the legs are adorned with bands of embroidery in quaint designs of birds and beasts worked in the most gorgeous tints. Her inner garment is a long sleeved jacket of white muslin, over which comes the sadra, or loose, square tunic lacking sleeves, and distinguished by the magnificence of its embroideries. The hair, divided in the centre and hanging down behind, is crowned by a little circular cap of black velvet covered with gold and silver embroidery and studded with seed pearls, while on the feet are gaily-embroidered slippers. Etiquette decrees that before her wedding the Parsee woman must submit to having her head shaved, a martyrdom which is responsible for the nun-like band of white material drawn low on the forehead. She continues to wear the trousers, but exchanges the decorative sadra for an even more superb sari. This voluminous drapery is of gold- bordered muslin in warm weather, at other seasons a long, straight piece of silk or satin wondrously coloured and exquisitely embroidered. It is wound round and round the body, outlining it tightly at the back, and hanging in straight folds in front, each evolution being accomplished in pleats, to attain sufficient fulness; and finally the end is drawn over the head, concealing one ear and leaving the other exposed, a practice which explains the single ear-ring worn by Parsee women. In warm weather the sari is of muslin and boasts a wide gold border.
The principal item in the wardrobe of the Hindu woman is likewise the sari, which she arranges as the Parsee does hers. The texture varies according to the means of the wearer. The poor employ cotton, but they invariably endeavour to have an ornamental border of some kind. The simply-made skirt reaches to the ankles, and the chuli, a short-sleeved jacket of diminutive proportions, terminates immediately below the bust, leaving the middle of the figure uncovered excepting for the sari. The hair is twisted in a heavy coil low down on the nape of the neck, a style rendered necessary by the custom of carrying weights on the head.
The poor Hindu, distrustful of other securities, invests such worldly wealth as he possesses in jewellery for his wife, who appears laden with bracelets, of painted wood or coloured glass. As many as twelve rings jingle from the much-pierced rim of either ear, while an ornament, frequently of preposterous size, is affixed to one nostril, and in addition there are anklets, necklaces, and toe and finger rings.
If the outdoor dress of Persian women be any criterion, their husbands must be the most jealous in the world, for not one of the charms accredited to frail femininity is allowed to transpire. The veil and all-enveloping mantle maintain a profound reserve, so that whether the wearer be old or young, slender or stout, attractive or repulsive, remains for ever an impenetrable mystery. Before quitting the seclusion of the Andaran, the Persian woman assumes an effective disguise. First she draws on a pair of dark green or grey trousers, one leg at a time, for there is no connection between the two, and these are fastened at the waist by a belt. Their shape is peculiar ; for, baggy to the knees, they fit closely at the calf and encase the foot after the manner of a stocking. Over these is worn an ample mantle of black silk, cotton, or muslin, covering the head and shrouding the entire figure, the ends drawn up at the bust and held by strings, which are crossed and tied round the neck. A thick white veil—an essential item from the age of nine—falls from the forehead to the waist in front, and is pinned at the back of the head to keep it in place, a narrow insertion of net appearing at the eves, to allow sight to the wearer.
The indoor dress of a Persian lady consists of a hill skirt to the ankles, fashioned from cloth of gold, velvet, or some other costly fabric, trimmed with beautiful embroidery. A loose jacket of soft white muslin, decorated with a peculiar kind of lace, forms a vest in front beneath an open embroidered jacket of a shade contrasting with that of the skirt. This jacket reaches to the waist, and has long sleeves conspicuous for turned-back cuffs. A cashmere shawl is draped on the shoulders, and a white veil is arranged kerchief-wise on the head and fastened under the chin with a jewelled brooch, leaving only the oval of the face visible. The brows are encircled by a golden fillet, from the centre of which depends a jewel, while the hair is parted and hangs down behind in three or more plaits, their ends tied with gay ribbons or weighted with pearls or silk tassels.
A variation of this style is noted in the dress of the ladies of Trebizond, their cashmere shawl being smaller and arranged over the skirt in such a way that a point falls down behind. The snowy muslin chemisette is cut low at the throat, and the embroidered coat shows a heart-shaped opening fastening only at the waist with two buttons; and on the head is a small round cap.
Female servants are generally barefooted, their full skirts terminating midway to the ankles, and pulled low down on the hips, so that the short white under-jacket and little coat of coloured material terminating at the waist, expose the centre of the body to view.
The official classes have discarded the turban in favour of the fez, a closely-fitting cap some six inches in height, contrived from black cloth or astrakhan. These are plain, with the exception of the jewelled fez peculiar to the Shah, and of the caps of certain high military authorities, which bear a distinctive badge of a gold lion and sun affixed above the forehead, a field-marshal wearing two lions surmounted by a crown. The turbans of the priests are large and round, those characteristic of the Seyyids, the direct descendants of Ali, being in a bright shade of green. As a rule, the official classes wear trousers and black frock coats that differ from those customary in Europe only in that they are arranged in numerous pleats, which, commencing at the hips, continue round the back. Infinitely more characteristic is the costume affected by merchants, this section of the community exhibiting a partiality for lightish blue cloth of native manufacture. The long coat, or ghaba, is loose and flowing. Double-breasted, it laps over and fastens with two buttons, while about the waist a shawl is wound several times, knotted, and the ends tucked out of sight. The overcoat, or aba, is of rough brown material, open in front, and the wide sleeves terminate at the elbow. A towering fez or a rolled turban is worn, according to the taste of the wearer.
The priests, or Mullahs, affect much the same style of garb; and, as I write, one whom I knew rises up before me. His was a most imposing personality. Of middle height, he seemed much taller by reason of his large white turban and ample robe of dark blue that flowed to his ankles, revealing heel-less shoes of bright yellow leather. Round in shape, his head was shaven, and his heard was trimmed to a point and stained with henna. Ahout his waist a white shawl was wrapped six times, and into it was tucked a big striped cotton handkerchief. In his hand he carried a rosary composed of a hundred clay beads, and, when he walked, the dignity of his demeanour was further enhanced by a long white mantle which he wore flung over his right shoulder.
Persians eschew gaudy colours and striking contrasts in dress, preferring quiet shades and harmonious combinations; dull reds, dim blues, and sombre greens being favourite tints. The diplomatic uniform is black, the front of the tight coat one blaze of gold embroidery; and the official sword is suspended from a narrow belt. In Turkey, as elsewhere, international inter-course has gradually led to the disappearance of those salient features which make for the characteristic in dress. In Constantinople the official classes wear the conventional garb of Western Europe, with the one noteworthy exception of the fez, a red cloth cap surmounted by a black silk tassel. French fashions are permitted in the privacy of the harem, but etiquette decrees that the women, before they go out, shall exchange these for a simple toilet of nunlike severity; and the ladies of the Sultan's household, who are never seen in public unless in a carriage or boat, don an all-enveloping mantle of black silk in winter and of some light shade in summer; and over this two white veils are worn. The first covers the face as far as the bridge of the nose, and the second is drawn across the brows, shrouding the head and leaving only the eyes visible. But in truth these yashmaks are so transparent that they serve to enhance rather than conceal the charms, natural and artificial, of the wearer. Through the shimmering white drapery the flower-decked hair is clearly seen, and romantic in the extreme is the effect of a small boat with three rowers, and a veiled figure under a fluttering lace parasol, gliding swiftly over the sun-kissed waters of the Bosphorus.
The walking dress in vogue in modern Constantinople is even plainer. It consists of a black silk skirt and a silk cape to the waist, the cape being provided with an additional piece to cover the head, and an essential complement is a short veil of close black net. In summer black is exchanged for light colours, but the style remains the same.
The priests, with true ecclesiastical fidelity to tradition, have remained constant to the old-world style of dressing; and to this day they cut picturesque figures in a red fez encircled by a narrow white turban, loose trousers kept in place by a cashmere shawl, dark yellow in colour and of great beauty of design, and a black caftan, a garment almost identical with that of the cassock worn by the clergy of the Church of England.
Another survival which is familiar to the casual visitor to Constantinople is the dress of certain labourers, consisting of baggy pantaloons to the knee or a little beyond, red shoes, a long sleeved cotton shirt, and a short, sleeveless jacket of blue or black material, a red fez, and a coloured shawl about the waist.
Formerly fur trimmings denoted great opulence and luxury, and the skins most favoured were ermine, sable, marten, white fox, and squirrel, which were changed according to a prescribed formula. The date for one to be discarded and another substituted was fixed by the Sultan, who usually elected to appear in new clothes on a Friday, when attending mosque. The Grand Vizier was officially notified of the intended change, whereupon he immediately sent word to the entire Court, who hastened to follow the sovereign's example.
The outdoor dress of ladies in those days was a lengthy mantle of dark material, which boasted long sleeves and a deep sailor collar of red, blue, or green satin; essential accessories being the two white veils and top boots of yellow morocco. Heavy and sumptuous, the gown worn at home consisted of baggy trousers of thin texture drawn in tightly at the ankles, supplemented by a long sleeved chemisette of white muslin trimmed with a peculiar kind of lace. This was met at the bust by the dress proper, a trailing robe of rich material encircled by an embroidered belt fastened by a jewelled clasp and drawn down very low in front. The sleeveless velvet mantle was edged with velvet and fell to the ground, and on the head was a high turban of embroidered muslin surrounded by a gold fillet set with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. The hair was cut in a straight fringe across the forehead, and arranged in bands over the ears.
Turkish women have always displayed a great fondness for jewellery, and modern etiquette renders a diamond tiara incumbent upon the bride of any social standing whatsoever. Much of the fascination of the desert, its mystery and its appeal to the imagination, is embodied in the Arab. The eye travels over the tall figure, straight as a palm tree, draped in the long folds of the burnous, with the same baffled sense of inquiry, the same subdued excitement and expectation with which it looks across the arid sand stretching out to the horizon and beyond. What restless fever consumes this statuesque figure, impelling him ever to be on the move? Where does his quest lead amid the dunes and burning sand, and what is the power that keeps him eternally a wanderer in that silent land? Vaguely one realises the subtle affinity between the two—the nameless spell which the desert casts over her sons.
The dress of the Arab, picturesque though it is, would seem to have been expressly designed with a view to affording the utmost possible protection to the head. The cachi, a little felt cap, red, brown, or white, and surmounted by a silk tassel in a contrasting shade, is common to all. Two, and frequently three, are worn, one above the other, the topmost being invariably red. Concealing the cachi is the haik, an ample white drapery drawn low on the forehead and falling curtain-wise about the face. It is held in place by one or more tightly-fitting rings composed of camel's or goat's hair, pressed firmly down on the head, and is of such liberal dimensions as to envelop the entire figure above a shirt contrived from fine white wool. Over all is flung the burnous, a voluminous mantle of plain of plain or striped material which can be arranged in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is tied at the throat with strings tipped with tassels, and at others it is wrapped about the body in classic folds with one end flung over the left shoulder. Sandals are worn on the bare feet, and the beard is long and pointed.
The costume of the chief of a warrior tribe differs in detail, although retaining the characteristic features. The sandals are supplemented by high leather side-pieces, open up the front and with the tops decorated with tassels. The short, tightly-fitting coat is trimmed with embroidery and more tassels, and reveals a wide expanse of white vest and a folded belt of brilliantly-hued silk. The baggy trousers terminate at the knees, where they are met by striped stockings. The hips are encircled by a shawl, which is knotted at the left side; and on the head is the inevitable haïk, surmounted by a large saucer-brimmed hat composed of feathers and conspicuous for a dome-shaped crown. The burnous fastens with tassels at the throat, and is flung back from the shoulders, tassels reappearing at rare intervals round the hem.
In towns Arab women are always more or less veiled, while those leading the free life of the desert dispense with what they deem superfluous drapery and choose for ordinary occasions attire of the scantiest description, merely consisting of a simple robe to the ankles, sleeveless and confined by a narrow girdle. On days of grand ceremonial this is exchanged for a long, flowing gown, the hem and elbow-sleeves edged with fringe, and draped with big cotton handkerchiefs in vivid plaid designs. One of these is drawn closely round the head, and the ends are flung back to float behind in picturesque disarray; a second is pinned at the right hip and again on the left shoulder; from the neck hang bead chains, and every available item of enamelled jewellery is displayed on different parts of the body. The pendent silver ear-rings are of imposing size and weight, and wide bracelets cover the arms, while, in the case of a woman fortunate enough to be the mother of a son, a distinguishing ornament dangles in the centre of the forehead, whence the hair is drawn back and arranged in a coil on the nape of the neck. This jewel she forfeits upon the birth of a daughter, and she recovers it only if she be blessed by another son.