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A SocialHistory A SocialHistory : look brieflyatwhattheselawswere. away existingdresscodes,knownasthesumptuary laws.Letus many aspectsofsocialandpoliticallife.Therevolution alsoswept In ChapterIyouhaveseenhowtheFrenchRevolution transformed western dressstylesformenwereadoptedworldwide. materials thatweredrawnfromotherculturesand locations,and thought aboutdressanditsmeanings.Peoplecouldusestyles industrial society,completelychangedthewaysinwhichpeople by Europe,thespreadofdemocraticidealsandgrowthan After theeighteenthcentury,colonisationofmostworld in thesocialhierarchy. Clothing styleswerealsostrictlyregulatedbyclass,genderorstatus clothes andthecostofmaterialsthatwereavailableintheirregion. according totheirregionalcodes,andwerelimitedbythetypesof capitalist marketsineighteenth-centuryEurope,mostpeopledressed Before theageofdemocraticrevolutionsanddevelopment Why arethesetwocenturiesimportant? twentieth centuries. clothing inthemodernperiod,thatisnineteenthand in clothing.Inthischapter,wewilllookatsomeofthehistories The emergenceofthemodernworldismarkedbydramaticchanges Modifications inclothingcometoreflectthesechanges. change andsocietiesaretransformed,thesenotionsalsoalter. notions ofgraceandbeauty,ideasmodestyshame.Astimes themselves, thewaytheywantotherstoseethem.Theyshapeour norms cometodefinetheidentityofpeople,waytheysee different socialclassesandgroupsshouldpresentthemselves.These way inwhichmen,womenandchildrenshoulddress,orhow societies observecertainrules,someofthemquitestrict,aboutthe It iseasytoforgetthatthereahistorytheclotheswewear.All A SocialHistory A SocialHistory A SocialHistory Clothing:Clothing:Clothing:Clothing: 2018-19 159

IIIIII Clothing:Clothing: A SocialA History Social History Chapter VIIIIIIIII and the Contemporary World was meanttoexpresstheideaofequality. ofliberty,longtrousersandtherevolutionary political symbolstoobecameapartofdress:thered they wereasignofthepatrioticcitizen.Other of France–blue,whiteandredbecamepopularas clothing thatwaslooseandcomfortable.Thecolours now on,bothmenandwomenbeganwearing literally meantthose‘withoutkneebreeches’.From wore thefashionable‘kneebreeches’.Sansculottes distinguish themselvesfromthearistocracywho clubs evencalledthemselvesthe‘sansculottes’to you knowfromChapterI,membersoftheJacobin The FrenchRevolutionendedthesedistinctions.As materials thatwereassociatedwiththearistocracy. classes weredebarredfromclothingthemselveswith ermine legally prescribed.Onlyroyaltycouldwearexpensivematerialslike but alsobysocialrank.Thematerialtobeusedforclothingwas person couldpurchaseperyearwasregulated,notonlybyincome game incertainareas.InmedievalFrance,theitemsofclothinga foods andbeverages(usuallythisreferredtoalcohol)hunting preventing themfromwearingcertainclothes,consuming to controlthebehaviourofthoseconsideredsocialinferiors, strictly followwhatwereknownas‘sumptuarylaws.’Thelawstried French Revolutionin1789,thepeopleofFrancewereexpectedto were speltoutinsomedetail.Fromabout1294tothetimeof members ofdifferentlayerssocietythroughactuallawswhich In medievalEurope,dresscodesweresometimesimposedupon 160 1 1111 Ermine –Typeoffur. Cockade –Cap,usuallyworn ononeside. New words

Sumptuary LawsandSocialHierarchy Sumptuary LawsandSocialHierarchy Sumptuary LawsandSocialHierarchy Sumptuary LawsandSocialHierarchy Sumptuary LawsandSocialHierarchy andfur,orsilk,velvetbrocade.Other pinnedontoahat.Thesimplicityofclothing 2018-19 1788) Painting bytheEnglishartist ThomasGainsborough(1727- Fig.1 –Anupper-classcoupleineighteenth-century England. skin wasconsidereduncultured. their facespaintedadelicateshadeofpink,forthedisplaynatural high heeledshoes.Bothofthemhaveelaboratewigsandboth time, iswearingalongsoldier’scoat,kneebreeches,silkstockingsand appeared narrowwaisted.Thenobleman,aswasthecustomof the .Thiswasmeanttoconfineandshapeherwaistsothatshe edgings onthedressladyiswearing.Shealsohasacorset Notice thesumptuousclothing,elaborateheadgear,andlace Fig.2 –AnaristocraticcoupleontheeveofFrenchRevolution. Box 1 up theEnglishwoollenindustry remained ineffectfortwenty-six yearsandwasveryusefulinbuilding madeinEngland,onSundays andallholydays.Thislaw over sixyearsofage,exceptthosehighposition,towear woollen amongst men.Englandpassedalawwhichcompelledall persons caps madewithmaterialimportedfromFranceandItalywere popular against imports.Forinstance,insixteenth-centuryEngland, velvet Some sumptuarylawswerepassedtoprotecthomeproduction Not allsumptuarylawsweremeanttoemphasisesocial hierarchy Fig.3 –Womanofthemiddleclasses,1791. . 2018-19 inside . Fig.4 –VolunteersduringtheFrenchRevolution. Activity time oftheRevolution. about thesocietyandcultureinFranceat what thedifferencesinpicturestellus Look atFigures2-5.Write150wordson Fig.5

– Asans-culottesfamily,1793. 161

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World tight dressesandcorsetscaused deformitiesandillnessamongyoung campaigning fordressreform. Women’smagazinesdescribedhow democratic rights.Asthe ideas changed.Bythe1830s, womeninEnglandbeganagitatingfor But noteveryoneacceptedthesevalues.Overthenineteenth century, inflicted onthebodywastobeacceptedasnormal. womanly, theyhadtowearthecorset.Thetorture andpainthis pain wasessentialtobeingawoman.Tobeseenas attractive,tobe to believethathavingasmallwaistwaswomanly duty.Suffering had receivedatschoolandhome.Fromchildhood theygrewup in theairtheybreathed,literatureread, educationthey Many womenbelievedintheidealsofwomanhood.Thewere 2.1 HowDidWomenReacttoTheseNorms? part increatingtheimageoffrail,submissiveVictorianwomen. admired asattractive,elegantandgraceful.Clothingthusplayeda tight fitting them withinsmallmoulds.Whenslightlyolder,girlshadtowear in these ideals.Fromchildhood,girlsweretightlylacedupanddressed as frivolous,delicate,passiveanddocile.Normsofclothingreflected to beserious,strong,independentandaggressive,womenwereseen was onewhocouldbearpainandsuffering.Whilemenwereexpected to bedocileanddutiful,submissiveobedient.Theidealwoman women. WomeninVictorianEnglandweregroomedfromchildhood Styles ofclothingalsoemphasiseddifferencesbetweenmenand improper, decentorvulgar,differed. of dress.Thenotionwhatwasbeautifulorugly,proper poor couldwear.Anddifferentclassesdevelopedtheirownculture earning, ratherthansumptuarylaws,nowdefinedwhattherichand barred people’srighttodressinthewaytheywished.Differences not dressliketherich,noreatsamefood.Butlawsnolonger differences betweensocialstrataremained.Clearly,thepoorcould as wellthelawsthatmaintainedthoseprivileges.However, had raisedthequestionofequalityandendedaristocraticprivileges, societies couldnowdressinthesameway.TheFrenchRevolution The endofsumptuarylawsdidnotmeanthateveryoneinEuropean 162 2 2 2 2 2 stays Clothing andNotionsofBeauty Clothing andNotionsofBeauty Clothing andNotionsofBeauty Clothing andNotionsofBeauty Clothing andNotionsofBeauty . Theeffortwastorestrictthegrowthoftheirbodies,contain . Tightlylaced,small-waistedwomenwere suffrage movementdeveloped,many began 2018-19 whichwouldrestricthermovement. probably heldinbyacorset,andthesweeping 1764). Noticethetinywaistevenatthisage, the EnglishpainterWilliamHogarth(1697- Fig.7 –Achildinanaristocratichousehold English painterWilliamHogarth(1697-1764) Fig.6 –Sceneatanupper-classwedding wanted therightforwomen tovote. Suffrage – support tothefigure. , wornbywomentogiveshapeand –Acloselyfittingandstiffinner to holdthebodystraight Stays –Supportaspartofawoman’sdress New words T he righttovote.Thesuffragettes bythe by Source A Source C Source B became necessarytoholduptheweakenedspine. of acuteweakness,feltlanguid,andfaintedfrequently.Corsetsthen bent. Doctorsreportedthatmanywomenwereregularlycomplaining circulation. Musclesremainedunderdevelopedandthespinesgot girls. Suchclothingrestrictedbodygrowthandhamperedblood Pabulum –Anythingessential tomaintainlifeandgrowth. Busk –Astripofwood, whalebone orsteelinfrontofthecorsettostiffen and supportit New words The RegistrarGeneralinthe die. T differ onlyindegrees…forthestrangulationsarebothfatal. that theeffectofatightcordroundneckandlacing ‘ women. Considerthefollowingattackoncorset: health implicationsoftheprevailingstylesdressingamongst Many governmentofficialsofthetimewerealarmedat milk 1821) describedhisidealwoman?Hesaidshe was ‘likea Do youknowhowthefamousEnglishpoetJohnKeats(179 Life toOldAgeofMarySomerville From MarthaSomerville,ed. lessons. state, Iandmostoftheyoungergirlshadtoprepareour was claspedtothesteelbuskinmystays.Inthisconstrained Then asteelrodwithsemi-circle,whichwentundermychin, drewmyshoulderbackuntilthebladesmet. stiff stays,withasteel In hisnovel ‘ describes inhermemoirstheexperienceofchildhooddays: Mary Somerville,oneofthefirstwomanmathematicians, appeal toeachmanshemet,forhissympath kind ofsweetsubmissionandsoftness,which seemed to ‘ of awomanchar It isevidentphysiologicallythatairthe Although perfectlystr I thinkitwasherweaknesswhichprincipal charm,a o weartightsta ’ - white lambthatbleatsforman’ ’ VanityFair acter ys inman , Amelia,inthesewords: aight andwellmade,Iw (1848),Thackeraydescribedthecharm busk y casesistowither , Ninth AnnualReport Personal RecollectionsfromEarly infront,whileabovemyfrock, , London1873. s protection’ pabulum y andprotection. , tow as encasedin . of1857. oflife,and aste, to 2018-19 5 – ’ Activity Activity justified theclothingpractices? Somerville’s schoolhowwouldyouhave society? IfyouweretheprincipalinMary about theideasofclothinginVictorian Read Sources reflected inwomen’sclothing? weakness anddependencecametobe In whatwaysdoyouthinkthesenotionsof A andB.Whatdotheytellyou 163

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World came newvalues. the ideasofreformerstheyhadearlierridiculed.With newtimes transformed underavarietyofpressures.People began accepting in theair.Idealsofbeautyandstylesclothing wereboth By theendofnineteenthcentury,however,change wasclearly changed backintotraditionalclothestoconform conventions. and grace.Facedwithpersistentattacks,manywomenreformers norms ofdressingnolongerlookedbeautiful,andlosttheirfemininty opposed change.Theylamentedthatwomenwhogaveuptraditional They hadtofaceridiculeandhostility.Conservativeseverywhere The reformersdidnotimmediatelysucceedinchangingsocialvalues. there wasnowamovementforrationaldressreform. shorten ,andabandoncorsets.OnbothsidesoftheAtlantic, campaigned fordressreform.Theargumentwas:simplifydress, Woman SuffrageAssociationdominatedbyLucyStoneboth Suffrage AssociationheadedbyMrsStanton,andtheAmerican living, andbecomeindependent.Inthe1870s,NationalWoman comfortable andconvenient,thenwomencouldwork,earntheir it wassaid,wouldchangethepositionofwomen.Ifclotheswere prevented womenfromworkingandearning.Reformofthedress, voluminous anddifficulttohandle.Theyhamperedmovement collected filthanddirt.Thiscausedillness.Theskirtswere variety ofgrounds.Longskirts,itwassaid,sweptthegroundsand on theeastcoast.Traditionalfeminineclotheswerecriticiseda In America,asimilarmovementdevelopedamongstthewhitesettlers 164 Box 2 about radicalchangesinwomen’sclothing. achieve significantresults.ItwastheFirstWorldWarthatbrought Rational DressSocietywasstartedinEngland1881,butdidnot were knownas‘bloomers’,‘rationals’,or‘knickerbockers’.The launch loosetunicswornoverankle-lengthtrousers.Thetrousers Mrs The movementforRationalDressReform Amelia Bloomer , an American, wasthefirstdressreformerto 2018-19 of clothingforwomen. ground. Reformersreactedtothistype Notice theflowinggownsweeping USA, beforethedressreforms. Fig.8 –Awomaninnineteenth-century shorter andsimpler. were graduallydiscarded.Clothesgotlighter, storm inthepagesofwomen’smagazines, underclothes, whichhadcreatedsucha In thelate1870s,heavy,restrictive cheaper stillandeasiertowashmaintain. the earlytwentiethcentury,artificialfibresmadeclothes became moreaccessibletoawidersectionofpeopleinEurope.By exported tomanypartsoftheworld,includingIndia.Cottonclothes Britain beganthemassmanufactureofcottontextileswhichit Then, duringtheIndustrialRevolution,innineteenthcentury, many Europeanswhocouldnowincreasethesizeoftheirwardrobes. beautiful andeasy-to-maintainIndian difficult toclean.After1600,tradewithIndiabroughtcheap, possessed veryfewclothesmadeofflax,linenorwool,whichwere Before theseventeenthcentury,mostordinarywomeninBritain 3.1 NewMaterials were. Let usretraceourstepsafewcenturiestoseewhatthesechanges of thetwoworldwarsandnewworkingconditionsforwomen. of newmaterialsandtechnologies.Otherchangescameaboutbecause Many changesweremadepossibleinBritainduetotheintroduction What werethesenewvalues?createdthepressureforchange? 3 New Times chintzes withinthereachof 2018-19 and flowers.FromtheHindi word –Cottonclothprinted withdesigns New words ammunition factoryduringthe Fig.9b twentieth century. Fig.9 –Changesinclothingtheearly changed clothingstyles. increased labour.Theneedforeasymovement work aswarproductioncreatedademandfor At thistimethousandsofwomencameoutto became shorterandfrillsweredoneawaywith. women, clothingstyleschanged.Skirts Fig.9a – Evenformiddle-andupper-class – Women workingataBritish F irst W orld chint W . ar. 165

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World 166 the pressuresofnewtimesmadepeoplefeelneed forchange. these ideals,andhowchangeswithintechnology economy,and time. Wesawhowreformersandconservativesstruggled toshape attitudes andidealsofbeauty,howthesenotions changedover of society.Wesawhowclothingwasdefinedbydominant cultural So weseethatthehistoryofclothingislinkedto largerhistory that werecomfortableandconvenient. hamper movement.Whentheywentouttoworkneededclothes As womentooktosports,theyhadwearclothesthatdidnot Gymnastics andgamesenteredtheschoolcurriculumforwomen. the importanceofplaindressing,anddiscouragedornamentation. seriousness andprofessionalism.Newschoolsforchildrenemphasised By thetwentiethcentury,aplainandausterestylecametoreflect to cuttingtheirhairshortforconvenience. them greaterfreedomofmovement.Mostimportant,womentook becameavitalpartofWesternwomen’sclothing,giving clothes becameplainerandsimpler.Skirtsshorter.Soon sight andonlysobercolourswerewornasthewardraggedon.Thus later replacedbykhakioverallsandcaps.Brightcoloursfadedfrom of blouseandtrouserswithaccessoriessuchasscarves,whichwas employed inammunitionfactories.Theyworeaworkinguniform practical necessity.By1917,over700,000womeninBritainwere Clothes gotshorterduringtheFirstWorldWar(1914-1918)outof were erodedandwomenbegantodressinsimilarways. clothes. Asupper-classwomenmixedwithotherclasses,socialbarriers Many Europeanwomenstoppedwearingjewelleryandluxurious wars. Changes inwomen’sclothingcameaboutasaresultofthetwoWorld 3.2 TheWar Why thissuddenchange? dramatically tomid-calf. thirteenth century.By1915,however,thehemlineofskirtrose Yet until1914,clotheswereanklelength,astheyhadbeensincethe 2018-19 of clothing inIndia.Ontheonehandthiswasaconsequenceofinfluence During thecolonialperiodthereweresignificantchangesinmaleandfemale What aboutIndiainthissameperiod? w W centur society c symbols ofthenationalmovement.Abrieflookatnineteenthcentury tradition andculture.Clothclothinginfactbecameveryimportant the effortbyIndianstofashionclothingstylesthatembodiedanindigenous were goingoffdutywould taketheir remembered thatpolicemen inPoonawho century anthropologist Verrier Indian clothesathome.Early- twentieth- home andchangedinto western-style clothesforworkoutsidethe in thelatenineteenthcenturybeganstocking their Indianones.ManyBengalibureaucrats wearing Westernclotheswithoutgivingup Three. Somemenresolvedthisdilemmaby along withhisdhoti. w Bengali Babushownhere,mockshimfor was takenasasignoftheworldturningupsidedown.Thecartoon lead toalossof Two.Ther W of complete thelookof ) wereaddedtolongcollarlesscoats,withbootsandawalkingstick the f style c One reacted inthreedifferentways: 4 hang omen w earing ester hen w

moder W . ir Man ester TransformationsinColonialIndia lothing intheirdr es willtellusag st toada y . n-style c w ester W ho no nity andpr ho af y, n dr e w ester especiall n-style c er ess f pt tr f lothing w n-style bootsandha ected thene w f e other W aditional cultur or ester ound itliber y men, lothing cameintoIndiainthenineteenthcentur ogr ms andmissionar theg r ea ess s w n-style c ess t deala as alsoespeciall . T T entleman. be ho w more comfortable . he w w dr g an incor er bout thetr al identity a lothing ealth ess styles ting e con t andcoa y P . Her o some por y acti vinced tha . Elwin Ba ar . The useof . y a . ating someelementsof sis of ansf gg e too vity; ttracti ,W t y tr or w ontheotheritw ester ma , itw ouser ester t w ve 1873. from Fig.13 –Cartoon tions of W to ester n c as menr n Indiaw s andthe estern-style c estern-style

some sectionsof Indian Charivari lothes w n cultur thetw 2018-19 a er ther than phenta er w y as dueto e among , e w Indians e asign entieth ester lothes ould (or , n- many cartoonsofthetime. cigarette andWesternclothes wasridiculedin with allhisheart.Thepot-bellied manwith western dressbutclaimstolove hismotherland A sarcasticpictureofafoolish manwhocopies ,earlytwentiethcentury. Fig.12 –Cartoon,‘TheModernPatriot’,by have adoptedWesterndress. Christianity inGoa1907,who Fig.11 –Convertsto Fig.10 –ParsisinBombay,1863. 167

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World T a Still otherstriedaslightlydifferentsolutiontothesamedilemma.They men toda T tr In October1859,riotsbroke outasShanarwomenwereattackedin frustration amongthedominant casteswhofelttheywerelosingcontrol. T upper cloth. women, andevenShanarHindus,fromadopting the blouseand upper par 1829 orderingShanarwomen‘toabstaininfuturefrom coveringthe At f dominant castes especially sinceShanarswerealsorefusingtorenderfree labourforthe upper c the region,attackedthesewomeninpublicplacesandtoreofftheir par 168 lik began inthe1820stoweartailoredblousesandclothscoverthemselves Under theinfluenceofChristianmissionaries,Shanarwomenconverts bef expected tofollowthelocalcustomofnevercoveringtheirupperbodies and w ‘subordinate caste’andsoweregenerallyprohibitedfromusingumbrellas The Shanars(laterknownasNadars),manyofwhomwereconsidereda over dresscodesensued. c pub In May1822,womenoftheShanarcastewereattackedbyNairsin violent socialreactions. clothing stylesthatthreatenedthesenormsthereforeoftencreated wear, eat,etc.,andthesecodeshadtheforceoflaw.Changesin clearly definedwhatsubordinateanddominantcasteHindusshould had itsownstrictsocialcodesoffoodanddress.Thecastesystem Though therewerenoformalsumptuarylawsasinEurope,India 4.1 CasteConflictandDressChange ttempted tocombine loth acr ouser hese c his dif he a e thedominantcastes or ticipa lic placesinthesouther ir e thedominantcastes st, earing shoesorg bolition of s of loths hang f oss theirupperbodies theGo er ted indr y. ts of f ence betw inthestr . es inc Complaintsw thebod . ess r v sla er lothing een outerandinnerw eet andw nment of ef v W er or . olden or y.’ Hindur ester y in , m. ho Butthisdidnotpr er . n princel SoonNair e alsof . w alk homein Ov n andIndianf Trav Trav ev ef er subsequentdecades naments er iled incour or , ancor hadaturb y sta ancor mer s, te of oneof e in1855ledto ‘just tunicandunder s suc . or Menandw e issuedapr or lds isstillobser Tr t a ulent histor ms of h as ev g thedominantcastesof a v ainst thisdr ent ShanarChristian ancor A dr 2018-19 yy , a omen w aviolentconf essing e, V oc y. f aikunder also v or w lama ed b ess c g v . ar en mor er earing a tion in ments’. y some hang e also lict e, e by thetimeof1921census. The termNadarcametobeusedforallShanars Activity time, suchas Try andfindoutmoreabout reformersofthe engaged indressandwider social reforms. A yya V aikunder , whowere was notundermined. at officialfunctions,sothattheculturalidentityofwhite But in1830,EuropeanswereforbiddenfromwearingIndianclothes ruling kingsorchiefs.SomeBritishofficialsalsoworeIndianclothes. follow Indianetiquetteandremovetheirfootwearinthecourtsof of thenineteenthcentury,itwascustomaryforBritishofficialsto Another suchconflictrelatedtothewearingofshoes.Atbeginning to consciouslyasserttheirregionalornationalidentity. met colonialofficials.ManyIndiansontheotherhandworeturban were oftenoffendedifIndiansdidnottakeofftheirturbanwhenthey respect. Thisculturaldifferencecreatedmisunderstanding.TheBritish tradition, thehathadtoberemovedbeforesocialsuperiorsasasignof respectability, andcouldnotberemovedatwill.IntheWestern India wasnotjustforprotectionfromtheheatbutasignof looked different,theyalsosignifieddifferentthings. ‘ wearers’asthe‘hatwearers.’Thesetwoheadgearsnotonly first beganfrequentingIndia,theyweredistinguishedfromtheIndian Consider thecaseofturbanandhat.WhenEuropeantraders of clothinginBritishIndiachangedthroughsuchconflicts. meanings. Thisfrequentlyleadstomisunderstandingandconflict.Styles In differentcultures,specificitemsofclothingoftenconveycontrary react toBritishattitudes? How didtheBritishreacttoIndianwaysofdressing?Indians 4.2 BritishRuleandDressCodes but notlikethewomenofhighcaste to wearajacket,orcovertheirupperbodies‘inanymannerwhatever, pr and c the mar Box 3 to honourvisitingdignitaries. T with theWesternsuit,asasign ofbelongingtotheprincelystate. teachers andartistsinMysorebeganwearingtheturban, sometimes century as partoftheDurbardressMysorecourtinmid-nineteenth The Mysoreturban,called The turbanonthehead oc oday lama ha , theMysoreturbanisusedlargely onceremonialoccasionsand k . Bytheendofnineteenthcentury etplace andstrippedof pels b tion per ur mitting Shanarw ned. Finall peta ’. , wasedgedwithgoldlace,andadopted y theirupperc , theg omen, o w v , awidevarietyof er hether ChristianorHindu, loths nment issuedanother . Houses Theturbanin

w 2018-19 er ficials, masters e looted with histhree-pieceWestern stylesuit. state from1912to1918.He woreaturban engineer-technocrat andthe Dewan ofMysore Fig.15 – the turbansofcourtiers. bottom ofthepicture,creatingacontrastwith Notice theEuropeanvisitors’hatsat Jehan, Agra,1633,fromthe Fig.14

– Sir M.Visveswaraya.Aleading Europeans bringinggiftstoShah Padshahnama. 169

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World Indian w sessions judge.Thejudgeinsistedthathetakeoffhisshoesaswasthe F a Suratcourtroom.ManockjeeCowasjeeEntee,anassessorinthe In 1862,therewasafamouscaseofdefiancethe‘shoerespect’rulein w c when enteringanygovernmentinstitution;onlythosewhoworeEuropean respect’ wasmadestricter,andIndiansweretotakeofftheirshoes nineteenth centur appeared beforehim,butthiswasnotstrictlyfollowed.Bythemid- insisted thatIndianstaketheirshoesoffasasignofrespectwhenthey and f At thesametime,IndianswereexpectedtowearIndianclothesoffice 170 the courtroom. But ittookmanyyearsbeforeshoeswerepermittedinto courtroom weredifferentfromhome. under itwereseenaspolluting.Butpublicbuildingslikethe sat ontheground.Second,leathershoesandfilththatstuck into spacesthatwereclean,particularlywhenpeopleinIndianhomes collectedthedirtonroad.Thiscouldnotbeallowed different questions.One:therewastheproblemofdirtandfilth. taking offshoesinsacredplacesandathomewaslinkedtotwo the courtroom.Incontroversythatfollowed,Indiansurged entered asacredplaceorhome,theyshoulddosowhen The BritishinsistedthatsinceIndianstookofftheirshoeswhenthey pr adamant. Hewasbarredentryintothecourtroomandhesentaletterof lothes w ouz er otest totheg e incr ollo dar w Indiandr ee a easing er y of e Ada x sho empted fr l ov wlut, y uncomf y, er wing r w ess codes nor of r hen Lor efused totak om thisr espect tosuperior or Bombay. ta . In1824-1828,Go d Dalhousiew b le withtheser ule e of . Man f hisshoesinthecour y Indiang as Go s ules . ButManoc v . er v er nor ov nor 2018-19 -Gener er - Gener nment ser kjee r al emained Amher t of al,

v ‘ ants the st Source D P never evertakeoffourshoesbeforeany we [Parsees]inoursocialintercourse by socialetiquettetohaveitonwhilst see respectablepersonswearebound when athome,butwegooutto we pa turban isthegreatestofallrespectsthat in theshoes,butputtingonofour or disrespect,embodieddisembodied or religioninvolvedinit.Iholdnorespect because thereisnothingofconscience, court, butIwouldhavesubmittedtoit, a greaterinsulttomyselfthanthe ‘T but nothisshoes.Hesaid: was willingtotakeoffevenhisturban 1862, Manockjeetoldthejudgethathe Surat FouzdareeAdawlutatin When askedtotakeoffhisshoesatthe Activity wore athome? Would theybeverydifferentfromwhatyou century the Imagine yourselftobeaMuslimpleaderin arsee howev aking offm Allahabad highcourtinthelatenineteenth y . Whatkindofclotheswouldyouwear? . W e donotha y pugreewouldha er great… v e ourpugreeson ’ v e been Uttar PradeshBrahmos,aswellnon-. This stylegainedacceptancebeforelongamongMaharashtrianand SamajiwomenandcametobeknownastheBrahmikasari. and wornwithablouseshoes.Thiswasquicklyadoptedby style ofwearingthesaripinnedtoleftshoulderwithabrooch, ICS, returnedfromBombaytoCalcutta.SheadoptedtheParsi Devi, wifeofSatyendranathTagore,thefirstIndianmember on thetraditionofdifferentregions.Inlate1870s,Jnanadanandini There werealsoattemptstodevelopadressstylethatwoulddraw the mostsuitabledressformen. Muslim dress.Thusthe dress, India’snationaldressshouldcombineelementsofHinduand Tagore suggestedthatinsteadofcombiningIndianandEuropean national dressforbothmenandwomeninIndia.Rabindranath of Bengalexperimented,beginninginthe1870s,withdesignsfora the upperclassesandcastesinmanypartsofIndia.TheTagorefamily Self-conscious experimentswithdressengagedmenandwomenof move todefinetheculturalidentityofnationinsymbolicways. the nationalflag.Thesearchforadresswaspartofthis Poets wrotenationalsongs.Thenadebatebeganoverthedesignof the unityofnation.Artistslookedforanationalstyleart. century, Indiansbegandevisingculturalsymbolsthatwouldexpress As nationalistfeelingssweptacrossIndiabythelatenineteenth 5 DesigningtheNationalDress chapkan (alongbuttonedcoat)wasconsidered ( peonies, acommonEnglishflower. embroidered withswansand She iswearingasilk social activist. (1890), awell-knownParsi Fig. 16–LadyBachoobai courtesy:

Parsi ZoroastrianProject,NewDelhi. gara 2018-19 ) styles flowedacrossregionsandcultures. sleeved velvetblouseshowinghowclothing Parsi-bordered sariwiththehighcollaredand Fig.18 Archives, VisvaBharatiUniversity,) Western gown. Brahmika sariwithablousemodelledon other familymembers.Sheiswearinga with herhusbandSatyendranathTagoreand Fig.17 Brahmo – New word –SaraladaughterofRCDutt.Notethe –JnanadanandiniTagore(ontheleft) T s belongingtotheBrahmo Samaj (Courtesy: RabindraBhawanPhoto 171

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World There wereamillionweavers inBengalalonethemiddleof fourth oftheworld’smanufactured goodsintheseventeenthcentury. were ingreatdemandall over theworld.Indiaaccountedforone- You knowthattheBritish firstcametotradeinIndiantextilesthat What wasthispolitics? you willrealizethatitwascentrallylinkedtothepolitics ofclothing. decade ofthetwentiethcentury.Ifyoureflectbackon themovement You havereadabouttheSwadeshimovementinBengal inthefirst 5.1 TheSwadeshiMovement Source F Source E to weardifferenttypesofsari. succeed. WomenofGujarat,Kodagu,KeralaandAssamcontinue However, theseattemptsatdevisingapan-Indianstyledidnotfully 172 Soudamini Khastagiri, stand inthew way allowsonetofrequentcivilisedcompany…suchclothescan clothing whichrev there isacustomhereofwomenwearingfineandtransparent it, almosteveryonewishesforanotherkindofcivilisedclothing… shamelessness. Educatedmenhavebeengreatlyagitatedabout present timeamongwomenofourcountry ‘ opposed it. Some peoplesupportedtheattempttochangewomen’sclothing,others w going togalliv walk aroundinshirtslikeMuslimwomen?”’ me fierceandfurious…shesaid“T from acoconutbranch.WhenIturnedround,shewasbehind notice mymothercoming.SuddenlyIheardherbreakapiece [the nextmorning]Icameoutwearingtheblouse…didn’t andshowedittomyhusband.Hesaidlookedgood… mother it carefullyandbrimmingwithenthusiasm,showedtomy ‘It look sister-in-law inthelatenineteenthcentury: mother-in-law’s firstencounterwithablousegiftedbyher C. Kesavan’sautobiography An as scaredofm y civilisednationisagainstthekindofclothinginuse . Shega ed good,butIfeltticklishwearingit.tookitoff ant inthis?F a y ofourmor v y mother e measternlookandsaid“Wherearey eals thewholebody Striloker Paricchad . Shecouldkillme.A old itandk al impro Jeevita Samaram v ak . Suchshamelessattireinno ement. e itoff…y eep itinthebo (1872) . Indeeditisasignof ’ t nightIworethe 2018-19 recallshis ou w , folded x. ant to ” …I ou twentieth century. common amongtheupperclassesbyearly sleeved blouse.Thisstylehadbecome Note theWesternshoesandmodestlong- Fig.19 Activity notions ofshameregardingwomen’sattire? What dotheytellyouabouttheverydifferent different regionsofIndia,KeralaandBengal. from aboutthesameperiodaretwo These twoquotations(SourcesEandF),

– MaharaniofTravancore(1930). bare chestedandinashort ,atthespinningwheel.He The mostfamiliarimageof MahatmaGandhiisofhimseated, 5.2 MahatmaGandhi’sExperiments withClothing symbolic weaponagainstBritishrule. Mahatma Gandhiimportantideasaboutusingcloth asa Despite itslimitations,theexperimentwithSwadeshi gave British goodsthathadfloodedthemarket. this time,itwasalmostimpossibletocompetewith cheap Though manypeopleralliedtothecauseofnationalism at European dress. many amongtheupperclassesalsoreturnedtowearing less andcouldnotaffordthenewproducts.After15years, and classesratherthantothosewhohadmakedowith The changeofdressappealedlargelytotheuppercastes songs andpoemstopopulariseit. and wearsimpleshellbangles.Roughhomespunwasglorifiedin Women wereurgedtothrowawaytheirsilksandglassbangles of colonialrule.Theusekhadiwasmadeapatrioticduty. Mass protestsfollowed,withpeoplevowingtocleansethemselves for themanufactureofgoodssuchasmatchboxesandcigarettes. boycott Britishgoodsofallkindsandstarttheirownindustries developed inreactiontothismeasure.Peoplewereurged growing oppositiontoBritishrule.TheSwadeshimovement In 1905,LordCurzondecidedtopartitionBengalcontrolthe to obtain.Howdidthischangecomeabout? , eventhoughitwascoarser,moreexpensiveanddifficult people beganboycottingBritishormill-madeclothandadopting Yet bythemiddleoftwentiethcentury,largenumbers andSuratdeclinedasdemandfell. and importanttextileweavingcentressuchasMurshidabad, numbers ofIndianweaversandspinnerswereleftwithoutwork, British manufactureeasilyreplacedcoarserIndianone.Large peasants couldbeforcedtogrowcropssuchasindigo,andcheap Political controlofIndiahelpedtheBritishintwoways:Indian India’s statusintheworldeconomy. demand forrawmaterialssuchascottonandindigo,changed which mechanisedspinningandweavinggreatlyincreasedthe eighteenth century.However,theIndustrialRevolutioninBritain, 2018-19 chested andathisspinningwheel. Fig.20 –ThefamiliarimageofMahatma ,bare Activity willingly takentogivingupmill-madecloth? If youwereapoorpeasantwouldhave 173

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World one year,heannounced: launching thenon-cooperationmovement,whichsoughtswarajin dress heworeuntilhisdeath.On22September1921,ayearafter peasant. Onlyin1921didheadopttheshortdhoti,formof On hisreturntoIndiain1915,hedecideddresslikeaKathiawadi against theshootingofIndiancoalminers. andkurtawithhisheadshavedasasignofmourningtoprotest political statement.InDurbanin1913,Gandhifirstappeareda Soon hedecidedthatdressing‘unsuitably’wasamorepowerful Western clothes. in Johannesburg,SouthAfricathe1890s,hestillwore to wearWesternsuits,toppedwithaturban.Aslawyer sothathewouldnotbelaughedat.Onhisreturn,continued 19 in1888,hecutoffthetuftonhisheadanddressedaWestern sometimes acoat.WhenhewenttoLondonstudylawasboyof Bania family,heusuallyworeashirtwithdhotiorpyjama,and attitude todressintheIndiansubcontinent.AsaboyfromGujarati Mahatma use ofBritishmill-madecloth. were notonlysymbolsofself-reliancebutalsoresistancetothe cloth madefromhomespunyarn,verypowerfulsymbols.These made spinningonthecharkhaanddailyuseofkhadi,orcoarse 174 three-piece suit. 1890, attheageof21.Note thetypicalWestern Fig.23 Gandhi’s experimentswithclothingsumupthechanging –MahatmaGandhi(seated front right)London, 2018-19 dress, includingtie. in 1900,stillWestern Fig.24 –InJohannesburg with afriend. Gandhi atage14, Fig.22 picture, aged7. earliest known Gandhi inhis Fig.21 –Mahatma –Mahatma for Africa, dressed 1913 inSouth Fig. 25 –In that ‘theKinghadenough onforbothofus’! he waswearingenoughclothes togobeforetheKing,hejoked Buckingham Palace.When hewasaskedbyjournalistswhether compromise andwore itevenbeforeKingGeorgeVat for theRoundTableConferencein1931.He refusedto He woretheshortdhotiwithoutashirtwhenhewent toEngland Western mill-madecloth. Wearing itbecamealsoasymbolofnationalism, arejectionof coarse, wastohimasignofpurity,simplicity, and ofpoverty. and adoptedthedressofpoorestIndian.Khadi, whiteand consciously rejectedthewell-knownclothesof Indianascetic as hisdutytothepoor,andheneverworeanyotherdress.He wanted to‘experimentforamonthortwo’.Butsoonhesawthis At thistime,hedidnotwanttousedressallhislifeandonly to follow…’ I havealwayshesitatedtoadviseanythingmaynotbeprepared necessary forprotectionofmybody.Iadoptthechangebecause vest andtocontentmyselfwithaloincloth,chaddarwhenever ‘ I proposetodiscardatleastup31stofOctobermytopiand 2018-19 among thelabourersinSouthAfrica. elite. Hesaidthathewasmoreathome awkward amongsttheWesternisedBombay Dressed simply,helaterconfessedtofeeling shortly afterhisreturnfromSouthAfrica. Fig.26 –MahatmaGandhiwithKasturba, 175

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World us aboutchangesintastesandtechnologies,markets and industries? What dotheytellusaboutsocietyanditshistory? cantheytell clothing stylesalterweneedtoask:whydothesechanges takeplace? society, andwithissuesofsocialpoliticalconflict. Sowhenwesee tastes andnotionsofbeauty,withchangeswithintheeconomy Changes instylesofclothingarethuslinkedupwithshiftscultural Conclusion withdesigns,insteadofcoarse,whitehomespun. · Otherwomen,likeSarojiniNaiduandKamalaNehru,worecoloured will nothearofareduction(tosixyards).’ as IdotoMaharashtra,wearasarinineyardslong…(and)theelders But wearepoorpeople,Myhusbandsayskhadiiscostly.Belonging of every 1928 said,‘Ayearago,Iheardyouspeakingontheextremenecessity · AwomanwhowrotetoMahatmaGandhifromMaharashtrain statement ofself-respect. piece ,andshoessocksonallpublicoccasions,asapolitical Western-style suit.ManyDalitsbeganintheearly1910stowearthree- other nationalistssuchasBabasahebAmbedkarnevergaveupthe attracted toWesterndressstyles.Therefore,unlikeMahatmaGandhi, · Thosewhohadbeendeprivedbycastenormsforcenturieswere Indian dhotiandkurta.Butthesewerenotmadeofcoarsecloth. Allahabad, gaveuphisexpensiveWestern-stylesuitsandadoptedthe · NationalistssuchasMotilalNehru,asuccessfulbarristerfrom other responsestoMahatmaGandhi’scall: ashehad.Nordidallwantto.Herearesomeexamplesof such aunitypossible?Notmanycouldtaketothesinglepeasant classes, etc.Butwasiteasyforotherstofollowinhisfootsteps?Was He feltkhadiwouldbeameansoferasingdifferencebetweenreligions, ’sdreamwastoclothethewholenationinkhadi. 5.3 NotAllcouldWearKhadi 176

one ofuswearingkhadiandthereupondecidedtoadoptit. 2018-19 Activity classes, castesandregionsofIndia? of khadicouldnotspreadamongsome Can youthinkofotherreasonswhytheuse Box 4 solely withMuslims. colonialism inIndia. rise oftheKhilafatmovementinpost-FirstWorldWaryears,,atasseledTurkishcap,becamesignanti- L them diedasaresult. demanding thereleaseofSanthalprisonersbelievedthatGandhicapwouldprotectthemfrombullets:three cap waswornbylargenumbersofHindusandMuslims. Gwalior statetriedtoprohibititsusein1921duringthenonco-operationmovement.DuringKhilafatmovement it up,butbythistimehadbecomepartofthenationalistuniformandevenasymboldefiance.Forexample, sometimes usedintoacheapwhitecottonkhadicap.Fortwoyearsfrom1919,hehimselfworethecap,andthengave Some timeaf The Gandhicap arge numbersofnationalistsdefiantlyworetheGandhicapandwereevenbeatenorarrestedfordoingso . Wearing the 1920. Fig.29 turban. Gandhi witha Mahatma 1915. Fig.27 – – ter hisreturntoIndiafromSouth T hough manyHindus–asinHyderabadforinstance Kashmiri cap. embroidered 1915. Inan Fig.28 head. shaving his 1921. After Fig.30 – – Africa in1915,MahatmaGandhitransformedtheKashmiricapthathe A groupofSanthalswhoatt Western culturaldomination. clothes hadbecomeapowerful politicalstatementagainst Fig.31 2018-19 –OnhisvisittoEuropein1931.Bynow also worethefez, acked thepolicein1922Bengal it soonbecameidentified . Withthe 177

Clothing: A Social History India and the Contemporary World 178 Q Activities 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 7. 2 1. . Canyouthinkofanyexpectationsproperandimproperdresswhich uestions W position ofwomeninsociety? the moreconvenientWesternclothing.Whatdoesthisshowabout continue wearingtraditionalIndiandressevenwhenmenswitchedoverto Suggest reasonswhywomeninnineteenthcenturyIndiawereobligedto early 1900sandwhy? Of thislist,whichkindofclothwouldhavedefinitelyfallenoutuseinthe Ø Ø Ø Ø Bangalore whichincludedthefollowing: In 1805,aBritishofficial,BenjaminHeyne,listedthemanufacturesof different fromIndiandresscodes. Give anytwoexamplesofthewaysinwhichEuropeandresscodeswere What werethesumptuarylawsinFrance? the eighteenthcentury Explain thereasonsforchangesinclothingpatternsandmaterials only tosomesectionsofIndians? Why didMahatmaGandhi’sdreamofclothingthe nationinkhadiappeal symbolic strengthofMahatmaGandhi’sdress? What provokedsuchacommentandwhatdoes ittellyouaboutthe Lawyer considered disrespectfulincertainplacesbutacceptableothers. exist today?Giveexamplesoftwoformsclothingwhichwouldbe what youfeelaboutthesumptuarylawsinFrance. Imagine youarethe14-year-oldchildofatrader inston ChurchilldescribedMahatmaGandhiasa‘seditious Middle cloths Coarse chintz Women’s clothofdifferentmustersandnames ’ now‘posingasahalfnakedfakir . ’. 2018-19 . W rite ap aragraph on T emple ? Activities Individuals J Institutions andphotoarchives: Photographs andpictures Credits Publishers andauthors our nals 2018-19 Te xt 179

Clothing: A Social History