Dar Urtatim Presents


Ottoman Women's Clothing
An Historical Overview

Part 2
The 17th Century

Early 17th Century


Lady in White

One apparent change at the beginning of the 17th century is the use by women of metal belts or belts made with metal findings, as opposed to the soft cloth sashes so prevalent in the 16th century.

The most noticeable differences in women's clothing is the new style of hat. Rather than the low "pillbox" style, the hat now is taller, and it narrows as it rises, in the shape of a truncated cone. There is also a greater use of aigrets (feather decorations) on hats.

As the century progress hat styles continue to change and there are some differences in clothing as well.

The miniature on the left depicts a young woman wearing a sleeveless, v-necked zıbın over her long loose-sleeved ankle-length gömlek. Her ankle-length don and slippers are visible below her gömlek. Her conical cap decorated by a plumed aigrette, sorguç, is a typical example from the beginning of the 17th century. The most flamboyant piece in her outfit is the sash decorated with gold pieces which are enhanced with niello. Her gold chain necklace, the gold buttons on her waistcoat, and the thick gold braided bracelets on each arm complete her outfit.

On the right, a woman in a sheer white gomlek and white don, over them a red neck-high zibin, partially unbuttoned. She also wears pearl earrings, several gold chains, gold finger rings, a gold plaque belt, with bath-house nalin on her feet


 Lady in Red and White Italian
"Portrait of a Sultana", wearing white don, white gömlek, red and gold emproidered zibin, with a cappricio of Constatinople in the backround. By Andrea Vicentino (1542-1619) who never went to Kostantiniyye and never saw an Ottoman woman.
 
Lady in Orange

Peter Mundy, an English traveller, visited Istanbul in 1618. His illustrated manuscript, A briefe relation of the Turckes, their Kings, Emperors or Grandsigneurs, their conquests, religion, customes, habbits at Constantinople, etc., gives an Englishman's account of Ottoman court life. It is illustrated by small individual album leaves inserted into his manuscript, purchased from artists in Istanbul, produced primarily for visiting foreigners. The manuscript is currently in the British Museum.
Lady in Gold


Mid-17th Century


George de la Chapelle, a French artist, produced a book of illustrations in 1645. Notice that the shalvar are still narrow at the ankle, but the hats have changed again.

Woman in outdoor dress
Woman in outdoor dress		 Woman (? bride ?) on horseback
Woman (? bride ?) on horseback		 Woman in indoor dress
woman in indoor dress


Late 17th Century

Now women's hats are different again. They have very narrow bases and wide, disc-like crowns, which often slant forward.

Lady in Aqua
Lady wearing in-between clothing,
not quite indoor, not quite outdoor.
Lady in taking a walk
Lady walking with servant who carries a bundle wrapped in a cloth,
probably on the way to the bath.


More art by unnamed Ottoman artists. Notice that the women are wearing the hat with the very narrow base and the disc-shaped crown, tipped forward.

female dancers
Musicians in front of the valide sultan, the sultan's mother
By the late 17th century female dancers are depicted
wearing the clothing mandated for male dancers.
Haseki - lead wife
Haseki sultan - lead wife
She wears a fur-lined coat over her shoulders.
Haseki fanned by harem girl
"In the Harem, the Haseki fanned by harem girl" by an anonymous painter of the ÒBazaar Painters"


Late 15th and 16th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

You are here --> 17th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

18th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

19th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

Actual Ottoman Fabric


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