I make my own patterns and i am wiling to share them, as i do in classes i teach.

Unfortunately I haven't gotten around to making graphics of them.

Fortunately, Master Rashid, who lives in the East Kingdom, has patterns for 16th century Persian clothing and they are quite similar to mine.

Unfortunately, he posted his on the site for the Yahoo group sca-persian mailing list, which is now defunct.

Fortunately Rashid has given my his gracious permission to make them available here in Dar Urtatim, so that people can have access to them.


Now, Dar Urtatim is honored to present

Rashid's Persian Patterns


Pirahan is the basic "undershirt" worn by men and women. Women's are long -- mid-calf to ankle length. Men's can be short -- knee to mid-thigh length, but it is probable that in a formal situation a man wore long pirahan.

Shalwar are the pants worn by men and women. Shalwar are wide at the top with the legs tapering to narrow ankles. The style worn by Persians is virtually the same as that worn by the ruling Mamluks in Egypt and the Levant and by the Ottomans.

  • Shalwar - based on 16th c. Persian paintings and extant Ottoman garments.

The Persian Coat: Over the pirahan and shalwar a Persian man or woman wore several layers of garments, at least two, but often more. Few have survived and it is difficult to tell from paintings whether all of them open in the front or whether one or two of the innermost layers pull on over the head like the pirahan.

Generally, the men's and women's garments are the same: in paintings the nobles generally were the same fabric patterns and colors. Women always wear long garments, the length can vary from pooling on the floor to mid-calf for a top-most layer. Men in paintings tend to wear similar ankle length garments. Workmen, some military, and many male horse riders, however, wear shorter, knee-length garments.

There is also a garment that fastens in the front on the side, rather than in the center. In the art of the Ilkhanid period and most of the Timurid period, both men and women wear this style. In the 16th century, however, only men are depicted wearing it.

Accessories, what outfit is complete without them. Rashid does not have patterns, but he has some useful drawings.



Text on this page by Urtatim. All patterns in this section by Rashid - copyright Charles Mellor.


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