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khanjar · 07-01-2008, 04:09 AM

I was researching one of my other interests that of the Mamluk when I found an interesting passage from a book written in 1860, describing the clothing worn by the then modern Egyptian male. What took particular interest was the description of a girdle being worn around the waist, that of a coloured shawl. The wonder then was could this be the shawl that dancers wear around the waist, the one that made me feel kind of odd when first wearing ?

''........The dress of the men of the middle and higher classes consists of the following articles. First, a pair of drawers of linen or cotton... Next is worn a shirt with very full sleeves reaching to the wrist... Over this in winter or cool weather most persons wear a "sudeyree" which is a short vest of cloth... without sleeves. Over the shirt and "sudeyree" is worn a long vest of striped silk and cotton (called "kaftan" or more commonly "kuftan") descending to the ankles, with long sleeves extending a few inches beyond the fingers ends... Round this vest is wound the girdle, which is a coloured shawl... The ordinary outer robe is a long cloth coat of any colour called by the Turks "jubbeh", but by the Egyptians "gibbeh". In cool or cold weather a kind of black woolen cloak called "'abayeh" is commonly worn......''

Anyways, having got the title of the 1860 book written by E.W. Lane, I then happened upon this site ;

Selections from "Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians" 1860

This web page has jpeg images of pages from the 1860 book, the chapters on dress, public dancers and female ornaments and is interesting reading.

I just thought to post it here as I am sure it might be of interest to some of you with costume design.

If it interests, the complete book can be found here;

An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. Volume 2. [Electronic Edition]

07-01-2008, 04:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
khanjar Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: England Posts: 442	Egyptian costume in the 19th century I was researching one of my other interests that of the Mamluk when I found an interesting passage from a book written in 1860, describing the clothing worn by the then modern Egyptian male. What took particular interest was the description of a girdle being worn around the waist, that of a coloured shawl. The wonder then was could this be the shawl that dancers wear around the waist, the one that made me feel kind of odd when first wearing ? ''........The dress of the men of the middle and higher classes consists of the following articles. First, a pair of drawers of linen or cotton... Next is worn a shirt with very full sleeves reaching to the wrist... Over this in winter or cool weather most persons wear a "sudeyree" which is a short vest of cloth... without sleeves. Over the shirt and "sudeyree" is worn a long vest of striped silk and cotton (called "kaftan" or more commonly "kuftan") descending to the ankles, with long sleeves extending a few inches beyond the fingers ends... Round this vest is wound the girdle, which is a coloured shawl... The ordinary outer robe is a long cloth coat of any colour called by the Turks "jubbeh", but by the Egyptians "gibbeh". In cool or cold weather a kind of black woolen cloak called "'abayeh" is commonly worn......'' Anyways, having got the title of the 1860 book written by E.W. Lane, I then happened upon this site ; Selections from "Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians" 1860 This web page has jpeg images of pages from the 1860 book, the chapters on dress, public dancers and female ornaments and is interesting reading. I just thought to post it here as I am sure it might be of interest to some of you with costume design. If it interests, the complete book can be found here; An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. Volume 2. [Electronic Edition] __________________ I am a dream to some...and a nightmare to others. Last edited by khanjar; 07-01-2008 at 04:50 AM.