Figure 1.--This photograph is undated, but looks like the 1960s. There is a studio stamp from Bornova, Izmir province on the back. The boy is dressed up in a traditional outfit. We are not sure, however, just how accurate it was. Notice the prominent depiction of a knife.

Traditional clothing as in many countries is a part of culture. Turks as other peoole wove their own clothing and make dyes from natural plant ingredients. Their culture was reflected in the designs they created and the colors they used. The country's different regions developed distinctive characteristics and styles in their headwear, clothing, scarves, and hosiery. The roots of traditional clothing lie with the Turkish tribes that migrated to Anatolia and the Ottoman Empire that developed there. Perhaps the two most distinctive features of Ottoman dress were turbans and baggy trousers. One of the typical features of Turkish clothing is the use of multiple layers. Men might wear trousers, a long robe and a jacket on top. Women usually wore several scarves or kerchiefs of different colors. Flamboyance has been used to describe Turkish traditional styles. The traditional clothing tended to be not only colorful, but bright, giving a striking appearance. Fashion historians note hosiery as important in Turkish traditional clothing. Turkish socks were handmade and very bright. We see many different patterns. The yarn used for knitting was colorful and natural. The socks were not just a fashionable item, bur worn for warmth. Turkey has seven geographical regions: Aegean, Black Sea, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, Marmara, Mediterranean and Southeastern Anatolia. Some of the important national styles were: Cepken, Entari, Fes, Islak, Salvar, Yasmak, and Yelek. Each of these regions had its own clothing and fashion traditions. Today few Turkish people wear traditional clothing. Men and boys tend to wear European style. occasionally mixing some elements of the folk dress with their western outfits. Women are more likely to wear traditional garments. It is women who have retained traditional styles more fully and keep the traditions.

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Created: 4:23 PM 5/19/2018
Last updated: 4:23 PM 5/19/2018