f-f-fashion

[rachel2205]

So something I've been wondering about is what the heck people wear in Kostantiniyye. I've been doing a bit of thinking about this, but would appreciate your feedback too, especially since I know how some of you are historical costume geeks :)

Given just how AU our world is in some respects, it's difficult to chart a course of fashion history. Now,

Comments

[torrain]

...I will be back after squeeing over Oscar Wilde for a bit. Bless.

(Also, this? Top picture? Which I post here for those I have not linked it at.)

[middlemarching]

All this talk about fashion fusion makes me wonder how different Kostantiniyye cuisine is from its historical (and modern-day) counterpart. I dunno if something like this requires its own post, but I've been mulling it over some this evening.

[rachel2205]

I love this question because I am really interested in food history! The countries of the Empire really influenced British cuisine in UK food history so I bet that there'd be really interesting things going on in our verse.

[khadija_aladeen]

This is really interesting!

I was wondering how we were going to play the Muslim head-scarf, as around this time/early 20th century in our world it became seen as antiquated and anti-progression... mostly thanks to to western ideals being so prevalent. I wasn't sure whether with the earlier onset of an industrial revolution, if this would push 'modernity' to the fore earlier and thus traditional religious head-coverings out of fashion. Glad to know my character isn't in the minority!

[rachel2205]

The thing about the Ottoman Empire was that it was very tolerant to cultural variety, and the types of Islamic fashion inside the Empire were extremely varied. The issue of hijab is one I find very interesting because the laws are so flexible and can be interpreted so many ways. I think if Khadija was wearing niqab or burqa, that would mark her out somewhat, but certainly head coverings would be common. In terms of veils, I would expect that not many women in the city wear them, but that they would opt for something more like the bushiyya than the niqab if they wanted them? A sheer veil rather than the solid cloth of the niqab seems more in line with Turkish trends.

ALTHOUGH I would love it if some badass East Arabian women showed up wearing these.

[nahara]

Haha! This is all so fascinating... like getting an excellent history lesson in fashion (something I'm not particularly well-read on). :) And man oh man, those beaten-metal veils are pretty damn awesome. Totally badass. The look like decorative female armour. I doubt Khadija would ware anything quite so dramatic, though. ;)

[rachel2205]

PS. The icons you have already for this journal are so beautiful! <3

[silence_excolo]

See? This is what happens when I miss a few days! All of this, yes! And is I may add the words fabulous & awesome.

For a slightly more fantastical bent, I was looking into the illustrations of Yoshitaka Amano, in particular his original watercolors for Final Fantasy VI - he's always had a buit of an Orientalistic, Turkish influence, but these I find utterly gorgeous:

http://www.ffmerchandise.com/character_ffvi.htm

I'd post the picc but they're kinda huge.

[rachel2205]

Hi hon, this probably got marked as spam as you're only watching this comm, not a member :)

[silence_excolo]

Hmm, I thought I had, but maybe I dreamed it? Anyway, I have now clicked the magic join button ^_^