After the 18th century, the colonisation of most of the world by Europe, the spread of democratic ideals and the growth of an industrial society completely changed the ways in which people thought about dress. People could use styles and materials that were drawn from other cultures and locations. Western dress styles for men were adopted worldwide.

From 1294 to the time of the French Revolution in 1789, the people of France were expected to strictly follow the sumptuary laws. These rules tried to regulate the lifestyles of the lower classes by regulating the amount and type of clothes they bought. The laws tried to control:

→ the behaviour of those considered socially inferior

→ preventing them from wearing certain clothes

→ consuming certain foods and beverages

→ hunting game in certain areas.

Two examples of the ways in which European dress codes were different from Indian dress codes:

→ In Europe, dress codes were enacted on a socio-economic bias, while in India, these norms were along the lines of caste.
→ While the lower classes in Europe were barred from wearing specific materials, the lower castes in India were barred from wearing particular clothes; for example, the Shanar women, who were disallowed from covering their upper bodies like the higher caste women.

Women's cloth of different musters and names
Coarse chintz
Muslins
Silk cloths
Of this list, which kind of cloth would have definitely fallen out of use in the early 1900s and why?

Answer

Muslin would have fallen out of use as machine cloth had flooded the Indian markets and was cheaper. Muslin was expensive and hence was not used. In fact, the Industrial Revolution brought about a complete change in which muslin cloth had no place.

Women in the 19th century India were obliged to continue wearing traditional Indian dress even when men switched over to more convenient western clothes. This clearly shows that women during that time were accorded a lower status than men in society. They were not allowed to be aware of what was going on outside the house and were confined within the four walls of their homes. Modernity and change were not for them.

Mahatma Gandhi went to the Viceroy’s house clad in a dhoti. This provoked such a comment. This signified the symbolic strength of his dress. It showed the pride he had for his nation and its people, especially the peasants. It also signified how he identified with his people and the strength he derived from them

Mahatma Gandhi's dream of clothing the nation in khadi appealed only to some sections of Indians because of different reasons. For the socially deprived, emancipation opened new doors - they wanted to experiment with Western dress styles now that dress restrictions did not hamper with their wishes anymore. This adoption of Western clothing was symbolic of new-found self and public respect for them. Others found khadi expensive to buy, and women in south India complained that they could not afford nine yards of khadi (standard length of the sari in the south).

Q1: In medieval France, the royalty could wear expensive clothes like:

(a) silk
(b) ermine
(c) velvet
(d) all of these

Q2: During French revolution, which colours became popular in French clothing:

(a) Red and Black
(b) Blue, White and Red
(c) Black
(d) Red, Yellow and Blue

Q3: Sumptuary Laws in medieval Europe were meant

(a) to allow hunting game in certain areas
(b) to protect home production against imports
(c) to define what the rich and poor could wear
(d) All of these

Q4: Which of the following brought radical changes in women’s clothing?

(a) French Revolution
(b) Rational Dress Reform in America
(c) First World War
(d) Second World War
Q5: The literal meaning of Sans culottes is

(a) without knee breeches
(b) knee breeches
(c) with red caps
(d) without red caps
Q6: Who headed National Woman Suffrage Association in 1870s?

(a) Lucy Stone
(b) Mrs Stanton
(c) Mrs Amelia Bloomer
(d) Mary Somerville
Q7: The main objective(s) of Rational Dress Reform was/were to

(a) simplify dress
(b) shorten skirts
(c) abandon corsets
(d) all of these
Q8: What was the name of the American who launched loose tunics worn over ankle-length trousers?

(a) Lucy Stone
(b) Mrs Stanton
(c) Mrs Amelia Bloomer
(d) Mary Somerville
Q9: Indian chintzes clothes were made of

(a) silk
(b) cotton
(c) velvet
(d) fur

Q10: during First World War, which dress became part of Western women’s clothing giving them greater freedom of movement:

(a) trouser
(b) skirt
(c) scarf
(d) blouse
Q11: Who were among the first to adapt Western-style clothing in Western India?

(a) Bengali’s
(b) Goans
(c) Parsis
(d) Tamils

Q12: Who painted the sarcastic picture ‘The Modern Patriot’, in early twentieth century?

(a) Rabindranath Tagore
(b) Abanidranath Tagore
(c) Gaganendranath Tagore
(d) Dwarkanath Tagore
Q13: In medieval India, headgears used to signify

(a) a fashion style statement
(b) a sign of respectability
(c) a way to protect from heat.
(d) all of these
Q14: Name the Governor- General who made ‘shoe respect’ stricter?

(a) Dalhousie
(b) Hastings
(c) Amherst
(d) Curzon
Q15: Who said these words ‘the King had enough on for both of us’ ?

(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(c) Motilal Nehru
(d) Babasaheb Ambedkar
Q16: Who among the following started wearing three piece suits, and shoes and socks as a political statement of self-respect?

(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(c) Motilal Nehru
(d) Babasaheb Ambedkar
Available as Online Quiz

Answers :
1: (d) all of these
2: (b) Blue, White and Red
3: (d) All of these
4: (c) First World War
5: (a) without knee breeches
6: (b) Mrs Stanton
7: (d) all of these
8: (c) Mrs Amelia Bloomer
9: (b) cotton
10: (a) trouser
11: (c) Parsis
12: (c) Gaganendranath Tagore
13: (b) a sign of respectability
14: (a) Dalhousie
15: (a) Mahatma Gandhi
16: (d) Babasaheb Ambedkar