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Ottoman Women's Clothing
An Historical Overview

Part 3
The 18th Century




Early 18th Century

Ottoman women's dress is now changing more noticeably.

Notice the shaping and cutting of the sleeves in Levni's paintings.
Women's shalvar now have longer and wider legs - but they are not gathered at the ankles - instead, the legs are about 1-1/2 times as long as the wearer's legs. This excess is tied below the knee and the legs are allowed to hang loosely.
There is a new shape of hat, too. It sits on the head, but is low on one side where it curls up - how this was achieved i don't know.
And diamonds have become fashionable in the Ottoman Empire.




1712 - Jean-Baptiste Vanmour

Vanmour travelled with the French Ambassador to Constantinople, Marquis Charles de Ferriol, who later published Vanmour's work in a hand colored folio as if it were his work, without Vanmour's name.

Vanmour's Collection of 100 prints, first printed in 1712-13, represented different cultures of the Levant...

Notice the women are now wearing soft floppy hats that drape to one side of their heads. Notice also how the artist has added windows in a purely European style.

Harem woman
Harem woman relaxes, smoking a pipe
Haseki - lead wife
Haseki sultane - lead wife
Harem woman
Harem woman playing what may be a saz



1718 - Lady Mary Montagu

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the wife of the English ambassador to Turkey, spent two years in Turkey in the early 1700's. During her stay she wrote many letters decribing the clothing and habits of Turkish women - including a form of innoculation against small pox. In the center, a European painter portrays her in Ottoman dress in 1718.

Mary facing right full length portrait of Mary Montagu Mary facing left



1720-25 - Levni

Levni was an important Ottoman artist of the 18th century. He painted largely between 1720-25. Note that this is about 1-1/4 century after the SCA period ends. This means the slit sleeves on the enteri, the wide legged pants (which are actually NOT gathered at the ankle, but tied below the knee, the legs are so long), and the odd asymmetrical hats that curl up on one side are well out of period.

Woman in outdoor dress
Woman in outdoor dress
Woman in outdoor dress
Woman in outdoor dress
Woman in indoor dress
Woman in indoor dress

I'm not sure what is happening with her hair. Might be many braids tied together at the bottom...
Woman in indoor dress
Note her many braids. She holds a spool of thread in her left hand.
Woman in indoor dress
This woman wears her hair loose and fluffy
Female Musicians
Note the multitude of braids on these female musicians. Their fingertips appear to be henna'ed.



1720 & 1745 - Abdullah Buhari

Abdullah Buhari was another important Ottoman artist of the 18th century. He painted largely between 1720-45. His work is perhaps less charming than Levni's, but it is still useful in showing changing Ottoman fashions.

young woman Haseki Sultane Young Woman wearing Indoor Winter Outfit Haseki Sultane



Mid-18th Century


The French School

I don't know if the artists of the French School were French or were French-trained Ottoman painters.

From the East From the East From the East
Note her loose fluffy hair
From the East
Note her many braids

This painting is "Eastern Woman".
Note her loose fluffy hair.
Eastern Woman
This painting, "Coming Back From the Orchard", is by an artist identified as Rafael:
Coming Back From the Orchard



1740s-1750s - Jean Liotard


Swiss artist Jean Liotard painted the pictures below, with their delicate, cool pastels, and attractive but not crudely sexualized women in homey settings. Some of his models were French noblewomen, and some of the items in the pictures were Liotard's own, which he used as props to create the setting.

Greek Women Playing Mancala
Greek Women Playing Mancala
At the Entrance of the Baths
At the Entrance of the Baths
Sultane Reading a Book
Sultane Reading a Book
European Woman in the Baths with her Slave
European Woman in the Baths with her Slave



Late 18th Century


Interestingly, late 18th century Ottoman clothing shows clear influence from the French. Fabrics are similar - pastel, with tiny patterns of flowers and stripes, a high-waisted look to the entari, and and sometimes deeply cut neckline.

Additionally, women are now often wearing their hair down and somewhat fluffy.

Husein Fazil bin Tahir Enderuni

The two pictures below come from the 1793 Hubanname ve Zenanname by miniature painter Husein Fazil bin Tahir Enderuni


Women in Birth
Woman on Birthing Chair
Women in Bath
Women in the Bath (Hammam)
Lady from Istanbul
Lady from Istanbul
Women in Park
Harem Women in the Palace Garden

Ottoman Artists

These two pictures are clearly from the same time period, based on painting style, use of color, and details of the women's dress, but i am not certain of their source...




European Artists

I have not been able to ascertain the artists of these pictures, but they are clearly a continuity of the very late 18th century style

Young Sultane Senior Haseki Sultane


As are these, which remind me of some French artists
Muslim Winter Outfit.jpg
Muslim Winter Outfit
Loose short-sleeved outer coat is faced on the outside and lined with fur
Muslim Spring Outfit.jpg
Muslim Spring Outfit
Loose short-sleeved outer coat is faced on the outside and lined with fur
Muslim Summer Outfit.jpg
Muslim Summer Outfit
Note how her braids are tucked up into her head covering.
Cariye: Female Slave
Cariye: Female Slave
Woman in Outdoor Outfit
Woman in Outdoor Coat (Feraçe)
Woman in Outdoor Outfit
Woman in Outdoor Coat (Feraçe)

Late 15th and 16th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

17th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

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19th Century Ottoman Women's Clothing

Actual Ottoman Fabric