The Analysis of the Silhouette Alteration in Ottoman Women's Dresses (Entari) From Classical to Modern Period

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to review the change of silhouette in women's entari varying from classical to modern period in the Ottoman Empire by use of visual sources. The study is deemed important because it maintains preserves and introduces "the change in the regular wear of women of middle and upper socio-culturalleconomic group in the Ottoman Empire" into the national and international literature, contributes to region-scaled cultural heritage and constitutes a scientific source for those who are interested in this subject. Materials of the descriptive study are as follows: printed and on-line documents regarding clothing culture of the Ottoman Empire, especially from the rise of the Empire forward, itineraries of local and foreign voyagers, engravings, miniatures and photos of clothes in the collections of museums. The samples of the study are eight photos chosen on purpose since they reflect the change of clothing silhouette in the best possible way. Visual materials chosen have been converted into graphical silhouette by use of the Macromedia Free Hand MXa programme. Details of each clothing silhouette were analyzed by comparison with preceding one by use of the visual analysis techniques. The change of silhouettes in comparison with preceding one has been examined within the frame of alphabetic that constitutes the fashion literature and silhouettes of women's clothing. Data acquired from each photograph were sorted chronologically and interpreted by combining with alphabetical silhouettes and graphics which were formed alongside clothing silhouette characteristics. Three-step change in women's entari has been observed as a result of the study. H-shaped silhouette of entari, which is simple, plain and without detail and taken over from the Seljug Empire, interacted with the Europe thanks to improvement of cultural relations with the Europe following the transition to the settled life. In this process, thanks to the technics of new cut, merging, forming and fixating the form, entaris fitting the body all the better have turned into X silhouette. As of the Tanzimat Reform Era, fashion concept was adopted and entari of intellectual Ottoman women transformed into S-silhouette which was formed by Western women by use of artificial tools.