The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-01-25
TURKISH FEMALE DRESS.
An Edict Prohibiting Westcrn'Styles
Dtsregardea by the Fair Ones.

DtsRegarde0 by n Fair Ones.
Constantinople Lister.
Some little time ago / mentioned the
Issue OF an imperial decree respecting
the dress of the Turkish ladies. Excep-
ton had been taken at the neat little
"bottiness" and the diaphsnous vai's
which the hideous yellow ''yemenees"
and thickly folded "Yathmaks' ofthe
past had been replaced, as also the "fer-
idjees" that in the lowness Of their cut
at the neck and trimmings were fast de-
| ~veloping into the cloaks of their Frank
ish sisters. The fair daughters of Islam
were hidden to set aside all such vani-
ties, under the penalty of making the
acquaintance of the minister of police,
| and exhorted to return to the old form
of fashion DISCUSSES. This decree was
followed not long ago by q second-not
that the obedience shown to the first
one was such as to encourage the au-
thorities in n belief they may have
entertained as to their power to control
female taste in dress. The second edict
was aimed az the '~.tchartchaf, an article
of dress only worn by the poorer classes.
1t is u kind of cotton shawl which is
thrown over the head, gathered
in at the waist a bit or
a belt, and then pinned across the chin,
GYPSY fashion, the woman assisting it In
its office of hiding is feathers by pulling
the upper parts together with the hand
whenever the approach of a man is sig
males in the neighborhood. That is to
saw, those of advanced age invariably do,
as also those whom nature may have en-
dowed with greater graces OF mind than
form; but the young and pretty are not
gifted. apparently, with such ex luisiie
| s~ensibilities, and in the charming con-
fusion that ensues upon their suddenly
| becoming aware Of the presence OF man
often afford him a glimpse Of beauty
that, to use the poetical expression of
the Turk, makes his heart feel ike an
ill-treated piece of kabob (roast beef
burned up, so to say, with the tire OF
love.
Turkish women are not the poor, tame
creatures of western ideas, submissive
in every respect to the will oftheir lords
and masters. / know of more than n
| poor h~en-pecked Turk who is as much
afraid of his wife's tongue as any unior-
tunate Benedict" of tie west. tied to a
scold Tor NE through tine iuws vi INN
land. 1t is not the ease with which mat
rimonial shackles can be cast off
| among Mohammedans that
| regulates these matters. There
are may c nsldcrations tkst keep Turk
ish couples together who world other
wise drift apart, and though the "ha-
rem, IS popularity supposed to contain
| several wives, as a rule there is but one,
| who is quite the mistress Of the housc.
| More especially is this the case at Con-
stantinople, where the young Turk, rs a
rule, seek an alliance that vii. help him
on in his career, and the partners thus
obtained, know well the use oil such a
tire t as turks in the declaration OF an
intended appeal to their powerful rela-
items. The Koran sanctions as many as
Tour wives and the adoption Of any
number OF left handed partners; but
jealousy is by no means an unknown
feature OF the Turkish female mind,
and no Turk who values domestic peace
will think of taking advantage of such
permission.
1t is not to be supposed that women
with such force Of character We're going
to tamely submit to an order requiring
them to throw away good, substantial
wearing apparel and 20 in for himsy
ssyashmaks" at an expense they could
iii afford, and so this edict is no more.
being observed than the last one. The
Turkish women have set their faces
s~trenuously against It, and, like their
~siaters of the west, they generally man
ags to have their own way WHEN they
Lave made up their minds to do so.