First History Lessons: Clothes and Attire

Is there anyone who doesn’t like wearing nice clothes? We all have our own tastes and longing for clothes—and this is what the many companies in the fashion industry, all the export and import, and mills and factories stand on. But isn’t it strange? We all have bodies made with the same blood-and-bones-and-flesh-and-skin. Yet, the moment these bodies are covered with a length of cloth, our identities are decided. Whether considered high-caste or low, whether king or subject, rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim—identities like these become more important than the flesh-and-blood one of being human. Society clamps thousands of regulations and restrictions on the body with this one piece of fabric. It is as though the clothes we wear decide whether we will rule or be ruled. What are we allowed to wear, and what not? How much of our bodies must be covered and how much can remain exposed? What can be worn at home, and how must we dress to go out? What should we wear to earn the respect of others? What kinds of clothes are best to intimidate others? There’s no end of politics around these. These things are drilled into our heads from childhood by those we grow up with. Girls and boys, women and men, must wear separate clothes. Some part of the body can be exposed but others have to be covered. Muslims must wear Fez caps, while saffron attire might signal that you are a Hindu. The regulations are endless. It will surprise you to know how many unfair rules are connected even to the shades of our clothes. Brightly coloured outfits are fine in youth—but dress in light colours when you’re older. The married woman has a happy life, so she can wear any colours she wants—but the widow must carry her grief with her everywhere, and has to dress in white. However, reading the histories of different parts of the country tells us that neither joy nor sadness and mourning is limited to one specific colour—there’s variety here too. Although white is the approved colour for widows in many areas, in Maharashtra the colour allotted to them is maroon. The custom in many regions for brides is to wear red for their wedding, but in Kerala the bride wears white.

The history of clothes is also a history of social norms. The key to understanding the principles and practices of society and its structure is hidden away in the folds of our attire. And then, rummaging through the history of clothes leads us to diverse stories about the export and import of garments, the process and technology of weaving, the work of labourers, and changing fashions. So, clothes nudge us in the direction of economic history as well.