A Project report on 'Clothing' for CBSE Class 'IX/X'.

1. S.No Topic Page
1 Ancient Type of Clothing 1
2 Modernizations in Dress 2
Code
3 Modern Fashion in India 3
4 Colonial Dress Code and 4-5
Controversies
5 Caste Conflict and Dress 6-7
Change
6 Mahatma Gandhi’s 8
Experiment with
Clothing
7 Designing the National 9
Dress
8 Bibliography 10
Nilesh Maheshwari

2. Ancient type of Clothing
People in India wore mostly cotton clothing. India was the first
place where cotton was grown, even as early as 2500 BC in the
Harappan period.
By the Aryan period, women wore one very long piece
of cloth called a sari that they wrapped around themselves in
different ways. The word “SARI” comes from a Sanskrit word
that just means cloth. Saris are first mentioned in the Vedas,
about 600 BC. Rich women wore saris made of silk, but most
women wore cotton ones. There were many different ways of
draping saris – to dress up women wore them like skirts with a
top part thrown over their shoulder or worn over their heads
as a veil. Working women often pulled their sari up between
their legs to make a sort of pants. Women who were fighting
with the army tucked in the top part of the sari in the back, to
free up their arms for fighting. Most saris were five or six yards
long, although some saris were nine yards. Younger women
generally wore brightly coloured saris, but widows and other
women in mourning wore only white ones.
Men also wore one long piece of cloth called the dhoti, which
was generally white. They wrapped the “DHOTI” around their
legs to make sort of pants like the working women. Dhotis
though were shorter so they didn’t have the part that covered
the chest and shoulders. Men also often wore long cotton cloths
wrapped around their heads as turbans.
Nilesh Maheshwari

3. Modernizations in Dress Code
India is known across the world for its diverse and colorful dresses.
Indian saris and salwar suits are known for their beautiful designs
and patterns. The modern Indian clothing is a blend and an effect of
various cultures and nationalities that made India their home in the
ancient times. Hence, the Indian clothes you see today are a reflection
of various changes in the Indian history.
Harappan Period --2500 BC-India was perhaps the first country to
grow cotton in the Harappan period. In this period, people mostly
wore cotton clothing. Women generally wore a long cotton cloth called
sari.
Aryan Period --1500 BC-During this period, most women wore sari
that could be draped in different ways. The material generally used
was cotton for the poor and silk for the rich. The men wore pieces of
white cloth around their waste in a pants-like fashion, which was
known as dhoti.
Islamic Period -- 1000 AD-With the invasion of the Islamic rulers,
Indian fashion underwent a great change. While sari and dhoti were
still popular, women also started wearing long tunics with trousers
called salwar kameez, which were accompanied by a scarf.
19th Century-The 19th century saw a lot of modifications to Indian
clothing. The Western and Islamic influences were greatly seen in the
Indian saris and salwar kameez.
21st Century-The modern Indian clothing is now a confluence of
Eastern and Western cultures. Westernized salwar kameez and other
new fashionable attire have modernized the traditional Indian
clothing.
Nilesh Maheshwari

4. Modern Fashion in India
Many aspects of Western Fashion have become common
among Indian men, particularly in the professional
community. Horizontal stripes and plaids are common on
casual business shirts. Owing to growth of women
empowerment and influence of western culture, nowadays
most of the teen and adult girls in cities wear low hip jeans,
low neck tops, tight jean trousers with salwar, half trousers,
sleeveless T shirts etc.
The most accepted formal dressing for couples in formal
occasions like parties and weddings is saree for the ladies
and formal pants and shirts with suits in the winter for the
men.
The Indian women have however modernized and working
women find Western Wear like shirts and trousers a
comfortable dressing option to work. With entry of
international Fashion brands like FCUK, DNKY, Guess and
many more, Indian women are increasingly becoming
fashionable. Among the league of high fashion international
brands, a domestic brand, MADAME has also gained
popularity. Next in the category are Globus, Black Berry’s,
Allen Solly, Park Avenue and Van Heusen.
Nilesh Maheshwari

5. COLONIAL DRESS CODES AND
CONTROVERSIES
Fashion had more to do with Indian independence than
what most people know. Because the British did not let any
Indian wear their own cloth the Indians started to fight
back. Clothes became a symbol for the struggle of Indian’s
independence. Women’s fashion was only slightly affected
during this period of time whereas the men’s clothing
entirely changed. Men had to wear items such as shirts and
trousers which were unheard of in India before the British
came along.
Traditional "office" clothing was introduce to India, this
include the suit and tie which was greatly unpopular
because of Indian weather. In different cultures, specific
items of clothing often convey contrary meanings. This
frequently leads to misunderstanding and conflict. Styles of
clothing in British India changed through such conflicts.
When European traders first began frequenting India, they
were distinguished from the Indian 'turban wearers' as the
'hat wearers.' These two headgears not only looked
different, they also signified different things. The turban in
India was not just for protection from the heat but was a
sign of respectability, and could not be removed at will. In
the Western tradition, the hat had to be removed before
Nilesh Maheshwari

6. social superiors as a sign of respect. This cultural difference
created misunderstanding. The British were often offended
if Indians did not take off their turban when they met
colonial officials. Many Indians on the other hand wore the
turban to consciously assert their regional or national
identity.
Another such conflict related to the wearing of shoes. At the
beginning of the nineteenth century, it was customary for
British officials to follow Indian etiquette and remove their
footwear in the courts of ruling kings or chiefs. Some British
officials also wore Indian clothes. But in 1830, Europeans
were forbidden from wearing Indian clothes at official
functions, so that the cultural identity of the white masters
was not undermined.
At the same time, Indians were expected to wear Indian
clothes to office and follow Indian dress codes. In 1824 -
1828, Governor-General Amherst insisted that Indians take
their shoes off as a sign of respect when they appeared
before him, but this was not strictly followed. By the mid-
nineteenth century, when Lord Dalhousie was Governor-
General, 'shoe respect' was made stricter, and Indians were
made to take off their shoes when entering any government
institution; only those who wore European clothes were
exempted from this rule.
Nilesh Maheshwari

7. Caste Conflict and Dress Change
India had its own strict social codes of food and dress.
The caste system clearly defined what subordinate and
dominant caste Hindus should wear, eat, etc., and these
codes had the force of law. Changes in clothing styles
that threatened these norms therefore often created
violent social reactions.
In May 1822, women of the Shanar caste were attacked
by upper-caste Nairs in public places in the southern
princely state of Travancore, for wearing a cloth across
their upper bodies. Over subsequent decades, a violent
conflict over dress codes ensued.
The Shanars (also called Nadars) were considered a
'subordinate caste’; they were prohibited from using
umbrellas and wearing shoes or golden ornaments. Men
and women were also expected to follow the local
custom of never covering their upper bodies before the
upper castes.
Under the influence of Christian missions, Shanar
women converts began in the 1820s to wear tailored
blouses and cloths to cover themselves like the upper
castes. Soon Nairs, one of the upper castes of the region,
attacked these women in public places and tore off their
upper cloths. Complaints were also filed in court against
this dress change, especially since Shanars were also
refusing to render free labour for the upper castes.
Nilesh Maheshwari

8. At first, the Government of Travancore issued a
proclamation in 1829 ordering Shanar women 'to
abstain in future from covering the upper parts of the
body.' But this did not prevent Shanar Christian women,
and even Shanar Hindus, from adopting the blouse and
upper cloth.
The abolition of slavery in Travancore in 1855 led to
even more frustration among the upper castes who felt
they were losing control. In October 1859, riots broke
out as Shanar women were attacked in the marketplace
and stripped of their upper cloths. Houses were looted
and chapels burned. Finally, the government issued
another proclamation permitting Shanar women,
whether Christian or Hindu, to wear a jacket, or cover
their upper bodies 'in any manner whatever, but not like
the women of high caste'.
Nilesh Maheshwari

9. Mahatma Gandhi's Experiments
with Clothing
Gandhi adopted the clothing style of most Indians in the early
20th century. His adoption of khadi, or homespun cloth, was
intended to help eradicate the evils of poverty, social and
economic discrimination. It was also aimed as a challenge to
the contrast that he saw between most Indians, who were poor
and traditional, and the richer classes of educated, liberal-
minded Indians who had adopted Western mannerisms,
clothing and practices.
The clothing policy was designed to protest against the violence
of British economic policies in India. Millions of poor Indian
workers had been left unemployed and entrenched in poverty,
owing to the industrialization of cotton processing in Britain.
Gandhi promoted khadi as a direct boycott of the ‘Lancashire’
cotton industry, linking British imperialism to Indian poverty.
He focused on persuading all members of the Indian National
Congress to spend some time each day hand-spinning on the
charkha (spinning wheel). In addition to its point as an
economic campaign, the drive for hand-spinning was an
attempt to connect the privileged Indian Brahmins and lawyers
of Congress to connect with the mass of Indian peasantry.
Many prominent figures of the Indian independence movement,
including Motilal Nehru, were persuaded by Gandhi to
renounce their smart London-made clothes in favour of khadi.
Nilesh Maheshwari

10. Designing the National Dress
The Tagore family of Bengal experimented, beginning in the
1870s, with designs for a national dress for both men and
women in India. Rabindranath Tagore suggested that
instead of combining Indian and European dress, India's
national dress should combine elements of Hindu and
Muslim dress. Thus the Chapman (a long buttoned coat) was
considered the most suitable dress for men.
In the late 1870s, Jnanadanandini Devi, wife of
Satyendranath Tagore, She adopted the Parsi style of
wearing the sari pinned to the left shoulder with a brooch,
and worn with a blouse and shoes. This was quickly
adopted by Brahmo Samaji women and came to be known
as the Brahmika sari.
Nilesh Maheshwari