It is noted by Mr. Subramani Aiyar that "the Nambutiris are passionate growers of finger-nails, which are sometimes more than a foot long, and serve several useful purposes. As in everything else, the Nambutiri is orthodox even in the matter of dress. Locally-manufactured cloths are alone purchased, and Indian publicists who deplore the crushing of indigenous industries by the importation of foreign goods may congratulate the Kerala Brahmans on their protectionist habits. Silk and coloured cloths are not worn by either sex. The style of dress is peculiar. That of the males is known as tattutukkuka. Unlike the Nayar dress, which the Nambutiris wear during other than religious hours, the cloth worn has a portion passing between the thighs and tucked in at the front and behind, with the front portion arranged in a number of characteristic reduplications. The Nambutiri wears wooden shoes, but never shoes made of leather. Nambutiri women have two styles of dress, viz., okkum koluttum vachchutukkuka for the Adhyans, and ngoringutukkuka for ordinary Nambutiris. Undyed cloths constitute the daily wearing apparel of Nambutiri women. It is interesting to notice that all Brahman women, during a yagnam (sacrifice), when, as at other ceremonials, all recent introductions are given up in favour of the old, wear undyed cloths. Beyond plain finger-rings and a golden amulet (elassu) attached to the waist-string, the Nambutiri wears no ornaments. His ears are bored, but no ear-rings are worn unless he is an Agnihotri, when ear-pendants of an elongated pattern (kundalam) are used. The ornaments of the Nambutiri women have several peculiarities. Gold bracelets are, as it were, proscribed even for the most wealthy. Hollow bangles of brass or bell-metal for ordinary Nambutiris, and of solid silver for the Adhyas, are the ones in use. The chuttu is their ear ornament. A peculiar necklace called cheru-tali is also worn, and beneath this Adhya women wear three garlands of manis or gold pieces, along with other jewels called kasumala, puttali, and kazhuttila. The Nambutiris do not bore their noses or wear nose-rings, and, in this respect, present a striking contrast to the Nayar women. No restriction, except the removal of the tali, is placed on the use of ornaments by Nambutiri women. Tattooing is taboo to Nambutiri women. They put on three horizontal lines of sandal paste after bathing. These marks have, in the case of Adhya women, a crescentic shape (ampilikkuri). Kunkuma, or red powder, is never applied by Nambutiri women to the forehead. Turmeric powder as a cosmetic wash for the face is also not in vogue. Mr. Fawcett states that, on festive occasions, turmeric is used by the Brahmans of Malabar. But this is not borne out by the usage in Travancore. Eye-salves are applied, and may be seen extending as dark lines up to the ears on either side." The ornaments and marks worn by individual Nambutiri males are thus recorded by Mr. Fawcett:--