Lady Mary Wortley Montague, Her Life and Letters (1689-1762)Melville, Lewis
History
Lady Mary Wortley Montague, Her Life and Letters (1689-1762)
Melville, Lewis
Montagu, Mary Wortley, Lady 1689-1762; Montagu, Mary Wortley, Lady 1689-1762 -- Correspondence
"The first piece of my dress is a pair of drawers, very full, that reach
to my shoes, and conceal the legs more modestly than your petticoats.
They are of a thin rose-coloured damask, brocaded with silver flowers,
my shoes are of white kid leather, embroidered with gold. Over this
hangs my smock, of a fine white silk gauze, edged with embroidery. This
smock has wide sleeves, hanging half way down the arm, and is closed at
the neck with a diamond button; but the shape and colour of the bosom
very well to be distinguished through it. The _antery_ is a waistcoat,
made close to the shape, of white and gold damask, with very long
sleeves falling back, and fringed with deep gold fringe, and should have
diamond or pearl buttons. My _caftan_, of the same stuff with my
drawers, is a robe exactly fitted to my shape, and reaching to my feet,
with very long strait falling sleeves. Over this is the girdle, of about
four fingers broad, which all that can afford have entirely of diamonds
or other precious stones; those who will not be at that expense, have
it of exquisite embroidery on satin; but it must be fastened before with
a clasp of diamonds. The _curdee_ is a loose robe they throw off or put
on according to the weather, being of a rich brocade (mine is green and
gold), either lined with ermine or sables; the sleeves reach very little
below the shoulders. The head-dress is composed of a cap, called
_talpock_, which is in winter of fine velvet embroidered with pearls or
diamonds, and in summer of a light shining silver stuff. This is fixed
on one side of the head, hanging a little way down with a gold tassel,
and bound on either side with a circle of diamonds (as I have seen
several) or a rich embroidered handkerchief. On the other side of the
head, the hair is laid flat; and here the ladies are at liberty to shew
their fancies; some putting flowers, others a plume of heron's feathers,
and, in short, what they please; but the most general fashion is a large
_bouquet_ of jewels, made like natural flowers; that is the buds of
pearl; the roses, of different coloured rubies; the jessamines, of
diamonds; the jonquils, of topazes, &c., so well set and enamelled, 'tis
hard to imagine any thing of that kind so beautiful. The hair hangs at
its full length behind, divided into tresses braided with pearl or
ribbon, which is always in great quantity."
Much that Lady Mary wrote was of great value in exploding many
ill-founded beliefs at home as regards Turkish life, and especially
concerning the manners and customs of Turkish women.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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