Lace and silk chemise – Iraq

Object Note  

Part of a set with another item (ZI2019.500525 IRAQ) also in the collection.  

Object History 

This piece was donated to The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative by Basūs & Asīl Hāfuth in 2019 to be added to and enhance The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative collection. 

The piece originally belonged to Khawla, Basūs & Asīl’s mother, Shahbal Fakhri Al-Kafaf, who was a matriarch to a large, venerable Iraqi family. Born in Baghdad in 1923 to an Iraqi father and a Turkish mother Shahbal was known for her wit, elegance, and graciousness. She epitomised the best of Baghdad society of her time. 

The family has enjoyed close ties with Dr. Reem over several years, with friendship between the members of both families in every succeeding generation. 

Object Features  

This is a woman’s knee-length slip or chemise (gömlek Gömlek: (Proto-Turkic: köyŋelek – Shirt; Azerbaijani: köynək – Shirt; Turkmen: koynek­ – long loose tunic dress), a traditional calf-length sleeved undershirt or tunic generally made of a plain white cotton, silk, or linen fabric, some more lightweight than others, worn by both Ottoman men and women of all communities throughout the empire. ) / (atg

Atg: (Arabic), possibly a colloquial Iraqi term for a chemise like undergarment worn by women in Iraq. Also sometimes called the gömlek it was traditionally the Ottoman undergarment which gradually gave way to the western dishabille.

) often worn as an undergarment with the front open robe (sayah

Ṣāyah: (Classical Persian: sāya – shadow; Synonyms: zubūn, qumbāz, gombaz

Gombaz: (Arabic; Synonyms: sayah, zubūn, qumbāz, yalak

Yalak: (Ottoman Turkic: yelek – a hip or waist length vest; from Old Anatolian: yélek – Vest), a short-sleeved waistcoat traditionally worn by men and a long outer robe or tight jacket either sleeveless or short sleeved with a tight bodice traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman controlled Levant.

),  also pronounced ‘umbaz or ‘imbaz is a long front open, unlined, lightweight silk traditional cloak either with quarter or no sleeves fastened at the waist often worn by both men and women in the Levant, Fertile Crescent, and Najd regions. 

, yalak

Yalak: (Ottoman Turkic: yelek – a hip or waist length vest; from Old Anatolian: yélek – Vest), a short-sleeved waistcoat traditionally worn by men and a long outer robe or tight jacket either sleeveless or short sleeved with a tight bodice traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman controlled Levant.

), long front open, unlined, lightweight silk traditional cloak with quarter or no sleeves fastened at the waist often worn by men and women in the Levant, Fertile Crescent, and Najd regions.

). The chemise is made of a plain black silk fabric of (satin Sātin: (Arabic: Zaytuni: from Chinese port of Zayton in Quanzhou province where it was exported from and acquired by Arab merchants), one of the three basic types of woven fabric with a glossy top surface and a dull back. Originated in China and was fundamentally woven in silk.) weave and black floral lace.  

The gömlek Gömlek: (Proto-Turkic: köyŋelek – Shirt; Azerbaijani: köynək – Shirt; Turkmen: koynek­ – long loose tunic dress), a traditional calf-length sleeved undershirt or tunic generally made of a plain white cotton, silk, or linen fabric, some more lightweight than others, worn by both Ottoman men and women of all communities throughout the empire.  displays a wide V-shaped lace neckline and a pair of black satin Sātin: (Arabic: Zaytuni: from Chinese port of Zayton in Quanzhou province where it was exported from and acquired by Arab merchants), one of the three basic types of woven fabric with a glossy top surface and a dull back. Originated in China and was fundamentally woven in silk. ribbon straps. The bottom hem of the chemise has a wide lace panel similar to the neckline. The lace panels are lined with thin elastane and silk (gauze Gauze: (English), very fine wire mesh transparent fabric of silk, linen, or cotton.). 

A 1960s black chemise with a label that reads ‘Van Roalte, so 38L’ it was possibly a European piece that was purchased to be worn as a gömlek Gömlek: (Proto-Turkic: köyŋelek – Shirt; Azerbaijani: köynək – Shirt; Turkmen: koynek­ – long loose tunic dress), a traditional calf-length sleeved undershirt or tunic generally made of a plain white cotton, silk, or linen fabric, some more lightweight than others, worn by both Ottoman men and women of all communities throughout the empire.  instead of the traditional one. Pieces like this will often be worn with a traditional front-open jacket-style robe, sayah

Ṣāyah: (Classical Persian: sāya – shadow; Synonyms: zubūn, qumbāz, gombaz

Gombaz: (Arabic; Synonyms: sayah, zubūn, qumbāz, yalak

Yalak: (Ottoman Turkic: yelek – a hip or waist length vest; from Old Anatolian: yélek – Vest), a short-sleeved waistcoat traditionally worn by men and a long outer robe or tight jacket either sleeveless or short sleeved with a tight bodice traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman controlled Levant.

),  also pronounced ‘umbaz or ‘imbaz is a long front open, unlined, lightweight silk traditional cloak either with quarter or no sleeves fastened at the waist often worn by both men and women in the Levant, Fertile Crescent, and Najd regions. 

, yalak

Yalak: (Ottoman Turkic: yelek – a hip or waist length vest; from Old Anatolian: yélek – Vest), a short-sleeved waistcoat traditionally worn by men and a long outer robe or tight jacket either sleeveless or short sleeved with a tight bodice traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman controlled Levant.

), long front open, unlined, lightweight silk traditional cloak with quarter or no sleeves fastened at the waist often worn by men and women in the Levant, Fertile Crescent, and Najd regions.

. It would be topped with a T-shaped tunic-style robe or overgarment (thawb Thawb: (Arabic: thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thobe Thobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women in the Arabian Gulf region.  ) of different styles, the most popular of which was the (hashmi

Hashmī: (Arabic: Hashim (House of) – an Arab royal family from the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe), a type of elaborately decorated women’s traditional garment or thawb from Iraq that was named after the royal family that ruled Iraq until the mid 20th century.

). 

Iraq, located south of Türkiye, was a significant Arab territory under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for approximately four centuries. In the northern province of Mosul, which was then under Ottoman rule, the prevalent modes of dress were heavily influenced by the fashion trends originating in Istanbul. 

As such, traditionally, women would possibly wear an Ottoman-style gömlek Gömlek: (Proto-Turkic: köyŋelek – Shirt; Azerbaijani: köynək – Shirt; Turkmen: koynek­ – long loose tunic dress), a traditional calf-length sleeved undershirt or tunic generally made of a plain white cotton, silk, or linen fabric, some more lightweight than others, worn by both Ottoman men and women of all communities throughout the empire.  underneath the sayah

Ṣāyah: (Classical Persian: sāya – shadow; Synonyms: zubūn, qumbāz, gombaz

Gombaz: (Arabic; Synonyms: sayah, zubūn, qumbāz, yalak

Yalak: (Ottoman Turkic: yelek – a hip or waist length vest; from Old Anatolian: yélek – Vest), a short-sleeved waistcoat traditionally worn by men and a long outer robe or tight jacket either sleeveless or short sleeved with a tight bodice traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman controlled Levant.

),  also pronounced ‘umbaz or ‘imbaz is a long front open, unlined, lightweight silk traditional cloak either with quarter or no sleeves fastened at the waist often worn by both men and women in the Levant, Fertile Crescent, and Najd regions. 

, yalak

Yalak: (Ottoman Turkic: yelek – a hip or waist length vest; from Old Anatolian: yélek – Vest), a short-sleeved waistcoat traditionally worn by men and a long outer robe or tight jacket either sleeveless or short sleeved with a tight bodice traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman controlled Levant.

), long front open, unlined, lightweight silk traditional cloak with quarter or no sleeves fastened at the waist often worn by men and women in the Levant, Fertile Crescent, and Najd regions.

. With the advent of Western influence by the 20th century and its Western influence, the Ottoman gömlek Gömlek: (Proto-Turkic: köyŋelek – Shirt; Azerbaijani: köynək – Shirt; Turkmen: koynek­ – long loose tunic dress), a traditional calf-length sleeved undershirt or tunic generally made of a plain white cotton, silk, or linen fabric, some more lightweight than others, worn by both Ottoman men and women of all communities throughout the empire.  eventually gave way to more stylised chemise prevalent in Europe. 

Although amongst the urban Muslim elites and middle classes, the shift towards Westernised clothing occurred more gradually, the elites of Baghdad, as well as other urban Christian and Jewish communities, had fully transitioned from Ottoman attire to European-style clothing by the 1930s. 

Links 

• Zieme, Peter. Silk and Wad in Old Turkish Terminology. - Turkdilleri.Org, www.turkdilleri.org/turkdilleri/sayilar/tda7/PZieme.pdf 
• Vogelsang-Eastwood, Gillian. Encyclopedia of Embroidery from the Arab World. Bloomsbury Academic, 2016.  
• Stillman, Yedida Kalfon, and Norman A. Stillman. Arab Dress: From the Dawn of Islam to Modern Times. Brill, 2003.  
• Scarce, Jennifer. Womens Costume of the near and the Middle East. RoutledgeCurzon, 2003.  
• Rubens, Alfred. A History of Jewish Costume. 1981.  
• “Clothing And Fashion, Middle East" Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. . Encyclopedia.Com. 8 Jan. 2024 .” Encyclopedia.Com, Encyclopedia.com, 29 Jan. 2024, www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/clothing-and-fashion-middle-east.  
• Baghdad, 10th Century the Dress of a Non-Muslim Woman, sayyidajahanara.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/baghdad-costume.pdf. Accessed 29 Jan. 2024.  
• A Charuga

  Charuga: (Possibly Kurdish), a mantle-like embroidered women’s traditional garment from the Qaraqosh region in northern Iraq, traditionally fastened at the shoulder. Historically worn by field workers, it helped conceal dust and dirt, making them less visible during labour, it is a festive garment worn sparingly during festivals and other special occasions.  

  from Northern Iraq Has Arrived at the TRC!, www.trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1378-the-charuga

  Charuga: (Possibly Kurdish), a mantle-like embroidered women’s traditional garment from the Qaraqosh region in northern Iraq, traditionally fastened at the shoulder. Historically worn by field workers, it helped conceal dust and dirt, making them less visible during labour, it is a festive garment worn sparingly during festivals and other special occasions.  

  -from-northern-iraq-has-arrvied-at-the-trc. Accessed 29 Jan. 2024.  
• “Clothing.” Kurdish Central, 18 Nov. 2021, kurdishcentral.org/clothing/.  
• Foundation, Encyclopaedia Iranica. “Clothing of the Kurdish Jews.” Encyclopaedia Iranica, iranicaonline.org/articles/clothing-xvii. Accessed 29 Jan. 2024.  
• “Learn about Kurdish Dress.” The Kurdish Project, 2 Aug. 2016, thekurdishproject.org/history-and-culture/kurdish-culture/kurdish-dress/.