Turban Fashion

Turban fashion has existed in Europe since the 17th century. The upper class had worn turbans in the privacy of their own homes, often to keep their hair in place. While turbans have had cultural and religious meaning across Asia, turbans in a western European context, have taken on a more fashionable meaning over the centuries. This is most likely due to the influence of Asian cultures to Europe and vice versa. While a Sikh may be slightly offended by a westerner wearing a turban for leisure and fashion sense, turban fashion in western history has been relegated in the pajama category. By the 1920s, turban fashion became more popular as women began to sport turban-like head wraps when it came to public fashion.

You’d be surprised how much Asian fashion has come to inspire elite circles in history. This is due to the age of exploration and imperialism throughout European history. Europeans had picked up certain garments across the Asian continent, including turbans. Another Asian material is muslin which is a thin fabric that originated in Asia. Such material had been used to make comfortable robes in which many upper class Europeans have worn throughout history. This is a testament to how cultures can borrow from each other when it comes to customs and culture. While Europeans looked down upon Asians for the most part throughout history, they still borrowed certain Asian customs and traditions that appealed to them. Turban fashion is just one of the many fashion items that have taken on special meaning throughout European history.

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