History of Traditional Turkish Clothes For Men And Women

People’s clothing has changed a lot from the past to the present day. For example, early humans covered their bodies using plants. After several centuries, people made clothes for themselves using animal skins, and again, after many years, they learned how to turn plants and animal skins into thread and use thread to sew clothes for themselves. Turkish people also went through these stages like other people, but due to the special geographical location of their country, they developed rapidly in the clothing industry.

It is interesting to know that Turkish traditional clothing was very popular in the past centuries. With the development of the textile industry in this country, business people from other countries traveled to Turkey to buy Turkish traditional clothes and take them to their own country. But nowadays, Turkish traditional clothing is not given much importance, and for this reason, in this article, I intend to give you information about traditional clothing in Turkey so that these types of clothes are not forgotten.

Why are there different types of traditional clothes in Türkiye?

In the article “Is Turkey in Europe or Asia“, I explained that the country of Turkey is made up of two parts, European and Asian, and contains a fusion of Western and Eastern cultures. I also explained  that the country of Turkey is made up of different ethnic groups, such as Kurds and Arabs, and due to the presence of different ethnic groups in Turkey and the combination of their customs with European customs, there are various types of traditional Turkish clothes in Turkey, each specific to a particular ethnic group.

Until the Ottoman period, Turks had no desire to change their traditional clothes. They used their clothing to cover and protect the body and as a symbol to show their tribal, political, and religious identity. Turks have always tried to maintain their Turkish identity by wearing traditional Turkish clothes, distinguishing themselves from others.

Traditional Turkish clothing male

If you are interested in traditional Turkish clothes men, I should mention that in the past, Turkish people did not consider black color suitable for clothes and used green more. During the Ottoman period, men used cone-shaped hats called fez, wide and thin cotton pants, and a coat to cover their bodies, which you can no longer see in western cities of Turkey.

Also, some traditional men in Turkey wore yelek, ceblen, and salvar and participated in traditional Turkish ceremonies with these clothes. Their work showed that they respect the traditional Turkish men’s dress.

Traditional Turkish clothing female

During the Ottoman period, when women left the house, they wore clothing similar to a coat without a collar and Çarşaf. They covered their faces with a head covering called Yashmak or Yashamaq. a coat without a collar usually had happy colors like pink, blue, and green. Also, Turkish women used fur clothes and a hat called Kalpak. Traditional Turkish women’s clothing has various designs and folds. Women use silk and cashmere fabrics to sew clothes.

The beginning of a transformation in the traditional clothing of Turkish people

During Sultan Mahmud II (the 30th Ottoman Sultan), the conditions for transformation in traditional Turkish clothing were provided. Sultan Mahmud imitated the clothing of European kings and created a combination of Turkish and European clothing in his clothing. But Atatürk made a big change in the traditional Turkish clothes by making it mandatory to wear Western clothes and banning the wearing of turbans in the clothing culture of this country. Atatürk was trying to popularize modern Turkish traditional dress among Turkish people.

At the end of the line

In general, in the past, Turks used to wear more formal clothes to protect themselves from dangerous factors. In the past, women tried to cover their faces in the street so that no one but their husbands could see them. But today, after the transformations that happened in Turkey, the strictness in the clothing of Turkish people became less, and women no longer cover their faces in the streets and are free to wear any clothes they like. In the past, men also wore loose clothes, but nowadays, they can easily wear T-shirts and walk in the streets of Turkey.

If you have traveled to Turkey, share your experience of traveling to Turkey with us in the comments section and say whether you have seen Turkish traditional dress males in this country. 

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