Entari

Made of a coral-colored silk satin with a gold brocaded design of floral garlands and bouquets, this entari, the main element of women’s dress in the Ottoman Empire, would have been worn by a wealthy Ottoman woman with a gömlek, or chemise, and şalvar or baggy trousers. A belt or sash, slippers, jewelry, and an ornamented head dress would have completed the outfit. The garment’s structure is typical, with a small stand-up collar, high slits on each side and long sleeves open to the elbow. Nine buttons and loops at the bodice would have been used to hold the robe closed. The front, skirt, and sleeve edges are finished with a scalloped design, edged in gold braid. The sleeve ends have an elaborate cut out design and are lined with a flowered striped silk associated with Bursa, an important silk production center in the Ottoman Empire. A maroon silk and cotton blend woven from pink silk wefts and dark blue cotton (?) warps is used to line the skirt edges and front opening. Purchased in Nice in about 1930, it is possible that the entari was bought there from members of the Ottoman dynasty, many of whom fled to Nice when they were exiled in 1924 following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.