Fashioning modernity: emerging new outfit

Abstract

Sixteen-century fashion in Sri Lanka is examined through the development of the royal male dress code, taking account of the historical context and changes in society at the turn of the century. Analysis of the temple paintings, wood carvings, sculptures and ivory carvings at Munich Treasury in Germany along with the continuous literature review with use of documented manuscripts, records, published research and inscriptions, and archival evidence demonstrate that a substantial change took place in the organization of the movement of royal male dress code visible in the beginning of twentieth Century. This included the eclectic mixture of western and Sri Lankan dress items in the most technically and stylistically sophisticated garments, signaling an increasing recognition of elite in ruling class similar to that found in French couture. The outfit called “gentleman beneath the cloth” has been identified as a key outfit, although almost unknown today, was highly successful and prominent at the turn of the social arena of the twentieth century. Trouser (pantaloons) coat (cabaya), jacket (hettaya) short jacket with collar (manthe hettaya) and articles of clothing (items) such as attached collar (tippet), were observed and analyzed. The conceptual framework of the study is based on the qualitative research method. It is argued that this was an arena in which ruling elite might show off their creativity of forming a new outfit. The results shows that Sri Lankan male dress is made up of rich set of possible combinations (tradition and modern)