This costume, made from a mixture of imported and local fabrics and dating from the early 20th century, was worn by a Palaung woman of the court of Taingbaing in the Northern Shan States of Burma. The costume consists of a purple silk satin blouse with silk embroidery and woolen panels and a red cotton and silk pinstriped skirt, partly concealed by colourful aprons. Separate white satin sleeves edged in red wool and a long hood of lilac Chinese damask and red imported English wool complete the outfit. The use of imported materials--whatever their quality and however arranged--was a sign of wealth and status.

The Palaung of Taingbaing (also spelt Taungbaing or Tawngpeng - the principality within the North Shan States, whose capital was Namhsan, north east of Mandalay) are a hill people, whose long established involvement with tea cultivation and trade made them richer than most of the other hill communities who practised slash and burn agriculture.