Trousers thumbnail 1
Not on display

Trousers

mid 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

These trousers are made of fine striped silk fabric, and are cut loose around the waist and thighs, but taper to a close-fitting lower section that is typical of the Indian subcontinent. This narrow section would often be wrinkled up to the knee in a style called chiridar, which means 'with bangles'. In more recent times, this narrow leg section would be bias-cut to give a more clinging effect, but surviving nineteenth-century trousers all seem to have straight-cut legs. On this pair, the decorative effect is concentrated on the simple but elegant embroidered cuff. The trousers would be worn with a long, straight shirt, probably also with embroidered decoration.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Woven silk
Brief description
Silk striped woman's trousers, Pakistan, mid 19th century.
Physical description
Purple silk trousers with white stripes and white embroidery at the cuffs
Dimensions
  • Waist to ankle length: 133cm
  • Waist width: 85cm
Marks and inscriptions
No. 1 / Silk Paejama of a Lady of Rank [Hindustani inscription below] No. 2
Translation
[Hindustani] [undeciphered ] zenana [undeciphered] / Shalwar
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879.
Summary
These trousers are made of fine striped silk fabric, and are cut loose around the waist and thighs, but taper to a close-fitting lower section that is typical of the Indian subcontinent. This narrow section would often be wrinkled up to the knee in a style called chiridar, which means 'with bangles'. In more recent times, this narrow leg section would be bias-cut to give a more clinging effect, but surviving nineteenth-century trousers all seem to have straight-cut legs. On this pair, the decorative effect is concentrated on the simple but elegant embroidered cuff. The trousers would be worn with a long, straight shirt, probably also with embroidered decoration.
Bibliographic references
  • Colours of the Indus : costume and textiles of Pakistan / Nasreen Askari and Rosemary Crill. London: Merrell Holberton in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1997 Number: 1858940443 p. 97, ill. pl. 156
  • Dress in detail from around the world / Rosemary Crill, Jennifer Wearden and Verity Wilson ; with contributions from Anna Jackson and Charlotte Horlyck ; photographs by Richard Davis, drawings by Leonie Davis. London: V&A Publications, 2002 Number: 1851773770 (hbk), 1851773789 (pbk) pp.84-85
Collection
Accession number
6047(IS)

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdNovember 11, 2002
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest