20 Hat-Wearing Women in a Mughal Illumination.

After the last find, I've been digging through the online collections of Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, and came upon this illumination. The piece, entitled Birth of a Royal Infant, is another Mughal-era page dated to approximately 1580, and the illuminated area within the border measures 10 9/16 x 5 1/4 inches. Because its origins aren't clear, there is uncertainty as to whether this was part of the -namas or a separate image. It has some significant tine-related flaws, especially in its bottom section.

However, what it does have going fot it are the depiction of hats. ALL. THE. HATS. And just for fun, I've gone ahead and included the women wearing hats as detail pieces - for future reference. I'm including my own brief notes on what I believe I see here.

The next thing? Finding corroborating similar illuminations that have a certain source.

Somewhat conical hat with slant top, what appears to be a single veil from the top looped under the neck, second scarf or veil around shoulders. The subject appears to be wearing a cote over a caftan.

From the bottom of the illumination, this scetch appears to show either a cylindrical or conical hat with a rounded top, veil pinned to top and sides, a scarf around the neck and shoulders and a caftan.

Flat red hat, no obvious veil, translucent or transparent decidedly large caftan or shirt over white choli or tight shirt, green pants, yellow belt. There were women of many cultures in the harem, which means this individual may not be of the royal Mughal line,

This shorter hat appears to be pinched at the top, though there's not enough detail to be certain from this online image. Pink caftan, tight at the wrists.

Despite the resolution and damage, thiere's a lot to see here. This woman appears to be wearing a conical hat with a red underveil and possibly a white scarf around the neck. It is possible she is wearing a translucent shirt or jacket over a coat and caftain, but there is simply not enough detail here to tell.

Red conical hat with slanted top and gold adornment, translucent white veil that may be hanging to the sides, black necklace, yellow dupatta or scarf with pattern looped around the arms, green caftan.

This one's harder. The black mark may or may not be original to the painting. If it is, this woman appears to be wearing a conical hat that comes to a point, has a wide brim and a big feather. If not, this might be a paneled hat, with a center similar to a trifold but with more outere panels. Veil not apparent. She wears a dark scarf over a pink caftan and a yellow belt.

Yellow conical hat with almost flat top, translucent veil left open at neck, pearls, red caftan and white scarf.

Oh wow, this woman has all the embellishments on her hat, and the translucent veil is clearly pinned to the top and sides and worn open at the sides. The dupatta is red and the caftan is blue.

The two ladies behind the lass in blue are too close to really separate. The one in th brown caftan with the green dupatta is wearing a flat gold hat - maybe some variant of a fez? The one next to her in the white hat has a white veil that is looped under the chin along with an orange dupatta or second veil and is wearing white.

Another conical hat, this time with a red top (!) and the same sort of translucent veil pinned to the top and sides. It's hard to determine whether a chin strap or the veil is looped under the chin, thanks to the dupatta wrapped around the neck. Blue caftan.

THIS WOMAN. The one in the red cote and green caftan (YES - look at the ebows jutting out of the red cote in those green sleeves!!) and blue dupatta, with her sassy sea green hat and translucent veil pinned to the hat and pulled under the chin. I like her style. Also, those bewbs.

That is a jewelled, flat top conical boqta right there, and it is a thing of awesomeness. But what she's wearing otherwise is hard to determine. I would suspect she's wearing a white shirt or caftan and orange or red pants, with a translucent caftan over it all. One of the few feet in the shot - and is that polish on her big toe? Wait, what?

This right here. Striped conical hat, translucent veil pinned to top and sides. black necklace with gold penant, cream colored caftan. That's either a long gold veil or dupatta she has wrapped around her "doing my own breast exam" posed arms, and it appears her pink cote is lined in blue.

That is DEFINITELY a chinstrap on the black and gold hat, no doubt. I can't really ttell if the lighter portion of her hair is covered with a hat veil or not, but she seems to be daubing her armpits with her patterned red dupatta. Green caftan.

Another flat topped gold hat on the lady in the white choli or shirt, red pants and translucent overdress. I am suspecting the ladies in the flat caps are servants of some sort.

Red ornaamented cap with what appears to be a gold brooch, pinned translucent veil to top and sides of hat, yellow belt wrapped around upper torso. White chemise and orange pants or skirt under translucent over layer. Also, pit stains>

This wallflower is wearing a scarlet caftan and yellow conical hat with a less translucent white veil attached to the hat and looped under the throat. I can't tell if that's another person in white in front of her or if she's holding something.

This one's probably the hardest - can't see the top of the hat, but it appears to be cylindrical and rounded at the top, gold. No veil. Yellow caftan.

Now that I have this down, I'm going to try to pin my veils like some depicted here, with pins in the sides but the front panel exposed.

I also notice once again - there are no shoes. I really need a good look at those shoes.

Evolution of My Personal Garb in the SCA.

I've collected these images over the years from different sources and personal photographs to showcase how my persona and garb have changed since I first entered the SCA in 1991. While I lack images from the first few years, this should show how far I've come and what's changed.

A special thanks to Mistress Barbara Sterling for her Gleann Abhann Historic Calendar, which helped me get some of these connected to the correct event.

Samhain 1996. My attire consisted of a modified black velvet sleeveless dress from Dillard's, a flat black hat I made myself, a red chemise top and... actually, I have no idea what was underneath.

Paul fought for me at the Fourth Gleann Abhann Warlord Tourney in May 1997. I'm wearing a simple white chemise, a broomstick skirt, a shawl and a flower wreath.  

Merchanting at Border Raids 1997.

Diamond Wars 1997. Daydress (made of herculon!) and chemise (purple flannel) made by Tamra.

I'm on the left at the second Woodland Wars, August 1999 (my first autocrat job). White simple chemise, red and purple cotton Gates of Hell in Evensong Forest colors (see the gold tree?).

Some time in the spring of 2000 with my brother Zack. That's my purple macrame belt I made in 1997. I still have it today. Blue corduroy flat hat bought at Gladenfeld 12th Night December 1992. Blue and gold chequey tunic, violet blue striped pants, blue and black striped socks... yeah.

 

Tig'r Toggs shirt and pants, doublet with gold brick-a-brac, suede beret. Welcome to 2001.

Masque of the Red Death 2001, heralding for Princess Gabrelle. Sane shirt and doublet, plus some very large baggy red and white striped pants I made myself and red and white striped socks. My first protege belt, a taekwondo belt Carlwyn gave me. I wove a gold macrame version a short time later.

This image says July 2001 - I believe that's Princess Rainillt to the left, which would make Connor and Gabrielle Tanist and Tanista at that time. Biggest clue would be I have no yellow belt - I took my belt from Carlwyn at Samhain 2001. That waist, though. That's a white drawstring chemise, black leather (!) skirt and Sarah McGreggor's black Gleann Abhann ram bodice. 

 

Winter Coronet List 2002. Plaid arisaid (think woman's kilt) over white chemise, plaid tube hat with white veil. That's me center back.

Sunburned at Gulf Wars 2002. White felt hat, white shirt, T'ger Toggs doublet with sleeves.

Meridies Coronation, April 2002. I still have my big flouncy black hat, somewhere. Bri is getting her County from Artan.

This may be Gleann Abhann Spring Investiture 2002. I'm behind the GA folder far left. Last court of Connor and Gabrielle, which would make it morning that day. I got my GOA that evening.

Shadowcon 2003. My photos are pretty bad, but this was an attempt I made at an Elizabethan. I wore the same dress when I took my belt in 2001, but by this point I had augmented it with ribbons and cat pins. Only photo I've found so far where I have on the big ruff. The red woven chemise was made by Tamra and it's over a white chemise. 

Gleann Abhann Summer Coronet List 2003. Sari, long sleeved velvet choli and yes, that same damn straw hat. I like hats.

Simple black dress with the woven gold belt. The dress was probably from Holy Clothing. Heralding for Uther and Kenna, Gleann Abhann Fall Investiture 2003. That's Luther and Dex behind me. They're both knights now. 

Masque of the Red Death 2003. That's my heraldic cotehardie. Not that you can tell it when I'm laying on the ground.

Another view of the cote.

Heralding for Radu and Bri at some point in the winter of 2003. Black chemise and skirt, red bodies, same damn hat. 

Heralding for Martin and Gwyneth at Spring Coronet List 2004. Notes on the outfit below.

This was a default for me through the middle part of the oughts. Tig'r Togg pants, shirt and doublet. "Sleeves" added with a HolyClothing shirt. Striped socks, gold belt, floofy hat. I'd wear a variation on this any time I dressed boy-style or heralding through... well, maybe 2010.  Alina took these two photos.

Just hanging at a Fayne party at Gulf Wars. Bodies over a red chemise.

This may be Aphar Faire 2004 or it may be from Coronet List. White shirt, blue heraldic Gates of Hell with my badge on it, which of course you can't see.

Court at Winter Wonders in 2005 in my heraldic cote and dpurple felt hat.

Most I have ever weighed in my life. Gleann Abhann First Coronation, November 2005. The dress and bodies were originally made for a wedding. 

 

By the time I autocratted Known World Heraldic and Scribal in June 2006, I was out of control. That's three layers of skirt, a T'ger Toggs doublet over a Holy Clothing piece, all over a gray chemise and with a purple hat. 

 

I cannot ecall if I borrowed the dress from Sara or Sarah, but it was neat and had its own hood. I had epic hair back then. This would have been at Gleann Abhann Fighter's Collegium in 2006.

I don't know if I just gave up or what. This is one of my mundane tie dye jackets over a T'ger Toggs shirt with a fuzzy Russian hat. Crown List 2007. It was cold.

Probably Spring Crown 2007. Maybe Coronation. Black bodies, red woven chemise over white chemise. I would note, I am roughly 40 pounds lighter in this photo than at First Coronation.

Fayne party at Gulf Wars 2007. Party clothes - steel boned bodice, tie dye chemise, leather skirt, leather boots. 

Similar outfit but with apron at MSKD 2007.

Diamonds 2007. Holy Clothing dress.

T'ger Toggs shirt and doublet and black leggings at Diamond Wars 2007.

I wish I had another photo of the Dorothy dress. This was for Orc Wars 2007.

Holy Pail, November 2007. Two years, 79 pounds. I wish my thyroid still worked. Handmade ruffle shirt, T'ger Toggs doublet, patchwork pants, platform boots because I didn't have good period shoes.

Crown List November 2007. I got a LOT of use out of that cote. You will likely note I switched back and forth between the purple and gold belts over these years. I was... a bit conflicted as to how to proceed after Carlwyn died.

Estrella Wars 2008. I was in my Hindi phase. It was very cold. 

Gulf Wars 2008 in a Salwar Kameez given to me by friends.

I'd decided to go Hindi for a while, and this was one of the outfits from Gulf Wars 2008. 

You don't argue when your friends tell you Alton Brown is in town. You don't even change. He's the reason I missed most of Beltane 2008. That and morning sickness.

Fighter's Collegium, spring 2009. I know it was Sophie's first event. Hunter had gone to ShadowCon before. At this point anything that fit went. Blue velvet skirt over white chemise.

MSKD 2009. My post-baby bust didn't really fit right in that black bodies. Purple cotton skirt, tie dye chemise. 

Diamond Wars 2009. I was cooking. I don't even.

Also Diamond Wars 2009. Diamond Wars was at Taloha that year. I was doing the lower feast. Three day event. This outfit became common after Hunter was born - large white drawstring chemise, blue bodies, red raw satin skirt.

 

I wish I had more photos of this dress. I made it at the Marshin Fayne Pennsic Pity Party in 2007 and got some wears out of it before Hunter came along, but heck if I have any front photos of it. It had a GA badge on the front and consisted of a tight back lace bodice and open front skirt.

Some Taloha event in 2010 with Hunter. Same blue bodies, white chemise, but purple skirt and the purple felt hat.

MSKD 2011. When no hat is available, make a turban. 

Diamond Wars 2011. White chemise and batik caftan. And blue apron. I was in the kitchen. I wasn't even trying.

Candlemas 2012. When I say I wasn't trying, I am not kidding. That's just a Holy Clothing dress with a shawl.

Ronald McDonald House dinner 2012. I will give myself a pass - it was a mundane thing.

Some point in 2012. Red raw satin skirt, Holy Clothing shirt over white drawstring chemise. At least I wore pearls?

Gulf Wars 2013. I had been through baby, divorce, new job and a lot more, and had to order clothes to have enough for my first Gulf Wars in five years. Green velvet daydress over black chemise and purple skirt. This was the event I gave my gold belt to Cormac for his first protege. Kept me from thinking I should wear it.

This is probably from Candlelight 2012. That overdress has been passed around our section of the SCA for some time.

Beltane 2013. That dress, which I bought online for Gulf Wars, bled over everything I touched. I found this out while washing dishes after lunch. Also, you'll note this is a pre-Jali Grav.

I still have the white version with the fleur de lis. Don't wear it much, but it still fits me well. Also, could Hunter get any cuter than this?

This was the Small Gray Bear investiture event at St. Paul's in Conway. Grav and I are in the back, and it's one of the few shots I have with my great coat. You can see the back of that coat in the feast scene on the front page of SCA.org. Neat.

Heralding for the Ashikagas at Diamond Wars 2013.

I'm not really proud of how I look here, but this is Samhain 2013.

Corvus 2014. I look old. And yes, that's the heraldic cote again.

Brawl 2015. When you need to Mongol, add a hat.

Spring Coronation 2015. The blue velvet daudress. 

It was about that time that Grav decided I needed to up my garb game. He made this gorgeous dress for me for TOC 2015. Still trying to figure out if I can convert it to something that fits my new persona.

Candlelight Camp 2015.

Candlelight Camp 2015.

Aphar Faire 2015, taking my belt from John. This is a blue linen dress Grav made me specifically for the occasion. What's not apparent is that I am sewn into it - we didn't get the back finished. Yes, same 1997 purple macrame belt. I had to wear it alongside the yellow leather belt for a while because otherwise I couldn't keep my pouch on.

Gleann Abhann 10th Year, September 2015. First appearance of the first del Grav made for me. He went back and attached a blue collar to it in-between courts. I had no idea what to wear with it, so yes, more T'ger Togg pants.

This was the point where I really started to dig into the idea of a new set of garb. Grav was going Mongol. I didn't want to go Mongol but I was concerned going Hindi would cause cultural appropriation issues mundanely. So I started my research.

We got four outfits together before Gulf Wars. Sadly, that was Gulfnado. I don't have photos. But that's OK.

Spring Coronation 2016. White patterned caftan, brocade del, small hat with veil.

This hat was created with two hats put together. Blue and white caftan, red del (same as the one for 10th Year), peacock cote, belt (I hadn't started to notice the lack of women's belts at this point), single veil. 

Tournament of Champions 2016 - my first basket hat. This combination includes white and brown caftan, brown brocade del and red del, with belts. Still just using one really big veil. 

This sht shows the veil tucked into the chinstrap. Also, all my gray hair.

Hat attempt #2 - two veils on a soft basket. Still not quite there. Hard to tell but that's the blue and white caftan with a white raw silk del over. 

A little insanity - deciding to complete a new wardrobe in four weeks for a ten day event. More research and just a lot of determination ended up giving me enough garb to have something different every day of 50th Year. I started with two hats but nade two more on-site, figured out how to bandolier my belt ad finally got the veils right. This is blue and white caftan, white raw silk del, red del, wool basket hat, sheer underveil, red overveil.

Aquamarine and white caftan, teal del, soft basket hat, two veils.

Blue linen caftan, white raw silk del, belt (this does not work), single veil, soft basket hat.

This was new hat #1 made at the event from a pillowcase that matched the short caftan from a sheet. I blew the sides and they didn't cover right, but the new blue paisley coat made it work. This is the only hat I made with a top knot. 

Added a veil. This was also the first day I decided to try the belt bandolier style.

The hottest day of the event I ditched the hat and went with straw and the peacock cote. 

There was a party of some sort, and one night I broke out Grav's rainbow del and matched it with my rainbow dupatta for this craziness.

It's worn open with one of the caftans underneath - also my belt bandolier style to hold my pouch and mug. Two veils on the soft hat.

At the Gleann Abhann 50th Year display with the blue and white caftan and blue paisley cote. I later gave this caftan to Jac for dyeing in indigo. 

Aphar Fair 2016. Grav is wearing a slit sleeve del and I've tied his sleeves back. Aquamarine and white caftan and teal del with double veils on the soft hat.

Here's where the feathers start coming in - that's the aquamarine and white caftan, red del, blue linen del and a blue linen hat with two veils and feather pad. Fall Coronation 2016.

Grav getting his Onyx Chalice, I think. He's wearing his version of the peacock cote over his rainbow del. I'm wearing something similar to the  Fall Coronationn combination, heralding for Martin and Gwyneth. Did I mention we were also cooking at this event? I also added a turban, though it's hard to see.

Harder to see, but I am on the ground on the right, preparing to shoot Jac's elevation. Aquamarine and white caftan, teal del, red del, double veiled blue brocade hat.

By Newbie 2017 I felt I had down my look, with the turban under the hat. This made it a lot more comfortable to wear for a long time. 

Heralding for Martin and Gwyneth's last court. I wore the blue del closed over other dels and caftans for a more normalized look and to go with the color scheme.

I hit my stride at Gulf Wars. I was dealing with a lot of pain most of the event, and it was very cold (30s-50s until the end of the war) but man, Grav made me look good. This is a selfie he took at opening ceremonies. I'm wearing the overcote - a thick two-layered split sleeve coat, over a short sleeved coat, two dels, a caftan, and the slip underwear. Also, that's not a new hat - it's the blue brocade hat I wore at Jac's elevation, covered in a thick scarf.

From the bottom layer - undershift, indigo-dyed caftan, white raw silk del, brown brocade del, overcote, red veil as underveil, pashmina as overveil. Also, three layers of socks in sandals, which you can't see. This get-up makes me very tall and hard to overlook.

I bought a few dupattas at War and started switching them out. This is also the first of my overlong caftans (refer to Babur's grandmother again). It's a full caftan that's two inches past my feet and six inches past my fingertips, slit on the inside so I can function. It's topped with the red del, a red brocade cote and the overcote, a green washed underveil and new beige and gold dupatta on another hat covered in a scarf. Did I mention how warm I was?

Also, people who had known me for years did not recognize me at this event. I stood next to a peer I had worked with on several events for about 10 minutes before she finally recognized me by my voice.

I kept adding to the look throughout the event. Note the new plume, the pin, the jewelry findings and such... and a green overlong caftain underneath. Yes, I am holding the parasol through the cloth.

Cracked Anvil 2017. Windy! Another hat covered with a scarf. This was the first day I taught the hat class, and I switched out a lot.

Coronation 2017. I think this really shows how heavy everything is, and how much fabric I'm wearing when I'm fully dressed. It started out cold that day and went on to warm up. I am wearing the undershift, overlong beige caftan, brown brocade del, overcote, belt as bandolier, turban, underveil, dupatta. 

I also brought rugs to sit on rather than chairs. 

It was unsesasonably cool the morning of Candlelight Camp 2017. I've become comfortable enough with the get-up and used to preparing all my hats in advance of the event that it wasn't hard to throw on, even autocratting an event. This is with the ndershift, the beige overlong caftan, the blue del and the blue paisley cote with a new cotton viscose underveil (SO SOFT) and heavily embroidered dupatta, on the blue linen basket hat with all its bling. By this point I had evened out the balance on the pouch by adding a leather shoulder bag to the other side. Now, it should be noted that the bandoliers seen in the illuminations appear to be jewelry, not leather - but I haven't figured out how Mughal women carried things with them yet. I still haven't.

Another shot at Candlelight of the same outfit. 

The evening outfit, with the new purple linen del and hat. I decided to forgo the cote because it was getting warm. From this I realize I'm going to need to determine a good size for the underveil, since I haven't seen much of the item stretching to the waist. 

This particular gold veil is larger than a regular dupatta - it's something like 48 inches square. It really engulfs this outfit (and the green parasol just doesn't work here). But no new items were brought out for Aphar Faire 2017, and I didn't end up changing for feast that day. It got pretty hot.

This isn't a page full of brags. I've had people over the years encourage me to better my garb and it finally took - and I've had people tell me they've invested too much to change. What I do know is that I feel so much more comfortable in the garb I wear today than what I've worn in the past. I feel like I belong in the Mughal period when I wear my garb. At the same time, when I do get a compliment, I can point out how far I've come along.

So, how are you going to up your garb game?