Habit of an Armenian Lady in 1581

by Thomas Jefferys

The Habit of an Armenian Lady in 1581 by Thomas Jefferys represents the complex combination of Middle Eastern silhouettes along with such features of Western Renaissance fashion as layered clothes. As it was mentioned above, during the period of the 1500s Armenia was an essential part of global trade, and therefore the lady depicted wears clothes made from expensive materials – namely, brocade along with layered tunics and headgears typical of Armenians.

First of all, it should be mentioned that such dress code as long-line silhouette and kaftan coat with fur trimming belongs to the Armenian tradition. At the same time, the headdress with a veil worn on top of it can be considered another distinguishing characteristic of Armenian clothing. Thus, it could be said that the author successfully conveyed the peculiarities of the Oriental fashion, which fascinated Europeans during the 18th century.