The Travels of Dean Mahomet By: Dean Mahomed Published: 1794
Clothing in text: Kashmir Shawl
"...a valuable shawl of camel's hair, was thrown negligently about his shoulders; and another wrapped round his waist; inside the latter, he placed his dagger, that was in itself a piece of curious workmanship..." (Mahomet 61).
"Their dress consists of a long white muslin gown, extremely clear and fine, with a short body and long sleeves, and the skirt which contains near twenty yards, is ornamented in its train, with silver fringe; long trousers made of fancy silk, exactly fitted to their shapes, and a large shawl, that covers the head and shoulders, embroidered with a deep silver fringe." (Mahomet 72).
Social commentary: Mahomet's account of these shawls tracks the beginning of a fashion trend that began in India with the elite. Only royals and the most wealthy could afford such shawls, as noted by Mahomet when he encountered the Nabob, a royal prince.
These shawls acted as a status symbol, but also authenticated Mahomet's experience in India, as the Kashmir shawls had taken over in England as a leading fashion trend. The women or concubines use the shawl as a form of agency to seduce. Yet the shawl also functions to hide, another form of flirtation.
The 18th century audience would be aware of the purpose of a shawl, and this prior knowledge gives Mahomet credibility as an author, according to Nasta's analysis: "Within the first letter he establishes himself as a cultivated man of letters, whose allusions to milton and whose ready use of literary language demonstrate his credentials as a writer, not only as a witness" (Nasta 27). Mahomet's commentary on the shawl shows the shift in fashion to include "exotic" articles, though this did not change English attitudes towards colonialism.
Other Clothing References: " They now sit down to an elegant supper, after which the dancing girls are introduced, who make a splendid appearance, clothed in embroidered silks and muslins, and moving in a variety of loose attitudes that allure admiration and excite the passions" (Mahomet 65).
"Their breasts are covered with thin muslin, embellished with gems, and the swell of the tempting bosom displayed to such advantage, warms even frigid insensibility with a glow of soft sensations" (Mahomet 75).