Urban Life, Sartorial Culture and Colonial Authority in Bengal (c.1817-1850)

Abstract

As a result of the improvement of the technology of human civilization, the production system has increases and changed the workmanship of clothing, beauty and quality. Clothing refers to the characteristics of civilized human society. After establishment of Hindu Colleges to till the first half of the 19th century, various features of clothing and costume could be observed in contemporary literature, especially related to the middle-class society of Bengal which was surrounded by the contemporary urban environment. We also get information about the clothing culture of urban women and Bengali middle-class community in the contemporary society from various literature. Some clothing was acceptable to all classes which were observed in contemporary literature. Clothing depends on the culture and the climate of a country or region. Changing in dress culture also be observed when one civilization connected with another civilization and changes in economic and social position was achieved. British officials were attracted as well inferior to the Bengali dress culture. Therefore, from the point of view of literature and society, this article discusses various discourse of Bengali dress culture in the first half of nineteenth century.