How can I become an Ottoman?

[sonofslaanesh]

Hi all! I haven't posted in a long while, but as faire season nears I thought I'd try to ease back in. 

My main question (as suggested by the title) is how do I dress like an Ottoman Turk c.a.1500? I've looked for images, but the best I can get is pictures of sultans (Suleiman the Lawgiver, what a snappy dresser). Does anyone know where I could get pictures of what common people wore, or does anyone have advice or tips? Any and all help is appreciated

[Pipere]

STUFF TO KNOW THAT IS HELPFUL (from my own Ottoman misadventures)
1. Layering is welcome- this makes things really nice for a first-timer or someone strapped for cash such as myself. A undergown/tunic and an outer robe (entari) will suit just fine, but later on tacking on additional robes, coats, and sashes can really add richness to the look.
2. The outermost the layer, the nicer it is- Go ahead and splurge for the entari or overrobe, spring for silk or a nice woven design if you can manage it. Rennie law pretty much dictates that inner layers be natural fiber anyhow, so go ahead and use a cheap cotton or weaver's cloth.
3. Do NOT be afraid of color- period sources even bring up reports that the Ottomans (particularly city-dwellers) were renowned for being garish in their color choices. While you don't want to necessarily look like a walking eyesore, feel free to mix colors. And designs too, because stripes aren't the only ones.
4. The Ottoman empire was more than Turkey y'know- Don't like the Turkish? Research another culture that might've been absorbed by the Ottoman empire- such as groups from the Caucuses, Black Sea Region, or Northern Africa.

Websites I like:
http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/online/styleAndStatus/ LOOK AT THE TEXTILES, LOOK AT THEEEEEEEEEM
http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/TurkishMuscowCostume.htm A good general goto, particularly if you're looking for basic men's attire without the bells and whistles.
http://www.indiana.edu/~librcsd/etext/tilke/ Fantastic visual resource- mind the dates and regions though.

[GirlChris]

Curl up on the floor in front of a chair and let someone put their feet on you.

*Oh, you're all just jealous you didn't post it first*

[Tammy]

Curl up on the floor in front of a chair and let someone put their feet on you.

*Oh, you're all just jealous you didn't post it first*

I had been resisting posting that for about an hour now!!! 

[isabelladangelo]

I made my own Turkish Coat a couple of years ago and have the documentation up at
http://www.freewebs.com/isabelladangelo/turkishcoat.htm

It has links to external sources that should help you a lot.

[sonofslaanesh]

Curl up on the floor in front of a chair and let someone put their feet on you.

*Oh, you're all just jealous you didn't post it first*

I had been resisting posting that for about an hour now!!! 

About a minute after posting I noticed that, but if you can't laugh at yourself what can you laugh at? By the by, I prefer being a futon, but that's just me.

Thanks for the links and the advice, really helpful. I'm noticing a lot of the rich patterns on the clothing and I like them a lot. However, I'm not great with a needle and thread. Are there any stores or even garment makers you could recommend? 

[isabelladangelo]

I haven't seen anyone that sells period style Ottoman garb.  Most of it is 18th c styled or later and really is meant to cater to the belly dancing community (aka, not correct).   If you want custom made, there are plenty of us here on the board that would be happy to help but it might be a bit more $$ than you are thinking of spending.  Honestly, the Turkish coat is a GREAT way to get introduced into sewing if you want to take it up.  It's pretty simple in pattern and is really very forgiving of any mistakes.