The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c15.s1.75

c15.s1.75

Society, however, had a general prejudice against stitched clothes, and women were for a long time reluctant to take to jackets, blouses and frocks. We find only dancing girls adopting the new fashion in dress in the beginning. This would become quite clear from the fact that it is only women of this class, and not ladies of rank, who are seen wearing jackets and blouses at Bharhut, Bagh and Sarnath. At Ajanta we sometimes find maid-servants wearing shorts and jackets; ladies of position, however, are still seen avoiding their use. It is quite possible that greater stitching was introduced in the bodice (*kañchukī*) at this time, but the prejudice against full fledged jackets, blouses and frocks remained unabated. These became common among a section of ladies only in the Muslim period. They continued to be regarded as a foreign innovation, and women in orthodox families engaged in religious duties used to remove them for the time being.