How To Wrap A Turban???

[Captain Shipton Bellinger]

As part of a Victorian group reenacting the days of the Raj, our gentlemen wear turbans as part of their correct military uniform of Skinner's Horse, 1st Bengal Cavalry.  It was an Anglo-Indian regiment and both English and Indian officers wore turbans.

Did I perchance see you at Wrest Park over the St George's Day weekend? There can't be too many groups doing Skinner's Horse. As with last year, I was especially impressed with the lady members of the group.

If anyone wants, I think I have a video somewhere of a turban being wrapped.  I'll see if I can shove it onto youtube...

OH YES PLEASE!!! That would make me very happy.  

What I'm trying to achieve is a Steampunk version of the Skinner's uniform.

[Poppy Locks]

If it was Wrest Park this year or last then no, it wasnt us but a group who have decided that imitation is the best form of flattery and we at Skinner's Horse are very flattered.  We did however appear there 2 years ago.  We are the only Skinner's Horse group going, they call themselves something else.

I shall sort the video out later

Poppy

[Capt. Dirigible]

There was a fellow at the Chap Olympics last year sitting with some friends of mine who looked splendid in his Skinner's Horse/Bengal Lancers uniform and turban. .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Poppy Locks]

I'm pleased to say they are all members of our group!  Splendidly turned out as always.

Poppy

[Capt. Dirigible]

I'm pleased to say they are all members of our group!  Splendidly turned out as always.

Poppy

You know Pandora and Andy as well? Small world, eh?

[Poppy Locks]

I guess when serious costuming is taken into account, it's a very small world!

Poppy

[Argus Fairbrass]

I dare you. 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Tito Alba]

There was a fellow at the Chap Olympics last year sitting with some friends of mine who looked splendid in his Skinner's Horse/Bengal Lancers uniform and turban. .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

That's just reminded me to look up when the Chap Olympiad is happening this year, and its right on my birthday! 7-8th July. I think I know where I'll be on that weekend.  I'd better get training my liver and practising my pipe smoking technique.

[Aleister Crow]

I dare you. 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Hope no one bumps into him, he looks ready to tip over...

[Poppy Locks]

Trying to upload my turban video to youtube and it keeps hanging about half way through.  First time I've uploaded a video so I'm guessing its something I've done wrong?  Any ideas folks?

Poppy

[Captain Shipton Bellinger]

I've never had a problem uploading, so can't really help there. However, I did notice that YouTube was very sluggish last night, so it may have been them rather than you.

Please, PLEASE try again...

[Poppy Locks]

I gave up on youtube I'm afraid!  I did however have luck with my photobucket account so lets give this a go shall we?  

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b51/Tifferstools/?action=view&current=skinnershorsetrainingweekend091.mp4

Fingers crossed it works ok!

By the way Captain Bellinger, our paths keep crossing!  I purchased earrings from you at the reenactors market and then your last pocket watch (which is ticking away nicely!) at WotW!  Will you be at the Steampunk Solstice by any chance?

Poppy

[OswaldBastable]

thanks for the video, I had previously vaguely thought the regimental colours piece was a seperate strip of fabric; you live and learn

[Captain Shipton Bellinger]

Thanks muchly for the video—exactly what I was hoping for. 

I'll be going over it in slow motion later but, of course, now I have further questions...

How wide is the cloth and how many times was it folded? It looks to be about 10-12" folded double twice.
How long is the cloth, including regimental colours at both ends?
What material / weight is it? It seems to be rather heavier (and shorter) than the cloths I've seen on the various Sikh sites.

Aren't I bothersome? 

By the way Captain Bellinger, our paths keep crossing!  I purchased earrings from you at the reenactors market and then your last pocket watch (which is ticking away nicely!) at WotW!  Will you be at the Steampunk Solstice by any chance?

Aha! Were you the lady who wanted a watch that they could 'play with'? If you need any advice on how to partly disassemble it safely just drop me a message.

Yes, I shall indeed be at the Solstice (and at the Roadhouse tonight). Please do make yourself known; it's nice to meet in person those I know from BG.

[Poppy Locks]

Ok, the cloth is 7 yards long, more or less and 21" wide.  Its very similar in weight to linen and this one actually has the same texture.  The regimental colours take up about 21" at either end.  For the turban, it was folded in half lengthwise, then in half again and then in half AGAIN.  You end up with something just under 3"" wide.  When you wrap it, try to keep the layers as neat as possible.  You will notice that the folded edge is at the bottom of the band. 

And no, you are not at all bothersome 

More info in particular for Capt. SB; the cummerbund is made from a piece of material exactly the same width and length.  Its folded in half once lengthways and then once end to end.  This means all the stripes are at one end.  Its then wrapped around the waist with the striped end taken underneath the band by passing it from bottom to top on your right side then laying the striped sectin down over the band and ensuring its layed out nicely.  Over the top goes your black Sam Browne.

Some photos for you:








Because I know this is a question you are sure you are sure to ask, the kula/koola is about 9" from edge to the top of the cone!

Poppy

[Captain Shipton Bellinger]

Again, many thanks for the help. I guess the third fold made the cloth seem rather heavier than it really is. The information on the cummerbund and kula is also appreciated. Now I really have to decide on my regimental colours.

I can feel another trip to the Brum Rag Market coming on…

[Lachlan_MacAuslander]

If there were not racist pejoratives out there that get applied to culturally-specific turban wearers (I won't repeat them here, but I'd be surprised if anyone's not aware of them...), I'd be more inclined to ignore this attitude

What? Ignore the attitude that a form of headdress is commonly worn by many, many millions, and has little or no religious significance for most of them?

No, actually, I was referring to your "never occurred to me" comment, which sounded enough like the cry of the Cultural Appropriator that it set me off. I'm gratified to learn that I was mistaken.

- but the fact is, some populations do indeed wear specific turban styles for religious reasons. It's not simply 'a cloth wrapped around their head' - it's a religiously mandated head covering.

While researching tying turbans I visited many sites, the various Sikh awareness sites being most helpful. There I found a huge variety in turban styles, not a 'specific style/s'. They even provided links to sites showing other regional turban styles.

Correct; for Sikhs, a turban is not simply 'a cloth wrapped around their head', but they have no specific style to show their piety. Wearing of the turban was only mandated by the 10th Guru—and then only to eliminate class distinction and elitism (and even that failed as the wealthy could afford more elaborate turbans). Nowhere did I find any religion claiming the turban for their sole use, or objecting to those not of their faith wearing one. For countless millions of people it is either a practical head covering or a means of showing caste/status, and has been for thousands of years.

Again, I appear to have misread your initial comments - the "may well wear it for reasons of religion" made it sound like you had not yet done any research on the topic.

I'd personally avoid steampunking a yarmulke or a Native American/First Nations headdress for the same reasons.

You mean the way that Ray Nelson did way back in 1947, when he invented the first propellor beanie?

Due to the fact that I habitually wear a black frock coat and broad-brimmed hat I have been asked several times if I am Jewish. Would you suggest, therefore, that I change my mode of dress in case I offend Jews?

There are several countries that recognise Satanism as a religion (yours and mine included). Does that mean that everybody else should eschew the pentacle/pentagram in case we offend Satanists?

I am all for respecting the religious beliefs of others and have never used a pejorative for a turban-wearer (or any other religious display). But it cuts both ways—the religiously inclined should not be able to prevent others from wearing whatever they want.

Or even worse, I should not be told "Don't wear that in case you offend the [insert religion here]" by someone not of that faith.

And now it's my turn to protest that I've been misread. My own tendency to be careful about misappropriation of culturally significant or sacred items would, indeed, have prevented me from adding a propeller to a yarmulke - at least until I'd had a chance to talk with my Jewish friends about exactly how much of a sense of humor they have about such things (though since a beanie isn't quite the same as a yarmulke, I might have gone right ahead and added a propeller to a beanie). And unless you've actually been told by an Orthodox Jew that your mode of dress is, in fact, offensive, I'd likewise agree that you've got as much right as anyone to wear a broad-brimmed black hat and black overcoat.

My intent was certainly not to tell you that you shouldn't wear a turban (or anything else - if you can rock a propeller beanie, go for it...) - my intent was to point out that if one is not certain whether or not wearing a certain item when not a member of that specific culture is offensive, it's probably best to err on the side of caution. Since, as noted, you've done your homework, I'll defer to your expertise on the various types of turbans and stick to Glengarries for my own outfits.

[Grymm]

 Pre formed pagri/turban/pugri/safas can be found at Indian wedding outfitters
 http://www.mmshaadishop.com/indian_groom_turban_pagri
 (Southall is fantastic for things like this) do an image search for pagri see what y'get. =o)

[Grymm]

 HA! One with lights built in
 

[akumabito]

That is a great picture and an awesome look.. at elast in black and white, lol.. might be painful on the eyes in color though..

[groomporter]

That is a great picture and an awesome look.. at elast in black and white, lol.. might be painful on the eyes in color though..

His biography in available free at the Internet Archive and would be great inspiration for a mercenary/adventurer.
http://www.archive.org/stream/soldiertraveller00gardiala#page/n9/mode/2up

[Capt. Dirigible]

That is a great picture and an awesome look.. at elast in black and white, lol.. might be painful on the eyes in color though..

His biography in available free at the Internet Archive and would be great inspiration for a mercenary/adventurer.
http://www.archive.org/stream/soldiertraveller00gardiala#page/n9/mode/2up

I'm currently reading 'Flashman and The Mountain of Light' set in India in 1845 and funnily enough just this lunch time I read the following passage:

"..I noticed an extraodinary figure lounging on the embrasure above the gate, swigging from an enormous tankard and barking orders at a party of Guardsmen drilling with the light guns on the wall. He was a real Pathan mercenary, with iron moustaches and a nose like a hatchet-but he was dressed from top to toe, puggaree(turban),robe and pyjamys in the red tartan of the 79th Highlanders!"


I'm guessing this is Flashman's first encounter with Alexander Gardner.

[groomporter]

Yup that's him. I first ran across Flashy's account of him also.

[groomporter]

Been thinking more about updating my Scottish military look for someone who's gone a little native. There's a bunch of videos with different options:
 I like that his guy talks about the shemagh is not just worn not just in the Middle East

How to wrap a Shemagh and some of it's uses Why it's good to have

This seems a relatively quick/easy more Bedouin style.
 

Bending a Turban like Abdul Alhazred

[Zeppelin Kapitan Fritz]

Been thinking more about updating my Scottish military look for someone who's gone a little native. There's a bunch of videos with different options:
 I like that his guy talks about the shemagh is not just worn not just in the Middle East
How to wrap a Shemagh and some of it's uses Why it's good to have

This seems a relatively quick/easy more Bedouin style.
 Bending a Turban like Abdul Alhazred

     Thank you very much for posting that video. Wrapping a shemagh that way was much easier than I thought. I plan on wearing mine (just came in the mail today) to "A Midsummer Night's Steam" with the hood down so I can also use my pith helmet.