The only requisite for their appearance is to be veiled, and to wear the Feradjé, or cloak.
Thus accoutred, they wander through the bazaars, frequent all rural places of resort, visit the baths, and scarcely a day passes when they stay at home. Nor is it to be supposed that they are closely muffled, as they were formerly. The ancient out-door costume was most hideous; they were enveloped in an immense white sheet, a little piece of horse-hair gauze being suspended over the eyes. But the yashmak or veil, is, at the present day, composed of the lightest India mull, and has little power of concealing their charms, but on the contrary, serves to heighten their beauty by its gossamer transparency.
The arched eyebrows, through this deceptive veil, seem more delicately curved; the large and lustrous eyes shine more darkly from its snowy folds; and the delicate and peach-like hue of the complexion is rendered tenfold more lovely.
The texture of the yashmak is now so exquisitely fine, that the two square yards of muslin which compose it do not weigh more than a single drachm!
The feradjé or cloak is an ample outer garment, made of fine colored bombazine or Thibet, lined with silk, and the edges are trimmed with embroidery.
Their feet are clothed with yellow chedik, or morocco buskins, over which paboudj, or slippers of the same color, are worn in the street.
So great is the force of habit and education, that not even the oldest woman ever appears in public unveiled, although the Koran pronounces furrows and wrinkles to be all-sufficient disguises for faded charms; yet, in Turkey, as well as all over the world, the maxim doubtless is popular, that beauty never dies.
Even the dames of ebony hue, dreading the display of darkness visible, are most punctilious in covering their charms, thus affording more distinguished specimens of the wonderful effects of light and shade.
During visits of ceremony, when the feradjé and yashmak are taken off, a long strip of white muslin is left hanging from the top of the head down the back, for the purpose of covering the face in case of sudden emergency. But such accidents seldom occur, as the gentlemen of the family are informed, as soon as they enter the vestibule of the harem, that there are strangers within.
Thus equipped, the Osmanli ladies are the most independent creatures in the world.