Farouche prints... Great rings... A cascade of roses... Khalhal ankle bracelets to discourage running away from the Sultan's harem... or at any rate that was the original idea; the present point is to stay at home as reigning favourite in billowy chalwar trousers - vivid yellow, fuchsia, and green - with a slashed blouse of pink, blue, and olive on white, worn over a shirt of white cotton eyelet. By Salvador Morrel; organdie cap by Adolfo.
A Bosporus garden of silk-brocade flowers espaliered against the body... decolletage masked in jewels... very long, tight, beautiful sleeves. Pantalons of embroidered organza lace, like dense clouds of mimosa banked with satin leg-bands. Arnold Scaasi custom made collection; Chopine sandals with tapestry flowers, by Evins. Right, ravishing little veil of tunic in gold Chantilly lace... violet ribbon under the bosom. Diaphanous organza chalwar, turning motion into a tempest of yellows and violet. By Sarmi. Turbans - plumed organdie, veiled organza - by Adolfo.
Blazing scimitars of colour sashed over slim tom-bon pyjamas tapering at wrist and ankle. By Lucie Ann. Feet encased in supple babouches, by Degas. Mr John turban, with an aigrette plume caught in a glitter of rhinestones. Right, Transparent layers of silk. Paisleyed caftan wafted over a flower-sprigged pink blouse... legs veiled with gauzy plaid chalwar. By Perfect. Sally Victor's tiny leopard turban, spilling golden booty down a haik veil.
The lure of the seraglio: Languishing under a velvet-edged organza caftan the colour of Turkish coffee - a halter drenched in beads and voluminous chalwar trousers of vermilion crepe. Baboushe slippers with turned-up toes, by Marimekko at Design Research. Cap by Mr. John. Right, Rakish tilt of taj, long ropes of pearls, a gauzy ribbon striped silk caftan over a chalwar suit of white silk. Cap by Sally Victor. Both costumes by Eric Lund for Branell.
Delicious white eyelet bodice with modest little ties over a glimmer of bareness, sleeves like sheer hankerchiefs over the wrists... striped, ballooning chalwar wrapped on the waist. In a diamante belt: bundles of ermine tails, swags of pearls, a jewelled dagger glinting wickedly. Samuel Ehrman cotton eyelet; Galey & Lord striped cotton. Taj of India babouche slippers. Right, Shaped and small, a spahi jacket of vivid stripes... Chalwar of foaming green chiffon. Galey & Lord striped cotton. Babouches by Marimekko. Adolfo turbans.
Till the sands of the desert grow cold, a more enchanting look than this might not be seen... The kufiyah, the Arab desert headdress, made here of white cotton organdie - light and blowy as the wind; drawn over a tall tarboosh... Mouth gleaming with ripe melon-red...The striped caftan - long, flowing, deep-sleeved, blue and white with a red border - is marvellous to wear around you own tent; by Dorian Macksoud. Headdress by Mr John.
Photos from Style.com's Fall 2011 Trend Reports and "Scherezaderie", an editorial by Irving Penn for Vogue, April 15, 1965.