Mundane Beauty: Female Fashion of Costumes Addressing Drapes and Folds as Fashion Devices Used in Female Costumes During 16th Century in Sri Lanka

Costumes have always been a distinctive mark of a historical period. Besides, wearing costumes in a pleasing manner is a skill of great antiquity and it was well developed since the development of creative impulses of people. It was evident that during the Kotte period in Sri Lanka (1408-1594AD)the level of sophistication in the method of draping and creating folds used in costumes were very complex because its basic potentiality lay beyond the visual appeal of the costume. The objective of this article is to identify the complex methodology of arranging wads of fabrics in female body contours in order to emphasize feminine beauty. The pictorial references of ivory carvings show unique forms and shapes of draping composed in female royalty and court dancers.