A cummerbund is a broad waist sash A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi, serves to hold a kimono or yukata together. Decorative sashes may pass from the shoulder to the hip rather than around the waist. Sash is an Arabic loanword that was introduced into the English language in 1590, usually pleated A pleat is a type of fold formed by doubling fabric back upon itself and securing it in place. It is commonly used in clothing and upholstery to gather a wide piece of fabric to a narrower circumference, which is often worn with single-breasted dinner jackets Black tie is a dress code for formal evening events, and is worn to many types of social functions. For a man, the major component is a jacket, known as a dinner jacket or tuxedo (mainly U.S.), which is usually black but is also seen in midnight blue. A woman's corresponding evening dress ranges from a conservative cocktail dress to the long (or tuxedos).[1] The cummerbund was first adopted by British The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history and, for over a military officers in colonial India Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four major religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated here, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam as an alternative to a waistcoat A waistcoat , sometimes called a vest or a vestee in Canada and the US, is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie (if applicable) and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit. Once a virtually mandatory article of men's clothing, it has become, and later spread to civilian use. The modern use of the cummerbund is as a component of the semi-formal black tie Black tie is a dress code for formal evening events, and is worn to many types of social functions. For a man, the major component is a jacket, known as a dinner jacket or tuxedo (mainly in the United States), which is usually black but is sometimes seen in other colours. Analogues for women's evening dress range from a conservative cocktail dress dress code.
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Origin of the name
The word Cummerband which entered English vocabulary in 1616 Year 1616 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar) via languages of the Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent and other terms, is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate south of the Himalayas, forming a land mass which extends southward into the Indian Ocean such as Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: हिन्दी or हिंदी, IAST: Hindī, IPA: [ˈɦɪndiː] ) is the name given to various Indo-Aryan languages, dialects, and language registers spoken in northern and central India, Pakistan, Fiji, Mauritius, and Surinam and Urdu Urdu (Urdu: اردو, IPA: [ˈʊrduː] ) is the national language and one of the two official languages of Pakistan (the other being English), and one of 22 scheduled languages of India, as an official language of five Indian states. Based on the Hindi dialect of Delhi, its vocabulary developed under Persian and Turkic influence over the course of, is originally a Persian Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is widely spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and to some extent in Iraq, Bahrain, and Oman. New Persian, which usually is called also by the names of Farsi, Parsi, Dari or Parsi-ye-Dari (Dari Persian), can be classified linguistically genitive phrase (Persian Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is widely spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and to some extent in Iraq, Bahrain, and Oman. New Persian, which usually is called also by the names of Farsi, Parsi, Dari or Parsi-ye-Dari (Dari Persian), can be classified linguistically: کمربند) comprising kamar (waist) + band (band).[2]
The word cummerband (see below), and less commonly the German spelling kummerbund (translating to 'ribbon of sorrow'), are often used synonymously with cummerbund in English. Today, the word kamarband in Persian simply refers to anything which is or works like a typical clothing belt A belt is a flexible band or strap, typically made of leather or heavy cloth, and worn around the waist. A belt supports trousers or other articles of clothing, and it serves for style and decoration.
Description
An unorthodox orange cummerbund and bow tieThe form of the cummerbund is a wide band around the waist, and its origin as part of black tie determined the acceptable colours. Once it was adopted as civilian dress, beginning as a largely summer option with informal dinner jackets, such as Burmese fawn and white, it was restricted to the narrow range of colours which accompany black tie. These were predominantly black, sometimes midnight blue to match the trousers, and occasionally maroon (the normal hue for coloured accessories). Note that the bow tie itself always matched the trousers and was never maroon or otherwise coloured. The pleats face up because they were originally used to hold ticket stubs and similar items,[3] explaining the slang name 'crumb-catcher'. The contemporary use of the cummerbund is purely aesthetic, providing a transition between the shirt and the waistband.[4] The fastening is a ribbon around the back, tied or held shut by a buckle or velcro Velcro is a brand name of fabric hook-and-loop fasteners. It consists of two layers: a "hook" side, which is a piece of fabric covered with tiny hooks, and a "loop" side, which is covered with even smaller and "hairier" loops. When the two sides are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and hold the pieces.
In contemporary use, it is now common to see coloured bow ties and cummerbands, often matching, but this is still condemned by dress authorities.[5] They have also expanded in less formal situations into use with components of white tie, particularly by musicians, who sometimes wear a white cummerbund instead of the traditional marcella Piqué, or marcella, refers to a weaving style, normally used with cotton yarn, which is characterized by raised parallel cords or fine ribbing. Twilled cotton and corded cotton are close relatives waistcoat.[6]
'The Cummerbund' is also a nonsense poem by Edward Lear Edward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, author, and poet, renowned today primarily for his literary nonsense, in poetry and prose, and especially his limericks, a form that he popularised, fully titled 'The Cummerbund, a poem from India', where it refers to the cummerbund as a ferocious woman-eating beast.
Military cummerbands
Similar to the cummerbund, a cummerband is an accessory to the dress uniform Military uniforms comprises standardized dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian. Military uniforms in the form of standardized and distinctive dress, intended for used extensively in both the modern Indian Army The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 960,000 reserve troops , the Indian Army is the world's second-largest standing army. Its primary mission is to ensure the national security and defence of the Republic of India from external and Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the Pakistani military and is one of seven uniformed services. This sash A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi, serves to hold a kimono or yukata together. Decorative sashes may pass from the shoulder to the hip rather than around the waist. Sash is an Arabic loanword that was introduced into the English language in 1590-like item traces its origin to the uniforms of the Indian regiments raised during the period of British rule. It is generally worn during ceremonial parades and dinners. Like the cummerbund it is a long strip of cloth which is tightly worn around a soldier's waist. The colour or combination of colours varies widely according to regiment or corps. Unlike the civilian cummerbund, a leather belt is worn above this cloth piece and one end hangs free displaying an ornamental fringe.
Another variation can be seen in assault vests like the Eagle CIRAS, Paraclete RAV, the US Army's IOTV, and the US Marines MTV.
Cummerbunds in scuba diving
A commerbund is also an informal word used in SCUBA A scuba set is an independent breathing set that provides a scuba diver with the breathing gas necessary to breathe underwater during scuba diving. It is much used for sport diving and some sorts of work diving diving to mean a wide waistband either on a diving stability jacket—Buoyancy Control Device Wings consist of an inflatable bladder worn between the divers back and the cyinder. Wings are not a recent development, but have recently become popular again because of technical diving where they are often used, as the technical diver often carries multiple cylinders on his back and/or strapped to the harness's webbing. The bladder and—designed to provide more comfort to the user than a standard waistband and usually made of a stout fabric backed with velcro fastenings —or on a two-piece dry suit A dry suit or drysuit provides thermal insulation or passive thermal protection to the wearer while immersed in water, and is worn by divers, boaters, water sports enthusiasts, and others who work or play in or near cold water. The dry suit protects the whole human body, except the head, hands, and possibly the feet. Dry suits are used typically where a flexible rubber waistband helps to maintain a watertight seal between the jacket and the pants of the suit.
References
- ^ Villarosa and Angeli (1990). The Elegant Man: How to Construct the Ideal Wardrobe. p. 148
- ^ "cummerbund" (in English). Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cummerbund.
- ^ Bridges, John (2008). How to be a Gentleman: A Timely Guide to Timeless Manners Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
- ^ Flusser, Alan Alan J. Flusser is an American author and designer of men's clothing. In 1979 he founded Alan Flusser Designs. He won the 1983 Coty Award as Top Menswear Designer, and received the Cutty Sark Award in 1987. Flusser designed wardrobe for Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas) in Wall Street and also designed clothing for the films Barbarians at (2002). Dressing the Man. p. 246
- ^ ___. ibid.
- ^ Walroth, Chris (March 2001). The Wholenote Magazine.
Categories: Belts | Fashion accessories | Formalwear | Persian loanwords | Sports clothing Categories: Sports equipment | Clothing by function | Uniforms
