One of Ataturk’s reforms targeted the fez due to its prevalence in the 19th century and its symbolism of Ottoman citizenship. The Hat Reform and Subsequent Banning of the Fez Women’s rights were redefined, allowing Turkish women to vote, hold office, and choose if they wanted to wear a headscarf. State and religion were officially separated, making the new republic an officially secular state. These reforms also brought a new constitution with a legal code modeled after those in Europe. These reforms included changing the alphabet from a script that resembled Arabic to a new Latin alphabet, which was a way to be more linguistically aligned with the West and allow Turks to learn various European languages more easily. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk became the new nation’s first president and began the process of establishing the republic as a modern, secular country aligned with the West.Ītaturk’s reforms touched on many foundational aspects of life in his country. In the aftermath, the Turkish War of Independence broke out and concluded in 1923 with the founding of the Republic of Turkey. Establishing Modern TurkeyĪs World War I came to a close, the Ottoman Empire’s reign ended. The factory, known as Feshane, is now a historical site in Turkey’s largest city and was one of the biggest suppliers of fez hats during the 19th century. The first state-run fez factory opened in 1836 in modern-day Istanbul. While the hats were originally made in Morocco and elsewhere in Northern Africa, they later became produced in modern-day Turkey as demand dictated. This reform brought on the height of the fez’s popularity and is why the hat still calls to mind the image of the Ottoman rule. In the 1820s, Mahmud II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire commanded a military reform commanding everyone to wear a fez, Muslims and non-Muslims alike in a grand effort to unify the people of the Ottoman Empire. The hat’s shape allowed the wearer to lower the head to the ground without any interference. In Islam, praying traditionally involves prostrating or bowing down with the forehead resting on the ground. Since the hat was brimless, it was the ideal shape to wear during prayers. Muslims wore the fez as a functional way to cover their heads. It was not until the 1800s in the Ottoman Empire that the fez took on an identity of its own as a stand-alone hat, no longer the base for other ensembles. The hat first became popular throughout the Mediterranean region and later throughout the Ottoman Empire.Īt the beginning of its use, the fez was commonly used as a structure to wrap a turban around or used as the base of other headdresses but was not typically worn by itself. The name comes from the Moroccan city of Fes, where the production of the hat first began. While historically, they have appeared in other colors, the bright red version is the most iconic and is usually constructed from felt with a dark tassel hanging over the side. ![]() ![]() You can recognize a fez by its typical red color and cylindrical shape. The reforms Ataturk introduced regarding Western dress had a big impact on the fez hat. We will look at the fez throughout history and its connection to the Ottoman Empire, as well as a brief look at the founding of the Republic of Turkey. This change was one of his many reforms aiming to establish Turkey as a modern, secular nation more aligned with Western ideals than Eastern ones. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk banned Fez hats in Turkey in 1925 because of the fez’s connection to the Ottoman Empire. While it is easy to spot the fez in depictions of the Ottoman Empire, you would be hard-pressed to find someone wearing a fez on the streets of modern Turkey. The hat, known as the fez, has been historically associated with Turkey and the region.
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