dul aq (Footed Pants)

Pants of this style were part of a traditional Pashtun costume, which consisted of dress, pants, shoes and veil, but this costume started to go out of style in the 1930s.

Collected by Allice Legat in 1977, when she was doing anthropological field work in Afghanistan.

Woman’s very loose-fitting, grey-blue drawstring pants with attached foot coverings. Made of cotton, rayon or cotton/silk textile. The pink drawstring is made of braided cording. There are large gussets in the front and back at the crotch area. At the ankle, the fullness of the textile is finely pleated onto the attached foot coverings, which resemble socks and are shaped to fit the foot; the tops are made of the same textile as the pants and are embroidered with slightly darker floss in a dense floral pattern; the soles are black. The garment is pieced in places.