A bustle made from dimity, 1881.

Dimity is a collective term for figured cloths of harness loom decorated with designs and patterns. It is a strong cotton cloth with various stripes and illustrations. It is bleached or washed after looming, less often dyed, unlike fustian, which is usually dyed.[1]

It is a lightweight, sheer cotton fabric, having at least two warp threads thrown into relief to form fine cords. It is a cloth commonly employed for bed upholstery and curtains, and usually white, though sometimes a pattern is printed on it in colors.[2] Originally dimity was made of silk or wool, but since the 18th century it has been woven almost exclusively of cotton.

Types

Diaper is a type of dimity made of linen or cotton. It is a twill weave with diamond patterns.[1]

A palampore is a dimity made in India and used for bed coverings.[3]

Name

Dimity is also a girls' name, which, while still uncommon, is most popular in Australia.

Article of clothing

A dimity is a bit of draping worn by performers of the Poses Plastiques, which was an early form of strip tease. Performers wore flesh colored silk body stockings and a dimity to give the illusion of modesty.

Theatrical references

  • In the Finale of Act I of The Pirates of Penzance, the Pirates sing, "Pray observe the magnanimity we display to lace and dimity".
  • At the conclusion of The Insect Play, by brothers Karel and Josef Čapek and translated by Paul Selver, a group of school children sing: "As I went down to Shrewsbury Town, / I saw my love in a dimity gown: / And all so gay I gave it away, / I gave it away—my silver crown."

References

  1. 1 2 Montgomery, Florence M. (1984). Textiles in America 1650-1870 : a dictionary based on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements, and pattern books with original swatches of cloth. Internet Archive. New York ; London : Norton. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-393-01703-8.
  2. ↑ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dimity". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 273.
  3. ↑ "palampore". Dictionary.com.


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