Fashion in the Rattanakosin Kingdom

Overview

Under the new capital of Bangkok, court dress kept tradition while modernising from the later 19th century.

Key garments and style

Early on, the chong kraben and sabai tradition continued. Under Rama V (Chulalongkorn), amid exchange with the West, an eclectic dress arose at court, pairing the chong kraben with a lace blouse or a Western jacket. Rama VI urged women from the wrapped lower garment toward a wrapped skirt and Western dress.

Transition

After the 1932 constitutional revolution, modern Thailand pursued the modernisation of dress and the making of a national costume.