At last, it seems like our project is coming together. Our topics are solidifying: our main task now is to narrow down some locations and discuss how we will frame some potentially controversial topics. The language barrier is also a big issue: a lot of potentially useful sources are written in Chinese or other languages.
I’m looking forward to doing some research over fall break. During the semester, I’ve often been worn out by other classes and assignments and don’t feel like delving into Silk Road research, but I think the free time over break is a good research opportunity. My team has decided that we should have the majority of the research done by the end of fall break as well.
I have a few paths of research I’m contemplating. Most of the fashion I’ve found has represented a traditional form of dress, and I’m wondering what kinds of other clothing are worn by the Uygher women, and whether traditional clothing is only used for special occasions, or is the norm for some women. I’m also hoping to find some Uygher fashion designers. I’m interested to know whether these designers are normally men or women, and if they typically design more traditional or other types of clothing. I’m also looking into some research about how Uygher women’s Muslim beliefs play into how they dress.