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FAR FROM HAPPY RESULTS OF COMPROMISE IN COSTUME
Commerce with foreigners at the ports on the eastern coast of Madagascar
has resulted in the Betsimisaraka adopting a mixture of European
and native costume, to the great disadvantage of their appearance.
These women, whose home is at Betsizaraina, south of Tamatave, wear the
Malagasy lamba over ill-cut bodices, with a slatternly effect heightened
by their untidily-twisted curls
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FEMININE DIGNITY ENHANCED BY GRACEFUL DRAPERY
Wholly admirable in contrast to that of the hybrid costume worn by the
Betsimisaraka women shown above is the effect of the purely native costume
worn by these Sakalava girls of the western coast. Drapery could not
be better arranged than the lamba upon the fine second figure from the
left, and the perfect simplicity of the entire costume is a triumph of
seemly art. It will be noticed that each has arranged her costume with
tasteful difference, contrasting brown skin with colourful cloth
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