ABSTRACT
Prior to the opening up of the country, women manifested very little interest in personal apparel; there was little inducement for them to do so. There was no such thing as a manufactured garment in the country-side, and not one had knowledge of sewing, or had even seen a needle. Strips of homewoven cotton were all that were available and, in some parts, these were scarce. Nowadays, it is easy to purchase (foreign) material and, where there are traders, and in practically every village market, ready-made garments are now exposed for sale. At the time of writing, the cost of sewing the material to make a dress is sixpence in the bigger markets (Onitsha), and as low as one penny in smaller places, e.g. Qgwashi-Uku.
