GREECEGREECE

TRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMESTRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMESPELOPONNESEPELOPONNESE

TRADITIONAL COSTUMESTRADITIONAL COSTUMES Queen Amalia - King Otto Queen Amalia - King Otto

(19(19thth c.) c.)

Amalia’s costumeAmalia’s costumeThis ladies’ famous costume was

introduced by Queen Amalia in the 19th c. It used to be her daily garment and she

imposed it on the ladies of the Royal Court. The costume was then spread to all the

urban centers of Greece as a costume for the festivities.

This ladies’ costume consists of a gossamer silk shirt with fine gold embroidery, a precious pleated silk dress with

wide sleeves in a variety of colors, and a velvet short jacket, all

trimmed with gold braid and embroidery. The costume is completed with a red fez, and silk tassel. The neck and chest are decorated

with rows of pearls and a precious brooch.

MEN’S COSTUMEMEN’S COSTUMEEVZONE: EVZONE: guardian of the rdian of the

Palace, Palace, now guardian of the now guardian of the

Parliament.Parliament. This men’s costume consists of a white shirt with very broad sleeves, white elastic trousers, knee bands and a kind

of a very flared skirt (fοustanella) with 400

pleats. The length of the skirt is 50 cm. 

EVZONEEVZONE Yesterday and Yesterday and

TodayToday

PAIR OF PAIR OF

ARCADIANSARCADIANSHusband with Husband with

his Wifehis Wife

15th century.15th century.

Traditional costumes of Traditional costumes of ServoServo,, Arcadia Arcadia

TSAKONIA (eastern TSAKONIA (eastern Arcadia)Arcadia)

MELANA - TYROSMELANA - TYROSThis women’s costume is This women’s costume is worn on the east coast of worn on the east coast of Arcadia, Tsakonia, one of Arcadia, Tsakonia, one of the most historic places in the most historic places in the Peloponnese. The place the Peloponnese. The place

has been inhabited since has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The prehistoric times. The

Tsakonian dialect (still alive) Tsakonian dialect (still alive) is the closest language to is the closest language to

the ancient Greek one. The the ancient Greek one. The dance of this region, the dance of this region, the

Tsakonikos Dance, is one of Tsakonikos Dance, is one of the oldest and similar to the the oldest and similar to the

ancient Greek dances.ancient Greek dances.

TSAKONIKOS DANCE TSAKONIKOS DANCE (5/4)(5/4)

(Mother, I told you not to get me (Mother, I told you not to get me married to an old man…)married to an old man…)

DOLIANA-ARCADIADOLIANA-ARCADIA Men’s costumeMen’s costume

The man wears a black The man wears a black headscarf tied at the headscarf tied at the back of the head.back of the head. The The dress is woven on the dress is woven on the

loom in grey with black loom in grey with black stripes.stripes. Underneath, he Underneath, he

wears trousers with wears trousers with knee bands knee bands

((ggοοnataresnatares) and the ) and the special kind of shoes special kind of shoes

that are called that are called tsarouhia.tsarouhia.

NESTANI-ARCADIANESTANI-ARCADIA

People who participate in the event are dressed in traditional costumes and they hold

tsipianitiki (shepherd’s) crook which is adorned on the top with flowers, lilacs, and other plants

of the Greek earth, such as wild celery (agrioselino).

TEGEA-TRIPOLITEGEA-TRIPOLIThe dress of the

costume is black and woven with

embroidered shirt sleeves. Inside the dress the woman

wears a white shirt with fine lace. On the head there is a white silk headscarf. At the edge of the skirt the

red felt gives a special finishing and a silk apron tightens

the black dress.

Traditional folk costumesTraditional folk costumes (of every day life) (of every day life)

THE LOOMTHE LOOM

The history of the loomThe history of the loomThe loom is a machine which was used for weaving clothes in older

times. It was widely used in the pre-industrial era and later, mainly in rural areas, played a major role in the domestic

economy, since it has been the primary means of weaving and textiles. After the industrial revolution, the old classic, wooden,

and moved by muscle power loom, was replaced by a mechanical one. Today it has almost disappeared, as the

weaving process has been automated and the loom has been replaced by the industrial textile machine.

KALAMATA KALAMATA (south-west (south-west

Peloponnese)Peloponnese) The women’s

costume of Kalamata is one of the most

elegant and exquisite costumes of all over

Greece. The dominant colors of those

costumes are white, yellow and black,

combined with gold embroidery and gold

jewelry.

.

MANI (southern MANI (southern Peloponnese)Peloponnese)

Women’s costume Women’s costume forfor the upper the upper classclass

MANI-MANI-Ceremonial Ceremonial costumecostume

The ceremonial women’s costume consists of: • A long white shirt with embroidered bodice and sleeves. • A sleeveless dress of dark-colored woolen cloth with deep cut of the bodice and a skirt that falls in folds, the outer part of which is decorated with a very wide cotton band of red color, while the inner part, namely the hem, is decorated with a narrow red band. • Around the waist: a striped belt. • For the head: Two headscarves-one of blue color and a silk one that is called bolia.

MManianiMen’sMen’s costume costume

The Maniatis-the man of Mani-looks like a pirate. On his head he wears a

black strapped headscarf. He wears a shirt with

colored embroidery on the sleeves and over it a short red or black vest. He also wears dark blue breeches with black trousers and

tsarouhia without tassel. This attire was used in

pirate raids.

ARGOLIDA (eastern ARGOLIDA (eastern Peloponnese)Peloponnese)

Women’s costumeWomen’s costumeThe women wear

white headscarves tied behind the

head. The dresses are pale yellow with lace on the bodice, on the edge of the sleeves and on the

hem. Over the dress there are a black

vest and a yellowish oval shaped apron with lace on the

edges.

CORINTHCORINTH (north-east (north-east Peloponnese)Peloponnese) Bridal gownBridal gownThe bridal costume consists of: 

• A white cotton shirt with embroidered sleeves and hem. • A short fitted front with embroidered sleeves, too.• A neckline with gold embroidery. • A white apron embroidered with multicolored geometrical patterns. • A red belt. • An open outer short garment made of thick weft-knitted cloth, decorated with multicolored cording. • For the head: a headscarf (bolia), embroidered with multicolored geometrical patterns.

CORINTH CORINTH The villager’s costume The villager’s costume

(horikos)(horikos) This long shirt is the every-day-life costume of the old Arvanites.It is the

ancestor of the special men’s skirt

(foustanella). Underneath he wears trousers, gonatares under the knees and

tsarouhia.

 

Finishing touchFinishing touchThe differences between the similar

kinds of the traditional costumes demonstrate the origin of a genus or the social status or the economical power of the family or even the personal story of

a woman (mourning).

That's why the diversity of our traditional costumes marks the unique

path of culture in the Greek history.