Russian traditional costume

Kalkova O.K.

 Historians suppose that traditional Russian costume started taking its shape in the 12th-13th centuries. Up to the 18th century it fitted well all layers of Russian

society: it was worn by tsars, boyars, merchants, craftsmen, and peasants.

After Peter’s decrees (18th century) Russian nobility and the city costumes have undergone

Europeanization. However, the national (folk) Russian costume was popular in the villages till  the beginning

of 20th century.

traditional traditional ornamentsornaments

traditional patterns and traditional patterns and ornamentsornaments

male national costumemale national costume

Men’s costume was composed of a long

shirt (rubakha- kosovorotk -  a  shirt with a stand-up

collar fastening on the side), trousers (porty),  a

belt (poyas- kushak), and  bast shoes (later boots).

male national costumemale national costume

Female national costume

 The Russian women’s costume was based on the “rubakha” ( a linen shirt or blouse). It was made flaxen

embroidery, silk lace, golden threads and spangles. Collars and sleeves were decorated

extensively. 

Female national costume

By the early 20th century the most widespread women

costumes were of two types: the South Russian one with poneva, i.e. a homespun woollen skirt,

and the Mid-Russian one with a sarafan, i.e. a kind of  sleeveless dress.  The typical color of the sarafan and  skirts was red, as this color literally translates to

“beautiful”.

headdressheaddress

kichka kokoshnik

KokoshnikKokoshnikHistorically a kokoshnik is a headdress worn by married

women, though maidens wore a headdress very similar to a

kokoshnik, but open in the back, named a "povyazka". The word "kokoshnik" describes a great variety of headdresses worn

throughout Russia, including the cylindrical hats of 

Veliky Novgorod, two pointed nimbus "kika" of Vladimir,

triangular shaped "kika" of Kostroma, small pearl hats of

Kargopol or scarlet kokoshniks of Moscow etc.

While in the past kokoshnik styles varied greatly, currently a

kokoshnik is generally associated with a tall, nimbus or crest shaped headdress which is tied at the back of the head with long thick ribbons

in a large bow. The crest can be embroidered with pearls and goldwork or simple applique, usually using plant and flower motifs. The forehead area is

frequently decorated with pearl netting. While wearing kokoshnik the woman usually wears her hair

in a plait.

The head-dress was treasured in the family and handed

down, and was an integral element of a well-off bride’s

dowry.

In Russian folk costume preserved vintage hats and

custom for a married woman to hide the hair, but for girls -

leave them uncovered. This explains the shape of female

headdress in the form of a closed cap and

girlish – with ribbon.

Male Male headdresseheaddresseThe cap (kartuz)

came into being in the late 19th century, and it was decorated

with a flower.

Lapti

The woven shoes commonly made from fibres of the birch tree. No

longer worn in modern times, today they are a decorative piece hanging

in people’s homes.

Valenki

 In winter, Russians wore the fur coat (shuba) and wool felt footwear (valenki). It was extremely practical and effective in a cold northern climate. Shubas were made of fur turned inside or ‘wrong-side out’.  The traditional male warm hat with flaps – ushanka (derived from the word ushi – ears) or treukh - was used to protect the ears from cold. Woman worn the traditional

Russian knitting shawls and beautiful 100% wool  Pavlov Posad scarves.

Wedding costume

Wedding garments in Old Rus’ used to be very

colourful, the red being the major wedding colour. White was considered the colour of sanctity and was not used in festivities. In many regions the bride

had two wedding gowns: one to wear before the

marriage service and the other to put on after it.

The first one was very simple, modest and even

mournful: in some places the bride was even wearing black,

including a black wedding veil. The

second one was always of red colour symbolizing

joy.

A wedding dress consisted of a sarafan (pinafore dress) and a

blouse put on underneath. However, the same was with

everyday garments. What made the wedding dress

peculiar was its trimming first of all. The underblouse was

decorated with rich embroidery of ornaments depicting leaves,

berries, roosters and other birds. Birds being the symbol of the good were a favourite

motive of embroidery.

18 century18 century

The Russian national costume lost its popularity after Peter the First banned it in 1699 for all except peasants, monks, priests and sextons. First he introduced into practice the

Hungarian dress, followed by Saxon and French outerwear

and German sleeveless jackets and underwear.

Women were obliged to wear German dresses. All those who entered towns while

wearing Russian clothes and beards had to pay duty: 40

kopeks from a pedestrian and 2 rubles from a person on

horseback.

19 century

costume in the costume in the villagevillageк к early 19early 19

before the First World War

By the early 20th century the most widespread women’s costumes were of two

types: the South Russian one with poneva, i.e. a homespun woolen skirt, and the Mid-

Russian one with a sarafan, i.e. a pinafore dress. A set of a skirt and knitted jacket

became popular.

early 20th centuryearly 20th centurypeasantspeasants

After 1917 thAfter 1917 th

Traditional costume. Museum. Video

Russian embroideryThe northern embroidered peasant shirts were samples of high artistic folk mastery. No less diverse in their beauty were the

embroidered aprons of northern Russia.Among the motifs used most frequently in northern

embroidery were birds, horses, trees, figures of women – all highly traditional images of Russian folk art with a deep

content and symbolic meaning. The subjects of these patterns were linked with the Slavs’ pagan interpretation of the

surrounding world, the forces of nature, the universe, good and evil. Birds were supposed to bring man joy, light, and

goodwill; the horse embodied the image of the sun; the tree incorporated the image of the tree of life symbolizing ever-

living nature.

Shirt embroidery has its special meaning: it wasn’t only a decoration, but also a woman protection. Shirt collar, its front and hem were decorated with particular care. People believed, that the more was the shirt embroidered, the happier would be

the woman who wore it. Touching the ground and its herbs with the embroidered shirt hem, the woman was hoping to give the Earth her fertility, concealed in the embroidery ornaments and

she believed to have the life energy in return.

The shirt collar was a special “magically important” part of the costume. People believed that the soul left the body after death through the collar. To prevent it

the shirt collar was thoroughly decorated with the protective embroidery.

White embroidered shirt sleeves symbolized something sacred and pure in the Russian culture. The white color

impersonated feminine. This type of shirt was a costume element of young girls. The red ornaments of

the peasant embroidery symbolized the Earth, accumulating the Sun energy and ready revive

everything.

Embroidery meaning on the apronThe mostly embroidered element of both southern and northern Russian women costumes was an apron that

covered the woman silhouette in     front.

The apron was sometimes all decorated with ornamental lines and symbolized the Earth (diamonds; wavy lines – so called water signs; bird and Earth Mother images). It

protected stomach of the woman, carrying a child.

Hair. Before marriage, a girl on weekdays often braided hair in one braid, coming down on the back and woven into her simple tape, which followed the

growth of hair. During the holidays in a braid plaited bright silk ribbon and even bells. Married women in

contrast to unmarried usually braided hair in two braids at the temples and tied their forehead, forming

a "horns" or tightened the knot at the nape.

According to the ancient Slavs , the hair has magical powers associated with the idea of fertility ,

procreation and well-being , sexual power personified.This explains the great importance attached to the

wedding rites act changes hairstyles and hats ( unwound and combing hair in front of the crown as a symbol of marriage, the bride laments on her maiden spit – «beauty», ceremony of «twisting» when after the wedding matchmaker braided bride hair in two

braids and forever hide them from prying eyes under a female headdress ) .

Headdress. Opening woman’s hair in public was considered as a terrible sin, as it is “releasing of their magical powers and thus - a revolt against the family and the bonds of

marriage" . With disheveled, matted hair Slavs presented only evil spirits - witches, mermaids. About unkempt maid said: "There's like a mermaid (mermaid,

Water nymph)". However, there were times when women were allowed to hair : to relieve their sexual

power. For example, during childbirth.

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