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Explore the rich history of traditional Russian clothing, from the intricate embroidery on shirts to the elegant kokoshnik headdresses. Discover the significance of each garment and the customs associated with them.
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It was believed that women’s hair hid some magic. It was a big sin if a married woman showed even a small part of their hair to other people. Young girls were not obliged to wear any hats.
For all people both rich and poor the Russian shirt was the most important in their clothes. It was worn by everybody:girls and boys, young people, men and women. They differed only in style and decorating.
On woman’s legs in the picture you can see some bast shoes, lapti, which were worn over homespun onuchi-narrow strips of cotton wrapped around the lower leg.
The custom to wear a shawl is an ancient one. • They were worn not only to make a woman beautiful. They protected them from cold.
In the 18th century ladies determined the fashion. Their outfits were brought from Paris and London. The girl in the picture is only 5. It was common for children to wear the same style of clothing as their parents.
The sarafan was either a sleeveless dress or a high skirt with stripes. Girls and young women wore it in the 18th century.
The word sarafan came to Russia from Persia and it was initially the name for men’s clothing. The same name began to characterize the clothes for women a bit later.
Usually sarafans were decorated with embroidery and were put over a shirt. In northern regions ornaments usually represented birds and animals.
The major item of Russian clothes for men and women was a large shirt. It touched the body of the person wearing it, that is why there was a particular attitude towards it.
If a wicked stranger pronounced some evil words over the shirt, the master of the clothes could fall ill. If one said something good before setting out on a journey, there was nothing to be worried about.
The most popular women’s headgear was of course the kokoshnik. It’s name derives from the term “kokosh” which in all slavic languages means “hen” or “rooster”.
Very often it was even more expensive than a cow, as it was sewed from expensive materials, such as silk and satin.
Embroidery was done with golden and silver threads, plus, the kokoshnik was decorated with pearls.
Women tried to preserve the headdresses’ beauty and carefully passed it on from generation to generation.
Hats were an important accessory for men. Hats for special occasions were decorated with feathers, embroidery and ribbons.
Kosovorotka, a very popular item of clothing that could be worn every day and on special occasions, at home and at work.
Men wore shirts to their knees and women wore them to their ankles. • Besides a shirt men wore porti. These men’s trousers were made of rough linen.
In winter both men and women wore sheepskin overcoats, usually with fur on the inside, called polushubok.
