The costume of an ancient Russian woman. "Traditional Russian folk costume: from the origins to the present" - presentation. National motives in modern fashion or ethnic style

I have always been interested in various costumes from different countries and eras. In my opinion, through the costumes you can understand a lot about the country and about the time. At all times, women loved to decorate themselves and did it in every possible way. And of course, clothing has played a huge role in any society. I would like to introduce you to the costumes different countries the world ... Azerbaijan Simplicity of cut and richness of decoration - that's the whole philosophy of oriental costume. This is how the Azerbaijanis, the descendants of the ancient Turkic tribes, representatives of one of the largest and most ancient peoples of the Caucasus, traditionally dressed.
England Although England is a country with rich national traditions, it, strictly speaking, does not have a clearly defined national costume. Morris dancers are often cited as examples of English folk dress. Argentina There is no national costume in Argentina as such. Argentina is a country of immigrants from Italy, Spain, Germany, Ukraine, etc., who preserve their traditions. Only the clothing of the gaucho shepherds and their wives can be attributed to the national dress of this South American country. Belarus The Belarusian costume, having common roots with the Ukrainian and Russian national costumes and being formed on the basis of the mutual influence of the Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian traditions, is nevertheless distinguished by its originality and is an independent phenomenon. Bulgaria The Bulgarian folk costume is very diverse both in the style of clothing and in its colors. Its form, known to us today, took shape in the feudal period and developed in the following centuries. Butane In Bhutan, men's suits are called "gho" and women's "kira" Hawaii One of the most popular and simple Hawaiian costumes
Germany The traditional costume of the Bavarians (Germans) is a fairly well-known trachten (German Trachten) - both male and female costumes and dirndl (German Dirndl) - only women's national costume. The name Trachten came from the era of romanticism, it was at that time that people started talking about national traditions, how people lived, talked, sang, celebrated and dressed, and what was considered the basis of the nation's culture. Greece
Georgia In Georgian trad. clothes were, both for luxurious and refined, for the nobility, and simpler, for artisans and people poorer, there were both strict elegance of masculinity and gentle gracefulness of femininity, it brightly highlighted the character of a person, his occupation, habits.
Egypt In ancient Egypt, the most common type of clothing was draped, later - overhead, but never swinging. The cut and form of clothing (both male and female) has changed very slowly over the centuries; for a long time, the clothes of different classes differed only in the quality of the fabric and in the finish.
India Indian women's clothing depends on the region of the country. Traditional indian clothing, without which it is impossible to imagine an Indian woman is called a sari. Sari is the national Indian clothing, differ in appearance, materials, embroidery in different regions. Spain The Spanish folk costume, in the form that it became a fact of the visual culture, took shape in the 18th-19th centuries. Its formation was facilitated by the culture of the maho - the social stratum of the Spanish dandies from the common people, who emphasized their origin. Kazakhstan Previously, there was a deliberate destruction of traditions throughout the 20th century. During the seventy-year Soviet period, Kazakhstan fought with traditions as "relics of the past" But today Kazakhstan is confidently taking the road of reviving its culture. China The Chinese national costume has a lot of red and golden yellow colors, which are traditionally considered the colors of wealth and prosperity.
Norway The design of the Norwegian national costume is based on local folk costumes that were on the verge of extinction. UAE - United Arab Emirates The clothes of Bedouin women in ancient times were quite consistent with those of men. Portugal Portuguese clothing is dominated by red and black colors, men wear waistcoats with sashes, and women wear wide skirts with aprons. Russia A distinctive feature of the Russian national costume is a large number of outerwear... Cloak and swing clothes. The overcoat was worn over the head, the swing one had a slit from top to bottom and was fastened end-to-end with hooks or buttons. Turkey The traditional costumes of the Turks are distinguished by the greatest variety among the Turkic peoples. Ukraine Female traditional costume Ukrainians has many local variants. Ethnographic features of the historical and cultural regions of Ukraine in clothing were manifested in the silhouette, cut, individual parts of clothing, ways of wearing it, color decor, ornaments. France Women's folk costume consisted of a wide skirt with gathers, a sweater with sleeves, a bodice, an apron, a cap or a hat. A man's suit is pants, leggings, a shirt, a vest, a jacket (or a wide blouse that reaches mid-thigh), a scarf and a hat. Czech In the Czech Republic, in areas with traditional geographic divisions, costumes of different ethnic groups have gone through a complex process of development. Japan Since the middle of the 19th century, the kimono has been the Japanese "national costume". Also, the kimono is the workwear of geisha and maiko (future geisha).
End))) I hope you enjoyed it ... this post took me more than 2 hours)))

Traditions section publications

They meet by clothes

Russian women, even simple peasant women, were rare fashionistas. Their voluminous chests contained many different outfits. They especially loved hats - simple, for every day, and festive, embroidered with beads, decorated with gems. The national costume, its cut and ornament were influenced by factors such as geographic location, climate, and the main occupations in this region.

"The more closely you study the Russian folk costume as a work of art, the more you find values ​​in it, and it becomes a figurative chronicle of the life of our ancestors, which in the language of color, shape, ornamentation reveals to us many intimate secrets and laws of beauty of folk art."

M.N. Mertsalova. "Poetry of folk costume"

In Russian costumes. Moore, 1906-1907. Private collection (Kazankovs' archive)

So, in the Russian costume, which began to take shape by the XII century, detailed information about our people - a worker, a plowman, a farmer, living in conditions short summer and a long, fierce winter. What to do on endless winter evenings, when a blizzard is howling outside the window, a blizzard is sweeping? Peasant women weaved, sewed, embroidered. They did it. “There is the beauty of movement and the beauty of peace. Russian folk costume is the beauty of peace ", - wrote the artist Ivan Bilibin.

Shirt

Ankle-length shirt is the main element of Russian costume. Composite or one-piece, made of cotton, linen, silk, muslin or plain canvas. The hem, sleeves and collars of shirts, and sometimes the breast part, were decorated with embroidery, braid, patterns. Colors and ornaments varied depending on the region and province. Voronezh women preferred black embroidery, austere and sophisticated. In the Tula and Kursk regions, shirts are usually tightly embroidered with red threads. In the northern and central provinces, red, blue and black, sometimes gold, prevailed. Russian women often embroidered spell signs or prayer charms on their shirts.

Shirts were worn differently depending on what kind of work was to be done. There were shirts "mowing", "stubble", there was also a "fishing". It is interesting that the work shirt for the harvest was always richly decorated, it was equated with a festive one.

Shirt - "fisherman". End of the 19th century. Arkhangelsk province, Pinezhsky district, Nikitinskaya volost, Shardonemskoye village.

Slant shirt. Vologda province. II half of the 19th century

The word "shirt" comes from the Old Russian word "cut" - border, edge. Therefore, the shirt is a sewn cloth with scars. Earlier they said not to "hem", but "to cut". However, this expression is found even now.

Sundress

The word "sarafan" comes from the Persian "saran pa" - "over the head". It was first mentioned in the Nikon Chronicle of 1376. However, the overseas word "sarafan" was rarely heard in Russian villages. More often - kostych, shtofnik, kumachnik, bruise or kosoklinnik. The sundress was, as a rule, of a trapezoidal silhouette; it was worn over a shirt. At first it was a purely man's attire, a ceremonial princely attire with long fold-back sleeves. It was sewn from expensive fabrics - silk, velvet, brocade. From the nobles, the sundress passed to the clergy, and only after that it was entrenched in the women's wardrobe.

Sundresses were of several types: deaf, swing, straight. Swing ones were sewn from two panels, which were connected with the help of beautiful buttons or fasteners. A straight sundress was attached to the straps. A deaf oblique sundress with longitudinal wedges and beveled inserts on the sides was also popular.

Sundresses with soul warmers

Reconstructed holiday sundresses

The most common colors and shades for sundresses are dark blue, green, red, blue, dark cherry. Festive and wedding dresses were made mainly of brocade or silk, and everyday dresses were made of rough cloth or chintz.

“The beauties of different classes dressed up almost the same - the difference was only in the price of furs, the weight of the gold and the brilliance of the stones. A commoner “on the way out” put on a long shirt, over it - an embroidered sundress and a jacket, trimmed with fur or brocade. The noblewoman - a shirt, an outer dress, a summer dress (clothes expanding downwards with precious buttons), and on top there is also a fur coat for greater importance. "

Veronica Batkhan. "Russian beauties"

Portrait of Catherine II in Russian dress. Painting by Stefano Torelli

Portrait of Catherine II in shugai and kokoshnik. Painting by Vigilius Eriksen

Portrait of Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna in Russian Costume ”. Unknown artist. 1790 JavaScript: void (0)

For some time, the sundress was forgotten by the nobility - after the reforms of Peter I, who forbade those close to him to walk in traditional clothes and cultivated the European style. The wardrobe item was returned by Catherine the Great, the famous trendsetter. The Empress tried to instill in Russian subjects a sense of national dignity and pride, a sense of historical self-sufficiency. When Catherine began to rule, she began to dress in Russian dress, setting an example for the ladies of the court. Once, at a reception with Emperor Joseph II, Ekaterina Alekseevna appeared in a scarlet velvet Russian dress, studded with large pearls, with a star on her chest and in a diamond diadem on her head. And here is another documentary evidence from the diary of an Englishman who visited the Russian court: "The Empress was in Russian attire - a light green silk dress with a short train and a corsage of gold brocade, with long sleeves.".

Poneva

Poneva, a baggy skirt, was a must-have for a married woman. Poneva consisted of three panels, it could be deaf or swinging. As a rule, its length depended on the length of a woman's shirt. The hem was decorated with patterns and embroidery. Most often, reluctance was sewn from half-woolen fabric into a cage.

The skirt was put on a shirt and wrapped around the hips, and a woolen cord (gashnik) held it at the waist. An apron was usually worn on top. In Russia, for girls who reached the age of majority, there was a rite of donning a poneva, which said that a girl could already be married.

Belt

Women's wool belts

Belts with Slavic patterns

Belt weaving machine

In Russia, it was customary that the women's lower shirt was always belted, there was even a rite of belting a newborn girl. It was believed that this magic circle protects from evil spirits, the belt was not removed even in the bath. It was considered a great sin to walk without it. Hence the meaning of the word "to loose one's girdle" - to become insolent, to forget about decency. Woolen, linen or cotton belts were crocheted or woven. Sometimes the sash could reach a length of three meters, such were worn by unmarried girls; an edging with a volumetric geometric pattern was worn by those who have already married. A yellow-red belt made of woolen fabric with braid and ribbons was wrapped around the holidays.

Apron

Women's urban suit in folk style: jacket, apron. Russia, late 19th century

Women's costume of the Moscow province. Restoration, contemporary photography

The apron not only protected clothing from pollution, but also adorned the festive outfit, giving it a complete and monumental look. The apron of the wardrobe was worn over a shirt, sundress and ponevah. It was decorated with patterns, silk ribbons and trim inserts, the edge was decorated with lace and frills. There was a tradition to embroider the apron with certain symbols. By which it was possible, like a book, to read history women's life: family creation, number and gender of children, deceased relatives.

Headdress

The headdress depended on age and marital status. He predetermined the entire composition of the costume. Girls' headdresses left part of their hair exposed and were quite simple: ribbons, headbands, hoops, openwork crowns, scarves folded in a bundle.

Married women were required to completely cover their hair with a headdress. After the wedding and the ceremony of "unweaving the braid", the girl wore a "kichka of a young woman." According to the old Russian custom, a scarf - ubrus - was worn over the kichka. After the birth of the first child, they wore a horned headdress or a high spade-shaped headdress, a symbol of fertility and the ability to bear children.

Kokoshnik was the ceremonial headdress of a married woman. Married women wore a kichka and a kokoshnik when they left the house, and at home they usually wore a warrior (cap) and a scarf.

By the clothes it was possible to determine the age of its owner. Young girls dressed most brightly before the birth of a child. The costumes of children and people of the age were distinguished by a modest palette.

The women's suit was full of patterns. The ornament was woven into the image of people, animals, birds, plants and geometric shapes. Sun signs, circles, crosses, rhombic figures, deer, birds prevailed.

Cabbage style

A distinctive feature of the Russian national costume is its layering. The casual suit was as simple as possible, it consisted of the most necessary elements. For comparison: a festive women's suit of a married woman could include about 20 items, and a daily one - only seven. According to legends, multi-layered loose clothing protected the hostess from the evil eye. Wearing less than three layers of dresses was considered indecent. For the nobility, sophisticated dresses emphasized wealth.

The peasants sewed clothes mainly from homespun canvas and wool, and from the middle of the 19th century from factory calico, satin, and even silk and brocade. Traditional outfits were popular until the second half of the 19th century, when urban fashion began to gradually replace them.

Thank you for the photographs provided by artists Tatyana, Margarita and Tais Karelin - laureates of international and city competitions of national costume and teachers.

All over the world, national costumes are an important part of the country's image and culture. National costume is a way to declare yourself on a national scale. Each country has its own traditions, its own history and its own uniqueness. And of course, each of them has its own unique national costumes. Today we will talk about the most colorful and interesting costumes.

National costumes Russia

In Russia, the national costume had its own characteristic depending on the region and was divided into everyday and festive. From the national dress it was possible to understand where a person came from and what social class he belongs to. The folk costume and its decoration contained symbolic information about the whole clan, about its occupations and family events.

In the Russian traditional dress, there was a clear division into everyday and festive attire.

National costumes Scotland

As soon as it comes to national costumes, Scotland is one of the first countries that pops up in our memory. A noteworthy characteristic of the Scottish style is the checkered fabric color, used in accessories, and in clothing itself, but in principle, in blankets, even this is not the most striking for them. The most unusual thing about Scottish outfits is the adherence to skirts, mostly for men.

Nowadays, the Scots wear their national dress for important events, for official holidays, for weddings or sporting events.

National costumes Japan

In Japan, the national costume is a kimono, a robe with wide sleeves. It is made of silk fabric and is always lined only. A Japanese woman in a colorful kimono is charm. At any age, the kimono shows the inner beauty and grace of its owner.

Today, kimonos are worn by both men and women on important occasions. The kimono has retained its weight and is therefore dressed up for special events such as a tea ceremony, a wedding or a funeral. Each of these events corresponds to an outfit of a certain color and style, depending on the season, age, marital status and social status of the person.

National costumes Kenya

The protected area of ​​Kenya is the traditional place of residence of the Samburu tribe - a tribe of nomadic pastoralists who have preserved their ancient way of life and their customs to this day. Samburu rituals and dances leave an unforgettable experience.

Samburu wear jewelry made of metal, leather, stones, bones, large beads. They have bright national clothes - all sorts of windings, capes and headbands.

National costumes India

In India, wearing a sari is a special tradition, a way of life that shows the grace of Indian women. Most Indian women wear a sari every day of their lives, and this type of traditional dress shows not only loyalty to tradition and rich culture, but also the personality of the woman wearing it.

National costumes of the USA

In the United States, there is no national costume as such, but there are interesting features that can be considered as such, for example, long flying skirts, cowboy hats, warm clothes from the northern part of the country.

National costumes Brazil

Clothing in Brazil is renowned for its sophistication and piquancy, eye-catching colors and colorful designs. It is difficult to determine which costume is typical for Brazil, since its territory is large and the population is multinational. Therefore, depending on the region of the country, the Brazilian costume has its own specifics and difference.

Brazil is popular internationally for its distinctive, stylish and graceful clothing. Their clothes are comfortable, colorful, beautifully and well-stitched and framed with various accessories. Traditional Brazilian clothing carries a mix of different races and immigrants from all over the world.

National costumes Indonesia

More than 300 ethnic groups live in Indonesia, each of which has its own kind of folk costume: from loincloths and feathers, which are adopted by the Papuans, and ending with the fancy outfits of the Minangkabou and Toraya tribes, decorated with magnificent embroidery and beads. The classic Indonesian folk costume originated from the traditional outfits of the inhabitants of the islands of Bali and Java.

Masai costumes: wear red!

The Maasai tribe prefers clothing in bright colors: it is believed that red and blue color suits represent strength and power. Clothing for men that resembles a woman's dress is called “shuka”. Such an outfit is an indispensable thing in the African economy. It is convenient to hunt in it, it does not hinder movement, protects from the sun. In addition, as the Masai believe, the shuka perfectly emphasizes the belligerence of its owner.

Philippines: striped flight

The main feature of the national dress of the Filipinos among the costumes of other peoples is the combination of bright colors and striped fabrics. Men here dress in brong tagalog - a spacious, bright shirt with trousers. Women wear blouses with a sarong, a piece of cloth wrapped around the hips. Although some Filipinos don’t wear anything at all. In the remote mountainous regions of the country, men still wear only loincloths.

Switzerland: bonnets with wings

The national costume of the Swiss was very different depending on the canton. However, the common ones were pants just below the knees, a white shirt, a vest and a jacket for men. As for the Swiss women, they wore skirts, sweaters, bodices, aprons. The head was most often covered with headscarves, in Appenzell-Innerroden - with caps with wings, and in the Romanesque part of the country - with straw hats.

Mexico: transforming clothes

Many are accustomed to believe that the national dress of Mexicans is sombreros, flared trousers and short shirts. However, this is not so: the sombrero is more respected by tourists, and the cowboy outfit is used more often for dancing. In everyday life, men wear simple cotton shirts with trousers, a serape on their shoulders, which can serve as a blanket at night. Women prefer plain blouses and long skirts. In their wardrobe there will certainly be a shawl-rebozo, which, according to circumstances, can become a headdress or a sling for a child.

Turkey: national unisex costume

The main feature that distinguished the traditional Turkish women's and men's costume from the costumes of other peoples is that it consisted of the same elements: a wide trousers, a shirt, a vest and a belt. True, the girls wore an toe-length dress over their shirts with sleeves covering the fingertips (entari). In addition, ladies decorated dresses with a belt, the length of which reached 3-4 meters. Men wrapped a waistcoat with a sash to keep money, tobacco, matches and other trifles in a kind of "purse".

Bulgaria: wider pants!

There are two types of national men's costumes in Bulgaria. Here they wore “chernodreshnu” - a shirt and trousers with a wide belt of dark shades or “belovedreshnu” - clothes of light colors. The shirt and vest were richly decorated with embroidery. By the way, they judged the well-being of the owner by their clothes: the wider the pants were, the more prosperous the Bulgarian was considered. Bulgarians most often wore a sukman sundress embroidered in the form of flowers and a painted apron.

North of Thailand: banded

Karen women in northern Thailand wear a lot of bracelets, especially around their necks, which are the main feature of their national costume. Rings are put on when the girl turns 5 years old, and their number only grows over the years. The tradition of wearing bracelets around the neck has a long history. According to one legend, in this way the women tried to protect themselves from the tigers while their men were on the hunt. But there is another version. Karens consider long, ringed necks to be the standard of beauty and sexuality. And just a profitable business: tourists without a murmur pay money only for the opportunity to look at long-necked ladies.

Georgia: elegance itself

The Georgian national costume differs from the costumes of other peoples of the world by its special smartness. Girls wore long, fitted dresses (kartuli), the bodice of which was richly decorated with stones and braid. An indispensable attribute was a luxurious velvet belt with pearls or embroidery. Men wore a chintz or cotton shirt (peranga), lower pants (sheidishi) and wide top pants (shawls). A short arhaluk and a Circassian (chokha) were worn on top. Such an outfit favorably emphasized the narrow waist and wide shoulders of men.

Moravia: national costume - cake

The national costume of the inhabitants of Moravia, which is in the east of the Czech Republic, is particularly splendid. Pleated skirts, white blouses with puffy sleeves, a dark embroidered apron, colored ribbons in her hair - this outfit makes even the last ugly woman a real star.

Buryat national costume

The national female costume in Buryatia depended on age and position in society. For example, girls wore long terligi (dressing gowns without a shoulder), with cloth sashes. At the age of 14-15, the dress became detachable at the waist with a decorative belt. Married women in suits had puffy puff sleeves and fur trim. The rich Buryat women preferred cloth or satin clothes, trimmed with sables or beavers, while the poor were content with dressed sheepskin.

Netherlands: boat-hat

The main feature of the female Dutch costume, which distinguishes it from the national clothes of other peoples of Europe, is variegation, preferably up to ripples in the eyes. White shirts were decorated with embroidery or lace. Bright corsets were certainly worn over the sweater. By the way, this part of the toilet was considered a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. That is why in everyday life the Dutch women hid corsets in bright chintz covers. The women's suit was complemented by fluffy skirts with thick gathers and a striped apron. Particular attention was drawn to the cap, which was shaped like a boat.

Spain: national costume in the rhythm of flamenco

The Spaniards had something to stop their eyes on: the women's national costume in this country differs from the clothes of other peoples of the world in that it is all about temptation, mystery and frankness. Girls wore sundresses, wide skirts, corsets, sometimes completely exposing their hands. Skirts were sewn from colorful fabrics, several layers of frills were made. The result was a unique costume "for a feast and for the world." The most popular part female wardrobe in Spain, the mantilla remained - a lace cape that was worn over a high crest. This accessory is still held in high esteem by brides all over the world: in the process of evolution, the mantilla turned into wedding veil.

Russian national costumes are a combination of rich colors and a large number details that create a complete image. Several centuries ago, just one costume could tell from which province or village the wearer came from. In addition, for each special event, Russian craftsmen created solemn outfits that were unlike each other. You will learn about the history of the national costume and the details that create it in this article.

Features of the national costume

Russian traditional outfits have always been divided into casual and festive. Our ancestors very clearly distinguished the simpler clothing of coarse fabrics with a minimum of decorative elements, from the more colorful attire for special events. The most luxurious clothes were considered to be red.

Initially in Russia, all costumes were created by skillful female hands from dense homespun materials. This also made the outfits more special. The main materials for tailoring the outfits were cloth, linen and silk. The role of the lining was played by a kindyak, a special lining fabric.

The fabric base was complemented by a large number of details, as well as accessories and footwear, which together constituted a harmonious image.

These images differed significantly from each other depending on the regions. So, for example, people from the northern regions of Russia put on more outerwear. She was, both swing and cap, and in some cases these two types of outfits were combined. Cloak clothes were worn over the head, while the swing ones were fastened with buttons or hook-like fasteners.

Clothing for the nobility deserves special attention. She, of course, was more expensive and luxurious. Outfits for the nobility were embroidered with gold or silver threads, decorated with pearls and other decorative elements... Such an expensive outfit was worn for more than one year. As a rule, it was passed down from generation to generation, keeping it in proper form.

History of Russian costume

During its existence, the national Russian costume has practically not changed. The concept of fashion was less changeable than it is now; therefore, the same style could be worn by several generations of the same family.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, outfits in the traditional Russian style became less common. Then the ancient Russian costume was banned by Peter the Great, who wanted to make Russia more modern. The national dress was replaced by costumes in the Hungarian style, and later in German and French. In order for the innovations to take root, the ruler introduced a duty on the wearing of traditional Russian outfits in the city.

Female

Outfits for women have always been more interesting and varied than men. They were real examples of the art of talented Russian women. Since the time of Ancient Russia, women's costume consisted of a shirt (a simple shirt to the floor), a sundress and an apron. Often, for additional warmth, another thick shirt was worn under the shirt.

Embroidery has always been an integral part of any traditional outfit. In each province, it differed in colors and patterns. The hem and sleeves were decorated with embroidery.

The dresses worn by women in Russia deserve attention. At the time of Ivan the Terrible, girls who dressed up in just one dress were considered obscene. It was customary to wear three dresses one on top of the other. Such a suit turned out to be very heavy and massive.

Male

For men from the common class, the costumes were practical and comfortable. Russian culture has always been inseparable from nature and land. This was reflected in simple peasant clothes, which were sewn from natural fabrics and decorated with floral patterns.

The male costume consisted of a simple shirt, pants and a belt. The head was covered with a sinner made of felted wool. The most common footwear was bast shoes. Lightweight and comfortable, they protected the legs well while working in the field, but were not suitable for winter. With the advent of cold weather, the traditional Russian costume was supplemented by felt boots, and on holidays - with leather boots.

For kids

Children in Ancient Russia wore simpler clothes. As a rule, these were simple loose shirts. For the children of the nobility, outfits were created more sophisticated. Sometimes they almost completely copied the adult costume. But young girls, unlike adult women, did not wear headdresses until they were married.

Features and meaning of parts

As already mentioned, the details in the national Russian costume played a very important role.

Details of the men's suit

The basis of the national men's costume was a simple shirt. In the outfits of ordinary peasants, she was the basis of the costume, while the nobility wore it as underwear. It was sewn of linen or silk. From the inside, the front and back of the shirt were supplemented with a lining, which was called the background. The wide sleeves of the shirt narrowed towards the wrist.

Appearance the gate was different. It could be rounded, square, or completely absent. If there was a collar, then it was supplemented with ties or buttons.

Also, the costume was complemented by such details as zipun, opashen and ohaben. All these things are varieties of caftans. A scroll, casing or sermyaga was worn over the shirt and caftan. For more solemn occasions, a ceremonial cloak (basket) or one-row woolen fabric was used.

Fur coats were also popular. The peasants wore simpler products made from thick sheepskin or hare fur. Representatives of the upper class allowed themselves to flaunt in outfits of silver fox, sable or marten.

In order to keep warm inside, fur coats were sewn with fur inside. Outside, they were covered with thick cloth. Outfits for the nobility were embroidered with brocade or velvet. The wide fur collar gave luxury to the fur coat.

Traditional Russian-style fur coats were floor-length. The sleeves were also very long, and the arms were threaded not only in them, but also in special slots located in the front. They were worn not only in winter, but also in summer, to create a solemn image.

Another important detail of the male Russian costume is a headdress in the national style. There were several types of hats: tafia, klobuk, murmolka and treukha.

Tafia was a small round cap that fit snugly to the head. A simple hat was often worn over it. Ordinary people chose options from felt, richer ones - from velvet.

Murmols were called caps that are high and widening towards the top. The throated hats were created according to a similar principle. Only they were additionally decorated with furs coming from the throat itself. Fox, sable or hare fur both decorated the hat and warmed the head.

Details of the female costume

A shirt was also at the heart of the women's national costume. It was decorated with embroidery or exquisite trim. Noble Russian ladies, over a simple undershirt, also wore a maid, sewn from bright silk. The most elegant option is a scarlet maid shirt.

Women wore a summer shirt over their shirts. An antique floor-length outfit was created from silk and was complemented with clasps at the very throat. Noble women wore a summer dress decorated with gold embroidery or pearls, and their collars were decorated with a necklace.

A warmer alternative to the summer man in the national women's costume was a fur coat. A long fur coat decorated with fur with decorative sleeves was a sign of luxury, since it was not particularly practical. Hands were either threaded into special slots under the sleeves, or into the sleeves themselves, which rolled up for convenience. It was possible to warm the palms in a clutch, which was not only decorated with a fur edge, but was also sewn with fur from the inside.

Important role such a detail of the costume as a headdress was also played. All married women in Russia always covered their hair, even when they were at home. In everyday life, the head was covered with a hairpin or warrior, tying an elegant colorful scarf on top.

Corollas (wide headbands, complemented by long colorful ribbons), which were worn in the summer, looked more elegant. In winter they were replaced by fur hats. But the traditional Russian costume is still often associated with us with a kokoshnik - an elegant headdress in the form of a fan. Whenever possible, he was richly decorated and became the main addition to the outfit.

National motives in modern fashion or ethnic style

Although the traditional costume is now only a part of the rich Russian history, many designers use its details when creating modern outfits. Ethnic style is in trend now, so every fashionista should pay attention to such clothes.

Dresses in the Russian style should be restrained, because vulgarity, short skirts and too deep neckline here are simply inappropriate. One of the main values ​​of our ancestors was chastity. Girls were supposed to dress modestly and restrainedly, without flaunting their bodies. Modern outfits in Russian ethnic style are created according to the same principle.

This article can be titled like this: "Clothes of the Russian Village." For many centuries, the vast majority of the population of Russia was made up of peasants. They were subsistence farming, providing themselves with everything they needed, including clothing. By his very fate, inseparable from the life of the earth, the plowman was a part of his native nature, and his costume to the greatest extent corresponded to the peculiarities of the Russian climate.

Festive girlish costume from the Vologda province.
The famous Russian artist I. Bilibin depicted a girl from a northern village. Her outfit - a klinnik sundress and a soul-warmer feather - was sewn from a purchased damask with a rich pattern. Such fabric was brought from the countries of the East. And here is the crown headdress - Russian gold embroidery work.

Festive women's costume from the Vologda province.
Again I. Bilibin, and again a Vologda peasant woman. Only this time a young woman - that was the name of a woman in the early period of marriage, more often before the appearance of the first child. Her richly decorated costume symbolized this blooming age, as if invoking the grace of heaven and earth on the future mother. The sundress and warmth are sewn of patterned damask, the latter trimmed with stripes of gold embroidery. The high gold embroidered kokoshnik is decorated with stones. A silk shawl is tied over it, which has turned into a cape.

Another thing is also important. The peasant only left his village because of extreme need, and foreign guests were also rare. Therefore, in his clothes, which avoided external influences, the world outlook, customs, character, taste were clearly expressed - the inner essence of the native Russian person. That is why, for many centuries, the peasantry was primarily the guardian of national traditions in costume. Especially after the famous decree of Peter, obliging everyone, except the peasants and clergy, to wear a dress of the European type. The townspeople were forced to switch to "German" clothes, and only the villagers continued to wear folk costumes.

"Pendants" - an element of the head
dress of the girl. Tomsk province.
Late 19th - early 20th century.

What was he like? Finding yourself a hundred years ago at a large fair somewhere in Makaryevo or Irbit, you would be amazed at the variety of outfits, especially for women: and you can't find two alike! Indeed, over the centuries, almost every village in immense Russia has developed its own traditions - so that by the color or pattern of clothes it was possible to find out where the hostess was from. The costumes of the northern and southern provinces differed most of all, the Siberian women dressed in a peculiar way. We will tell you about these ensembles.

The traditional women's outfit of the Russian North is often called a “sarafan complex”, since its main parts are a shirt and a sundress. Our ancestors wore a shirt from time immemorial - this is confirmed by the many beliefs associated with it. For example, they did not sell their own shirt: it was believed that at the same time you would sell your own happiness. Is this why people who are ready to give the last shirt to the needy were so valued among the people? This was the main, and sometimes the only clothing: according to custom, village boys and girls in the 19th century, in some places until the very wedding, wore only shirts intercepted with a belt.

Festive women's shirt. Olonets province. The beginning of the 19th century.
Decorating the shirt with lavish embroidery, the craftswoman used paper, silk and gold threads.
Particularly interesting is the pattern on the hem: the Tree of Life with birds on the sides.

In the old days, a shirt was sewn from linen or hemp canvas, passing a single piece from the collar to the hem. Hence the name - sinker, which existed in the Vologda province. But already in the last century, such clothes are found only as wedding and funeral ones, in ordinary times they wear a two-piece shirt. The upper one was called sleeves in the North and was sewn from thinner, even purchased fabric, the lower one, the mill, from ordinary homespun fabric.

In the Russian village, not all clothes were decorated, but only festive and ceremonial ones. The richest, annual, was worn three or four times a year, on the most solemn days. They took great care of it, tried not to wash it and passed it on by inheritance.
Preparing an elegant shirt, village needlewomen showed everything they were capable of. Sleeves, shoulders and collars, not covered with a sundress, were embroidered with red thread. The hem was also often decorated. In special shirts, which were worn with a belt for mowing or harvesting, it was almost entirely covered with an embroidered or woven pattern. They went with songs - after all, for the peasants, harvesting is not only hard work, but also a great holiday. In the Olonets province, there was an elegant crying shirt, or mahawka, with very long and narrow sleeves. The bride wore it on her wedding day and, saying goodbye to her parents, waved the ends of the sleeves around her head and across the floor, lamenting her depleted girlhood and future life in a strange family ...

Skirt "hem". Olonets province. The beginning of the XX century.
This skirt is surprisingly beautiful, almost entirely covered with a woven pattern. If you look closely at it, you can see how deer with branchy antlers are marching rhythmically around the sun rhombuses. The plot was not chosen by chance. Such a skirt was separated from the shirt of the pokosnitsa, the hem of which was generously decorated with fraudulent weaving. For the first pasture of cattle, young women put on two or even three hemlines, showing the sun and girlfriends their wealth.

It is interesting that the word "sundress" is first encountered in Russia in documents of the XIV century in relation to men's clothing. The most ancient type of women's sundress is a shushpan with a solid front panel. But already in the last century it was worn by elderly peasant women, and young people mastered a swing sundress fastened with openwork metal buttons. Due to the large number of wedges that greatly expand it in the hem, it was called the clinic. However, there were other names - by fabric: kumashnik, printed cloth, damask - after all, clinics sewed not only from homespun dyed in blue or red, but also from purchased fabrics. Kumach, which was used for festive clothes, was unusually popular. For the most elegant, they took silk fabrics - satin and damask, and in the most prosperous families - brocade. In the second half of the 19th century, the oblique-wedge-shaped dress was replaced by a straight sundress of five or six panels with narrow straps: a swab, round, fanny, Muscovite, fur coat.

I remember that not so long ago wide dresses without a belt were fashionable, as if sustained “in the Russian style”. But is it so? After all, in Russia they never walked around with a belt, and the first "clothes" that a newborn received was precisely a belt: it was believed that it protects from troubles. A variety of cords are known: woven, knitted, braided. Wide - for outerwear and narrower - for the maid, festive and casual. Patterned belts with lush terry at the ends were woven from garus wool. Many were “with words,” an elaborately woven line of prayer or dedication. And then simply: "Whom I love, I give him," and the names ...

Finally, a headdress, without which the costume of a Russian peasant woman is simply unthinkable. After all, according to ancient custom, a married woman did not appear in public as a simple-haired woman - this was considered a great sin. Girls did not have to cover their hair. Hence the difference in attire: for a married woman, it is a deaf cap, for a girl, a bandage that leaves the top of her head uncovered.

The festive kokoshniks of northerners are magnificent, embroidered with gold thread and river pearls (until the 18th century, Russia was very rich in them). In their shape, they resembled a fluffed chicken, but in some places they had different outlines. For example, Nizhny Novgorod - with a high crest in the form of a crescent or pointed Kostroma. The elegant maiden coruna really resembled an old royal crown with bizarre teeth, which was echoed by a brocade braid, also trimmed with pearls and embroidery. On weekdays, girls wore a ribbon or scarf.

What else complements the main costume? With a rich sundress, they wore a brocade soul warmer for warmth, gathered on the back in beautiful folds. With sleeves - it was called epanёchka, on the straps - a short one. An embroidered apron could also have sleeves, but more often it was worn around the neck or tied over the chest. Well, on a holiday - beautiful scarf or a shawl, say, a Kargopol gold plate with patterns. This is the outfit of the peasant women of the Russian North.

The costume of the southern provinces was noticeably different from him. And in terms of its composition, it is the so-called "pony complex". And according to the materials - the local peasants lived poorer and did not buy expensive fabrics. And in style - the South Russian costume is brighter and more colorful, which is the reason for the different climate and the neighborhood of the steppe peoples.

It is based on the ancient belt poneva. Imagine three sewn panels with a cord threaded at the top - a gashnik. They are wrapped around the hips and strengthened at the waist, and the flaps do not converge and the shirt is visible in the gap. This is an old swinging poneva. The deaf one appeared later, when they began to cover the gap with a cloth of another matter - the seam.

They were usually made of woolen homespun, blue or black, in a large cage. This ornament was complemented by an embroidered or woven pattern, and young women also sewed ribbons, brushes, buttons, and sequins. The local dress is generally characterized by increased patterning. For example, on the shoulders of a shirt, already saturated with embroidery and weaving, red rectangles were often sewn - raids. The shirt itself is pretty and very long. It was pulled up to the knees, and a large slouch formed at the waist, which was used as a pocket. Because of this bag of ryazanki, in the old days, they were often teased with "oblique".

The complete ensemble also included a top of an ancient tunic-like cut and an apron covering a gap or gap. You will see all this in the illustrations. But about the headdress of a married woman - the kichka should be said especially. This is a whole structure, sometimes consisting of ten parts, and weighing seven kilograms. In some places it was called "magpie" - on the upper part, which resembles a bird with wings when unfolded. First, they put on the actual kichka - a canvas cap with a firm frame at the back. Horns were often towered in front of it. Apparently, they are connected

Zans with some very ancient ideas, for clay female figurines excavated in Kiev also have two-horned headdresses. Over the kitsch, they wore a forehead embroidered with gold or beads, a backside, a magpie, headphones ... Oddly enough, Russian women did not want to part with all this for a long time. IS Turgenev tells how one landowner ordered the serfs to replace the "heavy and ugly" kitsch with a kokoshnik, but the peasants wore it ... over the kitschek. A perky ditty is also known: "I will never throw Ryazan horns: I will eat only chaff, but I will not throw my horns! .."

The Siberian costume is peculiar. Russian people moved to Siberia from various places in European Russia. Over time, their usual outfits changed in new natural conditions. Moreover, the settlers borrowed a lot from the local peoples, especially warm clothes and shoes. So, in the lower reaches of the Ob, men and women wore a Nenets malitsa made of reindeer fur with wool inside, with a hood and mittens. New fabrics were also mastered, for flax and hemp did not grow everywhere. For example, in Transbaikalia, everyday sundresses were sewn from blue cotton daba, which was brought from China, while oriental silks were widely used for festive occasions. However, in general, the traditional costume was preserved in Siberia and even acquired unique features, especially where the settlers lived in large villages, sacredly keeping the customs of paternal antiquity.

The composition of men's clothing was the same everywhere. But about the motley, from which, along with the canvas, shirts and ports were sewn, it is worth talking about. This is a checkered or striped yarn dyed fabric. The colors and patterns are sometimes delightful - it is not for nothing that the village dandies wore pestryadin sundresses. The cage was on the shirts, and the strip on the pants, which were called that, were blue-striped.

Finally, the shoes. We are accustomed to the idea that everyone in the village wore bast shoes. But they were worn mainly in the central chernozem provinces, where serfdom had a stronger effect. Here they even got married and buried in bast shoes. But the steppe dwellers, Pomors, Siberians did not know them at all. In the North, bast shoes were woven for work, because they are indispensable in the mowing or harvesting season: they are comfortable, lightweight and you cannot pinch your leg. On holidays, they put on leather shoes - boots, half boots, shoes. And also cats with a red trim - something like shoes that are more spacious for the leg in a woolen stocking to enter. Knitted knee-length stockings with a patterned slip were worn by both men and women, but with bast shoes - usually canvas or cloth onuchi white... It seems to be the most uncomplicated detail of the costume, but how much fiction is there! The shoes that were used to tie the shoes to the feet were often woven from black wool - imagine how beautifully they crossed over the festive ones!

Festive men's shirt. Semipalatinsk province. Late 19th - early 20th century.
The men's clothing of the so-called "Bukhtar-Minsk Old Believers" who lived in the Southern Altai was very colorful. In terms of the richness of the ornaments, the shirt that you see is not much inferior to the woman's: red crochet gussets and stripes, embroidery and hemstitching. Preparing a gift for the groom, the bride with special diligence embroidered the top of the breast, where, according to ancient beliefs, the soul dwelt. The pattern in the form of a lattice located there was called a window and was decorated with beads.

Beauty and utility have never diverged from meaning in folk art. Let us recall the patterns on shirts, ponews, aprons: Women with upraised hands, the non-flowering Tree of Life, sun rhombuses with crosses in the middle ... Scientists have proven that they all express the idea of ​​the fertility of mother earth, which is so close to the soul of the farmer. And the upper part of the suit was associated with the idea of ​​the sky. Take, for example, the names of women's headdresses, reminiscent of birds: magpie, chicken (in the old kokoshi), swan ("white swan boils"). Thus, dressed in her festive multi-layered outfit, the Russian peasant woman represented the image of the whole universe, as people then imagined it. She looked dignified, personable; performed solemnly.

Festive male ports. Semipalatinsk province. Late 19th - early 20th century.
Having moved to the slopes of Altai in the 18th century, the Bukhtarma residents were forced to adapt to other living conditions. And over time, new features appeared in their suit. For example, embroidery on men's trousers, which are extremely rare in European Russia. Moreover, the ornament often combined Russian and Kazakh motives. In our example, the traditional Tree of Life is faced with quite realistic horses that played such an important role in the lives of immigrants.

It is always very important who is behind a person. The Russian peasant lived in poverty and was often illiterate. But behind him stood his native nature, from which he did not separate himself, a great people with its historical and spiritual experience, the most ancient of cultures - agricultural. The peasant served them, he was their representative. This was expressed with such force in his costume.

Men's and women's suits for winter travel. Central provinces of Russia.
The woman is wearing a sheepskin coat, the man is wearing a cloth zipun. The artist modernized it somewhat: the Russians' clothes were fastened only with left side... Fur coats and sheepskin coats were made with a very deep smell, so that the mother could even wrap the child. The man has his own felted hat on his head, the woman has a factory shawl over the kokoshnik. Bast shoes with warm onuchs or wire rods, patterned knit mittens. A whip in your hand - and off you go!

Apron with agricultural "months" calendars. Olonets province. End of the 19th century.
Intricate designs embroidered on the Kargopol apron are nothing more than ancient agricultural calendars. Six petals and six sprouts inside the circle represent 12 months, and the conventional symbols on the outside are the most important milestones in the annual circle of field work. For example, May 2 - "Boris-Gleb - I sow bread", May 31 - "Fedot will come - the earth will take over its kind." Similar mesyaslovs were also embroidered on the hem of shirts and on towels. One can understand how they treasured these things, carefully passing them on by inheritance.

A. LEBEDEVA,
Candidate of Historical Sciences
Drawings by N. Vinogradova, G. Voronova