What is a national costume for? First of all, it reflects the history of mankind, reveals the artistic worldview and ethnic portrait of the people. For example, Georgian clothing reproduces the traditions and moral values of the people. Especially female: multi-layered sleeves, a long hem, a hat - each element is a reflection of chastity.
The Georgian national costume is also a fashion (more conservative), a kind of antipode to the urban style.
Over time, folk costumes were squeezed out of culture, now only folklore groups, dancers perform in them, sometimes they are put on for a wedding.
Briefly about the main thing
Georgian is distinguished from other costumes by a special smartness. National women's clothing was a fitted long dress, where the bodice was decorated with ribbon and stones. A lot of attention was paid to the belt. The luxurious attribute was sewn from velvet and decorated with embroidery or pearls.
The men wore a cotton (chintz) shirt, lower and upper pants. An archaluk or Chokha was put on top, which favorably emphasized the stately figure and broad shoulders of the Georgian.
Let us consider in more detail the question of what is the name of Georgian clothing, hats and national attributes of a traditional costume.
One who loves Chokha loves his country
It’s customary to consider Chokha the best example of a folk costume that unites folklore and traditions of Georgia. This is not only a men's suit, there is also a female variation.
Chokha first appeared at the end of the 9th century in villages in the south of the Caucasus. The name appeared under the influence of Persian expansion. Chokha translates as "cloth matter." But more often he was called "Talavari".
Over the past few years, Chokha is worn not only as a wedding dress, but also for official and solemn receptions.
Georgian national costume: description
Initially, Chokha was made from camel, sheep’s wool. Now the outfit is a fitted outerwear made of cotton or artificial fabric with a free falling hem.
The suit is fastened from the top to the waist. On the chest there are decorative inserts in the form of gazyrs. The outfit is completed by a leather belt, from which damask damask steel hangs, and silver accessories.
Sleeves in a suit cover men's hands to the back of the hand and play a more decorative function. If necessary, they can be rolled up to the shoulders, then a peculiar scarf characteristic of clothing will be obtained.
Georgian national costume of Chokha is available in 6 shades. Tourists prefer to buy a purple outfit, local residents choose the classics - black and white. Also on sale is a chokha of gray, burgundy and blue.
Where to get
To revive the national costume and remind the Georgians of their traditions and culture, a workshop-workshop for the production of Chokha was opened in Tbilisi in 2010. The idea belongs to two friends: Levan Vasadze and Luarsab Togonidze.
The clientele of the studio is people who respect the traditions of their people, and tourists who want to buy a Georgian costume as a souvenir.
The daily sales rate is 5-6 choh per day. Agree, not bad, given that the studio is located on the busiest metropolitan street, where fashion stores and boutiques with brand clothes compete in the neighborhood.
From hats to bondage
Each region has its own hat. Each of them differs in size, color palette, ornament and even purpose. List of the most common hats worn and worn in Georgia:
- Khevsur cap (received the name from the homonymous region). It differs in brightness, elegance and decoration. They knit it from semi-woolen soft yarn. The ornament must have crosses.
- Svan hat. Georgian hat made of felt and decorated with ribbon. They wear a hat in the mountainous part of the country (Svaneti). In the summer season, it protects from the hot sun, in winter it warms the head.
- Kahuri, or Kakheti hat. It comes in two colors: black and white. In appearance it resembles a Svan hat.
- Kabalahi is a cone-shaped Mingrelian headdress made of thin woolen fabric. It has long ends and a brush on the hood.
- A hat is not a hat, but the pride and honor of any Caucasian. The hat is made of astrakhan or sheep’s wool.
- Chihti Kopi. A female headband embroidered with beads and with a veil.
- Papanaki. Imereti original headdress. A quadrangular or round little hat, sewn from cloth, embroidered with braid, having a garter under the rim.
Georgian women's national costume
A variety of traditional dresses united one thing: similar features. In men's suits strictness prevails, in women's suits - grace and elegance.
Girls from wealthy families wore kartuli (long dress) made of satin and silk. Mostly they were red, green, white and blue. As for katibi (outerwear), it was sewn exclusively from velvet, and there was a cotton or fur lining underneath.
A common headdress - lechaki - consisted of a veil of white tulle and a rim. Bagdadi (a dark scarf) was worn on top, which hid the Georgian’s face. Married women also wore lechaki, but one end was required to cover their neck.
The shoes of rich girls were of a special model. They did not have a backdrop, mostly they were in heels and with their noses bent. The Georgians of the lower classes could not afford such luxury and wore leather bast shoes.
Adjara costume
Briefly about their traditional costume: no frills. Indeed, look at the photo and you will understand everything. Everything looks beautiful, and most importantly - rationally.
The men's suit consists of a shirt and a specially tailored harem pants made of wool or black satin. The spacious top and narrow bottom of the pants did not hamper the movements of the horse. On top of the shirt they put on a waistcoat to match the trousers. The most recognizable and at the same time expensive part of the men's suit was considered to be a chokha with a stand-up collar and sleeves to the middle of the elbow. They girded the Chokha with a leather belt or a bright sash. Rounding out the image of a dzhigita bandoleer, dagger and guns.
Incredibly beautiful and functional women's costume. It consisted of a long, to the ankles, shirts of blue or red and bloomers. On top of Adzhark put on a swing dress made of orange chintz. Woolen apron complemented the national costume. The head of the Georgian woman was decorated with a cotton scarf, the corner of which was necessarily thrown over her shoulder, covering her neck. Another scarf was put on top, hiding most of the face. From the age of 12, Adzhar girls put on a white veil, which covered their faces.
Men's national wedding suit
It’s now the newlyweds are choosing a European version of the outfit for the wedding, but the Georgian wedding national costume in each region had its own.
Men's suit consisted of three elements: a shirt, pants and Circassian. The shirt was made of white linen, the Circassian was made of wool, instrument cloth, and the pants were made of cashmere and a double-satin. Black high boots made of soft leather were worn on his feet. An oiler and a dagger ring hung on an ornate silver black belt, the handle of which was processed into ivory.
Over a white shirt with a stand-up collar they put on a gold-embroidered cloak. His sleeves were necessarily cut for the convenience of movements in the dance.
Women's outfit
The Georgian outfit for marriage consists of a headdress with a veil and a dress. The first is sewn from silk or satin. The color should be the most delicate: from pink to light blue. The wedding dress must be with a double sleeve, and a richly embroidered belt adorns the Georgian's waist. Sometimes it is decorated with a pattern. But he must be in tone with the outfit.
The lower sleeve and chest area are embroidered with golden tinsel, silk or beads. Cuffs and a belt usually consist of another material - heavier. An open sleeve, a breast, and the blades of a belt are decorated with silver tinsel. Sometimes a wedding dress is decorated with eyelets and buttons, balls.
A tape is applied to the headpiece and covered with a light cloth. The rim was embroidered especially richly: small pearls, beads, gold, silk. The lightweight fabric that functions as a veil was made of tulle embroidered with a pattern. The edges were framed with lace or cut in a zigzag. The bride’s hair was braided into a braid. Often it was decorated with small pearls.
The only thing that has remained unchanged after so many centuries is shoes. The Georgian bride was wearing white high-heeled shoes.
National clothes - a kind of mirror that reflects the history of the people. After all, studying traditional dresses, they learn culture, customs and traditions. Even by one fabric it was possible to determine from which region a person came.
As you can see, the Georgian people at all times strove to look tasteful and refined, looking at photographs of national costumes, it is easy to determine that the sons of the Caucasus are distinguished by severity and courage, and Georgians by grace and severity.