Our people are rich in great history and suffered many hardships and difficult times. Clothing in the old days was very different from what we are now used to seeing on modern girls. Russian national costume is the unity of harmony with nature and the artistic taste of our ancestors. Creating it, they had a sense of proportion and were attentive to every detail. Knowing what a Russian folk costume looked like helps modern people understand how they lived in those troubled and difficult times. The girl’s national image is unique, and this manifested itself in clothing.
So, what did a Russian folk costume look like ? First of all, his shirt was in the form of a tunic with wide sleeves. For each case, there was a shirt, be it some kind of holiday, a weekday and a ceremony. So there were funeral, pre-wedding and wedding ceremonial shirts. Each bride had a large chest containing a dowry. It was in him that lay shirts for any occasion. Let's say the most beautiful girl wore on her wedding day. For its manufacture, exclusively homespun cloth was always used , which was considered the best. It is impossible to imagine a Russian folk costume without embroidery. In a certain place, an embroidered shirt was believed to protect against evil forces. But various pieces of fabric, bindweed, ribbons and lace for decoration began to be used only in the 19th century. But embroidery, of course, remained the main motive in Russian clothing. She was always thought out, and each type of ornament meant something. Rhombus was its main symbol, as it was associated with the sun.
The Russian folk costume was complemented by Ponev. This is a skirt that was sewn from three panels of fabric, and was pulled together at the waist with a narrow belt. People usually used wool. In addition, hemp was woven into it. It is thanks to the woolen and vegetable threads that the checkered pattern was obtained. Like shirts, ponevs were also divided into ordinary, everyday and festive. And they differed among themselves in details. It is noteworthy that only married women wore ponev. The girl wore it immediately after the wedding and wore the most beautiful skirt before the birth of the first child. Then it was supposed to change it to a simpler ponevu.
Ah, this Russian sundress ... Without it it is impossible to imagine a Russian folk costume for women. At first, there appeared kosoklinnye sundresses, which were sewn from two panels and had seams on the sides and in the center. Their hem was richly decorated with gold braid or red cloth. Kosoklinnymi replaced direct sundresses. They were sewn from 4-5 square-shaped panels, which were collected on the back and chest under the skin. Such a sundress was held only thanks to the shoulder straps. Basically, they were worn by young girls, and even then on a holiday.
The Russian folk costume was complemented by an apron. He was worn over a poneva, shirt or sundress. Its manufacturing technology is simple: the cloth was folded in half and made a rectangular cutout for the head.
A girl’s image would be incomplete without a hat. Young women braided a braid and put on bandages, hoops, crowns, which were embroidered with beads and river pearls. But scarves appeared in the 19th century.
And, of course, jewelry was of great importance for the national costume. Necklaces made of beads and pearls, amber beads, crosses, ribbons, earrings, colored belts and sashes wonderfully complemented the girlish image of that time.
Shoes were worn on the basis of social status. So the peasants put on bast shoes, but the girls from wealthy families could afford boots.
Those who are interested in the history, traditions and culture of our people can see how women of that time looked on the Internet. Russian folk costume in pictures and photographs will help to clearly imagine our ancestors.