The national costume of each country is formed under the influence of historical factors that, to one degree or another, influenced the state development process. Headwear, tailoring suits, the choice of patterns and color palette reflect the material and spiritual values of the people.
Some historical facts
The Azerbaijani national costume is not an exception (photos of men's and women's clothing are presented to your attention in the article), which has undergone changes many times. Azerbaijan is one of the Caucasian countries, located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. It should be noted that the history of this country is rich in ups and downs. The Persian and Turkic peoples played a huge role in the development of its cultural heritage.
Azerbaijani national costume is a cultural heritage that bears the imprint of the identity of the people. Not a single detail of it is accidental. Excavations carried out by historians and archaeologists in the territory of modern Azerbaijan indicate the wealth and material well-being of this country in antiquity. Clay vessels, jewelry, fragments of clothing made from silk fabrics - this is only a small part of the finds dating back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC, which shows the development of the people and the state. And in the XVII century, the Azerbaijani city of Shirvan was considered a center for the production of silk fabric. The cities of Azerbaijan were famous for their craftsmen in leather cultivation and fabric manufacturing.
So what is the national costume of Azerbaijan today? This is a unique and original outfit that is replete with bright colors and rich in embroidered patterns. Dolls in the national costume of Azerbaijan can be bought in the souvenir shops of the country, in the markets. Photos of these beautiful products you have the opportunity to see in the article.
National costume women
Women's Azerbaijani national costume (see photo in the article) consists of two parts: the upper and lower. Outerwear included clothing that was worn on the shoulders, and lower clothing included clothing below the waist. Types of shoulder clothing: top shirt, various caftans and vests. Skirts (or mists) of various lengths, colors and shapes belonged to the waist of the costume.
Top shirt
The upper shirt (“mouth of the Kanei”) had its own peculiarity. She was loose-cut and had sleeves that were narrowed at the base of the shoulder, and became wider towards the bottom of the arms. Usually a piece of tissue of a different color was sewn to the armpits. The shirt was worn over the head and fastened with one button under the neck. The shirt was trimmed with braid, and money coins were sewn to the bottom. The choice of fabric and the color of the outfit depended on the material well-being of the family, as well as the age of the woman. Young girls chose more colorful colors to attract attention.
A caftan was worn over the top shirt. Several types of caftans were distinguished, the main difference of which was in length, shape of cut, and also in sleeves.
Kaftan Chepken
So, for example, one kind of caftan - chepken (in Azerbaijani - cəpkən) - had false long sleeves that flowed along the sides and ended with arm ruffles. Often buttons were sewn to the sleeves. Chepken was worn over the top of the shirt and tightly fit the upper body. The main fabric for sewing chapkens were dyme, velvet, and silk. Young girls usually opted for red, green or blue slippers. By the way, there were types of chapkins for men.
Archaluk
The next type of caftans is araaluk (in Azerbaijani arxalıq). Archaluk, like captain, was worn over a shirt, tightly encircled the body. His gauntlets ended just below the elbow. Arkhaluka had a standing collar. The lower part had a hem in the form of a pleated fold. Distinguished between everyday and holiday archalukes. Archalukes for everyday life were sewn from cheaper fabric and had fewer patterns for jewelry. They also wore a belt over them.
Lebbade and Ashmek
The Azerbaijani national costume for the girl included Lebbad (azerb. Ləbbadə). This is a type of outerwear, the details of which were trimmed with braid and, unlike the archaluka, she had an open collar, and the sleeves were usually up to the elbows. There were cuts on the sides of the Lebbad.
Ashmek or Kyurdu - women's clothing without a collar and sleeves, in fact vests. The main fabric for their production was considered as a dormitory, and they were also trimmed with patterns of silk threads of gold color.
Mists and hats
Skirts were also worn over the top shirts. In Azerbaijan they are called fogs. The topmost fog had various patterns for decorations, pleated folds, and reached the floor. Only women in the Nakhchivan region wore shorter fogs. In addition to the upper skirts, there were several lower mists that added volume to the lower part of the outfit.
Azerbaijan has a huge number of national hats. Scarves, a turban, skullcaps with a train - this is not the whole list. A special place among believers was occupied by the veil, which covered the woman from head to toe. But women who were already married put several scarves on each other.
Jewelry
The weak half of the land of lights has always had a weakness for jewelry and jewelry. Beauties preferred large earrings and put on several bracelets at the same time, but after the wedding, preference should be given to modest earrings and 2-3 rings. The belt showed the woman’s marital status. Unmarried girls were not allowed to wear it before the wedding. And they received the first belt in their life from their parents on their wedding day. By the way, wearing jewelry was also not always allowed. So, for example, after giving birth for 40 days it was not allowed to wear jewelry.
Footwear
On their feet they wore stockings with national patterns (jorabbs) with their own hand knitted from sheep’s wool. Women's shoes looked like sandals without a back in a small heel and with a pointed toe.
The palette of women's national costumes was full of bright colors, but the most preferred was still red. It was believed that red color brings happiness and family well-being. Usually he was chosen by unmarried girls, but after the wedding, it was necessary to give preference to more calm and dark colors.
Men's national clothes
The main detail of the Azerbaijani men's national costume is a headpiece. The hat was considered a symbol of the honor and dignity of a man, to lose it is to lose honor. To bring down a hat from an Azerbaijani man means starting a bloody war not only with him, but also becoming an enemy of the whole family. They didn’t take off their hats even at the table. And only before ablution for prayer (Muslim prayer) the cap was removed. Appearing at some special occasion without a headdress was considered a violation of etiquette and disrespect for the owners.
Mostly men wore hats. This is a type of headdress that was made from lamb fur and had different shapes. According to the shape of the hat, it was possible to determine the social status or region of residence of its owner. There are 4 main types of popes:
- Papakhi’s choban (shepherd’s cap), she was also called winded papakh. Papakha’s choban looked like a cone, sewn from long-nap sheep’s fur. Worn this hat mostly poor people.
- Shish hats also had the shape of a cone, but they were made of fur, which was specially brought from Bukhara. Allowing such a hat could be either beks or prosperous gentlemen.
- Dagga papakhi were worn by representatives of the Nukhinsky district. The cap had the shape of a circle, the top of which was sutured with velvet.
- Bashlyk is a hood worn over another headgear in bad weather. Bashlyk had a cloth lining, as well as long ends for tying around the neck. Thus, the headpiece saved from the weather.
Clerics wore a turban and turbans, which were distinguished by color. The highest representatives of the clergy wore a green turban, and the lower ones wore a white turban.
The national costume of Azerbaijan (photo posted in the article) for men was an upper shirt, caftan and harem pants (shalvar). The main color of the shirt is white or blue, the preferred fabric for making is cotton, always with long sleeves. A caftan (archaluk) was worn over the top of the shirt, similar to a Russian poddevka. Kaftan fit tightly to the body, and expanded below the waist and had the shape of a skirt. The male archaluk had a rather concise look, was created in dark colors and rarely had embroidered patterns.
From below, Azerbaijani men donned trousers (shalvar). Trousers from above tightly tied with a ribbon that was sewn to them.
Men paid special attention to the belt. It was the only accessory that they were allowed to. Belts were made of both leather and silk fabrics. Ribbons were sewn to silk belts. The belts were very long so that the owner could tie it around the waist several times. Since the outerwear of men did not involve pockets, this role was assigned to belts, behind which daggers and other trifles were placed.
Like women, men wore jorabbs (long socks) on their feet. In general, whole family stories were connected with the Jorabbs. It is known that Jorabbs were divided into everyday and festive views. The festivals were knitted in a special way, carpet ornaments were embroidered on them. Jorabbis was provided with the whole family by weak women. Shoes or boots were put on over the Jorabbs, depending on the weather.
In men's national costumes, dark colors were preferred. The outfit was supposed to give its owner a strict and respectful appearance.
National costume in the modern world
Today, it is hardly possible to meet a resident in a national costume on the streets of Azerbaijani cities. All this has sunk into the past summer. However, as in many countries, folk dances are performed in national costumes. Also, in productions of performances based on folk art, heroes are dressed in historical costumes.
In rural areas, you can sometimes meet at a celebration on the occasion of the betrothal of the bride and groom in a national costume. And in the wedding tradition, the rite is still preserved, when the bride's relatives tie a red belt (ribbon) around her waist, thus showing about a change in her family status.
Recently, as in many countries, Azerbaijani designers in their collections have returned to the history of national costume. So, for example, patterns and ornaments of old times are embroidered on dresses, and bright and colorful shawls are offered as hats.
To date, every tourist and guest of the Maiden Tower (giz galasy) can try on a national costume and for some time feel like an oriental beauty or mountain dzhigit.