Ukrainian national clothing is particularly picturesque, its attractive appearance indicates a high level of production culture, excellent knowledge of various tailoring techniques and types of finishes. In their cut, the national clothes of Ukrainians have some similarities with the costumes of the Slavic peoples and Turkic.
Men's national Ukrainian costume
The main details of the national outfit are a white shirt sewn from linen or hemp cloth, and harem pants sewn from high-quality, thin cloth. The Ukrainian men's shirt is distinguished by the presence of a cut in front, it is necessarily decorated with embroidery, for the implementation of which fairly complex patterns are traditionally used. Embroidery patterns are passed from generation to generation and are largely symbolic. Embroidered for a loved one, a shirt often plays the role of not only clothes, but also a talisman.
Ukrainian costume involves wearing a shirt always tucked in pants, which is not typical for Russian and Belarusian costume. For sewing pants (trousers) , canvas or woolen fabrics of bright colors are used - red, blue, green. Particularly picturesque trousers give their very large width.
Wool scrolls are used as outerwear; in winter, tanned casings made of sheepskin are used. Moreover, women's scrolls must have a white color, men's can be gray or black.
Women's Ukrainian costume
Women's national costumes, which are sewn by representatives of different areas, have quite significant differences: they are made of different materials, have different cuts and finishes. The color scheme, which is traditionally used in the manufacture of costumes, is quite rich.
The main detail that distinguishes the female Ukrainian costume is a shirt. It can be solid, floor-length, or consist of two parts - the upper part and pidtychki. Long shirts are considered more festive.
Shirts are sewn of two types: on a yoke (with inserts) and tunic-like. The Ukrainian women's shirt is characterized by embroidered hem - according to the rules, it should look out from under the outer clothing. In an old costume, the skirt consisted of two halves - the front and the back, each of which had a separate tie. Over time, the front half of the skirt turned into an apron. Most often, the back half of the skirt (buttermilk or spare tire) in a modern Ukrainian suit is sewn of fabric into a cage, while the apron is made of plain fabric and decorated with a very rich finish: embroidery, braid, handmade lace.
The obligatory part that the Ukrainian costume has is a belt. He is present in both women's and men's suits. The length allows you to wrap it several times around the waist. The belt plays the role of a kind of corset, emphasizing the beauty of the figure. In the Cossacks of the
Zaporizhzhya Sich, the belt also served as a reliable protection of the vital organs of the abdominal cavity. The length of this accessory could reach 30 m, the belt tightly wound around the waist could not penetrate even the tip of the arrow.
As for hats, the men's Ukrainian costume suggests the presence of a hat. Basically, fur is used for its manufacture (high-quality sheepskin), cloth or wool. The shape of the caps can be quite diverse: cylindrical, conical, semicircular. Summer hats - bryl - are woven from straw.
Girl's hats are wreaths famous for their beauty, made of natural or artificial flowers, decorated with ribbons. Sometimes capes, scarves, ribbons can be used. A characteristic difference is that they always leave the scythe open, which is the pride and decoration of the girl. The headdress of a married woman is a scarf or a long scarf that looks like a towel. It is worn so that the hair closes completely. In the old days, it was considered an unacceptable act for a Slavic woman to appear in society or in a church with her head uncovered.