If you are interested in fashion, then you will be curious to learn a little about Ukrainian folk costume. After all, fashion design developed separately in all countries, and at the same time borrowed a lot from neighbors. It was under the influence of such a complex system that a unique costume style was developed that differs from both Russian and Belarusian clothes. Read all the details below.
History and features
The appearance of the Ukrainian folk costume reflects the mentality of the country. Freedom-loving people who could not come to terms with the established rules and wanted to live apart, developed their own unique style. Of course, people did not begin to create a bicycle. They used the knowledge and skills of those who lived in Kievan Rus. But unlike their neighbors, Ukrainians made the costume more free and vibrant. And also the Ukrainian folk costume, the photo of which you can see above, is multilayered and complex. That is, one part of the outfit complements the other. For example, a women's lower shirt peeks out from under her skirt, which creates a dissonance in the density of the material. This technique looks interesting and non-trivial. The history of Ukrainian folk costume originates in the time of the Scythians. But people developed their own unique style in the 16th century. Style has evolved over time. The Cossacks had a great influence on fashion. These runaway peasants wanted to be different from the farmers, they created their colorful outfit, which gave fashion a new round. By the 19th century Ukrainians are moving to the style of the townspeople, and fashion is changing everywhere. Foreign designers have a great influence on the taste of people. Actually, this situation in the country continues to this day.
What clothes were made from
People made Ukrainian folk costume from natural fabrics. Most often, homespun cloth was used. Weaved it from hemp or linen threads. It was a rough fabric that was suitable for making shirts. Men wore such clothes. When the fabric was washed and from constant washing became soft, she was allowed to make women's clothing. Well, after the fabric became completely soft, children's shirts were sewn from it. Pants in Ukraine, as well as in Russia, were made of wool or cloth. The first option was suitable for winter, and the second - for summer. This fabric was used once and only for the manufacture of men's pants. Women from woolen fabric sewed ponev and skirts.
The Ukrainian folk costume, the photo of which you can see above, also consisted of shoes and hats. Hats were made of fur. Shoes were made from rawhide. Less often used bast shoes. But still in Ukraine more often people wore boots, although they were a luxury item.
Decorative ornaments were made of glass and natural stone. But more often they still used glass, as it was cheaper. Often girls decorated their hats with fresh flowers. Almost all girls wore wreaths on holidays.
How clothes were painted
Ukrainian folk costume has a rich decor. But in order to dye the threads, special skill and suitable coloring components were needed. Since the chemical industry began to give its results very late, people dispensed with what they could collect in the vicinity of their farm. Therefore, most often, all kinds of grass were used as paint. Women collected herbs, dried, and then made a decoction. Thus it turned out to boil the green pigment. But how did they make red? In contrast to the traditions that existed in Russia, Ukrainian women extracted a bright color from an insect called a worm. He was found in moss or on bushes. Often not the insects themselves were collected, but their larvae. Then it was necessary to wait until they hatch, and boil, or rather bake in the oven, worms with water. Such paint languished on fire for a day, and only then was it suitable for painting. Since the necessary insect was difficult to collect and cook, the red pigment was very valuable. They dyed only yarn and belts, and not a ready-made linen cloth. To create other pigments used bark of trees and all kinds of flowers.
Color spectrum
The national costume was dominated by red. It was worn by all classes from farmers and artisans to the clergy. From the color saturation, it was possible to understand to which estate a person belongs. But they used not only open red, but also its shades. Raspberry, brick and poppy seeds were popular. In second place in popularity in the Ukrainian folk costume was yellow. Used shades such as lemon, sand, red and sand. Black color was rarely used. It was replaced with smoky, that is, gray. If it was necessary to darken any part of the pattern, brown was introduced. Green shades can also be seen in embroidery. Used both dark and light colors.
A special place in the decor of clothes was occupied by gold threads. They embroidered patterns on silk fabrics. But such outfits were inaccessible. Gold and silver embroidery adorned the costume of rich ladies, as well as cassocks of representatives of the clergy. Multicolored translucent beads were the main elements of the decor. A mother-of-pearl color was considered a symbol of luxury no less than the brilliance of noble metals.
Outerwear
The national costume of Ukrainian residents included not only everyday summer clothes, but also winter clothes. What was that? The outerwear of men and women is a retinue. Such an outfit strongly tightened the figure, and due to this it looked ridiculous. The retinue was made from a thick homespun cloth. Initially, she was not decorated with anything at all. The most common model of the female retinue was made of light fabric, and the male one was made of dark fabric. She reminded a shirt with a small stand-up collar. But this collar was so small and narrow that he could not even completely close his neck.
Shrouds are the second most popular type of outerwear. They sewed a casing of poorly processed sheep skin. Such unfinished casings were worn with fur inside. The clothing model was the most primitive, it resembled a simplified version of a modern coat.
And how long was the outerwear? There was no even regulation. Everyone sewed clothes of that length, which was comfort. For example, everyday suites usually reached heels, but the option of the travel casing was usually rarely longer than the knees.
Men's shirt
Ukrainian folk men's costume consisted of a shirt and pants. How did the clothes differ from those worn in neighboring regions? Men's shirts had a cut in the front. It was called a bosom. The incision was decorated with embroidery or decorated with braid. The presence of a collar wardrobe on this item was determined by the region in which the person lived. Shirts with a stand-up collar were common. This model was convenient in that it was fastened with buttons. But shirtless collars had ties. Ukrainian Cossacks simplified the cut of their clothes. They decided that gussets, which were located under the armpits, can be reduced. This was done not because this element greatly interfered with people or fettered movements, but because the Cossacks wanted to be different from ordinary peasant farmers.
The method of wearing a shirt was also original in Ukraine. If in Russia peasants and boyars wore shirts over their pants, then the Cossacks decided to tuck the hem of the product in trousers. But this was not a protest, but a logical innovation. This method of wearing a shirt was borrowed from nomads who constantly rode horses and the floors of a long shirt interfered and fettered hips.
Men's pants
If you are interested in tailoring Ukrainian folk costumes, then you should pay attention to the characteristic features of the outfit. Folk pants were distinguished by their width. Such a product did not have an elastic band on top, so it was pulled over the braid. But this method of attaching clothes to the body was not very reliable, so very often Ukrainians belted their pants with a belt. For this purpose, they used both standard folk belt options and new European models that had buckles. The difference between the Ukrainian trousers from those worn in Russia was the presence of motni. She was sewn between the legs, which allowed men to run faster and always feel comfortable. Wealthy Cossacks wore not homespun harem pants, but those models that were made of silk. But for those men who did not have a large income, such a piece of clothing was more of a luxury or a smart suit option. Decorated pants with embroidery. It was located at the bottom of the legs. Moreover, the inside of the product was embroidered, and therefore men wore pants, tucking their ends.
Women's shirt
Ukrainian folk women's costume consisted of three parts. Shirts, skirts and ponev. Shirts were divided into two types: short and long. Long were considered festive. Their hem was decorated with embroidery. This element of women's underwear was usually visible from under the lower layer. Casual shirts were short. They had the length of modern tunics. But this option was acceptable for married women. The girls did not wear ponies, so their shirts were long. And what were the sleeves of the product? Shirts were sewn with long sleeves. At the brushes, they became already. This was achieved by sewing cuffs. These elements were decorated with embroidery. Also, jewelry in the form of embroidery could be located on the shoulders.
A collar on women's shirts could be a turndown. But more often the product gates were braided and tied to a rope.
Ukrainian folk costume for a girl was similar to a girl's outfit. Children wore shirts with a belt.
Poneva
It’s hard to imagine a female Ukrainian folk costume without a second thought. This element of clothing was divided into three types: everyday, derga and holiday option. Everyday ponev was black. It was made from coarse linen or linen. She could even be woolen. Poneva was divided into two parts: one covered the back of the body, and the other - the front. This item of clothing was of different lengths, often reaching women ankles.
If you decide to make a Ukrainian folk costume with your own hands, then you should not make everyday ponev, but degu. What are the differences? Degas was also sewn from thick fabric. But the color of the product was not dark, but bright. Degas, or spare ones, as they were called, could be red, green or blue. The belt of this element of clothing was decorated with colored braid and even embroidery. Some women did not wear the front poneva, but replaced it with an apron.
Festive clothes looked more elegant than casual ones. This poneva was made of light fabric, sometimes from silk. It was decorated with embroidery or checkered ornament. Often on such skirts a checkered ornament was applied.
Skirt
If you want to sew a Ukrainian folk costume with your own hands, but you don’t feel like doing it, you can pay attention to its evolved version. The skirt replaced ponev and became an element of the clothes of wealthy ladies. The most common were three of their species. Litnyk is a narrow woolen skirt. She looked festive for the reason that she was red. Vertical stripes were applied to this catchy background. They could be green, yellow, white or blue. This version of the skirt was the simplest. Andarak is a wider skirt model. The decorative element here was the folds, which were vertically located around the perimeter. On the hem was a wide ornamental strip. Shorts is also a wide model of a skirt, but, unlike the previous two, it looked bright due to the colorful vertical stripes, which were located close to each other. The hem of such a product was sheathed with a thick cord. All these varieties of skirts were decorated manually with embroidery.
Clothes decor
How can I decorate a Ukrainian folk costume for a girl with my own hands? If you decide to completely copy the costume decor, then you will need to stock up on colored tape. She sewn neck and hem shirts. Brushes were made of multi-colored threads. They were hung on their belts. Skirts and shirts were decorated with embroidery. For this, bright woolen threads were used. Rich young ladies could afford to apply a pattern or ornament to their clothes using the finest silk. Well, do not forget about gold embroidery. It was often used on costumes of wealthy women. Lace can be found not only as an element of decor for women's costumes, but also men's clothing was adorned with them. Lace was valued highly, so few could afford it. But glass beads were in wide use. True, their clothes were not embroidered infrequently. But hats were decorated everywhere. People with great prosperity could afford to decorate clothes not with glass, but with precious stones. Pearls were especially popular. Buttons were even made of large pearls. But less affluent people used buttons covered with silk or bright canvas. In the course were stripes. They decorated shirts like a shoulder strap. Patches were made from contrasting fabric clothing, most often from red or green. Such decorative elements were richly embroidered with silk and gold.
Ornament
A drawing on a Ukrainian folk costume most often depicts two elements that are most important for people: water and the sun. It was thanks to them that the southern people existed, they brought bread, which means life. These elements are often deciphered as the paternal and maternal principles. If we talk about the elements, then the mother symbol looks like an eight-year-old flower with a scattering of dots along the edges. The paternal element is the square in which the flower is enclosed. Such an ornament can be found on both men's and women's shirts. The second most frequent motive is the hop pattern. The symbolic shape of a wave-like branch with flowers is associated with youth, love and enthusiasm. Such an ornament could be seen on the clothes of youth. The image of viburnum and oak was considered amulets in Ukraine. Stylized leaves and fruits were supposed to protect a person from evil eye and from envious people. They protected people not only from neighbors and ill-wishers, but also protected from various kinds of everyday troubles. But if a woman wanted to attract luck, she embroidered rhombuses. This symbol of land and fertility was supposed to protect a person from hunger and inclement weather.
Floral ornament prevailed in clothing decor. Less commonly, one could come across animalistic motifs. Ukrainians did not live hunting, or rather killing wild animals was not the only way of food. As a result, if an animal or bird appeared on the clothes, they could be considered a family totem.
Belts
One feature can be seen in the photo of Ukrainian folk costumes for men and women. Without fail, all people girded. Walking without a belt was not only ugly, but also considered shameful. This element of clothing was considered a talisman among people precisely for this reason and it was given sacred meaning. Even the poor peasants tried to acquire a belt of expensive material. And if this was not possible, they weaved it on their own, and then embroidered it with a symbolic ornament. There was no clear regulation. Each person had his own values, and he tried to demonstrate them using a drawing on his belt. Wealthy people girded their belts with a buckle made of precious metal. She, too, was decorated with a bizarre ornament consisting of animals and birds. Wealthy citizens on holidays wore belts made entirely of silver and even gold.
The front belt (sash) should have been no shorter than 3-4 meters. It was decorated not only with embroidery, but also with precious stones or glass beads. Often you could see the brushes hanging from both ends of the sash.
Jewelry
Today, the decorative baubles that ladies wear do not have any symbolic meaning. And before this kind of jewelry, in the first place, it was not decorative value, but served as a talisman. Ukrainian folk costume for women included beads. Of course, they were not worn every day, but worn on holidays. Only wealthy ladies could afford jewelry made of precious metals. They wore various pendants made of natural stones and bizarre earrings. Modest village girls used ribbons and flowers as decorations. The main asset of women of those times was a long braid. It was she who decorated them. Hair should have been braided into a complex hairstyle, on top of which you could put on a wreath of fresh flowers. , , , 100%. , .
Hats
A photo of the Ukrainian women's folk costume is presented above. But it is difficult to make an idea of what the inhabitants of Ukraine wore on their heads. Unmarried girl's costume complemented the rim. Most often it was made of ribbons. This headpiece was tied so that the crown remained uncovered. But married women wore slivers. This hat had a solid frame. The shape of the headgear depended on the woman's area of residence. Most often, the sliver was trapezoidal or oval. Such a headdress was decorated with beads or precious stones. Poor women decorated their hat with satin stitch embroidery. But besides everyday hats, there were also holiday scarves. Women tied them when they went to visit, to church or for a festive celebration. The color of the scarf should have been bright. Often this headpiece was embroidered with gold.
And what did men wear on their heads? They decorated their bald heads with hats. Naturally, they wore hats only in cold weather. Hats were most often made of sheep's wool, but leather and woven varieties existed.
Footwear
The description of the Ukrainian folk costume would be incomplete if you did not talk about what people put on. Poor peasants wore bast shoes. Just like in Russia, even such primitive shoes were in short supply. But unlike Russians, Ukrainians made bast shoes in an unusual way. They threaded a rope through the loops of a vine, and then pulled it on their feet. Bast shoes were made not only from vines, but also from leather. Unlike similar shoes of their closest neighbors, Ukrainians made bast shoes with virtually no sidewalls. In some families, shoes were made from rawhide. Moreover, the material was not stitched in any way. The skin was shaped directly on the foot. This kind of shoes was fixed with twine. Those peasants and Cossacks who did not have big financial problems could afford leather shoes. Initially, instead of heels, such shoes had a horseshoe. But later the boots took on a modern look. Most often, the shoes were red. She looked bright and combined well with the red decor of a folk costume. On the leg, the boots were fixed with ribbons. And later models began to produce with metal buckles, which were often made of noble metals. A pattern was applied to the upper edge of the boot, which was either burned out or cut through.