Georgian national costume

The national Georgian costume is distinguished by some fraternity, which is skillfully combined with a pointedly elegant cut. Women's dresses are very beautiful and elegant, and men's - demonstratively strict. Traditional costume was widespread until the twentieth century. Let's look at its features and differences from other national dresses.

For the first time the national Georgian costume came into use in the ninth century. Initially, costumes with shades of national style were worn by residents of the South Caucasus. It was at this time that “choha” appeared in everyday life. Its name translates from Persian as “cloth material”. They were worn not only by Georgians, but also by Caucasians, as well as Russians and Turks. Chokha is a wardrobe item that is very comfortable to wear and is considered universal. Men and women wear chohu at any time of the year.

Over time, the Georgian costume became more closed. The sleeves of the shirts became longer, and the decor of the dresses became more restrained. Men's suit has become more stringent compared to women's.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, less and less residents of Georgia wore a national costume. Therefore, many local designers tried to introduce elements of the traditional costume into more modern casual and festive clothes. Now the national Georgian costume is used at various celebrations.

Description of traditional features

The traditional Georgian costume is distinguished by a special francism, not inherent in other national costumes.

The traditional colors of the Georgian costume are black and white. Reserved outfits in classic shades have their hidden meaning.

So, black color in Georgia was intended for the nobility. It was the rich Georgians who wore black robes. At the same time, dark dresses dominated not only in everyday style, but also in official events and religious ceremonies.

Along with the basic shades, in the traditional Georgian costume there were also such colors as gray, burgundy and dark blue.

The costumes of the nobility and the poor in Georgia united the severity of cut and the use of wearable fabrics. More expensive suits were made from high-quality bright fabrics, while cheap models were significantly inferior to them, both in quality and in appearance. For ladies and gentlemen from the rich class, they created clothes made of silk or velvet, decorating them with lace or fur, depending on the season.

Special attention deserves the traditional Georgian wedding dress. The girls' wedding dresses in Georgia looked like their everyday outfits. But what distinguished them was the white color and expensive finish. Whatever the wealth of the family, they tried to make the dress for the bride as luxurious as possible. It was decorated with silver or gold threads, or simple appliqués. The head was covered with a velvet cap, complemented by a light scarf made of delicate lace fabric that covered the face of a young girl who marries.

Traditional women's clothing in Georgia was particularly original. The girls in this country wore a fitted dress to the floor, which was called kartuli. This outfit emphasized the figure.

For girls in Georgia created the same outfits, but in a simpler form. Children's costumes were simpler and more comfortable. The length of the dresses could be shorter than that of women. In addition, children's costumes were often brighter than products for adults.

The traditional Georgian costume for a man should convey as precisely as possible the Georgian commitment to physical work and their courage. That is why the main emphasis was placed on convenience and the ability to protect the body of a man from any weather surprises.

Male costume consisted of top and bottom. Various shirts, caftans and even fur coats acted as the top. Complement the outfit comfortable pants or trousers. Different among themselves and the types of outerwear. It is worth highlighting such ones as Koba, Circassian and Choha.

Circassian worn over the caftan. Without this item of clothing was considered indecent to appear on the street, even in hot weather. Circassian was sewn from materials of saturated colors, for example, black or gray. Circassian worn not just like that, but supplemented with a belt decorated with a silver or metal buckle. To such a belt, as a rule, a dagger was fastened, which until the twentieth century was considered the most common weapon.

Nabad or a sheepskin coat was also used as a cloak during the cold season. This kind of outerwear protected both from cold and snow. Arkhaluki were considered more convenient. Such short jackets were well combined, both with trousers and with free trousers. Such jackets were girded with wide couches, which made it possible to emphasize a taut male figure.

Accessories were present in both the female and the male version of the traditional costume.

The men's hats were quite diverse. In winter, the traditional costume was complemented by warm felt hats, which were called nadbis kudi. An alternative to them was the fur bashly. More solemnly look decorated with gold or silver tassel towers, which were worn in the manner of turbans.

Girls and women wore lechaki and mines as headdresses. Lechaki is a simple white veil of translucent tulle, and mine is a special hoop for fixing the veil on the head.

Earlier, Georgian women also wore chadri hiding the entire face, except for the eyes. Later this version of the headdress was replaced by a simple dark kerchief called baghdadi. This garment, like a veil, was attached to the head with a special rim. His loose edges fell on his back and shoulders, emphasizing an elegant female hairstyle. Married women had to cover part of their headgear with their neck as well, so as not to leave the exposed parts of the body in sight.

As for shoes, for men it was pretty closed. The girls wore more elegant shoes. Rich Georgians could afford koshi - sharp-nosed shoes without backs with beautifully curved toes. Girls from the lower class wore simple and comfortable leather sandals, which were called “kalamani”.

Of the accessories, amber or coral beads were popular with women. The make-up of girls in Georgia was also minimalistic. The girls used only rouge to give a lively look and blackened their eyebrows and hair.

The traditional Georgian costume looks strictly, but at the same time attractive, to match the inhabitants of this harsh mountainous country. Now the national costume in Georgia is worn exclusively on holidays, but, despite this, it still does not sink into oblivion. After all, the traditional costume is the embodiment of the mentality of an entire nation and a demonstration of its changing history.