Moldavian national costume

Traditional ethnic costume has been developing for centuries, and every detail in it has a special meaning. In the folk costume of Moldavia, they reflected, as in a mirror, the peculiarities of the life of the people in this land, generous to rich harvests. Clothing with a national pattern of leaves, flowers and fruits, decorated with elaborate embroidery, distinguishes the Moldovan vintage costume.

Moldavian costume originated in times when peasant women made fabrics for clothing themselves, in conditions of natural economy isolated from the cities. In the villages weaving and spinning, girls embroidered shirts, prepared a dowry for the wedding.

Starting from the 14th century, spinning, weaving workshops and craft shops were built on the territory of Moldova. Notable local boyars gradually developed the weaving industry. Exquisite factory-made materials, such as silk, satin and cashmere, began to appear and be used for tailoring national costumes only in the 19th century. At the same time, thin aprons from linen, silk towels with fringe, which were worn on the head of married women, came into fashion.

Sheepskin coats and lamb hats, felt hats and shoes, as well as sleeveless jackets for men and women, were supplied to the villagers by artisans. Thus, the original national costume, characteristic in appearance for all regions of Moldova, has been formed.

• In the dress of the woman from the Moldavian village, with the exception of holidays, two or three primary colors dominated - black, white and red. These shades were used for embroidery, as well as blue and green.

• For casual and elegant women's skirts used cotton and wool fabrics. On a dark background there were several bright vertical stripes. White-blue or red-green skirts were often met.

The home-made fabrics that still are made by Moldovan craftsmen on vintage horizontal machines include flax and hemp cloth and canvas, as well as thick woolen material.

• Shirts and summer men's pants were sewn from canvas. Wool was used for outerwear, skirts and aprons, as well as wide belts, characteristic of both female and male national costume of Moldova.

• Depending on the terrain, the fitted skirt could have particular cut, be more straight or flared. Ornament style inherent in this particular part of the country. located on the chest, collar and hem.

• The sleeves of the shirts were made loose, the products were sewn with similar tunics, the sleeves were tailored from a single piece of material. Wore more sophisticated styles with inserts on the shoulders, on the yoke. The noticeable part of the shirt was made of thin linen, and the bottom, if it was not visible, of the rougher one.

• They embroidered national shirts with a cross and a satin stitch in three or four stripes, decorated with beautiful merezhki.

The national costume for a Moldavian man who meets in any corner of this country is an elongated white tunic shirt, light pants, a pointed top of a lamb or a hat.

Kosovorotka - the oldest type of shirt for men. She is wearing a dressing gown, decorating with one or more belts of wool or leather.

Men's suit is not so full of colors, as women's. Residents of mountain villages have long worn shirts made of thick linen with extended sleeves and long floors.On the plain, the men's national costume included a short shirt with fitted sleeves.

Men wore trousers in the summer of hemp or flax, in winter - of wool. Shepherds in the mountains wore skins. As outerwear they were vests with leather appliqués, long-sleeved cloaks of light-colored cloth — white and gray. Peasants in winter put on fur coats and scrolls. Also, men did not leave the house without a hat or summer straw hat.

Women were supposed to wear an elegant white long shirt with an ornament, a woolen skirt with a belt. The most popular was a skirt called "katrine". A piece of material wrapped around the hips was supported by a belt. It did not matter which side to start laying the floor of the skirt. The girdle showed the age of a married woman, young girls often tied a waist with a handkerchief.

• Moldavians wore shawls in the summer and autumn, and in the winter - hats like men, with fabric tops and fur, flat fur hats with headphones.

• Peasants shod in homemade posthards of rawhide. The treated piece of animal skin, worn on the leg, was pinched at the top. Custom-made shoes were highly valued and passed from mother to daughter.

• Men and women in the villages weaved shoes from reeds and lime bark, tying plants with ropes like bast shoes. Later, leather shoes and boots appeared. Elderly people and children were felting their shoes of felt or wool or knitting.

Unmarried Moldovan girls walked with hair loose or braided, weaving and wearing wreaths of plants and flowers. During the wedding ceremony, the bride's head was covered with a transparent veil. At the wedding ceremony, her robes were dressed publicly in a dress for a married woman - a headscarf.

A festive scarf made of silk or fine cotton yarn, folded in a triangle, was worn so that both its ends, beautifully embroidered with patterns, fell on the chest. Decorated outfit beads and necklaces, beautiful earrings.

From ancient times, Moldovans believed that a special belt could cure diseases, make them happy and successful. A young man was given a special wedding belt over which the plot was read. This ritual has been preserved in Moldovan villages to the present. Leather belts with metal inserts replaced wide woolen ones, the length of which sometimes was up to two meters.

Young boys and girls wore wedding clothes with rich embroidery on the collar, floors and cuffs, to which lace was sewn. For wedding dresses used a special fabric, made by interlacing patterns. Wedding pants for guys made of cotton white linen with embroidered Moldovan national ornament. The groom wore a beautiful hat with ribbons decorated with flowers and a peacock feather.