Convenient, beautiful, rational

What was the basis of the wardrobe of our distant ancestors? What colors were most often used for embroidery on clothes and in what technique was it done? What do designers need to remember today in order to create modern collections that at the same time carry a powerful ethnic message?

We are talking about this with Maria Vinnikova, senior researcher at the Department of Ancient Belarusian Culture of the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, candidate of art history.

— Maria Nikolaevna, why do experts think that it is wrong to use the word “vyshyvanka” for embroidered national clothes, even though it is deeply seated in the lexicon of Belarusians?

— In the Belarusian folk culture, traditional clothes have never been called vyshyvanka. This word is identical to such definitions as malyavanka, pysanka and is probably borrowed from the Ukrainian language. When it is used, it often means clothes with cross stitching. But this technique appeared in our country only in the middle of the 19th century. By that time, the embroidery on the national clothes, if any, was completely different. For example, in Kobrin district a local woman showed me old shirts that had been passed on her from her grandmother, and called them “pulled”, that is, embroidered with “pull”, i.e. back-stitching according to the number of threads of the cloth, which forms strips of geometric ornament. In my opinion, in relation to modernity, it is correct to talk about a costume with national color. Because there is a certain difference between traditional and national costume. Traditional is a rural costume that meets the requirements of life in a given territory: it was created and developed by indigenous people, it corresponds to our natural and geographical conditions. And “national” is a broader concept, it refers to the clothes of different social groups. Wealthy citizens ordered wardrobe items from abroad or had them made according to generally accepted European patterns, so their costume was more influenced by fashion.

— How to determine which clothes correspond to the folk tradition and which don’t?

— First of all, by the compositional design. For Belarusians embroidery served as a protective charm and was located in the places that opened access to the body: along the collar, cuffs, along the bottom of skirts. For women of childbearing age, the ornament on the sleeves of a shirt and on the apron was rich: it was believed to protect them from the evil eye.

— What were the main elements of the Belarusian traditional costume?

— The main component of a women’s, men’s, children’s costume is a shirt, which was supposed to cover the neck, elbows and knees. It was straight, without darts, loose; it was fitted on by gathering around the collar, bottom of the sleeves and belting around the waist. The wardrobe of Belarusian peasant women also included skirts, aprons, headwear, weskits. In summer time women wore a simple linen skirt, in winter they wore a thick one (sometimes striped, checkered) made of woolen fabric, which was called poneva (homespun woollen skirt). In Malorita district, a burka (a felt cloak), an analogue of andarak, was widespread. It was rich in woven rhombus geometric ornament.

In spring and autumn time, women put on a peasant’s russet overcoat (svitka) — a long, unbuttoned cloth garment, which was belted with a woven or braided sash. An apron was a mandatory piece of a woman’s costume. It was worn not only on weekdays, but also on holidays. And not because of the wish to protect for the skirt from staining, but first of all as a protective charm for the female womb. It was considered indecent to go out without an apron on. In the south of Belarus, in some regions, skirts were not worn at all, but two aprons were tied together — in the front and in the back. In Vetka district of Gomel region,

girls wore kolyshka — an apron, which was tied on the back of a shirt. In the eastern regions of Belarus, such ceremonial dress down as poneva was wide-spread. It consisted of two pieces of woolen self-woven fabric, sewn only to the middle. Poneva was draped around the waist and hips and was fastened with a wide braided sash.

— Did married women in traditional culture have to wear a headdress?

— Yes. After marriage, women always covered their hair with namitka (wimple) or scarf, under which there was always a cap. Namitka was typical of all regions of Belarus, but each had its own peculiarities of wearing it around the head. Girls could stay bareheaded, or wear linen headbands, skindochki, ornamented at the ends, or chilka, a hoop covered with colored fabric and so on. In Neglyubka village, Vetka district, Gomel region, there was a girl’s headdress called kubok. Its basis was a strip of bast (or cardboard) 12–15 cm wide, to which multi-colored ribbons were fastened. This headdress was worn when the girl wanted to show that she was ready to get married.

— And what did the men’s traditional costume consist of?

— In addition to a shirt, men’s traditional peasant costume included trousers, sometimes a weskit made of homespun cloth or linen. A sash was an obligatory component. It was of practical importance (the shirt was close to the body and did not hamper work), at the same time it was a bright decorative accent and was considered a strong protective charm. Bachelors tied it on the left side, and married men — in the middle. Special attention was given to the knot — it was believed to give strength and protect from the evil eye.

Without a sash a man was not supposed to leave his house. Svitka (warm overcoat made of felted cloth) was worn by men for centuries, as well as sheepskin coats. In winter, the head was protected from cold by a ear-flapped hat made of sheepskin or hare, fox fur, covered with dark cloth on top. Men’s headdresses, mogerki, were felted from wool. In summer, straw hats were worn: in some regions they were called visors.

— What colors were most popular in traditional Belarusian clothing?

— Since clothes were made, as a rule, of linen or wool, white, gray, brown, black colors prevailed. The patterns were woven and embroidered mainly with red threads. In a men’s costume, the sash was always red, and on the skirts hem there was often an additional red edging. The circle is a protective charm. Red is the color of holiday, the sun. Sometimes blue color was also used in embroidery, personifying sadness, grief. In Brest region, black threads were also used for ornamentation. The festive attire was generally more abundantly decorated than the casual one.

— What should designers remember today in order to properly update national motives in clothes? What, in your opinion, can become a brand in the wardrobe of a modern Belarusian?

— Modern clothing can have a pronounced national style that can convey the image of the people. It is important to be created with the knowledge of tradition. This does not preclude innovative design search. Modern fashion designers working in ethnic style can be inspired by characteristic motives of the traditional Belarusian ornament, the general silhouette and coloristic solution of a costume, a combination of industrial and hand-made fabrics with their unique texture and decor, features of folk cut and hand tailoring (for example, the use of shirrs, decorative joining seams, etc.). A modern ethnic style can also be created through the introduction of individual accessories into the costume, made in traditional techniques of hand weaving and embroidery. In my opinion, flax can become our brand. It is no coincidence that it was called “God’s candle”. It was associated with God’s light, grace. Peasants grew it, processed it, spun, weaved and made clothes from it, and decorated it with ornaments. Flax is environmentally friendly, does not cause allergies, it warms in winter, it is not hot in summer. But it needs a special approach: linen requires simple cut lines. Things from it should be comfortable and rational. The peasants grew, processed, spun, weaved it and sewed clothes from it, and decorated it with ornaments. Flax is environmentally friendly, does not cause allergies, it is warm in winter and it is comfortable for summer-wear. But it needs a special approach: linen requires simple cut lines. Linen clothes must be comfortable and rational.

Olga Poklonskaya