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National Costume is closely National Costume is closely connected with our history and connected with our history and culture. culture.

As future designers we As future designers we can say that the cutting can say that the cutting and models of our and models of our national dress are not national dress are not difficult. Itdifficult. It is easy to is easy to sew but at the same sew but at the same time it is difficult to time it is difficult to decorate it as the main decorate it as the main feature of our costume feature of our costume is a complicated is a complicated decorations.decorations.

National costume of our National costume of our country spans more than a country spans more than a thousand years.thousand years.

Each region of Ukraine hasEach region of Ukraine has some some differences in dress, differences in dress, particularly in embroidery particularly in embroidery patterns.patterns.

The Ukrainian Midland is the area where The Ukrainian Midland is the area where the Ukrainian national dress can be the Ukrainian national dress can be regarded as “classical” ,that it is very regarded as “classical” ,that it is very typical of the Ukrainian costume in general.typical of the Ukrainian costume in general.

For men national costume consists of a For men national costume consists of a shirt, thousers, a vest, a belt and black shirt, thousers, a vest, a belt and black shoes. Oak branches, symbols of enduring, shoes. Oak branches, symbols of enduring, beauty and strength, were the favorite beauty and strength, were the favorite ornament on a men’s shirt. ornament on a men’s shirt.

The most popular The most popular and widespread and widespread woman’s attire is a woman’s attire is a long shirt with a belt long shirt with a belt around the waist. around the waist. Stylized flowers, Stylized flowers, solar symbols and solar symbols and geometrical patterns geometrical patterns are widely used in are widely used in embroidery of the embroidery of the shirt.shirt.

It’s hard to imagine a woman indifferent to It’s hard to imagine a woman indifferent to earrings, necklaces, rings and other decorations earrings, necklaces, rings and other decorations and to be sure Ukrainian women wore all kinds of and to be sure Ukrainian women wore all kinds of ornaments. Coral necklace was an especially highly ornaments. Coral necklace was an especially highly prized item but they cost a lot. About 70-80 years prized item but they cost a lot. About 70-80 years ago for a price of a coral necklace one could buy a ago for a price of a coral necklace one could buy a cow. The poorer had to be content with glass cow. The poorer had to be content with glass beads, the richer sported necklaces made of gold beads, the richer sported necklaces made of gold and silver coins.and silver coins.

The woman’s shirt – or a blouse, worn The woman’s shirt – or a blouse, worn in the area of Poltava was a long one, in the area of Poltava was a long one, with embroidered sleeves; the one with embroidered sleeves; the one from the Chernihiv land was the from the Chernihiv land was the longest among others. The shirt to be longest among others. The shirt to be worn on weekdays differed from the worn on weekdays differed from the one that was worn on Sunday.one that was worn on Sunday.

Every woman had to know how Every woman had to know how to make a shirt and the girls at to make a shirt and the girls at the age of about 12 were taught the age of about 12 were taught how to do the needlework. A how to do the needlework. A woman had about 15-20 woman had about 15-20 shirts.The number of shirts, their shirts.The number of shirts, their quality, type of embroidery were quality, type of embroidery were good indicators of what the girls good indicators of what the girls was as a potential housewife. was as a potential housewife.

In the early twentieth In the early twentieth century cross-stitch gained century cross-stitch gained predominance over other predominance over other types of stitches.types of stitches.

Belts had to keep the skirts in place but besides Belts had to keep the skirts in place but besides this they had a role to play in the general this they had a role to play in the general arrangement of the dress. Some of the belts were arrangement of the dress. Some of the belts were long strips of fabric, wound several times around long strips of fabric, wound several times around the waist (thus they served also as a support for the the waist (thus they served also as a support for the spine.)spine.)

National costume makes woman more feminine and National costume makes woman more feminine and attractive. National dress is in fashion now. attractive. National dress is in fashion now. Nowadays prominent Ukrainian designers often Nowadays prominent Ukrainian designers often use national elements creating their own collection. use national elements creating their own collection.