Traditional costume of Belarus by region

Summer male and female costumes, Pinsk district of Brest region, Western Palesse

The territory of Belarus is subdivided into six historical and ethnographic regions with specific features of traditional costume. Besides, costumes from different districts of the same region have their unique and characteristic features and vary in their decoration and ornament or in the way of styling. But the basic pieces are similar on the whole territory and let's have a look at them first.
Historically traditional clothes of Belarus people were almost completely made of home-made fabrics and decorated with woven and embroidery ornament. Flax and hemp were cultivated on the farms and widely used for making clothing along with wool and leather.
The basic component of both male and female costumes is a long linen shirt. Women wear a skirt over the shirt which is made from woolen, half-woolen or linen fabric and has different names - andarak, spadnitsa, yupka. It is constructed of several pieces of cloth sewn together. The ordinary type is sewn from three, four or six pieces that are gathered or pleated into the waistband. The paniova, the earliest type of skirt, consists of pieces of cloth, often four, which are attached to the waistband but unsewn at the sides.

Cambodian Apsara dance costume

Recently I have visited Cambodia and while being impressed by the architectural wonders of the Angkor Wat I was absolutely captivated by the Cambodian Classical Apsara dance. This dance is very slow and delicate and every gesture and pose is full of effortless grace and beauty. And not only I was charmed by the dance itself but by the costumes of the performers.
Apsaras are celestial dancers who entertain the gods and kings in Hindu mythology. They are spirits representing water and clouds (since the fluidity of the dance). The power of Apsaras over men is beyond comparison as both mortals and divinities cannot resist the charms of the celestial dancers. The Apsara dance already existed in the 6th-7th centuries. Hundreds of Apsaras are depicted on the stone carved walls of the Angkor site, especially in Angkor Wat and the ancient city of Angkor Thom and costumes of the present day Apsara dancers are based on those carvings.

Huipil, the artwork in everyday use

Women from Chiampas region of Mexico wearing huipils, photo courtesy PWRDF

Some time ago I visited an exibition of Mexican textiles from the Chiapas region of the country and I was striked by the beauty of huipil - the traditional dress of the Mayan women - as well as by their skills in embroidery. To think about it: a rectangle of cotton with an opening for the head...what can be simplier? This design has been popular in different cultures for centuries . But add some love, creativity and skills to this simple practical piece of clothing and it turns into a work of art.

The Art of Kimono

photo courtesy Stefan Schlautmann

One of the things that I would definitely like to try on one day is a kimono. Such a simple in its construction garment yet so beautiful and elegant it looks on a woman. And the prints and motifs that decorate some special occasion pieces? They are simply fascinating, real works of art decorated with brush painting, embroidery, tie-dyeing, applique and even with gold and silver.

Court dress in Burma, Nepal and Sri Lanka

Throughout history there has always been significant difference between the costume of nobles and that of ordinary people. In many countries there were special laws that dictated what could or could not be worn by who. For those who appeared at court requiries were even more specific and more strict. My today's post is about interesting examples of court dress in the 19th century Burma, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Peranakan traditional wedding dress

photo courtesy Wyndson 

 During my last stay in Singapore a few months ago I visited the Peranakan Museum and was really impressed with the amazing examples of peranakan handicrafts: beadwork, jewelry and textiles. A whole chamber of the museum was dedicated specifically to Peranakan weddings and I have to say that their wedding ensembles are one of the most beautiful, colourful and rich ones that I have ever seen. First of all, who are the Peranakans? The term Peranakan generally refers to people of mixed Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage. Many Peranakans trace their origins to 15th century Malacca where their ancestors were thought to be Chinese traders who married local women. The Peranakans were also known as Straits Chinese as they were usually born in the British-controlled Straits Settlements of Singapore, Penang and Malacca. They combined the elements of the Chinese, Malay and sometimes European culture into their own.