Traditional Romanian clothing

History of the costume• The structure of Romanian

traditional clothing has remained unchanged throughout history and can be traced back to the earliest times. The basic garment for both men and women is a shirt or chemise, which is made from hemp, linen or woollen fabric. This was tied round the waist using a fabric belt, narrow for women and wider for men. In the past those worn by women usually reached to the ankles while men's shirts were shorter and worn over trousers or leggings made from strips of fabric. Women always wear an apron over the chemise. This was initially a single piece of cloth wrapped round the lower part of their bodies and secured by a belt at the waist, as is still seen in the east and south east of Romania

Traditional clothing worn on workdays and festivals used to be similar, the main difference being that the festive dress, especially those worn for weddings was more richly embroidered. In the past the headwear worn by the bride was especially ornate with specific local styles. In poorer areas basic clothing with little or no embroidery has always been worn.

Pieces of the costume

Belts (cingătoare, pl. cingători) made of woven fabric or leather form part of traditional costume in most in regions. Men wear either leather or fabric belts or both depending on the region, whereas women usually wear fabric belts. Fabric belts are woven by women at home, whereas the production of leather belts has taken place in workshops since the introduction of the guilds in 1600's.

Hard felt hats are made by specialised craftsmen in workshops and are worn throughout the year. Felt hats with hard upturned brims - cu găng - were worn in Crişana, Hunedoara and Bucovina. Wide brimmed felt hats with a large peacock feather (Roată de păun).

Headwear and hairstyle were the only part of a woman's traditional dress, which depicted her marital status. Single girls had their heads uncovered and hair braided. In the traditional wedding ceremony covering the head was a significant moment. There were three stages in the ceremony, dressing the hair, gathering the hair, and covering the head. After their wedding day married women always had their heads covered.

Overcoats - Suman (pl. Sumane), Dimie, Şubă and Giubea

Straight or flared overcoats are made of white, grey, black or coloured felted wool (frieze).

Material used: http:http://www.eliznik.co.uk/

Made by: Matea Cîmpeanu Eliza Bujor