Amalia type costume

Amalia type costume Amalia type costume. This example is composed of three pieces: a) a long-sleeved foustani  (dress which used to be worn over a chemise) with a deep opening at the bust and a long skirt with rich folds gathered at the waistline. It is made of an imported fabric with thin stripes in gold and black (or dark blue) colour. A gold decorative strap is sewn on around the waist, on the edge of the sleeves and on the hemline of the dress. b) the foustani is combined with the sarka, a waist-long jacket made of dark blue felt. It has long, straight sleeves and a short collar around the neck. The collar, the front opening, the hemline and the cuffs of the sarka have sewn-on gold decoration, which is completed with two impressive stylized floral (lahouri) patterns, one on either side of the front. Gold-embroidered felt or velvet jackets were made by tailors in Nicosia. c) a fessin (fez) a red cap with a long tassel fixed on its top; the tassel is made of black silk threads. This ensemple, dated to the first decades of the 20th century, is an example of the urban Amalia costume, as it survived in the Cypriot rural centres. Geroskipou Folk Art Museum (inv. nos 69, 71, 72).