Costume

Inv. no. 208: Traditional men's costume. It consists of a shirt worn under a vest, a vraka (breeches), a zostra (sash) worn around the waist, a headscarf and a pair of black podines (boots). The striped silk shirt is buttoned, with collar and cuffs. The breeches are black with many pleats and the zostra is black with red stripes and fringes at the ends. A black scarf is tied around the head. The knee-high podines are made of leather. Podines worn by villagers at work were hob-nailed, without distinction of left and right foot, in contrast to the more elegant frangopodines, which were common in the cities. The most prominent element of this costume is the richly decorated vest: it is made of black felt and closes crosswise at the front. The decoration here is made with black cords. A vase-shaped pocket of red fabric decorated with cord is sewn onto the right side and, further up the chest, there is a colourful, stylised floral pattern. Mat patterns made of cord run along the edges of the vest and along the central opening, extending vertically from the waist to the upper back. The top of the opening is decorated with an embroidered lozenge and leaves. The opening closes with a yellow lace that passes crosswise through corresponding holes, allowing for a better fit on the body. This type of vest, sometimes with more elaborate decoration of floral motifs and even birds and lions, was admired by travellers during the first years of British rule, and was also worn in the first decades of the 20th century. Many examples are preserved in museums and private collections and some have an embroidered date on their characteristic pocket.