dress

ΜΓ 404  Long, long-sleeved foustanin that reaches almost to the mid-calf, made of thick cotton alatzia with fine stripes alternating between red and green against a beige background. According to the Registry of the Yeroskipou Museum, the alatzia was woven in Farmakas by Vaseilou Ioannou, between 1928 and 1930.   The foustanin consists of a bodice and a wide skirt that gathers densely around the waist. The joint is covered by an added waistband, sewn to the body. The upper front part of the dress consists of two panels with seams on the shoulders (height: 29.5 cm, maximum width: 30 cm), that extend sideways underarms. The rest of the back is covered by a single trapezoid gore, 36.5 wide on the shoulders and 24 cm wide at the waist, above the waistband. The circular neckline of the dress fastens at the base of the neck with a spring and extends down to a vertical opening, 21 cm in height, which fastens with another two springs.   The added waistband, 3 cm in height, is created with the same fabric, its stripes in horizonal arrangement. Its right end extends to a length of 10 cm beyond the central vertical opening and fastens with a hook on the left side. On the same side, beneath the waistband, the skirt features a vertical, 11 cm-tall opening.   The sleeves consist of a single fabric piece with an inseam. They are sewn to the body along a curved line and taper towards the edges, where they end in a broad hem. The entire bodice, including the sleeves, are lined with beige fabric.   The skirt comprises five joined vertical panels. Two panels are 38 cm wide, while the rest of them are 33.5 cm, 39 cm and 38.5 cm wide. The skirt ends in a 2 cm-tall hem. Two parallel horizontal bands of red woven textile, 1 cm in height and 1 cm apart, made through a combination of red and white yarn, are sewn-on at 10.5 cm over the hem. At 3.5 cm from the upper red band, the fabric of the skirt is folded over inwards, creating a horizontal 1.5 cm-tall tuck all around, unstitched at the bottom end.   Fine stripes of the same red fabric run around the waistband, whereas a band of the same fabric reinforces the neckline externally and continues vertically to the right side of the vertical opening on the breast. The opening is flanked by another two vertical bands, 1-1.5 cm wide, of a different bias-cut fabric, with dark-coloured and deep red stripes. At the edge of each sleeve, a cuff is crafted with a sewn-on band of the same fabric.   All seams are machine stitched, using mostly black thread. The bands of red woven textile on the neckline, the vertical breast opening and the skirt are secured with stitching using white thread.   The foustanin stands out for its meticulous making. The decoration featuring textiles in vibrant red is paired with the red stripe on the alatzia.   Height: 113 (bodice up to the waistband: 33 cm, skirt: 80 cm).  Width: 36.5 cm on the shoulders, 93 cm around the hemline. Length of sleeves: 51 cm. Width of sleeves: 18 cm in the upper part, 11.5 cm in the lower part. Date of entry to the Collection: 13.6.1984 Provenance: Farmakas, Nicosia – Purchased from Vaseilou Ioannou.