Vest (yelekkin)

Double-breasted vest that closes with buttons on both sides. The front consists of two pieces of blue felt, and the back of one piece of red felt. The wide neck opening is outlined with sewn-on embroidery of black braid forming a spiral motif. Black braids emphasise the bottom edges of the vest’s front, as well as the buttonholes. There are seven buttonholes. The buttons, of which three are preserved on each side, are covered with black silk thread. They are arranged diagonally and affixed with cord. There is an internal pocket on the right side of the chest. The pocket’s opening has been closed with stitches applied subsequently to the manufacture of the vest. On the left there is a vase-shaped pocket decorated all around with thin cord. A similar cord runs along the opening of the other pocket and accentuates all the seams of the vest. On the back there is a central vertical opening with 22 pairs of eyelets, through which crosses a multicolour cord, in order to adjust the opening for a better fit. Both the top and the base of the vertical opening feature sewn-on spiral patterns made of a thin cord in blue, red and yellow colours. The decorative pattern at the lower part of the vest consists of three spirals, while at the top of the opening there is a more complex triangular design with compact curvilinear motifs. Both patterns end with two tiny spirals one on top of the other. The vest is lined with off-white cotton fabric, and the neck opening is reinforced with a ready-made striped band.   Dimensions: height 46 cm., width 43 cm.