Chemise

ΜΓ 420

Long, cream silk chemise with long and wide sleeves.

It consists of a single fabric panel, 44-45 cm wide, which extends to the front and back. On the left side, a trapezoid piece of fabric (height: 83 cm, width: 11.5 cm in the upper part, 29 cm in the lower part) reaches from the armpit to the hem. A slender gore has been added next to it, at the lower back of the chemise (height: 50 cm, maximum width at the hem: 7 cm). On the right side, another trapezoid piece (height: 83 cm, width: 9 cm in the upper part and 28 cm in the lower part), also placed under the armpit, is again accompanied by a small gore, at the lower front of the chemise (height: 27 cm, maximum width at the hem: 7 cm).

On the front side, a 20 cm vertical opening at the breast has a placket finish of lengthwise added bands on either side, and closes with four buttons. The placket on the right side, which features the buttonholes, is bordered by handmade dark-beige lace of opposite-facing fan motifs, 1.3 cm wide. The lace also trims the circular neckline, over a low machine-sewn fabric band, 1 cm high. The simple hem of the chemise measures 1-1.5 cm.

The sleeves are affixed to the body with a curved joint. They consist of a single fabric piece with an inseam and have a simple hem.

The chemise is entirely machine-sewn. It is part of a woman’s attire, typical of the Karpasia region, which also includes the following garments: sayia ΜΓ 419, vradjin (pantaloon) ΜΓ 421, scarf ΜΓ 422 and kouroukla (headdress) with sequins ΜΓ 423. These were made on the loom in 1984 by Martha Hadjiloizi, originating  from Yialousa, and are replicas of old garments from Karpasia.

Height: 114 cm.

Width: 45 cm on the shoulders, 83 cm at the base.

Sleeve length: 46 cm.

Sleeve width: 20.5 cm in the upper part, 16.5 cm in the lower part.

Date of entry to the Collection: 7.2.1985

Provenance: Yialousa – Purchase.

ΜΓ 314

Long-sleeved chemise of thick, loom-woven off-white cotton fabric.

The garment flares downwards (évasé line). Its front and back sides consist of a single central fabric panel, 45 cm wide. On the left and right, an added gore widens from the armpit downwards (width: 3-4 cm in the upper part and 37-38 cm in the lower part). On the right side, the gore consists of two equally sized smaller ones. The chemise ends in a bulky, low hem at the bottom.

A low upright collar of a separate double fabric band, 2.5 cm high, crowns the round neckline. It is hand-sewn across the edges whereas a sparse basting stitch extends across its middle. The collar closes with a button. The vertical opening on the breast carries on until almost halfway down, at a height of 31 cm. Both sides of the opening have a reinforced placket finish of fabric bands 2.5 cm wide. On the left there are three ready-made white buttons, paired to handmade buttonholes on the right. Beneath the opening, the fabric is gathered by a curved stitch, forming open pleats. 

The long sleeves consist of a single fabric piece with an inseam. They terminate at cuffs of double fabric, 8 cm in height, that close with two ready-made white buttons like those on the vertical opening of the chemise. Over the cuff, the sleeve fabric gathers in pleats.

The chemise is entirely hand-sewn.

Height of the chemise: 82 cm on the front side and 84 cm on the back side.

Width: 46 cm on the shoulders, 82 cm at the base.

Sleeve length: 50 cm.

Sleeve width: 20 cm in the upper part, 10 cm at the cuffs.

Date of entry to the Collection: 13.9.1980

Provenance: Polemi, Pafos – Purchased from Ioannis Theodotou.

ΜΓ 311

A woman’s long, sleeved chemise, made of thick, loom-woven off-white cotton. It is similar to chemise ΜΓ 313.

The central part of the garment front and back, consists of a single fabric panel, 44-45 cm wide. A large trapezoid gore, 7.5 cm wide in the upper part and 22 cm in the lower, extends under the right sleeve. It is framed by two triangular gores, one at the front of the chemise, 52 cm high and 16 cm wide, and one at the back, 52 cm high and 115 cm wide. Another large, trapezoid gore, 9 cm wide in the upper part and 43 cm wide in the lower part, has been added under the left sleeve. This is again framed by two equally sized, small triangular gores, 24-25 cm high and 3-4 cm wide. Across the handmade joints, the different garment segments end in bulky hems. Τhe chemise is gathered all around the bottom, ending in a spiral finish of dense stitches.

A low band collar, 2 cm high, is lined internally and externally with cotton fabric featuring dark beige stripes: two narrower stripes flanking a wider one. At the neck base there is a loop which must have been used to fasten the opening with a missing button or hook. The opening continues to the breast, at a height of 12 cm from the neck base down. Across the opening, the gathered fabric has a spiral finish of dense stitches.

The long sleeves consist of a single piece of fabric with an inseam. They are sewn vertically to the body, hemmed at the joint (width: 0.5 cm). Their bottom part is densely gathered and narrow, with a spiral finish similar to that on the rest of the garment’s openings.

Height of chemise: 107.5 cm.

Width: 46 cm on the shoulders, …. (at the base).

Sleeve length: 44 cm.

Sleeve width: 22-23 cm in the upper part, 8 cm at the ruched opening.

Date of entry to the Collection: 13.9.1980

Provenance: Polemi, Pafos – Purchased from Ioannis Theodosiou.

ΜΓ 124

A woman’s long, cream silk (loom-woven koukkoullariko) chemise with short sleeves.

It consists of two half pieces, 40 cm wide, reaching from the front to the back and joined vertically across the middle of both sides. Each piece extends to a short sleeve with a hemless edge. The sleeve inseam carries on under the armpit and extends downwards to the simple hem of the chemise. In the upper part, the round neckline features a low band collar, 1.5 cm high, of double fabric. The opening of the collar, at the centre front, closes with a ready-made mother-of-pearl button, paired to a handmade buttonhole. The opening continues vertically at a height of 32 cm, at the extension of the vertical seam joining the two fabric panels on the front of the chemise. On either side of the vertical opening, the fabric is folded over, forming a more solid placket finish. On the back of the chemise, a pleat at the base of the collar crowns the central vertical seam.

The garment is exclusively machine-made.

Height: 93 cm.

Width: 78 cm at the base.

Sleeve length: 14 cm (from the armpit).

Sleeve width: 18 cm.

Date of entry to the Collection: 1978

Provenance: Yeroskipou, Pafos – Purchase.

Man’s chemise (gömlek) made of plain cotton off-white cloth with long sleeves. The whole front part is one piece 67cm wide, with a vertical opening, 39cm long, fastened with five white buttons – one of them bigger than the others and of a different design. The opening is reinforced with extra pieces, sewn lengthwise, and with a small rectangular piece (5x3cm) at its lower end. Around the neck the cloth is folded over 2cm and stitched to form a small collar. On the shoulders and at the back below the collar is an extra piece of cloth, 11.5cm broad. The back is made of one piece, 70cm wide, and its total length is 83cm. The sleeves, made of one piece each, folded and stitched lengthwise under the arms, are sewn vertically to the body and shoulder parts; they are 21cm wide on the upper part, tapering to 15cm with a simple seam at the lower end. Both sides of the chemise have an opening 7cm long. The chemise is machine-stitched and has been repaired with several patches.

The chemise is made of striped white cotton fabric. The back and front are made from a single piece of material, with no stitching at the shoulders. There is a vertical opening at the breast and around the neck, and the sleeves are made of delicate white material and sewn vertically to the body.

The chemise is part of the every day costume worn in Karpasia.

According to G.S. Frangoudis, this consisted of ‘‘a full-length chemise, pantaloons that flare at the bottom, a kerchief on the head, and pumps on the bare feet. This is everday dress worn by women of Karpasia and other parts’’. Φραγκούδης, Γ.Σ., Ο ριζοσπάστης, Εν Αθήναι, 1901, σελ. 37

Man’s chemise (poukamiso, turk. gömlek) made of silk-cotton crepe textile, white with light brown stripes, woven on the loom with wefts of different tensions, thus creating puckered stripes along the warp (taiston). The front is made of a piece 80cm long and 72cm wide, with the stripes set vertically. On the chest is an additional rectangular piece (46x20cm) with a vertical opening 39cm long, fastened by five buttons (one of them on the col­lar). Here the stripes are arranged horizontally and the cloth is gathered together with stitching forming a honeycomb pattern within a frame. The strip of cloth that borders the lower part of this piece has decorative zigzag stitches. An additional piece stitched to the lower edge makes the front part 17cm longer. On the shoulders is another piece of cloth, 13.5cm wide and 56cm long from arm to arm, with the stripes set horizontally. The back is one piece with the stripes arranged vertically, and is stitched to the shoulder piece and to the sides of the front piece under the arms. The back is also elon­gated with an extra piece of the same cloth, 8cm long, attached to the lower end. The edges are treated with machine stitching. Around the neck is formed an upright collar 3.5cm wide. The long sleeves (57cm) are sewn vertically to the body and to the shoulder piece. Starting with a width of 25cm at the shoulder, the sleeves narrow downwards to 13.5cm and end in cuffs 6cm wide, fastened by one white button. The stripes of the cuffs are horizontal. The chemise is of fine manufacture and well preserved. 

Man’s chemise (poukamiso, turk. gömlek) made of striped cotton cloth (alatzia, turk. alaca), with blue and red stripes on off-white background. The front part consists of two pieces of about 18cm width each. The length in front is 60cm. The piece of cloth forming the front continues as a single piece at the back for 39cm, then it is stitched to another piece 15cm wide. At the neck there is a two-piece collar. The front has a vertical opening fastened by five buttons of white and blue colour. Along the opening on either side there is an extra piece of cloth, each 7cm wide, the stripes of which are set obliquely. These extra pieces make the total width of the front 50cm (18x2+7x2cm). Additional square pieces, made of two triangular pieces of the same cloth stitched together diagonally (19cm), are inset at each underarm to give ease of movement. At the lower edge there is a slit on each side, 5cm long. The chemise is lined with white cotton fabric. On the right side it has a pocket (26cm high, 17cm wide) made of an extra piece of alaca with the stripes set horizontally. The opening of the pocket is 13.5cm wide. The long sleeves, which are sewn vertically to the body, end in cuffs, 7cm deep, fastened by one button.The cuffs are of the same alaca but with the stripes set obliquely. At the joint with the cuffs, the width of the sleeves is 12.5cm. At the opening of the sleeves, an oblique stripe is attached, 2cm wide. The seams of the chemise are made with the sewing machine. There is a hole at the lower part of the pocket and the lining near the edge of the back has been repaired with an additional piece of fabric. A rather similar striped silk and cotton chemise was brought to Athens for the Cy­priot Exhibition in 1901, as part of a traditional Turkish Cypriot costume, which also in­cluded the same richly adorned waistcoat (yeleko, turk. yelek) and pleated breeches (vraka, turk. dizlik) both made of blue broad ­cloth (turk. cuha salvar).