ROMANIAN TRADIONAL COSTUMES

ETHNOGRAHIC AREAS IN ROMANIA

TRANSYLVANIA

Description The structure of Romanian traditional clothing has remained unchanged throughout history and can be traced back to the earliest times. The basic garment for both men and women is a shirt or chemise, which is made from hemp, linen or woollen fabric. This was tied round the waist using a fabric belt, narrow for women and wider for men. The cut of this basic chemise is similar for men and women. In the past those worn by women usually reached to the ankles while men's shirts were shorter and worn over trousers or leggings made from strips of fabric. Women always wear an apron over the chemise. This was initially a single piece of cloth wrapped round the lower part of their bodies and secured by a belt at the waist, as is still seen in the east and south east of Romania. In Transylvania and the south west of Romania this became two separate aprons, one worn at the back and one at the front.

ALBA

ZONA HARTIBACIU

ZONA FAGARASULUI

TARA LOVISTEI

SIBIU

WOMEN COSTUME SIBIU Gathered neck linen blouse (cămaşă încreţită), with gathered cuffs with small frill. It is decorated with blocks of black geometric embroidered motifs on the front, and sleeves. The neck has an edging with a narrow row of black embroidery and a row of black crochet lace is attached to the cuff frills. Black front and back aprons (catrinţe) made of a single width of black felted material. They have two rows of embroidery in black silk on the lower part, and an edging in black openwork with a row of crochet black lace on the sides and the front apron has a fringe made of black silk thread on the hem. White linen underskirt (poale) Narrow fabric belt (brâu) woven with strips of red and yellow. Black velvet waistcoat (ilic)

Women’s costume FAGARAS Blouse (ie) made of white cotton, decorated with black embroidery called Punctul 'Ciocănele' which gives the appearance of vertical bands of black braid on the sleeves and front of the blouse. Black front and back aprons (catrinţe) made of a single width of black felted material. They have two rows of embroidery in black silk on the lower part, and an edging in black openwork with a row of crochet black lace on the sides and the front aporn has a fringe made of black silk thread on the hem. Pleated white cotton underskirt (poale) Narrow fabric belt (brâu) made of ribbon in the colours of the Romanian flag Black velvet waistcoat (ilic)

Women’s costume BISTRITA White linen blouse with narrow yoke (cămaşă cu platcă) decorated with rows of floral embroidery round the neck and sleeve ends, which are also edged with a row of white crochet lace. White linen underskirt (poale) with drawstring at waist. Front and back aprons (catrinţe) made of a single width of woven felted wool. The front apron is mauroon with two black woven horizontal stripes decorated with multicoloured floral embroidery, and a row of black crochet lace on the hem. The back apron has horizontal woven stripes in red, brown and black with matching black woven horizontal stripes decorated with multicoloured floral embroidery, and a row of black crochet lace on the hem. Sleeveless sheepskin waistcoat (pieptar) covered with brown velvet and edged with black fur, and decorated with brown and orange floral embroidery. Narrow woven fabric belt (brâu) woven in pink, yellow and brown stripes.

Description men’s costumes Sibiu Maramures Black felt shepherd's hat (pălărie din fetru) with a very narrow brim. Black fabric waistcoat (laibăr) Gusseted shirt - Cămaşă cu barburi Narrow leather belt Tight summer trousers (izmene) made of cotton or linen fabric Hip length padded fabric jacket made of beige woollen material, lined with cloth and decorated with embroidery in beige wool and leather appliqué. Wide linen trousers called gaci, worn in spring and summer. Straw hat - trilby style Peasant sandals (opinci) worn with footwraps (obiele).

MOLDOVIA

BACAU

BOTOSANI

CIUC

IASI

ROMAN

VRANCEA

CAMPULUNG DORNA

GURA HUMORULUI

SUCEAVA

Women’s costumes V VRANCEA Shirt with gathered neck (cămaşă încreţită), made of white linen, with yellow woven stripes. It is gathered round the neck and decorated with large black embroidered motifs. Black wrap round skirt (fotă) usually called catrinţa vărgată in Vrancea, decorated with vertical woven strips in blue, green and silver thread. Black velvet waistcoat (Ilic) decorated with motifs and embroidered in gold and silver thread. The lower edge has a small fringe also made of gold and silver thread. Narrow fabric belt (brâu) with woven stripes.

Women’s costume SUCEAVA Older style shirt (cămaşă încreţită) with neck gathered using a cord (brezărău). It is decorated by a rectangular strip embroidered in black across the top of the shoulder (altiţă), with a narrow yellow strip below this (încreţ), and diagonal stripes (râuri) of black geometric motifs on the sleeves. The front and back are decorated with isolated geometric embroidered motifs arranged in vertical rows. Wrap round skirt (fota) made of a single width of black woven woollen material with woven decoration in vertical stripes in gold and green thread, and a red border on top and base which strengthens the fabric. Sheepskin waistcoat (pietar) from Teşna, near Vatra Dornei, decorated with dense floral embroidery and edged with black fur. Modern fabric belt (bete) with black and white woven stripes.

Women’s costume B BACAU Older style shirt (cămaşă încreţită) with neck gathered using a cord (brezărău). It is decorated by a rectangular strip embroidered in black, with diagonal white strips and interspersed with floral motifs across the top of the shoulder (altiţă), with a narrow horizontal strip below this (încreţ), and diagonal stripes (râuri) in white on a black background on the lower sleeves. The front and back are decorated with vertical rows of black floral embroidered motifs. Wrap round skirt (fota) made of a single width of black woven woollen material with a panel of narrow woven vertical stripes in pink, blue and green on the front. Very narrow fabric belt (brâu) woven in diamond patterns in maroon, yellow, white and green thread

Men’s costume White linen straight shirt (cămaşă dreaptă), with collar. Hip length sheepskin jacket (bondiţa), edged with black wool and decorated with bands of blue , purple and green floral embroidery along edges and around armholes. Wide fabric belt (brâu) woven with red, yellow and black strips Sheepskin jackets Men's shirts Belts BUCOVINA White linen straight shirt (cămaşă dreaptă), with rows of black geometric embroidery on shoulders. Hip length sheepskin jacket (bondiţa), edged with black wool and decorated with bands of multicoloured floral embroidery around armholes, neck and across lower back. Wide fabric belt (brâu) woven with brightly coloured floral motifs.Moldavia-Bistrita

WEST REGION

OAS

ARAD

Maramures Chemise with yoke (cămaşă cu platcă) and square neck. Sleeves are gathered at the shoulders and wrists, with frilled cuffs and frills on yoke and shoulders. They are decorated with white embroidery and open work, with a narrow row of black, and blue embroidery on the cuff gathers. Sheepskin pieptar edged with appliqué leather decoration and decorated with embroidery in red, blue, yellow and green wool and inset with small pieces of mirrors and studs. Striped aprons (zadii) made of a single width of woven wool with horizontal red, blue, green and black stripes. A beaded necklace (zgardane) made of several rows of small multicoloured beads threaded onto strings.

Men’s costume OAS Straw hat (pălărie de paie) with narrow brim, decorated with coloured beads and a single feather. Short waist length linen shirt (Cămaşe scurtă) decorated with black, blue and maroon woollen embroidery on shoulders, cuffs and and hem. The neck is tied with a black woollen cord with tassels. Traditional wide trousers (gaci), each leg being made of at least 2 widths of linen cloth, and decorated with rows of black braid on bottom of legs. Shoulder bag decorated with coloured woollen embroidery and tassles. Heavy black leather boots (bocanci)

South of ROMANIA (OLTENIA, MUNTENIA)

GORJ

HOREZU (TRANZITIA DIN TRANSILVANIA SPRE OLTENIA)

MOTIVE SI CERAMICA DE HOREZU

MEHEDINTI

OLT (COSTUM DE IARNA)

VALCEA

Women’s costume GORJ Blouse (ie) with gathered neck (cămaşă încreţită), with sleeves gathered at wrists. It has a rectangular strip of embroiderd motifs embroidered in yellow, and purple across the top of the shoulder (altiţă), with vertical stripes (râuri) of embroidered motifs on the front back and sleeves. The edge of the neck is decoratedwith a narrow row of purple embroidery. Narrow front and back apron (catrinţe) made of woven silk, with horizontal woven stripes in maroon and black, with interspersed narrow white stripes and geometric decoration on the black strips, and a band of floral embroidery in pink, pale bleu and green on the lower part. The aprons are edged with a black crochet lace in scallop patterns. Narrow fabric belt (brâu) with woven strips in black, red and white

Women’s costume OLT Gathered neck linen chemise (cămaşă încreţită) with sleeves open at wrists. It is decorated with vertical stripes (râuri) of embroidered motifs in red, blue and yellow on the front, back and sleeves. A row of white crochet lace is attached to the open sleeve ends. The underskirt (poale) has a row of floral embroidery above the hem which is edged with white crochet lace. Narrow woven woollen front and back apron (catrinţe) with horizontal woven stripes in red, and black on the upper two thirds and an area of stripes alternating with woven motifs in white and red on the lower third which is called a “prag”. Narrow fabric belt (brâu)

Women’s costume VALCEA Blouse (ie) made of white cotton, decorated with black embroidery called Punctul 'Ciocănele' which gives the appearance of vertical bands of black braid on the sleeves and front of the blouse. This blouse is the same style as is worn across the Carpathians in Sibiu. (See here) Black front and back aprons (catrinţe) made of a single width of black fabric and decorated with rows of woven gold coloured stripes, interleaved with geometric motifs, and edged with with crochet black lace on the sides. The front apron has a fringe made of black silk thread on the hem. Pleated white cotton underskirt (poale) Narrow fabric belt (brâu) with black and white woven stripes

Women’s costume Arges This costume was worn by a bride around 1910. Blouse (ie) with gathered neck (cămaşă încreţită) made of woven silk, decorated with wide bands of embroidery with green leaf shaped motifs embroidered on a black background on the front, back and sleeves. Underskirt (poale) made of cotton fabricand edged with a row of co-ordinating embroidery on hem. Wrap round skirt (fota) made of a single width of black woven woollen material, with a wide woven panel on the front decorated with green and brown leaf shaped motifs to match the blouse, and edged with a row of diagonal gold stripes. A wide horizontal border of similar motifs continues round the back, edged with a second row of diagonal gold strips and a narrow row of green and brown leaf shaped motifs above this. Matching narrow belt (brâu) made of same fabric as fota, and decorated with co-ordinating embroidered motifs.

Women’s costume Teleorman Chemise with narrow yoke (cămaşă cu platcă) decorated with white embroidery. Hip length waistcoat (laibăr) made of black felted woollen fabric (postav) and decorated with green and brown braid. Gathered black linen apron (şort) decorated with a brightly coloured floral pattern on the lower third, and a narrow geometric border on the hem, and edged with a narrow multicoloured frill.

Men’s costume WALLACHIA White linen straight shirt (cămaşă dreaptă), with cuffs. Hip length waistcoat (laibăr) made of heavy brown felted woollen fabric (postav) and edged with coloured embroidery in red, green and blue silk thread. Wide woven fabric belt (brâu)

BANAT

BANAT

GOLDEN EMBROIDERY

TIMIS

Women’s costume BANAT Gathered neck linen chemise (cămaşă încreţită). The underskirt (poale) has a row of co-ordinating embroidery above the hem, and vertical rows of embroidery on the sides. Front and back aprons (catrinţe) made of a single width of blue woven material with woven strips in gold, silver, pink and blue thread, edged with a narrow row of black lace on the sides and hem. Narrow woven fabric belt (brâu) woven in pink and brown in diamond patterns.

Women’s costume Timisoara Gathered neck silk chemise (cămaşă încreţită) richly decorated with sequins. (Note this is most likely from Oltenia) The underskirt (poale) has a row of coloured embroidery in diamond shaped motifs above the hem, and vertical rows of the same motifs on the sides. Front apron (catrinţă) made of a single width of fabric woven with gold and silver thread making diamond shaped patterns (alesătură) . It is edged with a row of gold coloured tinsel (beteală) interspersed with gold coloured sequins (fluturi), The fringed apron worn on the back is called an Opreg cu Ciucuri. It is made of a narrow piece of woven fabric which matches the front apron, to which a row of long silk thread fringes in pink and yellow thread are attached. Narrow woven fabric belt (brâu) woven in black, silver, white and yellow thread.

DANUBE

Dobrogea Women Wear 2 Very Colorful, Non-Matching Aprons The main parts of men's and women's clothing /national costumes are shirts and underpants for men and shirts /skirts and aprons for women. Clothes were formed by assembling and crimping flat half cloth, using the shape of a body, and then forming rich folds, pleats and hem. Borders and prominent places on the clothes were decorated using various techniques of white and coloured embroidery, while the clothes worn on formal occasions were ornamented with gold embroidery. In winter time, the cotton clothes were complemented with wool clothing, both homemade crafted, as well as with fur and leather crafted garments

IALOMITA

BRAILA

DOBROGEA

DOBROGEA (OSTROV)

TULCEA

COVURLUI

TATAR TURC DIN DOBROGEA NOGAI