1. (Russia, Austria, Finland)
National costumes
(Russia, Austria, Finland)

2. Russian costume (VI-XVII centuries)
A long shirt was the main article of national costume for men and women. It was made of white homespun fabric and expensive colorful one with ornaments for rich people.
A shirt was belt by a cord or leather belt with different brushes at the ends. There were not any pockets, so people suspended different things like knives, purses and combs on these belts. Sleeves, collars and hems were embroidered by the beautiful ornaments.
Later women began to wear sarafans (sundress) with aprons and wreathes.

3. Russian costume
The red colour was the most festive. The women’s sarafans (sundresses) were decorated with gold and silver threads and ornaments. Also national clothes were functionally different: festal, everyday, wedding, funereal, age, family status.

4. Russian costume
Kokoshnik is traditional Russian women and girls headdress. It is patterned to match the style of sarafan. The forehead is sometimes decorated with pearls. The woman or the girl usually wears her hair in a plait.

5. National Russian shoes
Lapti— is national Russian footwear. They were made of bast (a kind of a tree). Lapti were tied round the feet with bast laces.

6. Russian Peasant Costume
-kosovorotka (a blouse with side collar fastening)
-porti (trousers)
-lapti (shoes made of bast)
-zipun (smooth woolen street clothes)

7. Russian costume (XVII-XVIII centuries)
After the reforms of Peter I all the nobles had to wear European dress. The men wore European shirts, wigs, silk stockings and shoes on the heels. Women wore stylish french puffed dresses with corsets and curled hair.

8. Russian costume (XIX century)
In the XIX century “classical” women costume took the place. Short light-colored dresses with puffed sleeves, shoes on the heels and a little hat with ribbons were in fashion. The men wore black whiskers and moustache, english top hat, tail-coat and frock-coat.

9. Merchant and his wife

10. Austrian costume
In Austria people still wear their national costume called Tracht (or Trachten). It was made of leather or loden (special waterproof fabric on wool), flax and cotton. National costumes were blue, green and red.

11. Austrian costume
National costume was decorated with embroidery and ivory buttons. Also national clothes varied according to occasion and region, identifying a persons belonging to a particular social group and legal status (married, single), origin or trade.

12. Austrian costume
Goldhaube is a golden Headdress, beautifully decorated, developed out of women´s linen bonnets. These headdresses were worn by the wives of burghers. They were decorated with black lace, black costume beads, tulle and gauze, and in particular silken and golden threads and sequins. As a symbol of the well-to-do bourgeoisie, it is still worn in Upper (and parts of Lower) Austria on festive occasions.

13. Austrian costume Nowadays. Ethnic.
In Austria people still enjoy wearing 'tracht' on official occasions like weddings, festivals, etc. Contemporary fashion adapts traditional elements. The production of dirndl and lederhosen is a thriving economical branch with Sportalm, Geiger or Tostmann being favorite brands.

14. Ethnic. The national Austrian costume today.
National costume: the main kinds.     
Leibkittel (Traegerrock - sarafan) – a narrow bodice with a skirt.
Ordinary women wore aprons over the skirts.

15. Austrian costume Nowadays
Nowadays ethics is one the most popular fashion tendency.
Collection of modern youth clothes by the Sportalm, which have a base of Austrian national costume.

16. Finnish costume
Finnish folk dress is divided in two groups, namely western and Karelian, or eastern.
The traditional man's costume consists of a shirt, long trousers or knee breeches, waistcoat, jacket or coat, hat or cap, neck scarf, socks and shoes.
The woman's costume consists of a smock, skirt, bodice or kirtle, apron, jacket, headdress, shoes and socks. Typical accessories include jewellery, belts, kerchiefs and loose pockets.

17. Finnish Western costume
A distinctive feature of western Finnish folk costume was a colourful array of stripes. A cloth was considered to be a sign of wealth. All of these fine fabrics are now used in the production of national costumes.
The traditional woman's costume typically features a long laced bodice, a hip length jacket and a broad striped cloth. Women wear a 'tanu' cloth a cap, a 'tykkimyssy' (silk cap), a horn shaped ca. Girls wear a red silk headband.

18. Finnish Karelian costume
The woollen cloth of Karelian women's costumes is white, black, indigo or red. Karelian costume is decorated with colourful embroidery and traditional lacework. Karelian skirts are often tightly pleated all the way round, Karelian aprons are decorated with a variety of horizontal stripes. Married women wear a headscarf, a 'sorokka' headdress or linen cap. Girls wear a shaped panted headband or a band decorated with metal studs.

19. Nowadays
Folowing the folk tradition, national costume is principally worn as festive attire. It is suitable for any special occasion, and can be worn as wedding attire, at balls, or as a stage costume. Parts of national costumes, however, can be combined with modern clothes.

20. Furs

21. National costume as a stage costume.

22. Summary up
National costumes preserve a valuable part of folk heritage. They also add a distinctly element to our modern dress culture.