GREECEGREECE

TRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMESTRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMESPELOPONNESEPELOPONNESE

TRADITIONAL COSTUMESTRADITIONAL COSTUMES Queen Amalia - King Otto Queen Amalia - King Otto

(19(19thth c.) c.)

Amalia’s costumeAmalia’s costumeThis ladies’ famous costume was introduced by Queen Amalia in the 19th c. It used to be her daily garment and she imposed it on the ladies

of the Royal Court. The costume was then spread to all the urban

centers of Greece as a costume for the festivities.

This ladies’ costume consists of a gossamer silk shirt

with fine gold embroidery, a precious pleated silk

dress with wide sleeves in a variety of colors, and a velvet short jacket, all trimmed with gold braid and embroidery. The

costume is completed with a red fez, and silk tassel. The neck and chest are decorated with rows of pearls and a precious

brooch.

MEN’S COSTUMEMEN’S COSTUMEEVZONE: EVZONE: guardian of the rdian of the Palace, Palace,

now guardian of the now guardian of the Parliament.Parliament. This men’s costume consists of a white shirt with very broad sleeves, white elastic trousers, knee bands and a kind of a very flared skirt (fοustanella) with 400 pleats. The length of the skirt is 50 cm. 

EVZONEEVZONE Yesterday and TodayYesterday and Today

PAIR OF PAIR OF

ARCADIANSARCADIANSHusband with his Husband with his

WifeWife

15th century.15th century.

Traditional costumes of Traditional costumes of ServoServo,, Arcadia Arcadia

TSAKONIA (eastern Arcadia)TSAKONIA (eastern Arcadia)MELANA - TYROSMELANA - TYROS

This women’s costume is worn on This women’s costume is worn on the east coast of Arcadia, the east coast of Arcadia,

Tsakonia, one of the most historic Tsakonia, one of the most historic places in the Peloponnese. The places in the Peloponnese. The place has been inhabited since place has been inhabited since

prehistoric times. The Tsakonian prehistoric times. The Tsakonian dialect (still alive) is the closest dialect (still alive) is the closest

language to the ancient Greek one. language to the ancient Greek one. The dance of this region, the The dance of this region, the

Tsakonikos Dance, is one of the Tsakonikos Dance, is one of the oldest and similar to the ancient oldest and similar to the ancient

Greek dances.Greek dances.

TSAKONIKOS DANCE (5/4)TSAKONIKOS DANCE (5/4) (Mother, I told you not to get me (Mother, I told you not to get me

married to an old man…)married to an old man…)

DOLIANA-ARCADIADOLIANA-ARCADIA Men’s costumeMen’s costume

The man wears a black The man wears a black headscarf tied at the back headscarf tied at the back of the head.of the head. The dress is The dress is woven on the loom in grey woven on the loom in grey

with black stripes.with black stripes. Underneath, he wears Underneath, he wears

trousers with knee bands trousers with knee bands ((ggοοnataresnatares) and the special ) and the special

kind of shoes that are kind of shoes that are called called tsarouhia.tsarouhia.

NESTANI-ARCADIANESTANI-ARCADIA

People who participate in the event are dressed in traditional costumes and they hold tsipianitiki

(shepherd’s) crook which is adorned on the top with flowers, lilacs, and other plants of the Greek earth,

such as wild celery (agrioselino).

TEGEA-TRIPOLITEGEA-TRIPOLIThe dress of the

costume is black and woven with embroidered shirt sleeves. Inside the dress the woman wears a white shirt with fine

lace. On the head there is a white silk

headscarf. At the edge of the skirt the red felt gives a special finishing and a silk

apron tightens the black dress.

Traditional folk costumesTraditional folk costumes (of every day life) (of every day life)

THE LOOMTHE LOOM

The history of the loomThe history of the loomThe loom is a machine which was used for weaving clothes in older

times. It was widely used in the pre-industrial era and later, mainly in rural areas, played a major role in the domestic

economy, since it has been the primary means of weaving and textiles. After the industrial revolution, the old classic,

wooden, and moved by muscle power loom, was replaced by a mechanical one. Today it has almost disappeared, as the

weaving process has been automated and the loom has been replaced by the industrial textile machine.

KALAMATA KALAMATA (south-west Peloponnese)(south-west Peloponnese)

The women’s costume of Kalamata is one of the most elegant and exquisite costumes of all over Greece. The dominant colors of

those costumes are white, yellow and

black, combined with gold embroidery and

gold jewelry.

.

MANI (southern Peloponnese)MANI (southern Peloponnese)Women’s costume Women’s costume forfor the upper class the upper class

MANI-MANI-Ceremonial costumeCeremonial costumeThe ceremonial women’s costume consists of: • A long white shirt with embroidered bodice and sleeves. • A sleeveless dress of dark-colored woolen cloth with deep cut of the bodice and a skirt that falls in folds, the outer part of which is decorated with a very wide cotton band of red color, while the inner part, namely the hem, is decorated with a narrow red band. • Around the waist: a striped belt. • For the head: Two headscarves-one of blue color and a silk one that is called bolia.

MManianiMen’sMen’s costume costume

The Maniatis-the man of Mani-looks like a pirate. On his head

he wears a black strapped headscarf. He wears a shirt

with colored embroidery on the sleeves and over it a short red or black vest. He also wears dark blue breeches with black trousers and tsarouhia without tassel. This attire was used in

pirate raids.

ARGOLIDA (eastern Peloponnese)ARGOLIDA (eastern Peloponnese)Women’s costumeWomen’s costume

The women wear white headscarves tied

behind the head. The dresses are pale yellow

with lace on the bodice, on the edge of the sleeves and on the hem. Over the dress there are a black vest and a yellowish oval

shaped apron with lace on the edges.

CORINTHCORINTH (north-east Peloponnese) (north-east Peloponnese) Bridal gownBridal gown

The bridal costume consists of: • A white cotton shirt with embroidered sleeves and hem. • A short fitted front with embroidered sleeves, too.• A neckline with gold embroidery. • A white apron embroidered with multicolored geometrical patterns. • A red belt. • An open outer short garment made of thick weft-knitted cloth, decorated with multicolored cording. • For the head: a headscarf (bolia), embroidered with multicolored geometrical patterns.

CORINTH CORINTH The villager’s costume (horikos)The villager’s costume (horikos)

This long shirt is the every-day-life

costume of the old Arvanites.It is the ancestor of the

special men’s skirt (foustanella).

Underneath he wears trousers, gonatares under the knees and

tsarouhia.

 

Finishing touchFinishing touchThe differences between the similar kinds of the traditional costumes

demonstrate the origin of a genus or the social status or the economical power of the

family or even the personal story of a woman (mourning).

That's why the diversity of our traditional costumes marks the unique path

of culture in the Greek history.