The history of the costume goes back many centuries. How many modifications have known pieces of canvas, bone, skin! And the functions of clothes changed over time: at first it was protection against adverse weather conditions, then it was an indicator of a person’s position in society … Moreover, they covered nudity in different countries in different ways.
Yes there are countries! Each area has characteristic features in clothes. It depends on various factors: geographical location, neighbors, main business, lifestyle … For example, the Indian sari or Japanese kimono cannot be confused with anything. The loincloths of the Bushmen, Boers, and other African tribes are also peculiar. The clothes of the Indians, and the dirndnles of the Germans, and the klomps of the Netherlands are also interesting. But it’s hard not to recognize Zaporizhzhya Cossacks by their red harem pants and embroidered shirt. Attention should also be paid to accessories that can tell a lot about the owner, for example, the presence of a military color, coral beads, a lot of bracelets or a wig. And in each costume, the history of a country or region is displayed.
The clothing of the Cossacks - Don or Kuban - is also of interest, just as their history, life, and customs are interesting to us. Let's get acquainted with the costume of the Cossacks, which you will see now except in the movies.
Don life
A lot is known about the life of this segment of the population. And everyone knows Sholokhov’s epic “Quiet Don”, which describes the life of these people. The historian and the layman are interested in traditions and customs. All the little things make up the picture of the life of the Cossacks, about which we watch films and read books. The Don Cossacks sacredly believed in the forces of nature, and therefore often performed various rites and conspiracies. Of course, this was mainly done by women. Fortune-telling predetermined fate, and therefore it was useless to resist the decision of a boot, tape, hum, barking, ram. The house of the Cossacks combined everything necessary for life and was guarded, according to legend, by a special force embodied in the image of a brownie. The respect of parents for the Cossacks is sacred. They also honored their military duty. It is no coincidence that the Cossack today is praise, a comparison with a real man, a warrior.
Uniform of Cossacks Don
Things for the Cossacks are not just pieces of matter tailored in a special way. This is an expression of their independence and identity. You can learn about how the Cossacks looked from folklore - songs always accurately reflected life. So, what did the clothes of the Cossacks look like? Before finding their own style, the Cossacks were full of trophy harem pants, jackets, shirts, hats, accessories. But then the features of life began to be reflected more and more on the suit.
Everyone knows the name of the clothes of the Cossacks, or rather, its most colorful element. These are harem pants. They were made from various types of fabric for different ranks and seasons. Blue pants were worn on weekdays. For the campaign to the church or for the holiday, only the scarlet were intended. In general, the color also varied depending on age.
Wide pants were extremely comfortable for participating in hostilities and generally riding a horse. The Cossack girded with a thin slider - an inconspicuous strap, which, among other things, supported the wallet. If the trousers were considered to be both wearable and upper, then the situation was different with the shirt. It was made of light canvas. On the collar at the neck she was decorated with embroidery. A red ribbon encircled the hem. A belt of wool was tied at the waist. The shirt was not tucked in. There were also lower shirts, which, however, were also decorated with embroidery. The clothing of the Don Cossacks would have lost itself without a beshmet. Now this element of clothing would be called a jacket, caftan, tunic … It was put on a shirt and worn both at home and in public. It was distinguished by a variety of shapes (long and short floors) and colors: blue, green, gray, white, black, brown, yellow … Like any other element of clothing, the beshmet was belted. Jewelry hung on a belt, weapons clung. Children managed with a shirt and trousers. When the boy grew up and went to study craft or martial art, his clothes more and more resembled harem pants, a shirt and a beshmet of brothers, father.
What did the Cossacks wear? Cossack clothes and Cossacks
The wife guarded the house. The clothes of the Cossacks were more diverse than the things worn by their husbands and sons. The main thing was a dress - a cup. Both the poor and the rich could afford it, however, the dresses differed in fabric. Under this camisole dress, shirts were worn that looked in front and from under the lush sleeves.
One could also wear a wide skirt - warm or light - with a sweater or shirt under the throat. However, only the eldest daughters who have reached the age of fifteen could afford such a robe. Girls walked in linen long shirts and sundresses. The clothes of the male Cossacks were more severe, the clothes of the Cossacks were full of all kinds of embroideries, stones, fur and lace inserts. For example, a female beshmet almost did not differ from a male one, the only thing was that it was more feminine, more elegant, brighter. The main task of the Cossacks was housework, the maintenance of the household, and raising children according to their conscience. The wife was also supposed to be submissive to her husband in everything, and he, in turn, brought her gifts from distant lands, so the features of the oriental costume are traced in the early dresses.
Marks of Excellence
Cossacks wore stripes. This element of bloomers was regarded as an awareness of their belonging to the free kingdom. Cossacks, as you know, freedom-loving, proud, independent people. And this manifested itself even in clothes. So the stripes were a matter of pride, which, however, they tried to ban and even shot for wearing this insignia. Nevertheless, the Cossacks stood their ground and did not give up.
Life in the Kuban
If the Don Cossacks seemed to us severe, then with the Kuban it is the opposite. Everyone knows the Kuban Cossack Choir. The Kuban Cossacks gravitated mainly to agriculture. He was dear to the hearth, his own home, family. They honored and remembered various events, so photographs in traditional houses are not uncommon. In general, like all Cossacks, the Kuban division of labor was observed between a man and a woman, which was noticeable in a large family. From childhood, boys were taught to love and defend their homeland, and girls - to do homework. Cossacks revered and the day when all work was forbidden - Sunday. Then acquaintances and friends could meet in church and gatherings, discuss the situation in the country, solve problems, and young people had fun dancing, singing, playing games, looking at each other.
Good Cossack!
The clothing of the Kuban Cossacks is similar to the clothing of the Don. However, she more adopted features from the Caucasian outfits, with the carriers of which the Cossacks lived in the neighborhood and most of the time in the world. The Circassian was considered the traditional outerwear - like beshmet. In front, she fastened with hooks, as richly as possible she was decorated with silver. The shirt was the basis of underwear, worn out and refuel. Amazing variety of boots. Traditional clothing was unsuitable on the brutal battlefield, so the Cossacks were given the usual military uniform. At the parades, they were allowed to wear a folk costume.
Hearth Keeper
Kuban Cossack women wore embroidered shirts with a round neckline and mandatory embroidery. The skirts were layered. They were also complemented by an apron. Lacquer boots were the dream of any Cossack woman. After marriage, women necessarily wore a hat, the appearance in public without which was considered a shame.
