Casual costume for young women - brides and maidens, used until the middle of the twentieth century.
The costume is shown in October in the calendar for 2022, 14 sheets, wall, with folk costumes "А Pirin Girl from the Razlog region".
You can view the calendar here.
Mariya Kotsakova from Razlog put on the costume. The costume is from the fund of the Historical Museum - Razlog. We truly thank the Municipality of Razlog for the support in publishing this calendar!
It consists of a white shirt with “zapeski” tulips, a red embroidered bosom and a large hand-knitted lace. There is a smaller one at the skirts of the shirt. The rich axillary decoration in red - to protect against "bad eyes", are worn only by young brides and women who are expected to give birth. It is no coincidence that one of the worst insults for a woman is to be called a "yalovitsa".
There are customs and rituals that have been observed to ensure successful future motherhood. Childless women have undergone many predictions, difficult healing practices and magical actions to have a child, because its most important task is to continue the birth.
The shirt is worn with a dark "koshorest" sleeveless foustan made of homemade woolen fabric. The upper part is on the body, and the deep axillary incision is fastened with buttons, so it is also called the “kopchaliya”. A split skirt on “grechki” (wide “plohi”) is sewn on the waist. It is belted with “futa”, woven in vertical stripes in red, blue and yellow on a black base, with thin colored lines on the sides. The belt is long, wrapped several times around the waist, woven on a loom without a hill, with geometric ornaments. The legs are shoes with black one-color socks and moccasins. The head is covered with two thin headscarves. The lower is white, and the upper is colored - green, scarlet, purple, etc. When they work, they take off their top headscarves and stay with the white one, which protects them from the hot summer sun. After finishing and homecoming, they put the colored “shamiya” again and put a flower on the way home. The head of the married woman must be covered, and the girl also covers her hair at work, because only the dragon brides and the fairies are uncovered.
They have “mingushi” on their ears - silver earrings on a ring, which together with the ring and beaded jewelry is the allowed holiday decoration for unmarried women. This “koshorest foustan” replaced the white aba at the end of the 19th century and was worn with the factory "geziya" until the 1930s, but mainly as work clothes or by poorer girls who sewed it from home canvas.
The costume shows the beautiful Maria from Razlog. And you can learn more about her in this business card: "My name is Mary and I am baptized the Mother of God. The name for my parents was special because there was a danger of losing me at birth, but God decided to give me a chance to live. Then my mother and father chose to baptize me as the Mother of God, both of my parents are from Razlog, and I am a girl from Razlog!
I am currently a student, my dream of becoming a pharmacist is coming true. My father has a farm nestled in the Pirin Mountains and I like to spend my free time there. I am interested in many things, for me there are no unattainable limits, as long as you can imagine it.
My family is a guardian of traditions. For as long as I can remember, I have been dressed in a costume or as a mummer. Everyone in the family has always taken part in the folklore traditions of Razlog. My favorite and memorable memory is from 2012, when my sister was the first girl first chaush, in our language. We observe all the traditions we have inherited from our family. The beauty and magic, especially around the New Year, makes my homeland irreplaceable. And I will be the guardian of the traditions while I am alive, passing it on for generations to come.
There is one word that describes my connection with Bulgarian folklore, namely MERAK!
Wearing a costume for over 100 years was a magical experience. Not everyone has such an opportunity, which is why the moment is special. I would wear a costume for any occasion and of course necessarily for the Elder, which is eternal.
Bulgaria for me is beautiful, magical, different! And it depends on us young people whether this will be the case in the future. "
👉 Photographer: Petar Petrov
👉 The photos for the calendar were taken within the project "Study of the specifics and richness of national costumes from the Razlog region in the light of cultural diversity" is realized with the financial support of the National Culture Fund under the program "Cultural Heritage".
