The feet are covered with white knitted socks with embroidered flowers on the ankles and feet and with Wallachian slippers. The white "klashnik" from Razlog is one of the oldest forms of „saichno” clothing. Made of wool, even fur fabric (with hemp base and fur weft) in the natural color of the material. The cut is sleeveless, open at the front with folding fronts and a deep bosom, reaching above the knees and with black trimming at the edges. In the home it is worn as an outer garment, and outside as an undergarment. In the mountain Razlog region the white „saya” is with an embroidered linear decoration and braided applications up to 7 colors on the bosom, with skirts and fronts of the garment trimmed with red braid.
On the side there are slits with floral decoration with red braid, the color of which protects the bride, and the flowers are a wish for the future woman „to bloom“. In most areas it is a mandatory bridal wedding dress, even if there are other parts of the dress - „zabun“, „aladja", it remains as a ritual outerwear. It is worn for a certain period after the wedding (40 days to 1 year), and young brides wear it on big holidays, such as Easter, St. George's Day and others.
It is worn with a long shirt, embroidered on the sleeves with the ancient „zapeski”, named “big pillers” and the skirts are framed with hand-knited lace. The bosom is covered with a velvet breastplate. The waist is girded with a red belt, and on it is placed a red „futen preskutnik”, decorated with flowers and long „lashnitsi” for tying around the waist.
The important parts of the garment - the belt and the „futa”, which encircle and protect the reproductive organs are red to enhance the apotropaic function of the clothing, and the flowers blooming on the „futa” are a wish for beauty and multiplication / enlargement to accompany the future family.
A silver plate (tepelak) with coins hanging on chains is sewn on a small hat, which is on the head. This is a metal piece of jewelry that is believed to protect a woman's fontanelle, because from the birth of a human it is the open soft part of the skull, through which it can receive the Divine energy, but also the negative one. That is why the silver plates are placed on the top, where their name comes from - „tepelatsi”, and the additional metal or bead decorations strengthen the protective function by diverting the "evil eyes". The hat is covered with homemade fabric, a white linen cloth loosely slung over the shoulders. After marriage, women continued to wear ritual clothing for a period of time when going out, one to show their new marital status and the other to protect them from "bad thoughts and uroki."
The feet are covered with white knitted socks with embroidered flowers on the ankles and feet and with Wallachian slippers.
Borislava Kutlarska from Razlog put on the costume.
The costume is from the fund of the Historical Museum - Razlog.
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".
In fulfillment of the goals of the project we present some of the most beautiful traditional costumes, typical for the Razlog valley in the last 2 centuries.
We offer our sincere thanks to our hosts from the Historical Museum - Razlog, and to all local people who helped with the realization.
Special thanks to all participants and team members who took their time and with useful information, knowledge and valuable advice made possible the work on the project.
A reverence to the girls and boys from the town of Razlog, who stood in front of our camera and with their enthusiasm, youth and beauty revived for a new life the most beautiful costumes from old Mehomiya.