Chuvash national costume

The formation of the Chuvash folk costume took place under the influence of the place where the Chuvash lived, who adopted many of the little things and details of the clothes of their closest neighbors. The traditional outfits of the viryal (they are also the Supreme Chuvash) from the Cheboksary region quite strongly resembled the costumes of the Finno-Ugric people of Russia in their simplicity and moderation of constructive elements.

For quite a long time, the Chuvash were engaged in the manufacture of fabric and various natural dyes on their own. It took a lot of time to dye the yarn, which is why the main color of suits and dresses was ordinary white.

Soon, the antari acquired aniline dyes, which greatly facilitated the process of dyeing yarn, and this gave impetus to the development of the production of such a material as motley. Then the motley garments were replaced with ordinary white suits. The Virjals did not use motley at all in the manufacture of clothes and dresses.

White personified purity and was the main color in traditional costumes and dresses of the Chuvash. A fresh white shirt was worn for various holidays and festivities. Often, rich red was also combined with the main white color, which also symbolized purity, holiness and life, therefore, almost all the seams of suits and dresses were covered with red braid.

A white shirt (aka kepe) was an integral part of both women's and men's folk costumes. The design of the shirt was quite simple: a canvas of hemp was folded, and wedges were sewn into the sides, expanding the shirt at the bottom. Shirts for women's suits were made with a length of 120 cm and a cutout in the center on the chest. Men's shirts had similar cutouts on the sides.

Initially, Chuvash shirts with a belt for men were made free and long (up to the knees). Men's clothes had various rich and festive embroideries, appliques and silk patterns, while simple costumes, not intended for holidays, were quite laconic and strict and no patterns were applied to them.

Chuvash traditional shirts for married women had rather complex embroidery of an unusual shape, while the hem with geometric stripes and stripes was distinguished by modesty and simplicity. During holidays and ordinary weekdays, women wore a special material on their hips with fringes, patterns and patches made of silk and woolen threads.

Unmarried girls wore modest outfits without embroidery and patterns, so as not to distract attention from their own beauty.

Sets of jewelry with silver coins, bead details and expensive stones are:

• women's headdresses (hushpu);
• dresses for the neck and chest (among the Chuvash they are called ama, alka, may);
• bracelets and rings (they are also sul and sera);
• a small mirror, which is attached to the belt (töker);
• belt purse (enchek)
• belt pendants (yos hure).

The Chuvash wedding dress had the following interesting details:

• the bride's dress was decorated with beads, shells and coins, creating a large and complex pattern, complemented by a special headdress;
• the shirt, apron and outerwear of the bride were decorated with chic embroidery, in addition, the girl put on rings, bracelets, pendants and a wallet with a small mirror on her belt (it is worth noting that this outfit weighed about 16 kg.);
• the Chuvash wedding costume had one important detail, such as - perkenchek (large white material or bedspread) with rich embroidery along the edges, under which the bride was for a certain time, after which the bedspread was removed and the girl was changed into a suit of a married woman;
• the groom dressed up in a shirt and a caftan with a wide colored belt, and also put on gloves, boots and a fur hat with a coin in the forehead.

Children's Chuvash folk costumes were distinguished by the richness and luxury of embroidery. Clothes for girls were quite simple and were decorated with braid or simple patterns that were sewn to the hem. The head was covered with the usual ornaments with beads and braid. Older girls wore a beaded jewelry that was attached to the belt from the back.

The costumes for little men were quite simple and differed only in a bright ornament on the collar.

In ancient times, women's Chuvash headdresses were represented by hats and bedspreads.

The bedspreads included surpans (headbands) of various lengths, turbans, headscarves and bridal bedspreads, which were intended exclusively for married women.

The rich national costume of the Chuvash woman contains a lot of small, but quite important details and ornaments, indicating the belonging, age and social status of a woman.

Numerous adornments of women's outfits (coins, shells, beads) are primarily protection from evil spirits, enemies and various dangers. For holidays or weddings, Chuvash women wore a full set of jewelry-amulets, which weighed more than 10 kg.

In the summer season, Chuvash men and women wore bast shoes. This shoe was woven in various and rather cunning ways, which is why some models have survived to this day and are currently in the museum. Comfortable cloth gaiters were worn with bast shoes. When winter came, the Chuvash removed their bast shoes and put on warm felt boots, without which it was simply impossible to do.

At the end of the 19th century, it became a tradition to donate leather boots to sons and leather boots to a daughter for weddings, which were subsequently worn extremely rarely and were very cherished.

Currently, the traditional national costume of the Chuvash has lost its relevance and only in some villages and villages Chuvash outfits are worn during holidays or rituals.

National costume is often used during various concerts and performances of folklore groups. Fashion designers no longer rely in their designs on traditional costumes and shirts, but use some similar images, in an attempt to produce all the details of folk jewelry, ornaments and patterns.