Woman's Costume of South Dubrovnik County, Konavlje, Čilipi, Dalmatia, Croatia

Hello all,

Today I will talk about the southernmost costume of Croatia. This is worn on the Dalmatian coast in Dubrovnik-Neretva county, from the city of Dubrovnik south to the Montenegrin border, especially in the municipality of Konavlje [Konavle], and the village of Čilipi. This costume is still worn for holidays and if you go there, you will be able to see the local folk dance group perform. I tried to go when i was in Dubrovnik, but the travel agent failed to give me a receipt, so i was unable to get on the bus the next day. Dubrovnik is a very beautiful city, by the way, so go see it if you get a chance.

For more information on this region and its history, see this article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubrovnik
The costume is a variant of the Dinaric costume type, adapted to life on the coast with the loss of the sadak/zubun. I have found no trace of such a garment worn by the women of this area.
The costume consists of an embroidered chemise, with a shift and petticoat worn underneath, which is most unusual and shows Adriatic influence, an apron, two sashes, a highly decorated vest, a wool dress in the winter, and either a small red cap or a large linen winged headdress for the women. The man's costume is the typical Dinaric/Balkan one, wide pants, vest over jacket over vest, red fez type hat and gaiters over long socks. The man's costume as currently worn is much simplified. Here are some images from various sources, depicting various eras.

The first garment put on is a type of shift, which is quite unusual, and represents a doubling of the chemise, perhaps as a result of western influence, as the cut of this undergarment seems to be that of western Europe. This garment is called privlačak, it is made of white linen and here is the cut.

Over this is put the petticoat, which is also made of white linen and is called skutici. Here is that cut.

Over this, finally is put the chemise, the košulja. This is made fuller on the bottom, being gathered in the back. This is also made of white linen, as normal.

There are narrow embroidered strips sewed onto the sleeve ends. The narrow standing collar is similarly embroidered, as are two wider pieces on either side of the front opening. This is done in darning stitch or counted satin stitch in slightly modified darning stitch designs. The embroidery is basically done in red and black with some addition of yellow, blue and green as accents. Yellow braid is sewn around the embroidery panels on the front, a yellow tassel sewn onto the back of each cuff, and three yellow tassels sewn onto the lower part of the front. All of these are embroidered seperatly and then sewn onto the chemise.

A white linen apron is worn over the košulja. This is stored folded in four lengthwise, and the folds show when it is worn. There is a woven panel on the bottom edge, and braid sewn around the edges which match the weaving in the panel.

Nowadays sometimes the traditional apron is replaced by one in cotton with a small blue print, as in the woman above standing in front of the chair or as in this postcard.

A wide, very stiff sash is wrapped around the waist over the apron and  chemise. This is so stiff that it cannot be tied or tucked in. A narrow silk ribbon is therefore tied over the sash to hold it in place. This is also done in the Horodenka region of Ukraine. This gives the costume a distinctive silhouette.

A short vest is worn over this, the jačerma. Previously it was decorated with applique of gold or yellow cording. Today the cording or trim is more likely to be black.

You will notice some of the women in the images dressed in black. Similar to the Vrlika costume, this one also features a winter garment in wool which has a cut similar to that of the chemise. This garment in this region is called modrina.

This garment is sewn of black wool, and is worn over the chemise, but under the apron, sashes and vest. There is red applique on the front openings and around the sleeve ends, trimmed with braid, topstitching and buttonhole stitch around the edges. The narrow collar is often red or yellow.

The costume is completed for both men and women with long white knitted stockings and red slipper-shoes.

The women dress their hair in two braids which are then wound up onto the back of the head.

Unmarried girls wear a short flat red cap with gold braid appliqued around the edges.

A white kerchief was sometimes worn over this, as you can see in the very first image at the beginning of this posting. Sometimes this was pleated very finely, as shown here.

Married women stopped wearing the cap after WWI. Instead they wear a small starched kerchief which you may have noticed in some of the images above.

On top of this may be pinned another white kerchief of commercial fabric, which is starched and then folded to make a winged headdress, which also makes a good sunshade. 

Thank you for reading. I hope that you have found this interesting and perhaps inspiring. The embroidery used on this costume is quite beautiful, as is the Balkan braid couching.

I will continue with the men's costume and more examples of the embroidery in future postings.

Here is a link to a website from Čilipi with many photos of this costume.
http://www.cilipifolklor.hr/galerija_slika.htm
Here is a video of one of the dances of this region, Potkolo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muzinR-DH8g

Here is a video put out by the local tourist bureau, which shows the costume and some close ups of the embroidery. The song is not what the dance is being done to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSiaTr99Rps&feature=related

Here are some more videos of dances done in this area. The quality of these videos is not as good.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=247AEF3740261567

Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals. I also choreograph and teach folk dance.

Roman K.

Rkozakand@aol.com

Source Material:

Katica Benc-Boškovic, 'Narodna Nošnja Konavala', Zagreb, 1986

Ivankovic & Sumenic, 'Croatian National Costumes', Zagreb, 2001

Vladimir Kirin, 'Narodne Nošnje Jugoslavije - Hrvatska', Zagreb, 1986
Ribaric/Szenczi, 'Vezak Vezla - Croatian Folk Embroidery', Zagreb, 1973
Jelka Ribaric et al, 'The Folk Costumes of Croatia', Zagreb, 1975
Walter Kolar, 'Croatians - Costumes they Wear', Pittsburgh, 1975
Nikola Pantelic, 'Traditional Arts and Crafts in Yugoslavia', Belgrade, 1984
Vladimir Salopek, 'Folk Costumes and Dances of Yugoslavia, Zagreb, 1987
Mariana Gusic, 'Traditional Femole [sic] Headgear in Croatian Folk Costume', Zagreb
Postcards in personal collection

Men's Costume of the Island of Krk, Dalmatia, Croatia

Hello all.

Today i will continue my last posting with a description of the men's costume of the island of Krk. See my previous posting for general information on this island.
This costume falls solidly into the Mediterranean type of Costume. It has more in common with the costume of the islands and coasts of the Meditterranean than it does with the costume found inland from the coast.

I had a request form one of my readers to make one of these for her son, because she is from the Croatian Islands. Here is a photo of the finished costume.

Here is a repeat of one image of the costume. Following this is a schematic of the various parts of the costume.

The shirt has a similar cut to the woman's, with shoulder pieces. This is similar to the type of shirt found among many of the northern Slav peoples. The sleeves and body are full, There are no cuffs or collar, but the sleeve ends and body top are hemmed and then smock gathered with a decorative design, similar to the women's shirt, except there is no lace added. 

Most likely linen under pants are worn, but these do not show. Two kinds of pants may be worn, the older type are full in the seat, and have the lower leg seam unsewn for a few inches at the bottom. The newer type are called 'sailor pants', have narrow legs and a flap across the front which buttons closed. Both are made of heavy black wool. In some communities each kind may be tucked into the socks, but usually today they hang over the socks. My sources say that there is an inset in the older pants, but they do not show one in the cut.

The 'sailor pants' have a completely modern cut except for the flap in front.

These do not have the character of the old style pants and are much more difficult to sew.

Traditionally a sash was wrapped two or more times around the waist, There is one particularly fine one preserved in a local museum, about 14cm wide and 2.7 m long. Many times the costume is worn without one, however.

White wool knit socks are worn, with ribbed tops. There are records of postole being worn on the island, which I would take to be moccasin type footwear, but the only images i have seen are of regular black shoes.

A vest is worn over the shirt. The cut varies somewhat, but the waist is always cut straight across. Some have v necks, some have lapels, some are cut with a high round neck opening with a small collar. See the various images in this posting and the last one. They are usually black, but Vladimir Kirin has painted some made from green plaid, attributed to the town of Omisalj.

Here is a schematic and cut of the type of vest worn in the town of Kornic.

Instead of the vest, or over it, a jacket is sometimes worn. This is usually black, but may be red. Most likely it has a cut very similar to that of the woman's jacket, which may be seen in the previous posting.

A black wool knit stocking cap with a tassel is worn, This resembles that worn in many places around the mediterranean, as far as Portugal.

Small pouches called tabakerice were made by girls as gifts for their boyfriends. They are small pouches which had metal fixtures so that they could be closed and hung on belts. They consisted of two pieces which were cut out of old kerchiefs, sewn together and decorated with trim, rickrack, buttons and a tassel. They were used to hold tobacco and to show off the fact that they were a gift from a girl. Knives called kosirice were also worn tied to the sash.

Thank you for reading. I hope that you have found this interesting.

 

I will close with some more images.

I will repeat here the links which i gave at the end of my last posting.

Here is a link to the Croatian National Ensemble doing the Tanac folk dance of this island. Unfortunately this is a 'professional' video. 'Professional' videos in general hide more of the dance than they show. In any case, this is a wonderful performance, even if the camera editor denies us the opportunity to see much of it. You get a good view of the costumes as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB8YxgIr9bw

Here is a very old archival video of the dance from this island, made in the 1930's, i believe. It suffers from some of the same problems as the first one, and the sound is not in synch with the video, as you do not hear the singing at the same time as you see it. But it is still a valuable piece of historical testimony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hBa8FtoB1M&NR=1

Here is a video made by a local group from this island performing at the International Folk Festival in Zagreb, which takes place once every 4 years. I attended once in the 1980's, and enjoyed it immensely.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YqOYyAgFw8

Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals. I also choreograph and teach folk dance.

Roman K.

Rkozakand@aol.com

Source Material:

Damir Kremenic, 'Narodna Nošnja Otoka Krka', Zagreb, 2003

Ivankovic & Sumenic, 'Croatian National Costumes', Zagreb, 2001

Vladimir Kirin, 'Narodne Nošnje Jugoslavije - Hrvatska', Zagreb, 1986
Ribaric/Szenczi, 'Vezak Vezla - Croatian Folk Embroidery', Zagreb, 1973
Jelka Ribaric et al, 'The Folk Costumes of Croatia', Zagreb, 1975
Walter Kolar, 'Croatians - Costumes they Wear', Pittsburgh, 1975
Nikola Pantelic, 'Traditional Arts and Crafts in Yugoslavia', Belgrade, 1984
Vladimir Salopek, 'Folk Costumes and Dances of Yugoslavia, Zagreb, 1987
Mariana Gusic, 'Traditional Femole [sic] Headgear in Croatian Folk Costume', Zagreb
Zorislava Culic, 'Narodne Nosnje u Bosni i Hercegovini', Sarajevo, 1963
Postcards in personal collection