Georgian national costume

The national Georgian costume is distinguished by some foppishness, which is skillfully combined with an underlined elegant cut. Women's outfits are very beautiful and elegant, while men's are defiantly strict. Traditional costume was widespread until the twentieth century. Let's look at its features and differences from other national outfits.

For the first time, the national Georgian costume came into use in the ninth century. Initially, costumes with shades of national style were worn by residents of the South Caucasus. It was at this time that “chokha” appeared in everyday life. Its name is translated from Persian as "matter for clothes." They were worn not only by Georgians, but also by Caucasians, as well as Russians and Turks. Chokha is a wardrobe item, very comfortable to wear, considered universal. Chokha is worn by men and women at any time of the year.

Over time, the Georgian costume became more closed. The sleeves of the shirts became longer, and the decor of the outfits became more restrained. The men's suit has become more strict compared to the women's.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, fewer and fewer residents of Georgia wore a national costume. Therefore, many local designers tried to introduce elements of the traditional costume into more modern casual and formal wear.Now the national Georgian costume is used at various ceremonial events.

Description of traditional features

The traditional Georgian costume stands out for its special flamboyance, which is not inherent in other national costumes.

The traditional colors of the Georgian costume are black and white. Restrained outfits in classic shades have their own hidden meaning.

So, the black color in Georgia was intended for the nobility. It was the rich Georgians who wore black robes. At the same time, dark outfits dominated not only in everyday style, but also at official events and religious ceremonies.

Along with the basic shades, colors such as gray, burgundy and dark blue were also present in the traditional Georgian costume.

The costumes of representatives of the nobility and the poor in Georgia were united by the severity of the cut and the use of wearable fabrics. More expensive suits were sewn from high-quality bright fabrics, while cheap models were significantly inferior to them, both in quality and in appearance. For ladies and gentlemen from the wealthy class, dresses were created from silk or velvet, decorating them with lace or fur, depending on the season.

The traditional Georgian wedding dress deserves special attention. Wedding dresses of girls in Georgia outwardly resembled their everyday outfits. But what made them stand out was the white color and expensive finishes. No matter how wealthy the family was, they tried to make the dress for the bride as luxurious as possible. It was decorated with silver or gold threads, or simple appliqués. The head was covered with a velvet cap, complemented by a light scarf made of delicate openwork fabric, which covered the face of a young girl entering into marriage.

Traditional women's clothing in Georgia was particularly original. Girls in this country wore a fitted floor-length dress called kartuli. Such an outfit emphasized the figure.

For girls in Georgia, they created the same outfits, but in a simpler form. Children's costumes were simpler and more comfortable. The length of the outfits could be shorter than for women. In addition, children's costumes were often more colorful than those for adults.

The traditional Georgian costume for a man was supposed to convey as accurately as possible the commitment of Georgians to physical work and their courage. That is why the main emphasis was placed on convenience and the ability to protect a man's body from any weather surprises.

The men's suit consisted of a top and a bottom. Various shirts, caftans and even fur coats acted as tops. Comfortable trousers or harem pants complemented the outfit. The types of outerwear also differed. It is worth highlighting such of them as Koba, Circassian and Chokha.

The Circassian was worn over the caftan. Without this wardrobe item, it was considered indecent to appear on the street even in hot weather. The Circassian was sewn from materials of saturated colors, for example, black or gray. The Circassian coat was worn for a reason, but complemented by a belt decorated with a silver or metal buckle. To such a belt, as a rule, a dagger was attached, which until the twentieth century was considered the most common weapon.

Nabadi or sheepskin coat was also used as a cape in the cold season. This type of outerwear protected both from the cold and from the snow. Arkhaluks were considered more convenient. Such short jackets went well with both pants and loose trousers. Such jackets were belted with wide sashes, which made it possible to emphasize a taut male figure.

Accessories were present in both the female and male versions of the traditional costume.

Men's hats were quite diverse. In winter, the traditional costume was complemented by warm felt hats, which were called nadbis kudi. Fur hoods served as an alternative to them. The hoods decorated with a gold or silver brush, which were worn in the manner of a turban, look more solemn.

Girls and women wore lechaks and mines as headdresses. Lechaki is a simple white veil made of translucent tulle, and kopi is a special hoop for fixing the veil on the head.

Georgian women used to also wear veils that hide the entire face, except for the eyes. Later, this version of the headdress changed to a simple dark scarf called baghdadi. This piece of clothing, like the veil, was attached to the head with a special rim. Its free edges fell to the back and shoulders, emphasizing the elegant female hairstyle. Married women also had to cover their necks with part of this headdress so as not to leave naked parts of the body in sight.

As for shoes, for men, they were quite closed. The girls wore smarter shoes. Wealthy Georgian women could afford koshas - pointed shoes without backs with beautifully turned up toes.Girls from a lower class wore simple and comfortable leather bast shoes, which were called "kalamani".

Of the accessories, beads made of amber or corals were popular among women. The make-up of girls in Georgia was also minimalistic. The girls used only blush to give the image a liveliness and blackened their eyebrows and hair.

The traditional Georgian costume looks strict, but at the same time attractive, to match the inhabitants of this harsh mountainous country. Now the national costume in Georgia is worn exclusively on holidays, but despite this, it still will not sink into oblivion. After all, a traditional costume is the embodiment of the mentality of an entire nation and a demonstration of its changeable history.