ginara: “ Couple in folk costume from Kraków (Poland). ”
Folkloristic dance group, Krakow, Poland
Kraków costume - one of the most well-known of the Polish regional costumes, which grew to the rank of a national costume. Sadly, also the most generalized and simplified due to the modern mass-media approach in many cases. How should it look like? © ZPiT AGH im. Wiesława Białowąsa "KRAKUS" Origins of the Kraków costume can be traced back to the Renaissance era, but the modern version of it started forming only around the beginning of 18th century. After the difficult times of the 19th century when Poland lost independence it gained the rank of "national costume of Poland": A Cracow costume is the only peasants' attire which was promoted to the rank of a Polish national costume. This decision was made on patriotic grounds, with the Cracow's peasants’ participation in the Kościuszko Uprising as a main factor. Even the Uprising's leader, Tadeusz Kościuszko, used to wear the Cracow costume (so he dressed "like a peasant") just so that he would not be recognised by Russian spies. Kościuszko's popularity contributed to the popularisation of the Cracow costume among the Poles in general. Some of the costume's elements were applied to the uniforms worn by participants of the 19th century national uprisings. This popularity of the Cracowian costume, especially in its female version, was then reinforced by the Cracow’s intelligence of the Young Poland (Młoda Polska) movement, who promoted it as a new fashion. [source: The State Ethnographical Museum in Warsaw] What most of the people know as "Kraków costume" actually varies among different villages (which in some cases have become districts of the modern city over time) around the Kraków's old center, such as: Bronowice, Tyniec, Grojec, Wieliczka, Morawica, Olszanica, and so on. However, there are many common elements that make the Kraków costume easy to recognize... and also easy to generalize. Either way, the Kraków costume allows to show a lot of individual approach in detailing, especially as it comes to women's fashion. Approx. area of the Kraków costume in Poland within Małopolska region. COSTUME: MEN One of the most characteristic, with a peacock feather being the main decoration of the headwear: Kraków costumes © ZPiT AGH im. Wiesława Białowąsa "KRAKUS" Decoration of the headwear could also include a rich decoration made of several peacock feathers, flowers and additional ribbons, as in this example from Bronowice (nowadays a district of Kraków): Kraków headwear © perfekt.krakow.pl ...or here, picture from Korzkiew: Kraków headwear © wiele16 via garnek.pl Traditionally, such rich headwear decorations were reserved for the groom on his wedding day, but could also be worn by more important figures during festive days. There are several different types of the headwear itself (like the black żeleźniak on the picture from Bronowice above), but the most popular is red rogatywka (peaked, four-pointed cap) with short peacock feathers and black or white fur, sometimes called krakuska: Rogatywka type of headwear © bopalinska Why the peacock feather? It could be explained in many ways, from it being an ancient symbol of rebirth and immortality (popular symbol on the medieval religious paintings), to the uniqueness of the peacocks - they were considered "royal" birds, therefore worn by the Cracovians to remind that the city used to be the royal capital of Poland in the past. Next important element of the costumes is kaftan - a long sleeveless vest, usually in a dark blue, navy blue, sometimes black color and heavily decorated with red chwosty (tassels), beads and subtle embroidery. Here's the most typical version: Kaftan from Kraków © perfekt.krakow.pl A group of men in blue kaftan with and red rogatywka: © Dariusz.Biegacz There's another type of the vest - in a cobalt blue color with additional rich embroidery. It is popular in Kraków nowadays, but in fact (historically speaking) it was typical rather for the Kraków East costume associated with e.g. Brzesko or Zalipie regions (Kraków East will be a topic of a separated post). Here are examples of it worn by a group from Nowa Huta district of modern Kraków: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca NOWA HUTA Next typical element is a coat called sukmana, obviously worn during the colder days. It's usually white or gray (but dark blue ones are popular as well), traditionally lined inside with red material and decorated with red embroidery, tassels and metal elements as shown below: © perfekt.krakow.pl Another, more minimalistic example from the 19th century: © kedil via garnek.pl Here's a good guide to various examples of men coats from different Kraków regions: Various Kraków regions and costumes © MCK Sokół They aren't always that plain: © Zespół Tańca Ludowego "Harnam" Trousers - as it comes to the "typical" Kraków costume mandatory is white portki with red stripes (blue-striped are characteristic for the Kraków East region): Kraków trousers [source] The main decoration and pride of a Cracovian man was a leather belt (pas krakowski) worn over the vest (kaftan). The most common was white, ornamented and decorated with metal beads and hanging elements: Kraków belt © perfekt.krakow.pl COSTUMES: WOMEN Here's a good example of the easy-to-spot differences between the costumes of married and unmarried women: Lovely Cracovian women © ZPiT AGH im. Wiesława Białowąsa "KRAKUS" First of all - the flower wreath was worn by unmarried maidens only. The typical small "one-lined" wreaths were worn by chidren and young teens, while wreaths of the older (marriageable) girls could have a triangle "crown" shape as in the example below: Kraków wreath © perfekt.krakow.pl A perfect Cracovian maiden wears also a long braid tied with a red ribbon: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny On the day of the marriage bride's head was decorated with a tall flower crown with long flowery-ornamented laces. The crown's shape could vary, usually it was built out of red or white flowers: Bride from Kraków © Krakowski Teatr Scena Stu Married women were covering their heads with white cloth that symbolized modesty. It looks plain at the first sight (from a distance), but in fact was beautifully ornamented: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny Colorful headkerchiefs with floral ornaments were popular as well in some villages. Main element of maiden's clothing was a richly decorated bodice (gorset) worn over a white blouse. Bodice's decorations were varying between different villages around Kraków - some preferred floral, some geometrical shapes. Here's the most popular example from Bronowice - the north-western district of modern Kraków (which was a neighbouring village just 100 years ago), commonly known as the typical Kraków costume's place of origin: Kraków bodices © Polskie Stroje Ludowe ...here from Tyniec, a bit south-west from the Kraków centre: © perfekt.krakow.pl ...here from Ojców, north from Kraków: © perfekt.krakow.pl ...and here from Grojec-Alwernia, located north-western from Kraków and being rather distinguished as Kraków West costume (in Polish: strój krakowiaków zachodnich): © perfekt.krakow.pl Below is a closeup of a beautiful bodice decorated with natural corals and metal clasps from "Rydlówka" Museum in Bronowice, coming from the early 20th century: Bodice of Jadwiga Rydlowa, early 20th century © Rydlówka Very characteristic and richly decorated element of female clothing is also the jacket called katanka (plural form: katanki), beloved by the artists and often depicted on the 19th and early 20th century paintings. They were rather worn by married women. Varying in colors a lot, they were always beautifully embroidered and decorated with beads, natural corals, sequins and tassels according to a certain pattern: Kraków katanka, front and back view © perfekt.krakow.pl © perfekt.krakow.pl The sleeves of katanka were always heavily decorated up to the elbow, the lace is part of the blouse worn underneath: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny Great side view of katanka: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny Blouses worn by Cracovians were white (symbol of purity and modesty), decorated with white ornaments around the collar and cuffs (sometimes also at the bottom of the blouse), very often with additional laces. Below's an example from the Ethnographic Museum of Kraków: © Muzeum Etnograficzne im. Seweryna Udzieli w Krakowie Another, modern example with tatted collar and cuffs: © Polskie Stroje Ludowe Beautiful detailing of the collar and cuffs over katanka: © Zespół Folklorystyczny Wielopolanie Modern and currently the most common machine-made ornaments: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca UJ SŁOWIANKI Skirts of Cracovian women were very colorful, usually made of the so-called "Tibetan" material (Tybet) with various floral patterns. The most common for Kraków would be those on black or red background, although there isn't any rule in that particular matter: Examples of the so-called "Tibetan" material [source] Aprons were worn over the skirt (fartuch or fartuszek). Young maidens often preferred very detailed ones, made of tulle and laces (semi-transparent): © perfekt.krakow.pl Other examples of hand-made embroidery on a tulle apron: © perfekt.krakow.pl Married women were rather wearing white cotton aprons (sometimes called zapaska), which also were decorated with subtle white embroidery: © perfekt.krakow.pl Children's apron [source] Cracovian women weren't using much jewellery (the bodice was their main decoration), the most desirable pieces were red coral necklaces (korale), traditionally decorated with a holy medallion. Here I'm heavily disappointed, as great majority of the modern examples are inadequate, therefore I'll illustrate how should it look like with an old painting: Piotr Stachiewicz "Krakowianka", pic. © AgraArt Example of traditional korale: [source] RESOURCES: PATTERNS --- This article might be supplemented in the future. Please leave a credit to lamus-dworski.blogspot.com in case of quoting ♥
Hello all, Today I will be talking about the Krakowiak costume. This is often considered to be the national costume of Poland, Krakow having always been the cultural capitol of Poland. . This is the center of the region called Malopolska, and the most copied costume by Polish dance groups, and of course the Krakowiak is one of the 5 National Dances of Poland. Here is a map of the Krakow region. There is much more variety to this costume than most people realize. I will be focusing on some versions of the West Krakow costume, with emphasis on the Bronowice variant. The girl above is basically wearing the Bronowice costume, while the man's has some elements of the East Krakow costume. The chemise has white embroidery and usually some cutwork. Today it is mostly cut short and the bottom half is made into a separate item of clothing. It is always good to have one narrow chemise/underskirt, and at least one full petticoat over that. This provides for some modesty as well as good movement while dancing. If you look, you can see that this girl has a wide lay-down collar which may be separate from the blouse. The collar may be just a row of lace, or it may be missing entirely. Here is a blouse from the village of Pleszow. Note the white embroidery above the shoulder seam. This is displayed on the upper arm and should not be covered by the vest. The sleeves are always long. Here is another blouse from the village of Bronowice Wielke. Notice how different the collar is. I have found evidence for colored embroidery only on blouses from the East Krakow region, which I will cover in another posting. Here are two possible cuts for the woman's chemise/blouse. The skirt is full and generally hangs to mid-calf. Most commonly it is made from a rose print material with many possible background colors. There are a few appliqued ribbon stripes not far from the hem, a dust ruffle commonly sewn onto the hem itself, and a facing sewn onto the inside for a few inches above the hem, all of which can be seen in the first image. This is by far the most common type of skirt in the western Krakow region. However, in the past solid color or damask skirts were sometimes worn, especially in the immediate vicinity of Krakow itself. Here is an old photograph of a woman from Bronowice. Here is a solid colored skirt with embroidery, from the village of Szyce, in the immediate vicinity of Krakow, not far from Bronowice. Likely the front is not embroidered, as it is covered by the apron. The one type of skirt which I have found no evidence of ever having been used in the Krakow region is a white skirt with many horizontal colored ribbons sewn on. This is something which developed in the diaspora as a result of being unable to find the rose print material. Three types of apron are most commonly used in this area. The first is of printed cloth, often of a different color than the skirt, but the same or similar print. This is usually edged with lace, and often a satin ribbon as well. It may also have tucks and/or narrow ribbons sewn on horizontally. This photo is of the costume from around Mogiła. These two girls are from Bronowice. The second type of apron is of white linen, with the same kind of white embroidery and cutwork as the blouse. This first example is from the village of Pleszow. A less common variant is of colored cloth with polychrome embroidery. The next two photos are from Bronowice. The third type of apron is of tulle, usually embroidered. I personally am not fond of this, but it is undeniably very popular in Polish costume. This girl is from Bronowice. This apron is from the village of Niepołomice. Here is a contemporary example. The vest, called Gorset, is the most variable part of the Krakow costume. It is of the standard Malopolska cut, with narrow shoulder straps, lacing or hooking closed in the front, and usually finished off with lappets at the waist. In the villages closest to Krakow, like Bronowice and Mogiła, the lappets are replaced with a peplum which is pleated in the back. In some villages they use a multiple princess line cut, with a lappet connected to each back piece. Here is a very basic cut without the lappets or peplum. Today what usually first comes to mind is the "Sukiennickie" type gorset. This is a modern development which started in the 1930's. In these gorsets, the ornamentation is composed of beads and sequins of various sizes, shapes and colors sewn on by hand. Many different compositions are found, but all are very colorful and folksy looking. These are too well known to need more than just a couple examples. Some satin-stitch embroidery may be included. Originally the bodices were quite simple, of solid or printed cloth. They were later decorated with various combinations of buttons, tassels, ribbon and embroidery. Take a look at the old photograph of the Bronowice girl above. Her gorset is a plain dark color with tassels and buttons. Here is a closeup of a very similar bodice. Here is another old example with mother of pearl buttons. This type of gorset is more typical of villages off to the northwest of Krakow. Here is a very simple gorset of printed cloth from the village of Mników. Today the type of bodice most connected with the villages in the immediate vicinity of Krakow sport a collection of 'coral' buttons, metal braid, metallic fringe and embroidery. The metallic pieces on the old examples have tarnished somewhat. Here are two examples, the first is from the village of Przylasek Wyciąski, the second is from the village of Zielonki. Note that the peplum is gathered in back. These types of bodice are sometimes made of velvet or brocade, especially for special occasions. with the beads and soutache sewn on top. Here are a couple of examples. Here are a couple of examples of contemporary commercially available Bronowice Gorsetki. These last examples are from the website Perfekt. where you can buy these and many other costume pieces. http://perfekt.krakow.pl/stroje There is another garment called katanka which is similar but with sleeves. These are worn in colder weather or by women 'of a certain age'. They are often worn over the gorset. This couple is from Bronowice. These women are from Mogiła. This example is from the village of Zielonki. Another overgarment, the kaftanik, is distinguished by the fact that the front fields overlap and are buttoned. This garment is often embroidered. Girls wore flower wreaths in their hair, or kerchiefs tied at the back of the neck. Married women traditionally wore white linen 'chustka czepcowa', which had the same kind of white embroidery as the blouses and aprons. These were wrapped right around the head and tied on the forehead. Colored kerchiefs were used for less formal occasions. Here are a couple of examples. Although today the standard lace-up boots are usually worn with the Krakow costume, originally they wore accordion pleated pull on boots. The costume is not complete without amber or coral jewellery, although some of the coral is artificial. For weddings, the brides wear a special wreath with ribbons and artificial flowers. Here is a photo of a wedding party taken in 1927. Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this interesting and informative. Just a few more images of this costume, past and present. A video of the Polish college group Slowianki doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXbtEdgvNFU The national emsemble Mazowsze doing the Krakowiak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-sxkrzNDyk The national ensemble Slask doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5bwS62m_Sk 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. email: [email protected] Source material: Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Krakow Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2004 Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Cracow's Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2003 Stanisław Gadomski, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce', Kraków, Barbara Bazielich, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce - Opisy i Wykroje', Kraków, 1997 Aleksander Blachowski, 'Hafty Polskie Szycie', Lublin, 2004
Hello all, Today I will be talking about the Krakowiak costume. This is often considered to be the national costume of Poland, Krakow...
Folk costume from Łowicz, Poland.
Czyżyny, Kraków costume, southern Poland. Photo taken in 1937. Source: Adam Gryczyński / Czas zatrzymany.
Folk costume from Kraków, Poland, vintage postcard.
Folk costume from Kraków, Poland.
Folk clothing from Kraków, southern Poland. Image by Adam Gryczyński.
Kraków, Poland. Photo from “Czas Zatrzymany” exhibition [via].
Hello all, Today I will talk about the traditional attire of the Lachy. This is a Polish ethnic group which lives north of the Gorale, and south of the Krakow region.To the east of the Lachy live the Pogorzanie, and to the southeast was the land of the Lemkos. Here are two different maps showing the region of the Lachy and surrounding regions. Notice that the borders are not shown exactly the same in both maps. The Lachy are divided into three groups; Lachy Szczyrzyckie in the northwest, Lachy Limanowski rather in the center, and Lachy Sądeckie in the east. The costume varies from region to region, and also within the Sącz region. The image at the head of the article shows one version of the costume from the Sącz region. This is actually from the area around Podegrodzie, which lies in the southwest of the Sącz region, and looks as if someone decided to combine the most flamboyant parts of the Krakow and Goral costumes. This is the most elaborate and the best known version of the Lachy costume. The word 'Lach' is an old word for the Polish people, but is not generally used as a self designation except in this area, and no one seems to know why. It is rather as if in a region of England some people continued to call themselves Angles. It may well have started as a nickname which the Gorale had for them, making fun of their boots. Lachy Szczyrzyckie Here is a children's group performing songs and dances of the Lachy Szczyryckie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMgwY09KNo Lachy Limanowskie This is the Polish National Folk Ensemble Mazowsze performing songs and dances from Limanowa, but they are wearing costumes from Szcyrzycie, for some reason. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVticxjJS98 I will focus more closely on the Sącz costume, and most especially on the Podegrodzie variant. Lachy Sądeckie In the north, and especially in the northeast of the Sącz region, the costume is simpler and more influenced by city fashion. This is sometimes referred to as the area of transition with the Pogórzanie. Podegrodzie This is the region closest to the Gorale, and most influenced by them. This is the costume which one most commonly sees on stage. There is, however, more variation than one usually sees in the stage costumes, which often look like uniforms. For comparison, here is a photograph taken of men from this region in 1905. The boy at right is wearing the basic everyday outfit, long linen shirt worn outside linen pants, high boots, plain black vest buttoned down the front, round hat, narrow belt, and in this case, a city style jacket. You can see the resemblance with the images above. The rest of the men are wearing various versions of the costume. The shirt is traditionally of the shoulder inset cut. Everyday shirts were plain linen, but shirts for dress occasions had varying amounts of embroidery on the collar, cuffs, shoulder insets and fronts. Here is a man wearing the everyday shirt, linen pants polotnianky, and vest, while poling a boat along the Poprad. Here is an old style men's shirt with exceptional embroidery. Today you do not find the foldback cuffs, and the embroidery is usually done on one field that covers the front opening of the shirt. There are old examples of shirts embroidered in red and blue. But today the embroidery is generally either red, or white. The following shirts are commercially available at the website Etnoszafa http://etnoszafa.pl/regiony/lachy-sadeckie/ Men, especially young men would often wear a semicircular ornament called ciosek tied with ribbons around the neck. This was of stiffened cloth, and had trim, ribbon, and other ornaments. At other times the shirt collar would just be tied with a red ribbon. In some places along the Goral region, they wear the same pants as the Lacky Gorals. For the most part, if they are wearing dress pants, they are made from commercially blue wool. These are called błękicie. They have a straight cut and two openings in front like Goral pants. The openings are edged with red cloth, and in the north that is all the embellishment which they have. Around Podegrogzie, they are embroidered in a similar manner to the local Goral pants. Besides the edgings on the front openings, there are two red wool strips appliqued to the sides of the legs and a heart shaped patch under each opening. Embroidery is also done over the applique. The bottoms are not finished because they are tucked into boots. When this type of pants is worn, the shirt is worn tucked in. Over the shirt, at times, is worn a vest, kamizelka. Similar vests are worn by the Lemki, the Pogorzanie, and the Gorals which live to the south of the Lachy. In the north of this region, these vests are unadorned, or only have red binding and metal buttons. In the Podegrodzie area, vests for festive dress are embroidered in the same way as the pants. The cut is simple. T There is a stand up collar, and usually a notch in the center back at the bottom. They are made of dark blue or black wool. Embroidery is done around the edges, on the pocket flaps [which do not include an actual pocket] and also the center back. In these lasts couple of images you can see an example of a common mistake which I do not understand. For some reason, people who make costumes for stage, as opposed to those who partake of a living tradition, want to round off the corners of vests. This is surprisingly common in many countries, and I do not understand the reasoning. The traditional vests never have this feature, only those which are made for stage performances. Compare the cut and the first few images with the last two. Avoid this. The vest should also have buttons and be able to be closed. The most famous and distinctive garment of this region is the kaftan, or Waffenroki. This garment is not of Polish origin, and it shows in the cut, which is not one traditionally used in Poland. The top is cut separate from the bottom, the sleeves are set in, and the skirt of the coat is separated into tails. None of these are characteristics of Polish costume. The men of Podegrodzie and the surrounding district claim that they are the only ones who should wear this garment. They maintain that King Jan Kazimierz, in recognition of their valorous battle against the Swedish invaders, granted them the right to wear uniforms captured from the Swedish soldiers. This explains the cut of the garment, the blue color, and also why the pants are blue. Through the centuries since, the garment has had more ornamentation added to it. Waffenrock is a German / Swedish word for military jacket. The kaftan of the Krakow region has a similar cut, only lacking sleeves; but it also has a military origin. The top has many metal buttons and tassels along the edge, while the tails have red applique and abundant embroidery around the edges. While the vest or kamizelka is worn with some outer garments, it is never worn with the waffenroki. An outer garment which is used in relatively warm weather is the Płótnianka. This is common in southeast Poland and western Ukraine, where it is called polotnianka. This is a long jacket made of linen which is worn in spring and summer. Often it is completely unadorned, but of course, this is not the case in Podegrodzie. Notice that in the museum piece above, the sleeves are set in at right angles to the body, but the garments which the boys below are wearing have set in sleeves. This is a modern influence. Personally I think that it should be avoided because it restrains freedom of movement. The Gurmana is a native Polish overcoat made of heavy home woven wool. The Lachy share this garment with the Gorals and other groups. Variants of this garment are widespread in eastern Europe. Both the Goral and the Podegrodzie versions may be heavily embroidered. The Sącz version is made of natural colored wool, sometimes white, but more commonly brown. Here is a tailor from this region posing with a waffenrok on his knees and a gurmana hanging on the wall. As you can see here, the vest, or kamizelka can be worn with the gurmana. Take another look at the old photo above at the beginning of the Podegrodzie text, and also this one. Vests are being worn with the gurmana but not the waffenrok. Another more sober overgarment is called Żupan. This term is often used to refer to the fancy overcoats of the aristocracy, and also of the cossaks, but here it refers to a rather plain garment of city cut which is typically worn by middle aged men or older. Here is a family portrait in which we see the son wearing a waffenrok, and the father wearing a Żupan. This garment is seldom seen on stage today, as it is plain and similar to contemporary clothing. In cold weather, there is one more overgarment which is worn in this area, as it is over all of eastern Europe. It is a coat made of sheepskin called kożuch. This garment can be rather utilitarian, or can be heavily ornamented. Three kinds of belts are worn in this region. The first is the pas wąski, or narrow belt. This looks much like a modern belt but is very long, wrapping around the waist two or three times, and sometimes being threaded through the front placket of the pants. It may be plain leather, or ornamented with metal studs and grommets. The second is called sros. This is a belt of medium width, and is similar to belts which are worn in the Krakow region, being made of a doubled width of leather with reverse applique and other ornament on one end. It is relatively short, not quite reaching all the way around the waist and is secured with a strap and buckle. The third kind is called pas szeroki or pas Goralski. This kind of belt varies from medium to very wide, and is also made of a doubled length of leather with a pocket in front . It overlaps in front and is secured by three or more straps and buckles. This kind of belt is also worn by Gorals and other mountain peoples in the Carpathians. In the image above, the man in the center is wearing a Goral belt, while the two men on either side are wearing sros. Old photographs show this belt being worn very high, as we can see in this image above, but today it is usually seen being worn much lower. High boots with embossed ornament and accordian pleated ankles are typical for this costume. They are called karbiaki. Various sorts of hats are worn, mostly round felt hats with bands, ornaments, and often tassels. The four cornered hat so typical of Poland, the rogatywka, is also worn here, often embellished with the typical local embroidery. This article has gone on long enough. I will cover the womens' costume in my next article. Just a few more images of this incredible costume for today. This is the Nationa Polish Ensemble doing dances from Podegrodzie. The boys come out and do a good job of the athletic horsing around so typical of Polish mountaineers. They all start wearing waffenroki, but bend the rules for staging purposes, so when they shed the jackets they finish in the kamizelki. They are wearing the narrow belts. All are dressed exactly alike. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO3YWIkkYtc A group from the region of varying ages and wearing many different outfits. They are the first act in some festival, so the video goes on to show Silesians and others. A bit amateurish, but worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owpbXTshaDg A group from Poligrodzie, costumes similar, but well done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5ozKorcwbI Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this to be interesting and informative. Roman K. email; [email protected] Source Material: Z Szewczyk and M Brylak-Zaluska, 'Stroj Lachow Sadeckich', Nowy Sacz, 2004 Elzbieta Piskorz-Branekowa, 'Polskie Stroje Ludowe', Warsaw, 2013 Aleksander Blachowski, 'Haft Polskie Szycie', Lublin, 2004 Stanislaw Gadomski, 'Stroj Ludowe w Polsce', Warsaw, Elzbieta Krokikowska, 'The Polish Folk Dress', Warsaw, 2000 Jan Wielek, 'Stroj Lachow Limanowskich', Warsaw, 1988
fake-tumlbr: “ polandgallery: “ Polish Folk Costumes, Krakow, Poland ” i used to want one so badly as a kid ”
Hello all, Here you can see the mens Krakowiak costume as it appears on stage and in parades today. This one variant has taken over. The only significant difference is in the embroidery on the front corners of the kaftan. In actuality there was much more variety of clothing worn by the men in the Krakow district. This version is based on the one which was taken as a military dress uniform for the Polish army for a time. There has always been a strong influence of military uniforms on mens costuming. The shirt is of linen with full sleeves, as is usual in European traditional costume. The neck is fastened with a red ribbon. The shirt is usually plain, but here is an exceptional example from the village of Rudawa which is embroidered. The construction is typical. The pants most commonly associated with this costume are linen with vertical red and white stripes. In the eastern Krakow region sometimes we see blue and white stripes. Plain white linen pants are worn for work and everyday, and blue wool pants are also worn for dress. A long vest called kaftan is worn with this costume. It most commonly comes almost to the knee although shorter examples are known. They are blue or sometimes black. They have tails in the back for riding, and are usually decorated with buttons, tassels, and sometimes embroidery on the front corners. The pocket flaps are also decorated. The kaftan is often belted. Of the various belts used, three are most typical; the wide belt known as Trzos, decorated with studs, embroidery and tassels. A narrow belt with small cymbals attached. This is the kind usually seen in performances. A narrow belt with metal plates called smyczka. This is wrapped two or three times around the waist, similar belts are worn by Slovaks. As in many other places, things like pouches, flint and steel, knives and hoofpicks were often hung from the belt and sometimes attached to it. A long wool overcoat called Sukman is sometimes considered to be the most symbolic of this region. There are many local variations in detail of ornament, but in general they are of white wool with a standing collar in West Krakow costume, and of brown wool with an embroidered cape-collar in some East Krakow costumes. These are often worn over or instead of the kaftan. The embroidery on these collars varies quite a bit by district. Three kinds of hats are most commonly associated with this costume, all of which may be seen in the above photos. 1. The Rogatywka, the four-cornered hat which is sometimes seen as the very emblem of Poland. This is usually decorated with peacock feathers, and sometimes ribbons and flowers for weddings and other very special occasions. 2. The Magierka, a round knitted cap which is usually tan colored with small designs knitted in. This is very popular with farmers especially. 3. A dressy, slightly conical top hat called Celender [cylinder]. This was later replaced by a modern felt hat, which is unfortunate. There are other, lesser-known garments and variants. Sometimes the kaftan has sleeves, in which case it is often called a żupan. Here is an example from the village of Mników, it also is ornamented with red braid and mother of pearl buttons to match the woman's gorset. This ornamentation is also found in the sleeveless version. Here is a couple from Bronowice wearing a similar costume. There is a short jacket which overlaps and buttons in front called Kabat. This is decorated with topstitching and may be worn alone or under the kaftan or Sukman. This garment became very popular in Western Poland, the red variant in Wielkopolska and the blue in Silesia. Both were also worn in the Krakow area. e There is a long linen coat which resembles the sukman, but is minimally decorated. This garment is also found in Ukraine and other countries, but in Poland is called płótnianka. This is worn in warmer weather, which of course, also calls for a straw hat. In winter in the Krakow region, as in most Slavic nations, they wear sheepskin hats and overcoats of wool or sheepskin. Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this to be interesting and informative This website offers vintage costumes from Poland and other places for sale. http://www.easterneuropeanart.com/polish.htm Here is a Polish website which specializes in Krakow costume. These are contemporary pieces. http://www.perfekt.krakow.pl/stroje A video of the Polish college group Slowianki doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXbtEdgvNFU The national emsemble Mazowsze doing the Krakowiak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-sxkrzNDyk The national ensemble Slask doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5bwS62m_Sk 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. email: [email protected] Source material: Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Krakow Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2004 Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Cracow's Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2003 Stanisław Gadomski, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce', Kraków, Barbara Bazielich, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce - Opisy i Wykroje', Kraków, 1997 Aleksander Blachowski, 'Hafty Polskie Szycie', Lublin, 2004
Hello all, Today I will be talking about the Krakowiak costume. This is often considered to be the national costume of Poland, Krakow having always been the cultural capitol of Poland. . This is the center of the region called Malopolska, and the most copied costume by Polish dance groups, and of course the Krakowiak is one of the 5 National Dances of Poland. Here is a map of the Krakow region. There is much more variety to this costume than most people realize. I will be focusing on some versions of the West Krakow costume, with emphasis on the Bronowice variant. The girl above is basically wearing the Bronowice costume, while the man's has some elements of the East Krakow costume. The chemise has white embroidery and usually some cutwork. Today it is mostly cut short and the bottom half is made into a separate item of clothing. It is always good to have one narrow chemise/underskirt, and at least one full petticoat over that. This provides for some modesty as well as good movement while dancing. If you look, you can see that this girl has a wide lay-down collar which may be separate from the blouse. The collar may be just a row of lace, or it may be missing entirely. Here is a blouse from the village of Pleszow. Note the white embroidery above the shoulder seam. This is displayed on the upper arm and should not be covered by the vest. The sleeves are always long. Here is another blouse from the village of Bronowice Wielke. Notice how different the collar is. I have found evidence for colored embroidery only on blouses from the East Krakow region, which I will cover in another posting. Here are two possible cuts for the woman's chemise/blouse. The skirt is full and generally hangs to mid-calf. Most commonly it is made from a rose print material with many possible background colors. There are a few appliqued ribbon stripes not far from the hem, a dust ruffle commonly sewn onto the hem itself, and a facing sewn onto the inside for a few inches above the hem, all of which can be seen in the first image. This is by far the most common type of skirt in the western Krakow region. However, in the past solid color or damask skirts were sometimes worn, especially in the immediate vicinity of Krakow itself. Here is an old photograph of a woman from Bronowice. Here is a solid colored skirt with embroidery, from the village of Szyce, in the immediate vicinity of Krakow, not far from Bronowice. Likely the front is not embroidered, as it is covered by the apron. The one type of skirt which I have found no evidence of ever having been used in the Krakow region is a white skirt with many horizontal colored ribbons sewn on. This is something which developed in the diaspora as a result of being unable to find the rose print material. Three types of apron are most commonly used in this area. The first is of printed cloth, often of a different color than the skirt, but the same or similar print. This is usually edged with lace, and often a satin ribbon as well. It may also have tucks and/or narrow ribbons sewn on horizontally. This photo is of the costume from around Mogiła. These two girls are from Bronowice. The second type of apron is of white linen, with the same kind of white embroidery and cutwork as the blouse. This first example is from the village of Pleszow. A less common variant is of colored cloth with polychrome embroidery. The next two photos are from Bronowice. The third type of apron is of tulle, usually embroidered. I personally am not fond of this, but it is undeniably very popular in Polish costume. This girl is from Bronowice. This apron is from the village of Niepołomice. Here is a contemporary example. The vest, called Gorset, is the most variable part of the Krakow costume. It is of the standard Malopolska cut, with narrow shoulder straps, lacing or hooking closed in the front, and usually finished off with lappets at the waist. In the villages closest to Krakow, like Bronowice and Mogiła, the lappets are replaced with a peplum which is pleated in the back. In some villages they use a multiple princess line cut, with a lappet connected to each back piece. Here is a very basic cut without the lappets or peplum. Today what usually first comes to mind is the "Sukiennickie" type gorset. This is a modern development which started in the 1930's. In these gorsets, the ornamentation is composed of beads and sequins of various sizes, shapes and colors sewn on by hand. Many different compositions are found, but all are very colorful and folksy looking. These are too well known to need more than just a couple examples. Some satin-stitch embroidery may be included. Originally the bodices were quite simple, of solid or printed cloth. They were later decorated with various combinations of buttons, tassels, ribbon and embroidery. Take a look at the old photograph of the Bronowice girl above. Her gorset is a plain dark color with tassels and buttons. Here is a closeup of a very similar bodice. Here is another old example with mother of pearl buttons. This type of gorset is more typical of villages off to the northwest of Krakow. Here is a very simple gorset of printed cloth from the village of Mników. Today the type of bodice most connected with the villages in the immediate vicinity of Krakow sport a collection of 'coral' buttons, metal braid, metallic fringe and embroidery. The metallic pieces on the old examples have tarnished somewhat. Here are two examples, the first is from the village of Przylasek Wyciąski, the second is from the village of Zielonki. Note that the peplum is gathered in back. These types of bodice are sometimes made of velvet or brocade, especially for special occasions. with the beads and soutache sewn on top. Here are a couple of examples. Here are a couple of examples of contemporary commercially available Bronowice Gorsetki. These last examples are from the website Perfekt. where you can buy these and many other costume pieces. http://perfekt.krakow.pl/stroje There is another garment called katanka which is similar but with sleeves. These are worn in colder weather or by women 'of a certain age'. They are often worn over the gorset. This couple is from Bronowice. These women are from Mogiła. This example is from the village of Zielonki. Another overgarment, the kaftanik, is distinguished by the fact that the front fields overlap and are buttoned. This garment is often embroidered. Girls wore flower wreaths in their hair, or kerchiefs tied at the back of the neck. Married women traditionally wore white linen 'chustka czepcowa', which had the same kind of white embroidery as the blouses and aprons. These were wrapped right around the head and tied on the forehead. Colored kerchiefs were used for less formal occasions. Here are a couple of examples. Although today the standard lace-up boots are usually worn with the Krakow costume, originally they wore accordion pleated pull on boots. The costume is not complete without amber or coral jewellery, although some of the coral is artificial. For weddings, the brides wear a special wreath with ribbons and artificial flowers. Here is a photo of a wedding party taken in 1927. Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this interesting and informative. Just a few more images of this costume, past and present. A video of the Polish college group Slowianki doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXbtEdgvNFU The national emsemble Mazowsze doing the Krakowiak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-sxkrzNDyk The national ensemble Slask doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5bwS62m_Sk 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. email: [email protected] Source material: Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Krakow Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2004 Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Cracow's Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2003 Stanisław Gadomski, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce', Kraków, Barbara Bazielich, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce - Opisy i Wykroje', Kraków, 1997 Aleksander Blachowski, 'Hafty Polskie Szycie', Lublin, 2004
Hello all, Today I will be talking about the Krakowiak costume. This is often considered to be the national costume of Poland, Krakow having always been the cultural capitol of Poland. . This is the center of the region called Malopolska, and the most copied costume by Polish dance groups, and of course the Krakowiak is one of the 5 National Dances of Poland. Here is a map of the Krakow region. There is much more variety to this costume than most people realize. I will be focusing on some versions of the West Krakow costume, with emphasis on the Bronowice variant. The girl above is basically wearing the Bronowice costume, while the man's has some elements of the East Krakow costume. The chemise has white embroidery and usually some cutwork. Today it is mostly cut short and the bottom half is made into a separate item of clothing. It is always good to have one narrow chemise/underskirt, and at least one full petticoat over that. This provides for some modesty as well as good movement while dancing. If you look, you can see that this girl has a wide lay-down collar which may be separate from the blouse. The collar may be just a row of lace, or it may be missing entirely. Here is a blouse from the village of Pleszow. Note the white embroidery above the shoulder seam. This is displayed on the upper arm and should not be covered by the vest. The sleeves are always long. Here is another blouse from the village of Bronowice Wielke. Notice how different the collar is. I have found evidence for colored embroidery only on blouses from the East Krakow region, which I will cover in another posting. Here are two possible cuts for the woman's chemise/blouse. The skirt is full and generally hangs to mid-calf. Most commonly it is made from a rose print material with many possible background colors. There are a few appliqued ribbon stripes not far from the hem, a dust ruffle commonly sewn onto the hem itself, and a facing sewn onto the inside for a few inches above the hem, all of which can be seen in the first image. This is by far the most common type of skirt in the western Krakow region. However, in the past solid color or damask skirts were sometimes worn, especially in the immediate vicinity of Krakow itself. Here is an old photograph of a woman from Bronowice. Here is a solid colored skirt with embroidery, from the village of Szyce, in the immediate vicinity of Krakow, not far from Bronowice. Likely the front is not embroidered, as it is covered by the apron. The one type of skirt which I have found no evidence of ever having been used in the Krakow region is a white skirt with many horizontal colored ribbons sewn on. This is something which developed in the diaspora as a result of being unable to find the rose print material. Three types of apron are most commonly used in this area. The first is of printed cloth, often of a different color than the skirt, but the same or similar print. This is usually edged with lace, and often a satin ribbon as well. It may also have tucks and/or narrow ribbons sewn on horizontally. This photo is of the costume from around Mogiła. These two girls are from Bronowice. The second type of apron is of white linen, with the same kind of white embroidery and cutwork as the blouse. This first example is from the village of Pleszow. A less common variant is of colored cloth with polychrome embroidery. The next two photos are from Bronowice. The third type of apron is of tulle, usually embroidered. I personally am not fond of this, but it is undeniably very popular in Polish costume. This girl is from Bronowice. This apron is from the village of Niepołomice. Here is a contemporary example. The vest, called Gorset, is the most variable part of the Krakow costume. It is of the standard Malopolska cut, with narrow shoulder straps, lacing or hooking closed in the front, and usually finished off with lappets at the waist. In the villages closest to Krakow, like Bronowice and Mogiła, the lappets are replaced with a peplum which is pleated in the back. In some villages they use a multiple princess line cut, with a lappet connected to each back piece. Here is a very basic cut without the lappets or peplum. Today what usually first comes to mind is the "Sukiennickie" type gorset. This is a modern development which started in the 1930's. In these gorsets, the ornamentation is composed of beads and sequins of various sizes, shapes and colors sewn on by hand. Many different compositions are found, but all are very colorful and folksy looking. These are too well known to need more than just a couple examples. Some satin-stitch embroidery may be included. Originally the bodices were quite simple, of solid or printed cloth. They were later decorated with various combinations of buttons, tassels, ribbon and embroidery. Take a look at the old photograph of the Bronowice girl above. Her gorset is a plain dark color with tassels and buttons. Here is a closeup of a very similar bodice. Here is another old example with mother of pearl buttons. This type of gorset is more typical of villages off to the northwest of Krakow. Here is a very simple gorset of printed cloth from the village of Mników. Today the type of bodice most connected with the villages in the immediate vicinity of Krakow sport a collection of 'coral' buttons, metal braid, metallic fringe and embroidery. The metallic pieces on the old examples have tarnished somewhat. Here are two examples, the first is from the village of Przylasek Wyciąski, the second is from the village of Zielonki. Note that the peplum is gathered in back. These types of bodice are sometimes made of velvet or brocade, especially for special occasions. with the beads and soutache sewn on top. Here are a couple of examples. Here are a couple of examples of contemporary commercially available Bronowice Gorsetki. These last examples are from the website Perfekt. where you can buy these and many other costume pieces. http://perfekt.krakow.pl/stroje There is another garment called katanka which is similar but with sleeves. These are worn in colder weather or by women 'of a certain age'. They are often worn over the gorset. This couple is from Bronowice. These women are from Mogiła. This example is from the village of Zielonki. Another overgarment, the kaftanik, is distinguished by the fact that the front fields overlap and are buttoned. This garment is often embroidered. Girls wore flower wreaths in their hair, or kerchiefs tied at the back of the neck. Married women traditionally wore white linen 'chustka czepcowa', which had the same kind of white embroidery as the blouses and aprons. These were wrapped right around the head and tied on the forehead. Colored kerchiefs were used for less formal occasions. Here are a couple of examples. Although today the standard lace-up boots are usually worn with the Krakow costume, originally they wore accordion pleated pull on boots. The costume is not complete without amber or coral jewellery, although some of the coral is artificial. For weddings, the brides wear a special wreath with ribbons and artificial flowers. Here is a photo of a wedding party taken in 1927. Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this interesting and informative. Just a few more images of this costume, past and present. A video of the Polish college group Slowianki doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXbtEdgvNFU The national emsemble Mazowsze doing the Krakowiak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-sxkrzNDyk The national ensemble Slask doing the Krakowiak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5bwS62m_Sk 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. email: [email protected] Source material: Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Krakow Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2004 Barbara Kożuch et al, 'Cracow's Regional Costumes', Kraków, 2003 Stanisław Gadomski, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce', Kraków, Barbara Bazielich, 'Strój Ludowy w Polsce - Opisy i Wykroje', Kraków, 1997 Aleksander Blachowski, 'Hafty Polskie Szycie', Lublin, 2004
Bride and groom: folk costume from Kraków region, Poland from the turn of 19th-20th centuries. Vintage postcard: drawing by Maria Orłowska-Gabryś.
Kraków, southern Poland. Photo via Zpit Ziemia Żywiecka.
Zalipie, Kraków East, Poland. Photo via Globtrotter Kraków.
Embroidered bodice of a folk costume from the Kraków West region, Poland [source].
Folk costumes from Lublin / Kraków region, Poland. Drawing by Wojciech Gerson in “Costumes polonais (…)”, 1855.
Kraków, Poland. Photo via Globtrotter Kraków.
Woman from Kraków in a wedding attire, an old postcard [via].
Kraków costumes of bride and groom from the village of Modlnica Wielka, illustration published in 1873. Source: Oskar Kolberg “Lud : jego zwyczaje, sposób życia, mowa, podania, przysłowia, obrzędy,...
Kraków costume - one of the most well-known of the Polish regional costumes, which grew to the rank of a national costume. Sadly, also the most generalized and simplified due to the modern mass-media approach in many cases. How should it look like? © ZPiT AGH im. Wiesława Białowąsa "KRAKUS" Origins of the Kraków costume can be traced back to the Renaissance era, but the modern version of it started forming only around the beginning of 18th century. After the difficult times of the 19th century when Poland lost independence it gained the rank of "national costume of Poland": A Cracow costume is the only peasants' attire which was promoted to the rank of a Polish national costume. This decision was made on patriotic grounds, with the Cracow's peasants’ participation in the Kościuszko Uprising as a main factor. Even the Uprising's leader, Tadeusz Kościuszko, used to wear the Cracow costume (so he dressed "like a peasant") just so that he would not be recognised by Russian spies. Kościuszko's popularity contributed to the popularisation of the Cracow costume among the Poles in general. Some of the costume's elements were applied to the uniforms worn by participants of the 19th century national uprisings. This popularity of the Cracowian costume, especially in its female version, was then reinforced by the Cracow’s intelligence of the Young Poland (Młoda Polska) movement, who promoted it as a new fashion. [source: The State Ethnographical Museum in Warsaw] What most of the people know as "Kraków costume" actually varies among different villages (which in some cases have become districts of the modern city over time) around the Kraków's old center, such as: Bronowice, Tyniec, Grojec, Wieliczka, Morawica, Olszanica, and so on. However, there are many common elements that make the Kraków costume easy to recognize... and also easy to generalize. Either way, the Kraków costume allows to show a lot of individual approach in detailing, especially as it comes to women's fashion. Approx. area of the Kraków costume in Poland within Małopolska region. COSTUME: MEN One of the most characteristic, with a peacock feather being the main decoration of the headwear: Kraków costumes © ZPiT AGH im. Wiesława Białowąsa "KRAKUS" Decoration of the headwear could also include a rich decoration made of several peacock feathers, flowers and additional ribbons, as in this example from Bronowice (nowadays a district of Kraków): Kraków headwear © perfekt.krakow.pl ...or here, picture from Korzkiew: Kraków headwear © wiele16 via garnek.pl Traditionally, such rich headwear decorations were reserved for the groom on his wedding day, but could also be worn by more important figures during festive days. There are several different types of the headwear itself (like the black żeleźniak on the picture from Bronowice above), but the most popular is red rogatywka (peaked, four-pointed cap) with short peacock feathers and black or white fur, sometimes called krakuska: Rogatywka type of headwear © bopalinska Why the peacock feather? It could be explained in many ways, from it being an ancient symbol of rebirth and immortality (popular symbol on the medieval religious paintings), to the uniqueness of the peacocks - they were considered "royal" birds, therefore worn by the Cracovians to remind that the city used to be the royal capital of Poland in the past. Next important element of the costumes is kaftan - a long sleeveless vest, usually in a dark blue, navy blue, sometimes black color and heavily decorated with red chwosty (tassels), beads and subtle embroidery. Here's the most typical version: Kaftan from Kraków © perfekt.krakow.pl A group of men in blue kaftan with and red rogatywka: © Dariusz.Biegacz There's another type of the vest - in a cobalt blue color with additional rich embroidery. It is popular in Kraków nowadays, but in fact (historically speaking) it was typical rather for the Kraków East costume associated with e.g. Brzesko or Zalipie regions (Kraków East will be a topic of a separated post). Here are examples of it worn by a group from Nowa Huta district of modern Kraków: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca NOWA HUTA Next typical element is a coat called sukmana, obviously worn during the colder days. It's usually white or gray (but dark blue ones are popular as well), traditionally lined inside with red material and decorated with red embroidery, tassels and metal elements as shown below: © perfekt.krakow.pl Another, more minimalistic example from the 19th century: © kedil via garnek.pl Here's a good guide to various examples of men coats from different Kraków regions: Various Kraków regions and costumes © MCK Sokół They aren't always that plain: © Zespół Tańca Ludowego "Harnam" Trousers - as it comes to the "typical" Kraków costume mandatory is white portki with red stripes (blue-striped are characteristic for the Kraków East region): Kraków trousers [source] The main decoration and pride of a Cracovian man was a leather belt (pas krakowski) worn over the vest (kaftan). The most common was white, ornamented and decorated with metal beads and hanging elements: Kraków belt © perfekt.krakow.pl COSTUMES: WOMEN Here's a good example of the easy-to-spot differences between the costumes of married and unmarried women: Lovely Cracovian women © ZPiT AGH im. Wiesława Białowąsa "KRAKUS" First of all - the flower wreath was worn by unmarried maidens only. The typical small "one-lined" wreaths were worn by chidren and young teens, while wreaths of the older (marriageable) girls could have a triangle "crown" shape as in the example below: Kraków wreath © perfekt.krakow.pl A perfect Cracovian maiden wears also a long braid tied with a red ribbon: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny On the day of the marriage bride's head was decorated with a tall flower crown with long flowery-ornamented laces. The crown's shape could vary, usually it was built out of red or white flowers: Bride from Kraków © Krakowski Teatr Scena Stu Married women were covering their heads with white cloth that symbolized modesty. It looks plain at the first sight (from a distance), but in fact was beautifully ornamented: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny Colorful headkerchiefs with floral ornaments were popular as well in some villages. Main element of maiden's clothing was a richly decorated bodice (gorset) worn over a white blouse. Bodice's decorations were varying between different villages around Kraków - some preferred floral, some geometrical shapes. Here's the most popular example from Bronowice - the north-western district of modern Kraków (which was a neighbouring village just 100 years ago), commonly known as the typical Kraków costume's place of origin: Kraków bodices © Polskie Stroje Ludowe ...here from Tyniec, a bit south-west from the Kraków centre: © perfekt.krakow.pl ...here from Ojców, north from Kraków: © perfekt.krakow.pl ...and here from Grojec-Alwernia, located north-western from Kraków and being rather distinguished as Kraków West costume (in Polish: strój krakowiaków zachodnich): © perfekt.krakow.pl Below is a closeup of a beautiful bodice decorated with natural corals and metal clasps from "Rydlówka" Museum in Bronowice, coming from the early 20th century: Bodice of Jadwiga Rydlowa, early 20th century © Rydlówka Very characteristic and richly decorated element of female clothing is also the jacket called katanka (plural form: katanki), beloved by the artists and often depicted on the 19th and early 20th century paintings. They were rather worn by married women. Varying in colors a lot, they were always beautifully embroidered and decorated with beads, natural corals, sequins and tassels according to a certain pattern: Kraków katanka, front and back view © perfekt.krakow.pl © perfekt.krakow.pl The sleeves of katanka were always heavily decorated up to the elbow, the lace is part of the blouse worn underneath: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny Great side view of katanka: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Śląsk" im. Stanisława Hadyny Blouses worn by Cracovians were white (symbol of purity and modesty), decorated with white ornaments around the collar and cuffs (sometimes also at the bottom of the blouse), very often with additional laces. Below's an example from the Ethnographic Museum of Kraków: © Muzeum Etnograficzne im. Seweryna Udzieli w Krakowie Another, modern example with tatted collar and cuffs: © Polskie Stroje Ludowe Beautiful detailing of the collar and cuffs over katanka: © Zespół Folklorystyczny Wielopolanie Modern and currently the most common machine-made ornaments: © Zespół Pieśni i Tańca UJ SŁOWIANKI Skirts of Cracovian women were very colorful, usually made of the so-called "Tibetan" material (Tybet) with various floral patterns. The most common for Kraków would be those on black or red background, although there isn't any rule in that particular matter: Examples of the so-called "Tibetan" material [source] Aprons were worn over the skirt (fartuch or fartuszek). Young maidens often preferred very detailed ones, made of tulle and laces (semi-transparent): © perfekt.krakow.pl Other examples of hand-made embroidery on a tulle apron: © perfekt.krakow.pl Married women were rather wearing white cotton aprons (sometimes called zapaska), which also were decorated with subtle white embroidery: © perfekt.krakow.pl Children's apron [source] Cracovian women weren't using much jewellery (the bodice was their main decoration), the most desirable pieces were red coral necklaces (korale), traditionally decorated with a holy medallion. Here I'm heavily disappointed, as great majority of the modern examples are inadequate, therefore I'll illustrate how should it look like with an old painting: Piotr Stachiewicz "Krakowianka", pic. © AgraArt Example of traditional korale: [source] RESOURCES: PATTERNS --- This article might be supplemented in the future. Please leave a credit to lamus-dworski.blogspot.com in case of quoting ♥
