Georgian national costume: traditional men's and women's clothing, hats, wedding dresses

Why do we need a national costume? First of all, it reflects the history of mankind, reveals the artistic worldview and ethnic portrait of the people. For example, Georgian clothing reproduces the traditions and moral values of the people. Especially female: multi-layered sleeves, long hem, headpiece - each element is a reflection of chastity.

The Georgian national costume is also a fashion (more conservative), a kind of antipode to the urban style.

Folk costumes were squeezed out of the culture over time, now they are performed only by folklore ensembles, dancers, sometimes they are worn at a wedding.

Briefly about the main

From other suits the Georgian is distinguished by a special finesse. National women's clothing was a long fitted dress, where the bodice was decorated with ribbons and stones. A lot of attention was paid to the belt. A magnificent attribute was sewed from velvet and decorated with embroidery or pearls.

The men had a cotton (cotton) shirt, lower and upper pants. Over put on Arkhaluk or Chohu, which favorably emphasized the statue and the broad shoulders of the Georgian.

Let's consider in more detail the question of what is called Georgian clothing, headgear and national attributes of traditional costume.

The one who loves Choh, loves his country

It is usually considered the best example of a national costume, which unites the folklore and traditions of Georgia. This is not only a men's suit, there is also a female variation.

For the first time, a chokha appeared in the villages of the south of the Caucasus in the late 9th century. The name appeared under the influence of Persian expansion. Choha translates as "matter for clothing." But more often it was called "Talavari".

The last few years have been wearing not only a wedding dress, but also for formal and solemn receptions.

Georgian national costume: description

Initially, chokhu was made from camel, sheep's wool. Now the outfit is a fitted outer garment made of cotton or artificial fabric with a free falling hem.

The suit is fastened from the top to the waist. On the chest there are decorative inserts in the form of bubbles. They complete the outfit with a leather belt, from which damask steel from damask steel hangs, and accessories from silver.

The sleeves in the suit cover the man's hands to the back of the palm and play a more decorative function. If necessary, they can be rolled up to the shoulders, then you will get a peculiar scarf characteristic of an apparel.

The Georgian national costume is made in 6 shades. Tourists prefer to purchase a purple outfit, locals choose the classics - black and white. Also on sale is a chocha of gray, burgundy and blue flowers.

Where to buy

To revive the national costume and remind the Georgians of their traditions and culture, in 2010, a workshop for the production of chochi was opened in Tbilisi. The idea belongs to two friends: Levan Vasadze and Luarsabu Togonidze.

Clientele atelier - people who respect the traditions of their people, and tourists who want to buy a Georgian costume as a souvenir.

The daily sales figure is 5-6 hours a day. Agree, not bad, given that the atelier is located on the busiest metropolitan street, where fashionable shops and boutiques with brand clothes compete in the neighborhood.

From the hat to the cabalaha

Each region has its own headgear. Each of them differs in size, color palette, ornament and even purpose. List of the most common headdresses worn and worn on the territory of Georgia:

1. Khevsurskaya cap (received the name from the same province). It is distinguished by brightness, elegance and finishing. They knit it from a half-woolen soft yarn. In the ornamentation there must be the presence of crosses.
2. Svan hat. Georgian head-dress, made of felt and decorated with ribbons. They wear a hat in the mountainous part of the country (Svaneti). During the summer season, it protects from the hot sun, warms the head in winter.
3. Kahuri, or Kakhetian hat. It happens in two colors: black and white. In appearance it resembles a Svan cap.
4. Kabalakhi is a cone-shaped Megrelian headdress made of fine woolen fabric. Has long ends and a brush on the hood.
5. A papakha is not a hat, but the pride and honor of any Caucasian. The cap is made of scrawl or sheep's wool.
6. Chihtikopi. A woman's bezel, embroidered with beads, and with a veil.
7. Papanaki. Imeretinsky original headdress. A four-cornered or round small cap, sewn from cloth, embroidered with braid, having a garter under the rim.

Georgian Women's National Costume

The variety of traditional outfits shared one thing: similar features. In the men's suit, austerity prevails, in the women's dress grace and elegance prevail.

Girls from rich families wore a kartli (long dress) from satin and silk. They were mostly red, green, white and blue. As for katibi (outer clothing), it was sewn solely from velvet, from below there was a cotton or fur lining.

A common headdress - lechaki - consisted of a veil made of white tulle and a rim. She was wearing Baghdadi (a dark scarf), which concealed the face of the Georgian woman. Married women also wore lechaki, but one end must have covered their neck.

The shoes of the rich girls were a special model. They did not have a backdrop, they were mostly on heels and with curved noses. The Georgians of the lower classes could not afford such luxury and wore leather bast shoes.

Adzhar costume

Briefly about their traditional costume: no frills. Indeed, look at the photos and you will understand everything. Everything looks beautiful, and most importantly - rational.

The male costume consists of a shirt and tailored in a special way a wide trousers of wool or black satin. The spacious top and narrow bottom of the pants did not constrain the movements of the jigit. Over their shirts they put on a waistcoat in the tone of the trousers. The most recognizable and at the same time expensive part of the male costume was a choch with a collar-stand and sleeves up to the middle of the elbow. They girded the chohu with a leather belt or a bright sash. Completed the image of a jigit bandolier, a dagger and guns.

Incredibly beautiful and functional female costume. He consisted of a long, to the ankle, shirt blue or red and bloomers. Over the adzharka she put on a swinging dress made of orange calico. Complemented the national costume wool apron. The head of the Georgian was adorned with a cotton scarf, the angle of which was necessarily thrown over his shoulder, covering his neck. On top of them they put on another scarf that hid most of the face. From the age of 12 adzharki girls were wearing a white veil, which was covered with a face.

Men's National Wedding Suit

It is now the newlyweds are choosing to marry a European version of the outfit, but the wedding Georgian national costume from each region had its own.

The male costume consisted of three elements: shirts, trousers and Circassian coats. The shirt was made of white linen, Circassian coat of wool, instrument cloth, and trousers made of cashmere, double-satin. On his feet were black black boots with soft leather. On the ornate silvered black belt hung a butternet and a ring for a dagger, the handle of which was processed for ivory.

Over the white shirt with a collar-stand put on a gold-embroidered cloak. His sleeves were necessarily cut for the convenience of movements in the dance.

Female outfit

The Georgian dress for the wedding consists of a headdress with a veil and dresses. The first is sewn from silk or satin. The color should be the most gentle: from pink to light blue. The wedding dress must be with a double sleeve, and the waist of the Georgian is decorated with a richly embroidered belt. Sometimes it is decorated with a pattern. But he must be in the tone of the dress.

The lower sleeve and chest area is embroidered with gold tinsel, silk or beads. Cuffs and belt usually consist of a different material - heavier. The open sleeve, breast, belts of the belt are decorated with tinsel of silver color. Sometimes the wedding dress is decorated with eyelets and buttons-balls.

On the head piece, tape is applied and covered with a light cloth. The rim was embroidered especially richly: small pearls, beads, gold, silk. Lightweight fabric, performing the function of the veil, was from embroidered tulle pattern. The edges were framed with lace or cut out in a zigzag. His hair was braided in a braid. Often it was decorated with small pearls.

The only thing that remained unchanged after so many centuries - shoes. The Georgian bride was wearing white high-heeled shoes.

National clothes - a kind of mirror, reflecting the history of the people. After all, studying traditional dresses, learn about culture, customs and traditions. Even one tissue could determine from which region a person came.

As you can see, the Georgian people at all times tried to look with taste and elegance, looking at photographs of national costumes, it is easy to determine that the sons of the Caucasus are strict and masculine, and the Georgians - grace and severity.