Traditional Dress
Every region in Belarus had distinctive cultural elements, including distinctive clothing. For instance, national clothing in southern regions was brighter and more embellished, whereas, in northern regions, folk costumes were darker and had fewer decorations. Women in the eastern areas substituted a "saian" for the traditional outfit of a skirt, apron, and bodice. Saian is a dress with a top and skirt that are attached. It is one of the unique cultural characteristics of Belarus.
Male traditional costumes in Belarus were less elaborate and varied than those worn by women. Men wore a shirt with embroidery, pants, a belt made of woven material, outerwear, a cap, and shoes. The collar (most commonly a stand-up collar), cuffs, and shirtfront of the shirts are customarily embroidered. Less embroidery is present than what is found on shirts for women. A shirt is either mid-thigh or below-the-waist in length. A small or wide woven belt is always worn around the waist with the shirts. The pants were plain and without any decorations. Because individuals were saving fabric, they only extended to the ankle, not below the knee.
Typically, woolen or linen material was wrapped around the leg from the knees down, and bast shoes or boots were worn on top. Coats, jackets, vests, and other outerwear came in a variety of styles. They were frequently crafted from thick, hand-knit wool, typically light gray wool, and embroidered in crimson. Typically, the coats came to the knees. They could have a belt or be buttoned by hand. People frequently wore the same coat in one household because men's and women's apparel were so similar. The main characteristics of men and women were the same, with the exception of their festive outerwear. In terms of headgear, Belarusian men would don straw hats in the summer and wool or fur caps in the winter.
The female traditional clothing consisted of an embroidered shirt, a skirt, an apron, a bodice (the last three of which might be replaced by a dress, as we've already said), a belt, a hat, and shoes. Women from Belarus of various ages wore slightly diverse attire. The marital status was typically indicated by certain clothing, such as headdresses and shirt embroidery patterns. There were therefore standard outfits for young girls, adolescent girls who were engaged, brides, married women, and senior women. Women in the area used to wear slender, woven belts with a variety of vibrant patterns on them. These woven patterns come in a wide variety.
Belarusians typically wore leather boots and bast shoes for footwear. But they also went barefoot when going about their daily lives, especially when it was warmer. Married women swap their whitework bridal blouses for ones with customary red embroidery. In addition, they begin donning kerchiefs rather than elaborate headdresses and wreaths. Sometimes there is embroidery on this kerchief as well. A wimple, which is a long piece of cloth coiled around the head and neck, is another common traditional headpiece. It has beautiful ends that are embroideredly decorated.
Children in Belarus began donning gender-specific clothing when they were 4-5 years old. Before that, both boys and girls wore the same attire, which was a long belted shirt. Old female shirts were frequently used to make the children's clothes. They repurposed the shirt after the mother could no longer wear it and sewed smaller kid shirts out of the bits of fabric that were in better condition. Children in Belarus typically wore plain white shirts with minimal embroidery on the collar, cuffs, and hem.
