Festive costume of a young woman. Yaroslavl province.

Russians

mid-19th century

A common festive costume for girls or women was a set consisting of a sarafan and shugai, sewn from red patterned damask. This same damask was used to make outerwear, hats, gloves, and handbags. The pattern on this single-color silk fabric, very popular and beloved by the people, was created by a special weave of threads, creating a play of different shades of red. The woven pattern was usually filled with bouquets of flowers with large blossoming buds, leaves, and vines. Clothing made from this fabric was a shared family treasure, carefully preserved and passed down from mother to daughter. Quite often, this costume became a wedding gown: representatives of different generations of the same family would wear it at their weddings.

Costume, women's