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European Folk Dress

European folk dress in its present form is a relatively new phenomenon; it appeared in the mid-18th through the 19th centuries. During the Middle Ages, laws restricted the materials, styles and colors that peasants were allowed to wear, and clothing was rather uniform in sober colors. Its elaboration only began when these feudal laws were abolished.

The basic wardrobe of the 18th- and 19th-century peasants consisted of a chemise, a skirt and an apron for women; trousers, a belt or sash, and a T-shaped shirt for men. Cloaks and jackets were worn by both men and women. As these simple pieces began to evolve, geographic differences became more evident and clothing would delineate an affiliation to a group and/or village. Villages were isolated and self-sufficient, with rigid codes that controlled every aspect of daily life and that was reflected in clothing. Men, women, and children would wear the prescribed attire for each stage  - or event  - of their lives. The most interesting elements of their clothing were its decorative motifs, which could be traced back to pre-historic ritual cloths, stone carvings and ceramic vessels used for ceremonial purposes and had sacred significance.

The world ‘folk’ appeared in the first half of the 19th century, during the Romantic age, when European intellectuals began defining a country’s national character in terms of its folklore. They believed that simple rural life could serve as an example to society at large; rural life was idealized and so was rural clothing. This was no longer limited to villages, but expanded to cities where urban admirers would wear folk attire.

The attention that rural dress received led to its increased elaboration and praise of artisan skills involved in its creation, of which the most valued one was embroidery.

Embroidery

The ancient art of embroidery involves adding decorative elements to clothing. These ornaments had more than an aesthetic purpose; they often embodied pagan values and practices. Embroidery played the role of shield against harm and every aspect of the embroidering process was important. Positioning, for example, was chosen so the embroidered motifs would protect these body parts most vulnerable to evil such as the front, the shoulders, the center back, the sexual areas, and the heart. This is why the neck, hems, sleeves, cuffs, pockets and buttonholes are the most densely embroidered.

The most powerful embroidery motifs against evil spirits are geometry figures such as triangles, circles, stars and crosses, or birds, fish, horns, eyes and hands.

The use of symbols as a form of language dates back to Paleolithic times. Early peoples painted them on their bodies, clothing, and tools. Different ancient themes have survived in decorative motifs, such as hunting rituals, which are still found in embroideries from Spain to Siberia. The sun was another source of inspiration, which can be found in embroidery over most of the world, and which already appeared in Paleolithic art.

Eastern Europe

A design theme that is often used in Eastern European embroidery is that of an earth mother. The image does not represent a woman, but a fertility goddess, who is often accompanied by animals and worshipping figures. The goddess has most often than not a blank face, is erect, and with her arms raised in invocation or lowered in blessing.  She sometimes metamorphosed into the Tree of Life or was replaced by local motifs such as the one or two headed eagle, an ancient solar symbol representing the power of the sky gods. The two-headed eagle later became a European heraldic emblem for the Hapsburgs and as such sometimes replaces the tree in the embroideries of Spain and Russia, as does the heart in the embroideries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Worship  of the fertility goddess continued through the Paleolithic, the Neolithic, and Bronze Ages among the matrilineal societies of Old Europe, even after their culture was overlaid by that of the aggressive, patrilineal Indo-Europeans. The belief systems of the two cultures were substantially different, but the sacred images and symbols of Old Europe were never totally uprooted, thanks to their continued use by indigenous craftswomen.

Western Europe

Western European clothing was more decorative than traditional for it was a product of fashion and trade rather than a reflection of religious rituals and values. Commercial availability of  fabrics and sewing materials, as well as of  of widely circulated pattern books, resulted in shared embroidery designs all throughout Western Europe. Outer clothing was mainly decorated with ribbons and trimmings, whereas embroidery was usually restricted to headcoverings, aprons and linen garments. Embroidery motifs served to affirm affiliation to a group only in isolated regions.

About the Author

The author is the founder and owner of Adriana Allen LLC - a European fashion brand offering handmade and one-of-a-kind handbags and fashion accessories. You can learn more about world fashion, fashion's history, and how to buy fashion accessories at our official blog