Woman’s Folk Costume | Velykyi Bereznyi, Ukraine

Description

Origin: Ukraine | Transcarpathia region | Velky Berezny area
Era: Early 20th century (circa 1910-1930)
Includes: blouse, skirt, apron, kerchief
Condition: good; minor stains; small snags to lace trim along skirt hem; faint color transfer on kerchief; blouse missing bottom section; apron shows heavier wear with some tears, small holes, and damages to the colored ribbon trim across the front; suitable for both wear and display
Measurements (with garments laying flat):
  Blouse – across front: 20″ between underarms
  Blouse – length: 17″
  Blouse – sleeves: 25.5″ from collar to cuff
  Blouse – collar: 15.5″ around
  Skirt – waist: 28″ around (adjustable approximately +/- 3″)
  Skirt – length: 31.5″
  Apron – length: 28″
  Kerchief: approximately 26″ square
Additional Notes: Lemko woman’s folk costume from the Velykyi Bereznyi region of western Ukraine, along the Slovak border. Includes a linen blouse with smocking at the collar and floral embroidery on the front, sleeves and cuffs. There was likely a plain white bottom section attached to the blouse, which was removed at some point to make it easier to wear as a shorter style blouse. The skirt is made of commercially woven cotton fabric and decorated with hand embroidery and cotton lace trim along the bottom. The front is a panel of plain linen as it gets covered by the pleated cotton apron. The Lemkos are a subgroup of the Rusyns that live primarily in Ukraine, Slovakia and Poland and their costumes are quite scarce.