Estonian Folk Costume

The colorful styles of Estonian traditional dress

6 May 2015 | From Andry of Estonia

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Andry used a lot of stamps for this postcard only leaving a tiny space for a warm greeting. I guess that's one way of decorating a postcard.

The traditional dress of Estonia is classy and versatile in its appearance as it was mainly dependent upon the fabrics like wool, linen and sheep skin garment. Nowadays the Estonians wearing their traditional costumes on festive occasions, celebrations and national events. Main influences made over the traditional dress of Estonia were by the clothing trends set during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Folk costume identified place of birth, national belonging, age, social and marital status of a person

The development of Estonian folk costume was, over the centuries, influenced by the fashions of the upper classes and the traditional costumes of neighbouring countries. Women wore linen shirts, headdresses, striped skirts, linen robes, black woollen long-coats, fur-coats, *aprons*, belts, kerchiefs, stockings, mittens and heel-less peasant shoes. Belts are one of the most important details of the women's clothes.