Samples of national costumes

The term national costume refers to clothing unique to a nation and worn by its people on a daily basis or on special occasions, i.e., holidays or celebrations. Festive garments are usually more elegant, colorful and elaborate than ordinary clothes worn every day.
Over the course of centuries, nations continually changed the style of their clothing. These changes occurred due to people's economic situations, living conditions, concept of beauty and ability to produce clothing. In all nations, the attire of men varied from that of women, was made and decorated differently. Distinct national religions also influenced the way people dressed, Industrious nations and those with a keener sense of beauty wore more elegant clothes.
At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries most distinctions in clothing between nations disappeared. People began to wear more or less similar garments due to increased communication and contact between various countries. Textile factories assumed the task of weaving cloth for apparel. Europe and other countries began to create "fashions" which were increasingly adopted particularly by urban residents. National garments were collected into museum and served as models for new articles of clothing used for national holidays and to illustrate national customs.
The old national costumes were made by the people who wore them. They were woven and decorated with various patterns, then embroidered and finally stitched together. In modern times, national costumes are usually woven by textile factories according to old patterns.
Lithuanian national clothing is divided into pre-historic, historic and folk. An approximate image of prehistoric attire has been reconstructed based on remnants of clothing and various articles of adornment found at archeological sites, Garments from historic period have been collected into museums in Lithuania and other countries, and are depicted in ancient engravings and drawings.
Lithuanian folk national costumes, those worn by the rural population, are extremely varied and homespun. The patterns are complex and the color combinations subtle, Lithuanian national costumes are classified according to geographic region: Samogitia, Highland, Kapsai, Dzūkija, Zanavykija, Vilni us region and Lithuania Minor. Although all Lithuanian national costumes are similar in appearance, they also differ in the diversity of patterns, color selection, different articles of clothing and method of wear.
In ancient times these garments were worn daily, as well as for visiting, holidays, weddings and other occasions. The weave, patterns, colors and style of current Lithuanian national costumes are adapted from models of old peasant garments. Ancient Lithuanian national attire had certain characteristic traits:
a) all pieces of clothing were made by the peasants from homespun yarn, bleached and dyed mostly with plant dyes;
b) the .weaving methods are traditional; the. yarn varies in thickness thus diversifying the weaving technique.
c) the motifs used in every article of clothing are greatly diversified;
d) the colors are extremely varied and contrasting, for instance warm with cold;
e) the cut of the garments is unique and every piece is finished differently. in overcast, crochet, with tassels or cord, etc.;
f) the garment fasteners are metal, leather , string or wood.
Women's national costumes have more diversity than those of men. They incorporate more patterns, the colors are more varied, the weave, style and method of wear are established by tradition. Of utmost importance is that married and unmarried women wear different headcoverings. People dressed one way for a wedding and another to go visiting or to church, National garments have never been a uniform, they were used for festive occasions, individual pieces were frequently changed creating new combinations and method of adornment.
The coordination of separate pieces of attire was also determined by certain esthetic rules: if one piece is very colorful, it is combined with a quieter, plainer piece. if one is darker in color, the other is lighter; if one is from the cold color family, the other is from the warm.
The basic pieces of a woman's national costume consist of. a long patterned or striped skirt, an apron, a shirt (white with embroidered sleeves, cuffs, shoulder tabs, front and collar, the amount of embroidery differing according to region where worn); a bodice in a smaller pattern or striped to match the skirt; a headcovering and amber beads (though earlier other materials were used) as neck ornaments. The legs are covered with patterned or striped stockings and shod with soft-sole leather, wooden or low-heeled black shoes. The women of certain regions wore a long wide patterned sash tied around the waist and left hanging on one side.
An adult married woman wears a wimple or a patterned, checked (even white) kerchief. The heads of young girls are adorned with crowns made of plaited narrow sashes. From the headdress hang ribbons or sashes coordinated to the crown and national costume.
Men's national costumes are also homespun festive garments. The basic pieces consist of: long striped, diagonally striped or checked trousers onto whose lower portion darker stripes or patterns have been woven. The trouser legs are tapered and fastened at the bottom or stuffed into socks. In certain areas of Lithuania men wore a loose waist-length vest, in others a long jacket sometimes tied at the waist with a sash. A wide sash is also worn with the vest, tied around the waist and to one side with the ends hanging to the knees. The shirt is made of thin white linen with long wide cuffed sleeves and an inverted collar. The cuffs, collar and at times the shoulder tabs are decorated with a narrow patterned sash or embroidery. A patterned sash or checked scarf is tied under the collar. The headcovering is a wide-brimmed straw hat, The socks are striped and soft-sole leather shoes are worn. In certain regions of Lithuania men's attire is more colorful and patterned while in others more subdued and darker.
Boys' national costumes are similar to men's but they usually do not wear vests or jackets. Girls' garments are similar to women's. Young girls wear short checked or patterned skirts and white aprons embroidered with traditional motifs. The beads they wear are smaller, plainer and they usually do not tie sashes around their waists. Adolescent girls wear calf-length skirts. Girls wear small crowns with ribbons hanging down their back or flower wreaths.
A more detailed description of Lithuanian national costumes (from different regions of Lithuania) can be found in Lithuanian National Costume by Antanas and Anastazija Tamosaitls and Volume XV of Lietuviu Enciklopedija ("Lithuanian Encyclopedia").
It must also be remembered that a national costume cannot be simplified and worn without certain pieces of it. We often see girls (and especially women) wearing national costumes without a headcovering, or married women wearing girls' crowns with flowing ribbons. High-heeled shoes or colored and open sandals should never be worn with a national costume. If they do not have suitable footwear, women and girls may wear simple black closed shoes. Men must wear plain black leather (even high-top) shoes and their socks must be coordinated to the national costume.
Women may wear amber beads (along with broches) as neck ornaments. Earrings (even amber ones) absolutely cannot be worn with a national costume, nor can shiny rings, bracelets or other jewelry. National costumes should be worn with proper respect, decorum, pride and solemnity, A person wearing a Lithuanian national costume represents his or her nation. He or she should not promenade with buttons undone and shirts hanging out or behave in a disorderly fashion for this casts a shadow on the entire Lithuanian nation.

Source: "Lithuanian customs and traditions"
by Danute Brazyte Bindokiene