Sarafan
Encyclopedia
A Sarafan is a tradition
al Russia
n long, shapeless jumper dress
(pinafore) worn as Russian folk costume by women and girls.
Chronicles first mention it under the year 1376, and since that time it was worn well until the 20th century. It is now worn as folk
costume for performing Russian folk songs and folk dancing. Plain sarafans are still designed and worn today as a summer-time light dress.
It was the dress worn by peasant
girls and women in the central and northern part of Russia
until the 20th century. Russian women from the upper and middle classes stopped wearing traditional Russian costume in the 18th century, during Peter the Great's modernization of Russia, apart from the kokoshnik
s as part a court dress (although the clothing style of Russian aristocrats differed greatly from those of commoners). It is now worn as folk
costume for performing Russian folk songs and folk dancing.
Sarafans could be of single piece construction with thin shoulder straps over which a corset
is sometimes worn, giving the shape of the body of a smaller triangle
over a larger one. It comes in different styles such as the simpler black, flower- or check-patterned versions formerly used for everyday wear, or the elaborate brocade versions formerly reserved for special occasions. The head-dress usually worn with the sarafan today in folk performances is the kokoshnik
, although in the past a head scarf tied under the chin or at the back of the head was part of everyday dress.
Plain sarafans are still designed and worn today as a summer-time light dress without the traditional Russian blouse. They can be worn during folk music and dance
performances and are produced as souvenir
s.
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
al Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n long, shapeless jumper dress
Jumper dress
A jumper , pinafore dress or pinafore is a sleeveless, collarless dress intended to be worn over a blouse, shirt or sweater.In British English, the term jumper describes a sweater...
(pinafore) worn as Russian folk costume by women and girls.
Chronicles first mention it under the year 1376, and since that time it was worn well until the 20th century. It is now worn as folk
Folk
The English word Folk is derived from a Germanic noun, *fulka meaning "people" or "army"...
costume for performing Russian folk songs and folk dancing. Plain sarafans are still designed and worn today as a summer-time light dress.
It was the dress worn by peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
girls and women in the central and northern part of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
until the 20th century. Russian women from the upper and middle classes stopped wearing traditional Russian costume in the 18th century, during Peter the Great's modernization of Russia, apart from the kokoshnik
Kokoshnik
The kokoshnik is a traditional Russian head-dress worn by women and girls to accompany the sarafan. It is patterned to match the style of the sarafan and can be pointed or round. It is tied at the back of the head with long thick ribbons in a large bow. The forehead is sometimes decorated with...
s as part a court dress (although the clothing style of Russian aristocrats differed greatly from those of commoners). It is now worn as folk
Folk
The English word Folk is derived from a Germanic noun, *fulka meaning "people" or "army"...
costume for performing Russian folk songs and folk dancing.
Sarafans could be of single piece construction with thin shoulder straps over which a corset
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
is sometimes worn, giving the shape of the body of a smaller triangle
Triangle
A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
over a larger one. It comes in different styles such as the simpler black, flower- or check-patterned versions formerly used for everyday wear, or the elaborate brocade versions formerly reserved for special occasions. The head-dress usually worn with the sarafan today in folk performances is the kokoshnik
Kokoshnik
The kokoshnik is a traditional Russian head-dress worn by women and girls to accompany the sarafan. It is patterned to match the style of the sarafan and can be pointed or round. It is tied at the back of the head with long thick ribbons in a large bow. The forehead is sometimes decorated with...
, although in the past a head scarf tied under the chin or at the back of the head was part of everyday dress.
Plain sarafans are still designed and worn today as a summer-time light dress without the traditional Russian blouse. They can be worn during folk music and dance
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
performances and are produced as souvenir
Souvenir
A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
s.