MACEDONIAN FOLK COSTUMES

The red color and the color of the wine are colors of earth and fertility, while gold is the color of the gods (the sky) That is why our national costume is red with gold embroidery.


Folk Costumes in Macedonia have a tradition that lasts for centuries. They are part of the material culture of the Macedonian people and an important branch of folk art. Created as a collective benefit of all Macedonian people, they have been passed from generation to generation for many years and during their development, they included many elements of the diverse cultural influences that have crossed this part of the Balkans. The biggest influence comes from the Old Balkan, then the traditions of the civilizations of ancient Greece and the dressing culture of the ancient Slavs which inhabited this part of the Balkan Peninsula from V to VII century. In further cultural streams, influence of Byzantine civilization and strong Turkish - oriental elements are included, up till the latest trends from the west. Entire Macedonian nation participated in the long process of forming the costumes in Macedonia - Macedonian people are the artist and the creator of the costumes. Different historical, social, economic and cultural events are reflected in their forming. Different cultural influences over the centuries, in different historical eras, are accepted in the costume modeled with the work of folk knowledge, adapted to national essence and lifestyle developed and perfected with the folk aesthetic considerations. This is how the costumes in Macedonia were formed - as an expression of the people's collective, aesthetic and psychological dispositions.

1 Female Macedonian folk costumes from Skopska Crnagora, Blatija, near Skopje 2, 3 Female Macedonian folk costumes from Kumanovo and Tetovo

Apart from cultural - historical conditions and creative spirit of the people in shaping and modeling the costumes, also very important in Macedonia are the geographical - environmental conditions. High mountain ranges, hilly pert tame slopes and valleys, which features the relief of Macedonia, gave certain economic conditions, which in turn found a reflection in the life and culture of the population. With special specific forms, both material and spiritual culture, stands out the culture of mountain people, who are mainly engaged in farming, the culture of field people, which are mainly oriented towards agriculture. In many areas these two cultures intertwine, thus creating different forms of the complex culture of clothing, as well as in the overall folk life in general. All these stakeholders who participated in the creation of the costumes in Macedonia and in the creation of traditional forms of folk dress, were important factors for the definitive shaping of the various and typical forms of folk costumes and folk dress in general. In forming of their typical decorative features are reflected ancient eras, as well as the time in which they were created. With all their wealth, expressed by the number and variety of clothes, their decoration and ornamental compositions and colors, costumes come to us through the still-preserved specimens used in the XIX and the first decades of the XX century.

4 Men's and women's Macedonian folk costume from Galichnik 5, 6 Female Macedonian Folk Costumes from Mariovo and Smilevo

National cloth, except its basic function to protect the human body in different climatic conditions, as well as to decorate it, has other versatile meanings and messages even since ancient times. Despite some magical - ritual functions, through clothing are shown territorial origin, family situation, and mutual social relations of generations of different ages. In the long development path, in the constant process of supporting the old traditions by entering the elements of popular taste and understanding, costumes are formed as a specific ethnic differentiated branch of folklore. They are shaped complex sections in which is seen harmonious blend of individual garments, both in terms of decoration and in color and ornamentation. And the overall composition of the costume is adapted to its practical function, but also serves to satisfy the aesthetic conceptions of its creator. Hence, each costume is a complex shaped piece made of textile material, dyed in different colors and tones, decorated with embroidered or woven various ornamental motifs and supplemented with diverse jewelry and other ornaments. Large variety of costumes can be found on the territory of Macedonia, which had set aside specific features. Every region in Macedonia had its own costume that differed from the neighboring region with its stylish, functionally and aesthetic characteristics. On the diversity of costume affected the various migratory movements that were enacted in different landscape units in Macedonia in the near and distant past. How these movements, given the specific political, economic and social conditions were more intense and stronger, and the diversity of the costumes was more expressed. The richness of the costumes, the differences in individual clothing as well as in the overall national dress, are both expressed in stylistic composition of the costume and with the number and diversity of their clothes and decorating. In this sense, especially western and central Macedonia represent a real mosaic of rare beautiful costumes, among which stands out the female. Festive, ritual and ceremonial costumes apart in wealth and decorating garments, in which old traditions are the longest preserved and creative spirit of the people reached the ultimate expression. Samples of folk costumes that are collected in museums in Macedonia, and those who each year are shown on the catwalk in Struga are valuable documents for their extraordinary wealth and extraordinary diversity. They remain witnesses to the high creative abilities of the Macedonian people, who managed to create its own, independent folk outfit over many centuries, in which typical and decorative features found reflection of past eras, as well as the time in which they were created and worn.

7 Male and female Macedonian folk costumes from Kocani 8, 9 Female Macedonian folk costumes from Krusevo and Prilep

Macedonians wore 70 different types of national costumes, depending on the region where people lived, such as: Skopska Blatija, Skopska Crna Gora, Upper Polog, Lower Polog, Prilep-Bitola Plain, Upper Prespa, Lower Prespa, Ohrid Plain, Struga Plain, Drimkol, Malesija, Mariovo, Ovče Pole, Malesevo and many others. Every type of folk costume has its own characteristics, but common for all is the presence of the red, black and the white color and the geometrical shapes on it.