The art of choosing colours is an essential aspect of fashion, especially when it comes to ethnic wear. Colours have the power to convey emotions, highlight features, and reflect cultural significance. The right colour choices can enhance your appearance, uplift your mood, and make a lasting impression. In this article, we will delve into the world of colour play and explore how to select the perfect hues to enrich and elevate your ethnic wardrobe.
Newly exhibited photos from the project Ένδυμα Ψυχής - Raiment of the Soul, collaboration of photographer Vangelis Kyris and Bulgarian embroidery artist Anatoli Georgiev who present Greek traditional costumes, which are exhibits of the National Historical Museum of Greece. The exhibition is currently hosted in the Acropolis Museum, until March.
Attire of King Otto of Greece, 19th century.
Dress from Nisyros island, 19th century.
Dress from Zakynthos (Zante) island, 18th century.
Attire of Dimitris Mavromichalis, aide-de-camp of King Otto.
Getting dressed in traditional Valencian clothes. Interior shirt, starched petticoat, black wrought velvet doublet, wild silk skirt, and lace farfalar.
Video and dress by rodenasdressmaker on Instagram.
Like many things in Basque culture, abarkak have their origin in shepherding.
They're made with a single piece of soft leather and has a trapezoidal shape. Its wider parallel side is folded in half and sewn with a thread. Along the two converging edges, holes are made through which a leather strap passes, and by tightening or loosening it, the leather - with more or fewer folds - adjusts to the size of the foot.
In the 1920s and 1930s, leather abarkak were gradually replaced by rubber ones. They used to put studs or nails on the bottom of the sole to the leather shoes and also the rubber ones so that they would not slip. They were more durable and lasted for years.
Traditional leather abarkak in brown, and rubber ones in black.
They're unisex, and can be tied low (traditionally for men)
or high (traditionally for women)
and they're ever present in Basque folklore and culture, such as in dancing:
In our traditional masquerades:
and even our beloved Olentzero - our Xmas gifts bringer - wears them:
A cover photo from the Greek culinary magazine “Γαστρονόμος” (=Gastronome). featuring old traditional recipes from rural Attica. The photo was taken by Michael Pappas.