Woman’s Folk Costume | Polomka, Slovakia

Description

Origin: Slovakia | Horehronie region | Polomka village
Era: WWII era (circa 1930-1950)
Includes: blouse, shawl, skirt, front apron, back apron, cap
Condition: very good; some wear and soiling to cap including minor damages to embroidery at base of back; shawl has various stains; red staining to blouse underarms (color transfer from a vest); occasional faint spotting and light general wear; suitable for both wear and display
Measurements (with garments laying flat):
   Blouse – across front: 25″ side to side fully stretched out
   Blouse – length: 18″
   Skirt – waist: up to 39.5″ around (can be wrapped to fit tighter)
   Skirt – length: 32″
   Shawl: approximately 31″ square not including 5″ fringe
Additional Notes: Traditional woman’s folk costume from the neighboring villages of Polomka and Zavadka in central Slovakia. The costume is most well known for it’s unique pointed headdress cap unlike anything worn elsewhere in Slovakia. This is the everyday version of this village’s folk dress and would have been worn for work and around the house as opposed to more festive variations worn to church. The costume includes an embroidered blouse with wide balloon sleeves that feature cross-stitch birds and handmade crochet trim around the cuffs. Over the blouse is worn a large blue wool floral shawl that has small corner extenders, which get tucked into the skirt to keep it in place. The white skirt has a couple protective motifs embroidered at the bottom along with an attempt to embroider the maker’s family name or possibly initials. Embroidery was taught at a young age and girls often copied letters and designs without knowing them or even being literate so backwards letters are quite common in folk embroidery. The costume comes with two aprons, a woven one worn on the front and a finely pleated blueprint one for the back. The back apron was also used as a front apron with other costume variations and sometimes the pleats were let out allowing the apron to fan out or even get pull up and tucked into the skirt. Numerous variations of this costume existed and changed depending on the time of year, occasion, age and marital status of the wearer. One of several versions of this region’s folk dress that we have available for purchase in the shop.